Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2023 May 30

= May 30 =

l’Unite in Brussels Belgium, 1939ish
Evening Folks, does anybody know what "l’Unite" sports club is or was? Apparently a place ran by Belgian communists militants, used a recruiting ground for the resistance before the war?  scope_creep Talk 
 * Unité (Eynheyt in Yiddish) seems to have been a Jewish communist sport club based in Brussels formed in around 1936. If you are referring to Sarah Goldberg (spy), there is a cite to Baumel-Schwartz, Judith Tydor; Cohen, Tova (2003). Gender, place and memory in the modern Jewish experience: re-placing ourselves.
 * "En 1936, la stratégie de ‘front populaire’ amène une partie d’entre ces dernières à fusionner, donnant naissance au YASK à Anvers [Antwerp], au DYSK [Demokratisher Yidisher Sportklub.] à Charleroi et à l’Eynheyt (Unité en yiddish) à Bruxelles, ce qui leur fournit un rayonnement et une audience dont l’impact laissera une trace importante dans la mémoire de la communauté juive." Also cites the "magisterial work" of Rudi Van Doorslaer, Enfants du ghetto. Juifs révolutionnaires en Belgique (1925-1940), Bruxelles, Labor, 1997.
 * Also mentioned in Het Belgische Jiddischland by Rudi Van Doorslaer, p. 35 (in Dutch).
 * The French article fr:Sarah Goldberg (résistante) refers to Yask, "Yiddishe Arbeter Sport Klub" which may have some relevant links. YASK was an international organisation with branches in at least Belgium, France and Vilnius which which emerged out of the immigrant, working class neighborhood of Paris' Xth arrondissement in 1929. YASK was "affilié à la FST-CGTU [Fédération Sportive du Travail (FST) - Confédération Générale du Travail Unitaire (CGTU)] et un soutien déclaré au Front populaire et à l'Espagne républicaine ; il était aussi membre de la LICA (et à partir de 1949 du MRAP)."
 * From fr:Emanuel Mink: "Né à Tomaszow en Pologne en 1910, il émigra à Anvers [Antwerp]. Membre du Yask, club sportif des ouvriers juifs. Il intégra l'équipe belge qui devait participer à la Spartakiade, les Jeux olympiques ouvriers de juillet 1936 à Barcelone. Mais cette manifestation fut annulée en raison du putsch militaire de Franco." Most of this is covered in our brief Yask article. Many Resistance fighters seem to have joined YASK before WW2.
 * There doesn't seem to be much info specifically about L'Unité, but Simple brokers or creators? French communist sports leaders and the Eastern European sports model (1923–1991) may have some pointers. MinorProphet (talk) 15:14, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * See also:
 * Joodse jeugdorganisaties in België (in Flemish)
 * Fin de siècle pour des jeunes Juifs progressistes: L’Union sportive des Jeunes Juifs – Union des Jeunes Juifs progressistes, 1944-1978 (in French)
 * Alansplodge (talk) 08:37, 31 May 2023 (UTC)

Special ITU one-letter country codes
Countries have in general a three-letter ITU country code. Eight exceptions are 🇧🇷 Brazil, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇫🇷 France, Great Britain, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇯🇵 Japan and 🇸🇪 Sweden. But why exactly those eight? There are many other large and historically important countries that would "deserve" it, especially in comparison to Sweden. --KnightMove (talk) 06:11, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Some commonality with the single-letter International vehicle registration codes, though there are differences. AnonMoos (talk) 06:18, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Right, but in this case, most single letters of the alphabet are used where there is a feasible country; and in general, it is a mixed one/two/three letter code. This is logical. But the ITU code is a dedicated three-letter code with eight exceptions. But why those eight, exactly? --KnightMove (talk) 06:30, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Pure speculation, but one might think that JAP could be considered offensive, while BRA also lends itself to unfunny jokes. --Lambiam 09:38, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Yet JPN and BRZ are available, as well as numerous other less likely offensive three letter combinations. -- Jayron 32 11:08, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * I suspect, given that all 8 date from the earliest years of the ITU (many, but not all, were founding members) is that these 8 are "grandfathered in" in some way; likely they were already using these codes at the time the ITU Code was established, and were allowed to keep their single-letter codes. -- Jayron 32 11:14, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Ok, thank you. Where have you found the founding members please? --KnightMove (talk) 16:50, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Member states of the International Telecommunication Union has a list of when each member joined. Presumably, those that joined on the earliest date, 1865/5/17, would be the founding members.  Of the 8 you listed, 5 joined on that date, and the others before 1880 (Britain in 1871, Brazil in 1877, Japan in 1879).  -- Jayron 32 18:11, 30 May 2023 (UTC)

Bible

 * Are there info about the lives of the baby and two women after Solomon's judgement?
 * Who were the Queen of Sheba's parents?
 * Are there info about the Giant Goliath's life before David killed him? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.133.236 (talk) 17:31, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * What does your copy of the Bible have to say about those matters? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 17:59, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * regarding #1, the Judgement of Solomon is not known as a story as such outside of the Bible (except in parallel stories not involving Solomon, but involving the same basic narrative, from other cultures and traditions) and its historicity is not documented as such. Which is to say, the story is likely a parable and not meant to be seen as an historical event. Regarding #2: the Queen of Sheba's parentage is not mentioned in the Bible. However, I believe she has a more extensive narrative in the Kebra Nagast, the foundational Ethiopian national epic, so you might be able to find more about her from there. No contemporary evidence, it should be noted, exists for Solomon or the Queen of Sheba, pretty much all we know about either of them is material written down centuries (in the case of the Bible) or millenia (in the case of the Kebra Nagast) later. -- Jayron 32 18:05, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Ok, but the woman who lied was punished? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.133.236 (talk) 18:21, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * To simplify what was explained above. It's a story, told to make a moral point, and is older than Hebrew culture. The Hebrew (Bible) version was first written down many centuries after it supposedly happened. It (almost certainly) never actually happened: the women and the baby (almost certainly) never existed in real life. Even Solomon may never have actually existed in real life. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.199.210.77 (talk) 18:48, 30 May 2023 (UTC)

Math joke: if only King Solomon had known about the Banach-Tarski paradox. Instead of cutting the baby into two pieces, he could have suggested 5 pieces and made both mothers happy. 2602:243:2007:9990:8A6:A89B:8B0A:E2B1 (talk) 22:05, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * As Shylock discovered to his eternal chagrin, cutting babies into pieces involves a loss of blood, even if you put the pieces back together. --  Jack of Oz   [pleasantries]  22:13, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Our Goliath article covers everything we know about him. He may have come from the city-state of Gath in Philistia. The mention of him having a brother called Lahmi is thought to have been a much later addition. Alansplodge (talk) 16:07, 31 May 2023 (UTC)
 * What Solomon needed was Schrödinger's baby: simultaneously both women's child. Clarityfiend (talk) 14:38, 1 June 2023 (UTC)

Zorro (TV series 1957)
At the ending of episode 30 of season 1, Sergeant Garcia received a royal Spanish honorificient. Can you find its name in the real-life? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.133.236 (talk) 17:51, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Does the episode give it a name? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 18:02, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * It's an iron cross, but you must see that episode in English to find its name and form. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.133.236 (talk) 18:13, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * It is quite likely, if the award was not named, that it was a generic prop used by the TV series, and not intended to be historically accurate. The Walt Disney Company, who produced the TV series, was not known for scrupulous historical detail. -- Jayron 32 18:19, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * But can you search for it in 1820's Spanish royal iron crosses? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.133.236 (talk) 18:44, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Have you read Orders, decorations, and medals of Spain? See if you can recognise any of the emblems or medal ribbons there from the TV episode you watched (which probably few if any responders here have access to). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.199.210.77 (talk) 18:55, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Please, can you confront it, since I don't have time? Thank you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.207.133.236 (talk) 19:12, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * The episode (available on Disney+) refers to it as the "Medal of the Royal Yeoman", which doesn't seem to actually exist, and the pictured medal (a Maltese cross sort of thing) isn't pictured in that article, and is probably just a generic medal prop. --jpgordon&#x1d122;&#x1d106;&#x1D110;&#x1d107; 22:00, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * You "don't have time"? How badly do you want to know the answer? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 01:53, 31 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Unfortunately, the questioner has no time to reply. --Lambiam 10:17, 31 May 2023 (UTC)


 * In any case, "Yeoman" is a specifically English word and concept, which almost certainly would not be applicable in any Spanish context and would not be an appropriate English translation, and the term "Iron cross" has strong German connotations in the English speaking world (although Belgium also has such an award). {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.221.195.5 (talk) 12:13, 1 June 2023 (UTC)

As for historical accuraccy, let's just say that there is a whole season or so about a separatist lodge led by "the Eagle" that actually succeeded to secede California from Spain and declare it an independent state. Needless to say, not even remotely based on any historical events. Cambalachero (talk) 14:54, 1 June 2023 (UTC)

Happy Memorial Day
An acquaintance (living in the US but not originally from here) just emailed, wishing me a happy Memorial day. Of course I appreciated the sentiment but given the nature of the holiday, the incongruity made me smile. Is there a more appropriate expression for the same idea, and should I let the person know? Thanks. 2602:243:2007:9990:8A6:A89B:8B0A:E2B1 (talk) 21:57, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Just wait a few weeks and reply with “Wishing you a merry Flag Day” Blueboar (talk) 22:09, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Courtesy links for unAmericans - Memorial Day and Flag Day (United States). DuncanHill (talk) 22:51, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * It does seem incongruous, but it has evolved into the first holiday of the summer season. Whether to wish someone a "happy" Memorial Day might depend on whether anyone in their family died in combat. If so, probably not the best kind of greeting. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 01:57, 31 May 2023 (UTC)


 * It is not forbidden to enjoy Memorial Day. It creates a three-day weekend for most people in the United States. Therefore, it is a mini-holiday. People are expected to have fun and enjoy themselves. You can argue that they are celebrating the freedom given by those who died in military service. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 16:17, 31 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Anzac Day in Australia is apparently rather celebratory; Australian visitors to the UK are sometimes surprised by the sombre tone of our Remembrance Sunday. Alansplodge (talk) 08:36, 1 June 2023 (UTC)

Violence against international students in China
International students have money and local Chinese youths have no money and they are angry at the CCP for their situation. Do jobless Chinese youths express their anger at the CCP (Communist Party of China) by beating up international students and steal their money & bank cards in China? 45.58.91.95 (talk) 22:48, 30 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Probably some do. It's an really big country with a lot of people, and some of them are probably that sort of asshole. --jpgordon&#x1d122;&#x1d106;&#x1D110;&#x1d107; 23:06, 30 May 2023 (UTC)
 * When a penniless Chinese person, young or old, commits violent robbery in China, my first idea would be that they do this to obtain money and not to express anger at the CCP, regardless of the victim's nationality and educational status. --Lambiam 10:11, 31 May 2023 (UTC)


 * If this happens, it has apparently escaped the notice of the internet, as far as I can tell. Alansplodge (talk) 15:42, 31 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Our article on Crime in China gives some information but honestly it is not very good. And unfortunately mainland China does not participate in the International Crime Victims Survey, so we do not have good comparative data on crime rates there. But violent crime against foreign nationals is extremely low in mainland China, especially in the major cities where international students are found. For example, this blogpost by a then-respected magazine says "Beijing is usually considered to be extremely safe by expats". I was an international student in China for several years, and lived there for a decade, and I don't think I ever heard of an international student being attacked for their money. I am also puzzled by your assumption that young Chinese people would attack international students because they opposed the government. When I did hear of attacks on foreigners, they were usually aligned with official campaigns, as in the wave of attacks reported here by the South China Morning Post. Matt's talk 21:17, 31 May 2023 (UTC)