Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 November 23

= November 23 =

what to do when new family throw away valuble documents that eventually mean changing everything we ever knew of?
and also we are never told the truth about it and have to make educated guesses about absolutely everything even who we really are! — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bombdiggydeathstar (talk • contribs) 00:24, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * You may be interested in archive local history and family history. It is actually quite surprising how many trustworthy document sequences survive—in particular governments regularly hold series of documents on people in relation to tax, military service, births deaths and marriages, and similar document sets. Fifelfoo (talk) 00:32, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * I don't know what "new family" refers to in the title of this section. Bus stop (talk) 00:46, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * I would guess that means the family which adopted the OP, who then disposed of the birth-parent records. StuRat (talk) 05:15, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * And following on from that assumption... Depending on where you live and/or where you were born, you might have the right to see your birth-parent records once you reach a certain age (often 18 years old). Astronaut (talk) 05:41, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Glowing mammals
Are there any mammals that glow? 58.109.24.198 (talk) 02:29, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * There has been at least one mammal that has been made to glow (apparently now there are a few other species that have been treated in the same way). I'm not sure there are any naturally glowing mammals, though. --Mr.98 (talk) 02:41, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * There are none mentioned in our list of bioluminescent organisms. The closest thing to bioluminescence some mammals have developed naturally might be tapetum lucidum. ---Sluzzelin talk  03:17, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * It's said that horses sweat, gentlemen perspire and ladies glow. Ladies are mammals. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 08:34, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Most definitely. Edison (talk) 15:31, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Interesting. Are there any other proven ways of causing a mammal to glow? 114.74.186.102 (talk) 16:20, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Does the perfect amount of a fine wine or whiskey count, lol?  He  iro 19:56, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Something that has been observed in birds might be possible in mammals too. Around 1897 there began a series of reports of mysterious, glowing entities bobbing about low in the night sky in East Anglia. Several subsequent investigations, observations and encounters between about 1908 and the early 1920s demonstrated that the phenomenon was due to owls (several specimens were actually obtained) with patches of luminous feathers.
 * It was theorized that the owls (mostly Barn owls) were nesting or roosting in tree holes contaminated by "phosphorescent" or bioluminescent fungus (there are several kinds, some poisonous, notably Armillaria; some of the owls involved were clearly in poor health, one indeed was found in a dying state) which had transferred to their feathers. Similar instances were reported from Ireland and Spain. For full details see 'The Luminous Owls of Norfolk' by David W. Clarke on pp 50–58 of Fortean Studies Volume 1, Ed Steve Moore, John Brown Publishing, London 1994, ISBN 1-870870-557. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.197.66.23 (talk) 20:31, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

This must be an example of a glowing mammal. (The box says that the cat food "makes the fur of your cat glow".) J I P  &#124; Talk 20:30, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * (And the last frame has "at night" as stage directions, and "go away" in its speech bubble). ---Sluzzelin talk  21:40, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Well, I thought it would be obvious from the context, once the reader understood that the cat food made the fur of the cat glow. J I P  &#124; Talk 21:50, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Yes; if you believe the adage: "Horses sweat, men perspire and women glow". Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 17:23, 24 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Those who read threads will have already encountered this adage up above. --  Jack of Oz   [your turn]  20:28, 24 November 2011 (UTC)

First female head of state of an African country
The main page today says Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the "...first democratically elected female head of state of an African country". Was there an earlier female head of state of an African country (obviously, not democratically elected)? Astronaut (talk) 05:25, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Cleopatra? Rmhermen (talk) 05:32, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * And Nefertiti may have ruled quite a bit earlier than that (whether she ruled alone is open for debate). StuRat (talk) 05:42, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

I meant in the modern political sense rather than ancient royalty. Though don't restrict it just to the title of "president" either. Astronaut (talk) 05:44, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * If you count Madagascar as African (and the 19th century as not ancient), Queen Ranavalona I was quite well known. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.197.66.65 (talk) 05:46, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Queen Elizabeth II was head of state of South Africa until 1961. --Colapeninsula (talk) 09:54, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Elizabeth II was also head of state of independent Nigeria from 1960-63. Today she isn't head of state of any African nation.  The unrecognised state of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) claimed Elizabeth II as their Queen in the late 60s, but she didn't accept this (since Britain refused to recognise its independence until it gave blacks equal rights). --Colapeninsula (talk) 10:02, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Commonwealth realm has more info. --Colapeninsula (talk) 10:10, 23 November 2011 (UTC)


 * If we are going to include English queens ruling over African colonies, we can surely go back further to Queen Victoria. However, I don't think the English had any African colonies back in the time of Elizabeth I. StuRat (talk) 05:16, 24 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Portugal did. Ceuta was theirs until it was Spanish.  So in Isabella II of Spain might count.  Although she was a contemporary of Victoria. --JGGardiner (talk) 06:21, 24 November 2011 (UTC)
 * The question is about independent countries, not colonies. Hence the British empire in Africa doesn't count, but the Commonwealth realms do. --Colapeninsula (talk) 12:44, 24 November 2011 (UTC)
 * This isn't an exam. The question was actually somewhat vague which is why StuRat was able to muse about British Africa under Victoria, which predated the creation of African dominions. I just pointed out that Spain also had African territory and a Queen at the same time.  That's why I was careful to say it "might count".  I would also suggest that Spain's 19th Century African territories were only  "colonies" under certain definitions and not others.  Kind of like suggesting the Kola peninsula was a Russian colony and not merely Russian territory in Elizabeth's time. --JGGardiner (talk) 05:30, 25 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Zewditu I was Empress of Ethiopia from 1916 to 1930. The article describes her as "The first woman head of an internationally recognized state in Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries".  Not democratically elected, but interesting.  Ghmyrtle (talk) 11:13, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Carmen Pereira was the first female president from Africa. And the only one so far, except Sirleaf. --Soman (talk) 13:57, 23 November 2011 (UTC)

Hatshepsut. She was preceded by other female monarchs but they were short-lived and they served only as regents/interim rulers. Hatshepsut's rule was longer and she ruled with full power as a male pharaoh.--  Obsidi ♠ n   Soul   17:42, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * You missed the fourth line of this thread.....  Ghmyrtle (talk) 17:47, 23 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Oops. LOL. Was wondering why Nefertiti and Cleopatra were mentioned but not her. --  Obsidi ♠ n   Soul   17:49, 23 November 2011 (UTC)