Wednesday, February 6, 2013 Game Recap & Discussion [SPOILERS]

[stevo4212]

Malpighi comes up far more often in Quiz Bowl, haha.

[stevo4212]

Here's how I'd do it:
540 * 2/10 = 540/10 * 2 = 54 * 2 = 108
I would use 2/10 instead of 1/5 because dividing by 10 can be done instantly. I wouldn't need to go through all those steps in my mind, though, just divide 540 by 10 then multiply by 2.

That's actually a pretty neat trick. Usually, you get excited about dividing by ten, but you never think of being proactive and making a ten show up when it's not there. Nice work.

[Magna]

Here's how I'd do it:
540 * 2/10 = 540/10 * 2 = 54 * 2 = 108
I would use 2/10 instead of 1/5 because dividing by 10 can be done instantly. I wouldn't need to go through all those steps in my mind, though, just divide 540 by 10 then multiply by 2.

That's actually a pretty neat trick. Usually, you get excited about dividing by ten, but you never think of being proactive and making a ten show up when it's not there. Nice work.

Thanks!

[reddpen]

Only halfway through this thread, so please forgive if someone has posted something similar.

I just see Barrett's interview today as a bit overblown. If he wants to high aspirations and the way he views them, that's fine with me. As for his personality, I tend to ignore the personality of the person I am cheering for and more for how good they are at playing the game (I chose Colby in the last TT, Justin Hofstetter in the previous one because I thought they were worth cheering for to win).

Interesting. The last contestant who inspired the same visceral loathing in me that people are expressing about Barrett was Justin Hofstetter. NEVER have I been as elated to see someone lose. Justin's smug, pompous speech about the greatness of students from his charter school was just insufferable. Sounds like a lot of folks took Barrett's semifinal interview in a similar vein, and I'll concede I found his glib claim to "competence and accountability" deeply off-putting... especially if it was intended as a dig at our current president, which given his home state I'd guess it was. But till then, I actually hadn't minded his demeanor much, and his TDD (and Irene's in the J! round) showed real savvy.

I didn't get very far into that Reddit thread (hell, I just got caught up watching the Show in time for the last Teen semi tonight... though really I wanted to see the ToC in something close to real time), but someone who seems to know Barrett posted this:

His politeness is quite genuine. The whole sir thing is like a component of his upbringing. As far as the shouting is concerned, he was born partially deaf and could barely speak till he was six. He's still pretty goddamned tone deaf and hard of hearing.

Fwiw, I liked Colby too, and think he could be a real factor in the ToC. Can't wait to see how that one plays out -- it's gonna be tough topping the Teens for dramatics.

[Vanya]

Normally, I would hold my tongue. He's just a teenager, after all. But today, his bit about becoming president and restoring accountability? Come on.

I loved that comment, if only as a dig at the last few (and current) occupants of the Oval Office.

[jeff6286]

Normally, I would hold my tongue. He's just a teenager, after all. But today, his bit about becoming president and restoring accountability? Come on.

I loved that comment, if only as a dig at the last few (and current) occupants of the Oval Office.

If only as a dig? Was there supposed to be some deeper meaning?

[Paucle]

Normally, I would hold my tongue. He's just a teenager, after all. But today, his bit about becoming president and restoring accountability? Come on.

I loved that comment, if only as a dig at the last few (and current) occupants of the Oval Office.

If only as a dig? Was there supposed to be some deeper meaning?

Yes, the implication was... see, it was a subtle reference... well, you were supposed to infer.... Oh! The connotation should have led the listener to believe....
Yeah, I got nothin'.

[Vanya]

Normally, I would hold my tongue. He's just a teenager, after all. But today, his bit about becoming president and restoring accountability? Come on.

I loved that comment, if only as a dig at the last few (and current) occupants of the Oval Office.

If only as a dig? Was there supposed to be some deeper meaning?

I mean maybe skullturf thought it ridiculous that Barret would be the one to restore competence and accountability.

[skullturf]

I mean maybe skullturf thought it ridiculous that Barret would be the one to restore competence and accountability.

Yes, that's basically what I meant.

I never interpreted it as a dig at any one particular president, just at politicians in general.

But it could be taken as a 17-year-old sounding haughty.

[reddpen]

Another nugget mined from that Reddit thread on Barrett Block, though this time I didn't note the source:

This will probably be buried but my Mom was on Jeopardy in the late 80s and since they film the whole week's worth of shows in a day the other players sit in the audience. She was sitting behind the writers and could hear them talking about the little jokes they hid in the answers for fun. Example for one game all the $100 answers were eagle or eagles (one was about the golf score, the animal, the football team etc.). It's usually things the audience would never notice, especially since the players jump around the board but I guess the writers get bored and play little games.

Seemed worth sharing with a larger audience, in case someone here has noticed.

[seaborgium]

Reminds me of the unspoken seven-letter theme in David Madden's first game. Also, Carlo Panno mentioned a few of these things in his interview on Ken Jennings's site: http://ken-jennings.com/blog/archives/777

[Paucle]

Thanks for the link, seaborgium. I'm sure I read that "live" but I didn't remember a word of it. Man, if I ever do get the call, I'm probably toast.

In a similar vein, can someone explain this to me? I'm just not getting it.

Another time, right before a Final, Alex was talking about the
death of Gertrude Stein. Seems that right before Gertrude
packed it in, her companion Alice B. Toklas asked her,
“Gertrude, what is the answer?”

To which Gertrude responded “What was the question?”
and then died.

There was no response, and Alex said, “I guess nobody
cares about the death of Gertrude Stein.”

I said, from the front row, “She died too,” and just loud
enough that everybody on stage except Alex could hear it.

“What was that, Carlo?”

“I said SHE DIED TOO.”

Big laughter from everybody in the studio, including Alex,
who then introduced me to the audience as one of his
former researchers.

[Vanya]

Possibly he is referring to Alex dying (i.e., not getting a response) onstage.