Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 April 16

= April 16 =

Does not getting enough credits in college equal to being held back?
UNF recognizes a person with 30 credits as a sophomore, 60 a junior, and 90 a senior.

For instance, I had 87 credits at the start of my senior year, does that mean I am held back (as in like grade school where you failed a grade)? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.62.86.109 (talk) 03:28, 16 April 2013 (UTC)
 * College is not like grade school or high school. You have a lot more latitude to determine your progress through the school. Some folks go to school part-time and might take well over 4 years to get through. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 03:41, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * I'd be far more concerned/interested in how long until the College will let you graduate, rather than what they say you technically are. If you start your fourth year with fewer credits than you are supposed to have, but you will still be permitted to receive your bachelor's at the end of the year, it doesn't make a difference what the college calls you. Someguy1221 (talk) 04:40, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Unless it does. I don’t know about UNF specifically, but having more credits than most people can get you into quite absurd situations. ¦ Reisio (talk) 08:29, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Per Reiso, it very much might. I recall that, when I went to school, your class rank determined which order you got into classes; seniors got assigned first, followed by juniors, and so on.  So the way the college classified you based on what "year" you were supposed to be in made a difference, as the earlier you were in your career the harder it was to get the schedule to wanted.  -- Jayron  32  11:40, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Which is annoying enough, but if you have too many credits, at some places you can actually become at risk of being unable to complete your degree. ¦ Reisio (talk) 20:45, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

The strict answer is no. Being held back in America at least refers to having to repeat a year's instruction in Grammar or High School because of various failures in courses or tests. In effect you are treated as if one year younger than your chronological age. In college you will not be forced to take an entire suite of courses over again with a younger class. You will simply not be ranked with other students as noted above who will have priority in signing up for limited classes, etc., as mentioned above. The cause in this case is not necessarily failure--you may simply not have taken enough classes. And you will not be forced to repeat any curriculum, except for classes in which a passing grade is necessary for graduation or you major. The proper place to discuss this is in your course advisor's office, not with random people on the internet. μηδείς (talk) 19:02, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

PAYEMENT
OLA

THIS IS sofia of portugal. 1000.000.00

TO DO WHAT IHAVE TO DO — Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.153.211.220 (talk) 09:42, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * I'm sorry, I do not understand what you are asking. But I very much suspect that you have come to the wrong place: this is the reference desk of Wikipedia, the encyclopaedia that anyone can edit.
 * If you do have a general knowledge question, you will need to be much more specific about what your question is. --ColinFine (talk) 10:27, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Suspect "sofia of portugal" is asking for money. Astronaut (talk) 17:18, 16 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Or trying to pay a bill...-- Auric    talk  17:43, 16 April 2013 (UTC)
 * In what denomination, though? Dollars? Euros? Razzbuckniks? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 21:17, 16 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Steal a nuclear warhead from Kreplachistan and hold the world hostage for ... one million dollars. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:36, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
 * But make sure you have the correct backup - sharks with frickin lazers on their heads are a start... But careful you don't end up with genetically mutated sea bass... gaz hiley  07:49, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Google
Any idea why THIS happens even though many documents contain "§" in the title? (e.g. Wikipedia's entry on §) ☯ Bonkers The Clown  \(^_^)/  Nonsensical Babble  ☯ 12:14, 16 April 2013 (UTC)
 * This is true of many or most unicode characters. For example, searching ¶ or ¬ will yield the same results. The google autofill/suggestions can recognize the characters when you type them, but google's algorithm can't seem to find them within documents, because it doesn't support unicode (or not fully at least, I don't know). Unfortunately, if you're searching for a symbol like that, you'll have to either figure out what it's called, or describe it. — Rutebega ( talk ) 13:49, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Google ignores most non-alphanumeric characters (and even alphanumerics if it thinks you might have meant something else similar) in an effort to cater to the inept majority. ¦ Reisio (talk) 20:46, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Is it because of that, or because supporting more than that would entail even huger, more problematic database indices? --Mr.98 (talk) 00:27, 17 April 2013 (UTC)


 * In my opinion the latter seems more likely. Were I in google's shoes, I would never go out of my way to reduce functionality in order to avert potential user mishaps. This is because averting potential user mishaps is impossible to begin with. As the saying goes, "Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool."
 * Oh, and Reisio: google does parse non-alphanumerics, but only ASCII characters. For instance, $ works, but € and £ do not. — Rutebega ( talk ) 02:18, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
 * P.S. I just remembered to check: some unicode at least is supported in google's search function. Specifically, I just tried searching in Japanese and Hebrew, both of which work in the American version of google. So basically, it's just symbols that google leaves out. — Rutebega ( talk ) 02:25, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Not a matter of opinion; Google does go well out of their way (although arguably this way is their primary business). ¦ Reisio (talk) 21:19, 18 April 2013 (UTC)
 * You are missing out the fact that the search was for a single character. That may be more significant than exactly what single character it was.  Sussexonian (talk) 14:56, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Eek, Google is getting too intelligent, when I just stuck in 'a' its returns were directed at my interests. I think I better disable that otherwise I'll become totally insulated from anything else. Dmcq (talk) 10:49, 18 April 2013 (UTC)
 * See "Filter bubble".—Wavelength (talk) 21:31, 18 April 2013 (UTC)
 * Yes exactly thanks, I don't want my prejudices and ignorances reinforced. Dmcq (talk) 09:54, 19 April 2013 (UTC)

Ocean view student
[Personal information removed] I where in ocean view student,in 1990 to 1993 and i dont graduate. so my cuestion is if i can have some paper to proof that i studie.and what can i do to get it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 189.136.158.46 (talk) 14:58, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Hello. This is Wikipedia. I suspect you arrived here by mistake thinking it's the website of the college of one of the many Ocean Views that are around the world. If you tell us which college it is you're looking for, we might be able to get you a website or email address. --Dweller (talk) 15:38, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Based on how the question is written, I suspect that they are talking about high school. They should be able to contact the school, and ask for a transcript.  That will have a record of when they attended and how they did.  There might be a small charge for it. StuRat (talk) 02:37, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
 * To the OP, I would recommend that you avoid making too many spelling mistakes in your request to the school, the receivers might take offense or imagine that these mistakes reflect on their teaching ability and refuse to answer. --Lgriot (talk) 11:51, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

Civilian bravery awards - U.S. equivalent?
Does the U.S. have an equivalent to the George Cross (UK) for acts of the utmost bravery and gallantry by civilians? I've looked at Awards and decorations of the United States government but, aside from sector-specific awards such as the Lifesaving Medal and Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor, I can't see one. Many thanks. Dalliance (talk) 21:58, 16 April 2013 (UTC)


 * Is not the Presidential Medal of Freedom what you describe?  → Michael J Ⓣ Ⓒ Ⓜ 22:04, 16 April 2013 (UTC)
 * I didn't see it that way when I read it. It appeared to be for achievement and, frankly, political friends rather than outright heroism. Dalliance (talk) 23:44, 16 April 2013 (UTC)

The Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor is only awarded to "Public Safety Officers" which I take to mean members of the civilian emergency services. Alansplodge (talk) 22:57, 17 April 2013 (UTC)
 * D'oh! I see you've already discounted that one. Alansplodge (talk) 22:58, 17 April 2013 (UTC)