Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2014 October 17

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October 17

Why are horoscopes drawn backwards?

Why is it northern ecliptic down? If you search for one that's not rising sign right that is Which is also backwards (the upper chart is below the horizon). I know where the Sun and evening sky is because of the date. That's more information and less indirect than forcing me to find one of the circa 8 sign symbols I know or the Sun so I know how much to turn the chart. Then the planet symbols are upside down, Pluto's looks more like Uranus's than Pluto's and Uranus's looks like an asteroid's, the asteroid(s)'s confuse further till I finally memorized the idiosyncratic Uranus/Pluto symbols just to know every object I want by sight. They have too much stuff cluttering everything (asteroid(s) and aspects thereof, aspects with points of the lunar orbit, aspects like 5/12ths circle, 1.5 right angle for more than moon phases, 1/5th circle or worse (who cares!), angles so crooked they don't resemble what they're supposed to be anymore (too much latitude for offness)). Sometimes I want to see if the planets are making any interesting shapes and this annoys me. Astrology charts put lines though, making any aesthetic and very easy to see. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 03:13, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

• I hope I am understanding your question. Celestial maps are drawn looking upward at the sky from below. If you hold the map above your head the cardinal points will match reality, but if you put the map on a table and look down on it, if N & S are properly oriented, E & W will appear reversed. μηδείς (talk) 03:54, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

• • That confused me till middle school. What I meant is why is Aries to the left and therefore the southern celestial hemisphere up? See www.chaosastrology.net/astroform/chartwheel.cfm (put none under house), planetwatcher.com, the Astrological Charts app or Aquarius2go app (turn house off) (I thought that the rising sign was on the right where it shouldn't be. Oops. Astrologers did get that right.) Why Aries is Cancer down, Capricorn/Sagittarius up, and Libra/Virgo right on more useful (to non -astrologers) sign-based charts? Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 07:27, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

If you don't get any good answers here (and given the subject matter I suspect you won't), I can recommend an astrologer who is very good at answering questions like this, if you want to put a message on my Talk page and we'll take it from there. --TammyMoet (talk) 08:25, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

Is a nurse allowed to date a (former) patient's child?

New York City, say. 69.22.242.116 (talk) 20:00, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

No law against it. Don't know if it violates professional ethics standards (but it probably depends on the specific situation.) Blueboar (talk) 20:05, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

Policies about dating between professionals (including medical professionals, educators, lawyers, etc.) and their clients are subject usually to the policies of the employer in question. The nurse would need to refer to their specific employer's policy on the matter. There are no universal rules, and it is under the realm of employee conduct rules (developed by the employer, professional organization, union, or other similar body) and is not a matter of civil law. Literally, the only people who can answer this question are the employers of the nurse. If the nurse in question is concerned, they need to speak to their employer, or look through their employer's conduct policy for the relevant guidelines. --Jayron32 20:08, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

Absolutely. At the very least, a reasonable time interval would need to pass. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 10:36, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

On the contrary, professions such as attorneys have codes of conduct which specify the limits of professional and personal relationship overlap, which have the force of law, and government employees are often subject to anti-nepotism rules. The US medical profession in general has no specific codes of conduct which would prevent a caregiver from dating the child of a patient, and I have personal experience that such situations are rare but not generally a source of concern for former patients at all. 76.88.167.15 (talk) 18:49, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Albert Pearse

I am trying to research a missionary in Raiatea by the name of Albert Pearse. This mentions that all LMS missionaries left the Leeward Islands by 1890, but it doesn't really speak of Pearse own personal fate. Also can anybody help me find other names of missionaries who preached in the Leeward Islands during this waning decade of the 1880s. Just to specify I am not interested in missionaries in Tahiti or before this period. --KAVEBEAR (talk) 20:36, 17 October 2014 (UTC)

Here is Pearse's 1911 obituary with a short biography.--Cam (talk) 12:07, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Comparison: Movie '300' with 'Da vinchi code' Book

Who watched the movie '300'. Is this movie similar to 'Da vincihi code', e.g., in the movie '300', they assume that the viewer will have the basic understanding of the past histories, about the 'Gods' and 'oracles', they just go through with the primary story/topic through the 'Gods' and 'oracles' e.g., Sparta guy and so on... I have not read the 'Da vinchi code' I have a basic understanding... Q: Does the 'Da vinchi code' and '300' possess a similar layout?

Also, How much can you lie in a fictional story? -- (Russell.mo (talk) 23:58, 17 October 2014 (UTC))

Spend your thinking time in understanding the real world and not allow fiction writers who can wast your time, to wast your time. Nor question their motives (they want to sell book, not illuminate the reader). Why discuss this? Others may just love the 'Da vincihi code', but they can discuss this this on blogs. WP is not the right place. Who cares about the layout or lies that authors use to draw in their readership? --Aspro (talk) 00:26, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

You can lie as much as you want in a story which you state to be fiction. If you claim it's a true story and then lie, that could get you in trouble. They usually get around this by saying it's "(fiction) based on a true story". Unfortunately, mixing truth and fiction goes back at least to Homer. Do'oh ! StuRat (talk) 00:35, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Calling "bullshit" on "If you claim it's a true story and then lie, that could get you in trouble" There are lots of works of fiction which claim "This is based on a true story" which are actually not at all. See Fargo (film), which states, unequivocally at the beginning "This is a true story, these events happened in Minnesota in 1987" While the Coen brothers had a few disparate murder cases that they borrowed some ideas from (and really, every work of fiction borrows "ideas" from real life at some point), Fargo's opening disclaimer of truth is completely not true. And no one got in trouble for that. --Jayron32 01:05, 19 October 2014 (UTC)

As I've already said "based on a true story" is not at all the same as saying it actually is a true story. And newspaper reporters who completely make up stories do occasionally get in trouble for doing so. StuRat (talk) 03:33, 22 October 2014 (UTC)

It didn't get the Coen Brothers in trouble, but it "could" get you in trouble. Like, for instance, if I were to publish my book "CJK5H" with a "this really happened" claim in the front, in some countries I could be sued (successfully) for libel. 75.140.88.172 (talk) 02:35, 19 October 2014 (UTC)

Only if there was a real person so libeled. You can't be sued for libel if no real person is told falsehoods about. --Jayron32 16:33, 20 October 2014 (UTC)

Or if the real person is dead. Or if the lie is so preposterous you can convince a lawyer to convince a judge that a "reasonable person" shouldn't believe it was serious. Or if you file with broadcast regulators as an entertainment and news channel. Or if you pay the person you libel a proportionately tiny amount to stay away from court and never speak of this again. Or if the person has an "unfortunate accident". Or if he somehow comes to believe he or his family may have "unfortunate accidents".

What I mean is, Jerry Falwell ran the Mafia from his mother's outhouse while FOX News watched and the Catholic Church wiped. InedibleHulk (talk) 21:19, 20 October 2014 (UTC)

Ammm, I'm killing my fictional character, probably will aware readers in the beginning or take the journey of life to his death bed. -- (Russell.mo (talk) 00:43, 21 October 2014 (UTC))

Uhm. Thinks to myself.... How can politicians speak lies whilst claiming it to be the truth and get away with it? (you may well ask how I know them to be lying … simple, I can see their lips moving). (think you're contributing Do'oh to the wrong Homer - Ho! Ho!) --Aspro (talk) 00:54, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Hence the quote attributed to Mark Twain, "The only difference between reality and fiction is that fiction needs to be credible." So there you are. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 10:00, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Speaking of reality, they're spelled D'oh! and The Da Vinci Code. Speaking of lying, the bigger, the better. Here's a titanic one. InedibleHulk (talk) 10:10, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Hush, don't clue him in. Wasn't it Daniel Burnham who said "Make no small lies"? That 1943 Titanic sounds pretty funny. Propaganda media usually do, after some passage of time. The funniest thing is Goebbels having second thoughts about it, as it might give the German public ideas. What's the German equivalent of "D'oh!"? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 10:35, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Here's the Japanese expression. Honestly. InedibleHulk (talk) 12:05, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

Thanks StuRat.

InedibleHulk..lol.

Seriously guys, has anyone seen the movie and or read the book or not? I need to know whether the layouts are similar or not, because I only seen ‘300’ and I read a bit of ‘Da vinchi code’ from Wikipedia…

Clarify the following as well please,

Lie Test 01: Can I get away with, by saying 'Alien' or 'Predator' was the 'Messiah' of 'UFO' Religion and the other was the 'False Messiah'? -- (Russell.mo (talk) 18:32, 18 October 2014 (UTC))

Absolutely not (to both questions). They kill people, and neither even pretends to be doing it for our own good. Big Lies need Big Loudspeakers! Little people have those now, with Twitter and whatnot, but when everyone's speaking, they become relatively quiet. You're certainly free to try, though. InedibleHulk (talk) 18:57, 18 October 2014 (UTC)

You're funny InedibleHulk..lol. I won't try it if you think its a risk. I have to come up with something else... Thanks a lot! -- (Russell.mo (talk) 22:40, 18 October 2014 (UTC))

No, they don't have the same 'layout'. 300 is presented as an exaggerated account given by a storyteller, and explores how events become myths. The Da Vinci Code presents itself as being a fictional story included purportedly true facts about history and society, which are fairly universally hilariously wrong. 31.54.195.38 (talk) 11:22, 19 October 2014 (UTC)

-- (Russell.mo (talk) 15:10, 19 October 2014 (UTC))

Resolved

Why would that make you sad? It demonstrates that you can lie as much as you want, as blatantly as you want, as long as what you're lying about is outside most people's everyday lives and would require a basic google search for them to check, and people will still take your fictional story as an accurate guide to just about anything, with no negative consequences for you. Just don't lie about real people with access to more expensive lawyers than you. 31.54.195.38 (talk) 18:13, 19 October 2014 (UTC)

This cheered me up a bit. I kind of don't lie, I don't like lying... As long as I can get away by saying fictional and follow your and InedibleHulk guideline, I guess, I'll be okay.

Another thing, I know this is suppose to be 'logic' but still asking for assurance: I can get away by saying it was a 'fictional' story to God after death right? Fairy tale stuff and so on? He won't say that I was giving false hopes/dreams/beliefs and so on, right? I know you are not God, I'm just wondering. -- (Russell.mo (talk) 12:37, 20 October 2014 (UTC))

You know what would cheer you up? Googling "bs viral site:cracked.com". Once you get past the first couple pages of results, you'll see bullshit extends to every corner of the known universe, not just Facebook and movies (but mostly there). InedibleHulk (talk) 18:41, 19 October 2014 (UTC)

And yes, the universe has corners. Two of them. InedibleHulk (talk) 18:42, 19 October 2014 (UTC)

I'll check it up once I become free. I assume it not required/related to the fictional topic. In regards to corners of the universe. Do you mean 'multiverses' or the 'Big Bang' theory (starting point to the end ever ending point)? -- (Russell.mo (talk) 12:37, 20 October 2014 (UTC))

No, it's just a series of list articles about the sorts of stories that catch on because people don't factcheck. As for the corners of the universe, you'll have to see them. Can't be explained in words or diagrams. InedibleHulk (talk) 16:13, 20 October 2014 (UTC)

I read the articles I mentioned, I just wanted to clarify if this is what you mean. I'll check it out soon. Thanks. -- (Russell.mo (talk) 00:43, 21 October 2014 (UTC))

I meant you'll have to see the corners, not the articles. Basically just meant to make people imagine a room with two corners. Shouldn't think too hard about it. It was in small type, after all. Dust in the wind. That sort of thing. InedibleHulk (talk) 14:38, 21 October 2014 (UTC)

Yeah, I was thinking to myself, Interstellar medium and so on. Thanks! I cloaked what you meant..lol -- (Russell.mo (talk) 06:13, 22 October 2014 (UTC))