Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 November 2

= November 2 =

Parody songs
In parody songs, how do they make the changed words have the same voice actor as the original song? jc iindyysgvxc  (my contributions) 11:53, 2 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Impersonators - presumably. SteveBaker (talk) 12:24, 2 November 2009 (UTC)
 * If you mean by the style of Weird Al Yankovich, then yes, it's impersonation.  Letter  7   it's the best letter :)  13:56, 2 November 2009 (UTC)
 * The more specific term could be impressionist, although "impersonator" seems to be used more often in some cases, such as "Elvis impersonators". ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 18:40, 2 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Look at the articles Parody music and Satire. Parody songs are funny when they exaggerate particular characteristics that can be recognized in the original. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 22:02, 2 November 2009 (UTC)
 * A good example, if I can find it, would be Billy Barty impersonating Liberace on the Spike Jones TV show in the 1950s. Barty appears about 2 minutes into the 6 minute clip, and ever-increasing chaos ensues. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:50, 2 November 2009 (UTC)

Trespassing Laws NC & SC
Hey, it's the kayaking guy, and I have two more questions:

See my archived question for the full story--search Kayaking Escapade in Miscellaneous.

1. Seeing as I'll be on a multiple night kayaking trip (from Wilkesboro, NC, to the ocean-end of the Pee-Dee River in South Carolina), I need to know about trespassing/camping laws in both states, and potential laws that I may need to hold in mind. Also, would asking special permission from governments be able to help.

2. I need sponsorship ideas! I've now decided to use this trip to raise money for hearing impaired individuals, as my traveling partner and I are both hearing impaired. So, what is a hearing impairment association (preferably national or a charitable local) that donations could be for? Also, what specific companies/outfitters should I write to in search of getting sponsorships? (Again, see my archived post to see all my items needed (but include sunglasses in something that I could get a sponsorship for).

And if someone could put a quick-link to my previous article, that would be great. I'm not a pro at WikiEditting, or even vaguely familiar, so...

Thanks! Hubydane (talk) 16:35, 2 November 2009 (UTC)


 * State laws vary, and we can't offer legal advice, so you should check with a lawyer if that's what you want. However, my understanding is that, in most parts of the United States, it is illegal to camp except in a public campground upon payment of a camping fee or on private property after securing the permission of the owner.  So you would need to identify the owner of anyplace other than a public campground where you intend to camp and get permission.  Camping outside of campgrounds is also possible in some national forests or parks, but you typically need to secure a backcountry camping permit (for a fee) in advance.  I would carefully identify places along your route where you hope to camp and secure permission in advance before setting out if I were you.  Marco polo (talk) 22:07, 2 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Camping is allowed anywhere in the national forests where it isn't expressly prohibited - but I don't know if the op's course goes through any of them. This dispersed camping is generally free although sometimes a some permit is required (a fire permit or parking permit) and it is, of course, poorly advertised. 75.41.110.200 (talk) 03:46, 3 November 2009 (UTC)
 * How many national parks would the Yadkin-PeeDee run through; that's my river of choice (and basically the only river I can do)? And I wouldn't necessarily need a parking comment...I'm in a kayak. :D Hubydane (talk) 03:58, 3 November 2009 (UTC)
 * My impression is that the only national forest (which is different in the USA than a national park) the Yadkin Pee Dee runs through (or alongside of) is the Uwharrie National Forest http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/uwharrie/index.htm although you'll want to (a) check this on your map and (b) verify with them what their camping policies are. Jwrosenzweig (talk) 08:46, 3 November 2009 (UTC)

Oil Discoveries
Besides drilling, what methods do oil companies use to discover if there is oil in a particular piece or patch of land? Is there any specific machines that will detect if there is oil underground, how does that work? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.141.254.37 (talk) 20:54, 2 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Maybe start with Hydrocarbon exploration and come back if you need more. --Tagishsimon (talk) 20:56, 2 November 2009 (UTC)


 * There are technologies they use to get an idea, perhaps most importantly reflection seismology, but companies usually aren't sure until they actually drill a well into the formation and see if oil comes out of it. TastyCakes (talk) 22:59, 3 November 2009 (UTC)

Identifying a submarine
The library of congress identifies this as a Russian submarine. However it looks very much like a British British B class submarine going by List of Soviet and Russian submarine classes the closest Russian design Russian submarine Delfin but that’s not a very close match (design is clearly pre WW1 since it is built firmly along Holland submarine lines). In addition the shape in the background looks suspiciously like one of the Sea Forts in the Solent. What do people think?©Geni 22:27, 2 November 2009 (UTC)


 * I can't comment on the submarine, but I sail in the Solent occasionally and the three objects in the background do look a lot like the forts. Note that it's not impossible that a pre-Revolutionary Russian submarine might have been visiting Britain. 93.97.184.230 (talk) 22:38, 2 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Considering that they look so similar and the picture of the British B class has B4 on it whereas yous looks like it has B6 on it near the front it then yes I'd say yot're right. Dmcq (talk) 14:25, 3 November 2009 (UTC)


 * The photo (right) of HMS B6 comes from WikiCommons and is identical to the photo at the Library of Congress. Our copy of the photo is named "HMS B6 in the solent" (which is where Horse Sand Fort is - and that's clearly the sea fort in the photo).  We also have photos of sister submarines: HMS B2, HMS B4 and HMS B11 - and they all look identical except for the numbers painted onto them in the same style as the '6' in the photo.   We know the complete history of HMS B6 and for sure she was never bought/borrowed/stolen/captured by the Russians - she served for a few years in the Mediterranean - eventually being sold to Italy and converted to a surface-only vessel due to lack of spare parts before being sold for scrap to some guy in Malta.  So I'd say it was close to 100% certain that the LoC has it wrong - and Wikipedia has it 100% right! SteveBaker (talk) 04:52, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Too bad it's not "the national media repository that anyone can edit". --Sean 15:18, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * I put the image on commons under that name so that alone doesn't add anything more than my opening comment. On the other hand it appears we have fairly solid agreement that those are the sea forts. Heh since there are 3 in the picture it should be posible to work out where it was taken pretty accurately.©Geni 18:42, 4 November 2009 (UTC)
 * Ah - OK. But regardless of that - look at the photos on HMS B2, HMS B4 and HMS B11.  They are very clearly the exact same model of submarine. SteveBaker (talk) 22:30, 4 November 2009 (UTC)