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September 18

backup singer who is also a voice actor

I was watching biz kids yesterday, later, i heard the song 'sunburn' by gordy sampson, and i heard a girl in it. i recognized the voice from biz kids. she voices the one that is always saying things like "brian, now get to work!" and does the biz kids biz quiz, where she immitates excellent voices. can anyone name her? 204.112.104.172 (talk) 05:40, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

ksps northwest profiles narrator

I will provide links to the northwest profiles episodes.

a: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IULLSmhsB6M

b: /www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifwarSJq2NE

c: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXSfZ8Q_UHc

please name the 3 narrators, just check the credits. i should have provided links last time. sorry. Hopefully you know who (kyle) doesn't do that bad comment again. 204.112.104.172 (talk) 08:10, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

A) Tom McArthur

B) Not provided

C) Not provided

Is there some reason why you can pull up these clips but not read the credits yourself? Dismas|^(talk) 08:27, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

i cannot see dismas, i am blind. screen readers unfortunately do not read that kind of thing. darn. 204.112.104.172 (talk) 12:21, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

mayor on what's with andy

who was it who voiced the mayor on what's with andy? it sounded like tom mcarthur from the northwest profiles, is that him as mayor roth on what's with andy? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.112.104.172 (talk) 20:47, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

According to IMDB the Mayor is voiced by Rick Jones. Jarkeld (talk) 21:35, 18 September 2010 (UTC)

I looked at his article, boy he's a busy man. 204.112.104.172 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 08:45, 19 September 2010 (UTC).

September 19

How widespread are widescreen (16:9) TVs?

Are there any statistics on the ratio of widescreen TVs compared to the old-style 4:3 TVs that are currently in-use in US households?

I know this is a rather specific request. Any related information on TV sales figures or how much content is produced in what format would be helpful too. --Martinship (talk) 04:40, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

A May 2010 report puts US HDTV ownership at 65% of households; I'd think "widescreen" is roughly the same as "HD" for this purpose. Note also that only about half of those HDTVs are receiving HD programming. — Lomn 13:15, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

I can't vouch for TVs, but on a recent mission to find a 4:3 computer monitor for someone who doesn't like widescreens, there was precisely ONE model out of the probably 20-30 on show - all others were 16:9. Exxolon (talk) 17:33, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

If they were computer monitors may of them were quite likely 16:10. It's hard to tell the difference from 16:9 without playing a DVD to see the black borders at the top or bottom./Coffeeshivers (talk) 16:22, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Looking for a specific video

Hello, I am looking for a video to which I can't remember the name of. It involves a man who sets up a turntable out on the street. When something bad happens to someone else, he uses the turntable to turn back time and make it right. He put his turntable away, but his actions (if I remember correctly) cause something else to go wrong to another person, so he has to get his turntable back out again and rewind time again, and the process repeats. Could anyone help me find this? -- 24.251.101.130 (talk) 06:43, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

I think it was SPIN by Jamin Winans (IMDb link). ---Sluzzelin talk 07:04, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

That was it! Thank you :) -- 24.251.101.130 (talk) 07:21, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

cast member on zula patrol

can someone please name me the cast members of zula patrol and who they play? just name which ever ones you find please. i know that greg bursan and the other guy who your article said voices bula are not main cast members, i don't even think they are in the show. so i put who the characters sound more like. answering this will help me clear it up. thanks. 204.112.104.172 (talk) 14:40, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

Please answer this soon. who are the cast members of zula patrol? I do know that it isn't michael bel or greg bursand as i heard their other roles. Bula and multo do have more of a cam clark voice then a michael bell or a greg bursand voice. listen to their voices. Please do answer my question, or put the right names in the voice cast section i left. thanks. 204.112.104.172 (talk) 21:40, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

What do the lyrics of the song "You Run Your Mouth and I'll Run My Business" (Louis Jordan) mean?

I actually don't understand first 4 lines of lyrics:

You catch me beatin' up your chops?

I ought to turn you over to the cops,

But dig this spiel I'm going to lay on you, gate,

Don't cop your broom, park the body and wait.

Thank you in advance. 82.209.60.54 (talk) 17:14, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

"Cop your broom" and "collar your broom" are slang phrases for "to leave fast" (like a witch on a broomstick). So he's telling the other cat, "Sit down and listen to what I'm going to tell you." Pepso2 (talk) 17:47, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

And do you know what does the "You catch me beatin' up your chops?" stand for? 82.209.60.54 (talk) 20:50, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

This book, unfortunately, doesn't seem to have the answer - but you might be interested anyway. Ghmyrtle (talk) 21:08, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

"Beating up your chops" means "irritating talk". See how it's used in Louis Armstrong's "Basin Street Blues". Pepso2 (talk) 21:44, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

In the United States spiel is used to describe the protean rap music vocalizations in the 1960s [1] Lukipuk (talk) 09:52, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

As the World Turns

Can someone please tell me how the soap opera As the World Turns ended this past Friday (September 17)? What were the final story lines? What was the final scene? Thank you! (64.252.34.115 (talk) 18:50, 19 September 2010 (UTC))

Both YouTube and cbs.com have the final episode posted for viewing. --McDoobAU93 19:03, 19 September 2010 (UTC)

Thanks! I did not know that. Thank you! (64.252.34.115 (talk) 19:14, 19 September 2010 (UTC))

The last scene shows Bob Hughes in his office at the hospital, packing up because he's retiring. He puts his name plate into his briefcase and walks out the door, then the camera focuses on the globe on his desk, which starts spinning ("world turns", get it?) Everard Proudfoot (talk) 18:20, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

A sudden Proustian moment then, as I remembered Mad Magazine from the early 1970s making constant references to "As the Stomach Turns". It was full of gags that we British teenagers only half understood. Perhaps that was why it was so intriguing.Alansplodge (talk) 18:36, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Me again, I've just found an aposite quote from the linked Mad (magazine) page: "Things that go over your head can make you raise your head a little higher" (Robert Boyd). Wish I'd said that. Alansplodge (talk) 18:47, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Ah, but which Robert Boyd? DuncanHill (talk) 21:48, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

I'm guessing it's Robert Boyd (journalist), winner of the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. Only a hunch though ;-) Alansplodge (talk) 16:58, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

I've often wondered that with The Simpsons, particularly as much of the praise it seemed to receive (at least when the first few seasons were showing on BBC2) was for the randomness, the originality, and unusual ideas. I've since become aware of how much was referencing real events or other media, and that somehow lessens it. That MacGyver is a real programme, that there was a news story with a child stuck down a well, that there was a real man who built a suit to protect him from bears, and so on. 109.155.33.219 (talk) 13:07, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Referencing other things is part of its genius! It's PoMo! Adam Bishop (talk) 19:52, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Quoting the WP Mad (magazine); 'Simpsons producer Bill Oakley said, "The Simpsons has transplanted MAD Magazine. Basically everyone who was young between 1955 and 1975 read MAD, and that’s where your sense of humor came from. And we knew all these people, you know, Dave Berg and Don Martin – all heroes, and unfortunately, now all dead. And I think The Simpsons has taken that spot in America’s heart."' Alansplodge (talk) 17:05, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

September 20

What is it called, and where did it originate ?

Greetings from the Zone of the Canterbury Earthquake. We have all survived - as my grandparents did in Napier in 1931 - before packing up and coming back to Canterbury, where after all, there should not be such a thing happen. My question concerns the pratice - and I know not what it is, and I believe I first saw it performed at the LA ( or even Seoul ) Olympics, where certain members of the audience are given a huge card, on one or both sides of which are parts of a larger pattern, and at certain moments they hold them up to create a huge image - what is this called, and from where is it ? This relates also to what seems to me the more recent custom of huges flags and or soccer jerseys passed through the crowd, making it appear as if it is moving - when and where did this also originate ? My curiosity stems from checking out the origins of the Mexican Wave, and I was surprised at how long that has been around. I heard somewhere - on television some time in the nineties, and I cannot recall who said so, that this originated from Australian fans at the 1986 Soccer World Cup in Mexico - this I long accepted, except that I was aware, that since Australia did not qualify for that cup - having done so instead in 1974, 2006 and 2010, then what would they be doing there ? So where there soccer fans from the Lucky Country there anyway ? Thanks. The Russian. The Russian Christopher Lilly 01:59, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

We have an article on card stunt saying that it originated in California one century ago. ---Sluzzelin talk 02:07, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

You want to know if there were any Australian spectators at the 1986 World Soccer Cup in Mexico? Seriously, how would anyone be able to demonstrate that as a fact, unless their cousin sent them some holiday pictures or something? I mean, we are a well-travelled lot, and a sport-loving nation, so I'd personally need some convincing to believe there were no Aussies there at all, but what I personally believe is neither here nor there. On the card stunt thing, I'm pretty sure the first time these made an appearance at an Olympics was at Moscow 1980, where they were a major part of the opening ceremony. I don't remember them at Montreal, Munich or earlier Olympics. -- 202.142.129.66 (talk) 03:35, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

And, because Wikipedia has an article on everything, see 2004 Harvard–Yale prank for how this sort of thing can be abused for awesome humour. Adam Bishop (talk) 04:27, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Bah! A mere pale copy of the Great Rose Bowl Hoax of 1961, that was. --Anonymous, 04:50 UTC, September 20/10.

Thank You for your reply. I apologise for suggesting that there would be no Australians there, all I meant was, would anyone know whether there were some in a more officially documented capactiy, and yes, the Aussies ( and we Kiwis ) do get around, which is good. This thing I would like to do in some years to come, as well. To be honest we did not see much of the Moscow Games as we ( New Zealand ) sent only four athletes, and I cannot even remember whether they televised it here. I think not. All I recall is one girl talking about ( according to her ) the Russians opening up the main doors of the gymnastics arena to give wind assitance to some of their athletes in certain events. Which ones would need that I cannot tell - all it indicated was to us then the cheating nature of those commmie - but I digress. Thank You so much for that information, and I am indeed surprised that the stunt has been around this long. This also reminds one of those incredible basketball stunts done by those college students in Texas I believe. Excellent. The Russian Christopher Lilly 04:47, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Blowing it up and walking away

Has there ever been a term for the extremely overused and now clichéd type of scene in movies, television and music videos where a character, usually in the act of some type of revenge, causes something to explode...and instead of running away or even watching the event, instead turns and walks straight towards the camera? The character always has a solemn look of determination while a massive explosion or fire ball erupts behind them. Forgive me for the lack of an example, but the effect was used heavily in the last 15 years in various situations. Any ideas? thanks. 66.109.247.195 (talk) 20:01, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

There's the unflinching walk. ---Sluzzelin talk 20:04, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

That's it. Thanks. And I know there are even more examples in existence that listed on that page. Thanks again!66.109.247.195 (talk) 20:10, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

Cool guys don't look at explosions -- Finlay McWalter ☻ Talk 20:11, 20 September 2010 (UTC)

September 21

Chuck season premiere song

In the season 4 premier Chuck vs. The Anniversary, there was a song that sounded kind of like Beck, which also had a children's choir or something. I can't remember any words, or even what was going on in the episode at the time, but it was in the first half, if that helps (I think it was when they were walking into the Buy More?). I realize this is a terrible description, but does anyone know what it was? Adam Bishop (talk) 00:45, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Reference Desk! I'm disappointed. Yahoo Answers beat you this time. It was "We're Here to Save the Day" by the Constellations, and who I thought was Beck was actually Asher Roth. Adam Bishop (talk) 13:42, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Damn, that hurts. ---Sluzzelin talk 14:27, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Wait a minute, Adam Bishop is cheating on the Reference Desk, with Yahoo Answers. Is that allowed? Comet Tuttle (talk) 17:19, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

I was just looking! It meant nothing to me! (Also, I was wrong, the Beck-like singer is just the normal singer, and Asher Roth of course sounds like Eminem.) Adam Bishop (talk) 19:49, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

He must be made to wear a scarlet Y to the end of his days, that all may know of his perfidy. Clarityfiend (talk) 21:30, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Re:evolution - Shamen track

Is there an instrumental version of re:evolution, and if so, what format is it available on? DuncanHill (talk) 02:03, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

I found "De:Evolution" ("Re:Evolution" without Terence McKenna's narration). If you google "the shamen de evolution" you'll see a youtube link I'm not sure I'm supposed to post here. ---Sluzzelin talk 14:33, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Thanks! DuncanHill (talk) 14:41, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Trace Atkins Video

Who is the female that plays the solo part in Trace Atkins video for the song"This Ain't no love song. I think this is the same girl that plays the maid in his video for"Marry for Money" Am I correct and who is she?

Thanks, Rodney Roy —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.99.206.168 (talk) 16:30, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Apparently, it's Jaime Faith Edmondson [2]. ---Sluzzelin talk 16:51, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

midspeed internet conn.

how can i store video that has been buffered? I have a midspeed dsl connection,would like tostore video to watch at one time.Chanse209 (talk) 16:40, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

If you use Mozilla Firefox as your browser, the "DownloadHelper" extension (which has a stub article here which is for some reason entitled "VideoDownloader") lets you download many video file types from the web onto your computer, which may be what you're looking for. Comet Tuttle (talk) 17:18, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

There's also KeepVid, which is a bookmarklet that can be used in any browser. Bettia (talk) 09:28, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

No-ball controversy

Can somebody please explain this to me? I can read a bit about it at the end of Suraj Randiv, and see a huge amount of media coverage at http://www.google.com/search?q='no+ball+controversy' (do/should we have an article on this?). I don't understand really how cricket works- perhaps somebody could give a comparable scenario in some other sport? It sounds to me like an intentional walk in baseball with the bases loaded that would score a single run rather than risk a grand slam. But that shouldn't be very controversial... Staecker (talk) 22:49, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

We have an article at No ball. It appears to be a term applied to any illegally or improperly delivered bowl in cricket. The rules appear to vary depending on the specific version of the rules followed. It would appear that deliberately bowling a no-ball to gain some sort of advantage is against the rules, see [3]. It would also appear that there is some controversy over whether or not the bowler in question was pressured to deliver the no ball: [4]. It would appear that given the rules of the game, a no-ball is a mandatory 1-run score, however since the batter in question hit the ball beyond the bounds, it would have been a 6-run score had the ball been good. It seems to be more than pitching around a strong hitter, the calling of the no-ball actually took 5 runs off the board, see [5]. This seems to be the cricket equivalent of "icing the kicker" in American football (used this past weekend by Gary Kubiak against the Redskins), whereby the coach calls a last-second time-out right before the kicker attempts a field goal. In other words, its a very shady play that is poorly regarded by nearly everyone. --Jayron32 23:16, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

This article makes it a little clearer. I'm not a cricket expert, but here's what happened. Sri Lanka batted first and scored 170 runs. Now India had to score 171 runs in its "innings" before Sri Lanka recorded 10 outs or 50 overs (300 balls) were pitched. India got to 170 runs with only four outs recorded. That basically meant India was sure to win. Meanwhile, the Indian batter had recorded 99 runs, leaving him one short of a coveted century of 100 runs. Instead of pitching a normal ball, the Sri Lankan bowler deliberately threw a "no ball," automatically giving India one run, ending the game (with an Indian victory) and depriving the Indian batter of a chance to get to 100. What would be the equivalent in American sports? Perhaps intentionally walking a batter to deprive him of a chance to hit a home run record. Here's the scorecard from the cricket match. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:50, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

"Outs"? We call them wickets, and the chap with the bat is a batsman. Overs are bowled, not "pitched". DuncanHill (talk) 23:56, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

Right, right, but I'm trying to use words an American would understand. Hey, give me a break -- how many Americans even know what cricket is? -- Mwalcoff (talk) 23:59, 21 September 2010 (UTC)

I forgive you, but it's good to try to help those less fortunate than ourselves to learn the correct terminology. DuncanHill (talk) 00:04, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Most Americans know what cricket is. They are those little chirpy bugs right? Googlemeister (talk) 14:45, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Can I remind you that we invented baseball. Then we gave it away.  ;) Ghmyrtle (talk) 14:54, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Our article Glossary of cricket terms may help baffled Americans get to grips with descriptions of cricket matches. DuncanHill (talk) 00:07, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Thanks Mwalcoff- I think I get it now. Am I right in putting it this way: The Indian batter was about to end the game, winning it for his team, and achieving a seriously glorious "century" for himself. Just to spite this guy and prevent the century, the Sri Lankan intentionally fouled, giving the Indians a free run which ended the game immediately. So the Indian guy's team still won, but he didn't get the century. Right? That is a bit of a jack move. I can't think of a good analogy since I don't know other big sports in which you can cause the game to end immediately by fouling. Maybe a goaltend in basketball... Staecker (talk) 01:10, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Yeah, that seems right. Imagine if, for the last basket in Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game, someone had intentionally goaltended to prevent him from scoring 100. Total dick move. --Jayron32 02:50, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Actually, reading that article, it looks like the Knicks tried something similar. They spent the last 5 minutes fouling every player on the Warriors except Wilt, in an attempt to keep him from scoring 100. Looks like there is an analogy in Basketball as well, and it almost worked... --Jayron32 02:53, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

A "jack move"? I hope you weren't intending to be deliberately offensive, Staecker. Lucky my name's not Dick either.  :) -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 08:46, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

This happens often. Over ten years ago when I used to play cricket socially, we had two players who simply did not get on, and one of them did just this - he deliberately bowled a wide, allowing the batting team to win when the scores were tied, simply to deny the other player a fifty - almost as coveted as a century ( I scored three fifties myself in my playing time - but only about a half dozen centuries were managed in the ten years we played ). The batter that time was likely to have a fit and try to attack the offending bowler - more than once he threatened to stab people with wickets, and more than one in Rugby which we also played he was given a thump by me - but I recommend both sports to Americans as true gentlemanly arts of the British Commonwealth. Although now cricket is being tainted by betting scandals. This idea of games ending on illegal deliveries has also occured - one even was finished on the first ball of a new over, which was wide, and a debate broke out as to what to designate the ball, since it did occur in the new over, but because illegal, the scoreboard would only show so many previous overs completed. This was in Australia - in a tri series between RSA and Pakistan, but I cannot recall who was playing. It was in 1993. I would love to see America get interested in Cricket, because they are missing out. Who would not want to see Andrew Clarke or Brendan McCullum bat, and Slinga Malinga bowl ? Not to mention Sachin, Dravid, Sehwag, Kallis and Pietersen. Get into it ! The Russian Christopher Lilly 05:19, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

For an example of even more unsportsmanlike tactics on the cricket field, see Underarm bowling incident of 1981. --Viennese Waltz 07:45, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

That one at least had the saving grace that the action of the bowler was squarely within the rules, unlike the issue at hand. It was widely decried because "it's not the done thing", and the debate that then ensued quite correctly focussed on the issue of: all (male) cricketers are assumed to be gentlemen; and a gentleman would never do that, not even to save the match; so how come it's permitted within the rules to begin with? That has never been resolved. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 08:46, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Well it has been resolved in a way, since (as the article points out) underarm bowling was banned in limited overs cricket as a result of the incident. But more widely, the 'debate' you cite regarding why things are in the rules if they are frowned upon is a red herring. Is it really too much to ask that cricketers play the game according to higher standards of conduct than what is required by the rules? Apparently so, if your name is Greg Chappell. I'm reminded of a line in a book by my boyhood hero Barry Richards: "The only time an Aussie walks is when his car runs out of petrol." --Viennese Waltz 09:10, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Hence Unsportsmanlike conduct. Which, perhaps, doesn't apply to cricket but is an attempt to ensure people play fairly without having to have a separate rule for each eventuality. --Frumpo (talk) 15:04, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

I'm not defending Greg Chappell. But if it's been banned in limited overs matches, what prevents the powers that be from banning it for test matches? That would be a simple rule change that would put paid to the possibility of such an incident ever recurring. They have so far chosen not to do that. If everyone except GC is dead against it, why not? -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 19:46, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Sometimes things aren't against the rules because it's never occurred to anyone that someone would try it on. Anyway, I thought underarm had been outlawed in the First-Class game. DuncanHill (talk) 20:02, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

• According to our article Underarm bowling, the Laws of Cricket do now prohibit underarm bowling unless agreed before the start of the match. DuncanHill (talk) 20:05, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Although it's totally within the rules, in baseball it's considered unsporstmanlike if a batter atempts a bunt towards the end of a pitcher's perfect game. Everard Proudfoot (talk) 19:31, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

I was trying to think of baseball examples too, since baseball is sort of more "gentlemanly" than, say, American football (well, maybe not anymore). Last year, I think, Alex Rodriguez was running along the basepath when one of his teammates hit an easily-catchable popup, and yelled something to the Toronto player to make him think another Toronto player would catch it, so the ball dropped and all the Yankees players advanced safely. That's not against the rules either, but still rather unsportsmanlike. Adam Bishop (talk) 19:52, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

There's this whole debate over too much government and too many laws, and as much as it is relevant to society in general, we see its parallels here in sport. One of the comments before is especially relevant - it is all about foresight. When the rules of cricket were first formulated over a thousand years ago ( I know - but it seems sometimes like the game is really that old ), they allowed underarm simply because they did not anticipate any unsportsmanlke conduct in a game supposedly played to begin with by English nobs who themselves were always above reproach ( a survey of English history with respect to its subduing its Empire might tell us different about the real behaviour of such, but let us continue ) - it is like, when any thing is done, we learn by our mistakes. In 1995 it might have been alright to have a truck park outside a US government building, but by the end of that year, events taught that this was no longer the case. Hindsight, they say, is 20/20. Now I as a Kiwi was of course annoyed by the underarm - I recall watching the game as a teenager and then Robert Muldoon even gets involved in condemning - we made a lot of jokes about that one at Australias's expense, but what we might not have noted is that the Australian fans there that day were booing their own men, because they are keen sports people who like a challenge and like to win fairly. As had been pointed out later, there were similar incidents. Here in Christchurch about four years ago McCullum ran out one of the Sri Lankan batsmen for going to congratulate his partner on his century, when it might have been considered as if he had said " wickets " to indicate as we did when kids, that he was not attempting to run - which I believe the rules say - New Zealand went on to win the match by five wickets - the first victory at Lancaster Park in 12 years. I think it was in the early nineties , that Dean Jones was run out off a no ball which had bowled him. Seeing the stumps in tatters ( and it was a cracker of a delivery ), he obviously did not hear the no ball call, which always comes a bit late.He was attempting to walk, and it was perhaps the fact that the direction of the tunnel to the dressing rooms was ahead of the crease that put him out of his crease, so the West Indians, realising he was not out bowled, picked up the ball and probably uprooted a stump, and he was given run out. I suspect the umpires should have known that he should not have been given out even for that. Then there was the incident between England and NZ in 2008 I think where Sidebottom ran out Elliot, even though there was a collision where Elliot could not get to safety. England was given the option of not taking the wicket, but Vaughn decided to keep it. The Kiwis squeaked through to go on to win the series, and their reactions that day at the point of victory show how angry they had been about the unfair dismissal. All of this serves to show that any team can be the perpetrator or victim of unfairity in sport, and it's alright when the shoe's on the other foot. This also suggests that the rules of all things like this should be looked at seriously. Trouble is in Rugby for instance there is what we in the Southern Hemisphere deem as the Northern resistance to any rule that will make sense. Rules are NOT made to be broken. My thought is, if you have a rule, obey it, enforce it, but then no rule is for ever, so if it is dumb, then get rid of it, or agree to a spirit of the game - but I guess even that would be a rule. It seems if there are conventions followed at certain times there is also some clever dick who will come along and ignore it if the rules are on his side. Back in the nineties I think 48 Hours ( CBS ) did an article on fair play, and showed that in the fifties or sixties a team that realised it had gotten a championship by unknowingly breaching the rules - I think they got seven downs to make ten yards, not six, so they gave the cup to the others. In the nineties a similar thing happened, but the offending coach kept the trophy, because that is the way it is now. What can you do ? The Russian Christopher Lilly 04:05, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

See Fifth Down Game (1940) and Fifth Down Game (1990). You get four downs to get 10 yards in American football, not six, unless you're in Canada, where you only get three. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:42, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Regarding the Underarm bowling incident of 1981, as an American and non-cricket fan, the Australian action seems like the perfectly logical strategy in the situation. It seems to be to be no different than running out the clock in American football. In football, you have to snap the ball and run a play every 40 seconds. If the team with the lead has a first down with less than 2 minutes left, and the other team has no timeouts, the team with the lead will simply snap the ball and fall on it three times, rather than try to run a real play. This is what has happened in every such situation since 1978, when a team lost a game on a fumbled handoff returned for a touchdown in the final seconds (see The Miracle at the Meadowlands). No one considers this to be "unfair" or "unsportsmanlike" -- if the other team had played better, they wouldn't be in a position to watch the other team run out the clock. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:52, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Well I guess that's a cultural difference. Let me ask you, are there any circumstances at all in which you would regard a player's action to ensure a win as unsportsmanlike, if it's not specifically outlawed by the rules of the game? Chappell's action may indeed have been logical, but it was also disgraceful, and an affront to the moral (as opposed to legal) framework within which cricket is supposed to be played – and, normally, is played. Cricket is not like other sports, you see. --Viennese Waltz 07:43, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

If there wasn't even a cultural objection to underarm bowling, then the bowling team might as well do it every time, all game long. The correct clock analogy would be running out the clock when you're on defense (which you can't do in football). If underarm bowling were allowed as a tactic, nobody would ever throw a real pitch bowl a real ball. (Am I right? I don't know much about cricket.) Staecker (talk) 12:02, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

No, because then the fielding side would never be able to dismiss anyone. It's practically impossible to take a wicket using underarm deliveries. --Viennese Waltz 13:47, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

OK, now I see I'm definitely not right. Please ignore... Staecker (talk) 14:09, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Although, in 1981, Greg Chappell was less focussed on getting a wicket (not that he would have minded), but more on ensuring the batsman did not hit a 6 and tie the match. He instructed the bowler not just to bowl underarm (which would still have given the Kiwis a sporting chance) but to bowl the ball along the ground (like at a bowling alley), making it virtually impossible for it to be hit at all. So, rather than using the skill and experience of the team to ensure the bowler scored no more than 5, he made damn sure he couldn't get any score at all, and abandoned all thoughts of trying to get him out, which should be the main point of every ball that's ever delivered. That was the most unsportsman-like thing about it. He's had many years to reflect that some prices are too high to pay for winning a match. -- Jack of Oz ... speak! ... 22:10, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Originally, all bowling was underam, and overarm was illegal. Overarm gradually won acceptance (we all know the story of the girl in a crinoline playing cricket with her brother, who invented roundarm), and displaced underarm because it's easier to get wickets overarm, and makes for a more exciting and entertaining game. DuncanHill (talk) 12:08, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Read Underarm bowling, Roundarm bowling and Overarm bowling for some of the history and reasons for the evolution of bowling styles. DuncanHill (talk) 12:11, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

September 22

Actress Lala Sloatman

I am writing to you because there are two films that are not listed in my filmography. "L.A. Story" 1990 and "Somewhere" 2010. They are not listed on IMDB either. I was cut out of LA Story I receive residual checks for it. I play the mother in Somewhere which is Sofia Coppola's new film being released in Dec. I don't know why it's so difficult to get this information verified. I can send you copies of residuals or contracts or pay stubs. I do not have representation right now. But you can verify with American Zeotrope Films or The Directors Bureau ask for Roman Coppola. This is a huge part for me and I like people to know I'm still working.

Thank you kindly,

Lala Sloatman —Preceding unsigned comment added by Joangatt (talk • contribs) 01:10, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

I think this is a matter for the article talk page, so I'll copy it there. I'm sure you (Ms Sloatman) are already aware of WP policy on autobiography. Ghmyrtle (talk) 08:46, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

This ref desk entry apparently got the attention of none other than Jimbo Wales (see the history of Sloatman's page). 63.17.51.71 (talk) 01:39, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Formula One points system

In the early days of Formula One, what's the rationale for not counting all the races' points (only taking n best points, sometimes for each half of the season)? I mean, if you got a number of races and points for each driver (and team) for each race, the most obvious way to determine the champions is to simply sum all the points, right? Of course, I must have missed something here and that's why I am asking this question here. 125.163.235.52 (talk) 01:20, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

If you do that, you often get a situation where the seasons champion is determined well before the last race. There have been cases on various racing circuits where the season's champion could literally have sat out the last 3-4 races and still win the championship. NASCAR introduced a two-tiered system a few years ago in an attempt to make the end of the season more interesting, called the Chase for the Cup, whereby the points "reset" for the last 10 races of the season. This keeps the leaders from running away with it. The Chase is only open to the top 12 drivers in the seasons points total, but this is better than the old system where realisticly only the top 2-3 drivers had any shot of winning with ten races to go. --Jayron32 02:48, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

That could be a possibility. Another possibility I've come up with is that, initially, the system favored top results over reliability (by only awarding points to top 5 finishers and only counting 4 of 7 [or even 8 or 9] best races in each season) then, gradually, the system favored more reliability over top results (by awarding points to more top finishers and by counting all the races in each season). Although gradually favoring more reliability, the system as is today is still slanted toward top results (as opposed toward reliability): a system so heavily slanted toward reliability would probably award points in this manner: n for first place, (n-1) for second, (n-2) for third, (n-3), …, 3, 2, and 1 for last (n^th) place.

Sources (i.e., interesting articles you might also want to read):

• http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2009/12/22/think-the-new-f1-points-system-is-weird-weve-seen-much-stranger-than-that/
• http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/racing/indycar/columns/story?columnist=oreovicz_john&id=3655113

125.163.235.52 (talk) 05:02, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

Following up on what 125 said, by not counting all of the events you reward top finishes in another way. Not all of the drivers in the old days entered all of the events, so if someone did and only had average finishes in all of them, he could end up winning the championship over someone who only entered a few but finished much better. Recury (talk) 17:04, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Stories with the theme: The power was in you all along.

I'm just having a complete mind blank, I'm sure this is a common theme in a bunch of stories but I just can't think of any specific ones and am not having any luck googling it. I thought it was the Samson story: He had hair which gave him power, his hair was cut off so he lost his power, but in his time of need he re-found his strength; it was there all along, not his hair. I've just read the Samson article and it looks like I have it totally wrong, his hair grew back before he pulled the pillars down! So it WAS his hair. Lol… I also thought it might have been The little engine that could, but it's not that either. I'm sure there is more then one other story with this theme, any suggestions? I'm sure there's probably episodes of Simpsons, or harry potter or whatever that has this theme, I'll take anything, but if there's an Aesop's fable, or parable, or Greek myth, those are the ones I'm really after.Vespine (talk) 23:43, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

TV Tropes lists it as "Magic Feather". Being TV Tropes, it doesn't have any references to antiquity though. ---Sluzzelin talk 23:49, 22 September 2010 (UTC)

TV Tropes usually does have examples from folklore, mythology and earlier literature, where relevant. I'm not sure that I'd expect them for this trope, although I might expect them for similar tropes like Stone Soup. The 'magic feather' storyline is one that subverts the expected workings of traditional fairy tales, like stories where the Princess can't feel a pea through even one mattress, but it doesn't matter. Or stories where the Princess/Prince is replaced by a changeling, but everyone prefers the fake so the real royal child gets a sensible job and marries a blacksmith, ending up much happier. These are storylines I have seen often enough that they are tropes in their own right, but I would not expect to find them in traditional stories. 109.155.33.219 (talk) 00:32, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

You are quite correct that it often does refer to classical literature etc (the magic feather entry mentions The Wizard of Oz :-), and I do love TV Tropes. Struck it. ---Sluzzelin talk 02:30, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Probably not what you're looking for, but this is exactly the plot of an episode of Toot and Puddle... Adam Bishop (talk) 02:31, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Ella Enchanted, at least the movie version, has a very nice example. --Anonymous, 05:55:55 UTC, September 23, 2010.

Spaceballs incorporates this situation with Lone Star and the power of the Schwartz, with Mel Brooks memorably saying that the "magic ring" was just something he found in a Cracker Jack box... The Masked Booby (talk) 08:27, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

I believe that the Magic Feather reference points to (since I don't see it mentioned above) Dumbo, who discovered that it wasn't his magic feather that allowed him to fly. Kingsfold (Quack quack!) 13:16, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

About Samson, and I may be nit-picking here, the impression I get is that God returned the strength to him after he prayed for it. True that his hair had grown back, but the strength came from God, not the length of his hair. And, at what point would it be exactly long enough? As I understand the Nazarite vow, it was not that the hair just had to be long, but never cut.

For a power-within-oneself example: The Black Unicorn. PrincessofLlyr ^{royal court} 17:26, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

It might be listed somewhere in Vladimir Propp's Morphology Of The Folk Tale. 92.15.8.96 (talk) 21:05, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

September 23

People of Maltese Decent

It says on a wikipedia artcle that Britney Spears is of Maltese decent so can she be added to the Maltese people section? It looks like Danielle Fishel is on there, and her wikipedia page does not mention any Maltese heritage.

(This is my first time asking a question. I hope I did it right! Thanks!) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.71.19.247 (talk) 18:03, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Sort of :) This page is for asking questions. Requests for changes to individual pages should go on that page's talk page.

Having said that, I've added BritneySpears to Category:American people of Maltese descent, and added her name to the list on Maltese American Do we need both of these???. I've also added a "citation needed" tag to Danielle Fishel's entry there, as, as you say, there is no evidence of her Maltese descent on her page. Rojomoke (talk) 18:42, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

She's a Malteser - how sweet. 92.15.8.96 (talk) 21:10, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Sports on TV

While watching NFL games on my 4:3 picture tube TV this season, I began to notice that the score in the upper left hand corner of the screen is cut off. I can only see the score for one of the teams, as if the score location were formatted for a 16:9 flatscreen TV. Is this in fact what is going on? In past seasons the top and bottom black bars were used to make the picture ratio consistent, which worked out well. Why would the networks change the format? Hemoroid Agastordoff (talk) 19:25, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Fox just began framing its NFL and MLB broadcasts for 16:9 this year. In the past, widescreen was mostly treated as an afterthought, and all graphics were placed in the area where people watching on regular TVs could see them completely (the 4:3 safe area). Now, with more people switching to widescreen TVs, Fox focuses on making the picture look best for them. Pay-TV providers are required to letterbox their standard-definition Fox channel during games so the entire picture can be seen on a 4:3 TV. Some cable providers apparently do not have the proper equipment to letterbox, though, and Fox temporarily moved their score box back inside the 4:3 safe area for the NFL regular season (it was outside the safe area in preseason). Therefore, you should not have any trouble seeing the score; if you do, that may indicate a problem with your television. CBS has a score bar, and it's placed in the middle of the 4:3 safe area; if you can't see all of that, again, your TV has serious issues. Xenon54 (talk) 19:56, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

Xenon54 alluded to the safe area — our Wikipedia article on this is safe area. Comet Tuttle (talk) 21:19, 23 September 2010 (UTC)

I noticed in Week 1 that I couldn't see half of the graphics in the Fox games. I wasn't home last week; I'll see what happens this Sunday. -- Mwalcoff (talk) 03:38, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

September 24

Movie idea

I am thinking about sending an idea to warner brothers or another movie company about the following: Annie and her friend Lizzy are staying in hartford connecticut in the creature inn hotel in room 203. Annie notices something strange is going on in the room, and she gets wind of a girl named Catherine Jones who died in 1910 at the age of 13. nobody knew how she died but it is said that room 203, the one annie and lizzy are in is haunted by catherine's ghost, as that was the room she died in. Annie finds out that catherine was the daughter of a poor family and she wants revenge on wealthy people for laughing at her. Annie calls in the ghost hunters (one voiced by marry anne wilson) and they investigate only to find that catherine is actually there. and must try to make her realize that not all people are as wealthy or arogent as zach, the guy who used to ridicule her. What would be an appropriate name for this movie? 204.112.104.172 (talk) 19:44, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

Penny Arcade's public falling out - real or staged?

Something that I've been wondering about for years here... longtime readers of Penny_Arcade_(webcomic) will remember a stretch of a week or two when it seemed Gabe and Tycho (the real people, not the characters) were on the verge of splitting up and closing down the site. They used the news post part of the website to openly bash on each other, and as days passed the words grew more and more insulting, vicious, etc. At the time I recall that some of my peers called it a publicity stunt from the very beginning, while most were at least slightly concerned. I remember worrying that they were indeed having a falling out, but obviously even if it was real they're still here today... I don't recall every seeing any explanation of this event, and I'd like to know if they ever addressed it publicly, say at Penny Arcade Expo and if so, was it real or staged? The Masked Booby (talk) 21:51, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

"The IT Crowd" theme music / Electronic music terminology

I like the theme song used in the first series of The_IT_crowd. Can you tell me the name of the artist and/or song?

I'd like to find more music in this vein: simple synths with melodic and rhythmic elements, but not overly influenced by House_music. I've looked at various chiptunes sites, but some help navigating the terminology would be appreciated.SemanticMantis (talk) 22:07, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

diamond & pearl macho-brace

How do you get a macho brace in pokemon diamond and pearl? I think there is a diferent way besides migrating but I don't know what it is, if it exists... can someone help? 70.241.27.2 (talk) 22:11, 24 September 2010 (UTC)

According to this, you need to show three varieties of Burmy in Pastoria City. This agrees on the Pastoria City link, and the excellent Bulbapedia says the person you have to show the three Burmies too is in the house north of the Poke Mart in Pastoria. I know in Platinum I just traded with some character who offered you a Machop (I don't remember what pokemon they wanted), and the Machop came with the macho brace. That method isn't listed, that I can see. 109.155.33.219 (talk) 23:42, 24 September 2010 (UTC)