Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2009 April 12

= April 12 =

A question about Pokémon breeding
I've looked at a bunch of other sites about this question, but I still wasn't entirely sure with what I saw, so I thought I should ask it here. In the Pokémon games (and let's use the latest versions for this example), whenever two Pokémon produce an egg, what hatches from the egg is generally the lowest evolutionary form of the female Pokémon (excepting some special baby Pokémon). But this got me to thinking about certain "one-off" Pokémon. A good example would be Porygon2, which evolves from trading Porygon while holding the "Up-Grade" item. The problem is that there is only one Up-Grade per game, therefore only one Porygon2 per game. A Porygon2 can always be bred, but according to the rule above, it would only produce a Porygon egg. Does this rule apply to such Pokémon? If so, then that leaves only one obtainable Pokémon of several similarly-evolved Pokémon species.-- The Ninth Bright Shiner 01:08, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * It's been a loooooong time since I played Pokemon. However, if I recall correctly, there are ways and means of obtaining more items. Apart from starting up a new game on a different cartridge, and trading over another Up-Grade, or a Porygon2., there are also various competitions (which I've never participated in) with hugely variable item rewards, wild Pokemon will carry items...Of course, I'm not telling you that there definitely are other ways to obtain Up-Grades, just that there are many unconventional ways to obtain strange and rare items. Have you checked all of those? Vimescarrot (talk) 12:04, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * A little more checking around, and I've learned that Pokémon with the Pickup ability can obtain some of the rarer evolutionary stones. Stuff like the Reaper Cloth, Up-Grade, and Dubious Disc might not be re-obtainable within the game, but might require trading from Pokémon Battle Revolution. Regardless, I'm soon going to become proficient in messing with the save file of the game, so I could get them that way! First time one of my problems resolved itself :-)...well, thanks for the answer!-- The Ninth Bright Shiner 23:37, 19 April 2009 (UTC)

"Faded"
What does fade mean?68.148.145.190 (talk) 09:08, 12 April 2009 (UTC)


 * It would appear to mean graduated, either as cut layers, or dyed (?bleached?) --TammyMoet (talk) 10:43, 12 April 2009 (UTC)


 * It means that the length of the hair gets shorter and shorter as you get closer to the hairline. This is quite common with black men.  They often have very short hair on the back of their neck and as you go up the skull, the hair gets longer.  See also flattop.  Dismas |(talk) 19:16, 12 April 2009 (UTC)


 * To clarify that last remark, "the fade" is a common hairstyle for black men. Thus, it's cut that way, it doesn't grow that way naturally. StuRat (talk) 12:02, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Guido
What is a jersey guido?68.148.145.190 (talk) 09:10, 12 April 2009 (UTC)


 * I couldn't find the term at the link you give, but a "Guido" is a man who conforms to a certain stereotype. He is young, usually of Italian descent (hence the name), usually native to the Tri-State Region (hence "Jersey"), and recognizable by his garish, macho wardrobe, which tends to include a tight shirt unbuttoned to reveal his chest, which (like his eyebrows) may be waxed. His taste in music runs the gamut from trance to hip hop, and he tends to drive an IROC-Z. By day he works in construction, pizza delivery, etc. By night he infests the dance clubs of Seaside Heights and Staten Island. L ANTZY T ALK 13:04, 12 April 2009 (UTC)


 * By the way, questions about "what does this word mean?" usually belong on the language desk. L ANTZY T ALK 14:23, 12 April 2009 (UTC)


 * What does IROC-Z mean? Really, you couldn't find it?  I Ctrl+F a 2nd time and found it.96.53.149.117 (talk) 05:53, 13 April 2009 (UTC)


 * IROC-Z is a model of car. L ANTZY T ALK 10:20, 13 April 2009 (UTC)


 * What does it stand for?96.53.149.117 (talk) 16:46, 14 April 2009 (UTC)


 * International Race of Champions. The "Z" may refer to Z-rated tires (racing tires rated for over 149 mph/240 kph). StuRat (talk) 02:32, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

Baseball Team
What baseball team wears the hat with a capital A? Who is the guy who wears 34?68.148.145.190 (talk) 23:34, 10 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I think you are refering to Nick Adenhart of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Rmhermen (talk) 23:40, 10 April 2009 (UTC)
 * It could also be the A's but their number 34 seems to be retired in honor of Rollie Fingers. APL (talk) 01:32, 11 April 2009 (UTC)


 * Atlanta Braves also wear a capital A. Who then was a gentleman? (talk) 05:18, 11 April 2009 (UTC)


 * In Major League Baseball there are 3 teams with A's on their hats. The Atlanta Braves number 34 is Eric O'Flaherty.  The Los Angeles Angels number 34 was worn by the recently deceased Nick Adenhart.  The Oakland A's number 34 is (as noted) retired by the team, but it was most famously worn by Rollie Fingers. --Jayron32. talk . contribs  12:35, 11 April 2009 (UTC)

International Super Bowl audience
According to our article on Super Bowl XLIII, it was broadcast in the following countries where American football is not particularly popular: Mexico, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Russia, Sweden, the UK, Brazil, Australia, China, Hungary, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Montenegro, Serbia, and Croatia. Considering the complexity of the rules of the game, how could a significant number of people in these countries be expected to watch and comprehend a game? Particularly when this is the only game of American football that they will witness the entire year? Wouldn't it be a bit like broadcasting a cricket match in the United States? Or do foreign viewers derive some pleasure from the mere spectacle, in the same way that I can sit transfixed by a sumo bout without knowing what the hell is going on? L ANTZY T ALK 12:29, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

There are a lot of NFL fans in Britain,we even play the game over here.hotclaws 16:44, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Bear in mind that in Britain it was shown at 3am; it wasn't exactly a big deal. I expect most people in this country wouldn't have even known it was televised. Malcolm XIV (talk) 12:55, 12 April 2009 (UTC)

I watched it live at 11.20 PM
 * A lot compared with what? It is still a very small minority taste in the UK, and hopefully it will stay that way. You can watch curling, water polo, handball and lacrosse on British TV, and so the fact that the Superbowl is shown on British TV doesn't mean it is popular here. Postlebury (talk) 14:27, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

.There is a growing audience for American sports in the UK but they are mostly shown on Channel 5.I believe it is owing to contracting difficulties with which station shows the Superbowl which means the BBC shows it.The World Series is the one that stars at 3.00AM and it goes up to 7 games.hotclaws 16:42, 13 April 2009 (UTC)


 * That's much as I expected. But why televise it at all? L ANTZY ]]T ALK 13:06, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I'm sure they broadcast cricket in the US. They do in Canada, and I like watching it even though I have no idea what's going on. It's intended for South Asian and Caribbean Canadians, usually, so maybe the football is intended for Americans living abroad? Adam Bishop (talk) 13:54, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * That makes a lot of sense. I hadn't thought of that. L ANTZY T ALK 14:00, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * The US has no major market for lacrosse or rugby but they are televised to some extent. There's a market for it, niche thought it may be.  Dismas |(talk) 17:11, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * It's also important to remember that in the age of digital cable and satellite TV, much of the world has access to dozens and dozens of sports channels, which have to fill their time showing something. With enough cash, I can probably find major professional games in sports as varied as badminton and rugby and netball here in the U.S., though none are really well known or much played here.  I expect the same about American Football around the world.  If you have a dish and are watching some random sports channel at 3:00 AM, you can see some pretty weird stuff (whatever weird is in YOUR locality).  --Jayron32. talk . contribs  05:00, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Musical
Hi! Can you please describe the difference between American and European musicals? I cannot find anything about it in Wikipedia. What is the musical comercialisation? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.52.162.94 (talk) 16:46, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Hard to answer your first question, because I don't understand in what terms you're speaking. Do you mean musically or historically? Or perhaps in terms of topic? Or perhaps, given your second question, in terms of commercial success or lack of? Please clarify. --Dweller (talk) 12:36, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

Ballad? Identity?
Does anybody know the identity of a really beautiful song recorded by a female folksinger? I believe she might have an accent other than an American accent? Maybe Irish. Maybe Scottish? If I remember the commentary accompanying the playing of the song on the radio -- no doubt a noncommercial station such as WKCR, which I used to listen to a lot -- saying perhaps that she is a schoolteacher. The story is of a boy who goes to sea. Some incident takes place -- I can't recall what, while they are out at sea. Maybe they are attacked by pirates. The captain makes a quick deal with the boy, in the midst of this danger: jump in the water -- swim under the other ship (I assume the pirate ship) and bore a hole in its hull, and sink it. In exchange the captain agrees to give the boy half of some sort of treasure aboard their ship, or something like that. So the boy does this, quite successfully. Once back aboard though, the captain reneges on his deal. The captain heartlessly laughs at the boy; the boy reacts in anger, and the captain has him thrown overboard. But the boy still has his auger in his pocket. He proceeds to sink the ship! The only survivor of this disaster is the little boy -- who rides a piece of broken wood from the boat to shore. It is very beautifully delivered by this folksinger, in what strikes me as an Irish ballad sort of form, not that I know much about this sort of thing. It is pretty much an unforgettable song, if you've heard it once. My estimate of when it was recorded would be between ten and twenty years ago. The sound quality is good; the words are enunciated very clearly. Bus stop (talk) 19:07, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * This is the song sometimes called The Sweet Trinity. I don't know which version exactly you've heard. Algebraist 20:17, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Wow. Yes. That has got to be it. The article doesn't describe the particular ending that I believe I heard. But that is definitely close enough that it must be it. Thank you! Bus stop (talk) 20:44, 12 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Looking at the list of artists who have recorded the song in the article, it's possible that the version you heard is the one by Steeleye Span, who have a female singer, Maddy Prior (she's English though). --Richardrj talkemail 07:48, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes, Maddy Prior does sound like the voice that I recall. I think the song may have been a cappella -- without musical accompaniment. That sounds like some things I've come across. What I can't find any trace of is the ending that I recall -- that the boy sunk the boat and made it safely to shore. That really made an impression on me. I found that to be a brilliant turn of events. But no version seems to have that outcome. I'll have to keep looking. Bus stop (talk) 15:50, 13 April 2009 (UTC)