Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 October 8

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October 8

Website with free online games

I know there are thousands of these websites and this is a long shot, but maybe someone will recognize it. I'm looking for a particular Flash website with a bunch of free online games. On the homepage there was a grid showing all the games (at least 20). They were all cutesy-type games rendered in pastel colours, simple games mostly involving catching things and whatnot. One particular game had little yellow chicks falling from the sky and you had to break their fall with an umbrella. It's been a few years since I accessed it so maybe it's gone offline, but if anyone recognises it I'd be very grateful. Many thanks. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 11:39, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

I have no idea, but if it's been a few years, your biggest issue is that the interface is likely to have changed radically, so describing what it looks like may not help. ~ Amory (u • t • c) 12:42, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

I think I know what website you are talking about, but it has been a long time for me as well. Unfortunately, I have this annoying event called class, so I have to go. I will rack my brain trying to remember the name. The Reader who Writes (talk) 13:32, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Orisinal Taggart.BBS (talk) 19:25, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

You are a star. Thanks very much; there goes my weekend... --Richardrj ^{talk email} 04:07, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

HUCLEBERRY BUSHES - CARE AND MAINT.

I live in Michigan and recently planted 5 huckleberry bushes purchased through an on-line retailer. They appear to be doing well but I'm concerned about the harsh MI winter.

I know that wild bushes survive the winters quite well, but I wonder if I should cover these bushes before the snow hits.

I'd appreciate any insight.D2ROP (talk) 13:28, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Huckleberries are pretty hardy plants, they are natural to northern peaty/acidic soils and are developed to withstand hard winters. In addition snow is a fairly good temperature insulator and will serve to protect your bushes in extreme cold. More info here - [1] Richard Avery (talk) 13:56, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Simpson's reference to Brazilian time travelers

In a Halloween episode of the Simpsons a few years ago, Homer says "I am the first non-Brazilian to travel backwards through time". What is this a reference to? Thanks in advance.--173.68.15.233 (talk) 15:00, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

The line is mentioned in Treehouse of Horror V, but it's not really explained. --LarryMac | Talk 15:17, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Some other sources on the web (like this one) say it's a reference to Carlos Castaneda. --LarryMac | Talk 15:22, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Thank you both for the information. So, to sum up the state of knowledge (I know, kind of grandiose for a Simpsons' episode), the answer is that it is possibly a reference to Carlos Castaneda, but may simply be a non-sequitur, and that it was a change to Matt Groening's original, differently-written dialogue, and the only way to truly find out is to track down who made the change to the script and ask them. --173.68.15.233 (talk) 15:49, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Both of me would say that's a fair summary of what I found. --LarryMac | Talk 18:24, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

The audio commentary on the DVD explains it...but I can't remember what it said and I don't have the DVD here, sorry --77.166.169.185 (talk) 01:29, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

Advertising scandal allowed by Google?

I highly suspect this, kevinmoneyblogs, is an advertising scandal. How can Google let them get away with using their name? Wouldn't that be misrepresentation or copyright infringement? —Preceding unsigned comment added by HitmanNumber86 (talk • contribs) 15:28, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Even Google doesn't have the resources to police the thousands - maybe millions - of people who start internet scams with their name on it. In the meantime, you've given this guy extra publicity. Is that what you wanted? DJ Clayworth (talk) 15:55, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

I've renamed the link. If you are really curious put .com on the end, just puting a hot link like that in here is just free advertising for the scammer preying on unsuspecting wikipedians. Vespine (talk) 00:40, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

It's pretty LOL that he claims to live in California and yet his "authentic" check from Google is clearly one that was posted to someone in Europe. --Mr.98 (talk) 13:27, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

Testing the quality of silver cutlery sold on a market stall

Are there any uncomplicated and quick ways of testing the quality of silver cutlery, assuming that is that it is actually silver (and I'm not even expecting it to be sterling silver), sold on a market stall? As I'm in Morocco I'm not expecting to see hallmarks as I would in the UK. I've read the Silver#Jewellery_and_silverware and silverware articles already but they didn't really answer my question. Oh and yes I know that I need to haggle down big time. Regards -- Александр Дмитрий (Alexandr Dmitri) (talk) 16:54, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

It could be just silver plate, and that does not really add a huge value to the item. For Stirling silver it should have a higher density and feel heavy. Usually I can tell silver by the tarnish, or the extreme shininess, as silver is the second brightest metal, after rhodium. If it is rhodium plate, don't feel cheated, this is even more valuable. Stainless steel, German silver (nickel copper alloy) and nickel plate are more grey looking. Graeme Bartlett (talk) 21:37, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Bring a magnet. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 20:02, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Obama Citizenship

Let's say the Obama actually was born in Kenya (or somewhere else not in the US). What does that matter for his eligibility for the presidency? Obviously it would be extremely embarrassing politically, but wouldn't he still be a US citizen? The article on US nationality law states that when he was born in 1961, a child was a citizen by birth if: "One of the person's parents was a U.S. citizen when the person in question was born; The citizen parent lived at least 10 years in the United States before his or her child's birth; A minimum of 5 of these 10 years in the United States were after the citizen parent's 14th birthday." Surely there's no disagreement that his mother fails to meet those standards? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.106.180.134 (talk) 17:42, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

See the last paragraph of Barack Obama citizenship conspiracy theories#Claims that Obama was not born in Hawaii. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:22, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

(edit conflict)The US Constitution (in Article 2) requires that the President be born in America. ~ Amory (u • t • c) 18:23, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

People not born in US territory, whether they're citizens at birth or not, are not eligible to be president. John McCain was the closest to a trial of this rule yet, as he was born in the Panama canal zone while it was a US territory. If a president already serving were to be revealed to have been born in another country, I doubt they would kick him out of office, unless he also lied about it in which case I guess he could get impeached. This is all hypothetical, since Obama was definitely born in Hawaii, despite what conspiracy nut jobs might postulate. TastyCakes (talk) 18:26, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Please cite your reference for your first sentence. Because this page would seem to disagree. --LarryMac | Talk 18:37, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

For anyone reading this in the future, LarryMac's statement "please cite your reference" is the polite form of "this is complete bollocks". The requirement is clear to be a "natural born citizen", which can be the case for someone born outside the US. DJ Clayworth (talk) 18:46, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Please don't put words in my mouth. --LarryMac | Talk 13:42, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

Hmm well this article makes it seem to me that the situation is not as clean cut in legal minds as you make out. Many seem to think that what the writers of the constitution meant by "natural born" quite possibly meant being born inside the US. TastyCakes (talk) 19:20, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

This is a "birther" drive-by. He's been sent to the right article. It should be ignored otherwise. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 18:33, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

No it doesn't - it requires that they be a Natural born citizen of the United States. This can be acquired either by birth within the United States, or, explicitly since 1790, birth outside the United States to American citizens --Saalstin (talk) 18:41, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Hmm well McCain's section at Natural born citizen of the United States would seem to disagree with that. I guess the argument centres now on what "natural born citizen" precisely means. TastyCakes (talk) 19:14, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

These stuff has been debated endlessly on the Obama pages. There is no need to spread it to here also. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 19:19, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

There is disagreement over what "natural born citizen" precisely means. We can't resolve that disagreement; only the United States Supreme Court can. There is no reasonable disagreement that Obama conforms to the most stringent definition of the phrase. Marco polo (talk) 19:21, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Exactly. I don't see the need to get touchy about it. It's an interesting subject, an apparent gray area in the US constitution, and the subject of a ref desk question that, while probably politically motivated, is nevertheless valid and interesting, IMO. TastyCakes (talk) 19:22, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Let's be honest, this is only truly interesting when talking about Schwarzenegger in 2010. ~ Amory (u • t • c) 19:51, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Or, in my neck of the woods, Jennifer Granholm and our insidious plot to insert ourselves into positions of foreign power. TastyCakes (talk) 19:56, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

That's why Abe Beame could claim more convincingly than others that he wouldn't be trying to use the Mayoralty or Governorship of New York as a steppingstone to the White House. Also, as a complete irrelevancy, why Bob Hope could never have been President. "Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner..."—— Shakescene (talk) 21:20, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

The doofi constantly come up with completely whacked-out (mis)interpretations of the obvious meanings of things. "Natural-born" clearly means that the person was a US citizen from birth. Obama makes it, McCain makes it, and Barry Goldwater - born in the Arizona Territory (yes, there was some nonsense about that) - also made it.

Wait 'til some candidate shows up who was born via Caesarean Section, and the jerks start to claim ...

B00P (talk) 21:37, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

...that he was untimely ripped from his mother's womb.—

Macbeth: I bear a charmèd life, which must not yield,
to one of woman born. Macduff: Despair thy charm,
and let the angel whom thou still hast served
tell thee, that Macduff was from his mother's womb
untimely ripped.

(Macbeth, Act V, scene 8)

—— Shakescene (talk) 05:07, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

As odd as it sounds, there are some people who want Orly Taitz for President. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 21:24, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

So much for their fevered rantings about Obama. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:28, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

I really wish I could see those people's faces when they hear who got awarded the Nobel prize for peace today. They are going to be apoplectic! SteveBaker (talk) 12:26, 9 October 2009 (UTC)

Steve, you called that one spot-on. hydnjo (talk) 01:58, 10 October 2009 (UTC)

Mike Huckabee (who, to avoid any confusion, is not one of the folks denying Obama's legitimacy, but is generally one of his political opponents) gave a measured and subtle response, saying that the right should avoid anything that sounds like "whining", giving the chance for the left to explain what Obama had done "in the first two weeks of his presidency" to merit such an honor. (This is apparently in reference to the early February, 2009, deadline for nominations.) There was also an interesting piece in Time online, not exactly a right-wing paper, about how this was the fourth Nobel "for not being George W. Bush". --Trovatore (talk) 02:03, 10 October 2009 (UTC)

Nobel nominations are basically nothing though since so many people can make such a nomination [2]. In terms of SB point, some people have said birthers are going to say Obama is the first Kenyan Nobel peace prize winner (which isn't even true if Obama is Kenyan) Nil Einne (talk) 06:10, 10 October 2009 (UTC)

Oh lookie here [3]. Don't know of course if the person is genuine or trolling Nil Einne (talk) 08:16, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Henry Kissinger got the prize in 1973. All things are possible. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 01:11, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

It is a bit surprising that Mr Huckabee isn't aware that the American political left had nothing to do with the decision to award Mr Obama with a prize. DOR (HK) (talk) 01:52, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

My understanding, as I said in the question on Mr. Obama being African American is that it means you have to be born on US soil, and nowhere else. Of course, as I also asked, what constitutes US soil ? For a President, I would say all the land considered part of America, its 50 states and their overseas territories, but what about the Antartic Territory, and Embassies ? In NZ we have had more foreign born Prime Ministers than Kiwis. I count at least a dozen NZers out of about 50 of them. Actually we haven't had a foreign born leader in at least 35 years, in a country where one in seven is born overseas. One of our best, Michael Joseph Savage, was born in Australia. Another, Richard John ( King Dick ) Seddon, in England. But a lot is different here, since we were a British Colony at some stage, and we even allow living people on coins and stamps, unlike US. To each their own, guns included. But is this yet another dig up dirt bit of nonsense like they did with Mr. Bush Jr's DUI, all of which are never mentioned til someone wants to get into office. Both sides are scabby in that way. Next they'll try to say he was born on a Planet called Africa, if it suits them. I am no 100% supporter of this Chief Executive - we have our own politics to deal with - but they need to leave it alone and concentrate on the next election if they want to govern again, instead of tilting at constitutional windmills. Trouble with some on the Right is not necessarily their policies, but their arrogance and lack of compassion, and I say this as a conservative. Same thing brought down Mr. Nixon, who, had he not been so paranoid, may have achieved a lot worthwhile. The Russian.202.36.179.66 (talk) 05:33, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

literature

what really is materialism? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Nomsi (talk • contribs) 20:07, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Have you read our article on materialism yet? Our sister project Wiktionary lists two distinct definitions of the word at wikt:materialism, so we won't be able to help you unless you provide more information as to what you are looking for. Please note that we won't do your homework for you if this is such a question. Xenon54 / talk / 20:14, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Help

Resolved

 – In the future, questions like this are better if sent to the Help Desk

At List of wars 1945-1989, I reformatted the 1960-1969 section. For some reason, Tuareg Rebellion (1961-1964) won't activate. It was a real war and there's an article about it. I didn't make a mistake. What's going on? B-Machine (talk) 20:36, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

Sorry. False alarm. It's okay. For some reason, it's now activated. B-Machine (talk) 20:42, 8 October 2009 (UTC)

(edit conflict) The problem was that you linked Tuareg Rebellion of Mali, which doesn't have an article. Since there were multiple Tuareg rebellions, they are named by date. The correct one is called Tuareg Rebellion (1961–1964). I fixed the link for you, so it now looks like Tuareg Rebellion of Mali. PS - Too fast to respond! ~ Amory (u • t • c) 20:45, 8 October 2009 (UTC)