Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
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current reference desk pages.
November 23 Information
what to do when new family throw away valuble documents that eventually mean changing everything we ever knew of?
You may be interested in
archivelocal history and
family history. It is actually quite surprising how many trustworthy document sequences survive—in particular governments regularly hold series of documents on people in relation to tax, military service, births deaths and marriages, and similar document sets.
Fifelfoo (
talk)
00:32, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
And following on from that assumption... Depending on where you live and/or where you were born, you might have the right to see your birth-parent records once you reach a certain age (often 18 years old).
Astronaut (
talk)
05:41, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Something that has been observed in birds might be possible in mammals too. Around 1897 there began a series of reports of mysterious, glowing entities bobbing about low in the night sky in
East Anglia. Several subsequent investigations, observations and encounters between about 1908 and the early 1920s demonstrated that the phenomenon was due to owls (several specimens were actually obtained) with patches of luminous feathers.
It was theorized that the owls (mostly
Barn owls) were nesting or roosting in tree holes contaminated by "phosphorescent" or
bioluminescent fungus (there are several kinds, some poisonous, notably
Armillaria; some of the owls involved were clearly in poor health, one indeed was found in a dying state) which had transferred to their feathers. Similar instances were reported from Ireland and Spain. For full details see 'The Luminous Owls of Norfolk' by David W. Clarke on pp 50–58 of Fortean Studies Volume 1, Ed Steve Moore, John Brown Publishing, London 1994, ISBN 1-870870-557. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195}
90.197.66.23 (
talk)
20:31, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Well, I thought it would be obvious from the context, once the reader understood that the cat food made the fur of the cat glow.
JIP |
Talk21:50, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
The main page today says
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the "...first democratically elected female head of state of an African country". Was there an earlier female head of state of an African country (obviously, not democratically elected)?
Astronaut (
talk)
05:25, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Elizabeth II was also head of state of independent
Nigeria from 1960-63. Today she isn't head of state of any African nation. The unrecognised state of
Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) claimed Elizabeth II as their Queen in the late 60s, but she didn't accept this (since Britain refused to recognise its independence until it gave blacks equal rights). --
Colapeninsula (
talk)
10:02, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
This isn't an exam. The question was actually somewhat vague which is why StuRat was able to muse about British Africa under Victoria, which predated the creation of African dominions. I just pointed out that Spain also had African territory and a Queen at the same time. That's why I was careful to say it "might count". I would also suggest that Spain's 19th Century African territories were only "colonies" under certain definitions and not others. Kind of like suggesting the Kola peninsula was a Russian colony and not merely Russian territory in Elizabeth's time. --
JGGardiner (
talk)
05:30, 25 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Hatshepsut. She was preceded by other female monarchs but they were short-lived and they served only as regents/interim rulers. Hatshepsut's rule was longer and she ruled with full power as a male pharaoh.-- Obsidi♠nSoul17:42, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the
current reference desk pages.
November 23 Information
what to do when new family throw away valuble documents that eventually mean changing everything we ever knew of?
You may be interested in
archivelocal history and
family history. It is actually quite surprising how many trustworthy document sequences survive—in particular governments regularly hold series of documents on people in relation to tax, military service, births deaths and marriages, and similar document sets.
Fifelfoo (
talk)
00:32, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
And following on from that assumption... Depending on where you live and/or where you were born, you might have the right to see your birth-parent records once you reach a certain age (often 18 years old).
Astronaut (
talk)
05:41, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Something that has been observed in birds might be possible in mammals too. Around 1897 there began a series of reports of mysterious, glowing entities bobbing about low in the night sky in
East Anglia. Several subsequent investigations, observations and encounters between about 1908 and the early 1920s demonstrated that the phenomenon was due to owls (several specimens were actually obtained) with patches of luminous feathers.
It was theorized that the owls (mostly
Barn owls) were nesting or roosting in tree holes contaminated by "phosphorescent" or
bioluminescent fungus (there are several kinds, some poisonous, notably
Armillaria; some of the owls involved were clearly in poor health, one indeed was found in a dying state) which had transferred to their feathers. Similar instances were reported from Ireland and Spain. For full details see 'The Luminous Owls of Norfolk' by David W. Clarke on pp 50–58 of Fortean Studies Volume 1, Ed Steve Moore, John Brown Publishing, London 1994, ISBN 1-870870-557. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195}
90.197.66.23 (
talk)
20:31, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Well, I thought it would be obvious from the context, once the reader understood that the cat food made the fur of the cat glow.
JIP |
Talk21:50, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
The main page today says
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the "...first democratically elected female head of state of an African country". Was there an earlier female head of state of an African country (obviously, not democratically elected)?
Astronaut (
talk)
05:25, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Elizabeth II was also head of state of independent
Nigeria from 1960-63. Today she isn't head of state of any African nation. The unrecognised state of
Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) claimed Elizabeth II as their Queen in the late 60s, but she didn't accept this (since Britain refused to recognise its independence until it gave blacks equal rights). --
Colapeninsula (
talk)
10:02, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply
This isn't an exam. The question was actually somewhat vague which is why StuRat was able to muse about British Africa under Victoria, which predated the creation of African dominions. I just pointed out that Spain also had African territory and a Queen at the same time. That's why I was careful to say it "might count". I would also suggest that Spain's 19th Century African territories were only "colonies" under certain definitions and not others. Kind of like suggesting the Kola peninsula was a Russian colony and not merely Russian territory in Elizabeth's time. --
JGGardiner (
talk)
05:30, 25 November 2011 (UTC)reply
Hatshepsut. She was preceded by other female monarchs but they were short-lived and they served only as regents/interim rulers. Hatshepsut's rule was longer and she ruled with full power as a male pharaoh.-- Obsidi♠nSoul17:42, 23 November 2011 (UTC)reply