Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 March 1

= March 1 =

Most popular articles
How can I find a list of the most commonly visited articles? Something recent would be great. 216.49.181.128 (talk) 00:05, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * This is embarrassing! It's not in the list at Special:Specialpages.  And it's notPopular pages.  It's supposed to be at this obscure link, which is part of the Toolserver.  Just try and click on it, though: it's down right now.  I will write the tool's creator and beg him to fix it.  --M @ r ē ino 01:19, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Usually this sort of thing is at Statistics. One page of such information is here, but it is out of date. --98.217.18.109 (talk) 03:23, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Leap Year
Why are leap years (intercalary years) called leap years? I know why there is a need for them, but would like to know the history behind the name. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Perfectionista777 (talk • contribs) 02:53, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * It says here, in the confusingly titled Compact Oxford English Dictionary, that it's "probably from the fact that feast days after February in a leap year fell two days later than in the previous year, rather than one day later as in other years, and could be said to have ‘leaped’ a day." For example, Christmas in 2004 was on a Saturday, in 2005 Sunday, in 2006 Monday, in 2007 Tuesday, but in 2008 Thursday, leaping over Wednesday.  --Anonymous, 04:48 UTC, March 1, 2008.

Bagpipes and police officers / fire fighters
In big cities in the U.S., parades, memorials, and festivals for police officers and fire fighters often feature bag pipers. Why is that? Is it simply due to the many ethnic Irish who have traditionally been members of these departments? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Johnskrb2 (talk • contribs) 04:26, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Our article "Pipe band" traces the sketchy early history of the pipe band, specifically the Scottish pipe band which includes drummers as well as pipers. The Scottish pipe band appears to have been originally a military organization, with record of its existence dating back to the 17th century. In Queen Victoria's time it was decided that "each regiment be allowed five pipers and a Pipe Major" throughout the army. According to our article, "the first civilian organizations to adopt pipe bands were police and fire brigade bands" (in Britain, it seems, though the article fails to make that clear). So any supposed preponderance of Irishmen in the early East-coast police forces is unnecessary to explain the connection between the bagpipe and police and fire funerals and parades. It seems to have been a natural migration from the military to the quasi-military. --Milkbreath (talk) 14:26, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Pc to phone talk!
I heard from my friend that he saw someone dialling from PC to mobile (u.s.a). Is it true? Now can i make call to my U.S.friend in that way? Temuzion (talk) 06:16, 1 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Perhaps they were using Skype. Useight (talk) 07:37, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Yes, using Skype you can dial from your PC to any mobile in the world. It is not free Richard Avery (talk) 08:04, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * And of course, ever since the introduction of smaller PC modems you've been able to make a normal telephone call via your PC using a microphone, I still use my PC as an answerphone and fax receiver in this fashion - it just picks up the line after 5 rings. Nanonic (talk) 12:43, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Best song of all time, according to Rolling Stone
Reading the All You Need Is Love article, I noticed a paragraph mentioning its rank given by Rolling Stone as 362nd best song of all time. I was wondering - what is the best song of all time, according to the same magazine? 201.252.54.38 (talk) 07:43, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Like a Rolling Stone. And second is Satisfaction, by the Rolling Stones. A little conflict of interest maybe? Clarityfiend (talk) 08:06, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

freemasonry
I was wondering why the information regarding freemasonry was only last updated october of 2004? It mentioned an unresolved dispute/s btwn the writers, but was just curious as to what the dispute was over that led to it's discontinument?

Thanks! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.110.175.233 (talk) 15:12, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * What information are you talking about? Our article on Freemasonry is frequently updated. — Matt Eason (Talk &#149; Contribs) 15:19, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Why is Addis Ababa so orderly and Nairobbery not?
Two large cities in East Africa. In one city, crime esp. violent is rare. In the other travelers must be cautious. Why?

66.91.224.203 (talk) 17:50, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Well, it doesn't help that Nairobi is the capital of a nation that has been on the brink of civil war for the past couple months (hopefully resolved now). It's my understanding that Nairobi was actually a fairly pleasant place before the disputed election.  --M @ r ē ino 18:39, 1 March 2008 (UTC)
 * But before the election, Nairobi had a reputation for high crime. 66.91.224.203 (talk) 19:50, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Ownership National Park Service Statues
Who owns the Daniel Chester French statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC Eugene Cahouet


 * The Lincoln Memorial and the statue in it are owned by the US Federal Government, and administered by the National Park Service. FiggyBee (talk) 19:59, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

Self-made men/women
I'm looking for a list (the longer, the better) of people that made a fortune out of almost nothing, can somebody help me? Thanks. --Taraborn (talk) 19:49, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Many successful rappers such as 2Pac came from ghetto poverty to a self-made millionaire. Acceptable (talk) 19:55, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Hmmm... I'm looking for examples of brilliant entrepreneurship, I'm not interested in entertainers. --Taraborn (talk) 20:04, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Category:Dropouts has some, but they're mostly entertainers. Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, Alan Sugar, Bill Gates (although he was from a wealthy family) and Richard Branson spring to mind. — Matt Eason (Talk &#149; Contribs) 20:55, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * So we're looking for a list with people like John D. MacArthur, Andrew Carnegie, and John D. Rockefeller. --jpgordon&#8711;&#8710;&#8711;&#8710; 21:18, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Add Sam Walton. (Gee, is there a U.S. bias to this list?) Here's a more global list which might interest you: Dforest (talk) 21:48, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * I'd also include Michael Dell. Useight (talk) 23:29, 1 March 2008 (UTC)


 * OK, if you want some antipodean names, try Sir Fletcher Jones, Alan Bond, Sir Keith Murdoch and Reg Ansett. --  JackofOz (talk) 00:32, 2 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Does "no entertainers" also exclude writers? J.K. Rowling was on welfare when she was writing the first Harry Potter book.  Now... see the article. --Anonymous, 06:00 UTC, March 2, 2008.

Check the article on Madam C.J. Walker. Corvus cornix talk  06:27, 2 March 2008 (UTC)


 * I would add Hugo Chávez, Mobutu Sese Seko, and Suharto. All were born into extreme poverty yet became extremely wealthy through their entrepreneurial approach to national governance.  --M @ r ē ino 06:47, 2 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Thanks! I'm checking all those articles. --Taraborn (talk) 13:04, 2 March 2008 (UTC)


 * Anita Roddick of the Body Shop is a good read, especially the book. Julia Rossi (talk) 09:15, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

What John Layfield said to Vince McMahon about Hornswaggle
When John Layfield said to Vince McMahon that Hornswaggle wasn't his son, is that the same thing as the custody battle for Tommy McBain? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 22:21, 1 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Eric, your comments on the Reference Desk are becoming more and more bizarre.  Corvus cornix  talk  06:29, 2 March 2008 (UTC)
 * He linked same, goodness! --Ouro (blah blah) 10:03, 2 March 2008 (UTC)