Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2023 May 17

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May 17

"Provocative" question :-)

Request for opinions --Jayron32 12:59, 17 May 2023 (UTC)
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
Forgive the provocative question; could one hypothetically include Jean Dujardin in the list of 50/100 or more, best actors ever that I know, along with even the likes of Toshiro Mifune, Anthony Hopkins or Gary Oldman? Then there would be other legends as well, (De Niro, Hoffman, Nicholson, Pacino, DDL etc.) but I cannot mention them all. Please let me know, I would really value your opinion on this. Thank you very much. 93.41.96.86 (talk) 12:48, 17 May 2023 (UTC) See top of this page: "We don't answer requests for opinions, predictions or debate." Philvoids (talk) 12:59, 17 May 2023 (UTC) You are, of course, free to make your own "N best actors of all times" list. Then you can include anybody you fancy.  --Lambiam 06:40, 19 May 2023 (UTC)

Rhode Island vote

It is well known my fondness for punch cards, I am doing assiduous research but have not been able to find much. I know that in the past several New England States, adopted similar systems, along with paper ballots and lever machines, the systems were mixed. Of the six New England States, is it possible that some Rhode Island towns adopted Votomatics in the past? Thank you. 93.41.96.86 (talk) 15:38, 17 May 2023 (UTC)

I have found several sources that show that Rhode Island was using optical scanner systems statewide as far back as 2000; I can't find any information from earlier than that. Most states dumped the remaining punch card systems shortly after 2000, but Rhode Island wasn't one of those using such a system at that point.[1], [2], [3]. However, this document shows there was an 1897 court case in Rhode Island on the legitimacy of punch card ballots,[4] showing that they were in use, in that state, at that time, specifically John McTammany's system. That's still some 48 years before the first Votomatic punch card systems came online, however. Can't find much else than that, however. --Jayron32 16:16, 17 May 2023 (UTC)

Ah forgive me, I was imprecise and vague, my fault. I was referring mostly to the 1980s, because later I assume the 1990s until the 2000s no State in New England used punch cards anymore; maybe some Massachusetts precicnt but that was a variant (the Datavote). From what little I know, besides the aforementioned State also Maine, Vermont and I think until 1986 New Hampshire, (you can always correct me if I am wrong not even being American) adopted this system in those years, mixed with others. That left Connceticut, which if I am not mistaken has always used mechanical levers, and Rhode Island; on the latter state I could not find much of what I was looking for. Thank you very much. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.41.96.86 (talk) 16:36, 17 May 2023 (UTC)

I have a question about public libraries and public pools/rec centers?

I'm not sure but is it correct to at least assume that most or at least many countries don't have public libraries and public pools or rec center? I'm curious about this fact. 2001:569:5026:8A00:91BB:ADB8:6CAD:184F (talk) 18:26, 17 May 2023 (UTC)

I'd be surprised if more than an isolated few countries do not have both. Looking at the bottom three countries in our list of countries by GDP (nominal), each has one or more public libraries.  --Lambiam 19:11, 17 May 2023 (UTC)

In our inter-library loan program, there are 203 countries listed. Googling, I see that there are currently 195 countries in the world. I assume that the program has countries that no longer exist or have disputed status, which increases the number shown. The point is that it appears that I can request a loan from every country, which implies that every country has a library. I feel that I should note that I cannot actually complete a loan request. For example, if I make a request to North Korea, it will be rejected immediately. I don't know if the rejection is on our end or theirs. 97.82.165.112 (talk) 13:52, 19 May 2023 (UTC)

An example of a state not included in the count of 195 is the Republic of China, more commonly known as "Taiwan", after the island. It is recognized by by 12 UN member states and participates in the Olympic Games. A list of de-facto states can be found in our List of sovereign states, which in total currently lists 206 countries.  --Lambiam 18:16, 19 May 2023 (UTC)

It's good to point out that there are no actual official sanctioning bodies that decide when a country can be a country; there are just varying degrees of countryness, from "One nutter claimed this plot of land and called it a country" to "Everyone in the world agrees its a country". Given that, determining exactly how many countries there are in the world is a bit fuzzy around the borders, and "200ish" is about as close as anyone can get without declaring themselves political enemies of at least a few of the other 200ish countries. CGP Grey did an excellent video explaining some of the problems with counting how many countries there are in This Video. --Jayron32 18:25, 19 May 2023 (UTC)

_{I can't help but feel that somewhere on the internet there must be an Angevin truther who disputes the validity of France.} AlmostReadytoFly (talk) 13:41, 22 May 2023 (UTC)