The Quizbowl Resource Center

I just found out an old friend will be coming to NYC that week, so I'm almost certainly not coming.

We should somehow coordinate all the young people traveling in without a car staying at hotels with a bunch of old people who do have cars so that we can safely make sure we're all transported to the tournament on time. If you are planning on bringing a car, or are an old person who we could coerce into renting a car by splitting a bill, please post here so we can make sure everyone gets around safely.

Nothing safer and less scary than the Garfield station late at night.

Jeremy Gibbs Free Energy wrote:We should somehow coordinate all the young people traveling in without a car staying at hotels with a bunch of old people who do have cars so that we can safely make sure we're all transported to the tournament on time. If you are planning on bringing a car, or are an old person who we could coerce into renting a car by splitting a bill, please post here so we can make sure everyone gets around safely.

I will have a car and live on the North Side (roughly 2 minutes from the HSNCT site,) so if you're staying by O'Hare and looking for a ride, send me an email.

Forgive my ignorance, but are there definite plans for the lit doubles yet?

TheKingInYelliow wrote:Forgive my ignorance, but are there definite plans for the lit doubles yet?

You should team up with me, Graham.

So...is there still an desire for that basketball side event?

Since I don't have work on Sunday, I will play social science. Will there be a separate announcement regarding that?

Yes ... definitely a desire for the b-ball side event...

Hey, people, write your packets and send them to me by tonight.

Mr. Kwalter wrote:Hey, people, write your packets and send them to me by tonight.

Mr. Kwalter wrote: June 14th: +$40

NEVER

Mr. Kwalter wrote:Hey, people, write your packets and send them to me by tonight.

You should still do this. If you don't do it by tomorrow, you shall be penalized mercilessly.

We (myself, Hannah Kirsch, and Nick Polk) have an open slot, since our fourth isn't coming to the tournament - is anyone willing to come aboard and hopefully add a little science knowledge and/or last-minute science writing?

Wow, that's a situation where that fourth better pay up on some late penalties, since it sounds like his questions not existing must have delayed the packet a bit.

And hence, this is why we should have individual pricing and editors should always accept partial packets from people and prorate their share accordingly. But, I digress.

Retooled announcement:

We now have an opening for a fourth, no writing required. Sigh.

Apparently Mike Bentley is no longer coming, so the Evan/Myself/Andrew Alexander team is looking for a new 4th player. Our packet was submitted a long time ago, so no writing is required.

rylltraka wrote:We now have an opening for a fourth, no writing required. Sigh.

The Toad to Wigan Pier wrote:Our packet was submitted a long time ago, so no writing is required.

Same here.

A question for Chicago folks: my group usually rents a car and gets a place near whichever airport we're using, as it seems to be the one area where there's a concentration of cheap(er) hotels. Is there any benefit in looking further south of the campus area? That is, are there mid-level hotels much closer to the campus but on the other side of the campus from the city (and, presumably, further out than the Garfield neighborhood)? Or are we better off where we usually are?

Chris, I think you're better off where you usually are, unless:
a) you want to experience the novelty of staying in a (possibly rent-by-the-hour?) motel attached to a rib shack (Barbara Ann's, 7617 S Cottage Grove Ave)

b) you want to priceline something in the Loop and be somewhat closer to where (much of) the delicious food lives.

An hourly motel attached to a rib shack?! That actually sounds like a cool place to check out, but having walked to the Garfield station in the wee hours a couple times, I think I've learned that our presence would not be appreciated. Thanks for the confirmation, Susan.

Mr. Kwalter wrote:Chicago Open 2009 will be held on Saturday, July 25th, 2009 (technically pending university approval)

University approval just came through--we have reservations for the 24th-26th. If we're definitely not running something Friday night let me know so I can cancel that part of the reservation.

-Seth

Hey all,

I have made a reservation at Alinea Friday night (the 24th) at 9:30 for four people, and there are currently two available seats at the table. We're scheduled to do the tasting menu, not the tour, so the cost will be approximately $145/person (though if enough people want to drop the $225 I wouldn't be averse; when in rome...). There is a dress code as well. If you're interested please email me at ekwartler at gmail dot com. If I actually get more than two emails I can see about expanding the reservation.

I'm going to post this in the CO food thread too.

EK

What is the status of the social science event? Is this still being planned for Sunday?

Cheynem wrote:What is the status of the social science event? Is this still being planned for Sunday?

Paging Trygve Meade... The event is mostly done (I have a few replacement tossups to write here and there) and I believe we should be set to go.

Trygve wrote:Lou Malnati's pizza has won the vote! After some research, the lunch cost for people is going to be eight dollars, due at tournament registration. That will cover your pizza and access to the soda and water that I'm bringing with me.

You will have forty-five minutes to eat lunch, which will happen after Round 8 (a little more than halfway through the tournament.) If you think you'll want to eat a snack to stave off your hunger or keep your energy up before then, I suggest you bring one with you. Harper doesn't have vending machines, unfortunately, although there is a nearby building that will be unlocked which has vending machines in the basement (Stuart).

Forty-five minutes is probably enough time to go somewhere, pick up food, and bring it back with you, if you're not inclined to eat Lou Malnati's. If you are, however, you can sign up by visiting this link:

http://brackets.quizbowlpackets.com/

clicking on CO, and clicking on your name. Clicking on your name definitely means that you're giving me $8; please be aware of that.

Cross posting from the food thread.

Hey. I don't know what the buzzer situation is, but just so the organizers know, I can most likely bring two buzzer sets. They are not fully functional, so they should only be used if necessary. They are the same buzzers I brought to Minnesota's Sun 'n' Fun meet. We can also probably bring the University of Minnesota buzzer which works.

I will be bringing a buzzer set as well.

I just realized that I haven't mentioned that I plan on helping out with staffing at CO. Put me to work wherever you need me.

Although neither www.transitchicago.com nor RTA Travel Information Center (312) 836 - 7000 could specify this weekend's service delays yet, I fully expect the Blue Line to be interrupted this weekend, possibly from Friday evening through Monday morning, like every other weekend seemingly this year. I understand that many players will be staying near O'Hare, so you might have to take a Blue Line, a shuttle bus, another Blue Line, the Red or Green Line, and a 55 CTA bus just to Ellis Street.

I had planned on renting a car just for this Friday to attend some road racing somewhere in Joliet, supposedly near Chicagoland Speedway. However, I would be willing to extend my reservation through early next week if I could be of any assistance driving around visitors. Any contributions in kind would be welcomed, such as the same E-85 that the Honda engines of the IRL burn while Honda bleeds those IndyCar Series teams with exorbitant engine leases, a formula destined through the end of the 2011 season.

I am repairing a UIC lockout system. I replaced the burned out light bulbs. All eight units buzz and light up again. Now, I just have to replace two modular plugs once I borrow a modular crimping tool. RadioShack has been quite helpful. This UIC A system has more replacement parts than Cher; our B system, wherever it is, might rival Peter Weller.

I have not found a field update, but Hemant Mehta can be added to Tim Hartman, Arsalan Khan, and myself on Rom & Friends.

Happy 40th anniversary to Apollo 11 (Sunday, July 20, 1969),
Rom Masrour
CPS/UIC

cdcarter wrote:

Trygve wrote:Lou Malnati's pizza has won the vote! After some research, the lunch cost for people is going to be eight dollars, due at tournament registration. That will cover your pizza and access to the soda and water that I'm bringing with me.

You will have forty-five minutes to eat lunch, which will happen after Round 8 (a little more than halfway through the tournament.) If you think you'll want to eat a snack to stave off your hunger or keep your energy up before then, I suggest you bring one with you. Harper doesn't have vending machines, unfortunately, although there is a nearby building that will be unlocked which has vending machines in the basement (Stuart).

Forty-five minutes is probably enough time to go somewhere, pick up food, and bring it back with you, if you're not inclined to eat Lou Malnati's. If you are, however, you can sign up by visiting this link:

http://brackets.quizbowlpackets.com/

clicking on CO, and clicking on your name. Clicking on your name definitely means that you're giving me $8; please be aware of that.

Cross posting from the food thread.

Just bumping this. Make sure to get your food order in! If you are a staffer and want food, email me please!

I just learned that due to circumstances, the person who was going to drive me to CO will be unable to bring a car. Thus, if anybody has a car and is going to CO, but still needs a place to stay, I will let you stay in my apartment in exchange for you driving me to all of the CO events I wish to attend (and also to my birthday party).

I'm staying at a friend's apartment that lives right across from the Blue Line station at Logan Square. If I am dropped off on Friday night by my driver without a car, what is the best way to get to the tournament on Saturday morning given my location?

Carl Niemann wrote:I'm staying at a friend's apartment that lives right across from the Blue Line station at Logan Square. If I am dropped off on Friday night by my driver without a car, what is the best way to get to the tournament on Saturday morning given my location?

Blue Line to Washington or Jackson (one of these is closed, don't go to that one), transfer to the red line, red line to Garfield/55, #55 bus to campus (get off at the stop by the big gym), walk 2 blocks to tournament.

Alternatively, if you are uncomfortable with gritty-looking urban areas, take the Blue Line to Jackson, get off, go to the corner of State and Van Buren, catch the #6 bus, take it to Stony Island, and walk about 10 minutes to the tournament.

Whig's Boson wrote:

Carl Niemann wrote:I'm staying at a friend's apartment that lives right across from the Blue Line station at Logan Square. If I am dropped off on Friday night by my driver without a car, what is the best way to get to the tournament on Saturday morning given my location?

Blue Line to Washington or Jackson (one of these is closed, don't go to that one), transfer to the red line, red line to Garfield/55, #55 bus to campus (get off at the stop by the big gym), walk 2 blocks to tournament.

Alternatively, if you are uncomfortable with gritty-looking urban areas, take the Blue Line to Jackson, get off, go to the corner of State and Van Buren, catch the #6 bus, take it to Stony Island, and walk about 10 minutes to the tournament.

If you're going to do the Blue Line to Red Line transfer downtown, do it at Jackson (you can't get onto the Red Line at Washington). Also, the walk from the 6 stop at 57th and Stony Island to the tournament site is estimated at 15 minutes by Google Maps, so if you want to make it in 10 minutes you'd better walk quickly.

Alternatively to the routes Bruce has proposed, you could take the Blue Line to any of the stations along Dearborn (Washington, Monroe, or Jackson), get off and walk three blocks west to Michigan, and take the 4/Cottage Grove to 58th, then walk east on 58th, past the hospital, to Ellis, where you'll be at the tournament building.

Bear in mind that all of these routes are somewhere in the neighborhood of an hour and fifteen minutes, and that's apart from any potential Blue Line shenanigans. I favor the last route that Bruce proposed (Blue Line to 6 bus), if only because you'll be able to stop at the Medici Bakery on the way into campus and get a croissant to help you deal with the hangover you incurred at the Whistler.

I'll also support the 6 to get into Hyde Park if its possible, especially given that earlier today I received a University Security Alert about a series of people waiting to get to campus at the Garfield Red Line stop being robbed by gun-wielding 12-year-olds.

Hey everyone,

I am planning to call in the pizza order Friday morning, so if you're on the fence, please make sure you get your order in by Thursday night at midnight.

A CTA employee told me that the Blue Line might actually run 24/7 uninterrupted this weekend due to Venetian Night in Grant Park Saturday evening, but that festival could slow other traffic, both CTA and vehicular. However, Blue Line turnstyles have semi-permanent placards warning about interrupted service from 10 PM Friday through 4 AM Monday between the Western and the Washington stops. Articulated shuttle buses transfer passengers between those two stations. Regardless, passengers on el lines so early in the morning and so late in the night might be hard-pressed to find a car not occupied by sleeping residents.

Meanwhile, I still can accommodate three passengers in the back seat, but I am entered in all four events (not to mention attending the birthday party). The trunk is just for luggage and lockouts, as always.

Had Circuit City, a former NASCAR sponsor, been reorganized after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it should have been renamed RadioShack! RadioShack has the audacity to charge $40 for a modular crimping tool, which I might not know how to use anyway. Does anybody have one? Does anybody know how to use it to change modular plugs which have otherwise been falling out of phone jacks?

I debuted my new digital camera with up to 40X zoom at the NASCAR double-header at the Milwaukee Mile last month. I will bring it this weekend in case any teams want some team pictures, provided nobody objects. As I was walking all around Walden Pond this past Good Friday, I paraphrased Thoreau from CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, "One right person constitutes a majority."

Happy belated Cow Appreciation Day (July 18),
Rom Masrour
CPS/UIC
[email protected]

I'm pretty sure that you can get a phone crimper at Home Depot for under $20. You used to be able to get one at RadioShack for that price point as well, but looks like times have changed.

Due to recent events, Paul Nelson and I are now looking for two teammates.

cross posted from the other thread:

Hey, everyone,

I am very sorry to do this (you don't know how sorry), but do to some circumstances (some beyond my control, some not), I'm going to have to postpone this. The tournament is pretty much written, but truthfully, about half of my questions were written last year and aren't really in shape to be played at the moment.

I thought I'd have time to edit them before this weekend, but have had and am going to have to take on more responsibility for CO over the next couple of days than I thought, so that just isn't going to happen. I'm really excited for what this tournament could be with a little more time to rewrite the questions that I need to.

Instead of offering this tournament at CO after the trash tournament, what we are instead going to do is offer a reading of the VETO packets that were played at Canada. I know several people have contributed a few questions here and there to the set, and some people have heard a couple of them in practice, but my hope is that this is going to be an event of general enough interest that perhaps even more people will find the reason to stick around Sunday night than they would have if we'd read SS/Phil.

I sincerely apologize to everyone who I'm disappointing with this announcement. I'm very disappointed with my inability to get this together in time. Although it's not much, in compensation, this tournament is almost certainly going to be run along with TIT and Illinois Open at Maryland and Illinois, respectively. We plan to offer the tournament free to all comers.

I am, however, extremely excited to give the VETO set a reading to a more appreciative audience than it generally found at its mirrors in Canada. Again, I apologize, but I hope everyone will enjoy what we're planning in its place. I'd really rather run this tournament as it should be than run it half-edited and rushed.

Oh, and we also have a special treat for those quizbowlers who have already heard VETO.

Hey, everyone,

This is the official information post for Chicago Open this weekend:

Please arrange to have one of your team members register with me in Room 130, Harper Memorial Library between 8:15 and 8:45 Saturday morning. You can drop off your buzzers, pay, and receive your receipt and schedule at that point. Here is a map of the part of Chicago's campus where Harper is located. In the past, we've always had success parking on the street on campus; I can't verify for certain that that will be true this time. We're going to try to start Round 1 at 9 AM, so please be on time.

Again, the format of the tournament will be a full round robin among all 15 teams that are attending. Every team will naturally have one bye. We have plenty of staff, and won't need you to read on your bye if you don't want to.

We are going to do lunch after Round 8, regardless of when that happens to fall chronologically (unless it gets ridiculous). I think that should turn out to be between 1 and 1:30, so please plan accordingly. Harper doesn't have vending machines, but Stuart will be unlocked and has food available for purchase in the basement.

My e-mail address is [email protected], and my cell phone is 309.224.2232. Please let me know if you have any questions. If you're not in Harper by 8:45, please call me so I know what's up.

See you all on Saturday!

Oh, and one final reminder: I am going to call in the pizza tomorrow, so please fill out the form tonight if you want pizza and haven't yet done so.

Dear Trygve,

I am genuinely disappointed (not in you, but perhaps for you as I am sure it was unavoidable). I guess I will have to fly out to Illinois or Maryland to play this, which isn't so bad after all.

Sincerely,
Heartbroken in Tampa

Edited: for grammar and posterity.

millionwaves wrote:Here is a map of the part of Chicago's campus where Harper is located. In the past, we've always had success parking on the street on campus; I can't verify for certain that that will be true this time.

The street Trygve is referring to is E. 59th Street. There's usually plenty of free parking on 59th; if there are no spots or there's no parking for some reason (usually indicated by signs tied to trees or traffic cones/barricades), there are often spots available along the Midway Plaisance just south of 59th.

-Seth

The CTA Blue Line will have normal 24/7 service throughout this weekend, making all stops.

I have a white Ford Escape SUV that might fit four people on the back seat. I have never driven a slow-moving white Ford Bronco.

I have been unable to crimp two phone cord ends so that they would remain in the base. I will bring all tools (crimping device, plyers, and screwdrivers) and replacement parts (interior bulbs and modular plugs) tomorrow morning. Could anybody try to crimp those two connections during registration? This UIC system would then have more replacement parts than Joan Rivers has.

Happy birthday to Donald,
Rom Masrour
CPS/UIC

http://collegiate.quizbowlpackets.com/s ... dings.html Stats through the prelims!

EDIT: updated the stats and changed the file names to be legit.

Tommy is ninth eighth in scoring.

http://collegiate.quizbowlpackets.com/s ... dings.html Here are full stats, missing the finals and missing the last Magin v Weinersota game. Once that scoresheet is located I will put those up. If there are any errors, please email me.

The champions are The Lady's not for Byrning over In Vinokurov Veritas in the second game of an advantaged final.