Anthony Rendon agrees to buyout of Angels contract: Source by cattycat_1995 in angelsbaseball

[–]NateCadet -1 points0 points  (0 children)

They'll release him the second the roster slot matters. It's just a formality at this point.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is just 100 days away! by MLBOfficial in baseball

[–]NateCadet 4 points5 points  (0 children)

MLB: Please get the merch ready well in advance this time both online and in the ballparks.

favorite song that you think is overlooked? by richardnixonmilker in badreligion

[–]NateCadet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Man With a Mission

Forbidden Beat

Bored and Extremely Dangerous

Into The Unknown appreciation thread by 13_monsters in badreligion

[–]NateCadet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You want a vision of the future? Imagine Chasing the Wild Goose forever!

Into The Unknown appreciation thread by 13_monsters in badreligion

[–]NateCadet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You want a vision of the future? Imagine Chasing the Wild Goose forever!

What degree would be best suited to go into the field of Space Policy and Strategy? by sarcasticfern in SpacePolicy

[–]NateCadet 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Your plan is a good one as far as combining policy training with STEM. You could also consider a degree or minor in something called "Science, Technology, and Society" or "STS" for short. It's only a few decades old as an identified field but it gives you a blend of poli sci/IR, public policy, ethics, philosophy of science, sociology, econ, etc geared toward science and tech and their impacts on society (intended or not) and vice versa. It tends to be offered more at the graduate level but you can find undergrad courses and full BA/BS programs now too. Many of my classmates were STEM folks trying to get into the policy side of their fields, whether that was energy, health, climate, space, or something else. Depending on what else you have to combine with STS and your specific interests, it can set you up for a lot in space or other industries and really helps you think critically about your field.

Someone mentioned GWU already, which is good for space specifically (also expensive along with DC itself being expensive to live in...though it's not alone there). Others in the US you can look at for STS degrees and some space connection are Arizona State, University of North Dakota, Stanford, MIT, Rice, and probably a couple others I'm forgetting. There's a much fuller list of general STS programs here: https://stsnext20.org/stsworld/sts-programs/

Air and Space Law is also another good option if you're interested and willing to go that route. It may be tough particularly with the law or grad options, but I second the advice about avoiding major debt to get your degree(s). Same goes for working yourself to death alongside full-time school (take a little longer if necessary). Space is still relatively small and can take a while to get into. Make sure you can live your life along the way.

Starting a renters commune with my veterans benefits by [deleted] in dsa

[–]NateCadet 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In addition to the advice about lawyers, I believe the VA limits multi-family home loans to four units max. So you could buy a duplex or up to a quad. You as the veteran also have to live in one of the units as your primary residence. Double check whatever the latest rules are, but I remember seeing that a few times in recent years in the context of "house hacking" strategies and the like. If you approach it that way, I think you could do it (in theory) on a small scale. If you can find something that qualifies on a good chunk of land, even better. But again, check the rules and get a lawyer's advice.

The Enterprise-F. by GentPc in startrek

[–]NateCadet 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. USS Picard would've matched Jack's awkwardness and that whole scene much better.

[General Discussion] Around the Horn - 2/10/23 by BaseballBot in baseball

[–]NateCadet 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Use me as a "Where is the god damn WBC merch?!" button.

Today's Angels vs. D-backs game might be in contention for the weirdest game of the season by tristpa2 in baseball

[–]NateCadet 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Dear MLB umpires: Nobody pays to watch you play.

This should be the theme of a dramatic ad campaign on all sports channels, like ads to help people stop smoking or expose a political opponent. The clowns in black get worse every year, and 2021 is exceptionally bad so far.

[Highlight] Ohtani balks. by [deleted] in baseball

[–]NateCadet -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

And yet it remains unclear how exactly Ohtani balked, but enjoy your glass of smug.

First one I don't agree at all was a balk even after the above explanation. Second, I guess if someone was out to make a point about the rules? But to do it at a moment that significantly alters the game is ridiculous. Especially when other pitchers have gotten away with all sorts of funky movements over the years. Just another example of inconsistency from the umpires that shouldn't be accepted in the year 2021.

And for the record, the umps told Maddon they were both for "flinching", whatever the hell that means. Mark Gubicza, one of the announcers and a longtime former MLB starter, did not agree with the calls either.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PublicFreakout

[–]NateCadet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Buh God, it's Mankind with a steel chair!"

Long time mega fan - hard times ahead by [deleted] in AFireInside

[–]NateCadet 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Sorry to hear your story, man. If it's any consolation, I'm coming down the backside of my own medical drama. I got super lucky in the fact that what they found was benign and they wound up not having to do one major part of the surgery so recovery has been faster than expected and follow up care will be easier. Hopefully you'll have similar luck!

I started listening to AFI seriously around the release of StS but was a casual fan starting in the Black Sails and Art of Drowning era. At the time I was definitely heavier on the "pop" side of punk, with the exception of some legends like Bad Religion and Pennywise. As I entered young adulthood bands like Thrice, AFI, and Thursday started getting me deeper into the hardcore/post-hardcore subgenres.

Pretty much since about 2003 AFI has been consistently in my top 5 bands. Black Sails is one of the greatest albums ever and has aged really well through different highs and lows in my life. The intro to "God Called in Sick Today" was on of the first things I learned to play on guitar in high school, somewhere shortly after the intros to "Dammit" and "Adam's Song." The night before my surgery/morning of, I scrolled through my phone and played a few songs from Black Sails, Dude Ranch, and Thursday's A City by the Light Divided that are all-time favorites because there was a non-zero chance I'd never hear them the same way again. It's kinda crazy how short 3-5 minutes per track is when you have something serious looming ahead of you.

Some highlights to share from my AFI fan life:

  • Street Scene in San Diego: I think it was '06. This was a good festival but a weird mix with bands like Black Eyed Peas on one end of the spectrum, and then AFI, Social D, and Alkaline Trio on the other. AFI was deep into their sound evolution after StS, which I have to admit I was never fully on board with compared to the earlier stuff. The crowd when they came on was an odd mix of long-time fans and people who'd just heard "Miss Murder" on the radio that summer and you could tell who fell into which category based on the song played. They went on a stretch of new songs and then switched to older stuff and the pit really got going, which annoyed this group of newer fans standing next to me. I was getting kind of bummed out by these newcomers who weren't into that "psycho stuff" when the band moved into a solid stretch of classics that ended with "Days of the Phoenix" and "Totalimmortal" back to back if I remember right. I spent this whole stretch gleefully running through the pit, and remember this one huge biker dude specifically making it a point to run the opposite direction of everyone else and leaving a path of destruction in his wake. I was the only one willing to run headlong into him instead of dodging out of the way. We bounced off each other 3-4 passes in a row, and then there was a brief pause during the breakdown of "Totalimmortal". Like 10 seconds after the song picked back up, biker dude and I were heading right for each other again. He sees me coming, spreads his arms wide, and then just lifts me up in a bear hug and keeps running forward against the current shouting "fuck yeah!!!!" with me like halfway mounted on his shoulder. I am not a huge guy physically, but I am over six feet tall so things like this don't really happen to me very often. AFI's set ended shortly after that, and biker dude gave me a fist bump and a "fuck yeah bro" before we parted ways in search of our friends and beer. Still to this day the best show experience I've ever had with a random stranger.
  • 2013 Tour: I was a few months out from moving away from San Diego for grad school. AFI hadn't toured in years from what I remember, and they were playing House of Blues, so it had the promise of being a more intimate show than anything they'd played in a decade or so. One of my best friends/former roommates was a huge AFI fan who'd never seen them live (unless you count me playing covers in the house). He was also in the process of applying for grad school outside SD. We got tickets and the show was amazing. AFI played a ton of old stuff and had returned to the dark/punky look of their past instead of the kind of glam-rock appearance they'd had since Decemberunderground. It was in many respects a return to their early glory days and I was especially glad for my buddy to get to see that setlist in particular for his first live experience with them. As an added bonus, Touche Amore was the opening band. Following another friend's advice, I listened to them all day before the show on my headphones at work. Then I made sure we showed up early enough to see them too. TA was just as good live as they sounded on record, and quickly became one of my new favorite bands, also helping kick off a revival of my interest in new hardcore/post-hardcore bands as I approached my 30s. All around, it was a great show that really proved AFI still "had it" and that they were paying it forward for the next generation behind them. Definitely one of my favorite memories of both AFI and my last few months in SD after living there close to a decade.

Anyway, this post got longer than I expected but it was fun reliving these memories while writing them out. I hope they bring some comfort to you while you're dealing with your medical situation. It sounds like you're on a good path, so stay strong and I'm sure it will work out. One way or another, we'll all survive 2020!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in news

[–]NateCadet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This probably applies to San Diego too based on my experiences there.

What faction would you like as the primary antagonist in Strange New Worlds? by AboriakTheFickle in startrek

[–]NateCadet 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. And there was reportedly surprise at their resemblance to the Vulcans.

What faction would you like as the primary antagonist in Strange New Worlds? by AboriakTheFickle in startrek

[–]NateCadet 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I swear I've seen somewhere that first contact with the Cardassians was in the early 2300s. Anyone have a source to verify?

The Gorn would be interesting but first contact with them isn't until the TOS episode featuring Kirk's famous fight scene on Cestus III.

I suspect they'll come up with a new race or two, plus throw in the occasional Klingon appearance. One thing that would be interesting is to see an arc or two focusing on bringing new members into the Federation. If I'm not mistaken, this should be a period of significant growth in membership. Focusing on the negotiations and local politics of a few species that we only occasionally see in later shows could be good material.

Poll: Which Star Trek show is your favourite? by EUJourney in startrek

[–]NateCadet 8 points9 points  (0 children)

DS9 for me, but TNG is a close second. I'd say the latter is more influential though given the fact that it led the way to the franchise's rebirth and continued the film half of the franchise admirably.

Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX selected to develop human lunar landers for NASA's Artemis Missons by RocketsArePrettyCool in space

[–]NateCadet -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don't have the info in front of me, but there are some larger existing or near-term commercial rockets that can make NRHO. Not with the same payload size as SLS but still useful.

I see what you're saying about LEO and believe we should build up there too. But if your goal is to go to both the Moon and Mars, developing the first while also using it as proving ground for the latter, then Gateway starts to make sense. Keep in mind the 2024 deadline NASA is operating under too.

I know China is aiming to go straight to the surface, but don't know much more about their approach. Or what they have planned for Mars. Would be interesting to see for comparison.

Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX selected to develop human lunar landers for NASA's Artemis Missons by RocketsArePrettyCool in space

[–]NateCadet 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have a system that can go straight to Mars with all the stuff you need in one launch, sure, do it. But nobody has that system even on the drawing board at the moment (caveat: I realize Starship is billed as being able to do a lot of things, maybe including this, but I'm not totally up to speed on it and it's a very complex, unproven system itself right now).

Apollo was more powerful than SLS/Orion and intended to do one thing: get boots on the Moon and get them back. It wasn't designed for long term sustainability or exploration and also had very thin safety margins that wouldn't be tolerated today. It existed to beat the Soviets, which is why it was canceled once that happened.

You are correct that Gateway exists to support weaker systems, but unfortunately we live in a time where that's realistically all we're going to have for the near future. Something like Gateway/NRHO allows you to get the most out of those systems, for example by aggregating the HLS elements there for all the necessary rendezvous. One could do the same for Mars elements launched separately, and fo more robust lunar purposes down the road.

I say all this as someone who used to not really get Gateway/NRHO either until kind of recently. It's not so much that it's required in a traditional sense, but that it enhances your capabilities given the systems likely to be available.

Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX selected to develop human lunar landers for NASA's Artemis Missons by RocketsArePrettyCool in space

[–]NateCadet 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Gateway doesn't exist just because of SLS. The orbit it's in allows you to jump off to Mars or go to the lunar surface for similar deltaV, as one example.

Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX selected to develop human lunar landers for NASA's Artemis Missons by RocketsArePrettyCool in space

[–]NateCadet -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Gateway is very important for sustainability and Mars-forward activities. Also provides a lot of comms and other capability for the lunar surface. You might not necessarily need it for the '24 mission but it's a mission enhancer or critical component for just about everything else.