The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[Frog24]

Gambit is actually 527 years old... that headgear keeps his jowls from flapping about while he tries to charm Rogue.

[Onyx_TKD]

You could use it for skiing if you don't want flat hair.

That would be interesting: 
"So why do you wear that thing anyway?"
"I don't want to get flat hair when I ski."
"...But we're not skiing. We're on a mission. In the summer. It's warm out."
"I went skiing before we left. How do you think I get my hair to look like this?"

Gambit is actually 527 years old... that headgear keeps his jowls from flapping about while he tries to charm Rogue.

  But that just raises more questions! What sorcery keeps his jowls under control when he's not in his superhero uniform? He does appear without the weird headgear as well. Are the other characters wearing similar headgear also centuries old with flappy jowls, or do they just think it's a cool fad?

[Layla Miller]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

[guihong]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

In college football, there are multiple overtime periods until a winner is declared.

In pro football, during the regular season, if the receiving team kicks a field goal in overtime, the other team gets a chance to respond.  If Other Team scores a touchdown, they win.  If they make a field goal, the game goes on as they would be tied again.  If they fail to score, the original receiving team wins.

 But, if the teams are still tied after the 15 minute overtime, the game ends in a tie.  If the receiving team scores a touchdown, they win.

During the playoffs, by definition someone has to win, so there are unlimited overtimes.  For example,The Cleveland Browns finally defeated the NY Jets in double overtime in 1986, on their way to defeat by Denver in the AFC Championship Game.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

In college football, there are multiple overtime periods until a winner is declared.

In pro football, during the regular season, if the receiving team kicks a field goal in overtime, the other team gets a chance to respond.  If Other Team scores a touchdown, they win.  If they make a field goal, the game goes on as they would be tied again.  If they fail to score, the original receiving team wins.

 But, if the teams are still tied after the 15 minute overtime, the game ends in a tie.  If the receiving team scores a touchdown, they win.

During the playoffs, by definition someone has to win, so there are unlimited overtimes.  For example,The Cleveland Browns finally defeated the NY Jets in double overtime in 1986, on their way to defeat by Denver in the AFC Championship Game.

Double overtime?  Pssh.  I once watched a quintuple overtime hockey game.  Eight hours, all in one stretch.  It was... well, kind of epic.

[oz diva]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

In college football, there are multiple overtime periods until a winner is declared.

In pro football, during the regular season, if the receiving team kicks a field goal in overtime, the other team gets a chance to respond.  If Other Team scores a touchdown, they win.  If they make a field goal, the game goes on as they would be tied again.  If they fail to score, the original receiving team wins.

 But, if the teams are still tied after the 15 minute overtime, the game ends in a tie.  If the receiving team scores a touchdown, they win.

During the playoffs, by definition someone has to win, so there are unlimited overtimes.  For example,The Cleveland Browns finally defeated the NY Jets in double overtime in 1986, on their way to defeat by Denver in the AFC Championship Game.

Double overtime?  Pssh.  I once watched a quintuple overtime hockey game.  Eight hours, all in one stretch.  It was... well, kind of epic.

And then there's cricket. 5 days of play which may end in a draw (which is not the same as a tie). Mind you they do stop for morning and afternoon tea and lunch. /hijack

[Carotte]

I've been interviewed (waiting on an answer) for an entry level reception job at a sport gymnasium.
The duties are: greeting members (who have membership cards), selling  the yearly membership/monthly/one session ticket kind of stuff, selling the products they carry (related to sport), manning the coffee machine, setting up the appointments with trainers, answering questions about openings and times and stuff, at closing folding the equipment and making sure everything is in order.

They said the first two month are a training period and they don't think people are completely up and ready for 4 months. How is that even possible?
They usually hire college students, so young people who shouldn't have too much trouble with technology (for the few software they use) and thinking*.
I didn't say what I was thinking during the interview but I'm really puzzled at the 4 months remark.
I know it's part time, but 2 months is already 80H on the job!
So stupid question, am I totally out of it and that would seem normal or have they only been hiring Airhead Tom and Lazy Suzy?

*shouldn't is the key word here, but they should be exceptions no?

ETA: my SO is as pluzzled as I am and it's the gymnasium he's been going for a couple of years, twice a week, so he knows pretty well what they do (at least when customers are there).

[Dindrane]

It takes most people several months to feel like they really know what they are doing, no matter the job and no matter their intelligence/inherent ability to do it. The only thing that tends to shorten the initial learning curve is having done a similar job elsewhere. But even then, every organization does things differently, and no two jobs are exactly the same.

Based on what they said, I'd guess that it takes 2 months for the average employee in that position to be able to operate without assistance, i.e. answer standard questions without needing to consult others, know where supplies are stored, know what to do to close the gymnasium and fold equipment, be able to operate things like the coffee machine, etc. It would then take another 2 months for all of those tasks to become familiar rather than just possible, and to get some experience with handling unusual situations that don't come up very often.

If they normally hire college students, they're most likely hiring people with very little professional work experience. If you have more work experience doing similar types of jobs than the average college student hire, you might find you can adapt to the role more quickly. But it really all does come down to experience, and the more experience with this type of job a person has, the more likely they are to be able to secure a non-entry level job that probably pays better (and therefore be less interested in an entry-level one).

[ladyknight1]

All positions at my university have a 6 month probation period because it takes that long to know if the person is capable of doing all the job tasks.

[Harriet Jones]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

From the little bit of googling I did, it seems like it's possible to have several overtime periods in a high school game.  It might depend on local/state rules that govern high school sports, though.

Editied to add - there may be rules about how long a game can last (or how long a student can play).  It seems unlikely that a game involving minors would be allowed to go on indefinitely.

[Betelnut]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

Maybe call your local high school and ask the coach?  Rules vary by state I think.

[Layla Miller]

Okay, I know next to nothing about high school (or any other kind of) football, but I'm writing a story that involves the game and I'm not having much luck using Google or Wikipedia, so here goes.  I understand that ending a game in a tie is rare because generally they just stay in overtime until someone finally wins.  But is it possible to do so?  And if so, under what circumstances would it be likely?

From the little bit of googling I did, it seems like it's possible to have several overtime periods in a high school game.  It might depend on local/state rules that govern high school sports, though.

Editied to add - there may be rules about how long a game can last (or how long a student can play).  It seems unlikely that a game involving minors would be allowed to go on indefinitely.

That's something I wondered about, too.  Perhaps if the game reaches a certain number of overtime periods, whoever is in charge (or maybe a joint decision between the two high schools?) will just call it a tie and end the game?

Thanks, everyone!  You've all given me some good information to start with, and I should be able to put something together from it.

[Carotte]

Good to know about those jobs.
It's funny because the two internships I did in my field (industrial design) were pretty much "here's your desk, go to work". the conditions made it so that I wasn't
even an intern, I was a junior, so had all the responsibilities of being a junior and no guidance from anyone (and the interships went great).
Who knows, maybe it would take me even longer to feel confident in the reception job (I doubt it, I pick up things quickly), it is quite different after all.
I understand keeping an eye on new staff for a few months, even more because I would have closing duties on my own after the two month training period. 
But it did seem long for the few responsibilities  tied to it.

Don't worry, I'm not a professional Darwinism candidate, I would never go to work and say that "I've got it, it's so easy! I don't need to take notes  " and then suck at it, I'll be too busy being embarrassed not remembering stuff on the first day and lamenting that I suck at even the most basic job.

[rosegirl]

Why do news anchors always have a stack of papers in front of them. They shuffle them every time they go to a break. They appear to be reading off of a teleprompter, so I'm curious about all those papers!

[gramma dishes]

Why do news anchors always have a stack of papers in front of them. They shuffle them every time they go to a break. They appear to be reading off of a teleprompter, so I'm curious about all those papers!

In case the teleprompters malfunction?