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July 30

Homage

I was reading Wikipedia's description of Timecode (very difficult to watch, by the way) and it says "A homage to this film can be heard during another of Mike Figgis's films, Hotel." Can it really be said to be a homage if it's by the same director? "Reference" perhaps? (Maybe this should really by on the language desk, but it's about entertainment.)--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:01, 30 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Maybe it depends on whether you call it "HOM-ij", or "om-AHJ" as popculturalists are, strangely, wont to do. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 19:23, 30 July 2014 (UTC) [reply]

Given the "A", it's apparently "HOM-ij". Not sure if that kind of thing really qualifies as a/an "homage" or merely as an "inside joke". George Lucas is famous for doing that: R2-D2 and C-3PO appearing as hieroglyphs in Raiders of the Lost Ark; several ET's appearing in the corner of the Galactic parliament in Star Wars III or one of those; and repeated references to or variations on "THX-1138". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:32, 30 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

In my opinion, you can't pay homage to yourself, but you can to one of your creations, through another. InedibleHulk (talk) 02:23, August 2, 2014 (UTC)

Oh no, you can. Erik Satie dedicated at least one of his piano pieces "to myself". -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 02:35, 3 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Well, that's pretty cheesy. A fromage, maybe. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:05, August 5, 2014 (UTC)

vengaboys "2 Brazil" music video models

Is there a website where it shows who are the models for the Vengaboys music videos "2 Brazil"? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.29.33.9 (talk) 17:15, 30 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

July 31

Questions on Michael Jackson's debt

Actually, I have few questions: how high is his debt as of date? have been already some creditors paid? Can the IRS still add to the debt woes? How long will it take till his, probably, giant mountain of debt will be paid off? --112.198.82.2 (talk) 07:48, 31 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

According to his Wiki article, "over $700 million is due" to the government. But the sweet part about death is it's not his debt anymore. It's the estate's. Debt woes are automatically added to, through interest. How long it takes to settle depends on too many things we can't predict. Though, clearly, that's a very big number, and doesn't include other debts. InedibleHulk (talk) 08:02, July 31, 2014 (UTC)

Around the time of the fifth anniversary of his death, I thought I heard and/or read that all or much of his debt had been repaid, as his estate has pulled in a lot of money since then. Have you googled the question? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:04, 3 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I have googled, but the news are confusing and sometimes contradicting. In one article, you could read, it has been repaid, in an article some time late, he still has debt. --112.198.90.141 (talk) 16:12, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Jackson's stuff was still apparently selling very well last year (probably this year, too). If any dead man can crawl out of a hole that size, he'd be a contender. Through whichever debt consolidation techniques, the hole likely shrunk a bit on its own. InedibleHulk (talk) 01:14, August 5, 2014 (UTC)

It could be some of both. There's a story from earlier this year where it says the IRS wants 700 million dollars from the estate. But he had other big debts when he died, to private concerns, and it's possible some or all of that has been paid off. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:58, 5 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

You could say then that at least his overdue water, telephone and electricity bills were already paid off years ago? --112.198.77.152 (talk) 10:52, 5 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Physics

Define 1KWhr — Preceding unsigned comment added by Abcfg (talk • contribs) 12:46, 31 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Please see kWhr. It's one of those.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 12:58, 31 July 2014 (UTC)[reply]

August 1

Flight simulation

What influence (if any) did the Flight Unlimited franchise have on the development of Microsoft Flight Simulator? 24.5.122.13 (talk) 02:20, 1 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Just looking at those two articles for the first time, I'd say none, unless the Flight Unlimited guys flew through a wormhole and back in time. Or unless you have a specific release of Flight Simulator in mind. InedibleHulk (talk) 22:16, August 1, 2014 (UTC)

I have in mind the two most recent versions, FS2004 and FSX (as well as the FS Flight Ventures expansion for both). Because on casual comparison, quite a few of the newer features (the mission system, ATC, and a few others) in these versions/expansions seem to be inspired by the Flight Unlimited franchise. 24.5.122.13 (talk) 00:16, 2 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Can't say. Only tried the MS one once, in the mid-'90s. If ATC means air traffic control, it seems a fair guess that both are just simulating actual standards, instead of each other. I tried giving it a Google, didn't find an answer. But I found a lot of forums of people comparing a lot of simulators. I'm nowhere near wise enough to point you to the right one, but that's a general direction, if you want to take it.

Or just hold tight, and an expert will possibly be with you shortly. InedibleHulk (talk) 02:18, August 2, 2014 (UTC)

Well, I'm not trying to compare -- I'm perfectly satisfied with the Microsoft one, and in any case I don't think Flight Unlimited will even run on Windows 8 because it's so old. My question was strictly about the development history of the products, and to what extent they might have influenced each other. 24.5.122.13 (talk) 04:10, 2 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

August 2

I have a question about the Buffy the vampire slayer comics: Did Tara ever meet Principal_Snyder in the comics?

Did Tara ever meet Principal Synder in the comics? Also did Amber Benson who played Tara met Armin Shimerman while they were shooting the episode restless or at any convention? Thank you. Venustar84 (talk) 04:28, 2 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Within the Buffyverse, Snyder was the Sunnyvale High School Principal who was eaten by the thing the Mayor became at Graduation Day, at which time Tara attended a different high school. She might have SEEN him at a basketball game, but MEETING him would have been less likely. As to the revisionist comics or conventions, it,s hard to devine what might have happened. Edison (talk) 01:17, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Real Life Version of Runescape Magic Tree

Golden Rain Tree, image of forest pansy redbud

As you probably guessed, I'm a regular Runescape player (not an addict, I have a life and play for maybe 2 hours per day). Anyway, I think the Runescape magic tree (pic) looks really cool. I want a real-life version, or something close to it, in my front yard. I was thinking a 2-trunk golden rain tree (I have one) with forest pansy redbud spliced down the middle, so I get the purplish leaves and gnarly trunk with golden, round seed pods underneath. Is this the best option or are there other combinations that would look more game-like/cost less? --74.214.39.79 (talk) 05:14, 2 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

It won't cost less but google Sam van Aken Tree of 40 Fruits. I don't know if he actually sells them. They don't look real, even though they are! --TrogWoolley (talk) 18:45, 2 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

More modestly, I've seen three-fruit trees for sale. —Tamfang (talk) 21:26, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

To get trunk shape like that, you'll have to read up on Bonsai techniques. Actually, from my perspective, the type of tree is less important for giving the look as the way the trunks have been trained. Additional techniques that will be handy are grafting and perhaps air layering (this would allow you to get a good 1-2" diameter tree started from a cutting of another tree). I recommend getting a few trees, so that you can practice on one that is less expensive. Also be prepared to be very patient. By the time the tree looks right (~15 years?), the game may no longer be supported. But small price to pay for a devotee :) SemanticMantis (talk) 21:54, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

August 3

Skull Boys

I was watching an episode of NewsRadio recently (love that show!) and I saw something odd. In the episode, a character is hiding out at another character's boyhood home in Wisconsin. It's a typical teenager's room, with comics and Playboys under the bed and college pennants and movie posters on the wall. One of the posters, the only one you can clearly see, is apparently for a movie called "Skull Boys". The picture is hard to make out, but it looks like weird grinning heads. At the bottom, it says "Starring Joe Dibbs and Carl Fowler". There's nothing significant about the poster to the show, it's just part of the decoration, but I thought the picture looked neat, so I tried looking it up on IMDb and then on Google, with no success. It occurs to me that it might not be for a movie, but for a college play, but I would have thought that, if it were famous enough to have a poster made of it, it would also be famous enough to show up on Google somewhere. Any help? Matt Deres (talk) 13:31, 3 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I can't find it either. Possibly it may be fictional, as due to copyright or product placement rules, it may be difficult to use a real poster for a real film. KägeTorä - (^影_虎) (Chin Wag) 16:24, 3 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

It could be a random invention, or a group too obscure to be found in google, or even some kind of inside joke. The show has been out of production for 15 years, but maybe you could contact someone connected with the show and see if they have any clue about it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Copyright free materials that have been made for use in TV/film tend to get heavily reused. If you search a bit, you can see stuff online about a newspaper that's been used dozens of times over more than a decade. Has anyone seen a poster such as the one I'm describing in the background elsewhere? Matt Deres (talk) 21:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Related to the fictional approach (which I personally believe, given your lack of evidence after a decent search): we have list of fictional books but sadly no list of fictional movies. We do have a list of fictional plays. Some other info on the topic at False document. SemanticMantis (talk) 21:50, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

August 4

Interview with Majel Barrett-Roddenberry

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am looking for a interview with Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, she gave at a local convention, where she says that Gene’s political leaning was communist. I have only found pieces (http://kodm.com/ten-things-you-didnt-know-star-trek-creator-gene-roddenberry/) and would like to have the whole interview.

Thank you for your help.

All the best.--178.195.94.230 (talk) 09:12, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Though the author of that piece is a DJ and not a regular news reporter, researcher, or biographer, they may still know where they got the info from. Contacting them might be of use to you. Dismas|^(talk) 10:03, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I tried it. I guess he moved, because the person who owns the e-mail adress doesn't know him.--178.195.94.230 (talk) 10:15, 4 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

August 5

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 :::It could be some of both. There's a story from earlier this year where it says the IRS wants 700 million dollars from the estate. But he had other big debts when he died, to private concerns, and it's possible some or all of that has been paid off. ←[[User:Baseball Bugs|Baseball Bugs]] <sup>''[[User talk:Baseball Bugs|What's up, Doc?]]''</sup> [[Special:Contributions/Baseball_Bugs|carrots]]→ 03:58, 5 August 2014 (UTC)
+::::You could say then that at least his overdue water, telephone and electricity bills were already paid off years ago? --[[Special:Contributions/112.198.77.152|112.198.77.152]] ([[User talk:112.198.77.152|talk]]) 10:52, 5 August 2014 (UTC)
 == Physics ==