Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 November 17

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November 17

Perfidy? In Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising

In Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising, the Russians invade Iceland by landing from the civilian barge carrier Julius Fucik. My question: According to international law, would that be considered a legitimate ruse, or would it constitute perfidy? 24.23.196.85 (talk) 02:27, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

I've not read the book, but the essential component of perfidy is to actively persuade the enemy that your intentions are peaceful when they're not, rather than just hiding your hostile intentions. Disguising a military ship as a civilian ship is perfectly legitimate - see Q-ship for an example. Tevildo (talk) 13:22, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

It really depends on whether they have declared war on Iceland. If yes, ruse, if no, perfidy. Looie496 (talk) 16:04, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Well, invasion of a neutral country constitutes the war crime of aggression, irrespective of how the invasion is managed. However, I gather from the book's plot summary in our article that hostilities had already commenced at the time of the invasion, and the objective was to neutralize a NATO air-base. Tevildo (talk) 18:33, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Oh, I forgot to mention that the ship was disguised as an American freighter (I was about to add that part when the question disappeared). Does that change the answer? 24.23.196.85 (talk) 02:03, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

Our article on ruses of war is more lenient than a 1999 book on humanitarian issues ion war, which says it would be perfidy to use enemy or neutral flags on vessels or insignias on uniforms in a fight. That book cites international conventions on rules of war and seems to indicate that it is perfidy to fly a different flag from one's own when launching an attack. The book says a legitimate ruse would be to have 2 of your airplanes, with your own insignia, have a simulated dogfight to induce enemy planes to approach, and then shoot them down, but it would be perfidy to have a simulated dogfight with enemy insignia on one of the planes. Also, our article says that spying is ok, but the book says that there is no right to be in enemy territory in civilian clothes or the enemy's uniform and that doing so takes the spy outside the protection of legitimate military operations and makes him subject to criminal punishment. In WW2, the German saboteurs who landed by submarine in the US in Operation Pastorius were executed for being enemy agents in civilian clothing, in violation of the US "Articles of War." Skorzeny, whose Germans infiltrated the US forces in US uniforms in the Battle of the Bulge, claimed that they were going to display German uniforms before attacking, which sounds like a lame defense, but which worked in court, despite the fact that his men kept US uniforms on while killing Americans. In an exception to typical "victors' justice," Skorzeny was given leniency when British testified that they too had fought in the opposite side's uniforms, per Otto Skorzeny#Post World War II. Edison (talk) 15:38, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

• False flag. μηδείς (talk) 22:09, 20 November 2013 (UTC)

Cutting down a giant redwood

In this image, men are seen cutting down a redwood tree. Once they cut it down, how would it be milled? I wouldn't think that they could move it once it was felled. So would they mill it in place some how? Dismas|^(talk) 06:13, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Presumably they would cut it up into movable/millable pieces.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 07:52, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

(ec) According to this 1946 short, Redwood Saga, they're cut up into manageable pieces and taken by truck or railroad to the mill. Clarityfiend (talk) 07:54, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Thank you both! The video was interesting! Dismas|^(talk) 08:07, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

location of Mexico

I was reading an article about pepitas and you wrote: " in Mexico and other South American countries........". Since when is Mexico a South American Country? Mexico is a North American country along with Canada and United States. Why the United States does not want to recognize that Mexico is in fact part of North America? Their official name is United States of Mexico. I hope in the future you refer to Mexico as North American country. There is North America, Central America and South America. The culture of Mexico is not similar whatsoever to that of South American countries. Please correct that assumption, as many people turn to you for answers to your questions. Thank you.

Mrs. Julieta R— Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.228.130.253 (talk) 18:06, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

I see someone has already changed the term to Latin American. You should feel free to make such changes yourself in the future (assuming it wasn't you who did so here). Also for future reference, a question like this would go on the talk page for the article itself, rather than here at the ref desk. We help with research, rather than editting articles. Finally, I removed your identifying information per the guidelines at the top of the page. μηδείς (talk) 18:28, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

It has said "Latin American" since at least as far back as 8 August. Which version of the article are you looking at? We are talking about Pepita, right? -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 18:34, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Our article on World Storytelling Day did use the phrasing but has nothing to do with pepitas. A bunch of external sites do say "La Quinceanera is celebrated in Mexico and other South American countries" and also mention pepitas but we obviously have no control over said sites and they aren't actually primarily talking about pepitas. Nil Einne (talk) 20:37, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

When an otherwise presumably reliable source makes a mistake like that, we are not compelled to quote it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 23:04, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

I don't think any of the other sources I saw using the term and referring to pepitas looked reliable so I hope none of them are used in any of our articles. Nil Einne (talk) 07:15, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

Also note that it may be grammar error rather than a geography error. That is, they might have meant to say "...and other nations, which are in South America". StuRat (talk) 21:57, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

I think it's rather obvious, given the OP's supposed name, this was a matter of someone pulling some legs. μηδείς (talk) 05:27, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

Explain, please? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 12:27, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

Find the diff that established this thread and look at the info that was excised. μηδείς (talk) 18:25, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

New Business

Based in the UK, I've been selling a few bits and pieces online for a while now, but I think it's past time I officially registered as a business, started filling in tax forms and all the rest. Except, I have no idea how to go about doing so, who to talk to about it, or even who to ask to find out who to talk to... Anyone help?

213.104.128.16 (talk) 21:19, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

The best person to talk to would be a lawyer or an accountant, and we're not permitted to give legal or financial advice here. However, this is the official site for VAT registration, and this is the official site for information on Company formation. Tevildo (talk) 21:51, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Let the OP be warned this is legal advice we cannot provide professionally
The following discussion has been closed. Please do not modify it.
The most urgent task is to register with HMRC (some advice and links here or using this form). You might be interested to read this guide (from a company whose software has official approval from HMRC, and with whom I have no connection other than using their software). Dbfirs 22:54, 17 November 2013 (UTC) Registering with HMRC is the only thing you actually have to do, unless you need to register for VAT. If you set up a business bank account the bank ought to be able to give you some general business advice, although the way the banks are going now I wouldn't bank on it. Itsmejudith (talk) 23:38, 17 November 2013 (UTC) We can especially not tell someone that X is all he has to do to comply with the law and protect his business. μηδείς (talk) 01:51, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

It's true that we cannot advise you on what you ought to do, or what you must or must not do. However, this link got caught up in the removal of advice above. It's HMRC's official guidance leaflet for anyone wondering when and how to register their business activity for tax, NI and (possibly) VAT, and is a good starting point for your own research. - Karenjc (talk) 09:27, 18 November 2013 (UTC)

So many different people I have to talk to about different things, they don't make it easy do they. Thinking I might pay a visit to the local Citizens Advice Bureau, might they be able to offer advice and put me in contact with the right people? 213.104.128.16 (talk) 01:30, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

Just make sure you don't accidentally knock on the door for the Citizen's Abuse Bureau. They are not likely to provide the help you need. μηδείς (talk) 04:01, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

Your best bet is to contact your local Chamber of Commerce. I also had half an hour of free advice from an accountant when I was setting up. --TammyMoet (talk) 13:19, 19 November 2013 (UTC)

MotoGP bike vs top production motorcycles

How do the motorcycles used in MotoGP compare to high-end production motorcycles such as the Ducatti 1198 in terms of performance? I apologize if this is a silly question, but I know next to nothing about motorcycles.

In Formula One, the engine has to be rebuilt after each race and the cars are significantly faster than production road-legal cars. Is this the same case in MotoGP?

Thanks Acceptable (talk) 23:40, 17 November 2013 (UTC)

Just see what a gp can do to a superbike… and multiply it by something!

Iskánder Vigoa Pérez (talk) 16:29, 21 November 2013 (UTC)