Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 December 24

= December 24 =

Which references to use?
Recently authored an article on a magazine, the Shanghai Business Review, and would like to add references but I'm unsure which to select. My first instinct is to reference articles printed in the magazine, but I think that it would be a conflict of interest. Any suggestions?

Cheers Jonathan M MacDonald (talk) 06:46, 24 December 2011 (UTC)
 * The best thing to do is to leave information about the article you authored at the discussion pages of the Wikipedia articles you think it contains pertinent information for. That would let other users vet it and decide how, or even if, it should be used. -- Jayron  32  06:54, 24 December 2011 (UTC)
 * The article Shanghai Business Review badly needs more references to external sources (whether that's other business news, or books, or academic journals). You should aim to have references from multiple sources. A small proportion of references can be to the Review for uncontroversial facts, but you also need other references offering impartial information.  Third-party references additionally serve to establish the notability of an article, and if an article isn't notable, it can be deleted. --Colapeninsula (talk) 12:03, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Inventor
who invented microphone? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.211.249.53 (talk) 16:32, 24 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Both Thomas Alva Edison and Emile Berliner filed patent applications for the carbon microphone; Edison won in court. This wasn't mentioned in microphone, but is now. Clarityfiend (talk) 19:27, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * The term "microphone" for a telephone transmitter based on imperfect, variable resistance contact between carbon pieces or even metallic contacts, is credited to David E. Hughes. It was claimed to be more sensitive than the carbon button telephone transmitter earlier invented by Thomas Edison,or the imperfect metallic contact transmitter of Berliner, both patented and demonstrated and widely written up in 1877. The Bell Company based their patent claims on Berliner's variable resistance, metallic contact transmitter, which was ok as a demonstration, but which required frequent adjustment to maintain intelligible transmission of speech. Hughes "microphone", invented and demonstrated in 1878, but seemingly derived from the Berliner and Edison patents, was claimed to be so sensitive that listeners could hear a fly walking around near the microphone, but the noise level was so high that similar "fly walking" sounds could be heard even after the fly flew, based on my own experimentation with the Hughes microphone and on historical accounts of its operation.  Hughes device was not really much of a a step forward in telephone transmitter technology. He does or should get some credit for explaining the microphone effect as being due the the variable resistance of an imperfect contact, rather than earlier explanations of it being due to variable resistance in the bulk carbon. Like many flawed 19th century inventions, it played its part in patent controversies, as patent infringers and even major telephone companies claimed their devices were based on the free, unpatented Hughes invention rather than the Edison or Berliner patents. Some books on telephone history (typically from the early 20th century) state that transmitters as they evolved in the early 20th century were based on Hughes' microphone rather than the Edison or Berliner patents. A recent history of telephones states that the carbon transmitter used in early 20th century telephones  was based on Edison's carbon transmitter, as modified by Bell system engineer AC White in 1890. Edison (talk) 16:24, 27 December 2011 (UTC)

Alvin and the Chipmunks: the squeakquel
can anyone tell me the name of the bullies who dunked Toby in the toilet? This is a serious request. My grandson really wants to know.

The website for the movie doesn't give names for the bullies.

Thnak you — Preceding unsigned comment added by Grandpaob (talk • contribs) 17:22, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * This was answered already on the Entertainment desk. Dismas |(talk) 20:54, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

peppermint oil
how do i use peppermint oil as a massage oil? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.80.125.223 (talk) 18:35, 24 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Essential oils by themselves don't make good massage oils, if only because essential oils are a) very expensive and b) very strongly scented. A little dab'll do ya, so generally if you added a small amount of the essential peppermint oil to an unscented massage oil you'll get pepperment scented massage oil.  If you're going to do this as a homebrew method, you may need to experiment with the specific recipe; but if you have a partner to experiment with, that seems like it would be all the more entertaining... -- Jayron  32  20:23, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * You need to dilute it in a carrier oil first. The carrier oil should be something like almond or grapeseed oil, and as peppermint is so powerful you only need about 3 drops in 10 ml (2 teaspoons worth). This is plenty for a back massage. I really wouldn't recommend using it as a full body massage oil, however, as the more sensitive areas may respond adversely to it. --TammyMoet (talk) 20:55, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Chinese snake oil (much derided by the pattern medicine men of the US) is high in omega 3 etc., and can be good for achy joints. To be safe though, make sure the masseuse keeps her hands away from those more sensitive areas; especially  your bunions and any other knobbly bits..  --Aspro (talk) 21:36, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Do you mean patent medicine ? StuRat (talk) 06:22, 25 December 2011 (UTC)

Grounds on which Jerry Falwell could have sued Boston
I was reading Christmas controversy and Jerry Falwell threatened to sue Boston for not calling a Christmas tree a "Christmas tree". I have heard of many lawsuits against governments for having religious displays or whatever and they use the Establishment Clause as the grounds for doing so, but on what grounds could Jerry Faolwell possibly sued on? --Melab±1 &#9742; 22:54, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * If they allowed a Hanukkah menorah and other religious paraphernalia but not a Christmas tree, they could be accused of religious discrimination. But other than that I don't see what his case would be. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:57, 24 December 2011 (UTC)


 * If they prohibit their employees from calling it a Christmas tree, this could be a violation of free speech and/or religious discrimination aimed at those individuals. StuRat (talk) 06:18, 25 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Who is "they" in your example? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 07:02, 25 December 2011 (UTC)


 * The government of the city of Boston. More specifically, each employees' supervisor, boss, etc.  Also note that while this might be the basis for a lawsuit, there's no guarantee they would win.  The courts might very well decide that not offending non-Chistians is the more important principle. StuRat (talk) 17:19, 26 December 2011 (UTC)


 * i don't see how Falwell could possibly have standing to sue. The Mark of the Beast (talk) 07:04, 25 December 2011 (UTC)


 * That never stopped anyone from suing. Especially someone who was a publicity-seeker. They might know full well that they have no constitutional basis for suing. They're merely using it as fodder to "energize their base", by whipping up "persecution of Christians" frenzy. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 19:41, 25 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Anyone can sue anyone for any reason. It doesn't mean they'll win. Mingmingla (talk) 18:14, 26 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Not quite. You can't sue somebody because they don't glow in the dark, for example.  There has to be some legal basis for a lawsuit.  Furthermore, frivolous lawsuits are likely to be dismissed immediately, and in some jurisdictions, the parties who brought the suit are then responsible to pay the legal bills of the defendant, and may also be fined for clogging the courts with such a suit. StuRat (talk) 18:51, 26 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Sure you can. It won't get very far, but there's no pre-emption. In the US, you can sue over literally anything. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:14, 26 December 2011 (UTC)

Do multinational corporations alter/add to their logo in any way for different countries?
Do multinational corporations alter or add to their logo in any way for different countries? (e.g. would an American company add "UK" to it's logo for usages throughout England - or add the word "Germany" to it's logo for usages in Germany? - or not?) Or does a company's logo stay exactly the same, with no additions or alterations, regardless of what country it's used in?98.154.59.68 (talk) 23:27, 24 December 2011 (UTC)
 * Some restaurant chains like McDonald's and Wendy's add a maple leaf to their logos for their Canadian stores. Esso is known as Exxon in the United States because "Esso" stands for Standard Oil, and the predecessor of ExxonMobil didn't have the legal right to use the trademark outside of certain states due to the 1911 antitrust case against Standard Oil. Mwalcoff (talk) 23:56, 24 December 2011 (UTC)

Not normally in the UK, though of course each company will have a separate legal existence in each country e.g. company number 1002769, McDonald's Restaurants Limited, registered on 18th February 1971, though until 28th February 1989 known as McDonald's Hamburgers Limited; strangely enough, on the same day an off-the-peg company, no. 2321900, was renamed McDonald's Hamburgers Limited, with the same registered office address. Quite why they did that, rather than just use the off-the-peg company for the restaurant business looks a bit obscure. Some companies, like Amazon, do have separate national identities with related but different logos. -- Arwel Parry (talk) 01:21, 25 December 2011 (UTC)

In Thailand, a number of western brands translate their name into a similar sounding word, but write it in a stylized Thai alphabet such that it resembles the original English logo. Lay's is the one that immediately comes to mind. I am told that while being highly stylized, the script is still readily readable in Thai, and that it is pronounced nearly the same as the English word it is imitating. -- ToE 02:42, 25 December 2011 (UTC)


 * It happens in many cases. Burger King (most of the world) is known as Hungry Jack's in Australia.  Hardee's(southeastern U.S.) are known as Carl's Jr. on the west coast of the U.S.  The aforementioned Lay's potato chips are known as Walkers in the U.K.  The Ford Sierra in Europe was the Merkur XR4Ti in the U.S.  The reasoning for changing a brand name and/or logo are to numerous to consider all of.  In some cases, the company may not be able to secure the trademark in a new country (as is the case with BK/Hungry Jack's), or two seperate companies may merge (Hardee's/Carl's Jr.), etc. etc.  -- Jayron  32  23:53, 25 December 2011 (UTC)

PLEASE NOTE: WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AN ANSWER TO, SPECIFICALLY, IS WHETHER THERE ARE CASES OF MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES ADDING A COUNTRY NAME TO THEIR EXISTING LOGOS FOR USE IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES (e.g. NIKE, UK - or - NIKE, GERMANY - or - NIKE, PAKISTAN) ... AS OPPOSED TO CHANGING THE NAME OF THEIR COMPANY PER COUNTRY, OR CHANGING THEIR EXISTING LOGO. OR DO THESE COMPANYS SIMPLY USE THE SAME LOGO EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD WITHOUT HAVING TO ADD ANYTHING TO DESIGNATE A DIFFERENT COUNTRY?

. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.154.59.68 (talk) 01:08, 27 December 2011 (UTC)


 * Why are you shouting at us? -- Jayron  32  03:30, 27 December 2011 (UTC)


 * * ears ringing * I am not aware of any company that modifies its logo on a per-nation basis in the manner you are asking about, though perhaps some other editor can provide an example. From what I have seen traveling, while some logos are changed, as with the examples given above, most are kept the same, and none I have seen are marked differently on a country-by-country basis. Right now I have in front of me a can of Coca-Cola, a can of Tiger Beer, and a package of Kraft Oreo cookies, all purchased in Malaysia, and all labeled in Bahasa Malaysia (though the Oreos are labeled in several other languages as well), but the logos on all three are the same as in their home countries. -- 203.82.91.130 (talk) 12:17, 27 December 2011 (UTC)