Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 December 27

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

December 27

Hawaiian Punch

<Question asking for legal advice removed, as per guidelines above> BrainyBabe (talk) 10:56, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

We recommend that you contact and lawyer and ask them these questions. StuRat (talk) 11:44, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Christ Church Primary School,Stockport

Hi My name is Charmaine Kenney and I attended Christ Church Primary School,Parsonage Road/Wellington road,Stockport,Cheshire..Unfortunately I have not been able to find any reference for this Church....I was able to find a picture of it, but nothing else and was told to get in touch with St Mary's in Stockport...The only part still standing is the Church....Can you please help me, as to where I could find the info ,I am looking for...Thank You, Charmaine Kenney —Preceding unsigned comment added by Charmaine52 (talk • contribs) 12:36, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

This is in England, apparently (I was thinking New Zealand at first based on the Christ Church/Wellington combo). I found an entry for "Stockport Wellington Road County Primary School [Stockport Borough Education Division] [1875-1901] - ref. SL299" at [1]. If that means the school closed in 1901, you'd have to be over 110 to have attended, however. Perhaps the school existed after that but changed names, educational divisions, etc. Can you give us the years you attended ? Also, what info do you want about this school ? A full street address ? Where to access the school records ? Or something else ? StuRat (talk) 17:29, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

I did a Google maps search and found the intersection, but note that it's "Parsonage Street", not Road. That may help further searches. StuRat (talk) 17:32, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Also note that this appears to be within the Heaton Norris residential area of Stockport. StuRat (talk) 17:41, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

You might want to ask at WikiProject Greater Manchester – they've got a lot of members and may well have someone nearby. – iridescent 03:03, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

I don't know whereabouts you're living now Charmaine52, but the Stockport Heritage Library, located on Wellington Road South [2] will probably have tons of information. Good luck! Majorly talk 02:51, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Shia islam versus Sunni islam

Can you please tell details about whether Shia or Sunni are performing the right Islam as it was meant to be, are Shia's right or Sunni's? or both are right in their own ways? who's more accurate! —Preceding unsigned comment added by MKhusro (talk • contribs) 13:12, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Obviously, they both think that they're right. The Shias (spelling?) think that the Shias are right, and the Sunnis think that the Sunnis are right. Personally, I'm not a Muslim, so I don't have an opinion. flaminglawyer^c 16:02, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

I believe the Shia are referred to as the Shia or Shiite. Obviously, the only true religion is belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. However, the factions which say he's covered in parmesan and romano cheese will each fight to the death to defend their own "truth". StuRat (talk) 17:52, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

See "Sunni-Shia relations". It has a section on the differences. See also the separate articles "Sunni Islam" and "Shia Islam". --Milkbreath (talk) 17:45, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

---

You know, most major historical "schisms" in Islam have actually occurred over disputes about who has the legitimate right to lead the community of Muslims, and NOT over points of doctrine or ritual (as has been the case in Christianity and Buddhism). There are some differences in belief and practices between Sunnism and Shi`ism, but such differences were subsequent to the original political disputes over the nature of Ali ibn Abi Talib's claims to the Caliphate; the Sunni-Shi`ite split was not really theological in origin, as most Westerners would understand the term "theology". So where Christianity has schisms over "a vowel" (as been said of the homoousianist vs. homoiousianist dispute), Islam has schisms over ancient political power-struggles... AnonMoos (talk) 13:51, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

That's an over-simplification. The original Sunni-Shi'a split may have been politically motivated, but it was theological issues that widened and maintained the split. Shi'ite Islam differs from Sunni Islam in a number of ways, tolerance of icons, established 'clergies', etc. etc. Ninebucks (talk) 21:54, 2 January 2009 (UTC)

What country has the easiest prisons?

Narrowly missed a bullet here in the USA. Just as well, I hear max sec can be pretty harsh around here anyways. Lets face it, I'm a criminal. And I've accepted a long time ago that a tiger can't change it's[sic] stripes. So if I'm gonna live outside the law, may as well do my time as easy as possible. So what country can I move to, raise hell, then get pampered in thier generous prison system?I'm Scared (talk) 13:21, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Norway is the country for you: [3], [4] (in the second video the part about prison starts around 6:00). 194.171.56.13 (talk) 14:22, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Have you considered white collar crime? It's often more lucrative, less personally risky, has a lower conviction rate because the juries get bored and confused, and even if convicted you get to go to relatively luxurious minimum security prisons. That said, if you're committed to your current m.o., I'd go with Austria. --Sean 14:50, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

This is why I love Wikipedia. We don't give legal advice, but we are happy to give illegal advice. --Melmann^(talk) 15:35, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

And when you get to the countries, don't bother learning their language. Just run around in the streets shouting "No comprendo!" Or if someone understands that, ignore them and start saying "No speak-a da Englais!" flaminglawyer^c 16:08, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Austria seems pretty neat; try the Justice Center Leoben. The US DoJ Bureau of Justice Statistics has detailed info comparing 45 countries[5]. --Maltelauridsbrigge (talk) 17:42, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Greenland's penal system seems (or seemed, back when this article was written) to be the thing for you; it seems serious offenders are binned off to Denmark's proper jails, however (but still that's not exactly Leavenworth). 87.112.25.135 (talk) 22:22, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

kant and swedenborg

Bertrand Russell claims in The History of Western Philosophy that Emanuel Swedenborg sold four copies of a certain grand theological work (almost certainly the Arcana Celestia, or Heavenly Secrets), one of which just happened to be to Immanuel Kant. I've tried googling, but haven't turned up anything, and Russell wasn't kind or helpful enough to supply his History with comprehensive footnotes, so I'm wondering if anyone out there can verify or debunk this one. Our article on S. acknowledges that Kant did indeed buy the book, but I'm wondering if it's true that it only sold 4 copies when first published. Thanks, It's been emotional (talk) 16:32, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

I have received letters informing me that not more than four copies have been sold in the space of two months. I communicated this to the Angels. They were surprised... Spiritual Diary 1164

—eric 04:55, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

see also: White, William M., (1868) "Chapter XIV: Publication of Arcana Celestia" Emanuel Swedenborg: His Life and Writings.—eric 05:21, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

What large US cities have some form of rent control?

I believe New York City has 'rent control', 'vacancy decontrol' and 'rent stabilization', and San Francisco has some type of rent control. Are there any other large cities with rent control of one sort or another? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Boomerpdx (talk • contribs) 18:26, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Santa Monica and Berkeley (both in California) have at times been notorious for it, though I have no idea what the present state is. —Tamfang (talk) 20:03, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Here is a list of all cities in California that have some form of rent control (as of late 2007). Other "large cities" then would include San Jose, Oakland, Los Angeles. I don't know about other places in the US though, aside from New York. Here is an article from the Cato Institute about the history of rent control in the US. Antandrus (talk) 01:02, 2 January 2009 (UTC)

Sunni Schools of thought of Arab World

What is the history of Sunni Muslims in Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Djibouti and Egypt being Hanafi Muslims? What is the history of Sunni Muslims in United Arab Emirates, Somalia and Sudan being Shafi Muslims? What is the history of Sunni Muslims in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen being Hanbali Muslims? What is the history of Sunni Muslims in Mauritania, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria being Maliki Muslims? What about Bahrain, Oman and Comoros? What is their Sunni school of thought? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.64.52.209 (talk) 22:51, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

The main traditional schools of Sunni thought are listed under Madhhab, though there are others both historical (e.g. Mutazilite) and modern (e.g. Salafi). To answer your question in any depth would require a book (and I suggest that you consult one or more), not a quick Ref Desk reply... AnonMoos (talk) 13:33, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Civil unions and marriage

Disclaimer: This is a hypothetical situation and not a request for legal advice. I am merely curious.

Jane Doe is a Brit. She "marries" (enters into a civil partnership) with Alice in Britain. After however many years, Jane and Alice split up but don't bother dissolving the civil partnership. Jane moves to another country where no same-sex marriages or equivalents are recognised. She meets John Smith and wants to marry him. Can she legally marry him in that country? Is the marriage legal if she and her "husband" move back to Britain?

-- _{Escape Artist Swyer} ^Talk _{Contributions} 23:28, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

There's no way to predict how a court would rule in such a situation; likely different courts will rule in different ways, and the situation will remain unresolved until a supreme court rules or legislation is passed. - Nunh-huh 23:32, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

The second marriage would be bigamous in Britain. So - "No". 91.106.44.238 (talk) 01:04, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

I know that in Australia some people from overseas are required to provide a document from their previous country affirming that they are not married. However, Section 88EA of the Australian Federal Marriage Act 1961 states:

A union solemnised in a foreign country between:

(a) a man and another man; or

(b) a woman and another woman;

must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia.

And the crime of bigamy and the relevant qualification provisions only use the word marriage, which is also defined specifically as

"marriage" means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.

So I see no reason that such a marriage would be prevented under Australian law. Which is not what you asked, but I think it is a good example. I expect it would not work that way universally, however.--Jabberwalkee (talk) 13:46, 29 December 2008 (UTC)

Books on types of Nationalism

Is there any books on a)Pan-Africanism, b)Pan-Arabism, c)English Nationalism, d)French Nationalism, e)Italian Nationalism, f)German Nationalism, g)Pan-Iranism, h)Greater Somalia, i)Pan-Slavism, j)Pan-Americanism, k)Pan-Asianism, l)Ugric-Finno nationalism, m)Pan-Turkism, n)Pan-European Nationalism o)Bengali Nationalism p)Bangladeshi Nationalism q)Dravidian movement r)Hindu Nationalism s)Buddhist Nationalism t)Assamese Nationalism u)Tamil Nationalism v)Telugu Nationalism w)Malayalam Nationalism x)Marathi Nationalism y)Punjabi Nationalism z)Sikh Nationalism i)Oriya Nationalism ii)Pakistani Nationalism iii)Indian Nationalism iv)Sindhi Nationalism v)Baloch Nationalism vi)Pashto Nationalism vii)Saraiki nationalism viii)Hindko Nationalism ix)Kurdish Nationalism —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.64.52.209 (talk) 23:42, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

Yes. - Nunh-huh 23:50, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

We are not going to just give you a dump of books relating to well over 30 separate topics. You should narrow down your research questions a bit—assuming each of those had only one book on them, that'd still be too many books to read, and some of those have many, many books written about them. You should also think about narrowing it down in terms of time-frame as well—French nationalism in the 18th century? The 19th? The 20th? All very different topics. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 02:44, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

You could do worse than looking at the bottom of articles such as a) Pan-Africanism, b) Pan-Arabism, c) English Nationalism, d) French Nationalism, e) Italian Nationalism, f) German Nationalism ... Oops, some red links there; you could also look at what's under Category:Pan movements and Category:Nationalism by country or region (plus Category:Nationalism in general). Not all articles are of the same quality, but most mention or list books and give external links with more resources. ---Sluzzelin talk 14:43, 28 December 2008 (UTC)

Hindu belt in Bangladesh

Is this true that Khulna and Barisal Divisions are called together Hindu Belt? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.64.52.209 (talk) 23:45, 27 December 2008 (UTC)

It may be true that someone has called them that, but I only found "Hindi Belt" meaning the Hindi Heartland in India. The article Hinduism in Bangladesh includes a map showing the concentration of Hindus across the country. There are two neighbouring spots of over 50% in the two divisions you mention, but it's not really belt-shaped, most of the right spot actually lies in the Dhaka Division, and there are other areas of equally high concentration in Bangladesh. Note that Sylhet has a higher percentage of Hindus (17.80%) than either Khulna (16.45%) or especially Barisal (11.70%) which actually has the second lowest percentage among the six Divisions of Bangladesh. ---Sluzzelin talk 15:17, 28 December 2008 (UTC)