QuantNet Picnic In Central Park on Sat 9/20

[AmericanBilly]

OK, so its official!! The polls are closed and we will have the picnic on the Sat, Sept 20th. I am thinking of a 11:00 (AM!!!) kick-off time.

I started a new thread so that there will be less clutter.

Dan has a huge budget so we need some volunteers to pick up stuff like beverages and some food (someone with a car???).

Additionally, it might be nice if everyone brings something from their homeland (food-wise, beverage wise).

The location is the big picnic area on the west side of Central Park around 106th Street.

Any comments, any thoughts, wanna volunteer??? Post them here...

Please RSVP for this picnic HERE (http://www.quantnet.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=44&day=2008-9-20)

[Yan He]

Billy, better put the location here, since many of new students do not know where it is. :)

[AmericanBilly]

Ummm...that is the best I know...go into Central Park via the stairs at the 106th and Central Park West entrance, then walk until you see a big field.
Does anyone from last year have better directions? Maybe Woody can post a map!!!

[doug reich]

Google maps to the rescue!

Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=40.796926,-73.959441&spn=0.002822,0.004479&z=18&msid=105245217432076530723.0004562d63aab9253ba3c)

I have the location marked on the map. The picnic area is called the "Great Hill", if you want to seek other web resources.

Ways to get there...

1. B,C to 103rd street. (There are stairs right where you come in on 103rd street; walk up those and keep going up the hill until you reach a field.)
2. 1 to 103rd street and walk east. (Same.)
3. 6 to 103rd street and walk west through the park. (Kind of a pain... go into the park below the conservatory on E 102nd street. Follow the park drive; take the cross-over; get on the path right when it reaches the west park drive; keep going west and north until you reach the 103rd street entrance; go up stairs)
4. 2, 3 to 110th street, and walk south and west. (follow the park drive going west; keep going up hill, eventually getting off the drive as you go up the hill)

The park is quite beautiful up there, and the walk from any location shouldn't be more than 20 minutes.

[Andy]

We should have our own Olympics at this picnic in events like 100m, badminton.

[AmericanBilly]

Good thought Andy... maybe we can finally have that brain teaser contest too...

[Chris]

Hey guys let me know what you need help in.

Also shouldn't we set up a RSVP so we know exactly how much food and drink to prepare?

[AmericanBilly]

Good idea. Any thoughts on how we do that? Is this Andy-work?

[Andy]

Everyone,
Please RSVP for this picnic HERE (http://www.quantnet.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=44&day=2008-9-20)

(http://www.quantnet.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=44&day=2008-9-20)

[woody]

Let's hope for good weather and no remnants of hurricane M, N, etc.

I'd say there's a pretty low probability of me being there at 10am.

[dstefan]

11am might be more realistic for everyone, indeed

[AmericanBilly]

OK, let's make it 11. We want to be sure to get a good spot.

[AmericanBilly]

We still need someone with a car to move heavy items, otherwise it will be every man for himself.

[emil]

I can rent a car and help you move the items. I live in Queens, close to the City.

[woody]

I have an old Cherokee that would be good to use. No need to rent something.

[Andy]

Anyone has or knows where to get a Shuttlecock Feather Kick Toy?
It would be a great game if we can bring it.

[AmericanBilly]

I have an old Cherokee that would be good to use. No need to rent something.

Thanks Woody. I am assuming you mean a vehicle... So, if Woody can drive we now need a few volunteers to help round up provisions Saturday morning. I am thinking beverages, some food, plates, forks etc..

We also need a couple of coolers to keep things...cool.

Any volunteers?

-B

[Chris]

I'll probably drive there too. Let me know what you want me to bring up. I also have a cooler.

[AmericanBilly]

Thanks Chris...If you can bring a cooler filled with ice that would be great.

[AmericanBilly]

OK, here is the plan. We are starting at 11:00 on Saturday. Woody and I will round up some food and beverages. We will be at the park at 11:00 -ish.

We need volunteers for the following:
- To secure a location prior to our arrival. Maybe get there around ten-ish in case the place gets crowded.
- A couple of people to help unload the provisions we bring. At least two people in addition to whoever secures the location.
-People to bring blankets or whatever people sit on. Also, chairs will be bring your own.
-People are encouraged to bring a snack or a beverage of their choice.
-Bring some football, frisbees etc.

So, if you want to volunteer do so on this page and state which action.

Anything I may have forgotten, please advise here.

-Billy

[doug reich]

I don't live very far from there, so I can reserve us a spot. I can probably also find some blankets to sit on (will post again if I do).

[Aditya Chitral]

I can help with unloading stuff.

[emil]

I can help unloading the provisions and bring some snacks and backgamon/chess games.

[Yan He]

Billy, is it possible to post a list here, like what/how many we need, so that we can pick the items that we can help?

[doug reich]

It may be inappropriate, but you could use a wiki page for that. Then each person can "claim" an item by editing an putting their name under it.

[Andy]

Time to RSVP everyone.
Quantnet.org - Financial Engineering Forum (http://www.quantnet.org/forum/calendar.php?do=getinfo&e=44&day=2008-9-20)

I found a store nearby that sells shuttlecock so I will try to buy and bring some. It's lots of fun.

[Andy]

By the way, there is no restriction on who can come to the picnic. If you live in the area and are able, willing, just come and join us.
There will be NO stochastic conversation, only school, job related talks and business card exchange ;)

[Andy]

I bought 2 of this. Anyone played this before?

http://www.footbagcanada.com/images/shuttlecock-001.jpg

[Aditya Chitral]

I have played a lot of this. I hope the science is the same but looks are different :)

http://www.bombayharbor.com/productImage/Shuttle_Cock/Shuttle_Cock.jpg

[Andy]

isn't that badminton that you play with a racquet?
Foot shuttlecock is played by foot and i think it much more fun as many people can play at once.

[GusTsahas]

Hey Andy, if you make some subtle changes to that "thing" you propose to kick around, by removing the feathers and increasing the size of the "object" so us older guys can see it, you might get something us Europeans call “football”!!


http://www.soccer-for-parents.com/image-files/tango-ball.gif

[Eugene Krel]

mathematicians.....always twisting coffee cups into donuts ;)

[Aditya Chitral]

isn't that badminton that you play with a racquet?
Foot shuttlecock is played by foot and i think it much more fun as many people can play at once.

Ohh I never knew we could play that way too, interesting. Would surely try it on saturday :)

[Andy]

Gus,
I think Vlad will bring a "football" for you to play as he is a player in the Elderly of the Great Tri-state region Football League.
Sorry, I can't make the "object" bigger. The colorful feathers are meant to help older player. This sport, surprisingly, requires lot of body coordination ;)

[Weidong]

Hey Andy, if you make some subtle changes to that "thing" you propose to kick around, by removing the feathers and increasing the size of the "object" so us older guys can see it, you might get something us Europeans call “football”!!


http://www.soccer-for-parents.com/image-files/tango-ball.gif

It will be cool to see how well we mathematicians play this thing called football. Armed with the best algorithm in C++ we can figure out the best curve in no time for the ball to go around the man-wall and hit the up left corner of the goalie. What's left is the precise and powerful kick, which is trivial. =D>

[AmericanBilly]

Billy, is it possible to post a list here, like what/how many we need, so that we can pick the items that we can help?

Great idea Maggie!

I would say that anyone who requires a lawn chair should bring their own.

We'll need about 5 blankets / sheets for people to sit on.

It would be awesome if the advance team could grab a few picnic tables.

Sports equipment - just bring whatever you want.

Like I said, Woody and I will round up the food. The down side of this is that you have to eat whatever we buy. Same for drinks. So, if there are any special diet requirements let me know now.

Other than that, just bring whatever you want to bring.

[Andy]

Wow, looking at the RSVP list, the male/female ration is....very interesting.

[Aditya Chitral]

Just wondering if people who could play musical instruments could bring and play for us.

(guitar(muting), violin, flute, saxophone (Shuwen) etc. etc.)

Dont know how feasible and great is this idea, just thought of it ;)

[Aditya Chitral]

By any chance, is anyone going to be first at the college and then to central park ?

Or does college come in anyone's way while driving to central park ?

I would be glad if we could go together.

[Andy]

Looks like it's will be a nice day with high of 68F so wear warm clothes, people. The RSVP list just breaks 30 so it's going to be real nice.

[Andy]

Pictures coming up.

P.S: I need to see a mechanic tomorrow to tighten up my knee joints. I think they got loose after all the kicking today. How about you guys?

[Yan He]

Andy, come on, we are not that old (though the second generation already growing strong) :)

Woody, Andrea, Russian Mike, Jing and me just finished one more hour Ping Pong in West Village.....

[Andy]

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7185/picture457mediumfg3.jpg
Doug: "They said that I should come early...."

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1551/picture469mediumsp5.jpg
Doug: "...to stand guard in front of these plastic bags, can you believe it?"

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Doug: "...Now I'm asked to pour drink for everyone."


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Doug: "....and clean up when everyone finishes their nice lunch"


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Doug: "...this is freshman hazing at its worst. It's outrageous !!"


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Doug: "...well at least I get to be in all the pictures"

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Doug: "...and look very collegiate! Thanks for the football!"


http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/4251/picture468mediumme8.jpg
If MFE doesn't work out, there is always NFL.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/1226/picture467mediumlj5.jpg
Oops, FUMBLE!!!
Forget about NFL then.


http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1992/picture470mediumsd5.jpg
Jake: "We're thinking of enrolling Sam into a pre-MFE program next year. It's getting competitive, man."



http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/761/picture471mediumvs6.jpg
Dan: "Yeah, people already bet on whether I will show up next year"



http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/3421/picture462mediummp0.jpg
Stefan:"All I have to show for my years on Wall Street is this bag of clothes."
This reminds me of a movie about bums and homeless living in Central Park.



http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/787/picture461mediumpz8.jpg
Who said foot shuttlecock is easy?


http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/8858/picture475mediumbh1.jpg
Trying to keep the shuttlecock up

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/9383/picture459mediumkk3.jpg
Now, I'm getting it.


http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/5175/picture481mediumfr5.jpg
I'm taking picture of you taking picture of me

http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/6097/picture482mediumvx7.jpg



http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/755/picture478mediumgi9.jpg
Max: "If you want to smoke, we have to walk 5 blocks outside. Do you want to get ticketed, Mike?"


http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/1810/picture477mediumxs0.jpg
Woody: "Am I good at picking watermelon or what?"

[Stefan Zota]

I love the comment with the bums =D>=D>=D>=D>

Next time, will go business casual ...

[Ka Wai]

I love the comment with the bums =D>=D>=D>=D>

Next time, will go business casual ...

I thought you were reliving Great Depression... :) And someone in red dress was playing a dead body...

[Stefan Zota]

The comment is perfectly suited exactly for this reason. We were talking about last week, worries, gloomy discussion.
It looks like a couple of guys pondering how they lost everything and ended up living in Hooverville :)

[Stefan Zota]

The guy in red in the back was from the Czech group that was playing American Football. He makes the picture almost perfect.;)

If I would have turned a bit to see the sign on the shirt: "Come and get it!" would have been perfect :)

Anyway, overanalyzing ...

[woody]

I have about 20 versions of these:

http://www.middlegray.org/qnphotos/qn_small.jpg

;)

[Weidong]

In that gorgeous sun shiny day, Stefen and I were recounting the scary moments and gloomy stories of last week ... Yet Wall Street has never been a place for ordinariness. Failures and successes have been equally spectacular. The American Can-Do spirit will live on.

[Aditya Chitral]

We had some other cameras too....
what about pictures from them ??

[woody]

I will have more pics next week. I have to develop and scan them.... yes, film, and they're B&W.

[Yan He]

Oh...I haven't got the chance to PHOTOSHOP myself on the group picture...will post it soon.

[alain]

I will have more pics next week. I have to develop and scan them.... yes, film, and they're B&W.
woody, no more color by numbers?

[woody]

I forgot to bring my oil painting supplies to the picnic.

[luso]

Good to see you guys had a lot of fun.
Sorry I missed it.

[woody]

Here you go folks, way earlier than normal, photos from the film camera.

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[Andy]

Very awesome pics, Woody.
Now I feel like I'm living in the 70s.

[doug reich]

The portraits, lower down look amazing. Great pics!

[maxrum]

B&W + film rocks!

[Yan He]

Wow...B&W pics look really amazing.

[dstefan]

Splendid, Woody, I never realized black and white photos can be so special!!!

[Jacob]

Nice work Woody, beautiful pictures.

[woody]

If you would like to download higher-res versions of any of these, you can get them here:

QuantNet Picnic 2008 album | Middlegray (http://middlegray.fotki.com/quantnet-picnic-2008/)

[Muting]

Woody, these are fabulous shots, good job!!!!!