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April 6

Renting rooms in prudish times

I know that it was illegal for couples to rent a hotel room in Francoist Spain unless they could prove to be married and I think the situation was somewhat similar in other parts of the world. Couldn't these couples just rent a room individually, then join together later?

Granted, I suposse a proper lady shouldn't be travelling alone in those days, but it's probably not that hard to come up with a excuse for needing a hotel room. — Preceding unsigned comment added by ~2026-20761-49 (talk) 09:43, 6 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

This was true in Francoist Spain and in the US until the late 1960s. Los Angeles was an exception, but it was illegal in New York at that time and most small towns. Even today, laws and norms discriminate against unmarried people in many different ways. Viriditas (talk) 10:28, 6 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Fwiw, there was nothing wrong with a woman traveling alone in that period. In the "western world", the stigma against premarital sex outlived the notion of women as childishly helpless beings by the better part of a century. The former really only started to fade with the advent of the birth control pill (and survived a bit into the present century); the latter was very slow to expire, but was gradually on its way out in the last quarter of the 19thC and dealt its death blow by women doing what had been considered "men's work" during WWI, and gaining the right to vote. Women of anything but the highest classes could make journeys alone without scandal even before the middle of the 19thC -- as evidenced by the solo travels of Jane Eyre and other Bronte heroines, or of Esther Summerson of Bleak House. -- Avocado (talk) 11:17, 6 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

The enforcement of marriage-verification laws was often less about policing the morality of unmarried couples and more about providing a legal shield against vice-control statutes. If a law enforcement raid occurred and the hotel management could not provide a register with verified "Mr. and Mrs." entries, the property could be legally classified as a "house of ill-fame" or a "disorderly house." This wasn't just a social stigma. It carried severe legal consequences under Red Light Abatement Acts, which proliferated in the early 20th century. Hotels could be shut down by local government. The property could be seized. Depending on the level of local corruption, there could be an incentive for local officials to purposely entrap, raid, and seize property using "morality" laws. ~2026-21283-08 (talk) 16:42, 7 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think there has ever been a legal proscription in Britain, but hoteliers might have refused to accept obvious fornicators, for the sake of their reputation. This led to the idea, much used in low comedies, of illicit couples signing in as "Mr and Mrs Smith"; although in reality, a more creative name would be less obvious. It's now the name of a hotel chain. Alansplodge (talk) 18:04, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Not a hotel chain but a membership club for "hotel lovers" through which one can book luxury hotels for a romantic getaway (like a tent at Shinta Mani Wild, starting at only €855,561.00 per night). ‑‑Lambiam 07:46, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

I stand corrected; thanks. My level of travel accomodation rarely rises above a tent at £10 per night. Alansplodge (talk) 12:00, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

The opposite problem is said to have arisen in respect of Senators of the College of Justice (senior Scottish judges) and their wives: originally, the judges (all were men at this point) were granted on appointment a judicial title of either "Lord Surname" or "Lord Placename", but their wives did not receive any equivalent style. When the title was a place name, the couple - now, say, "Lord Edinburgh and Mrs MacDonald" - appeared when travelling to be unmarried (or, at least, not married to each other), which caused (it is said) no few problems. The wives were therefore granted equivalent styles to their husbands, which they retain. Proteus (Talk) 12:47, 13 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

April 8

Finger biting

Hallo everyone. What is the meaning of the gesture when people put their finger in their mouth? Is it meant to be sexy/seductive? ~2026-24671-3 (talk) 02:33, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Never heard of this as such. Can you find an illustration of it? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:04, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Is this what you mean: “Girl With Finger in Mouth” Meme: Meaning & How to Use It? ‑‑Lambiam 03:56, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

If that's what it is, it's nothing really new. Check out this clip from Superman at about the 1:15 mark.[1] Also, there's the usual pose by "Dr. Evil". I would expect there are other examples that go back a lot farther. And as for "sexy/seductive", I'd call it merely "flirtatious". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 07:01, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Oh dear, I'm gonna have to be more careful when picking my teeth. Shantavira|^{feed me} 15:35, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

I meant something like this https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fmy-world-release-premiere-2003-v0-a5e6h3k68u5e1.jpg%3Fwidth%3D640%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D6dce0b07f627f7f9b7516a44ea64e33cbd01bd29 Not to go off topic, but does anyone know what kind of glove is Avril wearing? ~2026-24671-3 (talk) 15:53, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Looks like lace. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:28, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

That one doesn't look flirtatious or seductive. More like nervous? Clarityfiend (talk) 19:24, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

The meme is really about images of a young woman (originally of Fiona Gallagher/Emmy Rossum from Shameless) with one finger held between the teeth. It is a recent, almost certainly fleeting phenomenon, and like the 6-7 meme it signifies little more than that one is "with it" – without knowing what "it" is. ‑‑Lambiam 08:19, 9 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

"It" is usually a signifier of brainlessness, or the need to do something solely because "all my friends are doing it". -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 18:39, 9 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not convinced this is recent, but I admit it's probably resurgent. There was a similar proto-meme in the 1980s. Viriditas (talk) 23:16, 9 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Clarityfiend:She could also be blushing. ~2026-22534-68 (talk) 18:13, 13 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Stew of artichoke hearts and fava beans

A typical dish of Aegean Turkish cuisine is a stew of artichoke hearts and fava beans. I believe it is originally a Greek dish. The combination of these two ingredients seems somewhat arbitrary to me. Is there a reason for this specific combination? Thank you. Hevesli (talk) 17:59, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Often, old staple dishes like this were based on availability. Artichokes and fava beans peak harvest is at the same time in the Aegean region. Because they often occur together, they are often prepared together. Both are available all year now, so the pairing does seem arbitrary. ~2026-21283-08 (talk) 18:25, 8 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Arbitrary if the dish were originating in C21. But if it's become a staple, that means it originated way earlier, when availability was different. Once a dish has become traditional, the tradition continues. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 18:32, 9 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Both Greece and Turkey have close ties to artichoke and broad bean stew, making it difficult to say which is the authentic origin. The Greek version differs from the Turkish version, which includes carrots and potatoes and is sweeter. I believe the combination of these two ingredients was not arbitrary. Over the years, people may have tried different combinations, but most people think that these two ingredients taste best together, which is why this dish has become a famous dish. Stanleykswong (talk) 19:46, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

April 9

Optical illusion?

I recently had a strange experience over at John McCormack (tenor). I was convinced the image in the infobox was distorted in some way, but after downloading the original HQ image and playing around with it, I now think this is an optical illusion of some kind created by the narrow crop. Any ideas? Just glancing at this image, it looks like it has been compressed from the sides, but when I play around with the original, I don't see any distortion at all. The subject is slightly turned one way, with their face facing the opposite direction. Combined with the close cropping on the left and right, this gives the impression that their body is squished together. I've never seen this kind of thing before. Viriditas (talk) 23:21, 9 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

It does seem a bit squished horizontally. Here's the original scan.[2] If you Google-Image "john mccormack", the other pictures look more round-faced. Maybe just not the best scan by LOC? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 00:33, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

That sounds most likely! Good answer. Viriditas (talk) 00:43, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Only just found a replacement Viriditas (talk) 00:45, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

That looks more like the pics in Google Images. Just for fun, I downloaded the one in question and compressed it vertically somewhat, and it looks more like him. I do wonder if the LOC original source was stretched, or whether LOC did that during their scanning. Either way, I think the one you posted is better. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 02:21, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Agree with people above that it's been squished, but the very high contrast on his face makes it even worse: your eye is drawn to the bright are first, which is only half a face. Matt Deres (talk) 16:01, 10 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, that's what I mean. It's like the composition contributes to the distortion effect. Very weird. Viriditas (talk) 03:16, 11 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Agreed. My first thought is that it was going to be one of those things where someone's painted a sideways silhouette onto their face so it looks like they're facing to the side. Matt Deres (talk) 20:04, 11 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

McCormack is one of my very favourite singers, both in traditional repertoire and classical Lieder (I have many original 78s), and I enjoy attempting to imitate his nasal delivery in what you might call an 'Aural illusion'. MinorProphet (talk) 19:22, 12 April 2026 (UTC) [reply]

He was one of the best, for sure. Even more than his voice, his enunciation and breath control were peerless. I'm sure you know his recording of "Il mio tesoro". -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 21:24, 12 April 2026 (UTC) [reply]

April 11

Dress

Hallo. What kind/style of dress is this one: https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fz7nbx90sdbh71.jpg%3Fwidth%3D576%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D09d74d7e7cd06011fb5e1b7df467ab9a59593474? ~2026-24671-3 (talk) 19:01, 11 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

I don't know if there's a specific name for it. Descriptively, it's an ultramarine off-the-shoulder raised waistline minidress. The fabric looks rather heavy; a wool-cotton blend, maybe. I suppose you could contact Andrea Kalousová and ask her what she calls it. Matt Deres (talk) 20:02, 11 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

A decade or so ago, that particular type of outline (close-fitting bodice and flaring skirt, regardless of the shoulder line) was called "fit-and-flare" in some places. -- Avocado (talk) 22:19, 11 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Is it an off shoulder mini skirt? This style is popularized by actress Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s so it is also called Bardot skirt. Stanleykswong (talk) 17:41, 13 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

April 12

Where is Keserűs Hill volcano?

I wondered why the river Danube takes a sharp right turn just after entering Hungary. It can't be trying to avoid the Carpathian mountains, that obstacle is still a whole country away. Did it simply want to visit Budapest, or maybe Göd?

The article is Danube Bend, which explains The caldera of Keserűs Hill-volcano, with the associated lava dome formed a later eroded central in the north. The river follows the southern edge of this caldera.

I don't believe the part about in the north. If the bend is curving along the round edge of a caldera, the caldera must lie south and west of the river. For that matter, what's a "central"? The source says:

The present-day U-shaped loop is partly inherited from the horseshoe caldera morphology of Keserűs Hill volcano, a 15-Ma-old andesitic lava dome complex with an eroded central depression open to the north.

So, this is garbled, and the depression might not even factor into the question of why does the Danube do that. What I'd like to be able to do is to name a hill, or caldera, that's marked on maps, to say "the river is following the edge of this thing", and I'd like to add "which is to the south-west of the bend", because it must be. But I can't find Keserűs Hill.

Just before the bend, there is a separate U-shaped loop - in the orientation of a U, and thus open to the north. I fear that Keserűs Hill might be inside that loop, making the source irrelevant. Card Zero (talk) 21:45, 12 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

The U open to the north is the Danube Bend. Did you look at the figures in the source given in Danube Bend? You can access the chapter (and indeed the whole book) via the Wikiedia Library. DuncanHill (talk) 21:56, 12 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

(e/c) Yes, I was just realising that ... the U is the bend. The abrupt right-angled turn seems more notable to me. I guess it goes unexplained and I'll just have to live with that burden. Card Zero (talk) 21:59, 12 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Hegy is the Magyar for hill, you're looking for Keserű-hegy. https://www.alltrails.com/poi/hungary/komarom-esztergom/domos/keseru-hegy Nanonic (talk) 21:59, 12 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you! Wait, it's to the south of the U, not inside it? But the right turn is what was on my mind. Maybe I'll clean up Danube Bend instead though. (The map coordinates at the top of the article are for the angle, not the U-bend, another error.) Card Zero (talk) 22:06, 12 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

The Hungarian Wikipedia opens the article on the Danube Bend with: "A Dunakanyar a Duna Esztergom és Budapest közötti szakasza." Google translates this as: "The Danube Bend is the section of the Danube between Esztergom and Budapest." (Esztergom is not shown on the map insert but lies just north of the 102.) The coordinates given in our article, 47°47′57″N 19°05′30″E / 47.79917°N 19.09167°E, are of a spot well beyond the U bend, with Budapest lying due south. The Hungarian Wikipedia has no mention of a "Keserűs Hill volcano". The scientific article "Incision of a river curvature due to exhumed Miocene volcanic landforms: Danube Bend, Hungary" uses "Danube Bend" for the U bend, showing the approximate position of the inferred summit vents of the (denuded) Keserűs Hill volcano as just south of the U. Apparently, there are different notions of which Danube bend is "the" Danube Bend. (Hungarian kanyar means "bend".) ‑‑Lambiam 06:53, 13 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

April 14

Where can I find the illustrated page of the nursery rhyme "Bananas in Pyjamas" in the "Nursery Play Rhymes - Book and Video Pack" book???

Hello! Where can I find the illustrated page (I cannot remember the number of page) of the nursery rhyme "Bananas in Pyjamas", which depicted a banana in red and white striped pyjamas and a banana in green and white striped pyjamas, which was featured in the book "Nursery Play Rhymes - Book and Video Pack", released on the VHS reissue published by Video Collection International in 1991? For example, on eBay I only found the VHS and not the illustrated book (see: [3]) I don't know why... Could you help me? Thanks! DanielParoliere (talk) 19:18, 14 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

It's not clear (at least to me) whether you just want to know the page number, want to see an image of the page, want to obtain a copy of just the page, or want to obtain a copy of the book. Can you explain further? {The poster formerly known as 87,81.230.195} ~2026-76101-8 (talk) 05:43, 16 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

I just want to see the full image of the double page (the "Bananas in Pyjamas" chapter) with the four bananas in pyjamas (the two in blue and white stripes, the one in red and white stripes and the one in green and white stripes) that are coming down the stairs and the three teddy bears. Can you make a screenshot of this? Also I cannot remember who was the illustrator of this book called "Nursery Play Rhymes - Book and Video Pack", released by Video Collection International in 1991. I would also like to have a copy of the book. In any case, you could convert the book to PDF. Thanks! DanielParoliere (talk) 08:05, 16 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Well, somebody could; I don't possess, have never seen, and have only heard the name of this (Australian) Bananas in Pyjamas thing.

However, since this work is certainly in copyright, making and distributing a PDF (or any other copy) of it would be a breach of copyright, therefore illegal, and we don't break the law on Wikipedia. This applies even if the work is 'out of print' (i.e. no longer sold as a new item), because the copyright owner may decide to republish it.

A one-page scan for personal use/study would probably be allowed since it would be below the threshold of how much of a work may have a single copy of it taken (at least in the UK), but then sending it to someone else might well not be.

Your safest (and most legal) option is to continue searching for a second-hand copy through online and bricks-and-mortar second-hand dealers (or their websites, since I'm guessing you may not be in Australia) You could also email or write (yes, on paper!) to book and other dealers asking for them to search for a copy of what you want. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-76101-8 (talk) 18:54, 16 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

In the meantime, I managed to find a copy of the book at St. George's College in Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina (see: [4]). The book was illustrated by Jenny Press and has a total of 61 pages. What do you think if for this copy of the book in Argentina you could just take a screenshot of the double-page spread of "Bananas in Pyjamas" to share online? Thanks! DanielParoliere (talk) 08:06, 18 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Sources have 1990 as the release date. "Bananas in Pyjamas" is listed as nr. 15 on the tape.^[5] ‑‑Lambiam 15:02, 18 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

If that can be done, you can do it. Do not ask me, a former bookseller and book editor, to perform a potential breach of copyright by supplying a copy of copyrighted material to a third party. If by "you" you mean Wikipedia, I doubt any other volunteer editor will be willing to do so on behalf of Wikipedia, but I cannot control others' actions. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} ~2026-76101-8 (talk) 17:30, 18 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, they can do it themself (assuming they can get the days off) if they buy a return ticket from Switzerland or Italy (Milan) to Argentina for an excursion that, together with other costs such as for hotel stays, will set them back by about € 2000. ‑‑Lambiam 07:36, 19 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

Okay, I get it. DanielParoliere (talk) 08:03, 19 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]

April 20

Jamster

Hallo. Does anyone here know who is the voice behind Schunfel/Snuggle Bunny as popularised by Jamster (Jamba) ringtones. The same person could be Tiger Boo, because their voices are somewhat similar. ~2026-22534-68 (talk) 01:10, 20 April 2026 (UTC)[reply]