Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2007 April 14

= April 14 =

economics
hey i was just wondering why might a firm operating with one plant achieve Minimum efficient plant size and yet not be large enough to achieve Minimum efficient scale??

Thanks —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 210.50.176.32 (talk) 01:26, 14 April 2007 (UTC).


 * It sounds like multiple plants are required for "minimal efficient scale". I know auto companies have a foundry, a transmission plant, an engine plants, a sheet metal stamping plant, a body assembly plant, etc., so that might be what they mean. StuRat 02:26, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

so does that mean then are all economics of scale achieved at plant level??

and speaking about auto companies, is that the reason why they have so much protection from imports??

London Publications, A.D. 1596
I am trying to identify the author and title of a book published in London in 1596. The surname of the author ends in ". . .enotris". The author is named in a handwritten inscription in a copy of John Heydon's The Holy Guide, published in 1662. Any ideas out there?209.226.249.98 04:01, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * The only clue I have is that the "...enotris" might be the ending of the Latin version of the author's surname. Also, the book may (and I don't know what type of a book it is) not have been English, so it may even be a Latinization of an Anglicization of a French or German name. (I know!) What type of book is "The Holy Guide". Was it an underground Catholic work? Is it Puritan? Anglican? Or (as is sometimes the case) is it not religious at all? This could restrict the search. -- Charlene 06:11, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

The full title of "The Holy Guide" has references to English Physicians, and Chemistry. Some of the pages are missing from my copy, and one of the missing ones is the title page. In 400 years it has taken a beating. It was a text for the Rosicrucians, I believe, and dealt with astrology, chemistry, medicine and alchemy. Aside from chemical symbols, "The Holy Guide" has Latin, Greek and German in it, but it is written in English primarily. As for the one I am trying to identify, the one referenced in the inscription to "The Holy Guide", you could well be right, Charlene, about the "Latinization" of a name from who knows what language, and I thank you for that idea. The same inscription references "patants" (sic) granted by "Henery (sic) sixth" giving the "authority of parliment" (sic) to certain persons for the finding of the philosopher's stone, in order, so it says, that the king and the kingdom might make money therefrom. It is a curious paragraph, handwritten. Any other ideas out there?209.226.249.98 06:54, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Is there anything else you can make out about the author's name, or the title of of the book? Are you certain about the -enotris part? Latinized surnames would normally be formed by suffixing -us or -ius to the name. The ending -enotris has a more Greek feeling to it. --Lambiam Talk  14:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I think it likely that it isn't the author's actual name or a latinization of it but rather an adopted name, such as Junius, Scotius Americanus, & others I can't remember. Use of a pseudemous name was fairly common for works where the author might now want to be identified, like religious, political or alchemical works. Bear in mind that wichcraft was still widely believed in & distrusted, by some in authority as well as the common folk, there were still burnings of witches & others & alchemy was at least as much 'magic' as science, so there would have been good reason for someone publishing on the subject to wish to conceal his true identity. AllanHainey 15:50, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
 * It's going to be entirely impossible from that little. If the work is actually Rosicrucian, then it's hopeless in any case, as the authors were always pseudonymous/hoaxes and didn't want to be discovered by contemporaries.  For someone at this remove to find the author/owner is beyond impossible.  If the work is alchemy, it's similarly likely that the owner/author is using a mask.  The bit you can make out is a common Latin ending, and there's nothing indicative about it.  I do not know the title of the work.  If you can find material on that, you'd be more likely to find owners than chasing the name on the flyleaf.  Add to these problems the fact that masses of "scholars" of the day, and particularly pseudo-scholars, have had their fame vanish without a trace.  Geogre 17:47, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * A long shot: is it possible that the name is Fenotus? One alchemist text is known by one Jean Antoine Fenot, Latinized as Jo(h)annes Antonius Fenotus, which appears to be a diatribe against another alchemist named Quercetanus, a Latinization of Du Chesne. It was published in Latin in Basel in 1562 with a long title starting with Alexipharmacum (meaning "antidote"). It is conceivable that the work was published in London later in a translation, or that another work by Fenot was published there, although nothing of that nature seems to be known.  --Lambiam Talk  00:18, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

What a fine group this is! Even those who were generally not upbeat about having any success have actually helped. Charlene put me onto Latinate pseudonyms or Latin versions of English or other surnames. Lambda suggested that the ending I had provided looked more Greek than Latin and depressing Geogre reminded me about the general attitudes prevailing at the time of publication. I went back to the inscription and, after a lot of comparing of letters and letter combinations, I believe the name I was looking for was Penotus. (You were close, Lambda.) This name is linked in the inscription to Paracelsus, about whom there was a book published in 1596. Penotus did not publish until the 1690s, but it would appear that there was more than one person associated with name name "Penotus" amongst the Rosicrucians. Heydon's text was published in 1662; the inscription is dated 1668 and later in the text there are annotation in the hand of one William Cartledge of Blith Bridge, Stafford Shire -which is now, I think, Blythe Bridge, Staffordshire. A calculation in the hand that appears to be Mr. Cartledge's shows he owned the book in 1862. Now I am trying to find Mr. Cartledge. Thank you all. 209.226.249.98 01:37, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Apologies to Lambian, for turning him from a person of Indian extraction to a Greek letter. That's even wilder than alchemy209.226.249.98 01:42, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

OOOPS! Even more mistakes. Please forgive me, Lambiam.209.226.249.98 01:44, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

North Korean copyright law
What is the copyright status of works (pictures, movies, music, text, etc.) produced by the government of North Korea? Are they public domain outside of North Korea? --BrainInAVat 16:36, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
 * I don't think so, at least there isn't any image copyright tag saying "This work is in the public domain because it is the work of the Government of North Korea". - PatricknoddyTALK (reply here) | HISTORY 21:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Clio the Muse
Three questions:
 * How did User:Clio the Muse get to have such a big brain?
 * How does she find time for her thoroughly-researched and lengthy answers on a myriad of topics--does she not have to work (ie maybe she has a sugar daddy or a substantial private income?)
 * If the latter, will she marry me? We could have some amazing kids, and I'd promise not to ask too many questions 82.32.238.139 09:30, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
 * I didn't know Clio was a woman, woops. Wouldn't it be extremely ironic if Clio DIDN'T answer these questions?:)Evilbu 09:42, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

and i thought clio was a car!Perry-mankster 12:11, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Please do not harass Clio! She is a delightful asset to the Reference Desk.  Whatever her circumstances, she is unlikely to be interested in someone who is after her money.  Marco polo 12:51, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

My wife likes Clio ;) she says guys have two track minds, fitting only one carriage. DDB 13:04, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Her user page says she is a graduate student in Cambridge studying history. As a graduate student in the other Cambridge studying history, I can testify that indeed, one often has a lot of free time (when one is procrastinating), and indeed, there is nothing that a history PhD program does better than train one to have throughly-research and lengthy answers on a myriad of topics — or, put another way, if one does not already have an inclination towards that sort of thing then one will not feel comfortable in a history PhD program! But of course Clio can answer for herself. --24.147.86.187 14:20, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

I love this for the simple reason that I never thought to see myself as a topic on the Humanities Desk. I did see it earlier today and it so threw me that I decided not to answer, just for the moment. Before I was ready to respond it was removed, for the best of reasons, I feel sure. However, I have restored this because I simply have to say something, least people conclude that I am entirely without humour! Anyway the answers are as follows:


 * I was born with the brain I have. It just grew larger over the years with nurturing and encouragement (especially at a very good girls' boarding school!)


 * I do not have a rich sugerdaddy, just a rich daddy, and an (almost) as rich, stockbroker, boyfriend.


 * I'm a postgrad at Cambridge and have oodles of time to read and other such nonsense.


 * I have already rejected one proposal of marriage, 82. 32, but I will keep yours in mind. The problem is I need heeps of questions.  Love to you all. Clio the Muse 18:43, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Ah, lovely Clio. I've already been told off for asking you these questions, by someone who thought it inappropriate for all sorts of reasons.  Which it probably is, but I'm glad to see you have a lovely sense of humour. Thanks for taking the time to answer.  Good luck with the PhD, and I'm sure you will sock it to 'em at your viva. 82.32.238.139 20:34, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * And thank you, stranger: yes, I will, I know I will! Clio the Muse 22:02, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * How did the school determine that you were, in fact, a very good girl? Edison 05:29, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Lots of giggles! Well, I will say this much, Edison; it made me a very good girl in some ways, and a very bad girl in others.  When she was good she was very, very good; and when she was bad she was awful.  More than that you will not get!  Clio the Muse 05:37, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * "There was a little Girl,
 * Who had a little Curl,
 * Right in the middle of her Forehead.
 * When she was Good,
 * She was very, very Good,
 * But when she was Bad,
 * She was Horrid."

I think you have to be from the British Isles to make that rhyme. I tried to go backwards and make a rhyme for "awful" but it is too early on a Sunday morning for such efforts.209.226.249.98 14:54, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * No, the spelling pronunciation of "forehead" in any manner other than "forrid" is horrid, even on the other side of the pond. Wareh 14:08, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Thanks; I did know it was 'horrid', but 'awful' suited my purpose better! Clio the Muse 18:00, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

after watching 'dr who' on sat, is there the possibility that clio is the hinted at 'other timelord'? explains a lot, knowledge of history, time on her hands...Perry-mankster 08:15, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Time lady, if you please, Perry-mankster! Clio the Muse 08:26, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

sincerest apologies, any chance of a trip in the TARDIDS? i can be rose to your DrPerry-mankster 08:29, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I'll give your proposal some serious consideration-just let me find a Tardis first! Clio the Muse 09:09, 16 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Yeah, thanks for being so brilliant, Clio! You should run the world. - MelancholyDanish —The preceding unsigned comment was added by MelancholyDanish (talk • contribs) 23:32, 16 April 2007 (UTC).

Lebanon Political Term
What Definition of the Political Term .which we listen in the News in Lebanon Today “Al-Thuluth All-damn ‘’ The Third guarantee. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 213.42.21.83 (talk) 18:21, 14 April 2007 (UTC).

the word "Al" in Arabic means 'The'.--Lerdthenerd 08:20, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Flags of Bavaria
Bavaria has two official flags &mdash; one a plain bicolour, and one lozengy. Could anyone tell me whether one is more common or popular than the other? Does the state government seem to have a preference for its own use? -- Vardion 18:40, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * The answer might be in here somewhere: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayern#Staatswappen.2C_Flagge_und_Hymne
 * --Sonjaaa 18:46, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * If I am reading the Babelfish translation for that page correctly, the "lozenge" version was used in Kurpfalz and Baden, while the striped version was used in the rest of Bavaria. They now are both used with equal standing. StuRat 19:33, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * If the superb Flags of the World website doesn't have your answer on its Bavaria page, you can send them a query. -- Deborahjay 19:26, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * The lozengy one is the Wittelsbach coat. Hard-line republicans eschew it. --Wetman 21:38, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

Safeguards against censorship?
Hello. Proponents of creationism, ID, as well as other beliefs generally considered pseudoscience, often claim that their views are censored by the mainstream scientific community, being unfairly kept out of peer-reviewed journals, denied funding, etc. Of course, the other explanation would be that their views really are pseudoscience. But are there any safeguards in the scientific community to prevent censorship and conspiracy from happening, if there were a legitimate but controversial minority view? I ask on this desk and not the science one because it's not really a "science" question as such. Would that be better? Much appreciated. Schmitty120 19:09, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I believe that any theory that is radically different (as opposed to a slight tweak in an existing theory) may indeed suffer from this. Ideas like relativity and then quantum mechanics were hard for many to accept, at first.  The only way to avoid censorship is to look at all evidence objectively, and not thru the prism of our preconceived ideas, and very few people are able to do that, especially if they have a lot invested in the current theories (like their careers).  So, a certain amount of scientific censorship of new ideas seems to be inevitable.  Fortunately, once a large volume of evidence builds up which favors a new theory, it can't be ignored any more.  After all, even the Catholic Church was forced to eventually admit that the Earth orbits the Sun. StuRat 19:19, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I think you're slightly rewriting history, Stu. They acknowledged centuries ago that the Earth orbits the Sun.  What they didn't do till quite recently was belatedly apologise to Galileo for mistreating him for daring to claim this at a time when their view was otherwise.  JackofOz 22:15, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I didn't say it was recent, did I ? It was, however, long after scientists figured it out. StuRat 01:21, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Fair enough. JackofOz 01:27, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Tell that to creationists. Carbon dating? Inacurate and false. Geological evidence? Planted there by God to test our faith. Evolution? Inspired by the Supreme Intelligence. Etc, Ad Nauseam. Flamarande 20:44, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I like you, Flamarande. Come over and edit at Evolution. TxMCJ 22:12, 7 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Any science journal has the right to refuse to publish things they don't think are of scientific value. What protects creationists from censorship is that the scientific community cannot prevent creationists from publishing their own journals expounding their own ideas. − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 23:49, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

The scientific community is a broad church, covering many nations and ethnicities. Religion tends to be specific to an individual conscience, although shared in community. There are many safeguards the scientific community have in place to prevent censorship. Some are natural, like collegiality, in that anyone who can demonstrate merit over time may have their theory considered on merit. Some protections are artificial, like journal scrutineers who examine research for provenance and value. Some scientists are Christian, and have little trouble reconciling their belief with their scientific work. However, Creationism, and Intelligent Design are not about science, or scientific method, but about a brand of faith. DDB 05:56, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Okay, thanks for the responses. Schmitty120 15:38, 16 April 2007 (UTC)

Impotence paradox
What happens if a spear so weak that it cannot penetrate any shield strikes a shield so weak that any spear can penetrate it? Also, what is the term for this reversal of the irresistible force paradox? - —Preceding unsigned comment added by NeonMerlin (talk • contribs)


 * It is simply a paradox. You can make any paradox you like.  Just say "What happens if (something that cannot exist) hits (something that cannot exist)?"  Some people find these paradoxes very deep and thought provoking.  Others simply see them as nonsense since they are so easy to create.  For example, "What happens if an unanswerable question is answered on the Wikipedia reference desk by a person who can answer any and all questions?" --Kainaw (talk) 21:29, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Maybe we should ask Charles Ives what he thinks of that. (Mind you, that would a self-fulfilling prophecy, since he's long dead). JackofOz 21:36, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

You might be interested to read about the Romans' javelin, known as the Pilum. It was cunningly designed with a weakness in its shank, so that it would bend when it struck a shield, making it very difficult to remove and making it likely that the target would discard his shield... just in time to be met by the legionaries. Those clever Romans. --Dweller 11:02, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Yes indeed, Dweller; but what about those cleverer Goths? Clio the Muse 12:10, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Heh heh. Hi Clio. I'll see your Adrianople and raise you an Alesia, lol. My favourite battle in history. --Dweller 16:58, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

3.7 Question regarding Eucharistic practices during Prohibition in the USA
During the Prohibition Era in the USA (1920-1933) were Roman Catholics or other religious organizations granted permission to use any form of wine during Holy Communion services?

LarabethLarabeth 23:19, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * I remember this question being asked a while ago, and here it is: Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2007 March 11 − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 23:41, 14 April 2007 (UTC)


 * Well, I vaguelly recall that the History Channel showed that there were some religious and medical exceptions, working under a presciption-method (I have no idea how that was suposed to work). These presciptions could also be bought in certain circles. And NO I can't provide you with their sources (searched allready). Flamarande 23:59, 14 April 2007 (UTC)

The volstead act (which was the law that enforced the 18th ammendmnt) provided for exceptions. "Liquor for non beverage purposes and wine or sacramental purposes may be manufactured, purchased, sold, bartered transported, imported, exported, delivered, furnished and possessed, but only as herein provided" 2

By the way, sorry for ruining the formatting of the reference desk, I'm not very good at this WikiMarkup yet. Gradvmedusa 04:26, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * As I recall, consumption of sacramental wine increased by an order of magnitude during Prohibition. Make of that what you will. --67.185.172.158 04:47, 15 April 2007 (UTC)


 * As you recall from… readings? Or personal experience? − Twas Now ( talk • contribs • e-mail ) 09:01, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

In 1925, the Department of Research and Education of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ reported that:

The withdrawal of wine on permit from bonded warehouses for sacramental purposes amounted in round figures to 2,139,000 gallons in the fiscal year 1922; 2,503,500 gallons in 1923; and 2,944,700 gallons in 1924. There is no way of knowing what the legitimate consumption of fermented sacramental wine is but it is clear that the legitimate demand does not increase 800,000 gallons in two years (Dobyns, 1940: 297. [2]

which is quoting Dobyns, F.: The Amazing Story of Repeal, Chicago: Willett, Clark & Co. (1940), Gradvmedusa 10:52, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Philosophical Labels
What's the religious or philosophical designation for a person who takes an objective stance in matters of faith and opinion and sees the world as a large mass of people with a lot of differing ideas and perceptions, none of them more valid or invalid than the other? This doesn't necessarily mean that you forego all religious faith or practice, but that you take the mystical stance of seeing all things as they are. It's sort of like Keats's "negative capability" in that you're able to rid yourself of your ego and to understand the world through countless other eyes.

I hope this made sense - thanks for your help! - Melancholydanish


 * Relativism? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 137.138.46.155 (talk) 07:08, 17 April 2007 (UTC).