Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2012 March 24

= March 24 =

Herr Gauck
The president elect of Germany is Herr Joachim Gauck. I know this isn't a particularly encyclopedic question, but does anyone else see the remarkable resemblance between Gauck and Robert Sean Leonard's portrayal of James Wilson on House? Obviously Leonard is younger and better looking but other than that... Gauck could be an older version of him, no? 24.92.85.35 (talk) 04:59, 24 March 2012 (UTC)


 * Just a correction: There is no president elect in the German constitution.  The president is elected.  Period.  There is no transitional "interregnum" between the election by the Bundesversammlung and any inauguration.  Of course, such an interregnum may still occur if a president dies in office, is removed from office (by the Constitutional Court) or  resigns, as was the case prior to Joachim Gauck´s election.  --91.115.62.54 (talk) 22:02, 24 March 2012 (UTC)
 * There IS a president elect in Germany each time a president finishes his term regularly: his successor must be elected at least 30 days before his term will begin. But Gauck has indeed been President since the day he was elected, since Wulff had already resigned.--Roentgenium111 (talk) 18:43, 28 March 2012 (UTC)

(Japanese Looking) Print
Can anyone tell me the name of this (Japanese looking) print behind Phill Jupitus?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/404/printml.jpg/

--Joaq99 (talk) 05:07, 24 March 2012 (UTC)
 * It's an ukiyoe print called "Moto-Hachiman Shrine in Sunamura" by Hiroshige from his One Hundred Famous Views of Edo series. See #29 on the series article. Commons file is here. Oda Mari (talk) 06:10, 24 March 2012 (UTC)
 * Thanks, much appreciated. --Joaq99 (talk) 11:46, 24 March 2012 (UTC)

How many Lollards?
Is there any estimates of how many Lollards there were in the Fourteenth Century?--Doug Coldwell talk 12:33, 24 March 2012 (UTC)
 * At what point? Or do you mean how many people overall would have self-identified as Lollards during any point in the century?  Nyttend (talk) 15:16, 26 March 2012 (UTC)
 * During John Wycliffe's lifetime. Or perhaps how many "key" Lollards working directly for Wycliffe?--Doug Coldwell talk 22:00, 27 March 2012 (UTC)

Looking for portrait by Sir Henry Raeburn of "mrs louisa mackay of bighouse" (sic)
born Louisa Campbell 1751 died 1835. Is it around, eg in google books, please? Kittybrewster  &#9742;  17:43, 24 March 2012 (UTC)
 * Look ye no further. Clarityfiend (talk) 01:31, 25 March 2012 (UTC)

Looking for a modern "The Story of Civilization"
Hi All, I have read the first three volumes of the above and obviously advances and discoveries have changed or clarified much of what Durant wrote, especially the first volume. Is there anything out there at all comparable (in-depth, wide-ranging across disciplines, well-written) that incorporates modern findings? I'm especially interested in early man and the beginnings of culture, cities, etc. Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 148.66.156.178 (talk) 19:53, 24 March 2012 (UTC)


 * Well, Guns, Germs, and Steel is a modern take on history, have you read that ? StuRat (talk) 21:43, 24 March 2012 (UTC)


 * There's also the (relatively modern) Civilisation (TV series) and its spin-off book. 21:48, 24 March 2012 (UTC)


 * And, along that line, there's Connections (TV series). StuRat (talk) 21:52, 24 March 2012 (UTC)

Yes, I've read/seen all those, and thanks for the suggestions, but looking for something more cutting edge, especially with all the new info coming out of genetic studies. Perhaps the knowledge in these areas is evolving too fast for what I'm looking for. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 148.66.156.178 (talk) 02:10, 25 March 2012 (UTC)


 * Robert Neelly Bellah's newest book, Religion in Human Evolution, is worth considering. Wareh (talk) 02:14, 25 March 2012 (UTC)