Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2012 November 4

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November 4 edit

A word to call the second highest ranking student? edit

Is there a word to call the highest second ranking graduate of a study program at a university? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 123.16.134.110 (talk) 04:02, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Salutatorian -24.101.193.186 (talk) 04:30, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Jump pass (American College Football) edit

There's been some chatter about a now famous jump pass in a recent football game and there's been reminiscing about Tim Tebow. What is a jump pass, how is it special (I've seen it referred to as a "trick play") and what has it got to do with Tim Tebow? I don't think he was involved in this most recent famous example. DRosenbach (Talk | Contribs) 06:46, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

This is probably a question for the Entertainment desk Nicholasprado (talk) 06:49, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
He apparently did it twice in important games, in 2006 and again in 2009 in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game, both times for touchdowns. Quarterbacks are taught to plant their feet, not jump up, before passing. Clarityfiend (talk) 09:22, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The "jump pass" isn't strictly a "trick play" or "gadget play" per se. Some old-timey quarterbacks used it from time to time (Sammy Baugh, often credited as being one of the first truly modern quarterbacks, had it has part of his repetoire). Even today it shows up (The Cincinnati Bearcats used it just this weekend: [1] as did the Nebraska Cornhuskers: [2]). Tebow was well known for it, it works well for "running" quarterbacks, because the play starts off looking like a run, and the QB then stops short, jumps and passes. The reason why a QB would use the jump pass is that they are very close to the offensive line, and so have very little visibility or passing lanes. From farther back, the QB has more open slots to throw through. When you are right behind the offensive line, you have to jump to get the ball over their heads. Tebow has done it this year for the New York Jets, so it does show up in the NFL. Doug Flutie, who was known for being short for a QB, as well as a "running QB" of the Tim Tebow mold, used the jump pass in the NFL as well: [3] is one picture of him doing it, this video has several examples of Flutie using the jump pass. --Jayron32 23:59, 5 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
So what you're saying is that it might better be referred to as a tricky play. If so, I get it, then. Thanks again Jay for all your contributions, now and forever. DRosenbach (Talk | Contribs) 14:37, 6 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Well, "trick play" makes it sound like a scripted play, which it can be, but isn't always. When I think of trick play, I think of fake field goals, or flea flickers or the double reverse: trick plays require careful coordination and often have many moving parts that all have to go right. The jump pass is better termed a form of misdirection, a term used in American football to refer to a play that starts off looking like one kind of play, and changes to another: the draw play and play action pass are common forms of misdirection, and plays like that are never described as "trick" plays. The jump pass fits more into that category. And, as noted, some players are known for improvising jump passes, like Doug Flutie, while other times it is written into the plan of the play. --Jayron32 21:24, 6 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Habit of mine edit

This question has been removed. Per the reference desk guidelines, the reference desk is not an appropriate place to request medical, legal or other professional advice, including any kind of medical diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment recommendations. For such advice, please see a qualified professional. If you don't believe this is such a request, please explain what you meant to ask, either here or on the Reference Desk's talk page. Mitch Ames (talk) 07:08, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
This question has been removed. Per the reference desk guidelines, the reference desk is not an appropriate place to request medical, legal or other professional advice, including any kind of medical diagnosis or prognosis, or treatment recommendations. For such advice, please see a qualified professional. If you don't believe this is such a request, please explain what you meant to ask, either here or on the Reference Desk's talk page. Mitch Ames (talk) 07:08, 4 November 2012 (UTC)--~~~~[reply]
I wanted to know what I had so I could then see a qualified professional. Nicholasprado (talk) 07:11, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Determining what condition you have is the very definition of diagnosis - which we can't do. For any medical issue, if you don't know exactly which professional to see, start with your local doctor.
We can't do diagnosis but we do have an article about nail biting that has general info. 67.119.3.105 (talk) 08:32, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

time edit

i need a url to tell me what time it is. other then "time.gov". thank you. 70.114.254.43 (talk) 07:10, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

http://www.whattimeisit.com/ of course! Mitch Ames (talk) 07:31, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
http://www.timeanddate.com/ also.--Shantavira|feed me 09:12, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/timer.pl RudolfRed (talk) 17:54, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/info/current-time/ Alansplodge (talk) 20:17, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=what+time+is+it&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 --Mr.98 (talk) 20:43, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I'll bet this works just as well: http://www.google.com/search?q=what+time+is+it
But if I click 98's link will Google really think I'm using Safari? —Tamfang (talk) 20:47, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
If you click on "My Preferences" at the top of this page, then click "Gadgets", then go to the "Appearances" section, check the second box which says "Add a clock ..." You will then have a clock at the top of every Wikipedia page that you can always see. (It will show UTC not your local time, but it is very handy to have.)    → Michael J    04:21, 5 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Google Easter Egg edit

I'm exceedingly excited, because I suspect I've found a google easter egg no one's noticed before. Google "Frankenweenie" and you get three upside down bats in the right pane where they give the movie thumbnail and synopsis. Hover your mouse over the bats and they fly away. I tried googling about it, but no one seems to have noticed it. Does it work for your (whoever reads this) browser too? Am I really the first one who discovered this? Is it really an Easter Egg?? 223.236.112.50 (talk) 10:52, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Works in Chrome. HiLo48 (talk) 11:12, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Googling that term in Chrome does not produce any upside down bats. I suspect the OP is a victim of some form of adware. --Saddhiyama (talk) 11:19, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

@Saddhiyama: I think not. 223.236.157.73 (talk) 11:46, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Worked for me. But what's a Google Easter Egg? -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 11:50, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Easter egg (media) - Cucumber Mike (talk) 11:53, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Sorry but you are not the first to notice the bats. It was mentioned in this Twitter feed from 31 October. After reading a few of the comments I tried "the exorcist", "the shining" and got bats. However, "the crawling eye" and "friday the 13th" did not produce bats. See google easter egg horror movies for more information. CambridgeBayWeather (talk) 12:58, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
I guess this only occurred at Halloween then, none of the examples mentioned provides any bats now. --Saddhiyama (talk) 13:14, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Ah got some on the Shining. Seems to be somewhat randomized, only appearing at certain times and not with every search on a movie. You can refresh the search on the same movie to see the different results. --Saddhiyama (talk) 13:17, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
The Frankenweenie bats show up for me in Safari. They don't go away when I refresh. --Mr.98 (talk) 16:07, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Buddah siting edit

in which direction should my buddah be facing in the garden ? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 31.52.34.215 (talk) 19:37, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]

This says south.
This says east.
But there are over 21 million hits for “buddha direction should face”.
I think it’s an open field, and nobody can tell you a definitive "right" answer. In my limited understanding of Buddhism, it would be contrary to the ideals of the teachings to specify anything in a rigid way like this. -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 22:14, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
A reasonable decision would be, "Facing you". ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 23:47, 4 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Except garden owners have a funny habit of moving around their garden and seeing their objets de jardin from all perspectives. -- Jack of Oz [Talk] 00:52, 5 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Inward. —Tamfang (talk) 02:38, 5 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Agreed. Although if you are facing north, then your booty is facing south. :-) StuRat (talk) 22:10, 5 November 2012 (UTC) [reply]
If it is a religious altar, then it seems logically consistent to: (i) follow the traditions of the Buddhist sect to which you subscribe; or (ii) if you do not subscribe to a particular sect, to follow the traditions of the particular Buddhist tradition in which your statue was originally carved.
If you are just using it as decorative garden furniture like a gnome, then who cares which way it faces - whatever looks good. --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 13:57, 5 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
(For Zen or other traditions of Chinese origin, the general answer is "the most prominent position in the circumstances". In Zen temples, you will often see statues facing south, north, east and west all in the same hall. As the southern entrance is often the main entrance in traditional Chinese architecture, generally the statue depicting the most exalted person is at the centre and facing south, followed by other figures facing south, then those facing north, then those facing west and east. However, the positioning is primarily determined by the direction of the room: the most important statue in a hall facing west would naturally face west.) --PalaceGuard008 (Talk) 14:20, 5 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
You can face it whichever way you want. You can put it upside down, or bury it, or not even buy a statue/image of Buddha, because this has nothing to do whatsoever with his original teachings. All the other BS was made up afterwards to attract the crowds, and has continued until this day. Sorry to put it so bluntly, but that is actually the way it is. If you are using it for your own spiritual relief, to remember what Buddha said, then, as PalaceGuard says, I would put it in a place you feel most comfortable in, such as your living room, or in your bedroom, or the place you feel most comfortable in, like, your garden, as you say - facing you, or facing outwards. It's up to you. KägeTorä - (影虎) (TALK) 00:48, 6 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]
Buddah, buddah, buddah, that's all folks! Clarityfiend (talk) 08:11, 6 November 2012 (UTC)[reply]