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A trivia contest you say?! 54 HOURS STRAIGHT YOU SAY? TRIVIA 54: VERY SUPERSTITIOUS  Let's get prepared again for TRIVIA, goons! We're back in action April 12, 13, and 14! IMPORTANT DATES AND TIMES APRIL 8 - 4pm EDT - PICTURE SCAVENGER HUNT BEGINS! (scroll down to read more about this part - we need more people to join earlier for this!) APRIL 12 - 7pm EDT - CONTEST BEGINS. APRIL 13 - 7pm EDT - APPROX. 30 MINUTE CONTEST BREAK APRIL 14 - 7pm EDT - APPROX. 30 MINUTE CONTEST BREAK APRIL 15 - 1am EDT - CONTEST ENDS. (Early Monday Morning / Late Sunday Night) APRIL 15 - POST-1am EDT - We find out results (this is somewhat variable) Our Logo (2023) TBD (See CNN Post) Our Name VOTE HERE What the crap do you want us to do? We've broken top ten 10 straight years, (and Top 3 for 6 years in a row now) which should be described as an inhuman feat for a team that didn't exist before 2011. Some teams play for generations and haven't cracked Top 50. Tell Me More!  For the last 54 years Stevens Point, WI college radio station 90FM has run the world's largest trivia contest. There are over 350 teams from around the world who compete. The entire town is taken over by trivia contestants. These are the canonical rules, but here's a brief overview.
 PICTURE SCAVENGER HUNT We will get 30 grainy, sometimes blurry, sometimes photoshopped, black and white pictures that we need to identify as much as possible. These can range from random hot sauce labels, inner sleeves of record albums, random board games, random people/celebrities, old sports stars, etc. This part is EXTREMELY difficult. This begins on APRIL 10. We have until the question about that picture is asked to answer it (so nearly a full week). Sometimes these questions are worth hundreds of points - THIS IS IMPORTANT. Getting 1 or 2 more of these pictures than other teams can be the difference between 3rd and 7th place in recent years! Imagine a couple thousand trivia nerds hitting redial  for 54 hours Things you should know:
What TEAM GOONS needs from you!  Here's a list of things we need:
Official website (Don't be shocked at how bad this is) Our Results: 2011: Trivial Fursuit - 33rd place 2012: Trivial Fursuit: 2 Fat 2 Furriest - 14th place 2013: Trivial Fursuit: Tokyo Yiff'd - 8th place 2014: Trivial Fursuit: Watch Walker Wreck - 7th place 2015: Trivial Fursuit: Awful Mix Vol. 5 - 4th place 2016: Trivial Fursuit: 6 Sick Stick Shifts - 6th place 2017: Trivial Fursuit: Furple Reign - 3rd place 2018: Trivial Fursuit: Miner Threat - 3rd place 2019: Trivial Fursuit 9: Howlin' Haoeles - 3rd place 2020: Trivial Fursuit X: Gon Yiff It To Ya - 3rd place 2021: Trivial Fursuit: Xi: Bangs Xi Bangs - 3rd place 2022: Trivial Fursuit XII: Ace of Spayeds - 3rd place 2023: Trivial Fursuit: Spot Marks the X - 3rd place  For those with archives... Trivia 42 (2011) thread Trivia 43 (2012) thread Trivia 44 (2013) thread Trivia 45 (2014) thread Trivia 46 (2015) thread Trivia 47 (2016) thread Trivia 48 (2017) thread Trivia 49 (2018) thread Trivia 50 (2019) thread Experiment in Trivia (2020) thread Trivia 51 (2021) thread Trivia 52 (2022) thread Trivia 53 (2023) thread As you can see we have (almost always) improved steadily with each year, with our best years being the last 7 when we placed in THIRD out of over 350 teams, giving us our SEVENTH straight top 3 finish. FAQ:  How the gently caress do I participate? Follow the guide in the next post What is our team name this year? Undetermined currently. Please suggest options. (Maximum 36 characters, including spaces and punctuation, we may be able to get a few more characters but no guarantees) Here are a few options in no particular order:
Please suggest more! We have a form to vote on team names, results will be posted later. https://forms.gle/oWpX4YDTpoMMGvkh7 We more than welcome other suggestions for team names as well! It's February (or March), what should I do right now? Come drop into IRC (details on the next post) and say hi, we can tell you a little more or answer just about any question you have. Due to the rules of the contest we cannot share most information in a public setting but in IRC we can tell you a lot more so you can get a feel for it! Where the gently caress do I order my shirt? ORDER BY MARCH 15 https://forms.gle/qUFb7MMQApaP5AUFA my cat is norris posted:SHIRT ORDERS ARE OPEN THROUGH MARCH 15TH Can I see some sample questions? Athanatos posted:This sounds weird but is actually kinda cool. Give it a shot when the day comes. What kind of music is played in between questions? Here are some Spotify playlists you can check out!
TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS CONTEST There was a decent write up done in 2017 and our team was featured in it. https://theoutline.com/post/1469/stevens-point-worlds-biggest-trivia-contest Including a "documentary" video in which we are also featured https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-IyBRXaUls Start at 9:45 if you can't be bothered to watch the whole thing There was also a movie made over 10 years ago about the contest called Triviatown We usually do a yearly (online) screening of this film the Friday night 7 days before the contest starts. It's a tradition. This sounds stupid and complicated I don't want to do it Give it 15 minutes of your time and then decide. There are tons of people involved in this contest and so many different areas of it, we have players of all sorts, from 18 through 65+ participating. The contest is hectic, and fun, even if you're just sitting around watching the organized chaos unfold. Sometimes there might be a question about a cereal box we're stumped on but it happens to be in your pantry. Who knows! We have goons from New Zealand, Sweden, all across the Americas, Britain, Finland, Denmark, Japan. We are all over the place! Give us a fair shake and see how you like it. Sooo... are you ready to play Trivia, Fast Eddie? rawillkill fucked around with this message at 00:30 on Mar 1, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 15:55
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How To Join Us In IRC (TL;DR at bottom) What the hell is IRC and what do I do? So the channel is #tplobby on the server irc.synirc.net. To connect to these you will need an irc client. Popular ones are mibbit, hexchat, mIRC and irssi. Mibbit is web based and as such the easiest one to get started with. The other ones require an installation. This guide will focus mostly on mibbit but the instructions are somewhat universal. If you're okay with using mibbit, all you need to do is click here and pick a nickname.  For other clients, open it up, type in /connect irc.synirc.net, type in /nick YOUR_NICKNAME_HERE (you can pick your name here) and then type in /join #tplobby and you should be in. I've joined but there's no contest going on. What the hell? Once you're here (#tplobby) it might take a little while for people to respond, especially if you want to join during the middle of the contest is going on. This is because we're busy trying to win. However, within a minute (last year this was generally within 15-30 seconds, not minutes) someone with OP (operator) status will talk to you. In the meantime, you can register your nick on the server.  Registering is pretty simple. Type in /msg NickServ register YOUR_PASSWORD YOUR_EMAIL You will then get an email with a command to put type into IRC. Do that and you're registered!    note that the email ended up in my spam folder, so check there Note: the next time you open up IRC and pick this nickname you will have to log in or the server will change your name. To do this you simply type in /msg nickserv identify YOUR_PASSWORD On both of these commands it's important you don't have an empty space or whatever at the start or it or you'll post your entire message openly for everyone to see. Make sure NOTHING but what I've put in italics above is in the message as you press enter or people might steal your password or whatever Okay, so I'm registered and stuff. How do I join in the fun? At this point you'll hopefully have been contacted by an OP in #tplobby (you can tell who's an op by what symbol they have before or after their name, these differ between clients, though. Mibbit has custom icons and others usually have an @ or a & before their name to show it.) They will ask you to identify yourself with your SA user name and potentially by putting something in your profile. They will then add you to a list of trusted users if all of the above has been done correctly and send you to another channel, where the actual contest is happening. If after this point you get disconnected you will be able to join the real channel immediately and just log in with /msg nickserv identify YOUR_PASSWORD and skip all the other steps above. If there are any questions or confusion, feel free to ask one of the ops in #tplobby for help. We'll try to have someone semi active in there as often as possible until the contest ends. If you have time to spare it's really helpful for everyone involved to register ahead of time. TL;DR if you know sort of how to irc Join #tplobby on the server irc.synirc.net. Register your nick with nickserv. Talk to an operator in #tplobby. Or just click here.
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Feb 10, 2024 15:56
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SHIRT ORDERS ARE OPEN THROUGH MARCH 15TH https://forms.gle/qUFb7MMQApaP5AUFA I do NOT have a finalized logo yet. Sorry. As part of the order form, I've included a description of what it should look like. Please pay attention to the price increases in both per-shirt cost and shipping rates. Same shell as last year, here be colors: https://www.sanmar.com/p/9526_TmPrpHthr#?doScrollToGrid=true SHIRT ORDERS ARE OPEN THROUGH MARCH 15TH my cat is norris fucked around with this message at 23:37 on Feb 29, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 15:56
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I'll be in charge of the shitpost ad in the New Trivia Times this year. Cost is $215 for a full page black and white and $300 for full page color. Ping me on the Discord if you want to pitch in, any extra I collect will go towards getting supplies for GoonHaus. Nerdlord Actual fucked around with this message at 22:27 on Feb 10, 2024 |
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Feb 10, 2024 16:01
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What if I'm horrible at trivia but want to play anyways?
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Feb 10, 2024 16:04
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Grey Cat posted:What if I'm horrible at trivia but want to play anyways? Join in anyway, that's what I do
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Feb 10, 2024 16:37
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No BS, this is the best thing to do for a weekend in April. Even the mighty Galactoid agrees.
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Feb 10, 2024 17:21
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Grey Cat posted:What if I'm horrible at trivia but want to play anyways? The questions are so obscure you never know. I found one of the image question answers that a bunch of people hadn't figured out yet and got a hell of a rush. It's just fun to hang out and let trivia wash over you as well.
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Feb 10, 2024 17:23
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This is my favorite weekend of the whole goddamn year
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Feb 10, 2024 17:48
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PirateDentist posted:The questions are so obscure you never know. I found one of the image question answers that a bunch of people hadn't figured out yet and got a hell of a rush. Yeah they might be the person who has the vintage backgammon set with a bird-looking thing on the box and actually realizes it before the question gets asked.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:09
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This is the year I actually remember to take Monday off work and have flown in family to babysit for the weekend. Naturally, this means that all of my planning is going to result in my wife going into labor at about 10PM Friday night.
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Feb 10, 2024 18:42
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Grey Cat posted:What if I'm horrible at trivia but want to play anyways? it's really more like speed research than "trivia", since you're allowed to use any resources you want. so it's not about what you know, it's about being able to find the answer. the bigger our swarm of people googling things, the more likely it is that somebody figures out the right phrasing to make the answer come up!
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Feb 10, 2024 21:41
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Hyphen-ated posted:it's really more like speed research than "trivia", since you're allowed to use any resources you want. so it's not about what you know, it's about being able to find the answer. the bigger our swarm of people googling things, the more likely it is that somebody figures out the right phrasing to make the answer come up! Oh awesome, beyond my really niche interests I was thinking I'd flounder but that sounds great to me, I like crafting search prompts.
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Feb 10, 2024 21:48
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Extra Trivia - Feb 16-18 Have you, for some hosed up and inane reason, thought to yourself "54 hours of trivia? Nah, I need more." Well, a few of us have signed up to play in a different contest (with sorta similar rules to the April one). We've only been doing it for a couple of years, but it's a crapton of fun. Key things about this contest:
Come hang out next weekend and play some trivia.
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Feb 10, 2024 22:18
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Looking forward to popping out of the basement to be enthusiastic on main. It's such a lovely time and everyone's extremely good people. Don't worry too much about how good you are or aren't because you never know where you'll find out your strength lies, like I have access to genuine born and bred Old People from Wisconsin and my parents love getting the odd call about things. The only people we judge are ourselves, honest. Okay, and maybe some of the question writers for poo poo like Galactoid or Boyd Dowler.
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Feb 10, 2024 22:52
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Mushmouth posted:Looking forward to popping out of the basement to be enthusiastic on main. It's such a lovely time and everyone's extremely good people. Don't worry too much about how good you are or aren't because you never know where you'll find out your strength lies, like I have access to genuine born and bred Old People from Wisconsin and my parents love getting the odd call about things. The only people we judge are ourselves, honest. Okay, and maybe some of the question writers for poo poo like Galactoid or Boyd Dowler. gently caress you Galactoid
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Feb 10, 2024 23:04
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Who would win in a fight, Galactoid, Corn Man or famous penguin Foghorn Leghorn?
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Feb 11, 2024 18:50
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Trivia is a great goon tradition. Every year someone shows up for the first time, profusely apologizes about how they won't be any help, then nails a question that only 1-2 other teams finds within an hour or two. It could be your turn this year! If you can recognize C-tier Aerosmith songs from the first two seconds of their recording, if you picked up free comics on Free Comic Book Day 2015, if you're willing to look at every Lone Ranger picture ever uploaded to Facebook, if you're willing to call a Wisconsin phone number and frantically scream FOGHORN LEGHORN while a countdown goes through its last 5 seconds, or even if you're just willing to half-assedly google stuff at 3 AM Stevens Point time, we have a place for you! Blackajack posted:Extra Trivia - Feb 16-18 Also if you're just kinda curious about this whole thing, we have some pictures of comparable difficulty left to find for the contest. Pop over to our discord, spend a few minutes on Google, and see if it's the kind of thing that works for you!
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Feb 11, 2024 20:16
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New laptop acquired, days off requested. Hopefully all will keep on track and I won't have to work on my recovery day this year. Let's goooooooooo!
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Feb 12, 2024 00:31
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Blackajack posted:Extra Trivia - Feb 16-18 This is an excellent Trivia appetizer and a really fun contest before the other contest.
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Feb 13, 2024 21:53
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I probably won't be any help but I want to participate anyway. If nothing else, the radio station plays fun songs all weekend. But I have to get IRC set up on my new computer etc etc.
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Feb 14, 2024 02:06
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Grey Cat posted:What if I'm horrible at trivia but want to play anyways? This hasn't stopped me Blackajack posted:Extra Trivia - Feb 16-18 This is a great warmup and an easier version of the big trivia contest. There are a bunch of opportunities to help us out here, because we don't get as many people to join as the big one. Come join us this weekend! Propaganda Machine posted:I probably won't be any help but I want to participate anyway. If nothing else, the radio station plays fun songs all weekend. But I have to get IRC set up on my new computer etc etc. For example, come join me on the phones so I'm not spending 24 hours of my weekend talking to people!
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Feb 14, 2024 06:03
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You might be better at it than you know. Every year there's first timers who don't think they'll help at all, then they shock themselves and sometimes pull in hundreds of points all on their own. BUT there's many other things you can do besides find answers. Like, I've been doing this for long enough that I can probably come up with a good amount of answers on time (I hope, but I might just be coping). But there's 100 other people in the channel who are a LOT better at it than me, so I mostly do other stuff. It's mentioned a little in the OP, but a few things you can do are: transcribing questions, identifying music snippets, verifying answers (this is big, we get a LOT of stuff coming in and we need people to check if they're promising or not), or calling answers in. There's quite a bit more than that too, you'd be surprised. Drunk Badger posted:For example, come join me on the phones so I'm not spending 24 hours of my weekend talking to people!
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Feb 14, 2024 08:35
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Blackajack posted:I still haven't gotten over how multiple operators last year asked me if I was a solo team... I just get "Oh, you again?"
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Feb 14, 2024 16:46
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Blackajack posted:verifying answers (this is big, we get a LOT of stuff coming in and we need people to check if they're promising or not) This is such an underrated task (and it's also a lot of fun). Everyone finds like the first 2 or 3 URLs, but putting in the extra effort to confirm an answer or determine we need to look more is HUGE and saves us a ton of time (and points!) CoasterMaster fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Feb 14, 2024 |
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Feb 14, 2024 16:59
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IT IS ALMOST TIIIIME
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Feb 14, 2024 21:07
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Also, if you just wanna come in and dick around, that's okay, too. I'll talk poo poo with you and post our in-jokes the entire time I'm there (when questions aren't being answered, of course).
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Feb 14, 2024 21:09
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The contest this weekend (1) has the best music of the three contests we do and (2) is very chill and laid back compared to the contest in April. Highly recommend stopping by to vibe, even if you just want to listen to college radio and hang out for a bit.
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Feb 16, 2024 16:52
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This is all very cool and interesting and I've never heard of it before. I will definitely check out the contest in April, even if I just end up listening.
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Feb 17, 2024 04:43
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You'll come out of it with an unhealthy love for Portesi's cheese fries and Ciderboys.
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Feb 17, 2024 05:29
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Who should I contact about trying to be a part of the on the ground team? How big is it usually, and where do they stay? I might actually be able to come up to Stevens Point this year (I've only ever done the IRC chat in the past), but I need a bit more information than can be reasonably expected from a public OP to figure out how feasible this is.
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Feb 17, 2024 21:46
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I only support winners.
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Feb 18, 2024 00:42
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Some Guy TT posted:Who should I contact about trying to be a part of the on the ground team? How big is it usually, and where do they stay? I might actually be able to come up to Stevens Point this year (I've only ever done the IRC chat in the past), but I need a bit more information than can be reasonably expected from a public OP to figure out how feasible this is. Hey, we do a fairly big airbnb on Main Street. We're actually a bit light on regulars this year, so we should have room (I think). PM totalnewbie (here or on discord, same name), he's in charge of logistics so he'd know for sure.
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Feb 18, 2024 05:24
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Ulillinguist posted:This is all very cool and interesting and I've never heard of it before. Tired of getting unwanted robocalls all year? How about turning it around and getting to call the same number 400 times a weekend, saying something random and hanging up?
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Feb 18, 2024 19:49
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Nerdlord Actual posted:gently caress you Galactoid I'm still salty about that one
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Feb 18, 2024 19:54
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Can't believe it's planning time already. I spent hours last year researching that Sid Caesar picture cause we were adamant about tracking down the actual sketch, couldn't find it, then the question was just straight up "Name the actor on the right." And I'll do it again! 
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Feb 19, 2024 15:41
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in it to win it! PTO submitted let's get weird
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Feb 19, 2024 15:42
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It's Spring, and that means Trivia, Fast Eddie! If you have never participated, you owe it to yourself to do so. It's a hell of a time. If you have participated, then you already know it's a great time, and are ready for this years marriage of Galactoid and Foghorn Leghorn.
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Feb 19, 2024 18:21
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Drunk Badger posted:For example, come join me on the phones so I'm not spending 24 hours of my weekend talking to people! That is something I can do! I'm sure I'll have some scheduling restrictions but we can work out something tentative, maybe split third shifts and beyond that Saturday daytime would probably be my easiest contribution.
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Feb 19, 2024 20:11
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Propaganda Machine posted:That is something I can do! I'm sure I'll have some scheduling restrictions but we can work out something tentative, maybe split third shifts and beyond that Saturday daytime would probably be my easiest contribution. He was talking about the contest from last weekend, where we only had 3 people calling stuff in for the entire 50 hours. For April we'll have a signup sheet.
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Feb 20, 2024 00:36
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