The questions-not-worth-their-own-thread Question Thread!

[The Yankee]

Whats the point of the NRA (National rifle association for those who somehow dont know)?

Most importantly, they're a political lobby to make sure that we can only take guns from Charlton Heston when he has cold, dead hands.

But I believe they also do more social things with their members.

 

[Xanikk999]

I just typed NRA into wikipedia.

I had no clue i live in the same city as thier headquarters...

 

[Gecko1]

Why does the Republican party exist?

 

[Irish Caesar]

Because it seemed like an effective way for free soilers to get their candidates elected after the Whig Party collapsed.

 

[Gecko1]

Why didn't it dissolve after FDR?

 

[Irish Caesar]

Because not everybody liked FDR?

 

[Elrohir]

A friend of mine recommended I watch that Zeitgeist movie. Is it true, or just some kind of lousy made-up account akin to what truthers spew out?

I'd check out the wikipedia article on it first, it has a pretty good rundown on it. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time. Any film that manages to include 9/11 conspiracies, federal reserve paranoia, fear of an impending North American Union/One World Government and the supposed illegality of the 16th Amendment and the federal income tax with historical revisionist stories about Jesus isn't worth my time. But you can make your own call.

 

[West 36]

I'd check out the wikipedia article on it first, it has a pretty good rundown on it. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time. Any film that manages to include 9/11 conspiracies, federal reserve paranoia, fear of an impending North American Union/One World Government and the supposed illegality of the 16th Amendment and the federal income tax with historical revisionist stories about Jesus isn't worth my time. But you can make your own call.

Heh, well then, now its time for me to go save this kid before it eats his mind.

 

[Godwynn]

Why do a lot of Turkish emigrants go to Germany? I don't think any other Mid-East country has a lot of emigrants heading there.

 

[Mesousa]

The first major wave of Turks going to Germany was in the '60s. They were guest workers during a period of great economic growth for Germany, which didn't have enough workers of its own at that time and struck agreements with several countries to get migrant workers. They originally weren't meant to stay long term, but many did. In the '70s, the families of many followed, and from the '80s on some more came seeking asylum. So by now you have Turkish families that have lived in Germany for generations already, there's a big Turkish community, and that attracts even more.

 

[Mirc]

Is it true that in Israel it's forbidden to perform Wagner publicly? It seems a bit like an urban myth to me, but I don't know. I do know that Wagner was a die-hard antisemite, but is this true or just a legend?

 

[Hitti-Litti]

Why are the sizes of TV's told in inches(is this because it's an English invention)? And why is the size measured from for example upper left corner to lower right corner, instead of measuring height and width?

 

[Mise]

Why are the sizes of TV's told in inches(is this because it's an English invention)? And why is the size measured from for example upper left corner to lower right corner, instead of measuring height and width?

Probably because they're English/American inventions. And they're measured diagonally (a) because the ratio of height to width is always constant (well, widescreen is different ratio from normal, but within those two categories the ratio is always the same), and (b) because it's the biggest number! Good marketing.

 

[Mesousa]

Is it true that in Israel it's forbidden to perform Wagner publicly? It seems a bit like an urban myth to me, but I don't know. I do know that Wagner was a die-hard antisemite, but is this true or just a legend?

As far as I know it's not actually forbidden, but it doesn't happen cause there are massive protests whenever anyone tries. I believe Wagner works do get broadcast on radio in Israel though, it's just actual live perfomances that are kept from happening.

Well, not always: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1428634.stm

 

[raketooy]

an, auf, bei, binnen, entgegen, gegenüber, gemäss, mit, nach, seit, von, zu always takes the dative case.

I think an and auf can take the accusative, if it indicates moving. The list of the pronomines that can take either one, depending on the meaning, is an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen (as taught to us).

 

[raketooy]

In the sentence:

A girl rides on a horse.

How is "a horse" the indirect object?

In German it is Ein Madchen reitet auf einem Pferd. The einem is used in the Dative Case, so what is the Direct Object?

Is it the girl? Can she be the subject as well as the direct object?

In this sentence there is no object. Were the sentence "A girl rides a horse", a horse would be the object, but now on a horse is an adverbial. I am quite sure since we just repeated those things in school (in Finnish). Auf can also take the accusative, I think, if it indicates moving, in the sense of "A girl hops on a horse".

 

[Angst]

I think an and auf can take the accusative, if it indicates moving. The list of the pronomines that can take either one, depending on the meaning, is an, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor, zwischen (as taught to us).

oopsie, mixed them up

 

[King of Town]

Yep, that's what I meant, though it looks more likely that I'd live in Minneapolis rather than St. Paul. But if I had to work in St. Paul, it doesn't look like too big of a deal to get there.

I could afford plenty of places in south metro, but the problem would be that I won't have a vehicle for a while. Thus, I need to be within the transit system and hopefully a fairly quick ride downtown, at that. It may be that I would be shacking up at my girlfriend's place (with her parents) in Burnsville, but they're actually not far from catching a bus to the Mall of America and from there, the light rail.

I've been looking to set a limit of what I currently pay in rent ($900/month) and it looks like I can get some fairly decent, if small, places near Loring Park. Not that my current place is large by any standards, but I will have to measure it to get a comparison.

I didn't live too far from Loring Park when I lived in minneapolis. Not too bad of a place.If you're looking to work down town, there are some places right on the light rail that are good for your price range. One is on 46th st, but I can't remember it's name. They are starting to get more aggresive with the light rail here, but it is taking forever to do. They approved a line from Minneapolis to St. Paul but it's gonna be a while. You won't be too far from the new twins stadium living there though. A lot of people bike here, and vanpool so you may not need a car depending where you work/live.

 

[Whomp]

Let's assume you were able to hear these speakers. What would you want to ask them (and maybe I will)?

Douglas Schoen--Democratic campaign consultant. Co-inventor of overnight polling and author of "The Power of the Vote: Electing Presidents, Overthrowing Dicators, and Promoting Democracy around the World".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penn,_Schoen_&_Berland

Colin Powell--65th Secretary of State, Nat'l Security Advisor to Reagan, Four-star General, Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff and author of "My American Journey".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Powell

Dr. Michio Kaku--theoretical Physicist, co-founder of string field theory, author of many Ph.D level books and featured in "Me and Isaac Newton".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michio_Kaku

Steve Forbes--Publisher of Forbes, American Heritage, Gilder Technology Report and recent author of "Flat Tax Revolution: Using a Postcard to Abolish the IRS".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Forbes

 

[Red Door]

Questions About Spain (Specificially Catalonia):

What is the appropriate clothing to wear on the streets? If I were American brand names, will I look like an idiot?
If I speak Castillean Spanish, will I be shot or ridiculed?
In Barcelona, is it worth walking places, taking Metro, or taking a taxi somewhere semi-far away?