ME_AJUUUUUDAAA's blog

How can I qualify to ACM ICPC World Finals 2018 being a sabbatist?
By ME_AJUUUUUDAAA, history, 7 years ago, In English

I'm a brazilian student who has been training Algorithms for some years. I'm a seventh day adventist, religion that keeps the Sabbath holy. As a consequence of this I can't participate in the Latin America regional phase at all, due to the timezone. This is my last chance to go to ACM ICPC World Finals and it will be very difficult to my team to qualify without me. I'm not genious, but I have studied hard to do this competition. What should I do?

Thanks in advance!

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7 years ago, # |
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I hope your team is excellent, because it is not easy go to the World Finals with 2 contestants, not for brazilians.

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7 years ago, # |
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Assuming you want to go in line with your beliefs:

tl;dr: ask pastor.

First, you should check with your local organizers whether it's possible at all for your team to participate with two contestants instead of three. As far as I know, it's definitely prohibited on World Finals (unless something extraordinary happens, e.g. US visa denied for 2/3 participants) and it even may be ground for university disqualification. I think regionals may have more relaxed rules.

Second, go to your local pastor (not sure if the term is correct; basically somebody with whom you can discuss your beliefs, troubles, and interpretations of the Bible). Ask them what to do. Describe your situation, how you worked hard (if that's considered a good thing in your religion), maybe describe something else which aligns that participation with "good things". Maybe you can figure out a way — e.g. "move" Sabbath or somehow incorporate the contest in it.

I briefly glanced over this article and, unfortunately, I do not see any mentions of Sabbath exemptions, except for some medical-oriented, e.g.:

f. The direct care of the sick is a seven-day-a-week activity. Illness knows no calendar.

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7 years ago, # |
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No wonder why you call yourself ME_AJUUUUUDAAA, no offense :3

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    7 years ago, # ^ |
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    This account was created in a frustration moment and I'm using it so far. But never mind, "thank you" for your help.

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      OK how about praying for your god to help you with your problem, no offense :)

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7 years ago, # |
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Well, try to think the position of your God. Why would he want that your team would fail the contest? I can't find any reason for this. I'm sure the regional contest is a valid justification for an exception.

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    7 years ago, # ^ |
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    You're trying to use logical reasoning in religion, that's bound to fail

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7 years ago, # |
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  1. Just tell everyone you're sick and contagious, and that they should stay out of your room at all costs for a week, but only after stocking your room up with lots of snacks.
  2. Escape/return through the window, at night.
  3. Never tell anyone what you did. Deny that's you in all pictures. Blame illuminati.

Worked for a girl I know(except the illuminati part, cz that wasn't even needed) :)

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7 years ago, # |
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China here we go. Thank you GOD!!! Thank you teammates (fmota, ordan)!!!

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    7 years ago, # ^ |
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    You guys are awesome! You deserve every bit of it, see you in China :)

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      I must admit that was not too easy for me to see your team outpacing us in the second half of the contest rsrs Congratulations for qualifying to WF! Hope to experience another unforgetable contest. All the best for your team!

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    7 years ago, # ^ |
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    Congratulations! So how did you handle it?

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      They worked through most of the contest with only two people. My team was next to theirs and if I'm not mistaken ME_AJUUUUUDAAA started competing after 3 hours of contest.

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        7 years ago, # ^ |
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        It was the whole contest with two people, ME_AJUUUUUDAAA stayed with us, but didn't worked in the problems, because that day the sunset was after the end of competition, one of the rules says that an incomplete team will be disqualified so it was necessary. For who are in the same situation, one option is to use the reserve, we didn't choose this for especif reasons.

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          7 years ago, # ^ |
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          LOL!!! Why is he in the team anyway?? Why don't you pick another contestant since he is just gonna sit there?

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            7 years ago, # ^ |
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            In the world finals he will participate

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          7 years ago, # ^ |
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          Really? In this cases you guys deserve even more kudos! Hope you do a great job in WF :)

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    7 years ago, # ^ |
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    It baffles me that you, instead of being terribly embarrassed, dare to brag about it. That's the second time you make to worlds being a burden to a brilliant team that is able to work hard enough to compensate for the lack of a third competitor.

    Congratulations to your teammates for the performance on the regionals and for having the patience to tolerate this kind of situation. I know I wouldn't have it.

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      He is not a burden to me, ordan thinks the same, I don't know about the previous team. Why he would be embarrassed ? He has his religion and we can't do nothing about it. This team wasn't decided a day before the competition, we discussed the whole situation, the whole team accepted it. I am happy that I had the necessary to qualify to world finals and take ME_AJUUUUUDAAA to his second worlds. You don't know how we respect him, so your text offended me a bit.

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      Do you know him?

      This year there were 2 UFCG teams

      (ME_AJUUUUUDAAA, fmota, ordan)

      (me, Emiso, guga)

      Both were able to get top 10 at Latin America Regional, and I believe that we could not reach this level without dumb_guy. Until this year, he used to teach us Competitive Programming, he's a really strong competitor, being able to solve the hard problems in no time.

      I can assure that he's the best at UFCG. And I'm very grateful to him.

      It's funny that people like you judge others with no idea about the truth, and based only in CF color.

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        7 years ago, # ^ |
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        For starters, I'm aware that ME_AJUUUUUDAAA has accounts with purple rating, but I'm definitely not judging anyone based on their handle's color. I'm judging him for admittedly not helping his team during the competition.

        But, anyway, that is just my opinion. If the team thinks that having a suboptimal performance at the regionals is worth the reinforcements they'll have at worlds, fine, that's on them, they have the right to choose so. I strongly disagree that this is the best option, strategically speaking, but I understand that you can think otherwise.

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      Sorry, but I dont know where you had seen me bragging. Im happy, only this. I`m proud of the God in which I believe and of my brilliant teammates.

      I must tell you that this situation is a little bit embarrasing. But if you don`t know, my teammates invited me to participate with them, not the opposite. Indeed, by some months ago, I have retired from competitive programming, by reasons that you must know. There are others guys who could fill the team, including our reserve. Maybe some cost-benefit relation, by the fact that I will participate in the World Finals, justifies the decision of my teammates in the teams that I have participated. Who knows...

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        7 years ago, # ^ |
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        I don't know why some people are annoyed about it. As long as your team mates knew this before hand and had the chance to say yes/no, it's totally ok!

        Congrats for going WF! Hope you do well there.

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    7 years ago, # ^ |
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    Congratulations for WF and what is your strategy in practicing? Can you share with us

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      7 years ago, # ^ |
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      To believe in God and in teammates.

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7 years ago, # |
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AHAHAHAHAHHAAH

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7 years ago, # |
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Congratulations! Good luck in China :D

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7 years ago, # |
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Congratulations! Good luck in WF!

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7 years ago, # |
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Congrats on getting to the WF. I saw you literally classified at the last three minutes of contest, I think you were very nervous of classifying in dead time. Also it probably was very exiting news in the closing ceremony to know you just made it :)

See the standings he is sixth (min 8 to qualify).

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