Search found 538 matches

by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon Jul 20, 2020 10:57 am
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Archive of Maryland's MAQT website as of 1999
Replies: 11
Views: 8042

Re: Archive of Maryland's MAQT website as of 1999

I suppose this is a question aimed at the old timers who are here, but could someone give a summary of who Matt Colvin was, and more specifically, what his “infamous” “pajama post” re: Chicago was about?
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Apr 01, 2020 12:42 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: The MONTHS TOURNAMENT: "secular 1" quadrant
Replies: 26
Views: 1681

Re: The MONTHS TOURNAMENT: "secular 1" quadrant

1/64: June v Sip June brings us vacation, sun, Bloomsday, and my wedding anniversary; however it also brought us the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, an event which ended up costing some 40 million lives in the Great War, as well as laying the groundwork for the Spanish Flu pandemic. In comparison,...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Mar 13, 2020 7:45 pm
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Underappreciated Supporting Performances
Replies: 4
Views: 7417

Re: Underappreciated Supporting Performances

You know, I actually thought that I was risking a JL response with that line because I know it's historically a sensitive topic, but I decided to be cheeky with my phrasing instead. No disrespect intended, John! Obviously Yale doesn't win that title against that field on those questions without havi...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Mar 13, 2020 5:05 pm
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Your nationals stories—no title teams allowed
Replies: 11
Views: 8631

Re: Your nationals stories—no title teams allowed

My OSU teams were never in contention to win, but we were always good enough to consistently make 2nd bracket at nats and play meaningful games with just about all but the top 5-10 teams in the nation or so. This meant that we played a lot of close games at national tournaments, losing some heart br...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Dec 17, 2019 1:47 pm
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Notable Buzzers
Replies: 32
Views: 20585

Re: Notable Buzzers

In the fall of 2009 we went to Univeristy HS in Morgantown, WV to play a tournament directed by Fred and one team there had a buzzer system that I believe they had made themselves, with each buzzer housed in really beautiful wood cases. Whoever made it was a real craftsman and I don't recall there b...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:33 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: No prizes is better than insulting prizes
Replies: 22
Views: 11010

Re: No prizes is better than insulting prizes

My two favorite scoring prizes: 1) a copy of Absalom, Absalom! I bartered from Jonathan Magin for some other book on the promise that I "read it before the end of the year" (I did, and it was great!) 2) a $10 Subway giftcard. Back in 2009, that was 2 free meals! Try to get good books, espe...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon Apr 23, 2018 6:49 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: The end of the match
Replies: 26
Views: 14252

Re: The end of the match

Quizbowl's self hatred has really gone to some interesting places this year.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Nov 08, 2017 5:45 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Two Visions of ACF Fall
Replies: 9
Views: 6524

Re: Two Visions of ACF Fall

Maybe this should be in the main Fall thread but it fits here too, I think. This year's Fall was the first tournament I read for in a few years, and it was also the first tournament I've ever staffed where the majority of games in my room were competitive and almost every question was answered. I ca...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Apr 26, 2017 11:29 pm
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Nationalities of Title Winners
Replies: 8
Views: 16215

Re: Nationalities of Title Winners

Marshall Steinbaum is an old, old British man.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sun Nov 13, 2016 6:23 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: A Literature Skype League / Tournament (2016-2017)
Replies: 43
Views: 24608

Re: A Literature Skype League / Tournament (2016-2017)

I don't currently have a reliable internet access, so I won't be able to make it tonight. Please feel free to find a replacement player.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Oct 14, 2016 6:51 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: I need a movie!
Replies: 15
Views: 7387

Re: I need a movie!

Auks Ran Ova wrote:
Rufous-capped Thornbill wrote:Quizbowl serves an important function in The Day After Tomorrow.
That's Academic Decathlon, you heathen.
Quizbowl's dark cousin...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Oct 14, 2016 2:07 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: I need a movie!
Replies: 15
Views: 7387

Re: I need a movie!

Quizbowl serves an important function in The Day After Tomorrow.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Oct 05, 2016 11:41 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Let's Predict Who Wins the 2016 Literature Nobel!!!!
Replies: 64
Views: 3626

Re: Let's Predict Who Wins the 2016 Literature Nobel!!!!

AKKOLADE wrote:What are Bob "Bet on Him So We Can Take Your Money, You Hippie" Dylan's odds?
50/1!
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Oct 05, 2016 11:39 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Let's Predict Who Wins the 2016 Literature Nobel!!!!
Replies: 64
Views: 3626

Re: Let's Predict Who Wins the 2016 Literature Nobel!!!!

I would be beyond delighted if either Javier Marias or Laszlo Krasznahorkai ended up winning. Krasznahorkai might be my pick, actually.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:18 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: SSNCT and Charter School Eligibility
Replies: 43
Views: 25291

Re: SSNCT and Charter School Eligibility

I've got several thoughts about this topic floating around, so I hope this post communicates them in a meaningful manner. I think the distinction is that private schools generally have some form of selective admissions policies which not all charter schools have. Private schools can say things like ...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Sep 02, 2016 1:01 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Packet Discount Policy for Chicago Open Discussion
Replies: 57
Views: 29188

Re: Packet Discount Policy for Chicago Open Discussion

I agree with a lot of what has been said in this thread. The way to increase quality of submissions not only at CO but at every event that takes them is through things like PADAWAN, ACF Fall editing and the (sadly underutilized, I think) ACF feedback program, not strange discounting schemes that wil...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:39 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Early Fall Tournament (EFT) 2016
Replies: 45
Views: 41637

Re: Early Fall Tournament (EFT) 2016

Can anyone from NYU confirm if the tournament will be on the 1st or the 8th?
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Aug 10, 2016 10:36 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ARTSEE 2016: Specific Question Discussion & Review Requests
Replies: 35
Views: 5794

Re: Specific Question Discussion and Review Requests

The film was generally good and even great (the tossup on Norma Desmond's mansion was inspired), but why did Charles Band's film studio have to be tossed up? I knew stuff about Band, but having to remember one of his various companies (granted, his most famous) was really annoying. Thanks for the k...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Thu Jun 16, 2016 12:16 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: A restaurant guide for teams coming to Lexington
Replies: 13
Views: 8730

Re: A restaurant guide for teams coming to Lexington

I'm gonna briefly hijack Fred's (excellent!) thread to declare that the best way to make sure your team risks forfeiting a match, regardless of what tournament you are at, is to get pizza for lunch. It is very hard to get pizza in less than an hour, and in my TD experience, the teams that were late ...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sun May 29, 2016 5:18 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Lexington's LIMIT seeking mirrors for 2015-2016 season!
Replies: 8
Views: 8710

Re: Lexington's LIMIT seeking mirrors for 2015-2016 season!

So what do you all think happened to cause you to miss your difficulty goal? I can only accurately speak for myself and my own work on the set, but I don't think it was any specific thing we did, just a general tendency to choose the interesting or creative choice (which usually drift towards the d...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue May 17, 2016 12:10 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2016 Cooper Awards: Winners Announced
Replies: 4
Views: 5439

Re: 2016 Cooper Awards: Nominations Closed

On behalf of PACE, I am extremely pleased to announce that the winners of the 2016 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Award are Sheryl and Michael Cvijanovich of Matt's Buzzers. The Cvijanoviches are being recognized for their selfless and generous role in the quizbowl community, granting buzzer se...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue May 10, 2016 12:43 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Player Poll 2016: Don't Vote for Jerry Kramer
Replies: 41
Views: 28679

Re: Player Poll 2016: Don't Vote for Jerry Kramer

For some position in the rankings, I nominate Ming-Ho Yee, currently of Waterloo, soon-to-be of Northeastern. In addition to putting in a respectable performance at as many tournaments as he could make time to attend, he was also one of the most helpful senior members of the club. He constantly ass...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon May 09, 2016 2:26 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: There Are Alternatives to Zack Snyder
Replies: 7
Views: 517

Re: There Are Alternatives to Zack Snyder

Just chiming in to say that Under the Red Hood's Joker is the funniest Joker committed to the screen since Jack Nicholson. The DC Animated stuff is uniformly awesome, and The Dark Knight Returns is probably the best of the bunch. Good thread, Eric.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sun May 08, 2016 3:06 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: radiohead can't spell the word "full"
Replies: 5
Views: 639

Re: radiohead can't spell the word "full"

it sure sounds like radiohead
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Thu Apr 28, 2016 8:43 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Articles about quiz bowl
Replies: 25
Views: 3842

Re: Articles about quiz bowl

That's a good article, Michigan Daily!
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:39 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Studying specifically for HSNCT
Replies: 7
Views: 5277

Re: Studying specifically for HSNCT

I definitely agree with other folks in this thread who have said that preparing with HSNCT timing and pace is more important than preparing with HSNCT packets. One thing I will add, however, is that NAQT has much more trash, current events and geography in its distribution than mACF style tournament...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:50 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2016 NAQT ICT: Chicago, April 9
Replies: 24
Views: 17415

Re: 2016 NAQT ICT: Chicago, April 9

AKKOLADE wrote:Naming brackets after serial killer suspects and Ted Cruz sure was a decision.
Naming brackets is the only fun that a TD is allowed to have and we should support them no matter what.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Apr 01, 2016 5:17 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2016 Cooper Awards: Winners Announced
Replies: 4
Views: 5439

Re: 2016 Cooper Awards: Nominations Closed

The nomination period is now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted them.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:56 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2016 Cooper Awards: Winners Announced
Replies: 4
Views: 5439

Re: 2016 Cooper Awards: Now Accepting Nominations

The nomination process closes this Friday, April 1st. If there is someone in your life that you feel is deserving of being nominated for a Cooper, please nominate that person!
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Mar 01, 2016 7:13 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2016 Cooper Awards: Winners Announced
Replies: 4
Views: 5439

Re: 2016 Cooper Awards: Now Accepting Nominations

With a month to go before the April 1st deadline, we have only received one nomination. If there is someone or someones who you feel have made significant contributions to quizbowl in some way, please send nominations to [email protected].

Thank you.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Jan 26, 2016 9:39 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2016 Cooper Awards: Winners Announced
Replies: 4
Views: 5439

2016 Cooper Awards: Winners Announced

The Partnership for Academic Competition Excellence is pleased to announce that it is accepting nominations for the 2016 Benjamin Cooper Academic Ambassador Awards. The awards, which recognize those who contribute to the “spirit and honor of quizbowl competition,” will be presented at the 2016 PACE ...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Dec 11, 2015 2:57 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Podcast Recommendations
Replies: 36
Views: 3808

Re: Podcast Recommendations

Oh man, what a great thread. Through college and a little bit after, I worked at a place where the work was insanely boring and the rules lax, so I used to listen to something like 35-40 hours of podcasts a week (sustained music listening gave me headaches). Some of my favorites over the years: -Smo...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon Nov 23, 2015 5:06 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Missouri Open Mirror at MSU
Replies: 45
Views: 26265

Re: Missouri Open Mirror at MSU

Guroni Aunta
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sat Nov 07, 2015 10:34 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ACF Fall Northeast at Yale (November 7, 2015)
Replies: 14
Views: 10277

Re: ACF Fall Northeast at Yale (November 7, 2015)

I want to thank the folks from Yale for a really well-run, enjoyable tournament. We had a very good time playing a lot of very close games. Thank you.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Nov 03, 2015 10:42 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Missouri Open at Brown 11/14/15
Replies: 21
Views: 13082

Re: Missouri Open at Brown 11/14/15

I'd encourage people who are looking for teams to play on to contact people who are already registered to see if they have extra room on their teams and if they're willing to let them join. Open teams only have a $20 higher entry fee, which I would imagine would be a reasonable price to pay in orde...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Tue Nov 03, 2015 10:27 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Missouri Open at Brown 11/14/15
Replies: 21
Views: 13082

Re: Missouri Open at Brown 11/14/15

For the off chance that some room opens up, can you please add Vermont to the wait list? Thanks.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Sun Nov 01, 2015 1:36 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Webcomic recommendations
Replies: 29
Views: 2149

Re: Webcomic recommendations

Hark, a vagrant by Kate Beaton spans a range of topics that include quiz bowl-friendly literature and history (her most recent comic is actually about Young Goodman Brown) as well as silly things like the volleyball scene from Top Gun. She recently put out two new books, Step Aside Pops! (her secon...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Oct 07, 2015 6:18 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Pointless Predictions for 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature
Replies: 23
Views: 1671

Re: Pointless Predictions for 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature

Who I would pick: Laszlo Krasznahorkai

Who probably is most deserving of it: Murakami, Ngugi

Who I would not be surprised to see win (but I have not read much/any of): John Banville, Svetlana Alexievich.

What will probably happen: none of these people win

:capybara: philip roth
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon Aug 24, 2015 11:50 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Preseason Poll
Replies: 43
Views: 38637

Re: Preseason Poll

Vermont will be playing things, though I probably won't have any teammates with me.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Jul 10, 2015 6:15 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Acknowledging Marginalized-Group Membership in QB Questions
Replies: 54
Views: 21177

Re: Acknowledging Marginalized-Group Membership in QB Questi

And I think you missed my point that if there's room for that in a question, there is room for a better, more substantive clue. Yeah, I think this is right. If someone's racial or sexual (or any other) identity informs their work, a well-written question on them will make note of this, or at least ...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Jul 03, 2015 12:54 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: History Player
Replies: 20
Views: 12714

Re: History Player

(An amusing side note: I've found that quizbowl has been invaluable to me in my post-circuit-retirement career as an academic historian. Being able to instantly contextualize just about anything I encountered or read about is really helpful, as is having enough background knowledge about just about...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Jun 26, 2015 3:42 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: VCU Open at Michigan - August 8
Replies: 122
Views: 60455

Re: VCU Open at Michigan - August 8

I may be moving to Vermont later than originally planned, in which case I want to play this. I should know for sure in a few days.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Jun 17, 2015 11:29 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: NASAT 2015 Specific Question Discussion
Replies: 52
Views: 4570

Re: NASAT 2015 Specific Question Discussion

Who thought it would be a good idea to toss up Elegabalus? I wrote this tossup, among the 9 tossups and 31 bonuses I contributed to the set. Was the issue that the tossup was too difficult for this field? Yeah it definitely seemed a little out of place. I (along with the rest of team California, an...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Wed Jun 17, 2015 6:46 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Discussion of pronunciation guides
Replies: 30
Views: 17255

Re: Discussion of pronunciation guides

Black Miao wrote:Don't know about foreign language mumbo jumbo but I think science words should do more of the thing where there's an interpunct in between parts of the word. I feel like it'd make it harder to :capybara: up the pronunciation
I'm looking at you car·bo·cat·ions!
yes please.
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:33 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2015 NASAT: June 13-14 @ Ohio State
Replies: 37
Views: 46179

Re: 2015 NASAT: June 13-14 @ Ohio State

Congratulations to Team California, a very deserving team who proved their worth in one of the muddiest fields I can remember. I was very impressed with the quality of play and number of impressive buzzes I saw from teams at both ends of the field. NASAT was my favorite playing experience in high sc...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Jun 12, 2015 6:13 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: 2015 PACE NSC: Question set discussion
Replies: 65
Views: 38266

Re: 2015 PACE NSC: Question set discussion

A different type of discussion, but what did the readers at this year's NSC think of the formatting and style of answer line in the set? The choice of font for the set appears to be similar, if not the same, as the font used for the past two ACF Nationals, and I thought it was rather easier on the ...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Thu Jun 11, 2015 8:16 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: History of the quiz bowl distribution
Replies: 10
Views: 5527

Re: History of the quiz bowl distribution

Kouign Amann wrote: Oh man, I had to read some Kipnis stuff this semester and didn't connect the two at all. For the curious, his writing totally blows.
Inkana7 wrote:Jacques Derrida's friend
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:58 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: History of the quiz bowl distribution
Replies: 10
Views: 5527

Re: History of the quiz bowl distribution

Jacques Derrida's friend Jeff Kipnis claims to have invented the use of 20 questions as the standard while he was at Georgia Tech. Joe Wells wrote a very interesting post about his interview with Jeff, who teaches at Ohio State now: http://www.hsquizbowl.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=282850#p282850 EDI...
by Rufous-capped Thornbill
Fri Jun 05, 2015 10:48 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Liveblogging my trip to NSC with Max Schindler
Replies: 80
Views: 30014

Re: Liveblogging my trip to NSC with Max Schindler

8 AM : enter Indiana 9 Am: still entering Indiana. The only redeeming quality of driving across Indiana (something OSU did just about every weekend we weren't going to Michigan) is the plethora of Arby's in that state. False, there are literally zero redeeming qualities to driving through Indiana. ...