Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2008 May 5

= May 5 =

Do living people fall under public domain?
Sorry, this question was asking for legal advice and that's not allowed here. You need to consult a lawyer in the relevant country. --Anonymous, 04:25 UTC, May 5, 2008.


 * If you're going to delete questions, please have the courtesy to identify yourself. I contend that this question was regarding facts, not "advice".  Not everything touching on legal topics equates to legal "advice". --Nricardo (talk) 10:51, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Asking whether something is copyrightable is not an issue of "legal advice". It's easy to answer for someone who has even the faintest association with the basic ideas behind copyright law. I'm restoring the question. If you object, take it to the talk page. And if you are going to delete questions, please sign your posts. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 15:20, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Anon, please report removals of requests for proffessional advice on the RD talk page. I'm not saying that I don't trust your judgement but it's always nice to have a second opinion. Zain Ebrahim (talk) 18:47, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Okay, talk page it is. I've said my piece; discuss away. --Anonymous, 22:25 UTC, May 5, 2008.

Restored
I want to write a story involving people from Cappagh in 1901 & 1911, as taken from this census. However, I also don't want to get sued. Since these records are about a hundred years old, would they (and the people mentioned in them) fall into the public domain? --Ye Olde Luke (talk) 00:53, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Census data is never copyrighted anyway (it is just route collection of data, it has no creative content). The people mentioned in a census are not copyrighted, they are not creative works of an author (for the purposes of the law, anyway—theologians might disagree!). In general this page is a handy-dandy chart to figuring out whether something is in the public domain (in the United States), but in any case, for something like what you are asking it is totally not an issue. Even if the census was done last year, it wouldn't be an issue. Even if the records in question were done by a private company, it wouldn't matter. Census isn't creative; and names of people aren't copyrighted. It's like data in a telephone directory. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 01:57, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Note, however, that outside of copyright issues, there may be other legal impediments to using someones likeness in a story. I can't remember specifics, but I believe that some countries have "right to identity" statues - making it illegal to appropriate someone's likeness for your own purposes. Depending on country, the specifics of the law, and the extent of your appropriations (e.g. are you just using names, or are you using details from their life and/or photos of them) you may or may not fall afoul of the law (if it exists). Also note that there may be additional laws against "speaking ill of the dead" - claiming, for example, that a specific person from 1901 was a murderer (when he wasn't) may run you up against libel/slander laws. Prominently labeling your work as Fiction may get around these laws, but you probably would need to consult a lawyer to be absolutely certain. (The various laws and different jurisdictions in which they apply is one of the prime reasons the WP:RD can't give legal advice.) -- 128.104.112.85 (talk) 15:48, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Indeed, there are other things to take into account, and if you are doing anything that someone might get offended with, you should probably talk to a lawyer later (once you have something to show them). But copyright is not an issue. --Captain Ref Desk (talk) 15:56, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Ah, thank you. That was exactly what I was looking for. --Ye Olde Luke (talk) 23:31, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * 98.217.8.46 and others should read up on Directive 96/9/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases. -- zzuuzz (talk) 23:41, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * That's interesting. But the "database rights" would have long since expired, as they only last 15 years after the first publication of the database. The copyright status itself does not change as it is still not a creatively selected database, so that doesn't add anything to that question. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 00:55, 6 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Wait, so this new directive says I can't use these peoples names, since they (and the censuses they appear under) fall under the criteria of a "database?" Or is it just the censuses? Did I read that correctly at all? (There's a very good chance that I didn't) --Ye Olde Luke (talk) 23:48, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * No, don't worry about it. There is no copyright issue on 100 year old census databases. --98.217.8.46 (talk) 00:55, 6 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Another point of note. If you are taking the information from a source seperate from the original source, do not assume it is in the public domain simply because the source data is in the public domain. In the UK and other places Bridgeman Art Library v. Corel Corp. is generally of no consequence and UK courts have upheld Sweat of the brow as sufficient in some cases for copyright protection even without much creativity or originality. See also Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service (like Bridgeman, generally consider irrelevant in the UK as far as I know). N.B. This is one of the reasons why legal advice is a bad thing. People tend to give examples which may not apply in the jurisdiction in question and may miss subtle legal issues. BTW, if I'm not mistaken individual census records are not released to the public for 100 years in the UK. Nil Einne (talk) 16:18, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

Cat dreadlocks
We have a siamese, about six years old, with long hair who is constantly getting dreadlocks. I can't really comb them out (I'm not that brave) so I end up cutting them out with a scissors. The cat looks terrible but I;m sure he's more comfortable. The cat also has a lot of dandruff. Anyone have any advice, experience stories to relate, etc., that tie in?--68.237.223.179 (talk) 01:35, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * They aren't dreadlocks, they're called mats. Long haired cats and dogs can often get these, though cats usually are good enough about cleaning themselves that they don't become an issue.  The only way to get rid of a mat is to cut it out.  Regular brushing can help keep the mats from reforming.  Go to your local pet store and ask them for a slicker brush.  We have two long hair cats.  One is okay with the brush and the other will actually run up to you if she see it in your hand, she loves it that much.  So, give that a shot.  As for the dandruff, I got nothin'.  Dismas |(talk) 01:54, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * As for that dandruff, see a vet. 205.240.144.214 (talk) 02:26, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * For regular grooming (well, during the spring and autumn moults) our normally grouchy cat tolerates the Zoom groom pretty well. I am sure there are other similar tools out there! SaundersW (talk) 09:08, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Dandruff might be actually be cat litter. Brushing a cat actually helps them get most of that stuff out of their fur. And they like being comb.Cardinal Raven (talk) 02:47, 7 May 2008 (UTC)Cardinal Raven

My mom's cat used to have this problem, and no longer does. The solution was to put him on a diet. He's still fat, but now not so fat that he can't reach his back with his tongue. (Of course you have to cut out the existing dreads anyway -- even if he can reach them he's not going to be able to get rid of them with his tongue, just keep new ones from forming.) --Trovatore (talk) 22:01, 9 May 2008 (UTC)

Air Hockey Table
I've been curious about Air hockey tables. I am wondering whether the air blowing up from the table actually makes the puck float (is it actually touching the table)? Someletters &lt;Talk&gt; 04:00, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * It really isn't touching the table, although it's so close you can't tell by looking. (I suppose it will touch some of the time if it's hit in such a way as to tilt it.)  The puck's very light, so it doesn't take a lot of air pressure to lift it. --Anonymous, 04:28 UTC, May 5, 2008.


 * See also air bearing. TenOfAllTrades(talk) 18:54, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Largest tram network in the world
What is the largest tram network in the world? Tram and light-rail transit systems, and the articles leading off from there, don't address this question directly. Google throws up a number of contenders, including Melbourne, Vienna and St Petersburg, but nothing conclusive (Melbourne seems to be listed as the largest, second largest or third largest, depending on what you read). As a resident of Vienna, I'm obviously rooting for my home town. Any thoughts? --Richardrj talkemail 09:26, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * de:Wiener Straßenbahn says that the extent of Vienna's tramway network measures 231.6 km, and claims it is the third-largest worldwide, after Melbourne (245 km according to en.wikipedia's article, 238 km according to the quoted German article) and Saint Petersburg (285km until 2001 but 220km as of 2007 according to en.wikipedia's article, 288 km according to the quoted German article). In other words, we still don't know for sure. ---Sluzzelin talk  11:09, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * "What's the largest?" questions are notoriously difficult to answer definitively, due to the multiplicity of definitions of "largest", and the vast amount of poor information floating around, influenced much more by boosterism and wishful thinking than rigor. —Steve Summit (talk) 11:18, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Peanuts.
Is it true some are made of styrofoam? · AndonicO  Engage. 10:25, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * They were referring to Foam peanuts, not peanuts. -- Meni Rosenfeld (talk) 10:29, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Ah, I see. Thank you. · AndonicO  Engage. 12:36, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * I believe circus peanuts are also made out of styrofoam (at least I think so). 206.252.74.48 (talk) 17:16, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Styrofoam or Polystyrene is a petrochemical product or more plainly plastic. Eating that is not good for your digestive system.  Some peanut-shaped pieces of "styrofoam" are used in packets to keep the object being sent from breaking.  They are called peanuts because of their shape.  Similar peanut-shaped packing material is made from starch.  Whether or not one can eat those would depend on how it is processed.   I'd advise against DIY experiments.  Circus peanuts are also peanut shaped.  They are made from marshmallow which is basically sugar and gelatin.  In contrast to plastic that is very edible.  (Although you might get a tummy ache if you eat too many.)--Lisa4edit (talk) 18:14, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * It's not in our article, but the trade name for those foam peanuts is actually "nautical billets". Matt Deres (talk) 16:30, 6 May 2008 (UTC)


 * It seems that name is only used by Dow. They are usually traded and available under "packaging peanuts". Our article, now that I've found it, is foam peanuts.  Apparently the ones made from starch are edible. Just make sure it's not the other kind before you try. 71.236.23.111 (talk) 10:09, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

Stabilized Compressed Earth Block Technology
Can stabilized compressed earth block technology be used to construct modern houses inexpensively in the SouthEastern U.S.? Using on-site dirt, it seems like anyone should be able to provide adequate shelter for themselves (without serious expense and with a small group of helpful folks).

Is this currently being performed in this location? --Ckdavis (talk) 19:59, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * You mean like the Church of the Holy Cross (Episcopal) Stateburg or Borough House Plantation shown in the rammed earth article? Otherwise the Compressed earth block article says in the U.S., it is mostly used in the Southwest. Rmhermen (talk) 20:25, 5 May 2008 (UTC)


 * Talking from experience in Georgia and Louisiana we're having lots of trouble keeping wood houses dry. United States rainfall climatology will tell you that we're getting quite a bit of rain (usually, Georgia had a drought last year) Humid subtropical climate unfortunately doesn't give figures on air humidity.  Most people run dehumidifiers to keep their houses and basements dry.  Given that, even if building in that way would be technologically feasible you'd have to find people who would want to risk it.  Since very few people finance their houses out-of-pocket, the lending industry would have to be convinced that there is no threat of their security being "washed away".  My guess would be that they'd ask for a horrendous amount of mortgage insurance to cover their risk.  Another factor is that you'd have to find trained workers and/or a builder specializing in this type of construction.  In the South-West they have experience with adobe houses.  In the Southeast most houses are wood frame and board/drywall. Specially trained workers are likely to be more expensive.  A lot of the cost of building a house is not the materials, but the labor.  Another thing worth checking would be local code restrictions.  Any additional requirements can easily exceed the costs saved on building materials. Building a house with neighborhood help happens rarely except for Habitat for Humanity houses and some church group buildings.  71.236.23.111 (talk) 07:07, 6 May 2008 (UTC)


 * For related ideas, see Category:Sustainable building and Earthbag construction. BrainyBabe (talk) 15:22, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

Selling Crops
Do farmers sell their crops directly to the elevator? What if they don't have an elevator in their town? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.119.61.7 (talk) 20:26, 5 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Sometimes, and you simply go to the closest elevator with the best price. But much grain is sold on the futures market and now more is being sold through the internet. Rmhermen (talk) 01:34, 6 May 2008 (UTC)