Welcome to the humanities section
of the Wikipedia reference desk.

Select a section:

WP:RD/H

Want a faster answer?

Main page: Help searching Wikipedia

How can I get my question answered?

Select the section of the desk that best fits the general topic of your question (see the navigation column to the right).
Post your question to only one section, providing a short header that gives the topic of your question.
Type '~~~~' (that is, four tilde characters) at the end – this signs and dates your contribution so we know who wrote what and when.
Don't post personal contact information – it will be removed. Any answers will be provided here.
Please be as specific as possible, and include all relevant context – the usefulness of answers may depend on the context.
Note:
- We don't answer (and may remove) questions that require medical diagnosis or legal advice.
- We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate.
- We don't do your homework for you, though we'll help you past the stuck point.
- We don't conduct original research or provide a free source of ideas, but we'll help you find information you need.

Ready? Ask a new question!

How do I answer a question?

Main page: Wikipedia:Reference desk/Guidelines

The best answers address the question directly, and back up facts with wikilinks and links to sources. Do not edit others' comments and do not give any medical or legal advice.

April 23

What key is the BSG "Apocalypse" theme in?

In the TV movie Battlestar Galactica: The Plan there is an orchestrated theme, of which you can see a live appearance here. At about 40 seconds in, a stringed motif played on what I am told is an electric violin begins. Can anyone (e.g., (@JackofOz:?) tell me what key the piece is set in, if any? Thanks. μηδείς (talk) 23:22, 23 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It seems to be in D minor. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 05:02, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The saddest of all keys... --Jayron 32 01:10, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. I played it along with some other rock songs for a friend who's been studying violin for two years, and he blurted out that it was in A minor. I can barely tell a violin from a piano on the radio, so I was curious as to his accuracy. I don't know how one determines the key without having the sheet music in any case, unless one has perfect pitch. μηδείς (talk) 20:01, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Perfect pitch isn't necessary. A well-tuned instrument that gives discrete notes (a piano, for example, or a guitar; but not a violin) is all we need. You find the notes on the keyboard by trial and error, and then work out what the tonic is, which is usually a very simple exercise. I played the melody on my recently-tuned piano and, unless I've made a mistake, the tonic does seem to be D, not A. I've just now gone and repeated the exercise. A minor has a raised G, which this tune doesn't have. D minor has a flattened B, which this tune does have. And it ends on D, not A. Hence, D minor. But IANAPM (I am not a professional musician/musicologist). -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 01:43, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I'll have to get my friend (my nephew, he'll be 11 soon) to work out the notes and follow your instructions. That was a great answer, Jack, thanks. μηδείς (talk) 02:32, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

April 24

James Robert Porter

From talk page. Tevildo (talk) 19:34, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

My query is about James Robert Porter. Which was his mother´s name? Thanks.

Daniel; April 24th, 2016. ≈≈≈ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.51.245.163 (talk) 09:08, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Lion d'Argent inn, Calais

A question about The Roast Beef of Old England at the Language Desk led me to The Gate of Calais. I would be interested to know more about the Lion d'Argent inn - how long it continued as an English inn, does the building still exist, etc. Thanks, DuncanHill (talk) 20:14, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

This travelogue written in 1814 lists a Lion d'Argent on Rue Neuve. It names the innkeeper as a "Ducroc". Here is the Rue Neuve in Calais. No idea if the Inn is still there, but it apparently was (or one of the same name) in 1814, and the street still appears to be there. --Jayron 32 20:49, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) A brief mention of it in this book from 1817, when Calais was said to "abound with English residents, half-pay officers and persons of small income, who live here for one third less than in England". I imagine that there were rather fewer during the preceding decades during the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Another mention here in 1822. This 1833 article mentions it as the rendez-vous of British cavalry officers during the occupation that followed the Waterloo Campaign of 1815. Anne Lister describes the hotel in her diary entry for 5 September 1822. Alansplodge (talk) 21:02, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

A quick look on Google Maps shows that all of the buildings currently on Rue Neuve are fairly modern. Calais was badly damaged by bombing during World War Two, so it seems unlikely that this particular old inn has survived. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.132.106.10 (talk) 16:18, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

A lot of the damage was caused by the Siege of Calais (1940); it looked like this straight afterwards. There was a second battle there in 1944 called Operation Undergo. The bombs didn't help of course. Alansplodge (talk) 19:14, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

There was indeed a lot of damage in 1940 - caused by German bombing and shelling. My father was actually there, in the British garrison). There was further heavy bombing by the allies prior to D-Day as they were trying to convince the Germans that they would be landing in the Calais area, rather than in Normandy. There was then further damage during the capture of the town by allied forces - and even after that when the RAF hit it by mistake!81.132.106.10 (talk) 14:45, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I found in DICTIONNAIRE DE PERSONNAGES DE HISTOIRE CALAISIENNE an entry for "QUILLACQ Auguste (Calais, 1793 – 1865, Calais) - Fils de Louis Quillacq, auprès duquel il fait son apprentissage avec son cousin Léon Dessin. Il participe aux campagnes de 1813 et 1814. En 1822, il reprend l’hôtel du Lyon d’Argent, rue Neuve, et le dirige jusqu’à sa retraite en 1860." (Son of Louis Quillacq , with whom he served his apprenticeship with his cousin Léon Dessin. He participated in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814. In 1822 he took over the hotel Lyon d’Argent, Rue Neuve, and directs it until his retirement in 1860).

"Hôtel Dessin" gets a mention in The Uncommercial Traveller by Charles Dickens [1]. Alansplodge (talk) 21:01, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

And finally: L'intermédiaire des chercheurs et curieux, Volume 102 (1939) says: "Jamais l'hotel en en question n'a porté le nom de Dessin avant l'arrivée de cette famille a Calais. Cet hôtel s'appella du < Lion d'Argent >, rue Neuve et < Hôtel d'Angleterre >, rue Royale." (p. 354). Alansplodge (talk) 21:19, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks everyone. DuncanHill (talk) 01:52, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

April 25

The Yemen/al Qaida lava lamp

I was nonplussed by the locations in Drone strikes in Yemen, so I went back and started adding maps of where al Qaida controlled. I now have three in there, none of which look like the others outside of Houthi territory. I am not sure whether reports of who controls where are just random/unrelated to reality to start, or whether there really are meaningful zones of control that just keep moving. But to address this - is there anything close to a time lapse video of who controlled where in Yemen from 2010 to the present? Wnt (talk) 12:12, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

What any group claims to occupy, and what its opponents admit that it occupies, is likely to be highly contradictory. What the US spy satellites and drones indicate about actual territorial control will be heavily classified. I fear that anything you find about the situation has a strong chance of being both incorrect, and out of date by the time it is released. 81.132.106.10 (talk) 16:11, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

And you might find that some towns are in firm control by one faction, others are currently in dispute, and open areas are no-mans-lands. Some of those areas in dispute may even be in control of one faction by day and another by night. StuRat (talk) 16:25, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

All this may be true, yet Wikipedians have been drawing these maps and keeping them in our article on Yemen for many years now. My feeling is that some single authority, culling public news reports and keeping a consistent standard, can come up with something resembling a video of the turnovers. Hell, the revision history of some of our figures almost does that, aside from the constant edit warring that is. (I've never seen files get that many back and forth revisions, so what you say is not entirely wrong...) Wnt (talk) 20:33, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

George W. Bush; War on Terror; NSA; Homeland Security; Government surveillance

Template:Formerly

I am revising the heading of this section from Please recommend good, mainstream books on the George W. Bush presidency, the "War on Terror," and the rise of the national security/surveillance state. to George W. Bush; War on Terror; NSA, in harmony with WP:TPOC (Section headings). Please see Microcontent: How to Write Headlines, Page Titles, and Subject Lines. The new heading facilitates recognition of the topic in links and watchlists and tables of contents.

—Wavelength (talk) 16:13, 25 April 2016 (UTC)

Hi, an eager student asking. I've been kinda busy between 2001 and 2012 or so and really need to catch up on those topics. What books would you recommend? I've already read Jane Mayer's The Dark Side (2008) and also The Deep State (2016), by Mike Lofgren. Thanks. Zombiesturm (talk) 16:01, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I can refer you to these categories, but I am making no recommendations.

—Wavelength (talk) 23:18, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Special Drawing Rights (SDR) Exchange Rate

Question	Remark
According http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2015/pr15543.htm from 01.10.2016 SDR Basket will be: U.S. dollar 41.73 percent Euro 30.93 percent Chinese renminbi 10.92 percent Japanese yen 8.33 percent Pound sterling 8.09 percent But how IMF will calculate amounts? We have 5 equations in 6 unknowns: A usd * (usd-usd EXCHANGE RATE)/(XDR-usd EXCHANGE RATE)=(usd WEIGHT); B euro * (euro-usd EXCHANGE RATE)/(XDR-usd EXCHANGE RATE)=(euro WEIGHT); C yuan * (yuan-usd EXCHANGE RATE)/(XDR-usd EXCHANGE RATE)=(yuan WEIGHT); D yen * (yen-usd EXCHANGE RATE)/(XDR-usd EXCHANGE RATE)=(yen WEIGHT); E pound* (pound-usd EXCHANGE RATE)/(XDR-usd EXCHANGE RATE)=(pound WEIGHT). A, B, C, D, E, (XDR-usd EXCHANGE RATE) are unknown.	...

37.53.235.112 (talk) 20:27, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not following your equations at all. Why are you subtracting exchange rates ? You multiply or divide by exchange rates, never adding or subtracting them. Why don't you explain the 2nd equation in words ? And what is XDR ? StuRat (talk) 02:31, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I'm guessing pound-usd exchange rate should be read as "pound to USD exchange rate" and XDR is a currency code for special drawing rights. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 02:40, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Question	Remark
Absolutely right. E.g. on 25.04.2016 we have next weights (http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2010/pr10434.htm): (euro WEIGHT) = 0.374 (yen WEIGHT) = 0.094 (pound WEIGHT)= 0.113 (usd WEIGHT)= 0.419 Google gives next "to-usd" EXCHANGE RATEs: 1 euro = 1.1270 US dollars 1 Japanese yen = 0.009016 US dollars 1 British pound = 1.4493 US dollars 1 U.S. dollar = 1 US dollars Further IMF's calculations are next : 1. Somehow determine amounts (https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/bl/rr15.htm): Euro 0.423 Japanese yen 12.1 Pound sterling 0.111 U.S. dollar 0.660 2. Convert amounts to dollars and add them(https://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/data/rms_sdrv.aspx): ( 0.423 * 1.1270 )=0.476721 (12.1 * 0.009016)=0.1090936 ( 0.111 * 1.4493 )=0.1608723 ( 0.660 * 1 )=0.66 0.476721 + 0.1090936 + 0.1608723 + 0.66 = 1.4067 3. 1.4067 is the XDR-to-usd EXCHANGE RATE. We can check that by dividing by 1.4067 and we should get weights: 0.33889631 + 0.077553576 + 0.114362549 + 0.469187564 = 1 But how present-day amounts were calculated?? Actually it's enough only one amount (e.g. dollar), others can be derived from weights (system of equations becomes determined). But even this one amount must be somehow achieved.	http://www.imf.org/external/np/tre/sdr/sdrbasket.htm "1 Currency amounts are based on average exchange rates for a period from October 1 to December 30, 2010." http://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/facts/sdr.HTM#P13_4395 "These weights will be used to determine the amounts of each of the five currencies to be included in the new SDR valuation basket that will take effect on October 1, 2016." http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/2015/pr15543.htm "In accordance with the adopted formula, the following weights will be used to determine the amounts of each of the five currencies in the new SDR basket that will take effect on October 1, 2016:"

37.53.235.112 (talk) 04:48, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

If the pope misbehaves, then who is in charge of his job?

If a pope misbehaves, then who is in charge of his job and can terminate his office? 140.254.70.33 (talk) 16:31, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

No one. There is no mechanism for forcibly removing a sitting pope from office. Only a handful (most recently Pope Benedict XVI) have ever abdicated, and it's not been for "misbehavior". This is covered by Papal resignation, which talks about the mechanisms by which a pope can resign or abdicate. There have been, much earlier in the church's history, a few popes who were forcibly deposed, but there is not a formal legal method to do so currently. --Jayron 32 16:37, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Church would theoretically depose him with an internal coup. Zombiesturm (talk) 16:42, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

A ^{[citation needed]} on that last suggestion. Alansplodge (talk) 18:07, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed. They can't just "sack" him, and they can't just change their minds about his original election and hold a conclave to elect a successor. The holding of a conclave while there's no papal vacancy would have no canonical validity, imo. I suppose they could force him to abdicate, but they'd have to make it appear as if he chose that route himself without duress, and there'd be a great deal of scrutiny of his documents and statements. Even so, I wouldn't bet that such an abdication would be canonically valid either, so they'd just be opening themselves up to the possibility of his later claiming to have been forced to abdicate and now renouncing that abdication and resuming the papacy, which would probably mean a rival succession. It would be worse than what happened in the Middle Ages, where there were a series of rival popes, and even at one stage three popes all claiming to be the only true pope. It would be worse than WW3 - it may even precipitate WW3 - and would be far more trouble than it was worth. Unless they held him captive in solitary confinement under some pretence that he had retired to spend his remaining years in unceasing prayer and would never make any more public statements or appearances. All terribly irregular, you understand. And rather hard to pull off. But maybe good fodder for a Morris West novel. Wait, he's dead ... He did write The Clowns of God, which was about a pope who abdicated to live a life of seclusion in a never-ending "dark night of the soul". I did read it, but don't remember anything about a forced resignation. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 22:45, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

If there were something obviously terribly wrong with the Pope, such as dementia or psychosis, or extreme illness such as a debilitating stroke, it seems reasonable to expect that the College of Cardinals would figure out a way of dealing with it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:07, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

If there were something such as that, what they would do is "nothing until he died". The Vatican bureaucracy is peculiar, but otherwise still a modern bureaucracy, and it chugs along doing work with or without (mostly without) direct daily input from the Pope. If the Pope were incapacitated, it still keeps working just fine. The notion that the Pope must be involved in every major and minor process and decision of an organization which serves several hundred million people is just silly. Like any bureaucracy, the role of the chief executive is important in shaping overall direction and philosophy of the organization, but the day-to-day operation and the minutiae of running the organization is diffused through a massive bureaucracy. You can see how massive such a bureaucracy is by reading the article Roman Curia, which only covers the top (executive) layer of it. An instructive recent example of the church keeping working through an incapacitated pope would be the last years of John Paul II, his health had been declining for the last 3-4 years of his Papacy, and he gradually withdrew from most of his administrative duties, the last two months of his papacy he was essentially incapacitated. The church kept working. --Jayron 32 14:20, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Unless they had to. Like if the Pope went on live TV and announced he was nominating Secretariat for sainthood. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:28, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

But Secretariat won the Triple Crown, setting a record that still stands in all 3 races, therefore he has 3 miracles under his belt, so what's the problem ? :-) StuRat (talk) 23:58, 26 April 2016 (UTC) [reply]

Well, that's a good point. After Big Red won the Belmont, Chic Anderson called him a "miracle horse" - but was the horse Catholic? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:27, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

(ec) Hey Jack, I can't imagine you are serious about suggesting that nations would start a war about who is the pope today? All the great powers are secular or not catholic and could/would not get involved in the argument. OK, maybe some African nations would, but I can't see how that would be worse that WW3. In the west, it would just be a twitter war and some people arguing in court about who owns which piece of RCC land. In South America and in the Philippines, there would be some clashes within the populations, but there are already more than 16% of the population who disagree that the pope is they spiritual leader, and they don't get killed for it. --Lgriot (talk) 14:10, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Me, not being serious? How little you know me. :) -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 23:43, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

See also Papal supremacy and Papal infallibility. Alansplodge (talk) 18:09, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Notably, neither of those say the Pope is incapable of misbehaving in any form. The first merely designates the Pope as an absolute monarch over the Catholic Church, the second only indicates that the Pope is adjudged to be absolutely correct in his interpretation of doctrinal or theological issues and not that he doesn't misbehave. So neither is really relevant to answering the question at hand. --Jayron 32 14:24, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

God, though He/She didn't get around to doing anything about Pope Alexander VI (that we know of). Clarityfiend (talk) 18:09, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Sometimes they are allegedly murdered: List of murdered popes#Chronological list of popes who are alleged to have been murdered. Edison (talk) 20:02, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

One option is to have a Protestant Reformation, or otherwise split from the Catholic Church, in which case your nation could then form it's own church and appoint it's own replacement, if any, such as the later Archbishop of Canterbury of the Anglican Church. And, prior to the unification of Italy, if the Pope pissed off his neighbors too badly he might have been the victim of military conquest by a coalition large enough to take out the papal army. What they would do with him and if they would replace him would have been anyone's guess. StuRat (talk) 22:54, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

See Old Catholic Church and Sedevacantism for some less radical alternatives. Tevildo (talk) 23:53, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Point Island

Is there a place called Point Island in or near Shanghai? Thanks! --2.37.228.109 (talk) 18:04, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It gets mentioned in various places:

"After 1932 the Nanjing government planned to extend its control over the Shanghai fish market by setting up a central fish market as an 'official-merchant joint enterprise.' Work was commenced at Point Island in 1934 and completed in May 1936."[2]
"After Dolzhikov recovered, Pertsovskii ... then ordered him once again to lead a team of saboteurs in civilian dress to destroy Japanese pontoons near the [sic] Point Island."[3]
"Item Three quonset huts in a row at one of the UNRRA-CNRRA project sites at Point Island, Shanghai, provide badly-needed office space"[4] Clarityfiend (talk) 18:23, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

(edit conflict) I found "Point Island in the Whangpo River (see Huangpu River) a few miles downriver from the center of Shanghai" in Lucky Me: Engaging a World of Opportunities and Challenges by David C. Cole. Alansplodge (talk) 18:25, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 137-049336, Einweihung des HJ-Heimes auf Point Island bei Shanghai.jpg Seems to be taken on that Island. That's what I have found so far. --Jayron 32 18:28, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Here is a listing for Point Island, with latitude and longitude. That should help you find it. --Jayron 32 18:31, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Based upon that information, and a few other sources, I think Point Island is today Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Looking on the map, this is not an island but currently inland a bit from the mouth of the Yangtze River, though during WWII, this may have been an island. --Jayron 32 18:43, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Zoom in on any map of Shanghai and the whole place is criss-crossed by rivers and canals - just about everywhere is an island. Alansplodge (talk) 21:40, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Hongqiao Airport was definitely not an island at that time! It's also on the opposite side of the city from the mouth of the Yangtze. Jayron32, if your map is showing it as near the mouth of the Yangtze, you have probably fallen prey to China's infamous GPS shifting. Also, Kiang Wan, Lunghwa etc are all townships in Shanghai and not the same place.

Going by the clue that Point Island was the location of the Shanghai fish market in the 1930s, I think it's 定海島, Dinghai Island, now called 复兴岛, Fuxing Island, which was formerly a headland on a bend of the river that was artificially dredged into an island in 1927, so "Point Island" would be an apt English name. It is served by Fuxing Island Station on the Metro. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 02:02, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The deal is, several sources list Point Island as being locate at "Hung Jao" and the photo, it's noted by the "HJ" abbreviation, which could be Hung Jao. I'm pretty sure that in the 1940s, Wade-Giles was the common transliteration system, and under the more modern Pinyin system Hung Jao would be Hongqiao, I think Admittedly, my chinese is a bit rusty (as in nonexistent) so I will defer to you on this. I will note that Point Island was an airfield, and so it also makes sense to be an airport today. --Jayron 32 12:07, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Jayron32, I also noted the references to "Hung Jau", but "Hongqiao" in Wade-Giles would be "Hung-Ch'iao". Not sure what "Hung Jau" was meant to be, but as I said (not very clearly I realise) the source linked to above that lists Point Island alongside "Hung Jau" and other townships, which are all not in the same place. And Hongqiao is on the opposite of town from the river.

As to the photo, the caption says "the inauguration of the HJ-Heimes at Point Island". Given the Swastikas "HJ-Heimes" almost certainly means "Hitler Youth Homes", rather than "Hung Jau", whatever that is. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 12:57, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Ah. Very good. Thanks for clarifying. --Jayron 32 13:33, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

In the context of China maps, a (reversed) swastika is a temple.DOR (HK) (talk) 06:52, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

DOR (HK), look at the image. It's not a map, it's a photo. And in case this is your second thought - that's clearly a Nazi Swastika flag, not a Buddhist Red Swastika Society flag. And they are clearly Germans in the photo, not Buddhist monks. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 09:36, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

This [5] wartime news report locates "Point Island" somewhere "about six miles southeast of Woosung" [i.e. Wusong, the area right at the mouth of the Huangpo river]. That might fit in well with PalaceGuard's suggestion that it's present-day Fuxing Island. Fut.Perf. ☼ 14:23, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Here [6] is another ref that equates "Point Island" with "Dinghai", "in the Yangshupu district". Fut.Perf. ☼ 14:55, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

April 26

What's the most developed country that beats these?

Cheapest denomination that's generally a bill: 1 US dollar. (America has some cheap banknotes by first world standards, £5/€5/$5 Canadian/5AUD/$10 New Zealand is the cheapest I think)
Cheapest "most expensive non-uncommon circulating coin": 0.25 US dollars.
Cheapest circulating coin: 0.01 US dollars, copper or zinc (1 yen coins have long been small and aluminum, the cheapest possible non-magnetic metal by volume)l
Cheapest typical ATM bill: 20 US dollars (some ATMs give fifties plus at least 5 twenties if you make a big order. I don't know what the cutoff is but it's more than typical usage).
Cheapest/most expensive typical ATM withdrawal limit. My bank's default is 700 US dollars/day. It was once $500 which was typical.

Also, do East Asians say things like "I feel like a billion yen", "she has a billion yen smile", "40,000 a night? Holy shit, that's cheap!", or "I make 9-figures"? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 02:04, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The first two, unless you are Japanese, they seem extremely unlikely. It would be like an Englishman saying "She has a million Deutschmark smile". Whether 40,000 a night is cheap will depend on what the 40,000 a night is for, and it will depend on the currency used by the speaker. It certainly seems expensive for whatever the night's activities are, if it is in Chinese yuan. Conversely, one may well boast about earning 9-figures in Chinese yuan, as that would make one a very solid dollar-millionaire by income. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 02:41, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, I meant only Japanese people for the first two (and only Koreans for the last two, 40,000 won I think would be cheap for a hotel room). A million yen is only about $10,000 which is mundane so maybe they use billion instead for those types of expressions? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 02:53, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Eijirō's entry for "feel like a million dollars" doesn't have any similar Japanese saying (also, I've never heard one). The entry for "make six figures" starts with a direct translation, 6桁稼ぐ, but the subsequent explanation makes me think there's no similar Japanese saying (also, I've never heard one).

The Japanese big-number words are powers of 10000, not 1000, so one might say ichi-oku-en, or 10⁸ yen, which happens to be close to a million dollars. -- BenRG (talk) 07:04, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Most UK ATM's give out £10 and £20 notes. Some give only £20. Some give £5 notes. --ColinFine (talk) 08:43, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Side note: although £50 notes have been around in the UK for over 35 years, they are still treated with great suspicion (presumably because of the risk that they're counterfeit), and some retailers refuse to accept them. They can't be used in the self-service machines in my local Sainsbury's, for example. I've never been given one by a cash machine (aka ATM), even for large amounts. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 11:11, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The counterfeiters are well aware of this - which is why the vast majority of counterfeit notes in the UK are £20 ones. 81.132.106.10 (talk) 14:30, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Typical ATM limit in the UK is £250. DuncanHill (talk) 11:30, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

ATMs in Ireland typically give 10, 20, and 50 euro notes. jnestorius^(talk) 17:12, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

For the U.S., the most expensive circulating coin is the Dollar coin (United States). The U.S. also has a circulating Half dollar (United States coin) coin. Depending on the peculiarities of the local economy, these coins can be rare in some parts of the country, and more common in others, but they are circulating coins and fully acceptable for all monetary transactions. --Jayron32 11:46, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]
- Do you even use them? I haven't seen a half dollar besides pictures. Around here dollar coins only seem to come from Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metrocard vending machines. I've had at least 2 cashiers within easy walking distance of them not know what dollar coins are. It's not really circulating if it comes from a niche source and isn't spent beyond getting rid of it. On the other hand $1.50 N.Y. City train tokens, nearby casino chips and toonies circulated/circulate more than those coins in parts of the US, that doesn't really make "local casino chip" a US coin. Now Canadian Tire money maybe you could call widely accepted (frequently used? IDK) money but that's Canadian. I've changed back to "most expensive non-uncommon circulating coin". Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 14:18, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]
What I do or do not do with them is unimportant. If I were to go to a bank with a pile of half dollars and ask them to be deposited, they would do so without question. My personal use of the coin is irrelevant as to whether or not the coins are valid, circulating coins. They are, regardless of your or my personal experiences with them. According to the U.S. Treasury (and I think they would know), here are the current circulating U.S. denominations:
Bills: $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100

Coins: cent, nickel, dime, quarter dollar, half dollar, one dollar(two varieties).

There you go. Whether I use those coins is not a relevant point. --Jayron 32 14:37, 26 April 2016

Given that the question specifies "non-uncommon", usage is relevant. Of course, "common" and "uncommon" are vague; but one might, e.g., compare the total number of one-dollar-coins with one-dollar-notes or 25-cent-coins to give a rough ratio metric of commonness, and then do analogously for any coin suggested as an answer to the original question. jnestorius^(talk) 17:12, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

See moving the goal posts and do try to keep up. --Jayron 32 18:11, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The original question specified a "commonly used" coin. Based on my experience visiting the US, this does rule out the 50-cent and dollar coins. Sagittarian: please stop editing your questions after people have answered them, without leaving a trace. It makes the thread confusing to read. Either clarify in a separate posting, or if it's clearer to edit the original, then at least leave the original words in place crossed out, ~~that like~~ like that. --69.159.61.172 (talk) 21:06, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Sorry. I decided to cut the "cover my ass" qualification to make it succinct in a mistaken belief that people would realize "circulation" is fuzzy (I get silver coins at times, are they circulating?) so I must mean "strict enough that the 25 cent piece is it" (if wanted the dollar coin considered I could've just written that). Of all the richer territories I checked they all had coins that are worth more than a US quarter. The $2 Canadian, £2, €2, 5 CHF Swiss, $2 Australian, $5 New Zealand, 500 Yen, 500 Won, $1 Singapore, $10 Hong Kong, $50 Taiwan, 20 Krone Norway, 10 Swedish kronor, 20 Danish krone, 100 krónur Icelandic, 10 shekel Israeli new, 100 CFP franc (i.e. Tahiti), $1 Bermuda, £5 Gibraltar, 1 Jersey pound, 5 Macau pataca, and Guernsey, Manx, Falklands and St. Helena £2 coins are all worth way more than a quarter. The 5 South African rand coin has always been worth more than a quarter (at least for now). The UAE dirham (home of Dubai) is rigidly pegged at 27.2 US cent. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 01:24, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I regularly use ATMs that provide US$10 and US$20 notes, in the Richmond, Virginia area. --LarryMac | Talk 17:29, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Are you talking about the ones in stores? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 01:24, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, I'm just going to skip the moving goal post there. Some are, some aren't. --LarryMac | Talk 15:35, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I just wanted to know where they were, God. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 16:32, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

To try to actually answer your question: No country more developed than the US (currently 8th most developed according to the HDI) fulfills any of the criteria (the euro cent is 1.1 US cents, the 5 Swiss centime coin is about 5 US cents, and in both Norway and Denmark, the smallest coin is worth about 7 US cents). Iceland (16th highest developed) and South Korea (17th highest developed) essentially tie for smallest circulated coins. 1 Icelandic krona and 10 won (the smallest coin) are both about 0.8 US cents. The Canadian cent (0.7 US cents) is no longer circulated but is still legal tender and some business still accept them. For cheapest banknote, you have to go all the way to Brunei (31st most developed), whose 1 dollar bill is worth 0.75 USD. Just below that is Qatar (32nd second most developed) - the 50 dirham coin of the Qatari riyal is the largest coin in the country and is worth about 13 US cents (so just half a quarter) - and the 1 riyal bill is 26 cents. I can't answer the ATM part. Smurrayinchester 08:56, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Actually, German ATMs regularly spit out anything between 5€ and 50€, and I've been given 100€ and even 200€ before, so Germany (and quite possibly the other Eurozone countries more developed than the US; Ireland and Netherlands) surely win here. Smurrayinchester 11:51, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Australian ATMs typically spit out $20 and $50, and A$20 is worth less than US$20. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 10:41, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Stamp

I have a postage stamp from Germany from the late 20s to early 30s, during the period of hyperinflation, and it has been overprinted with the words 4 billionen Deustschmark. How much would it be worth now? KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 09:56, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

They are quite invariably valued at a maximum of €400 worth for any of the usual species, regardless of being overprinted or not it seems. The usual practical worth is between €50 and €100 (shape, used etc: [7]) --Askedonty (talk) 11:01, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

(ec) I don't know (do you mean the value of the stamp itself, or of the DM4Bn?), but this page (linked from Hyperinflation in the Weimar Republic) might be of interest. AndrewWTaylor (talk) 11:04, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The catalogue for the period shows no stamp surcharged 4 billionen - 50 milliarden is the highest recorded (bear in mind that a billion was then 1,000,000,000,000 while the milliarden is what we now usually call a billion - 1,000,000,000). There was one issue with a face value of 4 million - but that was not a surcharge) The current price for the high value inflation stamps can be very high, but ONLY if they have been genuinely used and postmarked. Unused ones are worth practically nothing - and there are a lot with fake postmarks. In 1923 the rate for sending an ordinary letter within Germany was 50,000,000,000 marks - so just compare that with the cost of a stamp for an ordinary letter today. 81.132.106.10 (talk) 12:04, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

As a collectible, your stamp is worth whatever someone else would be willing to pay to purchase it ... at auction perhaps (a lot would depend on how rare it is). Blueboar (talk) 17:16, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

KageTora, you need to supply a lot of additional details. Used or unused? If used, does it have an expertised contemporaneous cancel, i.e. was it used to carry mail during the period of hyperinflation, and do you have a document from an expert committee (Philatelic expertisation) certifying their informed opinion that it's legitimate? (Presumably not, or you'd know how to determine the value) If used and non-contemporaneous, probably worthless. If unused, what is the condition? Any damage? If so, worthless; high-quality copies of these stamps are plentiful, so nobody will pay for a damaged unused copy. Is the gum in great shape? Is it hinged? What's the quality of the centering? And finally, you note that it's been overprinted with a new value, i.e. surcharged, comparable to File:Germany278.jpg. What's the underlying stamp? If it's like the stamps pictured in [8] (already linked above), it's not an overprint; it's just a basic design with the value included in the original printing. I'm not trying to complain at you; it's just that valuation tends to depend on a lot of variables, and we can't give you a solid answer when there are a lot of unknowns. Nyttend (talk) 03:33, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Hillsborough inquest

IF you're in Britain you'll have been hearing about this all day. A jury sat for two years and heard 300 days of evidence. My question is: how can jurors just give up two years of their lives? They have jobs and stuff right? Or Was there a selection process designed to return jurors who were retired or whatever? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.92.204.35 (talk) 16:14, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Juries in England and Wales explains how juries are chosen in England and Wales. --Jayron 32 16:55, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

From my own experience of serving on a jury (Winchester Crown Court) 16 years ago: many employers (as mine did) will give the juror all the time off required at full pay, recognizing this as a duty they (the employers) owe to society. In my case (pun intended) the initial selection process and the trial itself took around 6 weeks.

Many people who are self employed, are key workers in their business, or have other pressing personal affairs apply to have their jury service deferred, and are often successful.

For the days on which they are required to attend, the court also pays jurors travel expenses (which are usually not great as the jury pool for a given court is fairly local), and a modest allowance for meals. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.199.208.67 (talk) 18:14, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The employer being able to cover the cost of being without an employee for 2 years would only work for certain types of businesses. For examples where it wouldn't work, how about a small business with only a couple employees ? Or how about if the juror is self-employed ? Or what if they're in a job dependent on tips or commissions, will the employer pay them based on the tips or commission they would have gotten ? Will they give them raises and promotions as if they had been there ? StuRat (talk) 19:35, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Several of those are precisely the sorts of instances where an application to have one's jury service deferred would likely be successful, and I myself witnessed several such when the likely length of the trial I sat for (which proved to be an under-estimation) was announced. Note that the deferment might be for several years, given that after performing jury service one is then excused re-selection for a minimum of (as I recall) 10 years.

Usually one is called for a minimum of (now) 10 working days, in which one might serve on two or more short trials. However, trials can, obviously, last longer (as in my case) and one is expected to last the distance unless really serious circumstances (such as illness) dictate that one is discharged.

All the current details can be found via the following UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/jury-service/overview (from which I see Nanonic below has already linked to a sub-page.)

Certainly some of those selected may suffer a degree of detriment to their income and even career. This possibility is the duty one owes in return for the privilege of living in a society subject to juried trials. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 185.74.232.130 (talk) 14:24, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

https://www.gov.uk/jury-service/taking-time-off-work Nanonic (talk) 19:36, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

In the United States, judges supervising the selection of a jury expected to sit for a very long time will give great deference to the needs of individual jurors. Accordingly, such juries will be composed primarily of retirees and people employed by government agencies and large corporations with personnel policies supporting jury service. I have been part of a jury pool many times, and have served on two juries. Both those trials lasted only a few days. Cullen³²⁸ Let's discuss it 01:39, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

On the national register of historic places, but no photo?

The Constantine Sneed House is on the National Register of Historic Places but there's no photo of the place, howcome??, that is definitely one article to add a photo to. Bytesock (talk) 23:44, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thousands of NRHP items have no photo. I have only been able to supply hundreds; it's a big job. Maybe you can visit a few. Jim.henderson (talk) 23:55, 26 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Bytesock, are you in the vicinity? We'd welcome your help if you can supply a photo. Per WP:NRHPPROGRESS, there were 68,264 images for 90,627 NRHP sites (i.e. 75.3% were illustrated) on 23 April, when the page was last updated. Some states are better than others: Indiana was at 98.3% (I've contributed the majority of those photos), but South Dakota was just 33.1%. Tennessee, where Mr Snead lived, is somewhat below average, with 65.3% illustrated; 1,339 of its 2,052 sites were illustrated. Nyttend (talk) 03:25, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Does Wikipedia pay the flight ticket, hotel and food? :P A cost efficient may perhaps be to send a begging letter to Google maps and have them release that specific site to a WP compatible licence via ORTS. Other options are a long range drone, payed by WP of course ;-) Bytesock (talk) 03:32, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

If long-range drones were easily available, we'd suddenly get a lot of additional sites illustrated, and lots of others would have better photos; it would quickly be time to replace File:Hillside at the Gartner Site.jpg with a shot of the hilltop site, for example, and a small drone would be able to get good photos (without the requirement for a guided tour) of all six unillustrated sites on Jefferson Proving Ground, as well. Nyttend (talk) 03:45, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

April 27

About James Robert Porter (agan)

Id nobodody knows his mother´s name, ¿anybody knows which was his father´s name? Thnaks.

Daniel; April 27th, 2016. ≈≈≈ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 83.51.245.163 (talk) 06:53, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

A quick Google search threw up this. "Born in South Carolina, USA on 1868 to Phillip Aaron Porter and Harriett Freeman. James Robert married Etta Childress and had 2 children. He passed away on 28 Jun 1954 in Easley, Pickens, South Carolina, USA." Of course, there are many people with the same name, and unless you provide some more detail about the one you mean, we have no way of knowing if we have got the right one. "James Robert Porter" doesn't actually mean anything to me - it isn't a name I recognise from any particular context. 81.132.106.10 (talk) 09:38, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Findagrave.com has an entry for the one you're describing.[9] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:01, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Assuming this is still about James Porter (Catholic priest), his Findagrave entry is merely a placeholder, with no information about family.[10] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:06, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

This article from 1992 has the answer.[11]] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 11:22, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Elizabeth II's citizenships

Is she a citizen of Canada, Australia, Belize, and so on? Otherwise, those countries would have a foreign queen, which is kind of strange. --Llaanngg (talk) 14:31, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

This Q was asked before. I seem to recall that the answer was that the sovereign is "beyond citizenship", just like you don't ask if the CEO of a company is an employee. So, by virtue of being their Queen, she is sort of a "super-citizen", with all rights a regular citizen has, and then some. StuRat (talk) 14:34, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The analogy is defective. Of course the CEO is typically an employee. --69.159.61.172 (talk) 18:42, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Humanities/2009_November_10#Citizenship_of_the_Queen is one related Q. StuRat (talk) 14:40, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Archives/Humanities/2010_February_15#Head_of_State_Citizenship is also related. StuRat (talk) 14:44, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think either of those items answers the question of whether the queen has any sort of personal ID, such as a driver's license. Though that question also may have been asked before. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 14:51, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

She doesn't need ID. She just carries a £5 note around with her. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (もしもし！) 05:49, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The queen is a monarch who has subjects. Citizens are different. --TammyMoet (talk) 15:06, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It appears that the citizens of the UK are called "citizens".[12] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:26, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Indeed - it says "British Citizen" on my (British) passport. 81.132.106.10 (talk) 15:37, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

According to [13] (a spin-off from what Bugs linked), you're a British citizen if you were born before 1983, in the UK or a qualifying territory, and your father was neither a non-UK diplomat nor an enemy alien in occupation (you were not born in the Channel Islands during WWII). It makes no exception for royalty, so it would appear from this UK government site that the queen is indeed a British citizen. Loraof (talk) 15:56, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

But such general advice sites are rarely the law and they often make it clear that the they are intended as general advice and you should defer to the various aspects of the law where needed. In certain cases, a court may take them in to account, but that's likely to be restricted. For example, the site may help if you vote in the referendum based on it you shouldn't have because you aren't a British citizen. It's far less likely to help if you want to claim citizenship which you aren't entitled to.(I must be blind. I somehow thought that site was related to the referendum but looking again it doesn't seem to be. However I still think your chances of convincing the court your a British citizen based on the site when all aspects of the law disagree are slim to none.)

A notable point is you're right, it mentions no exceptions other than those two. Yet AFAIK, it's possible to renounce British citizenship including that gained by the circumstances outlined, if you meet some criteria (the basic one would be having some other citizenship) British nationality law#Renunciation and resumption of British nationality [14]. It's also possible for such citizenship to be revoked in certain circumstances (again the basic one is you need some other citizenship). Neither of these seem to be addressed there.

Incidentally this may be somewhat relevant since AFAIK, and as per the previous discussions, the queen probably was a British citizen before she became queen (albeit the concept of citizenship was different then). Just as William and Charles are now (with passports and everything). So if she isn't one now, that's probably because she "lost" it when she became queen.

Nil Einne (talk) 17:44, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The UK Constitution is a many-headed beast so it's hard to know, but certainly in Australia, the monarch is an intrinsic part of the Parliament of Australia, which consists of the Queen, the House of Representatives and the Senate (see Constitution of Australia#Chapter I: The Parliament). The notion that the Queen must vote in Australia (where voting is compulsory), by virtue of some supposed Australian citizenship, is absurd (the law does make some exceptions, but the queen is not among them).

We know for certain that Prince Charles and Prince Philip are not Australian citizens, because special amendments to the Rules of the Order were necessary in each case to make their appointments as Knights of the Order of Australia substantive; as non-citizens, they would otherwise would have qualified for honorary appointments only. But then, Prince Philip is on record as having refused an honorary appointment to the Order of Canada, on the grounds that, as the spouse of the monarch, he is a citizen of Canada (and thus of each and every one of the 16 Commonwealth realms) and was entitled to a substantive appointment. Read the whole story at Order of Canada#Refusal. Australia did in 1988 appoint him a substantive Companion of the Order of Australia without going through any of the rigmarole that was deemed necessary when he was knighted in 2015.[15] So he was apparently regarded as a citizen of Australia in 1988, but by 2015 he was no longer a citizen. I've been pondering this weirdness for some years but am yet to make any sense of it. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 22:58, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I don't believe the Queen is an Australian citizen. However, I don't know about the other Commonwealth realms. "All Australian citizens are subjects of the Queen, but you can’t be a subject of or to yourself" AusLondonder (talk) 06:37, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Wouldn't it be slightly impossible for her to be a citizen of one or more, but not all, of the CRs? Surely it's all or none. In particular, none. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 07:00, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The only circumstances I can think of is if the governments of any of the realms have granted her citizenship but I can find no evidence of such an occurrence. The article on the Monarchy of Canada claims "the sovereign and those among her relations who do not meet the requirements of Canadian citizenship law are considered Canadian, which entitles them to Canadian consular assistance and the protection of the Queen's armed forces of Canada when they are in need of protection or aid outside of the Commonwealth realms" AusLondonder (talk) 07:36, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The Monarchy of Canada article is slightly bonkers and the sources for those statements in that article are all a bit suspect. From a quick browse, the most reliable one, the court judgment, is not squarely on point as it is about allegiance of Canadian armed forces to the Queen, and it does not show that Prince Charles is regarded as being a Canadian citizen under Canadian law. In any case, the situation in Australia is certainly different. The Queen's family members are certainly not Australian citizens, which is why Prince Charles and Prince Phillip would not have qualified for awards of (non-honourary) Australian knighthoods if it were not for specific amendments to the Order's constitutional documents. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 10:04, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

If the Queen was an Australian citizen and obliged to vote in Australian elections, she'd have an "out" because she is normally resident in another country and is therefore permitted not to be enrolled on the electoral roll, which means she is excused from having to vote - just like any other expat Australian who chooses to do so. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 09:57, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

As to Canada, the Citizenship Act does not contain the word "monarch" and does not contain "queen" in a relevant context; and neither she nor her ancestors that I know of were born here. It would require a legal interpretation, which we don't do here, to conclude that the Queen of Canada is therefore not a citizen of Canada; but it seems to me that that's likely the case. --69.159.61.172 (talk) 18:42, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

looking for the source of a quote attributed to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

The quote:

"There is almost a sensual longing for communion with others who have a large vision. The immense fulfillment of the friendship between those engaged in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a quality impossible to describe."

This is attributed to Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in many places on the internet, but no one includes the source of the quote. I don't see it on Wikipedia either. Does anyone at Wikipedia know the source or if it even should be attributed to de Chardin?

Thank you.

22:57, 27 April 2016 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.195.20.41 (talk)

It does not seem to be in my e-copies of Christianity and Evolution, Science and Christ, The Future of Man, The Phenomenon of Man, or Toward the Future. It is also not listed on Wikiquote, despite its popularity: which usually means that the author never said that. Ian.thomson (talk) 23:09, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

what does the quote mean, anyway? I know all of the words, yet ... But I totally see why it's attributed to TdC, who was a proto-New Ager, of sorts. Asmrulz (talk) 08:00, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

@Asmrulz: Thinking about how to explain it made me think that it might not be by him at all. Given what I've read of him, the "almost sensual" bit doesn't sound right since he was still a hard liner for chastity and all that. He defined love as the exchange of information, and so the important part of any tactile or sensual affection was the non-verbal message, not the delivery (rendering meaningless sex a type of falsehood). Something "sensual" would not exactly be lofty. This quote also seems to be presenting friendship as the goal and result of developing the Noosphere ("furthering the evolution of consciousness") instead of love being the means to and reward for developing the Noosphere. However, the quote may simply be conflicting with my understanding of de Chardin on this matter, rather that with de Chardin himself.

Granted, I've really only read The Phenomenon of Man as part of an all-nighter and casually skimmed a few other works, but this really sounds more like someone who thinks saying je ne sais quoi is somehow more enlightened and sophisticated than just admitting "hell if I know" took the Cliffnotes for Phenomenon of Man, skimmed for keywords, and tried to mold it in the shape of Romanticism's desire to shag everything. Ian.thomson (talk) 08:36, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

ah, not everything. just those with a "large vision" :D Asmrulz (talk) 08:48, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

HUUUGE... vision! Something vaguely spherical at any rate. Ian.thomson (talk) 10:19, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

On popes resigning and returning

If a pope abdicates,are they free to return when their successor dies?Because of the conclave system,I assume that-age limits aside-there would be nothing to prevent them deciding to elect him for a second term?Benedict IX had three cracks at it,but those weren't so much resignations as being driven out when his side was doing badly and returning when they were doing well Lemon martini (talk) 23:29, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

According to the 1983 Code of Canon Law: "A resignation can be revoked by the one resigning as long as it has not taken effect; once it has taken effect it cannot be revoked, but the one who resigned can obtain the office by some other title.", which I think means Benedict XVI could (in theory) have another crack at it (although he'd presumably have to become a cardinal again first). Smurrayinchester 08:00, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Does a pope cease being a cardinal once he has assumed the papacy? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 10:18, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It doesn't matter. In theory, any Catholic man in good standing may be elected Pope. You only have to be a cardinal in order to vote. And while it's vanishingly unlikely that a non-cardinal would again be elected Pope, the Pope Emeritus is still a more likely candidate than most people. AlexTiefling (talk) 10:54, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The rise of the Canadian dollar

Why is the Canadian dollar suddenly going up? [16] [17] [18] Anna Frodesiak (talk) 23:23, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Capital is draining from the US to Canada?--Scicurious (talk) 23:36, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Scicurious, you may be right. I actually just thought of searching using the word "rise" instead of "going up" and I get news about oil going up as the reason. So, is oil going up because more people want it, or because there is lower production, or what? Anna Frodesiak (talk) 23:39, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Apparently Saudi Arabia reduced it's oil production, so that might be a cause for a higher income. --Scicurious (talk) 23:42, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Ah, I see. Okay, thanks. :) Anna Frodesiak (talk) 23:45, 27 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

April 28

Acting US Attorney

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio has no incumbent US attorney; the position is held by Benjamin C. Glassman, Acting U.S. Attorney. "Acting U.S. Attorney"? How does one become an Acting U.S. Attorney? Is this merely a recess appointment (i.e. the president appoints the attorney, and he's Acting until confirmed by the Senate), or is the Acting position appointed by the Attorney General or some lesser position? Nyttend (talk) 03:18, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It's not a recess appointment (a recess appointment would make the appointed individual the U.S. Attorney - not acting). The acting U.S. attorney is almost always the district's First Assistant U.S. Attorney, who is essentially the #2 person in the office (i.e., the U.S. Attorney's chief lieutenant). The First Assistant is a senior Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA), which is a career civil-service type position. When the U.S. Attorney position is vacant, the First Assistant typically takes on the role as an acting (interim) basis until the president can appoint (with the advice and consent of the Senate) a U.S. Attorney.

See Section 3-2.150 of the U.S. Department of Justice's U.S. Attorneys' Manual:

Title 5, United States Code, Section 3345(a)(1) provides that the First Assistant United States Attorney shall serve as the Acting United States Attorney when a Presidentially-appointed United States Attorney either dies, resigns, or is unable to serve. The First Assistant United States Attorney generally may not serve in that acting capacity for more than 210 days beginning on the date the vacancy occurs, but the President’s submission of a nomination for the office to the Senate may, depending on the circumstances, extend the period of the acting officer’s service. See 5 U.S.C. § 3346.

Title 28, United States Code, Section 546 authorizes the Attorney General to appoint a United States Attorney on an interim basis for the district in which the office of the United States Attorney is vacant. An individual appointed by the Attorney General to serve as the United States Attorney may serve either until a Presidential appointment pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 541 takes effect, or for a period of 120 days after appointment by the Attorney General, whichever occurs earlier. If the Attorney General’s appointment expires without a Presidential appointment, the district court may appoint a United States Attorney until the vacancy is filled. See 28 U.S.C. § 546(d).

Section 3345 and Section 546 operate independently. Accordingly, senior officials in the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, and EOUSA will determine whether to recommend that the Attorney General appoint a United States Attorney pursuant to Section 546 or whether the First Assistant United States Attorney will automatically serve as the Acting United States Attorney by operation of Section 3345(a)(1). An Acting United States Attorney serving pursuant to Section 3345 may receive a subsequent appointment by the Attorney General or the district court pursuant to Section 546.

Neutrality^talk 03:40, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Religion

not a question we can answer --Jayron 32 14:56, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.

Hi everyone. I'm starting to learn to navigate this place. It's massive beyond imagination. Nice to meet u all. The deception mentioned in gods word is real and present now. I'm here to ask if you could spread the article written. It's pneikro user name. All witnesses have been kept oblivious to it. It does feel good to be able make a difference and break this. U guys Rock. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Pneikro (talk • contribs) 10:38, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

What's your question? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Baseball Bugs (talk • contribs) 10:44, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

He doesn't have one, he's just trying to push the sermon on his user page. Ian.thomson (talk) 10:51, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Having a quick scan of the wall of text on the OPs user page leads me to respectfully suggest they might want to see a mental health professional. 131.251.254.154 (talk) 11:02, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

We'll be able to make a better judgement when he starts making constructive edits to Wikipedia. Dbfirs 13:44, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

just because someone rants about the ACLU, the UN, Lucifer and One world government (he's wrong in thinking it was Communist, though) doesn't mean they're crazy Asmrulz (talk) 13:53, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Who he really needs to see is an English teacher, who could help him break that megillah into reasonably-sized paragraphs. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:57, 28 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]