Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2008 October 26

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October 26

Now for something my friend and I disagree on...

1. Is Singapore a developed or developing country?

2. Is Singapore an Anglosphere country? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 218.186.13.2 (talk) 02:28, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

It's definitely a High income economy (see also Developed_country#Definition). The English language plays a prominent role, but it would seem to lack many of the requisite features of political culture to be a core member of the Anglosphere... AnonMoos (talk) 08:33, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

I would say yes to both: developed and Anglosphere, in light of the legal and (formal) political system. DOR (HK) (talk) 08:30, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Singapore is very Asian. Call us Anglosphere, is disrespect our Asian culture. If Singapore is Anglosphere, why the racist Americans hate our lack of human rights? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 166.121.36.232 (talk) 03:33, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

Why are you trolling on Wikipedia ? --12.50.77.163 (talk) 11:32, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

As far as I'm concerned, it's (a) developed, and (b), well takes some further analysis. First Singapore does speak English, unless I have forgotten incorrectly. Then, of course, it is in the Asia Pacific region, but Australia is also there, and I think it is considered anglosphere. So yes t o both, unless English isn't an important language there. As some sort of disclaimer: I mainly know about the Czech Republic, the US, Hong Kong, and how bad I feel China is. Vltava 68 (talk contribs) 02:50, 31 October 2008 (UTC)

"Anglosphere" doesn't just mean that the use of the English language is important (that would be "Anglophony"...). AnonMoos (talk) 20:44, 31 October 2008 (UTC)

Did Enoch Really Die ?

• Was reading the article Entering heaven alive ...

• What are the traditional Jewish/Christian views about Enoch's life and death ? Did they really teach that he ascended the firmament without reaching the end of his life ?

69.157.231.5 (talk) 08:03, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

You could start with the source given in the article, the Jewish Encyclopedia's article on Enoch. The Catholic Encyclopedia is less useful here but see Book of Henoch and Henoch. Wikipedia itself has lots of info, Enoch (ancestor of Noah) and, since he is also a prophet of Islam, Islamic view of Enoch. Adam Bishop (talk) 15:35, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

The operative assumption here is expressed in "really".--Wetman (talk) 17:55, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

I think Enoch Powell is actually dead, as you may see from the article.--ChokinBako (talk) 23:42, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

That's fine, but who the *** ever mentioned Enoch Powell? This is about the biblical character Enoch, after whom that late right honourable gentleman and all the other Enochs were named. -- JackofOz (talk) 02:08, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Mandatory sarcasm reminder... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 16:19, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

It's good to know that what constitutes sarcasm differs so hugely from person to person.  :) -- JackofOz (talk) 22:45, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Pity, I was awaiting an interesting factoid on Enoch Powell's longevity. Julia Rossi (talk) 01:11, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

Obscure mythological question

I recently read an article about a particular mythological being that I can not find again. Unfortunately the specifics of this particular myth elude my memory at this time. A description of the being is as follows:

An angel like being, body of silver and covered in razor sharp mouths from head to toe. Her voice causes insanity to all who hear it. She may be considered an embodiment of chaos and destruction.

Any information about this would be appreciated.209.82.167.78 (talk) 08:54, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

That´s no way to talk about my mythological exwife, Number 209. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 20:35, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

I have to ask, Cookatoo. Why did you marry her in the first place? -- JackofOz (talk) 21:07, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

Your honour, "her voice caused insanity in all who hear it" - and I quote here the evidence of witness Number 209 - must be deemed to be sufficient reason for my heinous marital crime Down Under. If my paranoid observations are correct, I am currently serving time in an institution for the criminally insane, anyway. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:24, 26 October 2008 (UTC).

I'm pretty familiar with mythology, but I don't recognize that description at all. The two most similar (in terms of symbolism, not physical description) I can think of are Medusa (her voice didn't make you go insane, but her face petrified you, literally) and Kali. Kali is probably the closest you're gonna get. Belisarius (talk) 21:56, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

No voices, but the physical description is reminiscent of the Shrike. --—— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk - 18:11, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Cockatoo, how DARE you speak about me like that! Just because you never mowed the lawn, never put the garbage out, spent my house keeping on the horses, came home drunk every Friday, didn't help Shavaun and Josh and Liam and Cody and Dakota and Kane and Corella and Stevie and Savanna and Huntley and Shelley-Lea with their homework, just because all you ever think about is yourself, you think you can post horrible comments like that on a public board? Do you realise how much you owe in maintenance? Why don't you ever answer your mobile? Have you moved interstate, or what? And where were you, all that time you were supposed to be working overtime? I could have you lockd up! All that time I spent having your kids and pressing your shirts etc etc etc etc Amandajm (talk) 11:11, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

Sagacity

Hi What is the sagacity? Please, describe it for me completely and explain clearly. (Sageman84 (talk) 11:05, 26 October 2008 (UTC))

See sagacity. — Kpalion^(talk) 12:31, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

English professors and felonies

can a person with more than one felony be an english professor?Demonphish (talk) 17:39, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

Yes. But it very much depends in the university and the nature of the felonies. Each university has different hiring practices, so its difficult to give a general answer. Rockpocket 17:53, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

Judging by your terminology, I guess you are in the US, is that correct? I'm not familiar with US law, but in the UK we have the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act which prevents offences being held against you after a certain amount of time. There are certain professions that are exempt, but I don't think a university lecturer would be one (since you aren't working with children - a school teacher is certainly exempt, but uni students are generally over 18). --Tango (talk) 17:54, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

Mandatory "Hey, we can't give legal advice" reminder. The answer is yes, that time you got busted smoking weed will come back to haunt you. However, as to how badly it can come back to haunt you, it entirely depends on the job you are applying for. Since there are thousands of Universities in the English speaking world, answering this question with any certainty is impossible. Contact the people to with you are applying for a job, and see what they say. I mean, if having a felony on your record is going to sink you anyways, you might as well know up front before you go through the entire hiring process and then find out you can't have the job. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 16:18, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Appointment is also generally up to universities. Nothing prevents a university from hiring a felon as a professor if they think it would be a good idea. Many places might consider that getting arrested at an anti-war protest enhanced rather than detracted from their credentials. Universities also frequntly hire as professors those who were imprisoned for political crimes in their home countries. DJ Clayworth (talk) 17:37, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

In the U.S. even an unrepentant domestic terrorist can become a professor. Edison (talk) 19:01, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Unconvicted, mind you. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 00:32, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

I would be very surprised if universities did felony background checks on professorial hires. You're more likely to get checked applying for a job at a liquor store than a university. That isn't to say one shouldn't necessarily disclose such information if you think it might come up and be embarrassing for the university. But one could plausibly argue against disclosure too, if the felony wasn't relevant to university education. If you got busted for pot as a teenager or stole someone's car radio or was selling drugs briefly as part of your up-from-the-streets story—not relevant, most likely. If you were a rapist—probably worth letting someone know. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 00:32, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

Flag

Which country's flag is this? Thanks in advance [1] 81.140.78.90 (talk) 20:53, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

No country has this flag. It may belong to some organisation. -- JackofOz (talk) 21:05, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

A google image search for orange flag failed to bring up anything similar, so Jack is clearly right. I tried to get the context in which the flag had appeared, but the site http://nations.jm-innovations.com did not allow viewing of anything but the flags (yes, plural). There were images with names starting at 1.png and continuing to 91.png. I didn't check out every one of them, many were well known national flags, while others, such as the one you linked, to seemed more fanciful. A whois search on the domain name will give you contact information of the owner, so if you're really interested, you might try emailing that person. Btw, how did you come across the image in the first place? --NorwegianBlue ^talk 21:37, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

It's the flag of the Nagano Prefecture, Japan. There's a version of it in Wikimedia Commons here, and it's in the "solid flags" list there too. Booglamay (talk) - 23:49, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

As in a number of other Japanese flags, the design is based on the first kana in the name: ナ. —Tamfang (talk) 03:16, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

See, I just thought they really, really liked basketball. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 11:49, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

A Google site search [2] currently finds 184 pages at the domain. I haven't found where or whether the Nagano flag is used. PrimeHunter (talk) 02:54, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Thank-you for solving that one for me :D 81.140.78.90 (talk) 12:04, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

Diwali and Durga Puja

Why Bengali Hindus in India and Bangladesh don't celebrate Diwali? Is it because of the some ethnic group issues or is it they think it's important to celebrate Durga Puja? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.64.52.56 (talk) 23:06, 26 October 2008 (UTC)

Bengali Hindu festival

Besides Durga Puja, what are other Hindu festivals do Hindus in West Bengal and Bangladesh consider as totally Bengali? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.64.52.56 (talk) 23:13, 26 October 2008 (UTC)