Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2009 July 24

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July 24

Original track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRvcxLyu9G4 What is he audio source on this? Where did it come from? I've heard it alot on YTMND and the first time I heard it was in a Gmod video. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.130.237.183 (talk) 03:32, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Honest to goodness, the backing track sounds like something the creator of the video put together with a cheap casio keyboard. Its a simple little loop that anyone with about a years worth of piano lessons could piece together. --Jayron32 05:28, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

That must have been one of the "Bottom 10" at the MTV awards. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 05:44, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

These sort of questions come up every so often. One thing I never understand is why there's usually no sign of the person asking the poster for details. Surely the poster (who last signed in 3 days ago) may be more likely to know then random people on the internet? Nil Einne (talk) 16:04, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Maybe it's people trying to generate more views and a higher PageRank for their YouTube videos. Tempshill (talk) 18:01, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

I think the bad music must have become part of a meme, and the questioner simply wants to identify its origin. (Out of curiosity, rather than finding it special in itself) - it reminds me a bit of crazy frog, but it isn't that.83.100.250.79 (talk) 18:13, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Someone commented a week ago on the YouTube page that it's "Chacarron Macarron" by El Chombo. --jh51681 (talk) 00:30, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Amtrak

Where can I find information as to what % of Amtrak trains outside of the NE corridor run within 1 hour of being on time? Googlemeister (talk) 14:38, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

You might be able to find something useful in connection with http://www.amtrakdelays.com --jpgordon^{::==( o )} 15:26, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

(ec)See Amtrak route performance . It does not give the exact arrival times, but percent of ontime arrival. "Ontime" depends on the length of the route: within 10 minutes for 250 miles, within 30 minutes for 550 miles or over, for instance. The City of New Orleans, for instance, had 85% ontime performance for the last year. Delays were mostly due to interference by other trains. The rules are now that Amtrak pulls onto a siding and waits for a freight train to pass, which the host railroad gives priority to. The second cause is signal and track problems. Edison (talk) 15:29, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Sault Ste Marie, MI, USA --to-- Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada

I am taking a trip from sault ste marie in michigan state to moncton new brunswick (along the way to nova scotia).

Does anyone know some good things to see along the way? Or even things to see in nova scotia itself?

Thanks! 71.221.42.118 (talk) 16:11, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Are you familiar with Wikitravel? You can look up cities along your route and see what editors there thought were interesting enough to mention. -- 128.104.112.87 (talk) 16:53, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Assuming you cross over into Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario first, you can go to the Big Nickel in Sudbury. I assume you will also pass through Ottawa and Montreal along the way, lots to do there. Adam Bishop (talk) 18:38, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, the cross over is in sault ste marie. I saw Sudbury in google earth, but had no idea about the giant nickel, thanks! anything else? :)

71.221.42.118 (talk) 19:21, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Ottawa has a lot of tourist sights, including the Canadian Parliament building, a number of museums, the Governor General's mansion (Rideau Hall), the Rideau Canal, etc. Montreal is another major touristic destination (the Old Port, Olympic Stadium, the Botanical Gardens and Biodome, Ste. Catherine Street...). Between the two, instead of the main highway, if you follow the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, there is a lot to see: the almost abandoned airport at Mirabel, the Château Montebello and the Manoir Papineau, both in Montebello, Quebec, and the nature reserve in Plaisance, Quebec. Continuing eastwards from Montreal, Quebec City is a must see, especially the old walled city and the Citadelle of Quebec. You would then follow the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, which is quite scenic in itself, particularly around Kamouraska, Quebec. Someone else will have to give you highlights once you cross into New Brunswick towards Edmundston, New Brunswick, as I'm not familiar with that part of the route. --Xuxl (talk) 20:23, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

I've driven from Montreal to Nova Scotia, and I have a few things to add. The Chateau Frontenac is one of the most popular sites in Quebec City. A block or two north of it is a little lane full of artists and charicaturists (is that a word?) which is certainly worth a look-see. Just beyond that lane is the grand Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral. There's also the stunning Montmorency Falls just outside Quebec. Unfortunately, I spent most of New Brunswick sleeping and reading (I wasn't the driver!) so, like Xuxl, I can't tell you much about it. I know Magnetic Hill in Moncton is a tourist draw, although I didn't stop there personally. I also know we stopped at a truck stop just on the New Brunswick side of the Quebec/New Brunswick border with a great, homey little restaurant that you'd probably never think to stop at, but I was still kind of asleep when we got there, so unfortunately I can't be more specific about where it is, or even what company the gas station was. It's a shame, because they had great spaghetti :) Whereabouts in Nova Scotia are you going? I lived there for two years, but only saw a very little bit of it. So let me know where you'll be going, and maybe I can help, maybe I can't. Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 21:06, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

I am pretty much going everywhere i can in nova scotia. :)

71.221.42.118 (talk) 21:39, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Sudbury also has Science North, a science museum (although it is geared towards kids). Adam Bishop (talk) 01:03, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Everywhere you can, eh? Well, I lived in the Annapolis Valley, along the Bay of Fundy. It's all very rural and small town-y, so there's not much to do, but plenty to see, because it's a beautiful area. If you get a chance, go see the Bay of Fundy at high tide, and then come back at low tide, without seeing it in between. Even when you know the numbers of how much it changes, actually seeing it is astonishing. Because the Valley is so agriculturally oriented, farmer's markets and U-pick farms are a big deal there and the area is well known for its fruit and other produce. I've also been to Halifax, but didn't spend a lot of time there. I did enjoy wandering around the docks in the harbour and checking out all the ships (the Queen Mary 2 was docked there once when I was there!). They're all about the seafood in Nova Scotia, and this was unfortunate for me because I hate seafood, but if you like it, there's no shortage of places to get every kind of good seafood you can imagine. Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 05:36, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Fredericton, New Brunswick is a pretty town, worth a stopover. The town has some historic structures, a good live theatre company, some decent restaurants, excellent walking and biking trails, art galleries, and the nearby Kings Landing, which in my opinion may be the best museum village in North America. I've been to Moncton, too, but to me Fredericton was more interesting and attractive. Marco polo (talk) 19:54, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Earthed Plugs

Why is it that in the UK, plugs have to be three-pin (one for earthing) but in all other countries I have visited (and I have been to a few), they only need two-pin plugs with no earthing? --KageTora - (영호 (影虎)) (talk) 18:48, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

I think you're referring to grounding. You might be able to find more information at AC power plugs and sockets. Exploding Boy (talk) 18:54, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

The history section in BS 1363 is also somewhat to the point, explaining how the UK arrived at its plug. Such plugs tend to be used in Commonwealth countries, which for historic reasons have adopted UK standards. The article on Appliance classes may also help - class 2 devices, for instance, do not need an earth connection whereas class 1 does. If I was you, though, I'd turn the question around and ask why the 2-pronged countries think they can get away with what looks to the three pronged countries to be a somewhat dodgy & haphazard plug design. --Tagishsimon (talk) 19:35, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

The trend in the States has been towards three-prong grounded plugs for quite some time. That doesn't mean you don't still see a lot of two-prong plugs, but for the most part they're legacy. --Trovatore (talk) 19:55, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

.... hmm, actually I was using plug to mean socket here; that was imprecise. You do see a lot of two-prong plugs even in newer items, if they're low-power. But most if not all newer construction has three-hole sockets. There are still a lot of two-hole sockets left over from decades ago, which presumably explains why manufacturers often use two-prong plugs in low-power appliances. --Trovatore (talk) 03:29, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

British 3-prong power plugs have the earth (ground) pin longest so that it engages first as a safety feature where the earth goes to a metal equipment case. The present BS 1363 version has additional safety feature of shutters over the socket holes that have to be opened by inserting the earth prong, which make the socket child-safe. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 22:02, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

If you have been to countries using types E or F described in AC power plugs and sockets the fact that they have only two prongs doesn't mean they aren't grounded. They are either grounded through a metal tongue at the side of the plug or a socket for a grounding prong mounted in the outlet. In the US we are supposed to connect the tongue of a 3prong outlet adapter[1] to ground. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 23:24, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

What are the consequences of not doing so? Tempshill (talk) 23:40, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

If something comes loose inside the appliance then a live wire could possibly contact the metal case or a screw-head or something - and thereby electrocute the user when he/she touches it...maybe an hour or a day or a month later! In properly designed appliances, all metal parts are earthed so that should a live wire come in contact with some other metal part, there will be a short-circuit to earth - the circuit breaker would trip - and any brief spike of current would be carried away safely. UK plugs also have an integral fuse (aka fuze) on the 'life' side which provides further protection in the event that the circuit breaker or house fuse doesn't trip - or doesn't trip fast enough.

The reason this kind of thing is taken more seriously in the UK than in the USA is because our 240 volt wall socket voltage is CONSIDERABLY more dangerous than 110 volts you get in the USA. Another thing that drives these safety devices into the market quickly in the UK is that we have the "British Standards Institute" (BSI) who have the legal power to require manufacturers to comply with whatever safety rules they come up with. In the USA, it's much more a case of people producing defective products first having to kill someone - then getting sued for it. That's not universally true - but there certainly are some horrifyingly defective-by-design products out there. On the down-side, British power sockets - and the plugs that go into them are GIGANTIC in comparison to the US variety. It gets kinda crazy when you have something small like a cellphone charger - which would comfortably fit into a matchbox - with a mains plug that would need about six matchboxes! What the modern world really needs is a standard for much lower voltage (possibly 9v or 12v DC) wall outlets with tiny plugs and sockets that can be used for small appliances like cellphone chargers in order that every product you buy doesn't have to come with a 'wall wart' and yet another incompatible and poorly labelled power socket. It's interesting to note how an increasing number of small devices can be powered from a USB socket - which is rapidly becoming a kind of de-facto standard for many of those lower power devices. SteveBaker (talk) 00:48, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Regarding the (aka fuze) bit above: Is fuse in the sense of bit of metal that melts when there's too much current ever actually spelled with the z? Anywhere?

My understanding is that a fuze is always a detonator, never a circuit breaker, and that it's distinct from the sort of fuse-with-an-s that's also a detonator, in that the one with the s is just a long cord that you light on fire. A fuze is a more complicated gadget that may have a timer, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, or lots of other things.

There has been a considerable back-and-forth on this at the fuse (explosives) page. --04:06, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Canadian Wisky

I am trying to find out where I can purchase or contact people that sell Wiser's Choice 18 year old whisky.I live in Michigan and would like the closest source.Thank you.

[email removed] —Preceding unsigned comment added by JDVHUNTER (talk • contribs) 18:51, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

If you have a local Off license type place that sells whiskeys or even just wines they may be able to order in a bottle for you. A lot of local places will do this sort of thing if they can get it from their supplier's catalogue (given that they'll charge you retail and for such sort of things may be able to get away with ordering just 1 bottle). ny156uk (talk) 20:24, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Email address removed — Matt Eason ^{(Talk • Contribs)} 21:01, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

I don't believe Canada has ever owned Wisky. Cuddlyable3 (talk) 21:49, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

OP lives in Michigan. That most probably means the U.S. state of, so he'd have to find a liquor store rather than an off license But things aren't quite so easy, Michigan is an Alcoholic beverage control state. There don't seem to be any completely dry counties anymore, but alcohol sates are restricted in some. The manufacturer has one source [2] listed for Michigan. Good luck. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 22:49, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

You don't say where in Michigan. If you're in the Detroit area, you're not far from Windsor, Ontario. Why not call up an LCBO store in Windsor and see if they can get some in for you, then just go pick it up? --Trovatore (talk) 05:10, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Before all the restrictions resulting from 9/11, that was reasonable. Now you need a $120 passport just to cross the river.[3] Rmhermen (talk) 05:28, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Volleyball

Why in volleyball is it illegal to use the open palm to hit?174.3.103.39 (talk) 20:48, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

What makes you think that is not allowed ? Cuddlyable3 (talk) 21:42, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

There are rules against “throwing” or “carrying” the ball, which a ref will generally interpret any kind of upward contact with an open palm as being. But an open palm is used (legally) all the time for forward or downward strikes, such as when serving or spiking. But even in those instances, contact with the ball has to be brief, or the ref will call it as throwing. The official rules of volleyball are available here.

As far as why “throwing” and “carrying” are illegal, you’d have to ask William G. Morgan, but unfortunately he’s been dead for 67 years. But my guess is that those rules were created because carrying the ball would slow the game down and thus make it less exciting, and being able to throw the ball would make it too hard to defend against. Red Act (talk) 22:18, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

How brief is brief?174.3.103.39 (talk) 22:24, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

It's really subjective; it's up to the ref to interpret the rule, and refs do vary a bit. Generally, the players just see how strict a ref is, and adapt their game slightly if need be. Red Act (talk) 22:43, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

P.S. If there’s any question in your mind as to whether contact with the ball during a particular hit was too long, it essentially certainly was too long. A large fraction of hits by beginners involve contact that isn’t brief enough, and would be called a carry or throw if there was a ref around. (The ref uses the same hand signal for a carry and a throw; they're essentially the same fault.) A lot of recreational players get surprised by this, when they enter a tournament for the first time, and the ref starts calling carry faults left and right. Refs are sometimes a little more lenient with carry calls for beginning players, so there doesn’t wind up being a carry fault practically every volley. Red Act (talk) 15:17, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Is it possible to use the open palm in place of the bump? Kind of like juggling, but of course one hit per player and 3 hits on one side before it has to go to the other. Is it possible to use the open palm for a volley?174.3.103.39 (talk) 22:27, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

An upward, open palm strike from near the ground, e.g. in place of a bump, will essentially always get called as a carry. You might be able to get away with that in back yard play, but generally not at even unrefereed amateur games with casual groups that get together weekly, at least in my experience. Red Act (talk) 22:43, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

As a point of etiquette, one should chastise an underperforming teammate with the back of one's hand. Clarityfiend (talk) 22:32, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Font for CVs

- I think I remember reading of some research that'd been done on the most effective/successful fonts (& possibly text sizes) for curriculum Vitaes (resumes to you Americans), & for business generally. Can anyone remember this better than I can? AllanHainey (talk) 22:37, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

According to this article, you should choose Times New Roman for your CV for a traditional company and Verdana for a more contemporary firm. This study found that 12pt font on white paper was the best for resumes. Exploding Boy (talk) 23:12, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

It's clear there's a trade off between amount of content, and readbility (no refs) - 12pt Times New Roman is a good standard, as for Verdana - it's HUGE. Looks like a party invitation in 12pt, suggest 11, or maybe that's the point.83.100.250.79 (talk) 23:48, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

If you don't have a lot of experience with layout Times New Roman is a safe choice, but there are people who actually hate it. (It shouts I don't know what to do with the fonts in my word processing software.} Verdana runs wider, so it's not as easy to use as some other fonts. 12 pt in one font doesn't look the same as 12 pt in another. What your printer makes of your page is also not always WYSIWYG. Don't use more than one or two different fonts and other emphasizing methods. Try a printout and answer these basic questions: Is it easy to read? Is important information easy to find? Does it have the right amount of white space or does it look crowded or too empty? There are many, many studies on typesetting and layout, but in the end they only supply general trends and tendencies. A study result that "most people like vanilla" doesn't mean the vanilla custard pie will beat the strawberry shortcake and vanilla pickle cookies still don't sound like a winner. (I was rather amused that one of the links on typesetting above had most horrible typesetting and could have stood someone adjusting the kerning:-}. On colored paper: any color but white reduces the contrast between type and paper. Also be aware that effects of colors can have a strong cultural component. Remember that both yum and yuck make your CV stand out, but only one will make them want more. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 00:06, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Tricks and trendy ideas for CV's come and go on a cycle rate of about a year - most advice you get will be out of date because it's not 'trendy' anymore. Personally, in my line of business (computer games), content is king. The majority of CV's these days come in eMail or via the web - and our HR department immediately does a cut & past into a piece of software that handles and tracks them - which removes all of your fancy fonts, nice layouts and sexxy paper colors and dumps everything out in the same font with a dumbed-down layout that lets the software analyse and present the information in a way that allows us to compare them easily and on equal terms.

If you can get advice from a recruitment specialist - you'll stand a better chance of getting things right. When I was job hunting a couple of years ago, I bought a couple of books on the subject...the first one seemed pretty reasonable - the second one said that things change fast and to ignore advice more than a couple of years old (which meant I'd completely wasted my time reading the first book!)...it said in no uncertain terms to keep my CV down under 2 pages. I fought hard to keep to that limit - send a copy to a recuiter who immediately came back to me and said that at my age and level of seniority, a 2 page resume would speak of a wasted career and skinny amounts of experience and that I should consider perhaps a 5 page resume! So I did what they said - and it worked. But I'm sure the rules have changed again by now! FWIW, I put my resume onto my web site in .DOC, plain-old text, .HTML, .PDF and RTF, and in my written/emailed version started out by saying that you could get this document in machine readable form at <http://www.my website address.com> SteveBaker (talk) 01:59, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

I have an aesthetic interest in type, but these particular questions involve (as much type always has) a couple of practical issues:

1. Many résumés and CV's are now pre-screened by scanning software and so the ads specify a very limited number of types (e.g. Arial or Times Roman) and point size(s) that can be easily read by the aesthetically-unappreciative software.
2. Verdana does not have a high reputation among typographic designers. It's a downsized version of Arial, which was itself designed to be equally readable on a computer screen and on the printed page (WYSIWYG). Arial is successful in this aim, but it's not a particularly distinguished typeface. If you have a choice of sans-serif types, one of the classic fonts like Gill Sans or Futura, or a newer font in their tradition (not Arial, Verdana, Helvetica or Univers), is more likely to make an impressive printed document.
3. Similarly, while there is much to commend Times Roman, its popularity has made it seem over-familiar and trite to many eyes. You might want to look (if fonts aren't already specified in the job posting) at several of the classic seriffed fonts like Garamond, Granjon, Bodoni or Caslon, and see if their aesthetics match what you want to convey without seeming over-precious. —— Shakescene (talk) 10:22, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Comment - I've always had difficulty with anything other than times new roman or arial for CV's - anything else seems to suggest potential shallowness (eg why are you spending time choosing a fancy font?), obviously for the creative arts the situation may be different. I'd like to see a typesetter, or font designers CV too...83.100.250.79 (talk) 11:46, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Interesting take. The flip side of that argument is, why have a couple of dozen (or more) fonts available if somehow you're supposed to restrict yourself to only 2 of them. -- JackofOz (talk) 12:00, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Could be bloat, a lot of them are god awful, others may be suited to other tasks...83.100.250.79 (talk) 13:54, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Hitler's Subtitler gets a cheap font CD shows you what not to do, (couldn't resist).83.100.250.79 (talk) 11:43, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

I think you're a little mixed up on Verdana. It's not related to Arial. It's meant to be a screen font, and not a very nice one, either, but it's related to other font families. (Arial itself is a debased Helvetica, but that's another story). Neither are liked by designers. --18:37, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

You can add Calibri to future CVs given that's the new default in Microsoft Applications going forward apparently. ny156uk (talk) 17:36, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, and it's rather ghastly for printed documents. Bleh. Looks nice on screen, horrible on page. --98.217.14.211 (talk) 18:39, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

In picking fonts for this kind of thing, you want something simple, tasteful, and shows you put a tiny bit of thought into it but not too much. I think mine is currently in Caslon. Classier than Times New Roman but not ostentatious. Garamond, sure, though it's a little delicate and small. Plain-old Helvetica never really goes out of style, a much preferable alternative to Arial or Verdana, if you want to look modern (always make clever use of its bold). I agree Gill Sans and Futura will do a pinch, though if it were me, I'd go with the Helvetica. Anyway -- try a few out. See what says "you" best. There's no one right way to do it (but plenty of wrong ways). --98.217.14.211 (talk) 18:37, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, I agree, Garamond in normal weights on an ink-jet or laser printer can sometimes look a little thin and spiky (although it worked very well in older presses on thicker paper for New Left Review). However, I've had success designing a menu for a moderately-lit bar by using American Garamond Bold on an ink-jet printer and regular paper. (Boldfacing a normal Garamond weight could also work, though not quite so well.) But fit the type to the purpose, rather than the other way around. —— Shakescene (talk) 22:45, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Actually, scratch all that. Comic Sans is the way you distinguish yourself from the competition! ;-) --98.217.14.211 (talk) 18:39, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

In the same way that a fool's cap would distinguish you at the interview. One of The Wall Street Journal's most-popular front-page light features recently was about a world-wide campaign to eradicate Comic Sans. Algerian would also stand out. —— Shakescene (talk) 19:56, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Zapf Dingbats would certainly be sending some sort of message. --98.217.14.211 (talk) 02:53, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks for all the suggestions. Think I'll steer clear of Zapf Dingbats.

I've downloaded a few of the suggestions - I like Caslon only at 12 points the w's are really odd looking. The Caslon Pro version is better but too faint. Bodoni & Granjon look too similar & a bit angular/boxy/flat over the whole page so I'm not too sure on them. May end up going with Helvetica or Garamond though. AllanHainey (talk) 21:43, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

No one has mentioned Sabon or Minion, which are graceful and understated. One might also consider Baskerville. —Tamfang (talk) 07:46, 2 August 2009 (UTC)

Volleyball Ball

Why would kicking the volleyball possibly damage it? What are the materials and how is it made?174.3.103.39 (talk) 23:02, 24 July 2009 (UTC)

Who says it would damage it? Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 00:00, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

My gym teacher.174.3.103.39 (talk) 01:54, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

This is probably not the true reason. Your gym teacher likes gym class to be sane, calm, and under control, and having volleyballs careen off the ceiling, hitting one of your classmates in the head, does not fit this description. Saying that it damages the ball may be plausible but it's really just a quick, simple excuse to get you to cease and desist. At least it's better than 'because I said so'. Vranak (talk) 23:23, 26 July 2009 (UTC)

Most people can kick a lot harder than they can throw but most also can't control the direction very well. Your gym teacher won't tell you to "not kick the ball so that it'll bounce all over the place and injure fellow students." He'll rather threaten you with looking like a dork for ruining the ball and having to pay for a replacement. Smart teacher. 71.236.26.74 (talk) 03:33, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Indeed. If he told you not to kick the ball cuz you;d probably misaim it and injure someone doing so, you'd be more likely to say to yourself "but I know what I am doing, and I can kick more accurately, so I can ignore his warnings". If he tells you you'll damage the ball, then since that would be out of any control you have, you can't really argue that YOU'RE kicking wouldn't damage the ball, since ANYONES would. Its good psychology. To be fair, you aren't using a game-ready volleyball in gym class. You're using some 10 year old ball that's been used thousands of times by thousands of kids before you. But even if he is "pulling a fast one" with his reasoning, his intentions are sound. You shouldn't kick the ball for the exact reason that 71.236 mentions; kicking a ball in an enclosed room with irregular surfaces is likely to end badly for you and others. --Jayron32 04:03, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

I’ll compare a volleyball to an association football (also known as a “soccer” ball in the U.S.). Both consist of a leather exterior surrounding a polyurethane or rubber lining, and the two are roughly the same size (69cm diameter for the football vs. 66cm for the volleyball). However, a football weighs about 60% more than a volleyball (430g vs. 270g). So a football is thicker, and presumably can withstand the hard impact of a kick better than volleyball can.

Kicking the ball is currently legal in volleyball (it didn’t used to be, years ago), although kicking the ball is normally only done in rare, desperate situations, because you can’t control the ball very well that way. However, in those rare occasions when a ball is kicked in volleyball, it’s generally just a gentle tap to get it up to where your teammate can get it, and isn’t kicking it as hard as you can, like you might do with a football. If your gym teacher won’t let you tap the ball with your foot as a last-ditch alternative in a volleyball game, then either he’s unfamiliar with the current rules (which wouldn’t surprise me), or he’s being unfairly over-protective of the ball. Red Act (talk) 09:01, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

It's always illuminating to find out that a teacher is lying to you. It sets a good example for one's own future behavior. Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 09:31, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Lying suggests a wilful intention to mislead. The teacher may simply be misinformed, and be in need of some tuition him/herself. -- JackofOz (talk) 11:56, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Or the teacher may be correct and the "random thoughts of random strangers on the internet" may be in error. Rmhermen (talk) 13:08, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Seriously. The teacher is NOT concerned about knocking a ball used in Phys Ed class out of alignment. These balls are used for years and beat to shit. --Jayron32 13:11, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

See also Lie-to-children. Sometimes there are VERY educationally sound reasons to present a situation to children which is known to be false or inaccurate because the false information is likely to act as a means to introduce more accurate information later. For example, Newtonian physics is not true, but it sometimes is helpful to teach it because the average 6th grader isn't going to "get" quantum mechanics right away, unless they have the less accurate material in their mind first to branch off of. This is not wrong or bad in any way, but sound educational theory. --Jayron32 13:09, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Newtonian physics is largely true for ordinary observations - it's good enough for teaching young'uns. Just like first-graders don't need to study Shakespeare as their first English literature - Dr. Seuss is good enough for their level of comprehension. Lying to kids teaches them, eventually, that lying is OK. That's called "situation ethics". Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 16:12, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

There is no reason to study shakespeare, unless you want to study how he writes, and other sociological matter in the subjects.174.3.103.39 (talk) 16:19, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

The best way to study Shakespeare is to see his plays, and even better to help put one on. Then you can see what the issues and problems are, and know what the contextual explanations are all about. Reading Shakespeare's plays before seeing (or producing) them is deadly dull and nearly pointless. Like a secretive screenplay writer or producer in Hollywood, Shakespeare didn't particularly want his stuff to be printed at large and given away free to the competition. He wrote to be heard, not (except in his poems) to be read. —— Shakescene (talk) 21:07, 25 July 2009 (UTC)

Fascinating how a question about possible damage to a volleyball can morph into a discussion on the best way to study Shakespeare. This is what makes WP so eternally fascinating. -- JackofOz (talk) 23:36, 25 July 2009 (UTC)