Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2011 August 13

Miscellaneous desk
< August 12 << Jul | August | Sep >> August 14 >
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.


August 13 edit

What is the longest first down deficit faced by an NFL team? edit

SO, I'm watching pre-season NFL football. There were two consecutive offensive penalties on a drive, and the down was "third and 20." I can imagine this could go on indefinitely, so what was the largest first down deficit in an NFL game? What is the largest deficit that was actually converted? And what were the circumstances? Quinn BEAUTIFUL DAY 02:56, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Just to clarify, for the sake of my question, I don't think the down matters: It could be "first and forty" or "fourth and fifty." I want to know the farthest a team has bee pushed back from the first down line due to penalty or otherwise. Quinn BEAUTIFUL DAY 03:02, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
A bit of WP:OR here: I was working in the booth (running the clock) at a high school football game with a "first and goal from the 48" (it was first and goal from the 3, and three successive unsportsmanlike conduct penalties pushed it back) with about 5 seconds to go, and the team was down by 7. They won the game: TD pass on a long sideline go route, and they went for the two point conversion and got it. Wildest ending I've ever seen. No idea what the NFL record is. Just felt like sharing. --Jayron32 03:57, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Did some research: according to wiki.answers.com the answer is a 2nd and 65 in a game between the Bears and the Lions in 2006 after a series of awful penalties by the Lions. I checked the game recap here and the number is greatly exagerated: The actual down-and-distance was 2nd and 31; and again at 4th and 31. I don't think that's a record. --Jayron32 04:12, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Not NFL, but in a game that was part of the old "Convicts vs. Catholics" series (The University of Miami (FL) vs. Notre Dame) there was a second and 48 play in 1989. That's pretty impressive; they got the first down on a 4-yard run followed by a 44 yard pass. See [1]. --Jayron32 04:18, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Here's evidence of a 3rd and 49 from a Miami (FL) vs. Clemson game, date unknown: [2]. Again, college football though. --Jayron32 04:20, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
And perhaps this is the best we are going to get: SDMB (the straight dope message boards) came up with a 4th and 63 for the Pats against the Dallas Cowboys on October 23, 1971. I can't find online game recaps to confirm that far back, but its another lead. --Jayron32 04:26, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Fourth and 63? You gotta go for it. I don't care what the book says. --Trovatore (talk) 06:16, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
It might come down to how far your punter can kick vs. how far your quarterback can throw. In those days, they had a rule that an incomplete pass on 4th down that went out of the end zone was the same as a punt going out of the end zone - that is, it was a touchback, and came out to the 20 instead of the line of scrimmage. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 01:39, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Just run it straight up the middle. You'll certainly have the advantage of surprise. And if it works you'll be a legend forever, whereas if it doesn't, it's at worst one game. --Trovatore (talk) 03:32, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
It always works in Madden; just sub your fullback out for a speedy WR or RB, and call the fake punt. I've turned that play into 60 yard runs before, even when I call it on first and ten. Sadly, the real NFL is not as easy to screw with... --Jayron32 05:59, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
If it will help your search, that game was actually on Sunday, Oct. 24, 1971. It was the Cowboys' first game ever at Texas Stadium. — Michael J 01:31, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I saw a high school game with a similar situation to Jayron's. On third and goal, the quarterback kept retreating to try to avoid a sack. He would up being tacked at around the 45 yard line, resulting in the only punt on fourth and goal I've ever seen. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:57, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Wow. :) The guy must have studied Fran Tarkenton's game films. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 05:20, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

About online advertising terms. edit

1.What is the difference between 'targets' and 'landing page' on online advertising?124.195.193.51 (talk) 03:57, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

2.How is his earning shown to an online advertiser?124.195.193.51 (talk) 03:57, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

1) I would think the potential customer is the "target" and the "landing page" is where they arrive when following a link, such as when they click on an ad. Note that this isn't necessarily at the top level of your website. For example, depending on which ad they selected, you might take them directly to their favorite genre of porno. StuRat (talk) 05:44, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
2) I don't quite understand this question. The earnings of an online advertiser are shown via a profit and loss statement, just like with any other company. Perhaps you meant to ask how online advertising firms bill their clients ? The customary way is to bill per redirect. That is, if you pick on their online ad and it takes you to the company which paid for the ad, then the advertising company gets paid a small amount, let's say a penny. This is actually far better than regular advertising, where pay isn't so directly tied to results. Of course, even the online ads can't be billed perfectly, as sometimes they may convince the viewer to buy the product, even though the viewer doesn't click on the ad. StuRat (talk) 18:12, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

History or origin of Rosamond road naming in Maidstone Victoria edit

I am Trying to find out the origin of who Named Rosamond Road in Maidstone Melbourne Victoria120.18.177.192 (talk) 05:54, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The best place to start would be with a local library or the local authority. It looks like that road was only built around thirty years ago, at the same time as many other parts of the urban sprawl, so it might just be an arbitrary street name made up by the local council.--Shantavira|feed me 07:38, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Or, the name of the developer's wife, mother or daughter - certainly a frequent practice in C19 Britain. Ghmyrtle (talk) 07:54, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
We could suggest possibilities all day long without ever getting the correct answer. As Shantavira said, the local authority (the City of Maribyrnong) or your library will be able to put you on to the right track. They may have what's sometimes quaintly known as a Reference Desk there, but more likely just a General Enquiries desk. -- Jack of Oz [your turn] 19:38, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Brooklyn, N.Y. neighborhoods edit

Your listing of neighborhoods in Brooklyn, N.Y. does not include Highlawn.

Since there is a Highlawn library, Post Office, Avenue, and environs, I feel that it might well be considered a neighborhood, separate from Bensonhurst. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.194.37.120 (talk) 17:40, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The Bensonhurst talk page would be the best place to discuss this. StuRat (talk) 18:05, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
This map (PDF) from the NYC government doesn't show it as a separate neighborhood. Deor (talk) 18:11, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Historical Exchange Rates edit

Do any of you lovely people know how I can find out the exchange rates of British Pounds to Bulgarian Lev in 1994? I have googled it and found many sites that promise but don't deliver the relevant info. Many Thx Scraggy4 (talk) 17:47, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Found it – 1 Lev was worth 0.019 US dollars; a Pound 1.532 dollars; that's 81 Lev to the Pound. It was clearly depreciating, so it would depend on when in the year you wanted. Grandiose (me, talk, contribs) 19:15, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

many thanks Scraggy4 (talk) 19:26, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

And, here's a handy (and free) online exchange rate calculator that goes back to the second half of the 1990s. [[3]]DOR (HK) (talk) 08:12, 15 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

technology edit

Can i get connected to an air craft engineer? Because i have some thing that i am working on. You may think it is crazy, but i like to make and put it into reality.So if there is someone useful ideas about making a flying object may contact me.So that we may share ideas and come up with some thing great and unbelievable.

I AM TALKING ABOUT BUILDING AN AIR CRAFT.

Why not list your ideas here, and we will tell you if they are practical. StuRat (talk) 18:02, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
It's been done. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 18:26, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Actually, 'listing your ideas here' is about the worst thing to do - in the remote chance that you've actually got a good idea that is patentable, discussing it here would make this legally impossible, and we certainly can't give advice on how to build aircraft. If you can get in touch with someone qualified in the subject who is prepared to look at your ideas in confidence, you should do that - though you may have difficulty finding one, if you have no expert knowledge of the subject. AndyTheGrump (talk) 18:34, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Also SHOUTING is not nice. :d -- Obsidin Soul 19:40, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Architecture: what is this called? edit

 
What is this?

Okay, the small windowed thing at the top left, is there a formal architectural name for it? I've just flipped through a (small) book on architectural features, they didn't have one shown. I'm needing this for a caption in this article I'm developing about a theme park section. -- Zanimum (talk) 19:26, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I would just call it a corner turret. Is that good enough or do you need it to be more detailed? ThemFromSpace 19:30, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
(edit conflict) I would call it a turret. Several of the pictures in the turret article look of very similar construction. --Jayron32 19:31, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
I think it could be more accurately referred to as a turret dormer window. Admittedly, the terminology isn't all that common. I hope this helps. JW..[ T..C ] 21:28, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
The roof design is also known, perhaps only colloquially (I speak from personal observation), as a "witch's hat." {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.201.110.213 (talk) 04:41, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
 
Bartizan/guerite/echauguette in Laon, France
Indeed, the witch's hat or cap was a popular architectural feature in the Victorian Era. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 05:17, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
It's a bartizan or guerite or echauguette, or in Spanish, a garita. Acroterion (talk) 13:21, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you all, this is a great range of answers, I'm amazed at the response! So it would be safe to say this is a bartizan with a witch's cap? This building is called the "Alpine" building, within the park. -- Zanimum (talk) 14:03, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The witch's hat terminology would be confined to American Victorian architecture, mostly in Queen Anne style and its variants. In French architecture it would just be a toit conique. For pseudo-medieval architecture, I'd simply stick with describing it as a conical roof, as opposed to the domed roof seen in southern Europe and Vauban-era work. (Since it's part of an amusement park, we probably shouldn't be overly concerned with precise archeological terminology). Acroterion (talk) 15:33, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
"The witch's hat terminology would be confined to American Victorian architecture." I don't think so, since the colloquial usage I mentioned above was referring to a pub in Portsmouth (called The Florist [scroll down for both a picture and use of the term]. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 90.201.110.33 (talk) 22:05, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Why does the phrase toit conique sound so naughty? μηδείς (talk) 19:12, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Some free association might be useful there: I can think of a few things. "Conical roofing / toiture conique sounds alarming, though. Acroterion (talk) 20:31, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
LOL!

Stickum use in Rugby edit

I know that Stickum isn't allowed in (American) Football, but I was wondering if it is allowed in Rugby Union? Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 95.150.49.186 (talk) 21:43, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I suspect that it wouldn't help much ;-) Alansplodge (talk) 13:02, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
A lot of Googling later... apparently it is allowed (at least in Scotland!). Alansplodge (talk) 13:33, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Itunes tax edit

Why does iTunes charge a one cent tax? I mean it should be 6 cents or no tax at all since it's an online purchase.Accdude92 (talk) 23:53, 13 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, I've never paid one cent tax on iTunes. Maybe your math isn't correct or something but I JUST bought something to answer this question and my account only went down the 1.29 it was priced. Have a nice day and if you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  JoeGazz  ♂  00:26, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]
I don't think there is such a thing. Chevymontecarlo 19:14, 14 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]