Google is Prescient

So I'm here in Fairfax for PACE NSC, and I'm re-reading my e-mail o' instructions to make sure I'll be on time tomorrow. Of course GMail has Google ads down the side when you're reading mail; my ad for the e-mail? "Are U Creeping Girls Out?" Spookily accurate on so many levels.

You Will Obey

And follow this link and pledge some money and buy some puzzles. He's 80% of the way there, so we need another 20%.

Things I still do not understand about Windows XP after all these years

It tries to mount network drives before (well before) attempting to connect to the network.

That's all right then

The end of the term has finally arrived. No more double/triple-sized classes to deal with, although still an extra class on the schedule next term. Today I did a puzzle for the first time in about two weeks, so hooray. Still some grading to do, but whatever.

The bathroom is sort-of fixed; they put up new wallboard in the ceiling and came along later and smoothed part of it off, but not the rest of it and it's certainly not painted. Nothing doing in the hall yet either.

This says something about our students

The vending machine in our break room has as many slots for Yoohoo as it does for coke (four).

In addition, one of my students think I look like a "fluffy cat".

Oops

I was very nearly finished constructing crostic #5 (as in, it's printed here all finished being proofread) when I realized I had screwed up the name of the book I took the quote from! Meaning I'm two words short, can't use some of the words, etc. And I had already had to cut out a line off the end of the quote because the letter distribution was too wonky for me to successfully work it out anyway (although with two more words, maybe it will work a little better). I'm too disheartened to finish it right now, so I guess that means I get to read a book tonight and look for another quote.

In better news, I wrote some more tools to make some of the bookkeeping for this a little better (I often had troubles, the way I used to do it, with missing out some letters and so not having a word containing letter #17 and the like). The algorithm for assigning numbers to letters is a bit too random, as 12 of the 27 words had two letters assigned to the same word in the quote, so that's not yet ready for prime-time.

No One Told Me Matt Gaffney Was Color Blind

My pen and pencil from being an all-around good person for February arrived this past week. I don't know what color choices he had available, but this is what I got:
Well, it doesn't matter, really, since I'll probably never be using them both at the same time. The goal at the moment is to use the pencils at the next ACPT (and since I said pencils the plan is to win more than one, but that will have to wait on events I suppose) and use the pens to brag. (Well, the pencils will be bragging too.) (Note: this post is not complaining, but is also bragging.)

In other puzzle news, P&A now has hints! This is exciting; the hints so far have gotten me from 1 puzzle to 1.3 puzzles, and if I ever get back to Double Digits I might have 2.3 puzzles (no hints really needed for that puzzle, just not screwing it up). I need to go back to Double Dating too; that one I wanted a hint on, but more like "the answer to XXX is not YYY", because I'm pretty sure I followed all the directions right up until it asked me to do something to my answer that couldn't be done. Poor little answer.

I've Been Busy

Ever since the first week of February, I've had an activity of some sort (either QB, mahjongg, or crossword) every weekend. Next weekend will finally be no activity of any kind (okay, possibly breathing, and maybe eating).

It is probably not a coincidence that today, a full 30 days after it was released, I finally solved my first puzzle in the back of the recent issue of P&A. I think it will fit in the meta, if the obvious gimmick is used. I hope that's the gimmick I'm supposed to use; maybe I'll check the hints. I'm glad he has hints, although they have helped not a whit so far this issue; either I'm way ahead of the game (like Double Digits, where I knew everything in the hints, I just screwed up the puzzle the first time and haven't gotten back to it really) or way behind (like Double Talk, where the hints just seem to recapitulate the flavortext -- ok, rhymes are involved, great, but that doesn't help me any).

I owe people things and maybe it will happen soon.

Online Dutch Open Round 6

Not holding my breath department: one of the most vocal MJT critics, who claims that her games are manipulated by the system and that they're always watching her, etc., equated the MJT admins with various obscene things and said something like "and now watch my afternoon scores". Since she scored over 200 points in the last round, one wonders whether an apology or even a changing of minds will happen.

Anyway, had a couple of big wins in my last round to win the table with 120 points. Remember how I was -4 on the leader before round 6? Let's look at the final table:

Rank	Name	Number	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Totals
1	tarabarsky (SS +0.172)	49	4,19,34 86  4	7,21,35 46  4	10,23,36 40  4	13,25,37 129  4	2,28,39 85  2	5,30,40 -135  1	19 251
2	GreatMind (SS +0.05)	17	2,32,47 -79  0	3,31,60 35  4	4,45,58 322  4	5,44,56 139  4	6,43,53 47  2	7,42,51 178  4	18 642
3	windbag (SS +0.167)	2	17,32,47 24  2	16,45,59 84  4	30,43,56 -63  0	29,41,53 180  4	28,39,49 172  4	27,37,46 65  4	18 462
4	tabstop (SS -0.217)	10	25,40,55 64  4	24,38,52 10  2	23,36,49 27  2	22,34,46 64  4	21,32,57 1  2	20,45,54 120  4	18 286
5	Heliangelus (SS -0.0167)	12	27,42,57 114  4	26,40,54 7  2	25,38,51 53  2	24,36,48 141  4	23,34,59 282  4	22,32,56 -75  0	16 522
6	rodedraak (SS +0.289)	25	10,40,55 53  2	11,39,53 42  2	12,38,51 67  4	13,37,49 106  2	14,36,46 21  2	15,35,59 142   4	16 431
7	dzumshud (SS -0.0667)	13	28,43,58 -95  1	27,41,55 162  4	26,39,52 70  2	25,37,49 -78  1	24,35,60 175  4	23,33,57 122  4	16 356
8	OttoM (SS -0.0333)	43	13,28,58 86  2	15,29,57 66  4	2,30,56 54  4	4,16,55 50   2	6,17,53 84  4	8,18,52 -35  0	16 305
9	ohna16 (SS -0.389)	11	26,41,56 123  4	25,39,53 93  4	24,37,50 382  4	23,35,47 20  1	22,33,58 -11  1	21,31,55 -16  1	15 591
10	nobody (SS -0.289)	14	29,44,59 257  4	28,42,56 -79   0	27,40,53 -29  1	26,38,50 18  2	25,36,46 110  4	24,34,58 107  4	15 384
11	joselui (SS -0.306)	19	4,34,49 -33  1	5,33,47 147  4	6,32,60 -29  1	7,31,58 196  4	8,45,55 -47  1	9,44,53 80  4	15 314
12	a3geffen (SS -0.228)	1	16,31,46 170  4	30,44,58 10  2	29,42,55 -33  1	28,40,52 68  4	27,38,48 64  2	26,36,60 -47  2	15 232
13	lajosch (SS +0.178)	47	2,17,32 21  1	5,19,33 -98  0	8,21,34 89  4	11,23,35 30  4	15,26,37 65  2	3,28,38 82   4	15 189
14	Dragonhunter (SS +0.211)	59	14,29,44 -53  2	2,16,45 57  2	5,18,31 48  4	8,20,32 231  4	12,23,34 -29  2	15,25,35 -97  1	15 157
15	timiki (SS +0.00556)	42	12,27,57 17  2	14,28,56 54  2	1,29,55 32  2	3,30,54 151  4	5,16,52 -8  2	7,17,51 -1   2	14 245
16	fleurtje (SS +0.0111)	26	11,41,56 -3  1	12,40,54 168  4	13,39,52 -119   0	14,38,50 176  4	15,37,47 71  4	1,36,60 -55  1	14 238
17	delnihoks (SS +0.0667)	35	5,20,50 76  4	7,21,49 17  2	9,22,48 40  4	11,23,47 -79  0	13,24,60 53  2	15,25,59 64  2	14 171
18	DAJA (SS -0.128)	3	18,33,48 55  4	17,31,60 -23  1	16,44,57 154  4	30,42,54 -45  1	29,40,50 71  4	28,38,47 -60  0	14 152
19	Bribri974 (SS +0.128)	45	15,30,60 -86  1	2,16,59 -48  1	4,17,58 7  2	6 ,18,57 66  4	8,19,55 98  4	10,20,54 4  2	14 41
20	tankbot (SS -0.211)	18	3,33,48 -35  1	4,32,46 -153  0	5,31, 59 25  2	6,45,57 65  2	7,44,54 210  4	8,43,52 40  4	13 152
21	Zenedar (SS -0.0667)	51	6,21,36 -46  2	9,23,37 133  4	12,25,38 -72  0	15,27,39 0  2	4,30,41 104  4	7,17,42 -65  1	13 54
22	wongdordor (SS -0.144)	16	1,31,46 -115  0	2,45,59 -93  0	3,44,57 17  2	4,43,55 261  4	5,42,52 151  4	6,41,50 19  2	12 240
23	lilou974 (SS +0.0556)	39	9,24,54 -1  2	11,25,53 -117  0	13,26,52 128   4	15,27,51 -2  1	2,28,49 -127  1	4,29,48 194  4	12 75
24	Blom1234 (SS +0.189)	36	6,21,51 209  4	8,22,50 -6  1	10,23,49 -70  0	12,24,48 66  2	14,25,46 -90  0	1,26,60 208  4	11 317
25	Rostved66 (SS +0.133)	15	30,45,60 146   4	29,43,57 65  2	28,41,54 127  4	27,39,51 -70  0	26,37,47 -8  1	25,35,59 -109  0	11 151
26	yakuz888 (SS -0.189)	8	23,38,53 21  2	22,36,50 72  2	21,34,47 64  2	20,32,59 -123  1	19,45,55 29  2	18,43,52 9  2	11 72
27	Enel (SS +0.178)	60	15,30,45 -116  0	3,17,31 25  2	6,19,32 80  4	9,21,33 102  4	13,24,35 -91  1	1,26,36 -106  0	11 -106
28	oreggia (SS - 0.206)	22	7,37,52 54  4	8,36,50 102  4	9,35,48 -2  1	10,34,46 -90  0	11,33,58 -23  0	12,32,56 -22  1.5	10.5 19
29	Ladyfinger (SS +0.111)	30	15,45,60 56  2	1,44,58 -33  1	2,43,56 30  2	3,42,54 -16  2	4,41,51 -22  1	5,40,49 146  2	10 161
30	kirchenmaus (SS +0.106)	5	20,35,50 28  2	19,33,47 -48  1	18,31,59 -7  1	17,44,56 23  2	16,42,52 -93  0	30,40,49 152  4	10 55
31	4eva (SS +0.178)	57	12,27,42 -51  1	15,29,43 26  1	3,16,44 -6  1	6,18,45 -32  1	10,21,32 95  4	13,23, 33 -19  2	10 13
32	once (SS +0.267)	23	8,38,53 48  4	9,37,51 -10  2	10,36,49 3  1	11,35,47 29  2	12,34,59 -98  1	13,33,57 -63  0	10 -91
33	djanam4 (SS +0.0222)	40	10,25,55 -26  1	12,26,54 -78  1	14,27,53 69  4	1,28,52 38  2	3,29,50 50  2	5,30,49 -163  0	10 -110
34	bent181 (SS -0.0889)	48	3,18,33 19  2	6,20,34 60  4	9,22,35 10  2	12,24,36 -87  1	1,27,38 -58  1	4,29,39 -131  0	10 -187
35	Janco (SS +0.0167)	31	1,16,46 51  2	3,17,60 -37  0	5,18,59 -66  0	7 ,19,58 62  2	9,20,56 -79  1	11,21,55 149  4	9 80
36	briesje (SS -0.439)	9	24,39,54 86   4	23,37,51 -73  0	22,35,48 -48  0	21,33,60 -2  1	20,31,56 115  4	19,44,53 -133  0	9 -55
37	daja58 (SS +0.00556)	27	12,42,57 -80  0	13,41,55 -42  1	14,40,53 39  2	15,39,51 72  4	1,38,48 -97  0	2,37,46 38  2	9 -70
38	hushishou22 (SS -0.0667)	6	21,36,51 -51  1	20,34,48 26  2	19,32,60 -6  2	18,45,57 -99   0	17,43,53 -84  0	16,41,50 105  4	9 -109
39	rendo (SS +0.122)	38	8,23,53 -11  1	10,24,52 -15  1	12,25,51 -48  1	14,26,50 -122  0	1,27,48 91  4	3,28,47 -8  2	9 -113
40	knurft (SS +0.322)	28	13,43,58 158  4	14,42,56 97   4	15,41,54 -167  0	1,40,52 -134  0	2,39,49 -130  0	3,38,47 -14  1	9 -190
41	dertienwezen (SS -0.128)	29	14,44,59 -83  1	15,43,57 -157  0	1,42,55 151  4	2,41,53 -36  2	3,40,50 -29  1	4,39,48 -56  1	9 -210
42	BellJensen (SS +0.0333)	58	13,28,43 -149  0	1,30,44 73  4	4,17,45 -148   1	7,19,31 -125  1	11,22,33 10  2	14,24,34 -14  1	9 -353
43	playgmes (SS +0.261)	32	2,17,47 34  4	4,18,46 -64  >1	6,19,60 -45  0	8,20,59 17  2	10,21,57 -50  0	12,22,56 -22  1.5	8.5 -130
44	GRDavies (SS -0.244)	20	5,35,50 21  1	6,34,48 15  1	7,33,46 216  4	8,32,59 -125  0	9,31, 56 59  2	10,45,54 -80  0	8 106
45	Bonny1 (SS +0.00556)	46	1,16,31 -106  1	4,18,32 260   4	7,20,33 -130  0	10,22,34 -19  1	14,25,36 -41  1	2,27,37 13  1	8 -23
46	mamahjo (SS +0.111)	52	7,22,37 -143  0	10,24,38 104  4	13, 26,39 -79  1	1,28,40 28  1	5,16,42 -50  1	8,18,43 -14  1	8 -154
47	RoseAnne (SS +0.189)	56	11,26,41 -2  2	14, 28,42 -72  1	2,30,43 -21  1	5,17,44 -101  0	9,20,31 -95  0	12,22,32 119  4	8 -172
48	c00pdNnatop (SS +0.0444)	33	3,18,48 -39  0	5,19,47 -1  2	7,20,46 -67  1	9,21,60 -120   0	11,22,58 24  4	13,23,57 -40  1	8 -243
49	ComboRus (SS +0.111)	34	4,19,49 -14   2	6,20,48 -101  0	8,21,47 -44  1	10,22,46 45  2	12,23,59 -155  0	14,24,58 68  2	7 -201
50	Daja60 (SS -0.283)	41	11,26,56 -118  0	13,27,55 25  2	15,28,54 -4  1	2,29,53 -72  0.5	4,30,51 -13  2	6,16,50 -39  1	6.5 -221
51	Derai (SS -0.133)	7	22,37,52 50  2	21,35,49 -38  0	20,33, 46 -19  2	19,31,58 -133  0	18,44,54 65  2	17,42,51 -112  0	6 -187
52	fleurdelotus (SS +0)	21	6,36,51 -112  0	7,35,49 -25  1	8,34,47 -109  0	9,33,60 20  2	10,32,57 -46  1	11,31,55 14  2	6 -2 58
53	rijka (SS +0.0611)	4	19 ,34,49 -39  0	18,32,46 -43  2	17,45,58 -181  0	16,43,55 -143   1	30,41,51 -69  0	29,39,48 -7  2	5 -482
54	Japio (SS +0.161)	53	8,23,38 -58  0	11,25,39 -18  1	14,27,40 -79   0	2,29,41 -72  0.5	6,17,43 -47  1	9,19,44 56  2	4.5 -218
55	JulJul (SS -0.0667)	54	9,24,39 -82  0	12,26,40 -97  0	15,28,41 44  2	3,30,42 -90  0	7,18,44 -81  1	10,20,45 -44  1	4 -350
56	merslith (SS +0.0556)	37	7,22,52 39  1	9,23,51 -50  1	11,24,50 -122  1	13,25,49 -157  0	15,26,47 -128  0	2,27,46 -116  0	3 -534
57	mahjong6002 (SS -0.0944)	24	9,39,54 -3  1	10,38,52 -99  0	11,37,50 -111  2	12,36,48 -120  0	13,35,60 -137   0	14,34,58 -161  0	3 -631
58	MANNABEL99 (SS -0.0111)	44	14,29,59 -121  0	1,30,58 -50  0	3,16,57 -165  0	5,17,56 -61  1	7,18,54 -194  0	9,19,53 -3  1	2 -594
59	grahame (SS -0.161)	50	5,20,35 -125  0	8,22,36 -168  0	11,24, 37 -149  0	14,26,38 -72  1	3,29,40 -92  0	6,16,41 -85  0	1 -691
60	Bolal (SS + 0.189)	55	10,25,40 -91  0	13,27 ,41 -145  0	1,29,42 -150  0	4,16,43 -168  0	8,19,45 -80  0	11,21,31 -147  0	0 -781

The formatting is wonky; I blame Mac (somehow the copy'n'paste put line breaks in weird places and whatever). Next time maybe I'll turn off the "line breaks = paragraph breaks" option instead of writing a 22K HTML file that contains one and exactly one line.

Online Dutch Open Round 5

Again we only finished six hands, but that's mostly due to two draws. I finished above water, with a score of 1, good enough for second place. I couldn't seem to build a hand at all that round; managed to get one win off and played some defense.

I'm now in 9th place overall; the leader stumbled (still in the lead, but only got a 2nd place last round) so there are no undefeated players left; my -4 compared to the top is unlikely to allow for a win.