Search found 36 matches

by Monk
Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:24 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: PACE NSC: format changes, 2010 information
Replies: 287
Views: 133900

Re: PACE NSC: format changes, 2010 information

The one critique I'll make of this set is that the third parts could use some ironing out. To get 30, you'd have to know the basic plot of Disgrace or the title of the other Spinoza work, other times you'd have to know the plot of Too Late the Phalarope (which keeps coming up, inexplicably) or The ...
by Monk
Thu Apr 15, 2010 4:20 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Is timed quizbowl still awesome? (split from trash thread)
Replies: 17
Views: 2630

Re: Is timed quizbowl still awesome? (split from trash thread)

Seriously, playing twenty-minute rounds is much more fun. If you're ahead, you don't spend so much time being anxious about the other team rallying, and if you are behind, you lose fast and play again, which means basically a rain of questions, compared to a gradual meting out.
by Monk
Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:15 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Connecticut 2009-2010
Replies: 19
Views: 3046

Re: Connecticut 2009-2010

Given the difference in semester dates, there is an off chance I will be in Connecticut on vacation before Connecticut schools let out (it used to be that way for me every year, but I have more summer activities now). Is Connecticut quiz bowl as laid-back as some parts of Illinois quizbowl on rogue ...
by Monk
Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:11 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Is timed quizbowl still awesome? (split from trash thread)
Replies: 17
Views: 2630

Re: Is timed quizbowl still awesome? (split from trash thread)

Practicalities aside, I as a player find timed quizbowl to be a lot more fun.
by Monk
Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:07 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Trash in National Tournaments... Again
Replies: 81
Views: 11633

Re: Trash in National Tournaments... Again

pretty entertaining but that's about it. That sums up my opinion of transcendentalism. All of transcendentalism. It occurs to me that any set-in-stone standard for what is academic would either be too inclusive (This Nobel laureate said something about graphic novels! They're in!) or could lead to ...
by Monk
Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:55 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Trash in National Tournaments... Again
Replies: 81
Views: 11633

Re: Trash in National Tournaments... Again

If all trash questions were to disappear overnight, I would not miss them. However, I also do not have a problem with the use of trash questions since, as I see it, today's trash could be tomorrow's fine art or literature. Sure, I would be hard-pressed to find a modern example of something I think w...
by Monk
Sat Apr 10, 2010 7:23 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: David Riley
Replies: 27
Views: 4974

Re: David Riley

jonah wrote:I'm glad to report that David was released from the hospital this afternoon and is, as I write, on his way home.
Excellent news!
by Monk
Thu Apr 01, 2010 9:24 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Why is Illinois bad?
Replies: 126
Views: 24552

Re: Why is Illinois bad?

Computational math might not be fun for everyone, but it isn't evil. If you have question quality, fast pace, and good other distribution, you have what matters.


(Applause.)
by Monk
Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:20 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Why is Illinois bad?
Replies: 126
Views: 24552

Re: Why is Illinois bad?

To return to the subject: Why is Illinois bad? I realized exactly why at a local tournament a month or two ago. We had just finished beating a local team by a few hundred points on some awful QG questions, and after we shook hands, someone on the other team said, "Wow, are you guys the smartest...
by Monk
Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:41 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Keeping individual stats
Replies: 42
Views: 6750

Re: Keeping individual stats

Individual stats are pretty common practice in Illinois, and I've never heard anything about them being "obnoxious" or leading to bad play. Coaches and players understand that that someone playing with three solid teammates is going to have fewer ppg than someone with three seat-fillers. I...
by Monk
Tue Mar 23, 2010 9:08 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Why is Illinois bad?
Replies: 126
Views: 24552

Re: Why is Illinois bad?

dtaylor4 wrote: I might try to join the Masons and attempt to become the head guy, if that's what it takes.
Sounds like a plan.
by Monk
Tue Mar 23, 2010 8:58 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Driver's Ed, Home Economics, etc
Replies: 43
Views: 7075

Re: Driver's Ed, Home Economics, etc

It occurs to me that every other IHSA activity has rules based on tradition, not logic, theory, and discussion. Looking at IHSA format as an attempt at a rational act doesn't make a lot of sense. By the way, the people who know vocational subjects are too busy building things to ever go to a tournam...
by Monk
Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:49 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Illinois '09-'10
Replies: 568
Views: 141809

Re: Illinois '09-'10

IHSSBCA All-State Teams are here. This was voted on by people across the state. The statistics used for this included IHSA-format tournaments as well as traditional quizbowl. Really, nominators could put whatever they wanted on there as long as it wasn't from a solo or subject-specific (e.g. Scienc...
by Monk
Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:47 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: February Poll
Replies: 108
Views: 19911

Re: February Poll

I always assumed that in his signature, "LPHS" was just a really improbable mistyping of "IMSA" since he has posted about IMSA a few times and posted once from an imsa.edu IP at like 3:30 in the afternoon. Other theories are that he's an LPHS student who just really likes IMSA q...
by Monk
Mon Jan 25, 2010 6:48 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Northwestern Wildcat XII
Replies: 93
Views: 49352

Re: Northwestern Wildcat XII

My transportation options are looking on the bleak side, but I'm still trying. It would help to know what time the tournament starts.
by Monk
Sun Jan 24, 2010 2:27 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Northwestern Wildcat XII
Replies: 93
Views: 49352

Re: Northwestern Wildcat XII

Depending on if I can arrange transportation, I may be able to attend as well. Maybe I can find a spot on the Wolfpack or become an honorary Catholic for the day. Or, maybe two Carbondalians would be enough for an official Carbondale team (I think our administration would be pretty relaxed about tha...
by Monk
Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:02 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Fremd Varsity & Frosh/soph 1/23/10
Replies: 70
Views: 11216

Re: Fremd Varsity & Frosh/soph 1/23/10

BG MSL Champs wrote:I'll just say that the category was Religion-Computation.
Like the computational Scientology question at Nationals?
by Monk
Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:59 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Kickoffs
Replies: 99
Views: 17507

Re: Kickoffs

As far as I know, no CCHS player was surveyed either, even though all the other teams that attended the Carbondale kickoff were. I certainly never filled out a survey.
by Monk
Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:58 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Team Illinois Tryouts for NASAT
Replies: 106
Views: 17392

Re: Team Illinois Tryouts for NASAT

I'm filling out my application and I had a few questions. Exactly what sort of awards are considered relevant for the "other awards" section? I'm guessing my Junior Historian award probably is and my writing awards probably are not, but what about stuff like Honor Roll and NHS? I'm surpris...
by Monk
Tue Dec 29, 2009 4:12 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Who is really anti-math?
Replies: 39
Views: 7797

Re: Who is really anti-math?

jdeliverer wrote:have it reduced at the varsity level
Already happened.
by Monk
Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:28 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Who is really anti-math?
Replies: 39
Views: 7797

Re: Who is really anti-math?

quizbowl, which is about rewarding knowledge not speed ...Really? Never feels like that to me. It would really be nice if there was a good way to write comp math questions - there is a player on my team who mainly comes for comp math. Even someone as clueless about math as I has realized that it do...
by Monk
Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:32 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: All videos of Quiz Bowl
Replies: 206
Views: 155167

Re: All videos of Quiz Bowl

The Championship of Scobol Solo on Facebook . The lighting was bad so we could project the scores and timer behind the students. Hey...could you put this somewhere other than Facebook (youtube?). If this is the Solo I think it is, then I'd be interested in seeing what it looked like to the audience...
by Monk
Wed Dec 23, 2009 1:13 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: HSAPQ National All Star Academic Tournament in 2010
Replies: 161
Views: 64639

Re: HSAPQ National All Star Academic Tournament in 2010

We've asked a few other schools if they were interested in this tournament, so far there hasn't been too much (i.e. any) response... we'll keep asking, but would HSAPQ be horribly averse to State College as State Pen nsylvania? You guys should get orange jumpsuits for uniforms. The orange jumpsuit ...
by Monk
Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:34 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Southern Illinois secessionists?!
Replies: 18
Views: 3333

Re: Southern Illinois secessionists?!

Carbondale is roughly equidistant from Chicago and Jackson, Mississippi, and much closer to Nashville or St. Louis, so sucession is actually a better idea than it sounds. We would be called South Illinois, Carbondale would be capitol, and our state animal/logo would be the deer tick, dropping off a ...
by Monk
Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:16 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Festivus?
Replies: 1
Views: 884

Festivus?

Can anyone tell me how to sign up for the Festivus bowl on #quizbowl? I just found out about it yesterday, and the Festivus Maximus isn't logged in.
by Monk
Mon Dec 21, 2009 12:32 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Help with Scobobot
Replies: 19
Views: 3905

Help with Scobobot

After having heard about the Scobobot for some time, I decided trying it as a way to practice during the break. A few days ago, I entered the IRC channel as "Monk" and...nothing. A few people were there but completely silent. There was no 'bot, and I left in boredom pretty soon. Are there ...
by Monk
Sat Dec 19, 2009 4:08 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: New Trier Varsity (12/19/2009) at New Trier (Winnetka, IL)
Replies: 133
Views: 78155

Re: New Trier Varsity (12/19/2009) at New Trier (Winnetka, IL)

I'm cheering Carbondale A from Connecticut!
by Monk
Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:31 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Canon Expansion, Bose-Einstein Condensates, and You
Replies: 92
Views: 15536

Re: Canon Expansion, Bose-Einstein Condensates, and You

Wait, aren't basic organic chemistry terms, such as the names of the various organic compounds and the IUPAC nomenclature for organic compounds, reviewed over by all AP Chemistry classes in all high schools? Once you know those, it should be relatively easy to figure out what the heck clues are tal...
by Monk
Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:28 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Illinois '09-'10
Replies: 568
Views: 141809

Re: Illinois '09-'10

So I don't know if everyone heard the news, but as a result of Earlybird I qualified for NSC playing solo as a Hobo (not as Saint Viator, of course). So PACE and my parents are very close to letting me go, but I don't know how much of a discount I'm getting. Profits from Trashtastrophe are going to...
by Monk
Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:16 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Is there a "term" for this act?
Replies: 18
Views: 3404

Re: Is there a "term" for this act?

More interesting is when the moderator can't prompt, but pauses and looks twice the packet before saying "I can't accept that". It isn't always easy to spot, but it can be a bit of a giveaway.
by Monk
Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:31 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: New Trier Scobol Solo 11/7/09
Replies: 83
Views: 111751

Re: New Trier Scobol Solo 11/7/09

The format is definitely different than accepted Quiz bowl, and I would hate to play a team tournament with this distribution. As a quirky solo event - and solos, at least in Illinois, are definitely more "fun" events than ordinary tournaments - I'm happy with the distribution.
by Monk
Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:38 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Bad Negs Again
Replies: 494
Views: 113995

Re: Bad Negs Again

Mark wrote:Practicing on an Old IS Set (34 I think?) Today:

Right Answer: Taliban
Wrong Answer: Jesuits
This reminds me of something a local (Southern Illinois) team did in a game against us...

Right Answer: Jesuits
Wrong Answer: Jews
by Monk
Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:26 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Illinois '09-'10
Replies: 568
Views: 141809

Re: Illinois '09-'10

Can you mention what sort of question distribution we should aim for?
by Monk
Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:28 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Letter to Questions Galore
Replies: 22
Views: 8981

Re: Letter to Questions Galore

This letter is a great declaration of scholar bowl theory beliefs. However, when it comes to trying to improve the quality of Questions Galore questions, one thing I don't see mentioned enough is simple accuracy. When I've played with Questions Galore packets, usually more than one question contains...
by Monk
Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:56 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: ANNOUNCEMENT: UIUC ABT Earlybird (10/10/2009)
Replies: 51
Views: 10568

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: UIUC ABT Earlybird (10/10/2009)

Would you mind helping me with a little information gathering? I had to miss UIUC due to the SAT, and the report back from my team was a little incomplete. I know Ben Chametzky did great (from this post), but what about Mrinalini Prasanna? I've been planning on her being one of the core players, but...
by Monk
Wed Oct 14, 2009 5:47 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Poetry Canon
Replies: 5
Views: 3058

Poetry Canon

This is my first post here, but some of you probably know me. I'm trying to cover most of Literature for my team, and I've set out to read (or at least read excerpts from) the poetry cannon. The only problem is that I don't have a very good list of what it is, which is the whole reason I'm setting a...