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April 29[edit]

Rare book message board[edit]

Other than Reddit, which I have been using, does anyone here use any rare book message boards? I want to discuss some very specific issues with rare books that I do not expect anyone here to know. For example, Ben Hur first edition had a star cover and a flower cover. Which came first? Why two covers? Is one preferred over the other? 75.136.148.8 (talk) 13:50, 29 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

There was rec.books.collecting way back but it is probably dead by now. 2601:644:8501:AAF0:0:0:0:6CE6 (talk) 10:10, 30 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

https://www.i2pn2.org (a free usenet server) lists rec.collecting.books among groups available. TrogWoolley (talk) 10:43, 30 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

April 30[edit]

Where can a person find what Simpsons characters appeared in a scene for no reason?[edit]

I have this memory of a book or web site telling us all the things we might have missed in episodes of The Simpsons. With the ability to record and freeze, we can see a lot more than we used to. For example, many scenes have characters from the show who don't have any reason for being there. They don't have lines but they're just there. I have no idea how to do a search for such a thing.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 22:04, 30 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The Simpsons Wiki over at Fandom perhaps? --Ouro (blah blah) 06:16, 1 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Your criteria "for no reason" makes this impossible to answer. As an example, Larry showed up in many scenes in Moes bar with no obvious reason. No lines. Just sitting at the bar and drinking beer. But, it wasn't for NO reason. In a recent episode, the entire point of his character is that he was always in the bar, but was not interacted with. Then, he died and the remaining bar regulars pondered their relationship with him. So, it was all a build-up for that episode. 75.136.148.8 (talk) 16:19, 2 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

When I say "for no reason" the big example that comes to mind is when the family is in church. Nearly everyone on the show is shown in that church at the Sunday service. Even people we wouldn't think of as religious. Dr. Hibbert has a different and more lively church, and yet he is sometimes shown at the Simpsons' church. There are numerous examples. Before there was the Internet as we know it, I recall someone listing all the stuff we might not have noticed if we didn't record and freeze. I was hopping someone still did that.— Vchimpanzee • talk • contributions • 20:49, 2 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

May 1[edit]

Monk-related question[edit]

In an episode of Monk, there's this church where T.K. and Stottlemeyer were going to get married. In that scene, an explosion occurs among a pile of gifts right after Randy finishes playing the steel pan. Where was this filmed? TWOrantula^TM (enter the web) 21:39, 1 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Looking at screenshots posted online, I see St. Brendan Church in many of them. It is at 310 South Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Does that look correct to you? 75.136.148.8 (talk) 16:16, 2 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Yep! That's the one. I even looked up the Wikipedia page for it. TWOrantula^TM (enter the web) 01:09, 3 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

At that address in San Francisco, Google Maps shows a car-repair place. But at the same street address in Los Angeles is St. Brendan Catholic Church, Los Angeles. That would be the one. I believe that Monk, like many TV shows, often filmed scenes in Los Angeles although it was set elsewhere, in this case San Francisco. --142.112.220.50 (talk) 22:04, 3 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

May 2[edit]

Witch of the Phantom[edit]

Hello! I wonder if anyone can identify a particular figure of the classic Phantom cartoon. I remember having a copy of the Phantom once were the Phantom became involved in a witch trial: a woman was being persecuted for sorcery as a witch, and falsely accused of eating children. This album would have been from the 1980s or 1990s: the strips were still black-and-white. I expect it would have been an adventure of the 3th-5th Phantom, considering the time period. I lost that album as a child and have tried to find it, but I don't know which number it was and what the episode was called. Can anyone help? Thanks!--92.35.238.97 (talk) 23:57, 2 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Perhaps you can find something helpful at [1]. Gråbergs Gråa Sång (talk) 17:39, 7 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

May 8[edit]

Onion alliance[edit]

Does anyone know the origin of the phrase "onion alliance"? This is a phrase I associate with Survivor but the phrase may have been used on a different social strategy game before? I know that early seasons of Survivor has "onion alliances" but were called "sub alliance" and "core alliance" instead. (78.19.40.32 (talk) 18:53, 8 May 2024 (UTC))[reply]

Here's one theory:[2] ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 03:41, 9 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

May 9[edit]

Thoroughbreds[edit]

Why did their races get shorter over time and why are turf (grass) tracks more important in Europe while in the US the grass track(s) are inside the main outer one made of soil or sometimes artificial substance (not fake grass)? The US Triple Crown races and flagship race of the Breeders Cup are on dirt so if it rains before and during the race the soil could become mud. And why are US races shorter than European (though England has 5-6 furlong races too, but the marathon at the Breeders Cup (the North American "horse Olympics") was 12 furlongs then 14 then cancelled for standard of competition never reaching the other races, our Triple Crown is 10, 9.5 and a "horse crippling" 12 furlongs (cause our horses are bred faster and less enduring), while Brits have a Triple Crown race of 14.6 furlongs and Group 1 races up to 20 furlongs while we don't have any grade 1, 2, or 3 races above 16 furlongs (there are almost 100 grade 1 races in North America – none over 12 furlongs). Also England's 21.65f Queen Alexandra Stakes was the longest pro flat race on Earth before being usurped by Australia's current longest (22.87 furlongs). Australia's most famous race is 15.91 furlongs.Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 23:36, 9 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]

May 10[edit]