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June 24

Where do movie studios duplicate their DVDs/Blu-Rays?

Do studios own their own duplication services? Or do they farm it out? I never hear about any companies that make discs for Hollywood studios. --70.167.58.6 (talk) 01:11, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

I don't work in the operations department of a movie studio, but I'm pretty sure they, like music publishers and video game publishers, farm it out. It's a really low-margin business with hundreds of competitors, so they don't have a great deal of money to gain by taking on such a specialty business. Tempshill (talk) 01:35, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

So what companies, specifically, handle the duplication? Seems like it's a secret. --70.167.58.6 (talk) 17:17, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

The problem with your question is that it is based on a fallacy. Studios do not "duplicate" disks. Studio DVDs are created as is. They are not created from blank-writable DVDs. The foil (the part where the movie data is recorded) is pulled out as a large sheet. How many DVDs are created from this sheet is dependent on the factory. The artwork is painted on one side. The data is burned onto the other. By "burned", I do not necessarily mean the same mechanism as burning a DVD in your computer. The plastic (the part that many people incorrectly think has movie data) is glued to the sheet. The DVDs are stamped out of the sheet like donuts and send to packaging. So, I assume that your question is really: Do studios own their own machines that create the original DVDs? They could. It depends on the studio. Look at the DVD itself. For instance, Lionsgate owns one (which I've seen - which is also how I know how the process works). They create and distribute DVDs for a lot of other studios, such as HIT Entertainment. -- kainaw™ 18:22, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Cinram is a major manufacturer. Warner used to press their own CD and some DVDs under WEA manufacturing. If you look at the center ring in DVDs, etc, you can often see a very small emblem for the company who made it. 164.156.231.55 (talk) 12:18, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Name that foreign film

I'm having trouble remembering the name of a foreign film. All I remember is that it was a Japanese film about a upper-class girl with a thing for Marie Antoinette style dresses who makes friends with another girl who's a member of a biker gang...Spade9 (talk)

Kamikaze Girls. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 03:56, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

Most interesting man in the world

What is the background song playing during all of the Dos Equis Most Interesting Man in the World commercials? An example is here [1]. If it's a tune made specifically for the commercial, does anything in cuban/spanish music come close? Shadowjams (talk) 05:14, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

Apparently it was composed for the commercial by Brett Fuchs [2]. I can't think of one obvious song the music is referring to. It is more of a generic cliché. The chord progression (iv-i-V-i), instrumentation, and rhythm constitute a vamp often heard in Latin music. ---Sluzzelin talk 06:53, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

TV or Monitor best for PS3

I am wondering if a TV has any more advantages (besides being bigger) to a computer monitor when running a Playstation 3.

Thanks --154.20.167.198 (talk) 17:07, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

TVs have speakers, and most computer monitors don't, so that might be an advantage to you. Some computer monitors can't display the full 1080p resolution, so if you set your PS3 to output 1080p, the video output might get rescaled, resulting in blockier pixels on the monitor. (This last item may not be a material disadvantage. Most game publishers say that people can't really distinguish 720p from 1080p when playing video games, so you should just set up your console to output 720p.) Tempshill (talk) 18:22, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

It most likely has internal speakers. Some but not all monitors have those. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 18:23, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

I have yet to have a PS3 game run at 1080p. BluRay movies obviously run at 1080p (and you can see the difference). So, if all you will do is play games, then get what you like. If you are going to watch movies, get a television (or monitor - there is little difference) that does 1080p. -- kainaw™ 19:00, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

If you have a small screen, the difference between 720p and 1080p is negligable. It only when you get to screens around 45-50 inches or bigger that it starts to make a difference. A Quest For Knowledge (talk) 19:28, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

Citation needed. I see statements like this all the time, but it obviously depends on viewing distance, and I don't think people sit 10 feet away from their computer monitor, like they would their TV. Right now, in my office, I'm sitting about 2 feet (24 inches) from my 19-inch 4:3 LCD monitor. It's running at its native resolution of 1280x1024 (so it's in the same neighborhood as 1080 lines), and I can see the pixels making up the letters that I'm typing. How would I not be able to distinguish 1080p and 720p? -- Coneslayer (talk) 18:12, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

TVs are often brighter than monitors. But not always. APL (talk) 21:13, 24 June 2009 (UTC)

June 25

top40

how do singers like lilly allen,morningwood and the veronicas get in the top 4Os do they have to be requsted alot or wut pleaz anser quikly i never hear them on star 1O1.9 (Radio station)

Read Top 40, our article on the subject, and follow the links in that article to additional articles as well. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 05:22, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Every UK radio station has a licence to play a particular type of music for a particular audience and can't go outside that. I'd suggest that if your local radio station doesn't play this type of music it's because of the conditions of its licence. If that upsets you, you could always retune your radio! --TammyMoet (talk) 09:49, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Which Star 101.9? Wikipedia has two articles: KUCD Star 101.9FM in Pearl City, Hawaii; and KNOE-FM Star 101.9FM in Monroe, Louisiana; and there may be more elsewhere in the world. Also, it might help if you use 101.9 instead of 1O1.9 (note the zero instead of the uppercase "o"). Astronaut (talk) 14:57, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

I'm guessing that, with a username like Bubbafrogs, the OP was referring to the station in Louisiana. I could be wrong, though. Deor (talk) 19:32, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Fluffy

Oh, I see. Well then, whatever happened to Fluffy. At the scenes leading up to the wedding, Fluffy seems to be developing well as a character. There is a scene where chaos unfolds when Tiger is introduced, and then poof she is gone. I never saw as much as a reference to the cat after that. Is there anyone that knows what happened? Not sure if some tragedy struck off set and she had to be written out of the script or what. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.4.236.226 (talk) 12:55, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Which Fluffy? Which Tiger? Some context to your question would be useful. Astronaut (talk) 14:43, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

I can't believe I know that he is talking about the first episode of The Brady Bunch. According to our article, "The dog that played Tiger was hit by a car and killed early in the first season. When a replacement dog proved problematic, the producers decided the dog would only appear when essential to the plot. Tiger appeared in about half the episodes in the first season and about half a dozen episodes in the second season. In yet another parallel to the Partridge Family, whose dog Simone disappeared during their second season, Tiger vanished without an explanation and was not shown again after "The Impractical Joker" which aired in 1971." No mention of Fluffy though. Adam Bishop (talk) 14:46, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

We need Refdesk achievement points, because you just earned one. Tempshill (talk) 21:09, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Ah, here we go: List of The Brady Bunch characters#The Bradys' pets says the cat "Fluffy" only appeared in the pilot episode and was never seen again, and Adam describes above what happened to the dog "Tiger". Astronaut (talk) 15:03, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Cleat

I'm looking for a brand that sells just one cleat. Or the brand that sells the fewest number. If there is a tie, provide all the brands. Thanks.174.3.103.39 (talk) 19:13, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

Do you ever get the feeling that someone invented a robot that asks random questions just to keep us occupied? Recury (talk) 19:36, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

At least we seem to be past the constant Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle questions. --Zerozal (talk) 20:42, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

There was a person who kept coming back asking rather random questions just to give us something to do. It's been a long time (years) since they last posted. If I remember correctly, they had Asperger's or something. Dismas|^(talk) 21:55, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

And thats how I learned everything I ever wanted to know about Tim Cahill. Nanonic (talk) 23:14, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

This guy sounds like me... Vimescarrot (talk) 18:06, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

No, I'm actually wanting to buy cleats (for Ultimate frisbee). There's just too many right now to choose from.174.3.103.39 (talk) 21:23, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

So are you looking for the brand of shoe that has the fewest cleats on the sole (assuming at least one) or are you looking for a brand that offers you the least choice? DJ Clayworth (talk) 21:52, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

According to the cleat article, "cleat" refers to the entire piece of footwear. Are you perhaps looking for the actual individual knobs on the bottom of a cleat because you want to screw them into the bottom of an existing shoe? Your question sounds like you may be. Tempshill (talk) 21:07, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

No, I'm not looking for the knobs. Yes, I'm trying to streamline my search, so I want to start my search with the brand that offers the least choice. This way, I can compare other brands, and examine why a particular brand offers only one kind, be it that their technology is superior, or inferior, or maybe they have a persuasive concept that other shoes just have a bunch of frills and gimmicks.174.3.103.39 (talk) 10:45, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Jack Penate's fingers - how many?

I was idly reading through Jack_Peñate's wiki page, and there is a bit of trivia that says "Jack Penate has two index fingers on his left hand. Enabling him to play complex chords that are otherwise unavailable to conventionally fingered guitarists." I'm confused - I thought the index finger was defined as between the thumb and the middle finger, so how can you have two? Does this mean he has six fingers? Anyway, I did a quick google and could find nothing to support this at all. The only real mention of his fingers is on some rubbish Youtube videos. Anyone else have any information? Snorgle (talk) 20:26, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

I know nothing about this specific person, but there certainly are people born with extra fingers (see polydactyly), and in such a case the usual designation of which finger is which may be somewhat arbitrary. A fully functional extra finger resembling an extra index finger would be a rare form of the condition. --Anonymous, 23:50 UTC, June 25, 2009.

My guess is that this edit is vandalism. If the guitarist had six fingers, this fact would likely be more prominently featured on his many web sites. -- KathrynLybarger (talk) 02:16, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Thanks - I'll put a note on the discussion page and remove the information.Snorgle (talk) 13:49, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Age Of Bobby Campo

How old is Bobby Campo (clairvoyant of The Final Destination).174.3.103.39 (talk) 21:21, 25 June 2009 (UTC)

To save someone a few clicks: IMDb does not give his birthdate. —Tamfang (talk) 17:38, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

June 26

Music from Stealing Beauty

Can someone identify the music in this scene from Stealing beauty [3] ? RefDeskDoppleganger (talk) 04:16, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

It will be presumably be one of those listed on the film's IMDB page here. Might help narrow it down a bit. I don't think it's any of the pop songs listed on the Amazon page for the soundtrack album here. But in fact it sounds more to me like a piece that was specially composed for the film. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 11:27, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Name the movie

Sorry this is the only thing I can remember about this movie: It contained a witch who had a cabinet of different heads, she removed her head several times to replace it with one from her cabinet. If I remember correctly this also changed her personality. I think it was some childrens fanstasy adventure movie. Thanks, --217.84.175.126 (talk) 15:18, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Sounds like Mombi in Return to Oz. 164.156.231.55 (talk) 17:14, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Thanks, that's the one... :) I was only little at the time, you see...--217.84.175.126 (talk) 19:21, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Violent acts inspired by violent media

I am looking for notable examples of violent acts inspired by violent media (such as computer games or TV shows). Statistics on violence inspired by violent media are also welcome, but I need examples more. Thanks.

Wikipedia articles you may want to start with:

• Video game controversy
• Media violence research
• Combat in film
• Violence

From these articles, you can likely find other Wikipedia articles, or perhaps follow some of the external references (print and online) for more details. There are literally THOUSANDS of research studies on this topic; you should have no problem finding them. You would be wise also to read post hoc ergo propter hoc, which is a logical fallacy often stated as "correlation implies causality", which is a false idea. Be careful of any study that implies causation from a mere correlation of data... Over 90% of murderers drank milk as children, but that does not mean that drinking milk makes people do murder... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 18:34, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

As said above. For example if it is found that 80% of perpetrators of school shootings played violent video games, that might mean that video game violence spawns real-life violence, or it might mean that those who were already pre-disposed to violence find such video games appealing, or it might mean that 80% of teen aged American males like violent video games. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 20:30, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Also be careful about agreeing with a criminal who claims his crime was "inspired" by this or that movie or TV show or computer game. He's probably just trying to avoid culpability. "The game made me do it!" Tempshill (talk) 21:05, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Yesterday I watched Charlie Chan at Treasure Island, which is set in San Francisco and has a villain who calls himself Doctor Zodiac. The disc has a featurette about the Zodiac Killer, who operated thirty years later in and around San Francisco. (The link seems tenuous to me.) —Tamfang (talk) 17:07, 2 July 2009 (UTC)

Dumbbell-shaped floats

At the gym pool the other day, I found these dumbbell-shaped objects, where the "weight" parts are made of foam that is very buoyant. What are these for? I couldn't figure out how to use them, and swimming float is not much help. Thanks, Beland (talk) 17:44, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

• Regular dumbbells are about resisting gravity. Pool dumbbells are for resisting buoyancy. For example: stand on bottom of pool and push them down with your hands -- triceps exercise. --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 18:06, 26 June 2009 (UTC)
  • Aha, that makes sense. -- Beland (talk) 18:35, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

See Water aerobics. ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 22:28, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

"Hollywood English"

So I'm trying to pin down a cinematic technique which I think of as "Hollywood English". This happens when two characters speak a foreign language and there are no English speakers around. Instead of actually speaking the foreign language and filling in the audience with subtitles, the actors actually speak English, with the dramatic convention being that they are actually speaking some other language; it's just show onscreen as English for the audience's benefit. After searching around online a bit, I don't think this is the correct name for this technique; does anyone know if there is a more common name for this technique? Or for the tendency of movies to just ignore the language issue altogether? -- Beland (talk) 18:47, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Like Sean Connery and Sam Neil do in the Hunt for Red October? I'm not sure there is a formal name for it; I always call it "Like that thing Sean Connery does in the Hunt for Red October"... --Jayron32.talk.contribs 19:17, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Hollywood English, you mean like Charles Dickens has French people speaking English? Or William Shakespeare -- wouldn't Romeo and Juliet have been speaking Venetian? --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 20:47, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Or some dialect of it. I suspect, though that in Shakespeare's plays, it was done both because I doubt he was fluent in Italian, and even if he was, his audience would not be, and subtitles and dubbing were not an option. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 20:52, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

(You mentioned the dialect before I corrected "Italian" to "Venetian".) The question of whether Shakespeare could read some Italian-ish is interesting. Several of his plays -- R&J, Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, Much Ado, and All's Well -- are taken from Italian sources. Did Shakespeare, or whoever wrote the plays, read them in the original Piedmontese or whatever? (What dialect did Matteo Bandello write in, anyway?) Or did he learn the stories from the William Painter translations? --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 21:06, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Well, the Oxfordian theory is supported by the the historical fact that Oxford went to Italy and spent time in every single one of the places he later set plays in. There are a number of allusions in the plays to specific venues Oxford is known to have visited, but which a non-traveller would be unlikely to have ever heard of. The Stratford guy never visited Italy. -- JackofOz (talk) 22:06, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

Isn't the technique here that they start out speaking whatever language they should be speaking, then switch to English? That's what happens in Hunt for Red October. Using English right away isn't really a "technique". Adam Bishop (talk) 12:03, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Same thing happens at the start of Valkyrie. Tom Cruise starts off in German (with subtitles) and very soon switches to English. I believe this is done because the Studios want a top star (like Cruise or Connery) and they think subtitles will put audiences off - particularly in the US market. Astronaut (talk) 12:36, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

The term "'language transfer'" is sometimes used to describe voice-overs and dubbing, and it seems to also fit similar variations. On radio dramas, language transfer involved a slow fade-out from the original language as English faded in. The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) was notable as a major mainstream Hollywood film which did not revert to English but retained the original foreign language in lengthy WWII flashback sequences with subtitles. Pepso2 (talk) 13:04, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

I don't like seeing actors on movies pretending to be of other nationalities and using an accent like he/she would be of that nationality. But this depends on lot of stuffs, and movies. It makes the movie more authentic and more realistic if it uses the original language. I really like a scene from The 13th Warrior when a man sited around Norse people and understanding nothing, after a while the fellows around him started to use one or two English words while talking, after some more time they used more and more English words, to be fully talking English at some point. This was nice, maybe they could return to Norse back, as we understood he learned a new language, but it had not. I don't think it's bad to make movies in English only, it just makes the movie more English (and not authentic), nothing else. If you want a movie to be made by English people but to give the feeling of other nations, use other languages, use other music styles, other culture. Do and watch what you wish, I prefer variations though. --TudorTulok (talk) 13:21, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

Just don't watch K-19: The Widowmaker because Harrison Fords attempt at a Russian accent is almost unbearable. Maybe he was channeling his inner Sean Connery. Livewireo (talk) 19:56, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

V vor Vendetta translation

When V goes on his long speach where like every word starts with the letter V, what does all that mean in English? It is not the most simple language to understand. 65.121.141.34 (talk) 20:41, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

It's an impressively crafted dialogue. There is quite some discussion of it at this blog. The comment by "X" on January 29, 2008 at 12:51 am is a good approximation of the text in plainer English. -- Flyguy649 ^talk 21:10, 26 June 2009 (UTC)

It is in English. It's perfectly easy to understand, and I don't mean it in a bad way; I find a dictionary helps.174.3.103.39 (talk) 10:42, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

June 27

Calix

How old is Calix Milan (http://tour.jakecruise.com/tour/video.php?model=Michael_and_Calix)?174.3.103.39 (talk) 10:38, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

PS3 Hard Drive Formatting

Here's my situation. In the past I have updated my PS3 hard drive to a 320gb drive. I am now running low on space and am considering buying a larger drive, in which case I would ideally put the 320gb drive in my laptop. My question is if the PS3 has rendered the 320gb HD useless for other applications in formatting it.

--24.83.5.168 (talk) 14:53, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

It will work fine. When you first turn on the laptop the contents of the hard disk will presumably be unreadable, but you'll be able to start up the laptop from a boot CD or DVD, and use its format utility to reformat the hard disk and install your OS of choice. By the way, the Computing reference desk would be a more likely place to get this kind of information. Tempshill (talk) 16:24, 27 June 2009 (UTC)

June 28

Michael Jackson's children

They appear to have no traces of black African ancestry. Surely they are not his actual biological children? He must have used a sperm donor or something.--Bored of the world (talk) 15:55, 28 June 2009 (UTC) (Removed text that has BLP ramifications: even though the man is now dead, his children are living.) // BL \\ (talk) 16:07, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

Please read Race (classification of human beings) for discussions of why observations like yours are not taken seriously at the Reference Desk. It is a long article, but most of it is a worthwhile read. Tempshill (talk) 17:26, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

It is a perfectly reasonable question, and your attitude to the poster is patronising and fails to assume good faith. You may be jumping to conclusions that there is some element of racism behind the question , but IMHO such suspicions are excessively touchy and just unreasonable. Postlebury (talk) 19:26, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

I disagree with each of your three claims about my answer, and would point out that I referred BL to an article on the subject rather than blowing him off. My answer was unimpeachable here, sir or madam. Tempshill (talk) 21:39, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

In the first place, it wasn't BL you were referring to the article, it was the OP. And in the second place, the article you linked to doesn't do what you say it does. The introduction to the article contains careful formulations like "many scientists..." and "some argue...", which rightly go to show that there is no consensus on this subject, neither in the scientific community nor, a fortiori, on this Ref Desk. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 08:07, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Apologies for misreading BL, and I shouldn't overstep by speaking for the whole Reference Desk. Racial-difference questions must be the #1 category for trolls here, and I didn't WP:AGF, because AGF falls down right around the vicinity of this type of question. Tempshill (talk) 16:07, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

I was wondering about the same thing. This doesn't acctualy have to be about Jackson and his kids - just how can black parent have white kids ? Skin tone is geneticly inherited, if their mother is white (I don't know, if she is) they should have lighter skin tone than their father's relatives, but not as white as their father's, which is said to be caused by skin disorder, which they couldn't have inherited (even if it is posible I doubt it would make them fully white at so early age) and they all can't be albinos (and don't appear to be). I don't see what is wrong with making such observation, an article on race should summerize general knowledge, instead of discussing such extreme cases, I don't feel like reading it all just to find out it doesn't really tell anything 95.68.96.65 (talk) 08:49, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

There are many genes that contribute to skin colour, and we get a mix of them from both parents. Sort of like a Punnett square with loads of genes at once. Depending on the mix the parents have (which will depend on the mix they got from their parents, from their parents, etc. back however many generations) the children can end up with a mix that gives them lighter, darker or similar skin-colour compared to their parents. This can come up when parents who consider themselves 'mixed race' have children that look 'white' or 'black', sometimes even twins with dramatically different skin tones to each other. 89.168.19.118 (talk) 15:35, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

In relation to this question... Are you claiming that Michael Jackson is part white and only his white genes contributed to the color of his children's skin? This is a question specifically about the probability (and possibility) of a man as dark skinned as Michael Jackson having multiple children as light-skinned (and fair haired) as his children. -- kainaw™ 15:45, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

I was specifically answering 95's understanding of how skin colour is inherited. It is entirely possible for any 'black' person to have some pale-skin genes, and for any 'white' person to have some dark-skin genes, all of this being confused by the specific cultural meanings of calling someone 'black', 'white', 'mixed race', whatever. Skin-colour inheritance is not as simple as the children having some average of their parent's skin tone, which seemed to be 95's understanding. For example, there have been cases (google them for the news stories) of one black and one white parent having twins, one of whom was 'white' and one of whom was 'black'. 89.168.19.118 (talk) 17:52, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Debbie Rowe is white and she said Jackson is not the biological father of their children (and also that she doesn't want anything to do with them now that he's dead...nice). No one knows who Blanket's mother is, or if Jackson is his biological father. So if they don't look like him, it shouldn't be any surprise. Adam Bishop (talk) 16:19, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

If You Want to Add More to the Plot Area of the Article on the telenovela Valeria

If you want to add on to the plot of Valeria, you can if you want to. Ericthebrainiac (talk) 17:17, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

This is a reference desk for answering questions, not a place to advertise your favorite Wikipedia article and hope that editors will improve it. See WikiProjects for that sort of initiative. Tempshill (talk) 17:24, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

What does perma-crocked mean?

To whom it may concern,

I would just like to know what does the word perma-crocked mean. It has been mentioned by football reporters on the internet probably referring to football players who are injury prone. If you search for the word 'perma-crocked' on the search engine results will come from soccer websites like goal.com. Please can someone elaborate the meaning of this word, its driving me insane for not knowing its meaning. Thanks —Preceding unsigned comment added by 123.49.42.136 (talk) 18:29, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

perma-crocked. Algebraist 18:33, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

Not a cheeseburger.

Is there some cultural reference or set phrase in America about cheeseburgers and cannibalism? I only ask because I've encountered what seemed like odd phrases in two separate programmes, and it seems like they might share a common reference.

In Supernatural: Dean: Ronald. Hey, come on, man. We were pals. Ronald: That was when I was breathing. Now I'm gonna eat you alive. Dean: Well, but I'm not a cheeseburger. Obviously, this seemed really odd. There are in-story reasons the character might be failing at quipping at that moment, but still... No cheeseburgers otherwise featured in the episode, nor last time they met.

In Ugly Betty: “Well, I’m not a cheeseburger, so I know you’re not gonna eat me.” (Character being threatened by Betty)

So, are these referencing something? I can't find anything online, but I might just be using ignorant search terms :P 89.168.19.118 (talk) 18:56, 28 June 2009 (UTC)

Not that I'm aware of. It could be that the writers of one show stole "recycled" it. Clarityfiend (talk) 06:56, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Hmmm, thanks. I'd wondered about the "recycling" idea, but it seemed such a non sequitor if it isn't referencing something. Plus, the first show it appeared in (Supernatural) doesn't seem like the sort of thing that the Ugly Betty crowd would watch, and it isn't watched enough for general cultural osmosis. 89.168.19.118 (talk) 15:20, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

All it really means is that one of the writers heard a cheeseburger joke at some point in the past and used it. There doesn't have to be anything more to it. -- kainaw™ 15:39, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

"Cheeseburger" is more clever than using plain "hamburger". Substitute another food and it's not nearly as to the point. "I'm not Lasagna" "I'm not a turkey wrap" "Im not a salad"? Yeah, not as funny. --70.167.58.6 (talk) 15:57, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

There are numerous comedic references to The Towering Inferno (1974) in The Simpsons and elsewhere. In one romantic interlude, Faye Dunaway is coming on to Paul Newman and says, "It's my lunch hour." He responds, "I'm not a cheeseburger." This is a clip of the scene. Pepso2 (talk) 20:36, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Yay! Thank you Pepso2! That works perfectly, and now makes much more sense! :D :D :D So many exclamation marks! I've never seen the film, only gathered some of the plot from references elsewhere, so I'd never have got this :) I can now rest happy, knowing that my reference-sense is still functional and that these scenes were less nonsensical. Thank you! 89.168.19.118 (talk) 23:24, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

June 29

Visual Bible

There have been some movies made that use books of the Bible word for word as the script called The Visual Bible; I know they have made Matthew, Acts, John - are there any others? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.174.131.33 (talk) 02:50, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

You may find the article List of films based on the Bible an interesting starting point. --Jayron32.talk.contribs 03:10, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Searching for a Japanese film and a Yugloslavia/Serbian/Bosnian/Croatian[...] one

I remember seeing parts of these movies years ago, and I'm searching the titles to see them in their entirety.

The first movie I'm searching for is about a Japanese man who has a teenage girl under his care and she wants to be a masseuse, so he fabricates a fake saloon in an abandonned factory and asks his friends to attend it as customers. I saw it on the Movie Network, and it was not dubbed, only subtitles.

The second movie takes place during the modern history of Yugoslavia from World War II to the conflicts in the 90s. The main protagonists are a father and his autistic/disconnected from reality/weird looking son who carries a pet monkey around. The son later commits suicide by hanging in a war-torn chapel, while his father is fighting in the war. I'm not sure, but I think that another scene takes place where a German airplane strafes their boat in the middle of a lake. In the end, the family is seen partying during a marriage while the land detaches itself from the mainland as a metaphor of the final peaceful separation of the Balkan states. Rachmaninov Khan (talk) 03:19, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

I think the first movie is Happy Times (not Japanese but Chinese though). The second one sounds like Underground (film). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.171.56.13 (talk) 10:29, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

My error, but both are the right answer. Thanks! Rachmaninov Khan (talk) 13:54, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Basketball at the Shrine Auditorium

The Shrine Auditorium article says basketball was once played there, apparently on the stage. Can anyone find a picture of basketball being played at the venue? -- Mwalcoff (talk) 04:56, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Megan Fox was a guy?

I read this surprising article. http://mhuy2x.net84.net/?p=347 Is it true? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 116.71.62.54 (talk) 11:22, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

gb2 /tv/ —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.43.91.128 (talk) 11:36, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

No. Livewireo (talk) 14:02, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

How can you say? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 116.71.62.54 (talk) 14:56, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

It is incumbent on the people on random blogs who make random claims to provide evidence for those claims. Personally I'm with most people here who are not interested in chasing down the truth of unlikely rumors like this. Tempshill (talk) 15:41, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Yes, it's true... she was a man when she was a tiny little sperm. She was hot back then and she is now don't you think.207.248.235.34 (talk) 17:12, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

I don't. Adam Bishop (talk) 19:11, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

great music

has someone composed better background score than that in the lord of the rings trilogy? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 117.193.228.46 (talk) 15:30, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

You must define what it means to be "better". This is a reference desk, not an opinion desk. As your question is currently phrased, you are merely asking for opinions. -- kainaw™ 15:38, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Academy Award for Best Original Music Score has a list of other scores considered good. Rmhermen (talk) 16:45, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

What the hell, I'll give an opinion. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's score for The Adventures of Robin Hood is the best of all. Whippersnappers who are unfamilaiar with anything predating the execrable LOTR films should confine themselves to posting on fanboy sites. Deor (talk) 04:51, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

I disagree, Deor. Whippersnappers who are unfamiliar with anything predating LOTR should indeed ask for advice here, where old and experienced fogies can educate them and point out wonderful composers such as Korngold (excellent choice) or other names listed under the link provided by Rmhermen. Fanboy sites will only re-confirm misguided preferences. (And I'll highlight Bernard Hermann and Nino Rota on that list, for another personal take). ---Sluzzelin talk 05:20, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

By the way, I'd like to add this image to the article on Korngold (and maybe replace the one of Max Reinhardt). Does anyone know when the picture was taken, or how old he is? I couldn't find any information at this LOC link either. ---Sluzzelin talk 11:58, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

Quantum of Solace video game

What are the differences between the PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and PC versions of the Quantum of Solace video game? David Pro (talk) 15:54, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Both IGN Insider and Lensoftruth.com [4] do head to head comparisons of videos on different platforms. --70.167.58.6 (talk) 16:01, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

Anime based on Journey to the West

Hi. I would like to know the name of an anime that I saw when I was a kid. I'm not sure if it was a series or a movie or ova or whatever. I can only recall very few and vague information about it because it was a long time ago, this is what I remember:

-It is based in Journey to the West (no, it's not dragonball) -The main character is a kid, I think he has red hair -he flies in a cloud and has a staff that enlarges -His best friend is a fat guy -He meets a green or blue guy that looks like a super sayan trunks that has the ability to throw spikes from his body. -He meets another guy, well, they are group of four in total the main characters. -They seem to be part of a space-police unit. -The final boss is extremely powerful, I think he even transforms a couple of times. -The might be space-police unit fights several powerful aliens trough the movie/episode.

I can't recall any more details, I've searched about animes that are related with the Journey to the West story but I haven't found anyone similar.

I have allready checked this list on wikipedia List of media adaptations of Journey to the West#Comics, manga and anime, that's why I'm asking here because no one of the series listed is like the one I'm telling. Here the main character is a kid with red/brown hair in form of an onion (like those troll toys). He is indeed a kid, not a monkey, not a tall man or teenager, I don't remember if he has a tail, I remember that he has big eyes in a costume somewhat similar of Son Goku from Dragonball, I think it's even red. Maybe I'm wrong and the main characters aren't with a space police unit, maybe they are just bounty hunters, I'm not sure. The best friend of the main character is a fat small guy with a clumsy look, I think he also has a flying cloud. Another scene I remember is the suposed final boss giving electric shocks with some kind of tentacles to the main characters. Does anybody have a clue on what anime or ova could it be???????????????? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 207.248.235.34 (talk) 17:05, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

There were no replies last time you asked. Sorry... --Dr Dima (talk) 23:20, 29 June 2009 (UTC)

June 30

Movie where apeman eats mushroom or ethogen plant?

Movie where apeman eats mushroom or ethogen plant? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.18.99.110 (talk) 12:22, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

You description is a bit vague. Perhaps Altered States? ---— Gadget850 (Ed) ^talk 12:49, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for the reply. "Altered States" and "2001" kept coming up in searches. I still haven't been able to find the scene in either one of those. I was just waking up when I saw the scene, so yes it is quite vague. I remember an apeman or cave man bending down and taking something from the ground, he then eats it and appears to be enlightened. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.18.99.110 (talk) 14:31, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

song in Zamboni Man

I saw a short film about 5 years ago called Zamboni Man. There was a song in it by either Wilco or a solo Jeff Tweedy (I think. Maybe I'm misremembering and it's Jay Farrar), and I am trying to find out the name of the song. I haven't had much luck. Any help out there? MookieZ (talk) 13:20, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

Lullaby for Rafters and Beams. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 13:34, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

That's it. Thanks. MookieZ (talk) 13:58, 30 June 2009 (UTC)

Can anyone help me identify this book?

I read a book a while back, maybe a year ago, and I can't remember the title or the author. It was pretty new back then. It had a red cover and an overall "devilish" theme. The book was about forbidden foods that the author had gone and tried (i.e. absinthe, raw cheeses). Help would be much appreciated.

Thanks!--199.253.0.131 (talk) 15:49, 30 June 2009 (UTC)