Search found 233 matches

by VSCOelasticity
Tue Jun 27, 2023 10:14 pm
Forum: Collegiate Announcements & Results
Topic: EMACS (computer science side event, 2023)
Replies: 14
Views: 5791

Re: EMACS (computer science side event, 2023)

One last progress update: this tournament is now more than 90% written and edited, and I'm hoping to start playtesting next weekend - I'm still looking for a couple more playtesters, so please reach out if you're interested! This set should be ready for mirrors starting the weekend of July 22, and ...
by VSCOelasticity
Wed May 03, 2023 10:34 am
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 ACF Nationals Discussion and Thanks
Replies: 13
Views: 8821

Re: 2023 ACF Nationals Discussion and Thanks

I'd like to highlight submissions I enjoyed for one reason or another (novel content asked in a difficulty-appropriate way, straightforward canonical questions that were executed well, or other reasons like me just liking the topic), but was unable to include in the set for practical reasons. I did ...
by VSCOelasticity
Wed May 03, 2023 10:30 am
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 ACF Nationals Discussion and Thanks
Replies: 13
Views: 8821

Re: 2023 ACF Nationals Discussion and Thanks

It was a pleasure to work on ACF Nationals this year! Thank you to all staffers, logisticians, freelance writers, playtesters, players, and my fellow editors for make the tournament such an amazing experience! I've been playing quizbowl and writing questions with Taylor for nearly a decade now, and ...
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Apr 29, 2023 3:50 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 ACF Nationals Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 50702

Re: 2023 ACF Nationals Specific Question Discussion

Really enjoyed the math in this set. However there were a few errors that I will point out. Playoffs 1: the bonus part on ideals is wrong Playoffs 7: the third clue on “symplectic” has to say what the Lie derivative is with respect to (eg a Hamiltonian flow); it is not 0 for a general vector field....
by VSCOelasticity
Wed Apr 26, 2023 8:48 am
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 ACF Nationals Discussion and Thanks
Replies: 13
Views: 8821

Re: 2023 ACF Nationals Discussion and Thanks

The packets have been uploaded. Here is the link: https://collegiate.quizbowlpackets.com/2937/
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:50 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 ACF Nationals Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 50702

Re: 2023 ACF Nationals Specific Question Discussion

First of all, and possibly the question I think was the most objectionable in the set, was a bonus part in the finals that asked teams to identify the largest planet in the solar system. I didn’t notice this at the time, because I wasn’t paying that much attention to bonuses outside of my categorie...
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Apr 24, 2023 6:16 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 ACF Nationals Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 50702

Re: 2023 ACF Nationals Specific Question Discussion

ANSWER: shear stress [accept shear force or shear load until “force” is read; prompt on stress ; prompt on load or force until “force” is read] ANSWER: liquidity preference [accept demand for money or monetary demand or demand for cash ; accept “ Liquidity Preference as Behavior Towards Risk”; prom...
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Apr 15, 2023 7:06 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 BHSU: General discussion
Replies: 35
Views: 14529

Re: 2023 BHSU: General discussion

It looks like some of the points raised here were edited by the time of the online mirror. I don't recall lots of "for the stated number of points" or any very in-jokey references to other editors, but its possible I missed some. Overall, I had a great time playing the set. I think it did ...
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Apr 15, 2023 7:00 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2023 BHSU: Favorite questions/clues/buzzes/moments
Replies: 21
Views: 4027

Re: 2023 BHSU: Favorite questions/clues/buzzes/moments

I had a great day at the online mirror, but my favorite buzz was getting "core and periphery" from Samir Amin knowledge. Really glad to see him come up!
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Mar 02, 2023 10:23 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2023 ACF Regionals (January 28, 2023) Global Announcement
Replies: 12
Views: 12579

Re: 2023 ACF Regionals (January 28, 2023) Global Announcement

Can this set please be posted on the archive?
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:48 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: Addressing a common moderator error
Replies: 19
Views: 4026

Re: Addressing a common moderator error

I was always frustrated by moderators prompting for an answer on a tossup because, since it is not in the rules, it would usually end up giving a player much more than 5 seconds (or 2 seconds or whatever NAQT allows) to answer the tossup.
by VSCOelasticity
Tue Jan 24, 2023 4:42 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: Who's Doing CO This Year?
Replies: 31
Views: 8224

Re: Who's Doing CO This Year?

I'd be willing to write some for CO but do not want to be an editor. I wouldn't be available to contribute until May.
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Dec 23, 2022 6:11 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2023 COOT: Announcement
Replies: 8
Views: 8647

Re: 2023 COOT: Announcement

The science distribution seems odd to me. More than 50% of the other science is math and no astronomy? Astronomy is more than astrophysics, which is why sets have always explicitly distributed astronomy. The distribution means all but 2 packets will have 1/1 chemistry, which, to me, seems like such ...
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Nov 11, 2022 3:16 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2022 CMST II @ Georgia Tech (11/19/2022)
Replies: 5
Views: 1938

Re: 2022 CMST II @ Georgia Tech (11/19/2022)

As this is nearly a week away and three teams are on the informal spreadsheet, I just want to make sure (mainly for travel and hotel reasons): is this tournament happening?
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:31 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2022 Winter Closed
Replies: 10
Views: 11766

Re: 2022 Winter Closed

Posting this as a reminder to those of you who have played this set: there is a discussion forum (2022 Winter Closed Discussion) you can join by going to "Usergroups" under the "User Control Panel". We'd appreciate any feedback!
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:27 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: Winter Closed 2022 - General Set Discussion
Replies: 6
Views: 1151

Re: Winter Closed 2022 - General Set Discussion

I'd like to echo Tim's and Tejas's praise for everyone who contributed to this set, whether that was by writing/editing, handling logistics, proofreading, or assisting with some other task. A quiz bowl set is a huge team effort, and it's great when it all comes together! I'd like to shout out Amogh,...
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Oct 21, 2022 12:11 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: Winter Closed 2022 - Question-Specific Discussion
Replies: 12
Views: 1855

Re: Winter Closed 2022 - Question-Specific Discussion

The CS was super fresh; I don't remember any algorithmic programming. Tossups on shells and IP addresses and cybersecurity bonus were cool. I enjoyed the XOR and intermediates tossups. The alkyl halides tossup was also very well-executed. The plate theory clue in the beams tossup was pretty fraudab...
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Oct 14, 2022 12:22 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2022 CMST II @ Georgia Tech (11/19/2022)
Replies: 5
Views: 1938

Re: 2022 CMST II @ Georgia Tech (11/19/2022)

looking for teammates for this. i promise to only neg the bad categories (science)
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:13 pm
Forum: Collegiate Announcements & Results
Topic: CANONINFLATION
Replies: 15
Views: 8809

Re: CANONINFLATION

Are there any plans to play this online (maybe in duos)? Or is it delayed until the 2023 national tournaments?
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Sep 02, 2022 2:58 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: CANCELLED: THING ONLINE MIRROR (10/01)
Replies: 2
Views: 787

Re: THING ONLINE MIRROR (10/01)

The text of the post says September, not October.

It might help increase registrations if there were an informal google sheet for interested teams/free agents (like myself) to put their name down.
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Aug 22, 2022 12:07 am
Forum: Community Discussion
Topic: An Open Letter Regarding the Administration of the Discord
Replies: 5
Views: 5581

Re: An Open Letter Regarding the Administration of the Discord

I generally agree with Mike about the contents of the letter. If the demands of the letter are not met by the stated deadline, what consequences are there for Kevin? I ask this because, if there are no repercussions, this seems to hardly differ from similar public requests to Kevin that have been ma...
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Aug 08, 2022 10:39 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 Chicago Open: General Discussion
Replies: 39
Views: 12324

Re: 2022 Chicago Open: General Discussion

Thank you to all the editors, writers, logistics people, staffers, and anyone else involved in making this event happen. It was an enjoyable quiz bowl death march. I can't say much about individual questions because it was kind of a blur, and evaluating questions at game speed is very difficult. I h...
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Jul 30, 2022 10:35 pm
Forum: Collegiate Announcements & Results
Topic: CANONINFLATION
Replies: 15
Views: 8809

Re: CANONINFLATION

Santa Claus wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 9:17 pm since I don't know if people were aware that I was not joking, I intend to run the set as a shoot-out on CO Saturday
:party:
by VSCOelasticity
Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:18 pm
Forum: Collegiate Announcements & Results
Topic: EMACS (computer science side event, 2023)
Replies: 14
Views: 5791

Re: EMACS (computer science side event, 2023)

Excited for this (even as a Vim user)!
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Feb 14, 2022 6:54 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2022 Chicago Open: August 6, 2022 @ Evanston, IL
Replies: 98
Views: 48317

Re: 2022 Chicago Open: August 6, 2022 @ Evanston, IL

Are there length caps for the tossups and bonuses?
by VSCOelasticity
Wed Feb 02, 2022 1:58 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25767

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

About the type Ia supernova tossup - I could tell that the clues were pointing toward a specific kind of supernova, but I feel like it should clarify what it's looking for by saying "these specific events" somewhere at the beginning. That would eliminate the danger of someone buzzing on &...
by VSCOelasticity
Tue Feb 01, 2022 11:42 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25767

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

Can I see the bonus part that clued a naval engagement in Orleans, Massachusetts? American neutrality during this war prevented the SMS Cormoran from creating a German port; when the Americans entered the war, the Germans decided to scuttle the ship instead. For 10 points each: [10e] Name this war ...
by VSCOelasticity
Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:46 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25767

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

Seems to have been on my end then, or something weird going on with the reading in our room. Teammates express dislike / confusion with the pronoun, but that's possibly just due to not being used to be asked about this topic in this manner; to my knowledge, "source" is a pretty common way...
by VSCOelasticity
Tue Feb 01, 2022 6:22 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25767

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

Indicator ("this X") / pronoun choice is key to a successful question to such a grave degree that we may want to construct better community guidelines about what we mean when we, say, ask for an "entity" (Quran TU), object (the scarlet "A" from The Scarlet Letter TU), ...
by VSCOelasticity
Sun Jan 30, 2022 4:50 pm
Forum: Collegiate Discussion
Topic: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 53
Views: 25767

Re: 2022 ACF Regionals - Specific Question Discussion

I loved all three math tossups that I got to play: Taylor series , real numbers , and the Law of Large Numbers . :) I'm glad to hear it! Can I please see the tossup on cloning and the bonus on Proofs from THE BOOK ? Thanks! 11. An outdated type of this technique forms two arms and a stuffer. This t...
by VSCOelasticity
Tue Nov 02, 2021 6:05 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Penn Bowl Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 41
Views: 4844

Re: 2021 Penn Bowl Specific Question Discussion

In special relativity, if delta-s-squared is positive between two events, they are said to be (*) “like” this quantity. i think it's somewhat strange to describe events as timelike [i've only heard "timelike interval" before]; also, i'm pretty sure this clue is only correct if you assume ...
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Oct 29, 2021 12:18 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Penn Bowl Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 41
Views: 4844

Re: 2021 Penn Bowl Specific Question Discussion

I thought that the tossup on "commutator" was a tad transparent. What made it transparent to you? I don't know enough quantum mechanics to give a good answer to your question, but I buzzed after thinking "ok it's a thing that acts on two quantum operators and has cool mathematical pr...
by VSCOelasticity
Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:00 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Penn Bowl General Discussion
Replies: 12
Views: 1571

Re: 2021 Penn Bowl General Discussion

I don't have much to say about editing the set. I made a concerted effort to make my questions easier because I have received a lot of criticism for the difficulty of my questions in the past. It does look like I overcorrected, as the power percentage on physics is 35%. While some of that is due to ...
by VSCOelasticity
Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:54 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Penn Bowl Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 41
Views: 4844

Re: 2021 Penn Bowl Specific Question Discussion

I thought that the tossup on "commutator" was a tad transparent. What made it transparent to you? I suppose it is like tossing up the Poisson bracket in mechanics (not a lot of answer space for "this operation" in quantum), but it doesn't look like it played too poorly IRL. From...
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:08 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: HARI Open Mirror - Discord (10/2)
Replies: 8
Views: 3856

Re: HARI Open Mirror - Discord (10/2)

Myself, Dan Puma, and Dylan Minarik are currently looking for a 4th for this. Let me know if you're interested!

Edit: the above is no longer true
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:01 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Chicago Open: Thanks and General Discussion
Replies: 14
Views: 1300

Re: Thanks and General Discussion

I really don't have too much to say about my editing "philosophy," but here goes. My biggest concern leading up to the tournament was difficulty control. I know the physics and other science played quite hard, but I earnestly tried to make the medium parts and middle clues reasonable at th...
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Aug 26, 2021 11:43 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Chicago Open: Thanks and General Discussion
Replies: 14
Views: 1300

Re: Thanks and General Discussion

I enjoyed the set a fair amount (especially the CS, math and engineering content, which I thought was fantastic throughout - I'm not super qualified to comment on the rest of the osci but it all sounded interesting and well done.) Anyways, going back to how much I loved CS - this set's CS was fanta...
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Aug 26, 2021 10:05 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2021 Chicago Open: Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 19
Views: 1367

Re: Specific Question Discussion

In packet L, the "phosphorus" tossup clues "The ultimate limiting reagent for marine primary productivity." As far as I know, iron is also often described in the scientific and popular literature as the limiting nutrient in the ocean. Iron was already mentioned in the tossup at ...
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Aug 20, 2021 2:02 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING: 2021 CO Travel thread
Replies: 47
Views: 18505

Re: WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING: 2021 CO Travel thread

As my laptop battery dies, so does my unsaved tossup on the seventh wife of Amenhotep IX. Sidling up to a Hucks in Bowling Green, Jonathen quickly abandons the car, leaving me to keep watch. I find a cool bug. The gas station man forces me to drink sink water, so I purchase a Heath ice cream bar as...
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:28 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: A Semi-Serious Charity Tournament (7/31/2021)
Replies: 19
Views: 7886

Re: A Semi-Serious Charity Tournament (7/31/2021)

Yeah, I've been thinking about this- I'll offer $25 to anyone willing to moderate for this tournament. I don't want to go back on letting people play the event for free, so there will be an optional fee to help cover logistical costs for teams playing the tournament, and I'll make up the difference...
by VSCOelasticity
Wed Jul 07, 2021 6:59 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: A Semi-Serious Charity Tournament (7/31/2021)
Replies: 19
Views: 7886

Re: A Semi-Serious Charity Tournament (7/31/2021)

Posting this so people see an unread post and hopefully check the tournament date. I could've missed the date decision since it was just edited in.
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Jun 05, 2021 2:34 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2021 HSNCT discussion
Replies: 57
Views: 18290

Re: 2021 HSNCT discussion

This system's current version is "2e," which is stylized with an epsilon. Oren Patashnik developed a reference management utility for this system, whose name reflects Leslie Lamport's modification of an underlying system created by Donald Knuth. Computer Modern is the default (*) typeface...
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Jun 05, 2021 12:10 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2021 HSNCT discussion
Replies: 57
Views: 18290

Re: 2021 HSNCT discussion

This system's current version is "2e," which is stylized with an epsilon. Oren Patashnik developed a reference management utility for this system, whose name reflects Leslie Lamport's modification of an underlying system created by Donald Knuth. Computer Modern is the default (*) typeface...
by VSCOelasticity
Fri Jun 04, 2021 10:42 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2021 HSNCT discussion
Replies: 57
Views: 18290

Re: 2021 HSNCT discussion

This system's current version is "2e," which is stylized with an epsilon. Oren Patashnik developed a reference management utility for this system, whose name reflects Leslie Lamport's modification of an underlying system created by Donald Knuth. Computer Modern is the default (*) typeface...
by VSCOelasticity
Sat Apr 17, 2021 1:45 am
Forum: Databases and Quizbowl Software
Topic: Introducing YellowFruit.
Replies: 106
Views: 95069

Re: Introducing YellowFruit.

Can you add some instructions on installing and running from source for Linux users?
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:42 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror
Replies: 9
Views: 5386

Re: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror

The logistics e-mail has been sent out. Please let me know if you did not receive it.
by VSCOelasticity
Thu Apr 15, 2021 3:48 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror
Replies: 9
Views: 5386

Re: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror

There's room for a 16th team if anyone wants to sign up at the last minute!
by VSCOelasticity
Wed Apr 14, 2021 11:22 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror
Replies: 9
Views: 5386

Re: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror

Hello! I need staff for COOT this Saturday 4/17! I am paying $50 with the expectation that you can mod a room by yourself. Please staff COOT! PM me on here or email me if you're available
by VSCOelasticity
Mon Apr 12, 2021 9:45 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror
Replies: 9
Views: 5386

Re: Cambridge/Oxford Open Tournament (COOT) North American Mirror

Hello everyone! COOT is happening this weekend! We have one more team slot and some empty slots on existing teams. Existing teams should fill out their rosters. Free agents should either find an existing team to join or contact other free agents to make a 16th team. If the field is not full by 8 AM ...