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Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board and Lefou, After reading Board Question #53917, I got pretty excited about Hobbes' idea of The Count of Monte Cristo until I remembered there is further description of the book earlier in the movie. In the bookshop, Belle says the book is her favorite because of the "daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!" I will grant you your "prince" in disguise, and certainly swordfights, but as I recall, there are no magic spells in The Count of Monte Cristo. Trickery and cleverness, yes; spells, no. Which is disappointing, because I really liked that idea! This question intrigued me, because I'm a huge fan of Belle (seeing as I look like her; we have very, VERY similar personalities, etc.) and because it's Monday and I don't feel like working yet, so I decided to do some further research. Finally, I ended my search at IMDb, where according to some IMDb-er, the book she is reading is, in fact, Beauty and the Beast. That seems a bit sci-fi-ish, but you have to admit that the story does have many of those elements. Further, someone suggested that you should look at the picture in the book she is reading because the castle in the background looks like the Beast's castle, and the girl looks like Belle, and the prince looks like the prince. Here is a handy dandy screen cap: http://images1.fanpop.com/imag... I think the picture itself is a stretch (the castle works, but the people...), but there is actual text on the next page! If I spoke French, I would totally read what it says and find out what's going on between Prince Charming and Adelaide, but I don't. Any French speakers want to clue us in on what it says and perhaps solve this mystery once and for all? (I'm guessing the story on the other page was made up by some Disney animator, but it would be interesting nonetheless.) - Belle and I have the same shaped eyes, although mine are proportional to my face
ADear good for you, After exhaustive searching, and much collaboration with the other writers, none of whom could provide a definitive answer either, here's what I think: we have no idea. And what's more, I'm not sure anyone does. None of us were able to decipher anything from your screenshot or our own viewing, and the references in the accompanying song are just vague enough to make it really quite impossible for anything but conjecture. Just so you know, I have looked everywhere I could think of, including Disney trivia books (apparently no one else cared enough about this little detail to include it); called Disney Studios; and even Facebook stalked several Linda Woolvertons (she wrote the screenplay). The lady I talked to at Disney Studios said the book was Jack and the Beanstalk, but I realized later she must have thought I meant the book Belle returns to the bookshop, not the one she sings about (duh, lady! We all know that's what Belle's singing about before Marie gets ordered to hurry up with the baguettes). The studio lady referenced a book by Leonard Maltin as her source; I checked the one called The Disney Films (2000 edition), but it made no mention of Belle's book. All that to say, I've personally always thought (and several other writers agreed) that the book was actually Belle's own story. Her only descriptions of the book are:
and
So, the only elements we have to go off are far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise, and that said prince is actually Prince Charming. That's practically every fairytale ever, isn't it? It certainly covers more than one. From your screenshot, our only clue is "Le Prince Charmant," or "Prince Charming" as the caption under the picture. As you can see here, Prince Charming is really just a standard fairytale figure, and doesn't belong to any one story. Belle reading about her own story, a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, would create some dramatic irony, though, and makes the story all the more romantic. The only detail that isn't reconciled is the fact that she discovers him in chapter three. As Dr. Smeed pointed out, though, they could be three really long chapters. Claudio suggested that perhaps because Belle is a woman, she mixed up "acts" with "chapters." He did also point out that "three" rhymes with "see," and that the chapters are probably useless details that just fit within the song lyrics--which is what I think also. Anyway, none of us apparently speak French, but even if we did, that picture just isn't clear enough to decipher what the letters are. Otherwise we could have plugged it into an online translator and at least gotten a ballpark idea of what it's talking about. Like you mentioned, though, I doubt it actually says anything. At most, it's probably some hidden message from one of the animators, or some generic "Once upon a time" story. In the meantime, I discovered that we have some resident closet Disney fans, who may just be even more hardcore than I thought I was! -Miss Scarlett ADear shaped eyes, Just to make you feel a little better, I had my husband, who is fluent in French, take a nice, long look at the picture in the link you provided. While he could pick out a few real French words (e.g., "je suis"), he said most of it looked like it was trying to be French but didn't actually mean anything (i.e., nonsensical bologna). It seems like the page that is actually shown was purposefully depicted as being blurry because it's not an actual real book that exists in our world, only Belle's. So sorry to disappoint. -Sky Bones Back to top QSorry to dump this all on you but I have a lot I need to get out. I've got a lot on my plate right now and I need to talk it out. I'm struggling right now over some very sad news that has hit me the past few weeks or so. Let me start with the oldest and work my way to the present: I had a MAJOR falling out with my parents about 3 years ago, and it resulted in my request to not speak to each other for a while. They kept trying to violate that request several times and in several ways. On the advice of my therapist, I sent them a long letter to get all my anger, hurt, and frustrations out so I could move on. This was in March. In August, I received a short letter from my father basically telling me off (how I never said thank you ever (I did profusely for everything) and how my wife was always disrespectful to them (she couldn't be disrespectful to anyone even if she wanted to - she's not that way). That stems from the fact they don't like her and want to drive us apart basically. She's not the person they wanted me to marry (they wanted me to marry the girl I dated before my wife). My dad was baptized in '73 when I was 5 months old, 3 months after my twin brother died. He never got the Priesthood and would never tell me why,(but in '73 it was because he didn't want to "rush" it). My dad was an honorable man and would have been worthy. I tried asking my mom what his hang up was and was told it wasn't my business. He promised me in a letter he gave me the day I went into the MTC that if he could find peace with himself and were worthy, he wanted me to ordain him to the priesthood. He also wanted me to give him the discussions ((just to hear me teach). Fast forward 2 years. I was getting ready to come home and he didn't want that because someone who was with the missionaries told him not paying tithing is in effect stealing from God (probably just used Malachi 3, which is in the discussions, and says we rob God by not paying). He never got the Priesthood, refused our offer of a ring ceremony after our wedding (then said we told HIM no, and in this recent letter, he said he has now decided to have his name removed from Church records because, "he cannot and will not be part of a church that worships 'Joe Smith' or any other man" and he said he had me to thank for that. Question: I pleaded with him for years to come to Church (as a kid) asked him to go on father-son outings (he did once, when I was in Cub Scouts, and only cause it was for Scouts), and bared my soul to him 2 years after we were married by the guidance of the Spirit, so how could I have helped him make his decision? Is his blood going to be on my soul at judgment day? 2. I have some very dear friends that have made choices to lead lifestyles in opposition to the Church's teachings, lose their faith in the Church, or get divorced (and I found all this out in the last 2 weeks) A few of them I served with on my mission -- 2 companions, and the couple that is divorced I have known since I was a little boy (they were sealed in the Temple). I shall always consider them all my friends for I am bound to them with strong ties that even God cannot break for they are my friends forever. I know we all have our agency, but my soul still weeps for them. How can I overcome all of this sadness that I feel? My wife has suggested have a one-on-one talk to my Heavenly Father, and I know how to pray, but how can I totally and completely unburden my heart to Him? How can I talk to him as a son to a Father? (sorry this is so long) - Anonymous
ADear Anonymous, Believe me, I understand that this is a very difficult time in your life, but you must somehow find a way to stay strong and truly believe that Heavenly Father understands our emotions and knows exactly what we are going through. If you let yourself fall into deep despair, it will only bring you greater pain and make it further worsen such a dire situation. Use the Holy Ghost to find peace and comfort in this trying time. Have faith that the Lord is omniscient and he will never give us more than we can handle. Please, do not feel guilty about your father's decisions. He has his free agency. He might be able to fool himself and blame his frustrations on others, but Heavenly Father knows the truth. He knows that you have done the best you can to help your father. The rest is in the Lord's hands. Just continue to love your father and respect his decisions. You are very lucky to have an honorable man as your father, even if he might not always make the best choices. Your father might just need some time to think things over and sort out his priorities on his own. If so, then give him his space and please don't try to force the gospel on him. Often, when it comes to those that are inactive, it has the opposite affect of what we intend. As for your friends, remember that the Lord does not love them any less because of the decisions they have made, and neither should you. It is natural for you to feel saddened by their choices, but I think it would be best if you didn't discuss such things with them. Let your actions and your example speak for themselves. It sounds like your friends don't need a missionary right now, they just need you to be their accepting and loving friend. And please, please don't fall into the trap of thinking that you're lowering your standards by being accepting of your friends. Try to be Christ-like in your approach. I want you to know that I can truly relate to how you are feeling. Several years ago I was utterly devastated when my parents divorced and I found myself attending church alone. I was angry at my family and felt such incredible sorrow at first. But over the years, I have felt like my understanding of the gospel has blossomed and I've been able to apply it to my life in a way that has brought me such incredible peace and joy. I could have easily let myself wallow in despair, but instead I chose to turn my situation into a deeper understanding of the atonement and the plan of salvation. The gospel is such a beautiful thing. Take this opportunity to nourish a greater understanding of it and become more Christ-like. Follow your wife's advice and bare your soul to Heavenly Father. Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and lose yourself in prayer and meditation. He understands exactly what you are going through. He knows how to comfort and help you. Remember that your friends' and father's choices are not your burden to bear. My favorite hymn is #124, "Be Still, My Soul." I often listen to it and/or sing it when I'm feeling very sad. It has really helped me to find peace, and maybe it could do the same for you. -Sky Bones ADear Anonymous, I think Sky Bones' advice is good advice. I just wanted to drop in and say that I've thought of you often since answering your question earlier this year. I had hoped that the situation had turned out better, but I wanted to congratulate you on writing and sending your letter. I understand how agonizing that was. And you know, you seem like a really good person, and you will overcome this. Do your best to be charitable and patient, but never forget that everyone has their agency, and you have not caused or "allowed" any of this to happen. No matter what others accuse you of, it was not your actions that led to all of this. - The Black Sheep Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, What is your take on airport scanners which can see you naked? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/... They're on trial in England and in the US, according to the article - BobJoe at Heathrow
ADear BobJoe, Let me tell you a little story about airline security. El Al airlines is headquartered in Israel. Due to the tensions between Israel and the surrounding Arab nations, El Al became a target of terrorist activity during the late 1960's and forward. After a handful of hijackings and other incidents El Al implemented the most effective airline security program in the world. With this program they effectively ended airline incidents in the mid-1980's. Their security focuses on racial profiling and questioning all passengers before they board a flight. As recently as July 3, 2007 it's been reported in anecdotal form that they do not require passengers to remove shoes or throw away water bottles (as the U.S. security focuses on). So, what was the result of the world's most effective airline security being implemented in the mid-1980's? Israel suffered its first suicide attack on July 6, 1989 when a man attacked a bus, killing 16 civilians. So now you can fly El Al airlines without fear, but you can't go to the marketplace to buy food. This brings me to my point. I think pretty much everyone can agree that if someone is intent on carrying out a suicide attack they're going to do it regardless of being able to board an airline or not. Israeli airlines are now safe but their streets aren't. Clearly the security of El Al airlines is the best in the world—attacks are still being carried out, but they no longer successfully attack El Al airlines. There is no analogous situation in the U.S. By all evidence, U.S. airport security is as effective as my can of tiger repellent that I'm willing to sell to anyone that believes otherwise. If U.S. airport security were so effective as to deter anyone from attempting to carry out an attack on an airline, then you can be darn sure that same person would be out blowing up a bridge, or a train, or a bus, or a school, or a grocery store, or a power distribution sub-station, or any of a million other completely vulnerable targets that would cause just as much fear in and over-reaction by the American people and government. Since nothing of the sort has happened we can quite safely say that it is more likely because no one is trying than because security is so good. So, what do I think of the new millimeter wave scanners? I think they're an incredible and completely unnecessary invasion of personal privacy and waste of money. A system that results in what is effectively a nude image of every person passing through the airport is completely unnecessary. The promise that the images obtained from them won't be abused is laughable. The most worrying thing to me is that people don't seem to be outraged at this idea. Would you be comfortable with these images being taken of yourself? your wife? your daughter? Do you feel safer knowing that some random person is scrutinizing an image of what amounts to your daughter's nude body? And for what purpose? To put an end to the zero attacks that have happened on U.S. soil since 2001? If the current security is effective (that is, if you're going to argue that the current security is responsible for the 0 incident rate over the last 8 years) then what need is there to increase it to an even more intrusive, civil-rights-violating level? -Curious Physics Minor ADear BobJoe, I completely agree with CPM. I'm not arguing that they wouldn't be effective at doing what they were designed to do: revealing everything underneath your clothes, including you. But not only is this an amazingly limited security measure, more importantly, the invasion of personal privacy involved goes far beyond the inconvenience of a patdown or of taking off your shoes. I especially liked this quote from the BBC article you mentioned, from Sarah Barrett, head of customer experience at Manchester Airport:
I agree with you 100%, Sarah. Airport security, like all security, is going to have vulnerabilities. But it makes no sense for us to be spending billions of dollars for technology that will only catch something a stupid terrorist would do, not make us any safer than we already are and in the process make an untracked, undocumented naked image of every adult and child airplane passenger. This is a very, very good article about airport security and what two very determined critics of the TSA were able to get on board a plane (even though they took off their shoes). - Rating Pending (who likes the phrase "security theater") ADear Bobjoe, All I'll say is that I, for one, have never been more excited to take a trip to Europe. Whoo! -Commander Keen Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I have a website that I'd like to move to another domain name, but the domain name I want is owned by this company. (It's not one of the sites listed under "Our Websites," but it's along those same lines.) My brother, who knows more about the interwebs than I do, suggested contacting the webmaster to see about buying the domain from them. My question, then, is what's the correct etiquette for doing this? I'm thinking I want to downplay the potential value of the domain so they won't ask for too much money. Or is there some more arbitrary way of determining how much a domain name is worth? Alternately, the registration of the name expires next summer — what are the ethics of trying to snatch the name if they don't renew it? - Katya
ADear Katya, To find the proper contact information you can use the WHOIS system. If you Google "whois" you can find several websites that will let you query for the contact information of the people who run the website. You'll want to get in touch with the administrative contact, not the technical contact. Your best bet is to approach them in a professional, but nonchalant manner. Send them an email explaining who you are and that you're interested in obtaining the specific domain name. Be sure to suggest that you're considering several possible domain names so as to give them the impression that if you can't get it for cheap you'll just get a different one. The only real way to determine the value of a domain name is to see how much someone is willing to pay for it. Attempting to snipe the name when the registration expires is not likely to work very well (and is a rather jerk thing to do). To curb the domain sniping problem ICANN has implemented "the Redemption Grace Period (RGP), which allows registrants 30 days to reclaim their domain name." (Wikipedia) -Curious Physics Minor Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, My boss recently was gifted a pocket watch and leather pouch for his birthday. What is the correct way to wear the watch & pouch? As in, where exactly should the chain be clipped to his pants (first belt loop? second?) and where should the pouch (carrying the watch) be clipped to his pants (in front of the chain? behind? how far away?)? -best assistant EVER
ADear Bae, Ooh, ooh! I'll field this one! The best way to wear a pocket watch is to push the t-bar at the end of the chain through the middle button of a vest or waistcoat, with the watch itself to be kept in the waistcoat pocket like so. If he insists on wearing a pocket watch with jeans (which as an Esquire subscriber I would never, ever do so I am unqualified to advise how) this ought to tell you what to tell him. Dr. Smeed Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, How long should I expect to be in terrible pain and anguish after breaking off a relationship of 9 months? -Worst night ever.
ADear Worst, 3 months. In my former life as a single person I found it always took very close to 1/3 the length of the relationship for me to be done with it. -Curious Physics Minor ADear Worst night ever., You'll be okay. Go to the temple often, be sure to focus on spiritual things and the eternal perspective, and recognize that things will work out according to the Lord's will. Keeping that perspective will help immensely in easing that pain. While I don't have a general rule for myself, I've found that it doesn't take me very long at all to get over people. Why that is, I'm not entirely sure. Other suggestions are to try to stay as socially involved as possible, invest your time and talents in other things (no better time to pick up that instrument you've been wanting to learn how to play!), and serve others. The last one makes you feel LOADS better, no matter the problem. Things will look up soon, as much as you may not feel that way right now. -Commander Keen ADear WNE, It'll be longer if you wallow and mope for too long. By all means, take time to deal with your perfectly natural negative feelings about what happened. Just make sure that you keep moving forward with your life and build yourself back up. ~Hermia ADear miserable, I'm so, so sorry. Stay around people you know and trust, and don't do anything stupid like rebound. Music helps. Might I be so bold as to suggest a few playlists we've made here on the Board? The ones I've contributed to can be found at Board Question #40586, Board Question #42504, Board Question #48109, Board Question #52973, and Board Question #53701. Be strong, but know it'll take time. -Cognoscente ADear Worst night ever., I don't know if it's the same for you, but I've found that when I make clean breaks until the pain is over, it takes a much shorter amount of time than if I try the "let's be friends" thing too soon. I'm so sorry you're in this situation, and I wish you the best of luck in overcoming it. It's trite, but I'm going to say it anyway: remember that it will get better eventually. - The Black Sheep Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I live in west Orem near UVU. To get to work each day, I have to drive east from my home up 400 South which is a a rather large hill. I'm terrified that in winter, I won't be able to make it up that hill. Or that on my way home, I'll slide all the way down and won't be able to stop at the light at 1200 West. So I've been thinking about getting snow tires. Are they worth it here in Utah? Would they help me get up and down that hill more safely? - already stressed
ADear already stressed I've driven that hill hundreds (possibly thousands) of times in all weather, and you won't need snow tires. I've never known anyone that needed snow tires in Utah Valley. -Humble Master Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, This is a kind of awkward question, but I'll try to keep it as appropriate as possible. I've been married for 3.5 years...very happily married. My husband and I are best friends and we do everything together and spend lots of time together. We always have fun, even if what we're doing isn't that exciting. He is one of the most generous and kind people I know. We don't fight very often at all, and the only thing that causes any kind of problems is our sex life. It seems like ever since we got married, my libido dropped to zero. Before we got married, just like almost every other engaged person at BYU, it was all I could think about. Now, it's like I don't really feel the need for intimacy any more and I'm fine without it. I enjoy it when it happens, but I don't ever think about it or initiate it myself. To his credit, he is super patient and never would force me into anything if I didn't feel like it. But, I know it makes him kind of sad that our frequency is lacking...like maybe once or twice a month. He thinks it's because either I don't find him attractive (not true) or that we are too much into "friend zone" or something. I don't really know what it is. It's not birth control...I went off of that a couple of years ago. It makes me sad because I know that a. guys have needs in a marriage that are different from women, and b. intimacy is an important part of a marriage relationship. I am just never really in the mood and it's gotten to the point where (without thinking) I kind of jerk away if I think he is doing anything other than a peck on the lips, because I know what could be coming. I just don't get it, and I really do wish that I had more to give in this particular area. I guess my question is wondering if any other married people on the Board have experienced something like this, and if anyone has any suggestions. I've thought about just like scheduling it more frequently and making myself do it in hopes that eventually it would spark my interest, but my husband says he doesn't want me to force something I don't want to do. Additionally, we aren't at BYU anymore so unless I go find a counselor out here, the free student counseling isn't an option. thanks for your help... -needs help
ADear needs help, Hm, I'll give you some suggestions, but I'm sure you already know that ultimately this comes down to you and your husband. You're absolutely right that intimacy is a very important part of marriage. Though, I think the lack of intimacy post-newlyweds is a much more common problem than you might think, particularly among LDS couples. Yes, it's very exciting being engaged and all you can think about is the cuddling and snuggling to come, but it becomes rather trite fairly quickly, doesn't it? It's really no big secret that adultery is a very common transgression these days. There are many reasons why, one of the most common being waning interest. Now, please don't get me wrong, I'm sure that's not at all what you or your husband have in mind. All I'm saying is there are plenty of ways that you can rekindle the fire, so to speak. Lingerie isn't just for the honeymoon or the following anniversaries. Have you ever tried putting some on a few minutes before your husband comes home from work? Ask him to get you a gift card to Victoria's Secret for your birthday. You should try some of their pillow mists. They're amazing. Light some candles and take a scented bath first. Seriously, it will really help you to feel more in the mood if you make yourself feel really sexy first. Sex doesn't just have to be a ritual thing before the lights go out at night. And for heaven's sake please don't try to schedule it. It really can be a lot more exciting than that. You mentioned you aren't on birth control anymore, but you didn't mention whether or not you have any children. So I'll just keep this short and say that having a baby naturally changes the way a married couple physically interacts. There are a lot of hormone changes that go with pregnancy and birth. You just need to give yourself some time for your body to readjust and figure things out again. And again, don't forget the power of making yourself feel sexy. That can really go a long way. It sounds like you and your husband have a fantastic relationship and that you are very compatible. Intimacy is a great way for a couple to further strengthen their marriage. Remember, you aren't just allowed to be intimate once you're married, you're supposed to be. It's what allows married couples to feel so close to each other. I'm confident you will be happier if you can become better at taking the initiative and finding a way to reconnect with your husband on such an intimate level, rather than feeling obligated to him. Please don't feel shy about praying about this if you feel like you need to. You've recognized a minor problem before it has become a major issue, which is a great start. You may wish to further talk to your husband about this first, but it might also be better if you just start making some changes on your own and see how he reacts. I'm sure you would be a much better judge of that than I could ever be. You are a woman. Be proud. Be sexy. -Sky Bones Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, From 1989 to 1992, Communism was being overthrown in Eastern Europe, Africa, and other minor Communist nations. Why did China not follow suit after the Tian An Men protests, which were crushed instead of encouraging a national uprising? Imperialist Capitalist Lackey
ADear Imperialist Capitalist Lackey, Because China was and still is an independently driven country, unaccustomed to merely following suit. Unlike "other countries" which weakly gave into the ideas of democratically minded fools, the Chinese people were aware that their government would protect them, and in order for that protection to continue there had to be peace. That is why! Open your mind. (Since I'm in the PRC right now, I don't want the nice men and women who watch the internet to think anything strange is going on.) But seriously, if you want to understand why modern Chinese history has unfolded the way it has, you need to open your mind. Anyone living in a communist country will see the politics and standard of life differently than someone from a democratic country. But, you are not asking about China and its politics in general, so let me give you an answer. There are two things you should know: (1) by the time the Tiananmen Square protests happened China was not as communist as most people think; (2) the impact of the Tiananmen Square protests was not as big to the Chinese as foreigners interpreted them. As you know, Mao Zedong was the first Chairman of the PRC, and he was the leader of the Communist Party from 1943 until 1975. Under his leadership was the Great Leap Forward, an economic plan meant to bring China's technologies up to speed with the Western world. However, it did not quite change China into a stronger, more up-to-date nation; actually its implementation caused the deaths of millions of Chinese people over many years. So, it was not exactly the "great" leap Mao and the Communists were hoping for. By trying to control every aspect of their peoples' lives they ended up destroying them. Because of the incredible failure of this plan the government began to change its restrictions on the market and economy. The biggest change was that farmers, the group of people most affected by the Great Leap Forward, were given more freedom in what they grew and what they sold, rather than everything being decided by the government. Unlike the Soviet Union, where such changes were implemented by the government, these started at the bottom. There were movements by individual villages to give farmers more freedom. Once national leaders saw that this was having a positive impact on the economy and living standards of the common people improved, such changes were put into place throughout the country. By 1980 a different leader was in power, Deng Xiaoping. At this time Hong Kong was still considered part of the British Empire, however the ninety-nine year contract between the British and the Chinese government was almost finished, and soon Hong Kong would be part of China again. Hong Kong had grown and surpassed mainland China in terms of technological and economic growth during its time under British rule; while mainland China was suffering, Hong Kong was flourishing. During this time Britain's Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, visited with Deng Xiaoping to discuss Hong Kong's unique situation. The fact that Hong Kong was doing so well with a free-market economy came up. Not long after these talks with Thatcher, Deng Xiaoping and the leaders at that time instituted Special Economic Zones (SEZs). These were areas, literally desolate little run-down villages, that were set aside and artificially built up with factories and businesses. The most successful and most famous of these is Shenzhan, a city of more than ten million people which started out as a small, virtually unknown village in the 80s. All of this background information and historical context is to point out that by the late 80s and early 90s China had already forgone a purely "communist" perspective towards the economy. Mao's ideas about communism were vastly different from Deng's. While in places such as the Soviet Union the middle class was not well represented and poor people had no opportunity to become part of the middle class, in China there was a constantly growing middle-class population. Now, the protests at Tiananmen Square were no doubt significant. As I pointed out, by 1989 China had more free economic policies and relatively more liberal politics. Yet many students and intellectuals believed that there were still many reforms that needed to take place, especially within the political system. In 1989 the former Secretary General of the CPC (Communist Party of China), Hu Yaobang, died suddenly. He had tried to change many aspects of the CPC, including calling for reforms on every front. He had not been very popular among the CPC, unsurprisingly, and his ideas about reform were shot down. His death was the perfect reason for supporters of his ideas to gather, mourn his death, and protest the current government policies. The people mourned for a few days, and then this escalated into protests. The police tried to disperse the protests, and then the horror stories we hear today began. But among the Chinese people, these protests were not something huge and new; there had been protests before in Tiananmen Square with the same amount of backlash. But this time there were a lot of foreign journalists present to document the entire thing. It did not help China's image that soon after the protests it closed its doors to foreign journalists for quite a few years. This gave the journalists who were there more reason to write about what happened, because suddenly there was no other news to write about. They could speculate, build up, and tell the world about the one huge protest that happened and its immediate aftermath. I am not trying to diminish the protests. They were powerful to the people involved; however, in an international setting they were misconstrued as much bigger and more influential than they really were. It was not an uprising to be suppressed, it was a protest to be listened to. But the government ignored it, and that was the end of it. It was also not able to escalate into anything bigger because immediately afterwards the Chinese government came down heavily on broadcast media within the nation and arrested many notable protesters. This is not even to mention the huge amount of censorship the Chinese government has implemented since then to cover up what happened at the protests and why. All these factors are part of why the Tiananmen Square protests did not have the same effect as revolts and protests in other communist nations at the same time. Honestly, the Chinese haven't really tried to revolt against their government on a big scale. My Chinese history professor said it is only a matter of time until something like that does happen. China's government implemented more capitalistic economic policies so people would have an outlet for their thinking other than revolt; so far it has worked, but it cannot work forever in a world that is depending more and more upon the free exchange of ideas and information. The Tiananmen Square protests were not the catalyst for the Chinese people to change the way things are done in China, that catalyst is yet to come. As it stands right now, the lives of the Chinese people in general are not in such a poor state that enough people feel a need to have a violent uprising. Keep watching English CCTV, and when we finally see what does change China's status quo we will see how it is different and more effective than the events that went down at Tiananmen Square in 1989. -Mico Back to top QDear 4354.56 microfortnight Board, How do you guys feel about the restriction on running for president against nationalized citizens? Considering the residency requirement already present, is this an alright restriction to have? Is it acceptable, was it once acceptable and is now outdated, should it be eliminated, etc. ? - RoseTeak
ADear RoseTeak, As the daughter of someone who was a Canadian citizen until just after his mission though he only actually lived in Canada until he was two, I've always thought this was a silly rule. My father the judge is an incredibly intelligent, very patriotic person, and though he's never had presidential aspirations, the idea that he couldn't ever be president because of a couple years that he can't even remember that he spent less than 50 miles north of the border in ultra-sketchy Raymond, Alberta just strikes me as absurd. The idea is outdated at best. Require that the person be a citizen and resident of the states for a certain amount of time, sure, but after that let them run if they want to. - The Black Sheep Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I'm 18 and I still have mamelons on my teeth. They're so annoying! Do you think I should look into getting them filed down? I probably sound really vain. - Ty
ADear Ty, I'm 24 and I have them on one of my bottom teeth (either that or it is chipped...) but I know for sure I had them on my teeth until I went on my mission. My dentist said it is more and more common with Western society because of all the refined food we eat. It is not as tough or abrasive, so it doesn't wear down our teeth as much. On an interesting side note, according to my dentist, the reason wisdom teeth are such a problem is our jaws have shrunk over the millennia because the food we eat is softer and doesn't require much grinding. Do you know what this means? You should eat tougher food and you won't look so much like a three-year-old. Dr. Smeed ADear Ty, I eat a bowl of bark every morning along with some in-the-shell walnuts. It's done wonders for me! I dunno, man! If you wanna do it, do it. If you're just looking for one of us to justify your decision, then I'll say, "Yeah, Ty! That's the best idea since the waffle iron!" If not, then do what you think is best. There's a fine line between vanity and self-improvement. If you have money, want to do it, and your dentist/orthodontist/whoever backs it, then why not? -Commander Keen P.S. - I don't count as your dentist/orthodontist/whoever. Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Do the lyrics of Chop Suey mock the atonement? -Not sure, but the tune sure is catchy
ADear not sure, Yes, they do, and not in a thoughtful, introspective way. It's mean-spirited and blasphemous. I hate that song. -Cognoscente ADear Cognoscente, THANK YOU FOR BACKING ME UP. Those lyrics are so simple, but so devilish, sure the tune is catchy but how can you ignore those lyrics? I usually don't judge people by the music they listen to, but when a person tells me how much they love this song I just tune them out. Nothing they have to say has legitimacy after that is revealed. Dr. Smeed ADear Not Sure, You know, I'm not entirely sure either, but I am inclined to say that the tone is not a mocking one. The band has stated that the song, generally, is about how people look at someone not based on how they lived, necessarily, but how they die. They largely use the life of a drug addict to illustrate this, which isn't really hard to see. The first verse is tense and nervous (and it can't relax--yay for the Talking Heads!), like someone who really needs a fix. They're getting in fights, they're forgetting where they put things...it's not a great life. Regarding angels deserving to die, co-writer Daron Malakian said, "Like, if I were now to die from a drug abuse, they might say I deserved it because I abused dangerous drugs. Hence the line, 'I cry when angels deserve to die.'" In other words, many people who die from drugs are not bad people; they just made some bad choices and died in a horrible and notable way. The quotation of Christ's sayings on the cross, then, is a direct contrast to that. It is the prime example of someone who died in a really notable way and is remembered for that. It's not a perfect comparison (obviously no one is going to say that Christ lived a bad life and just died in an extraordinary way), but it is generally a good contrast. Further, the idea of a drug addict contemplating the end of his life resonates greatly with the idea of feeling forsaken by God. After all, many people turn to drugs because they feel like nothing is left, like they have been forgotten and left behind by anyone and anything that matters. In that light, the idea of turning one's soul over to God and seeking him in the most desperate of manners is not blasphemous, but affecting. Now, this isn't to say this is reverent or appropriate use of the words of Christ. I don't think these lyrics are extremely respectful. But neither do I think that it is blasphemous or mocking. Also, the idea of a "self-righteous suicide" should be discussed here. Many times suicide is just the most dramatic call for attention; the protagonist of the song, then, may be viewing himself in some higher cause, or as some form of martyr in his death, making his death a self-righteous suicide. Some people interpret the idea of the self-righteous suicide as a view of Christ's death. While in the most clearly denoted of terms this may seem to fit the lyrics (self-righteous: confident of one's own righteousness - certainly fitting for the perfect man; also, "I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself"). I don't see a real connection between the lyrics regarding the drug-addled suicide and the crucifixion of Christ, except for their mention in the same song. Again, I don't see this song as very disrespectful or blasphemous. Heck, let's look outside this song to another from the same album, "Science," which features the lyrics:
System of a Down hates a lot of things, but I am fairly sure that belief isn't one of them. Even though co-writer Serj Tankian has expressed his belief in the falsehood of modern organized religion, I get the vibe that they at least respect the spiritual elements of humanity, and the different ways those can be expressed. That kind of respect doesn't seem to mesh with the idea of mocking something that so many accept as so holy. So, hey, that's my two cents on the matter. For what it's worth, Toxicity is an amazing album, and this song is one of its highlights. I guess Dr. Smeed will be ignoring everything I have to say from this point on! -Claudio ADear Claudio, Nah nah nah nah! I can't hear you! I can't hear you!!! Dr. Smeed Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I was almost mad when Adam Lambert didn't win American Idol. However, I have come to a realization that it's pretty good he didn't win because winners of AI have to give a certain percentage of their earnings back to the show. How much percentage are the winners required to give back? And how long after they win will they keep having to give back to AI for? Cry Baby!
ADear Cry Baby!, As I was researching how the American Idol winners' contracts worked I came across a lot of annoyed fans and journalists alike claiming, "AI keeps all of this stuff so secretive!" It seems that they really do. However, this is what we know. When a person wins American Idol they are signed up with 19 Management, a recording company headed by Simon Fuller. The contract says they must give fifty percent of their earnings to the company and American Idol for up to five years. Assuming of course that the winner doesn't pull a Kelly Clarkson and manage to get out of the contract. That is quite a lot, but keep in mind that the winner will get tours and deals with American Idol, not to mention that the winner automatically is signed onto promotional deals with companies such as Ford and Proactiv. Anyway, not that I really want to make you sad, but you should know this. Adam Lambert was lucky, but in reality all of the top thirteen contestants on the show have an opportunity to be taken into American Idol's loving contract. It is part of the deal when they sign up - American Idol and 19M have first dibs on recording contracts with the contestants. Of course, usually no one but the winner gets that contract, but if 19M decides they want a contestant then the person in question has virtually no choice. This page on Adam Lambert's fan site lists some people who were signed with 19M, including winners, runners-up, and other contestants. It will probably be a couple years until we see who is ultimately doing better, Kris or Adam, but it does seem that American Idol likes to keep a pretty tight leash on its contestants. -Mico Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I'm just wondering how many titles of each movies are there in each redbox. -Snortney
ADear SNORTney, Hey! I was just reading this on Pali Research's website. What a co-inkeedink. There is no set number of videos they have. According to this website (to read this article for yourself you need to register; it's free and takes about two minutes),
WHABAM! Your answer and some trivia! Dr. Smeed Back to top QDear Mico, I just read this: "I have been keeping a record of all the books I read since I was sixteen (2006, not really that long ago)..." I've actually been doing the same thing, if only for the last year, so that got me kind of excited. Would you be willing to share your list? And do you seen any trends in your interests, amount of time spent reading, etc.? ~Ƥ. Ɗ. Kirĸe
ADear Ƥ. Ɗ. Kirĸe, I don't believe you thought of the implications of asking me such a question! You just asked me to do two of the very few things I am good at: sharing and analyzing. First, the list. It is organized by year (and I put my year in school, too, for reference), roughly in order of when they were read, and nearly all of the authors are included. I counted plays, too. Just for fun I will put an asterisk next to the exceptional ones. The list: 2006 (End of my sophomore year in high school/beginning of my junior year) *The Observations: Jane Harris The Symposium: Plato *The Foundation Trilogy: Isaac Asimov City of Saints and Madmen: Jeff Vendermeer *Prep: Curtis Sittenfeld Tales to Send Chills Down Your Spine: Alfred Hitchcock Ragtime: E.L. Doctrow A Season For Courage: compilation The Book of Joe: Jonathon Tropper *The Book of Lamen Myths of the Ancient Greeks: Richard P. Martin *Snow Falling on Cedars: David Guterson *Nightfall: Isaac Asimov & Robert Silverberg *The Age of Innocence: Edith Wharton *The Great Gatsby : F. Scott Fitzgerald The Grapes of Wrath: John Steinbeck The Scarlett Letter: Nathaniel Hawthorne Billy Budd: Hermann Melville *Ethan Frome: Edith Wharton Wuthering Heights: Emily Brontë *Turn of the Screw: Henry James *Death of a Salesman: Arthur Miller 2007 (End of junior year of high school/beginning of my senior year) *Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Beyond Perfection: Juli Caldwell & Erin McBride *The Greek Way: Edith Hamilton Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen *The Merchant of Venice: William Shakespeare *Wide As The Waters: Benson Bobrick *The Sun Also Rises: Ernest Hemingway *1776: David McCullough *Attila: John Man Anthology of Latin American Short Stories The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe: C.S. Lewis *This Side of Paradise: F. Scott Fitzgerald Harry Potter 7 : J.K. Rowling *A Wrinkle In Time: L'Engle *Witch Hunt: (this is an obscure book about the McCarthy era, it's not actually about witches) *Chinese Lessons: John Pomfret *Founding Brothers: Joseph Ellis A Very Short Intro to Astronomy *The Reivers: William Faulkner Their Eyes Were Watching God: Zora Neale Hurston *East of Eden: John Steinbeck Ceremony: Silko Invisible Man: Ralph Ellison *All the King's Men: Robert Penn Warren The Kite Runner: Khaled Hosseini *Man's Search for Meaning: Viktor Frankl *1984: George Orwell 2008 (End of my senior year of high school/first semester at BYU) *Brothers: Da Chen *The Articles of Faith: James E. Talmage *Brave New World: Aldous Huxley *Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling: Richard Lyman Bushman *King Leopold's Ghost: Adam Hoschchild *City of Truth: James Morrow *The Poisonwood Bible: Barbara Kingsolver *Hamlet: William Shakespeare *Heart of Darkness: Joseph Conrad *The Stranger: Albert Camus *The Metamorphosis: Franz Kafka A Doll House: Henrik Ibsen Dante's Inferno: Dante *Frankenstein: Mary Shelley Julius Caesar: (2nd time) William Shakespeare *One Hundred Years of Solitude: Gabriel Garcia Marquez The Merchant of Venice: (2nd time) William Shakespeare *Othello: William Shakespeare The Bitter Sea : Charles Li *Sunlight at Midnight: W. Bruce Lincoln *The Witch of Portobello: Paulo Coelho Learning in the Light of Faith: BYU compilation *Notes From Underground: Fyodor Dostoevsky *Science Fiction From China Anthology Dune: Frank Herbert Mormon Scientist: Henry J. Eyring *Water For Elephants: Sara Gruen *Crime And Punishment: Fyodor Dostoevsky *Prisoners of Power: Arkady & Boris Strugatsky *The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time: Mark Haddon A Scanner Darkly: Philip K. Dick 2009 (End of freshman year at BYU/until now!) East of Eden: (2nd Time) John Steinbeck *Family: Pa Chin *Brideshead Revisited: Evelyn Waugh *Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog): Jerome K. Jerome *Collected Novellas: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Let's see, trends...I tend to read more when I am lonely. I can see the times when I was in high school and feeling the worst (because high school was just awful all around) is when I did all my readings for classes plus extra. Also there are trends of what types of books interested me; for example the summer between my junior and senior year of high school I was into history books. I am kind of ashamed of my 2009 list (five? seriously, self?), but taking full class loads and accelerated Chinese during the Spring and Summer semesters was kind of intense. At least the grades I got were nothing to be ashamed of. Hopefully next year my reading will be at least double this year's! I think the best thing about keeping a list is that I have actually been able to remember the titles and authors of the novels I read. Before I would always be like, "Oh, I read this...book recently...there were some people, and they said something interesting. It was good." Now I whip out names and thoughts on passages like nobody's business. Alright, that is the end of my analyzation. I hope you enjoyed the list, and my weak-sauce explanations. I am way better at reading other people's thoughts than expressing my own. -Mico Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I once heard that if you apply to attend BYU, they check your seminary records for attendance and how see how many times you were tardy. Is this true, or this something my CES Coordinator or someone made up just so we all do our catch up lessons, even if we’re not planning to go to BYU… -LDS Camera Guy, who only really cares because he’s been doing the class rolls on and off for the past four years! (11 more early mornings and counting!)
ADear LDS Camera Guy, I literally only attended one full year of seminary during high school. That was my senior year. The other three years were on-and-off attendance, sometimes only going to see a certain boy, and other times because I just did not want to be at home. Overall I thought it was a waste of time, and too early to matter. My junior year I realized that if I wanted to go to BYU (which was, at that time, a vague far-away option) I would have to complete seminary on my own. I'm not trying to brag, but after looking at the Be Smart website, I realized seminary attendance was actually relevant.
Your CES coordinator did not just tell you to attend seminary for no reason. I mean, besides the whole "spiritually enriching" deal, BYU may take your seminary attendance into consideration. If you have average grades and a regular application, then the seminary report may affect your chances. If you think your application is on the edge, then you should consider adding a note to your application about your seminary attendance, or see if your CES coordinator can change your attendance records to reflect reality. For most people seminary records probably don't have a huge effect, but it has the potential to make a difference, and certainly wouldn't hurt. -Mico Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Why are the mythological Titans called the Titans? - Rhadamanthus
ADear Rhadamanthus, I think I have a new best-internet friend, the Online Etymology Dictionary. It and I have been talking a lot lately, and this is its latest information for you:
A lot of other sites would say "so and so was a Titan, or deity." Titans were not exactly considered deities, but they were definitely not mere mortals. In the information I just quoted (scroll up a little teeny bit) it says that Titan probably comes from the word tito, meaning "sun" or "day." The Titans were associated with different elements such as earth, sky, sun, etc., and so their names also were associated in that way. The general name of Titans just goes back to the older word for sun, so there you have it. Lots of etymology for a word that can now be used to describe just about anything really really big. -Mico ADear Mico, Or it can be used to describe a group of teenage superheroes. -Humble Master (who loves alliteration in team names) Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I was walking by a TV in the library and I overheard some sort of newscast saying that Coca-Cola is freaking out over their contract with BYU. Apparently, they aren't going to allow BYU to purchase solely non-caffeinated beverages anymore... Logically, caffeinated beverages will be sold on campus soon. Truth or rumour? - The Dude
AHeyyyy, Dude! Great TV show, just great. Anyhow, I happened to have a few minutes to spare between goings on, so I went to the library and plopped myself down into a chair, just waiting for something about Coke to pop up. Granted, I felt a little silly, seeing as I was the only one who was sitting there to actually watch the TV, but I persevered. As it turns out, the video that you saw was actually an April Fool's Day joke. The video was made by the folks from Jer3miah, as you hopefully picked up by the end of it. Also, I have to say, that was actually pretty funny. There's quite a bit of stuff going on in the background and some of the news ticker items are humorous, so give it a couple watches. "Soda and Gomorrah?" Awesome. -Commander Keen ADear CK, But I was SO excited... Dear The Dude, This question has been effectively answered, but I had already emailed BYU Dining Services, so I thought I would include the reply here.
My favorite part of that email? "They like us." Simple, but confident. ⋯Anomalous Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Is it just me or does Norah Jones' "I've Got to See You Again" sound an awful lot like a slow version of "I Wanna Be Like You" from Disney's "The Jungle Book"? -MC Hammer
ADear MC Hammer, I think it's just you. I just listened to both songs and in my opinion, I'm just not hearing it. While it's nothing definitive, looking at the guitar chords for both songs can be helpful. Both songs are written in minor keys ("I've Got to See You Again" in F minor, "I Wanna Be Like You" in A minor, at least according to the arrangements I found). But the chord changes is where it is really telling. "I've Got to See You Again" has this progression: (main verses) Fm --> C7 --> Fm (chorus) F ---> Bbm (B flat minor) --> C7 --> Fm. "I Wanna Be Like You" has this progression: (main verses) Am -->E7 -->Am -->E7 -->Am -->G (chorus) C -->A7 -->D7 -->G7 -->C -->A7 -->Dm7 -->G7 -->C -->A7 -->D7 -->G7 -->C So how is that helpful? Well, it shows that the main verses of "I've Got to See You Again" has a minor chord, up an interval, than back to the same chord. The chorus is major chord, down an interval, down another interval, and then back to land on the song's original minor chord. The main verses of "I Wanna Be Like You," on the other hand, has a similar pattern (minor chord, up an interval, although it's a different interval than "I've Got to See You Again"), but the chorus has a more complicated pattern of alternation from its dominant, major chord. - Rating Pending (who wishes his considerable Guitar Hero skills crossed over to real life guitar) Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Is it possible to cut off enough blood from your arm for long enough--just by sleeping on it--that it needs to be amputated? Miss Lovett
ADear Miss Lovett, "Anything is possible...at Zombocom!" Wow, I apologize. That came out of nowhere. I haven't thought about that site in years... Anyhow, this guy gives some details as to "sleeping" limbs and reasonable time limits before damage is done. (Warning: That article contains one nasty picture of a gangrene'd foot. Heebie jeebies.) Nerve damage can definitely result from sleeping on a limb too long, but the larger cause that would ultimately lead to amputation is wet gangrene (which can start after about four hours, according to that article). "The short answer: It’s not good to restrict blood flow for more than about an hour and a half; it’s very, very bad to restrict flow for more than four hours." If it's happening all the time, you may want to reevaluate your sleeping habits. If it's just an occasional thing, I wouldn't worry about it. -Commander Keen Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Why is it that some avocados are watery, even when they're ripe? —Tasteless in Provo
ADear Tasteless, Are you ready for the lamest-sounding true answer ever? Why are some avocados watery when they're ripe? Because they have more water in them. A watery avocado can happen when the fruit has been picked too soon without waiting for the fats to develop. Even when the avocado is soft to the touch, if it hasn't ripened on the tree it can still be watery. Another reason for watery avocados is genetic. The avocado that most of us are familiar with is the Hass variety. In the United States, these are mostly grown in California. Hass avocados have a creamy, buttery flavor and make really thick (and delicious!) guacamole or pesto. Other varieties of avocados, like the Lula, are more often found in Florida, and have a much higher water content than the traditional Hass. This might make them seem undesirably watery, but it also means they can have up to 50% less fat than other avocados. And in case reading this answer didn't make you crave an avocado (for example on a piece of buttered wheat toast with a liberal amount of salt on top . . . drool) then wrap your mind around the fact that there exists a variety of avocado that is called the Bacon avocado. Could there be a greater thing in this world? No. (Maybe love. Maybe.) - Rating Pending (who misses the avocado shakes from Brazil. drool) ADear Tasteless, This article is not completely relevant to your question, but perfectly relevant to the issue of how awesome ripe avocados can be. There is something hilarious about a woman from the early 1900s describing an avocado in this manner:
That is all. Enjoy learning from the California Avocado Association's Annual Report of 1918/1919, another organization I am so proud to know exists in my homeland*. -Mico *The U.S., that is, not California. Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I am considering applying to the Marriott School for a Management degree. I just bought a Macbook Pro this summer. I was looking at this page (http://marriottschool.byu.edu/management/laptop_requirements.cfm) for the laptop requirements, and am kind of confused.... It says "The Marriott School has standardized on the MS Windows and MS Office Professional platforms, and the special prices from Dell and IBM are for Windows-based computers. If you would like to purchase a non-Windows computer, please be advised that you will be in the minority, and it will be your responsibility to do what is necessary to make your files compatible with your groups." So, my question.....what is necessary to make my files compatible with my groups?? Running Windows on my Mac? I'm not a computer person and don't exactly know how one goes about that, but what is the process/cost of doing whatever I need to do? (also if anyone is in the Marriott school and has a mac, that would be helpful as well to know of your personal experience!!)Thanks! - MacGirl
ADear MacGirl, Making your files compatible with everyone else's is simple enough. First of all, make sure you have the Microsoft Office applications on your computer. They can be purchased from the BYU Bookstore, Best Buy, or wherever. The Microsoft Office Professional 2007 package could be up to five hundred dollars; however, from the site you referenced it seems you may be able to get a student discount. So, once it is installed, say you are saving a PowerPoint presentation. When you go the "save as" screen there is a place that says "Format." From that drop-down menu choose the "PowerPoint 97-2004 (.ppt)" option; that one is compatible with everyone else and will still work fine on your own computer. This doesn't just work with PowerPoint, though! It works for all the different applications in Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, Access, the whole shebang. When you save your files just make sure to choose the extension without an 'x' at the end (.ppt, .exl, etc.). Once everything is installed you really should have no problems using the Microsoft Office applications just as you would on a PC. Some of the toolbars may look a little different, but that is about the only thing to get used to. No worries, us Mac girls gotta stick together. -Mico Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Is it possible for the common public to buy a naked mole rat? How much would one cost? With love from Rodent Nudist
ADear Rodent Nudist, Unfortunately, naked mole rats aren't sold by reputable pet vendors (the occasional E-Bay listing not being "reputable" in my book), as they should not be kept as pets. According to the Smithsonian's Natural Zoological Park, Naked mole-rats cannot be kept as pets. They must live in large colonies, and they have fairly strict temperature and humidity requirements. They are high-maintenance animals and can live from ten to 30 years. Removing them from the wild in Africa is expensive, risky, and disruptive to the habitats of naked mole-rats and other animals.Sorry to burst your bubble. I'm frankly quite disappointed, too. And, I will now have that "Naked Mole Rat" song from Kim Possible stuck in my head for the remainder of the day (this should make conducting parent-teacher conferences super-fun). ~Hermia Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, The majority of paper towel dispensers adamantly request that you use both hands to take a paper towel; using only one hand usually causes the next towel not to dispense properly. Why won't it work properly with one hand? Are there dispensers that will reliably dispense towel after towel, even to one-handed users? If so, how can I petition to get all the finicky two-handed towel dispensers on campus changed to one-handed dispensers? - Sauron
ADear Sauron, It is people like you, sir, who reshape the world. I decided to embark on a minor experiment with the paper towel dispenser in one of BYU's restrooms. The instructions, as you said, explicitly command use of both hands. I, however, was a rebel with a cause. Grabbing the paper towel on either edge with one hand proved problematic. This, I think, is the reason two-handedness is demanded. The amount of sideways force applied by a one-handed side grab can cause the paper towel to either break away in your wet hand or rip inside the dispenser, preventing a new towel from emerging correctly. But now, the revolutionary move: grabbing the paper towel firmly at the bottom in the center and pulling straight down has the exact same effect as using both hands on the sides. Assuming your hands are not so sopping wet that you soak through the paper immediately, you will find that you can reliably pull several paper towels in a row using only one hand. Trust me--I tried it. Despite feeling guilty for wasting so many towels, I found it to be a very reliable method. If a shift in methodology isn't enough for you, you could always seek a move to the automatic dispenser or to the oldie-but-goodie folded paper towel dispenser. But really, a wise man once said, "BYU isn't a democracy. You can voice your opinion to whoever you want, but individuals really have little effect on policy in the system—and you can bet you're not the first person to bring up your concern. I know in America our first response to something we don't like is 'how can I change that?' but really, on campus the question you should be asking is 'how can I deal with it?'" Good luck dealing. -Claudio Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Just a note first off. Since this is just way long and convoluted, I will bake delicious food for any writer who answers it. Really, I'm fantastic at cooking and baking. Just provide an email and we'll find a way for me to get it to you. ---Background, in 3 parts--- 1) I met a girl 5 years ago when she moved to my hometown (I will refer to her as New Kid). I was one of her only friends. Back then I was monstrously shy, ridiculously quiet, and fairly nice and sweet. A few of us formed a jolly little group, including but not limited to the only real friend I'd ever had (who I'd known since I moved to the area at a verrrry young age, we shall call her BFF). 2) New Kid drew away after time and became downright cruel to me. She made my life A LIVING HELL lit-er-uh-ly from some vague point maybe 9-12 months after meeting her up until now (cause I work hard to avoid her now). I promise with all my heart that I did not do anything even remotely unkind to her to trigger this. She did not treat the others in this group this way, only me. In fact, BFF and New Kid are still best friends to this day. BFF chose Kid over me, even though Kid spread nasty rumors behind my back, was mean to my face, made me cry nearly every day, etc. Everyone - ev er y one - knew this, and no one stood up for me. 3) Being put in this kind of situation hardened me into a non quiet/nice/sweet person in the space of about 4 years, and someone who interferes when I feel someone's being taken advantage of (because I wish someone had done the same for me). I'm still naturally shy but fight through it and am usually pretty sassy. I am not blaming New Kid, but she is the real reason for this. Because of my new-found ability to say what was on my mind and stand up for myself and others, things exacerbated, years of drama ensued, and she continued to make my life hell. ---The problem, in two parts--- 1) There's a freakin awesome girl on my floor (we shall call her Wendy) and I'm starting to become sort of friends with her. She is hilarious and really nice and fun to be around. She hangs out with a group which happens to include NEW KID. She is friends with New Kid. I was saddened by this but metaphorically kicked myself in the face because it is none of my business. 2) Buuuuut then I found out for a fact from many, many different people that New Kid talks about Wendy behind her back. My first inclination was to either tell Wendy directly or to ask her advice "about a friend" when really doing that stupid girl thing where I'm talking about her. But I thought I'd ask you guys first because I am no longer that quiet sweet girl with excellent judgment...I don't want my history to get in the way, but at the same time I feel like I've been through the same thing and it's almost like I have an obligation to warn her. I think what makes me want to talk to her the most is that no one in the group -- the group of her "friends" -- is standing up for her. No one. (It is possible only some have heard New Kid say these things, though.) Some of the people in that group are the same people from home that didn't stop New Kid talking about me. Perhaps the worst part is that a few people in the group are people that definitely heard New Kid say nasty things, and are people I would have bet my life were kind enough to at the very least ask New Kid to stop talking bad about Wendy in front of them....but they didn't. ---The question, in one part--- WHAT ON EARTH DO I DO
ADear Friend, Whatever you do, don't be manipulative, secretive, or deceptive. Take the moral high road on this one. Demonstrate your Christian compassion, patience, honesty, and forgiveness. You will never regret that. My next instinct is, as usual, to advocate the mind-your-own-business approach. There are so many variables that you just don't know - maybe New Kid is working on improving, maybe Wendy knows more than you think she does, maybe these bystanders aren't as passive as they seem - and as such it's not your place to meddle. However, putting myself in this situation, I'm guessing that I would try to do something, too. For better or worse. So if I were to do something, I would probably tell Wendy exactly what you told us - honest, straight-up, but diplomatic. I might phrase it something like this: "I value your friendship, and I want to keep it going. But there's something in my past that has driven my friends and I apart, and it has to do with one of our mutual acquaintances. (Insert brief and charitable summary of your history with New Kid.) It seems like she still does this, and I want you to know that the rumors aren't true, not about me or about anyone else she might talk about." I left out the whole "This girl is backstabbing you" part. This way Wendy can be made aware of the facts about New Kid without the possibility of spreading falsehoods about the current situation and without fanning unnecessary flames of drama between Wendy and New Kid. It is not your aim to make Wendy feel hurt or anger toward New Kid, right? So don't make it about Wendy personally. Or if you decide not to talk to Wendy about it (which may be the better option), there are still things you can do. And you should probably do them anyway. First, do stand up to gossip in the moment. Not in a sassy way, because sass begets sass. Be your most polite and diplomatic self. But be firm. And second: I know you said you didn't do anything to deserve New Kid's hostility, but have you tried going to the other end of the spectrum and, rather than neutrally going with the flow of drama, actively loving and serving her? I have no idea if it will work, but hey, maybe she'll turn around if you randomly bake her a delicious pie or two. It could happen. Do the right thing, Waldorf and Sauron ADear you, I agree with Waldorf and Sauron to a tee. I, too, would probably end up trying to do something about the situation, and I hope I would handle it as gracefully and compassionately as they suggest. Good luck! - The Black Sheep Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, What is the best ward/complex for dating? I mean going on frequent dates? Every ward I have been in.. people just hang out or they are in serious questions. I want to be able to go on dates with multiple boys in my ward and then find a boyfriend. Keep in mind I am 22 so "liberty square" doesn't work for me. Or alternatively tell me how to get guys to ask me out - Anonymous
ADear Anonymous, It's difficult to say which ward and/or apartment complex has the best dating prospects because it all depends on the people living there. One complex could be amazingly social one semester, and completely awkward and anti-social the next. It's all about the initiative of the inhabitants! But if you insist on recommendations, I've heard it said that the Elms, Glenwood, and Cambridge Court are pretty good for social, dating-inclined wards. As for how to get guys to ask you out...there are many different things you could do. One of the most important things to do is to be seen: Do you go to every ward activity? Show up to parties and other fun things that your friends, roomies, and other associates plan? If not, start now. When you go, talk to guys, show a sincere interest in them, invite them to do things, and - this part is really important, so pay attention - FLIRT WITH THEM. Smile, make eye contact, laugh at his jokes (I do, however, give you permission to not laugh if he isn't funny; you should be genuine in your actions), touch his arm, flip your hair seductively over your shoulder...be creative in your methods. If you don't make an effort to show interest in them, you can't expect them to be interested either. Got it? Also, it may benefit you to search the archives. Marzipan Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Is it weird for me to want to be friends with my boyfriend's ex? He still talks to her so I feel like I should be friendly with her too. Would this weird her out? How do I go about this? - Friendly Current Girlfriend
ADear Friendly, Simply put, just be friendly. She might find things odd if you were to call her up for an evening of toenail-painting and Gilmore-Girls-watching, but there is certainly nothing wrong with being friendly and approachable when you see her. Just be casual about it, and let her call the shots from there - she is the only one who really knows how she feels about her former relationship with your boyfriend and your current one. I've been in many situations where I have had to be friendly with an ex's current girlfriend, or with a girl with whom I share a common ex (it's really awkward when these girls are also roommates, by the way). Even though this can be awkward, it's generally fine and I greatly prefer it to the alternative: the situation where the current girlfriend of an ex becomes paranoid and is determined that my sole purpose in life is to steal her boyfriend back (which was pretty out-there, seeing as I was the one who ended the relationship in the first place). Being friendly (normally friendly, that is, not excessively so) shows that you are mature and secure. ~Hermia ADear FCG, I agree with Hermia. I think that being friendly toward her is great. If you happen to see her, say hi and be nice, maybe chat a bit. If it turns out that she's uncomfortable with being friends, then don't push things, but there's really no reason you and she can't be on good terms otherwise. —Laser Jock ADear Lucky, Hah, my wife and I were talking about this not ten minutes before reading your question, and I got to thinking "Self, should I be friends with her ex-boyfriend when he gets back from his mission?" I mean, we went camping and stuff while he was dating her so why wouldn't we want to go camping afterward? My first interaction with him after my wife and I got engaged answered that question: he was bitter and cold. Now, dudes handle things differently than chicks; we probably should have just exchanged fisticuffs and been buds again after that, but I wasn't going to risk getting pushed off a mountain at 3 AM so I limited contact with him. I wasn't going to rub it in and be all "neener neener, I'm engaged to your ex-girlfriend" but I wasn't going to avoid him. It is all about picking your battles, and I am sure you would have a lot more battles if you tried to be buddy buddy with her. Like Hermia said, you show a lot of maturity in not being paranoid but you don't want to be so overconfident that you vex her sorely by parading her ex. I guess if you find yourself hanging out with her a bunch, bring it up. Ask her if it makes her awkward and who knows? You may get back to toenail-painting and cookie-dough-eatin'! I wouldn't bet the farm on it, but you never know. Follow Hermia's advice. Dr. Smeed Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, is it possible to connect an Xbox 360 to a projector in the tanner building or any of the other buildings on campus? also, do you need to connect it directly to the projector or can you connect it at the front by the podium? the projectors in the tanner building have a lock on it so if you have to connect directly to it then is there another building on campus that have projectors that arent locked up? - (gamer1337)
ADear gamer, Yes you can connect it at the front of the podium, but you need to get a VGA output cable or adapter for your Xbox, and you'll need to make sure you have the right audio adapters to plug the sound in. If you don't want to get a VGA cable, some rooms on campus have composite video (the yellow one) and RCA audio (red and white) inputs at the podium, and you can plug in that way. But you won't get HD that way. Love, Waldorf and Sauron Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I saw Psycho last night at International Cinema. I understand that typically, they edit R-rated movies, but nothing seemed edited last night. At the end of the movie, the screen showed that it was Rated R. So is it true? Did they show a non-edited R rated movie? - eager to feel rebellious
ADear Eager, If you look at the schedule, it will say "Content Filtered" if it's been edited for content. So, no, Psycho was not filtered. Psycho has an interesting ratings history though. It was released in 1960, before the MPAA ratings system was in place; it was simply approved under the Production Code. In 1968, in an early ratings system, it was re-rated as M for mature—this is the rating that evolved into the PG rating. It was re-rated R in 1984. It's also rated TV-PG for TV viewing. Honestly, you can't watch Psycho edited. There's no point. What are you going to cut, the iconic shower scene (in which nothing really is shown)? Love, Waldorf and Sauron Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, If you are in the library and there is a girl sitting at a table in your direct line of sight, and your eyes meet and you both smile a few times, is it socially acceptable to go up and sit down and talk to her, or is it creepy? Thank you! -Textbook Romeo
ADear Textbook Romeo, Yes, I would really creep myself out if I, a married woman, flirted with a cute girl in the library. But if she smiled at you a few times and was acting all cute and shy about it, then yes, she probably wants you to go up and talk to her, but I can't make any guarantees. Just make sure you do the ritual BYU ring check first. And please consider how much more fun it would be to just write your name and number on a piece of paper, fold it into an airplane, and launch it at her. Make sure to only put your first name though so she can't stalk you on facebook before your first date. -Sky Bones ADear Textbook Romeo, I'd totally go for it if that happened. If she's smiling at you, she doesn't think you're creepy. I like Sky Bones's suggestion of a paper airplane, but personally I'd follow up the paper airplane a minute later with a visit. Why pass up a chance of chatting/flirting to solidify your shot at a date? —Laser Jock Back to top CDear 100 Hour Board & Anomalous, About Board Question #53986, whether or not you'll find the higher level econ classes more difficult depends on how comfortable you are with math. They were easier for me because it was all calculus based rather than the nebulous theories they give you in 110. It's easier for me to understand when I can do some math and use econometrics. It'll depend on what kind of learner you are. What I really wanted to say is that the upper level econ classes will be excellent preparation for you if you decide to bite the bullet and do them. I'm doing an I.R. masters and was nervous about taking the "Advanced Economic Aspects" class I'm in now, only to discover that it's child's play. BYU uses graduate level textbooks (which I wasn't aware of at the time) and what I'm doing now is actually a considerable step back from what I did in 380, 381, 382, etc. Just some food for thought. -habiba
Back to top CDear 100 Hour Board and Bodat Kau (so rude!), In response to Board Question #53996, "cakrawala" is not originally a Javanese word, but a Sanskrit one. The confusion is understandable, because many Sanskrit loan words in Indonesian were also loan words in Javanese, due, of course, to the influence of Indian traders and the Hindu-esque religion practiced by many Javanese before the coming of Islam. See the Wikipedia article on loan words in Indonesian (or, of course, the excellent Russell Jones book, "Loan Words in Indonesian and Malay," which was compiled by the Indonesian Etymology Project) for further clarification. Also, to correct a few other small inaccuracies: Javanese words do not make up 50% of Indonesian vocabulary; perhaps you could make that argument if you're talking about code switching in the language of bilingual speakers, but if you're talking about the Indonesian as spoken in, say, Sumatra, it's certainly not the case. It is the case, however, that Javanese and Indonesian are fairly closely related, both of them being of the Sunda-Sulawesi groups of the Western Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of Austronesian, so that's probably what you're noticing when you notice similarities between Javanese and Indonesian. (For instance, both Javanese and Indonesian use "aku" as a first-person pronoun, at least in certain sociolinguistic situations. While one might think that Indonesian is just using the Javanese word, instead both forms come from the proto-Malayo-Polynesian first-person pronoun *ku, and so happen to be identical. A quick investigation of other Western Malayo-Polynesian languages would reveal other first-person forms that are quite similar--like, say, "kau," in many of the Chamic languages of Vietnam.) Oh, and the Javanese alphabet is not just Sanskrit--it comes from the old Kawi script, which in turn was derived from the Pallava script, which in turn was a variant of the old South Indian Brantha script. Other Southeast Asian writing systems derived from the Pallava script include Thai, Khmer and the Mon script of Burma, and several South Indian languages, such as Malayalam. Sanskrit, on the other hand, was written in an early version of today's Devanagari script, which is used for such languages as Hindi, Nepali, and Marathi. Take a quick look at Javanese writing and Sanskrit writing and it's evident that they're quite different. Oh, and friend of Cognoscente, I'll counter your obvious Solo bias with a bias of my own: Javanese is spoken better in Yogyakarta, and wayang is performed better there too. So there:) --Petra
Back to top CAnyone who cares, I have horrible timing, I suppose. I got a response from the Dance department the day after Board Question #53903 posted about the song the ballet dancers used. It's Elmer Bernstein's "Concerto for Guitar & Orchestra" with Christopher Parkening as the guitarist. - Commander Keen
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