Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2007 July 1

= July 1 =

Space Invaders!
I was just wondering what the copyright situation is vis-a-vis the image of the invader, anyone know?

This is the one Wikipedia has up at the Space Invaders article:

I'm not talking about the copyright of this image specifically but just the invader image generally. Can use it however I like or is that a sure-fire way to have Taito's lawyers to destroy my soul? - Pyro19 04:08, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
 * What're you talkin' about? Everybody knows Torontonians have no souls. Clarityfiend 04:18, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Pshaw! It doesn't matter anyways, when the world revolves around you, you don't need a soul. - Pyro19 05:07, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * I imagine anything you can use it for now would be considered a pop culture reference, parody, etc. but We cannot give legal advice. Why don't you just call them or email them and ask? --ʇuǝɯɯoɔɐqǝɟ 12:32, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * "Pop culture reference" is not a category of fair use and parody has some pretty stringent standards (you'd have to be parodying "Space Invaders" specifically, not something else). Calling a company's lawyer to ask about copyright is a sure way to get the most conservative answer possible, not necessarily the most useful or correct one. --24.147.86.187 16:14, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Taito's lawyers would certainly claim that they had copyright and/or trademark over the general block design of the "invaders" from Space Invaders. That particular image is probably a copyright infringement — you can no more legally re-draw and re-use the space invader than you can Mickey Mouse. --24.147.86.187 16:12, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Ah, that's too bad but no biggie. Thanks for the help. - Pyro19 17:34, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Re.: Coast To Coast Question :
[Question moved to Wikipedia talk:Reference desk. —Steve Summit (talk) 04:46, 1 July 2007 (UTC)]

Wikipedia: Accolades
How does one PRAISE Wikipedia for being really efficient, etc. ? Any suggestions ? 205.240.144.225 05:13, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Contribute to articles that need work :D. Splintercellguy 07:04, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Or contribute some money. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 12:39, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * If you are a journalist or write articles for anything, write an accurate article explaining that, despite its inaccuracies and other faults, Wikipedia is a Good Thing.
 * If you notice that an article has just been nicely improved (or written for the first time), figure out who did the work and leave a note of thanks on their talk page. —Steve Summit (talk) 12:43, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Or, I suppose, ask the question you just did, which implicitly contains the praise you were asking about, to which I say -- we all say --: Thanks!  And you're welcome! —Steve Summit (talk) 14:59, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * There are a wide range of awards you can give away to individual people who have done especially good work - you can see a bunch of them on: WP:STAR, Other awards, WikiProject Awards, WP:AWARDS. SteveBaker 17:53, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

amor leopards
What is the difference between a snow leopard and a amor leopard? And where do amor leopards live?Bunz083 06:07, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Have you read Snow Leopard and Amur Leopard? Clarityfiend 06:49, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
 * And watch Planet Earth - one of the most amazing TV programmes ever produced, and featuring both animals. Batmanand | Talk 12:52, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

Mosques and Carpets
Why are mosques carpeted? And why is it necessary for a Muslim to kneel on a carpet when he is praying to Allah? Was it always so ever since Muhammed?


 * Prayer mat and Salah explains some of this. -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 12:37, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * A local radio station had a segment the other day called "Ask a Muslim" where people called in to ask questions of a Muslim political leader (actually the local head of CAIR). One of the questions was about prayer rugs and facing Mecca, and the responder said that you don't HAVE to use a prayer rug, but any clean space will do.  Corvus cornix 20:12, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Timeline
I just need a timeline showing major events, starting from as far back as you want
 * how about this? Josh Holloway  14:21, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
 * Ok but i want it to go back a bit further


 * Wikipedia has a big list of timelines. Take your pick.--Shantavira|feed me 16:04, 1 July 2007 (UTC)
 * none of them are speciffically what i want


 * You want to start far back? How about this one? Or, if you are serious about it, this one? 71.146.163.236 17:31, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Try this. - Pyro19 17:36, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Prime Minister Gordon Brown
I was reading the Wiki Biography of the new UK PM in which he is said to have lost the sight of an eye as a result of a Rugby accident in his youth. But I was not sure from the article whether he ever recovered the sight of his eye, or just managed to avoid losing the sight of both his eyes whilst hospitalised in Edinburgh. In brief then, is he blind in one eye still?


 * He lost the eye completely; he now has one real eye and one glass eye.  Laïka  18:18, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

topics for mechanical engineering research
im a mechanical engineering student, and we are required to have an applied research. what topic on mechanical engineering can i utilize for my research to solve certain everyday problems of people or the industry?


 * What technical areea would you like to learn more about, or what area of practice are you interested in after you graduate? You need to choose something you will find interesting and/or something that you can talk about when you do a job interview/ and/or something which will be a tryout to see if you would like to have a career in it. We cannot tell you to design a bridge/do nondestructive testing/do CAD, without knowing more than what you provided. Edison 23:23, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


 * Try solving the real needs of people in the developed world, say rural Africa or India. The SuperMoneyMaker pump (I can't believe we don't have an article about that) really changes lives, and the genius of it is that it works well and can be built and repaired, cheaply, in a developing world workshop. So maybe:
 * a vehicle that allows small farmers or agricultural cooperatives to transport goods to market thirty miles away over poor roads. Is an unsprung oxcart or a trailer behind a bicycle really the best that can be done.  Perhaps something built with bike technology, powered by two men, could deliver useful loads safely and with some speed, and free up the ox for plowing.
 * an engine (and/or generator) that runs, with reasonable efficiency, on a variety of locally produced fuels (dried agricultural waste, animal dung, wood chippings)
 * -- Finlay McWalter | Talk 00:24, 2 July 2007 (UTC)


 * With respect to the last suggestion, see Steam engine. It's already been done. Edison 03:23, 2 July 2007 (UTC)