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February 25

Name of old video game

I am looking for the name of an old video game. It was on a computer, though I don't recall if it was an apple or what. I played it around 1990 and it was a third person shooter style game where you were in a maze kind of thing and had to kill rats and sometimes mice. Googlemeister (talk) 20:44, 25 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Are you sure it wasn't a first person shooter like Wolfenstein 3D? By third-person, do you mean that you viewed the levels from the side; or was it more like Tomb Raider? Comet Tuttle (talk) 04:27, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Perhaps the 1994 game Rats! --M @r ē ino 21:12, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It could not be a game from 1994 because I played it in either 1990 or 1991 unless the 1994 game was a clone or variation on an earlier game. And it was definitely not 1st person, more along the lines of those old style arcade games where you move a figure around and basically have a top down view of part of the maze with your figure in the center. Googlemeister (talk) 14:21, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Gauntlet? NetHack? What kind of graphics was it, because your description is actually very broad. --Wirbelwindヴィルヴェルヴィント (talk) 23:17, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Top down, thank you. Venture? (No screenshots there; here is a screenshot page.) Comet Tuttle (talk) 00:00, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Not turn based, the goal was to simply kill the rats and the squares things that rats and mice could come from. Very primitive graphics (think along the lines of frogger or space invaders). I don't think you had a life bar or anything, if a rat or mouse touched you, that was it. Googlemeister (talk) 17:17, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Rodent's Revenge, perhaps? --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 18:20, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

no, that's just the opposite... --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 18:21, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Theme Tunes

Two questions for Brits, really. I thought that Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygene IV was the theme tune to "Science All Around" when I was growing up. But I've just checked and it wasn't. So my questions are:

What was the theme tune to Science All Around?
What was Oxygene IV the theme tune to?

Is driving me mad, now! AndyJones (talk) 22:39, 25 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I can't answer you, but Oxygene IV was definitely what the future sounded like for me as a child in the Seventies! The other track that was also what the future sounded like is Magic Fly by Space. DuncanHill (talk) 22:45, 25 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

This says Science All Around was composed by John Baker (Radiophonic musician). meltBanana 23:11, 25 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I believe it was the theme to "Where There's Life", which featured Dr Miriam Stoppard. --TammyMoet (talk) 09:19, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Yes indeed. It was the theme for that series. Incidentally "Where There's Life" was a weekly medical discussion programme from the early 1980s that aired on ITV in the slot before Coronation Street. They used to have debates about health related issues and show film of surgical procedures, etc, some of them quite gory I seem to recall. I'm guessing Oxygene IV was chosen as the theme because someone made a tenuous link with the subject. TheRetroGuy (talk) 17:05, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I actually used to sing the phrase "Where there's life there's hope" to the Oxygene tune, which helped me remember what the show was called! --TammyMoet (talk) 22:53, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

February 26

Movie reviews from personal sites

Hello,

I was unable to find what I consider to be a clear answer for this question. I have a personal site that I post some movie reviews on. Is it inappropriate to link to my own film reviews?

Thanks — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jotunar (talk • contribs) 00:01, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

If the reviews are your own opinions, then your site is not an appropriate link. If you are simply copying reviews from a reliable source, then why would we use your site rather then the original source? So, as a general rule, your own site is not considered a reliable source. The exception might come when many other reliable sources start taking about your site as a good source of reviews. One last thing: please do not be tempted to SPAM your site on Wikipedia - it will not increase your page ranking statistics, such activities will be quickly reverted and you could be blocked if you persist. Astronaut (talk) 01:45, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Red Dwarf: Rimmerworld - The Rimmerclones

I haven't watched every episode of Red Dwarf so I might have missed something, but in the epi Rimmerworld, Rimmer was able to create an entire civilisation of clones of himeself. So my question is how could Rimmer, who was a hologram at the time, clone himself?80.254.146.140 (talk) 13:11, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It wouldn't be science fiction if impossible things didn't happen all the time, but I suspect it's easier to clone a hologram than a sheep.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 14:41, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Our article (Rimmerworld) doesn't explain how - but he was trying to make a "Jane" to his "Adam" to start a new world. Rmhermen (talk) 16:24, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

It's Red Dwarf, you're not meant to ask questions... Worm^TT 10:13, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The way I would do it, I would start a factory that produces holoemitters (or whatever the term Red Dwarf used), and copy the original program into them. Googlemeister (talk) 14:17, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I was thinking that his DNA was also digitised just like his memories & everything else. Then he was somehow convert his electronic DNA into organic DNA81.152.231.242 (talk) 14:46, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The Vaccines Band - Post Break Up Sex influences

Since I first heard the song "Post break-up sex" by the Vaccines, it's been bugging me, as it sounds to me like another song, but I can't think which one! I read the wiki page that says it borrows heavily from the Ramones "The KKK took my baby away", but it seems there must be another one it's like, as well, as I hadn't heard that one. Or is the whole song just horrendously derivative? Any suggestions for songs that sound just like it, with different words would be much appreciated. If you haven't heard it and you want to have a listen, it's on Youtube. Snorgle (talk) 16:22, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Personally, I'd say that as well as borrowing shamelessly from "The KKK Took My Baby Away", it also borrows a lot from The Strokes, and has a section that is similar to Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know". Yes, it is horribly derivative, but that's what the kids like these days. Apparently. --Michig (talk) 18:59, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The Keane song certainly sounds like it, and the Strokes do as well. Thanks for the input!Snorgle (talk) 21:38, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Can you identify this music for string quartet?

Here's a sound clip. I'm not 100% sure it's a string quartet, though, but I count 4 instruments.

This is played by the musicians in a dining room in a scene from the 1985 film "Brewster's Millions" starring Richard Pryor and John Candy. It's a wonderful melody, and I already got confirmation from a reliable source that it wasn't composed by the film's composer, Ry Cooder. It's also obviously not Scott Joplin's "Paragon Rag", which the same string quartet is playing immediately on the next scene.

There's no soundtrack release for this movie, and the only soundtrack listing I can find is regarding the ending credits music.

Can anyone identify it? Thanks a ton! — Kieff | Talk 18:27, 26 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

For me, it's just too short to get an aural handle on the melody. I guess if there was a longer excerpt, you'd have posted it. Sorry. -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 08:00, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

February 27

Episode from Twilight Zone

Resolved

Could anyone please tell me the name of the Twilight Zone episode which featured an elderly lady receiving phone calls from her dead lover; it's later discovered that a telephone wire had fallen across his tombstone. Thanks.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 09:19, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Night Call. ---Sluzzelin talk 09:38, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you. How creepy it was originally scheduled to be aired on 22 November 1963! Brrrrrrrrr......I feel goosebumps.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 10:13, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

"its realy quite" said by a us sargent to officer then gets an arrow in his chest

is it me or did i imagine this seen im sure there is a seen in a probably 'B' western that the blue coats are after the indians and the sargent tells the officer "that its too quite" he then gets an arrow in his chest.guy86.185.14.15 (talk) 15:14, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Do you mean "quiet?" Britmax (talk) 15:17, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

There is a LOT of discussion about the origin of this on the web, most of it speculative, but overall search results suggest "It's quiet, too quiet" was used by John Wayne in the 1934 film The Lucky Texan.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 16:53, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

thank you shantavira yes it is said by john wayne in that movie i've a feeling he is being attcked by the bad guys,but i also thought it was with soldiers but as youve stated alot of speculation.may be there is was a line that was almost the same. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.185.14.15 (talk) 20:06, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Oscar expenses

When, say, a group of British technicians is nominated for an Oscar, who pays for their flights and accommodation in Hollywood?--Shantavira|^{feed me} 17:30, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'd guess that they are on their own for those expenses, unless the company they were working for when they did their Oscar-worthy activities was willing to foot the bill, considering it to be good PR. StuRat (talk) 21:22, 27 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

February 28

US TV ad featuring acrobatic toddlers

The ad is for Gerber Graduates (baby food). There's obviously some computer manipulation going on in this ad, but what, specifically ? I'm guessing that they filmed adults, or at least older kids, wearing toddler outfits and doing acrobatics, then mapped toddler faces onto them. One clue is that their bodies don't look fat enough to belong to toddlers. (They look like older kid's bodies.) StuRat (talk) 00:14, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thinking of a TV show or movie

Hello, I'm thinking of a live-action TV show or a movie, the name of which eludes me. One scene involved a stadium full of people who had fainted or fallen asleep, and there was one guy who was awake. I think he was awake because of manipulation by an evil organization. Once the effect wore off on the people in the stadium, officials watched security camera video and strained to figure out who the lone awake man was. Any help figuring out what this was would be appreciated! -- MegaGuy (talk) 08:24, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Sounds like FlashForward to me. That was the last episode I saw before the break and I stopped watching it! So, I dunno what happened next... Worm^TT 10:08, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

<spoiler> nothing...unfortunately, well something but nothing that made any great deal of sense/got explained...and now it's cancelled </spoiler> ny156uk (talk) 22:12, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Help me identify this TV programme

Resolved

I saw an episode from one of the American television series dealing with the supernatural, but I cannot recall whether it was the Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond or the Outer Limits. The episode featured a young woman who was engaged to be married. Everytime she went out on horseback, she was pursued by the ghost of an angry woman on a phantom horse. She later discovers the angry woman is her future self come back warning her not to ruin her life. I cannot recall which programme I saw it on. Can anyone help me? Thank you.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 10:00, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

That'll be the Twilight zone episode, Spur of the Moment... Worm^TT 10:06, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

That's it! Thank you very much!--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 10:19, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Stellan Skarsgard's perfect English accent?

I was just very curious about how does a Swedish person, an adult who was born in Sweden and lives most of his life in Sweden, achieve such an almost perfect English (American) accent like Stellan Skarsgard? --KpoT (talk) 16:40, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Some people are better at imitating the "sound" of a language than others. Watching lots of movies perhaps, and lots of practice with his English. However, to my ear he has a very definite Swedish accent, at least in Mamma Mia. I haven't seen his more recent work. No doubt he's been practising.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 17:15, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

In addition, many actors (foreign and native speakers) work with dialect coaches, in preparation and even on the set. (We also have an article on accent reduction). For a recent example, Stellan Skarsgård (and Halle Berry) worked with Tony Alcantar as their dialect coach for Frankie and Alice [1]. ---Sluzzelin talk 18:27, 28 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

But what about most foreign actors who still have a heavy noticeable foreign accent? Why can Stelan learn to sound so close to native American speaker and they cannot (ex: Schwarzenegger)? --KpoT (talk) 04:46, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

~~What about them? Your question is unclear. Dismas|^(talk) 04:49, 1 March 2011 (UTC)~~ I see you've clarified what you were asking. And as far as an answer goes, some people are better with imitating accents than others. Also, Schwarzenegger may not care to try. Dismas|^(talk) 04:52, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I assume Arnold Schwarzenegger didn't work too hard to change his accent for the same reason he ignored the advice to change his name - to stay memorable in the minds of the film-going public. Astronaut (talk) 12:27, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

He has become an object of imitation himself. An occasional character in the Simpsons has a voice that's obviously a ripoff of Schwarzy. And in my household, whenever I want my partner to do something he doesn't particularly want to do (or vice-versa), I encourage him with a "Come on, you can do it" in faux-Schwarzenegger voice. Works a charm most times. -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 19:56, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

If they aren't able to remove their accent in a credible way, a more ambitious production will probably not cast them for an American, Canadian, British ... part. Luckily for those actors, there are plenty of parts where a foreign accent is desired and required. Sometimes they are cast as people from different countries than their own (and with supposedly different accents too). What people say about Sean Connery always sounding Scottish unfortunately also applies to Armin Mueller-Stahl, an actor I otherwise admire greatly: Whether he's playing a Russian military officer in The Peacemaker, a Hungarian expat in Music Box or the Prime Minister of Israel in The West Wing, he always sounds German. ---Sluzzelin talk 04:58, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

As Shantavira said, his English doesn't sound perfect to me; I don't know what he was supposed to be in Mamma Mia, but in Good Will Hunting, was he supposed to be American? I always thought he ended up sounding kind of French. Adam Bishop (talk) 22:06, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

He sounds very American in Dogville... --KpoT (talk) 17:11, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

According to the article on Mamma Mia! his character Bill Andersson was supposed to be Swedish. The character in Good Will Hunting is named Gerald Lambeau, so he possibly was supposed to be a native francophone. (Which doesn't mean his accent has to sound quite like Luc Teyssier's in French Kiss :-) He orders a Perrier, and Robin Williams's character comments "That's French for club soda." I've seen interviews with Skarsgård where he speaks English with a Swedish accent. Maybe this is the most natural way for him to speak, and sounding as American as possible would feel fake to him. It can also be strenuous to sound like a native speaker at that high level for, say, half an hour. A lapse in concentration can make you slip, particularly when it comes to speech melody. That's one of the reasons dialect coaches are often present on the set. ---Sluzzelin talk 17:43, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

March 1

Did Arabian Knight really win an award?

Great fan of the movie The Thief and the Cobbler. However, in a trailer for the "Arabian Knight" version (here [2]), and in the site article, it is said that "the film won the 1995 Academy of Family Films Award." But really, those are the only places where that award have even been mentioned. So now I am wondering: What other films have won that award? Does that award even exist? Grey ghost (talk) 07:47, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Well, it seems it did exist. The Academy of Family Films and Television appears to have been founded by the film historian Dr Donald A Reed in 1980[3], who also founded the better-known and still extant Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films (see Saturn Award). Gloria Stuart seems to have won an AFFT award in 1997[4], and Flight of the Navigator won one too according to this. Our own article Nick Mancuso says he won one for Ticket to Heaven (Nick_Mancuso#Awards). But I can't find any evidence that it's still operating. Ka renjc 10:52, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) The LA Times says the Academy of Family Films and Television (often referred to as the Academy of Family Films and Family Television) was founded by Donald Reed in 1980.[5] I suspect it is now defunct; Reed died in 2001.

Googling returns a lot of people/films/tv shows claiming to have won it, including Party of Five, The Gods Must Be Crazy, The Flamingo Kid, and Glory. Here's a short LA Times article from 1990 mentioning Glory getting an award[6].--Colapeninsula (talk) 10:58, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Stargate Atlantis - Atlantis Personnel

In the entire run of the show, has it been stated how many people where stationed at Atlantis ? Also what is the capacity (people-wise) for a city-ship like Atlantis ? 80.254.146.140 (talk) 11:29, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The Atlantis (Stargate) article describes the city-ship as "huge" with a "vast number of laboratories". Rapid access is provided by "transporter rooms" (again implying a size large enough to make walking a time-consuming business). It goes on to say "...there is presumably enough room for thousands - if not millions - of inhabitants". All this is rather poorly referenced, relying mostly on knowledge of the individual episodes. I don't recall ever hearing it said on the show how many were stationed at Atlantis or how large the city was. Astronaut (talk) 12:49, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

'Spiral', French TV series 1 (2005) - final episode

I have watched series 1 of the French police drama 'Spiral', but depsite that have no idea who was found dead at the end of the last episode with his or head in a plastic bag. Did Laborde escape the consequences of his crimes? Can anyone tell me?

Mark Lawson —Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.169.34.117 (talk) 13:58, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Is it possible they made this intentionally vague, as a cliffhanger, so you will watch series 2 ? (Although the French seem to like vague endings, for their own sake, as well.) StuRat (talk) 23:22, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Radio DJ

What's happened to Simon Bates? He used to present on Classic FM, but no more. Any ideas, music lovers?86.184.189.82 (talk) 15:29, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

As per our article - Simon Bates - he left Classic FM in January and now presents the breakfast show on Smooth Radio. Nanonic (talk) 15:34, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

a film about dog sledding

I am looking for a movie that i saw when i was a kid and it was in the 80's early 90's. The film was about a teenage boy designed his own dog sledge on computer and built it himself (painted it orange and yellow) and he raced with that sledge. I am not sure if it was an american film, can be canadian or else... 94.172.110.27 (talk) 21:39, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Possibly Toby McTeague (1986)? Haven't seen it, and couldn't find a plot summary detailed enough to include the fact that your protagonist designs his own sled, but it's the only candidate I found which fits your time frame. ---Sluzzelin talk 04:02, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

This is it! Thank you very much! :)94.172.110.27 (talk) 20:56, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

A game called Tidley

Have you ever played Tidley? I’m not referring to tiddlywinks and I’m not sure how to spell tidley. Tidley is a street game we played as children during the early 1940’s, and for us, the game probably originated in the U.K. However, my wife played this game in Germany or Poland; and more likely by a different name? If you’ve played tidley, perhaps you can help me remember the rules and playing details. The rules I am writing below, are what I remember from bits of memory. Therefore, please don’t accept the following as being correct.

The game required a discarded broom or long shovel handle. A short 6” piece of the handle was sharpened at both ends to become the tidley. Less than a yard, or what was left of the handle, became a one-handed bat. A small slit trench was scooped out of the dirt on the side of the road. The trench would allow the bat to easily pass under the tidley placed across the sides of the trench.

One boy, who was to be “up,” placed the tidley across the trench. Using only the bat, he would scoop the tidley up into the air and out past his buddies standing in the street. They would attempt to catch or grab the tidley. The boy who was “up” places the bat across the trench. The buddy who got possession of the tidley must stay where he took possession of the tidley. From that place, he throws the tidley and tries to hit the bat lying across the little trench. If he hits the bat with the thrown tidley, it’s his turn to be up. If buddy misses, the boy who is “up” takes the bat to where the thrown tidley came to rest. At that place, he must swing the bat down on a pointed end of the tidley. This tilts the tidley up into the air where he must strike the tidley again, in mid-air, making it fly high out into the street. My wife remembers drawing a circle in the dirt, and now I vaguely remember we had a circle. Maybe the tidley was brought back to the circled area for hitting. The boy, who is “up” has three chances to hit the tidley in mid-air.

Where the batted tidley comes to rest, someone has another chance to throw the tidley to hit the bat resting over the trench.

This game could have been a forerunner of baseball. Bluenoser50 (talk) 21:03, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

This may be the book you need to get hold of. What part of the UK were you in? Ghmyrtle (talk) 21:58, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Your game sounds like Tip-cat --TrogWoolley (talk) 22:15, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Quite similar to the Pee-Wee game Stan Laurel plays in Babes in Toyland (1934). Pepso2 (talk) 22:37, 1 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

March 2

Wigger and its cousins

The word wigger mean a white person trying to be a black person, especially hip hop. So what about a term referring to Indian trying to be black?; Asian trying to be black?; latino trying to be black? an Arab or middle eastern trying to be black? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.53.228.223 (talk) 01:57, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

We have an article, wigger, but Urban Dictionary is a sort of open slang dictionary that probably has plenty of other slang (fake and real) to describe what you're looking for. Comet Tuttle (talk) 02:10, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

For Arabs, there's the highly offensive term sand nigger. StuRat (talk) 02:14, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

That's not the same thing, though, that's just a pejorative, and has nothing to do with an Arab acting black. Corvus cornix_talk 03:42, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

"Chigger" is the east Asian version, according to Urban Dictionary. --Colapeninsula (talk) 09:41, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Looking for the name of a SciFi TV series, ca. 1990-2000

Hi, I'm looking for the name of a SciFi TV series, and my google-fu is failing me.

What I remember is that the enemies were called "Banshees", though I'm not sure if that was the name of the race, the name of the spaceship, or if the race itself was a "living spaceship" like the Cylon Raiders in BSG reimagined.

There was a guy either named Draco or a member of a race called Draco, who wore some sort of metal collar (kinda in the shape of a V, and made out of one rigid piece), around his neck that suppressed his agressive nature; he would remove it for fights.

The spaceship of the good guys had a female pilot.

Also, since googling for Draco and Banshee didn't return any fitting results, I'm wondering if maybe I am mixing up two series?

Any ideas? -- 78.43.60.13 (talk) 13:36, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Space Rangers (TV series) ? Nanonic (talk) 14:06, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Resolved

Indeed! Thank you! -- 78.43.60.13 (talk) 14:20, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Dave Brown's Motown Show

Can anyone tell me if the presenter Dave Brown has left Smooth Radio's Motown show? His Saturday evening show seems to have been taken over by someone else but their website still lists him as the presenter. 86.163.152.186 (talk) 19:35, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

old baseball team--Monks called "sons of David"

while watching TV 3/1/11 PBS chan. antiques roadshow-postcards of an old baseball team that played proffessionaly but were at the same time a group of real Monks. they took vows like monks--not cutting hair, or facial hair, no romance, no red meat and they wore white robes and looked like apostles of Jesus during his lifetime (or what we think they looked like) this group of men made me very curious about finding more info on them. i cannot find anything--can you help me? Karen Maciejewski (aka: venus8i8) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Venus8i8 (talk • contribs) 20:40, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Probably House of David (commune)#Baseball teams. Clarityfiend (talk) 20:42, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

why are there two actresses called Lily James?

http://www.lilyjamesactor.com/ older, blonde hair
http://www.tavistockwood.com/clients/actors/james-lily/ younger, dark hair

Isn't Equity supposed to stop this? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.128.101.30 (talk) 22:31, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Only if both were members of Equity, which in this case they obviously aren't. Equity has no say over names outside of its own membership. Nanonic (talk) 23:18, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I think you mean either Actors' Equity Association or Equity (trade union). And as Nanonic says above, if the Lilys aren't part of the union, then the union has no say. Dismas|^(talk) 23:24, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

This isn't very uncommon if you look on IMDb. Actors in different countries, those who work in small roles/uncredited, etc. IMDb lists over a dozen actors called Paul Smith: in Australian film Storm Boy (1976); in Monster's Ball (2001); in German film Die zweite Ermordung des Hundes (1973); in Pearl (2010); in British thriller Harmony's Requiem (2010); in UK teen horror Nine Lives (2002); in Comeback (2000); in Fireflies in the Garden (2008); in Black Hills (1948); in The World Cup: A Captain's Tale (1982) (TV); in US silent short The Bargain Hunt (1928)); in Loving You (1957) aka A Paul Smith; in Aussie kids show the Henderson Kids II in 1987 aka Paul M Smith; and many more who have used that name occasionally.[7] --09:52, 3 March 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Colapeninsula (talk • contribs)

March 3

Flamenco

Hi all, I was listening to the "Vitoria Suite" today and I realized I don't really have much flamenco in my music library...care to recommend some? I'm not after Rodrigo y Gabriela type stuff. Not that it's bad, it's just I think I would like something a bit less produced. Perhaps similar to what sort of music Carlos Saura used in his movie(s) about flamenco, or perhaps from some of the segments of Latcho Drom? Thanks for the help.98.248.125.228 (talk) 03:57, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Spike Witwicky holding a telephone wire

I realise it might be inappropriate to ask a question about realism in a work of fiction, because in fiction, everything is possible, but I'll take a chance anyway. In the Transformers comic, Spike Witwicky visits his dad and amazes him by being able to trace a telephone call simply by holding the wire in his hands, which is explained by him having become a Headmaster partner. Now assume for the sake of suspension of disbelief that Spike has magical Headmaster powers that allow him to feel the individual electrical pulses in the wire through his fingertips and decipher where the telephone call is going to based on them. But isn't a telephone wire coated in plastic, which acts as insulation? Is it in any way possible to feel the electricity through that, without going into the realm of magic as in Harry Potter, not as in science fiction? JIP | Talk 18:59, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Electromagnetic induction? Yes, it's possible (assuming he has magic electromagnetic fingers). I thought you were going to ask "how does tracing a phone call work, and can you do it without access to the exchange?" which I don't know the answer to. (He could feasibly read the dialing tones, of course, if it's an outgoing call.) 81.131.23.214 (talk) 19:39, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

His magic electromagnetic fingers could let him detect the caller ID sent at the beginning of the phone call, and use his Photographic Memory power to remember the address in the phone book that corresponds to that number. Comet Tuttle (talk) 20:56, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

NBA Court

This season I've noticed a new line while watching NBA games. There is an arc centered under each basket, about 4 feet in radius. What is it's purpose, and when was it added? Hemoroid Agastordoff (talk) 19:19, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Our article on basketball courts calls it a "restricted area arc" but doesn't have much info on it. Dismas|^(talk) 19:53, 3 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Lyrics of Carrickfergus

The song Carrickfergus is about a man. Yet in the first verse he asks for a Handsome boatman ( Van Morrison changed this to a Handy boatman.) In the last verse he asks for all you young Men to lay me down ( Van Morrison changed this to all you Maidens. Can you explain this contradiction. Many thanks Moatfield