       // now connect every tile to its neighbors

        // a horrible hack until I figure out
        // geometry
        var roffset = width / 2;
        var yoffset = width * .52;
        var xoffset = width * 1;
        var center = ' S 450 350 ';
        var branchCount = 0;
        R -= roffset;
        for (var i = 0; i < tiles.length; i++) {
            var startAngle = alpha * i + angleOffset;
            var tile = tiles[i];
            var y1 = y_padding + R + R * Math.sin(startAngle) + yoffset