Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2008 July 27

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July 27

Requesting the name of a British movie

I saw the movie about 5 years ago, and I think the movie is no longer than 10 years old. The movie is a black comedy with drama elements, and is about two teenagers who make a suicide pact out of depression. One of the teenagers is from a lower class background and one is not, but I may be mistaken on this. They make a list of things to do before they kill themselves and the comedy element comes largely from them thinking of ingenious ways to do them, or completely failing (a scene I remember is that they plan to kill an animal, but upon seeing the cow they were to kill they are overcome with guilt and instead befriend the cow). I don't think the movie was high budget, and looked more like an independent film instead. The film may also be of Irish origins rather than British, but I was too young to remember the finer details. I can post the ending if it will help, but I will refrain from doing so for obvious reasons.

Thank you for any help.90.218.88.138 (talk) 00:04, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Judging by the description, I think it might be New Year's Day (and there's yet another article in need of some attention...), which I haven't seen, but I remember reading about the movie, and especially the thing about these two guys having to complete various tasks. Would that be the one? -- Captain Disdain (talk) 09:25, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

It think it might be. I remember them trying to rob a bank, and that gets mentioned on IMDB, so I'll have a look into finding it.90.218.88.138 (talk) 11:01, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

AllMovie has a reasonable plot synopsis. Clarityfiend (talk) 16:53, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Movie press kits

Where can download movie press kits? David Pro (talk) 00:53, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Oftentimes, from the web site of the movie. Or from the production company. Do you have a specific movie in mind? Dismas|^(talk) 06:59, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

James Bond movies. David Pro (talk) 17:08, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Eurovision 1974

As some of you who follow Eurovision know, 1974 was one of the most memorable contests in history, as it spawned ABBA and their hit "Waterloo." My question is about the second-place song, Gigliola Cinquetti's "Si," and the country she represented. I read in our articles on her and on the 1974 contest that Italy refused to air the entire contest (some sources just say her song, which was performed last, got cut) because of the repetition of the word "Si" (a month later Italians were to vote on a divorce referendum, and the government was afraid that the multiple uses of "Si" would brainwash Italian viewers into voting to ban divorce in the referendum, which is what a "Si" vote would have done). My question is, it's my understanding that EBU member states who want to compete in Eurovision must air the entire contest. How come Italy did not, yet they were allowed to compete in the contest the next year (as far as I know) with no penalties? Mike H. Fierce! 03:13, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Maybe rules were just different 30-odd years ago? - fchd (talk) 17:45, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

I was thinking that, but I can't even find anything about it. Also, they weren't different from today's rules in 1978, making me wonder if they put them in place because of the Italy debacle. Other than that, I still can't find anything either way about it. Mike H. Fierce! 01:03, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Online trivia & board games

I figured that there would be a lot of multiplayer trivia games on the Internet, but Google searches turn up mostly pay sites and SEO crap. Does anyone know where one can play free multiplayer trivia games of the Trivial Pursuit nature?

Also, I used to enjoy playing Scrabble and Monopoly at Atari.com before Atari sold the rights to the games. Are there now similar sites where you can just show up and play Scrabble and/or Monopoly against people from around the world? -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:42, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

I believe that www.pogo.com has Scrabble. StuRat (talk) 04:15, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Yes, apparently that's where the "official" online version of Scrabble has migrated. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 04:43, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

There are lots of trivia channels on IRC. For Scrabble, Facebook has a popular add-on called Scrabulous which is basically Scrabble by another name that you can play against your friends. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 05:53, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

But beware of the lawyers AndrewWTaylor (talk) 13:04, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

√135

Does anyone here know why the song "√135" from Lemmings by Jinn has that title? My roommate and I tried to think of some possible significance of this number, but neither of us knows Japanese, and I haven't found an explanation of the lyrics online, so we're at a bit of a loss even if the meaning is right in the song. - RedWordSmith (talk) 05:51, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Well, nobody ever said the title of a song has to do with anything in it. Antoher Japanese band that I love, Orange Range, has a song called "Asterisk", and although I don't speak Japanese I know the lyrics and they never freaking sy it. The band Gorillaz has many songs that have nothing to do with the lyrics such as 5/4, 19-2000, New Genious, Clint Eastwood, and Faust to name a few. So the reason is probably just that they thought it sounds cool. BioYu-Gi! (talk) 00:12, 1 August 2008 (UTC)

Japanese music Rocks!!!

Philosophia X Known(Philosophia X Known) 04:42, 31 August 2008 (UTC)

--Earthan Philosopher

Bully manager

I work at a KFC in Australia and today I was taking the money at the drive-thru widnow and my horrible, mean, rude, incompetant, passive-aggressive manager said to me at 1:30 "if you don't get the average drive through speed under 40 seconds by 2:30 then I'm taking you off the roster for 2 weeks". Is she legally allowed to do this? It is incredibly hard to for me to do anything about drive thru speed seeing as customers spend a lot of time sitting at the window counting their money and checking their orders which adds to our timer, and sometimes there are waits on food being cooked. Besides it's a team effort and there are other people working at drive-thru taking the orders and making and packing the food so it's not fair to blame me when all I do is hand out the money, drinks and food. She is a horrible manager and she never helps people she just threatens them. She has already cut down my shifts from 12 hours to three hours for no apparent reason and is giving her trainees more shifts than me so I think she is trying to get rid of me. What do I do? --124.254.77.148 (talk) 11:39, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Why are you asking Wikipedia's Entertainment reference desk? We can't offer legal advice, but if I were in your position I would either (1) talk to her supervisor, (2) look for another job, or (3) both. —Angr 11:50, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

The usual solution to the food not being cooked yet is to ask the customers to pull over and then bring them their food when it's ready. I absolutely hate this practice, however, as they usually take your money up front but won't give a receipt until the food is delivered, if ever. StuRat (talk) 15:48, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

You can call the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) Information Line on 1300 799 675 for general assistance in how to handle these sorts of issues. -- JackofOz (talk) 00:10, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Please help identify this card game

Can anyone identify this card game or 'fortune telling' activity from the supplied image at Wikipedia:Reference_desk/Miscellaneous#Solitaire card game, or "reading the cards"

Please respond at the question's position. Thanks.87.102.86.73 (talk) 14:29, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Men's Fashion Help

I am a young (early 20s) Caucasian male who recently moved to to a big city, Seoul, from rural United States. My girlfriend often tells me I have no sense of fashion, which I admit I don't, and although she understand my situation of never being in a big city and likes to take me clothes shopping sometimes, I would like to be able to buy cloths on my own that actually look good... Does anyone have any advice on where I can find what are the latest fashion trends for young men, so I can get up to speed on what's in and what's out in terms of what to wear for dates and city night life? Thanks..

Well, to be honest I'm not into fashion either, but I do know that fashion trends (a) are regional (so I can understand why you're having trouble in Seoul) and (b) are contingent upon sub-culture. I'm guessing you don't just want "what looks good" but what will make you fit in. Really what it comes down to is that you need to go out some and see how people are dressing. The best way to find out what people wear in the city is to hit the bars (or wherever it is you take your gf) and look around. --Shaggorama (talk) 16:10, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

It;s not Seoul, but in the city I've had people come up and ask where did I get my jeans or other accessories -- not because my stuff is special, but because I feel they're window shopping on people rather than put in all the leg work they expect before they find what they're looking for. Apparently people sometimes get good tips that way. At a bar though this approach might come across as hitting on them... Another is subculture or men's magazines Julia Rossi (talk) 01:40, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

I'd avoid any kind of fashion mag, as they are trying to sell you clothes, so will tell you whatever crap they have in stock is the height of fashion. The same applies to sales people in clothing stores. (This all reminds me of the episode of Friends where Joey is convinced by the sales person to buy a purse.) I'd go with what other people you hang out with wear. Or, since your g/f apparently has strong ideas about what you should wear, go shopping with her. Most women like being asked to do this. StuRat (talk) 13:08, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Most women who care about these things like being asked to do this. Which appears to include his girlfriend :) 79.66.124.253 (talk) 23:14, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

2005 computer animated video?

There's this music video I saw some time ago. It's computer animated and features anthropomorphic blackbirds cruising round near a beach. The song sounds like a reggae song. All I want to know is what is the name of the song and the artist? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.128.77.183 (talk) 16:00, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

I have done quite a bit of searching with no luck. Any additional information you can provide may help, such as any other characters or things happening in the video. Also, was this a popular video that was seen on televison or an obscure internet video? What you have described so far actually sounds somewhat familiar to me, but as of yet no results. cheers, 10draftsdeep (talk) 13:33, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

The last time I saw this video was on a music video show that was on Channel 4 in the morning. It was made around 2005-06. I can't remember much about it, just the blackbirds around the beach area. I remember one of them wearing shades and a hat and he was driving a convertable car which bounced up and down. That's all I remember about it.

Sounds like that Kia-Ora advert that was in cinemas in the 70's and 80's, and perhaps on TV a little later. Astronaut (talk) 15:21, 31 July 2008 (UTC)

Sports / maccabee games

did maryann wollner win a medal in swimming or gymnastics? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Joanne caldwell (talk • contribs) 16:03, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

The Soap Opera Industry dying?

Is the soap opera industry really dying in the United States? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 22:17, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

Some would say yes, it is. Networks like NBC want to get out of the soap industry, because with productions like Days of our Lives (traditionally the biggest-budget soap in daytime), they aren't recouping their losses fast enough. They want to give that time to the local affiliates, which at that time would make such losses "their problem." Soaps have been declining ever since their peak in the late 1970s, and there are two big reasons for that. The first being that more women have entered the workforce since that time, causing a ratings decline. The second being that the network proper will interrupt soap operas rather routinely with news bulletins, feeling the daytime programming is "less important." In the mid-1990s, the O.J. Simpson trial was broadcast on average every other day in daytime, causing big delays in every soap opera. After a year of the trial, many viewers were fed up, and about 20% of them left, never to return. Also, daytime ratings don't count +7 viewers (people who record on their TiVo/DVR devices and watch later in the week), so the ratings are yet again plunging. In short, yes, the soap opera industry is dying, and I don't believe they'll survive another generation, at least not in daytime. Mike H. Fierce! 06:36, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

To expand on that "at least in daytime" comment, there are some prime-time soaps which are alive and well, such as Desperate Housewives, so I think they should survive (although I personally hate the format with a passion and wish it would die out altogether). I've also noticed prime-time soaps aimed at teenage girls, like Gossip Girl. StuRat (talk) 12:56, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Interesting to note that these programmes do not market themselves as soaps, although they have tell-tale soapy ears. Even incontrovertible soaps in the UK seem to be attempting fresh, non-saponic marketing. Is the term, and the associated image, tainted? 79.66.124.253 (talk) 23:11, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

I don't think it's so much as that, in the United States, it's that they're now being marketed to very young people...teenagers and such, which is alienating the loyal people who've been watching these shows for two, three, sometimes even four or more decades. Those people are understandably not teenagers and they no longer relate to their shows. Mike H. Fierce! 01:01, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

There are also other ways to approach this question. Are fewer hours of soaps behind broadcast? Have any long running soaps been cancelled? (I noticed Passions ends in a week or so). Rmhermen (talk) 13:25, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

As I mentioned before, NBC has wanted to get out of soaps for a long time. Another World ended its run in 1999 after 35 years on the air, and Days of our Lives will be ending in January after being on the air since 1965. Mike H. Fierce! 15:19, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

The lack of notice people seem to have taken to those cancellations is most telling. If these were still popular shows, I'd expect to see protests. When I watch daytime TV; I like sitcoms, game shows, and news. Just about anything is better than soaps (well, not freak shows like Jerry Springer). StuRat (talk) 17:59, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

Well, and the thing is, as you may know, Days of our Lives used to be very popular, back in the '70s and '80s...hell, it was ranked #2 as recently as 1998-1999. But in the last year or two, it has been firmly entrenched at #8 in the daytime ratings (out of a possible nine daytime serials). As it's the most expensive soap to produce, and it's not getting results anymore, they're doing what any business would, which is that they're cutting their losses. Mike H. Fierce! 00:53, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

As an addendum, it should be noted that the ninth and lowest-rated soap, for the last two years, has been Guiding Light, the longest running serial drama in the world (starting out on radio in 1937, and run continuously on television since 1952). I'd imagine that would raise more of a hue and cry the day that gets canceled. CBS has renewed it through the end of 2009, however. Mike H. Fierce! 00:58, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

And to answer Rmhermen's question from before, yes, there are fewer hours of soaps being broadcast. About 11 1/2 hours of soaps were broadcast in 1973 (21 half-hour soap operas). From there some soaps died out, and for a while (late '70s to the mid '80s) there were 14 soaps. By that time, most had expanded to an hour while some had not, meaning pure numbers of hours actually went up a bit to 12 1/2. By the 1990s there were 12 soaps, all of which except two (The Bold and the Beautiful and Loving) were an hour in length (so 11 hours). Now, in 2008, there are nine soaps on the air, with only The Bold and the Beautiful airing for a half hour (so 8 1/2 hours). Take that info for what you will. Mike H. Fierce! 01:08, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Interesting. Where ever did you find that info ? StuRat (talk) 03:50, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

I started the WikiProject on soaps...it's one of those things I just kind of memorized. There is a good reference book called the Soap Opera Encyclopedia by Gerard Waggett. It's updated every few years with new information on different shows and I personally recommend it. Mike H. Fierce! 08:02, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Also, for anyone who's interested, I did an interview for Wikinews with three actresses from The Young and the Restless, and one of the subjects discussed are soaps and whether the genre is threatened by other types of shows, and how long it will last. Mike H. Fierce! 08:13, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Not to be rude, I celebrate your gallant interview efforts but my eyes kept glazing over. Can you give us the gist? Julia Rossi (talk) 05:57, 30 July 2008 (UTC)

Maury Povich helping Teenage Boys

Will Maury Povich help wild, out-of-control teenage boys in the near future? Ericthebrainiac (talk) 22:22, 27 July 2008 (UTC)

....What the heck are you talking about =/ --mboverload@ 05:50, 28 July 2008 (UTC)

He's referring to Maury's oft-repeated topic "wild, out-of-control teenage girls go to boot camp!" The show is never about boys, just girls who are trying to get pregnant or are on drugs or whatnot. And the answer is no. Girls seem to bring in the ratings. Mike H. Fierce! 07:08, 28 July 2008 (UTC)