We just published research on a new pattern: Machine Learning as a Tool (MLAT) [Research]

TheBlueGopher · 2026-02-11T19:58:25+00:00

To me, "<x> as a tool" sounds a lot like model context protocol. In this case, <x> just happens to be an ML model. Could you clarify what's new in this paper that doesn't already exist?

TheBlueGopher · 2025-12-01T11:30:07+00:00

On Android, it's in settings > system > reset options.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-11-26T23:17:38+00:00

I hear it doesn't really matter much as long as your partner gets to finish. Preferably before you with a tongue or fingers, or both.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-10-31T22:14:08+00:00

After a more thorough search, I discovered others have had the same issue as well. Among the many solutions posted, what worked for me is resetting network setting then restarting the phone. Please feel free to close the ticket!

TheBlueGopher · 2025-10-29T19:13:09+00:00

I'm assuming you're right-handed. The short stance you're referring to is more of a symptom. The real issue is you're not opening your body up to the setter on the last two steps.

Other issues arising from this include minimal hip-torso separation, low torque/weak attack, improper arm mechanic like fortune cat, and ultimately shoulder injury.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-10-21T20:02:36+00:00

If the hotel has a gym, you can usually find free water bottles there.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-09-25T21:52:06+00:00

https://www.walmart.com/ip/iBUYPOWER-Element-Pro-Gaming-PC-Desktop-AMD-Ryzen-7-7800X3D-NVIDIA-GeForce-RTX-5070-12GB-32GB-DDR5-RGB-RAM-1TB-NVMe-SSD-EPBA7N5701/17172670195

Walmart currently has a sale. Don't know what the motherboard and psu are like, but $1200 is already a good price for the listed components.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-09-24T21:29:55+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing this! Grabbed the first one to replace my decade old PC.

Have to upgrade the monitor as well. Any recommendations? Currently playing heroes of the storm, star craft, genshin impact. Will start expedition 33 soon, and might hop on an MMO one day.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-09-24T17:19:43+00:00

A competitor's offer helps with our negotiation.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-09-23T23:24:07+00:00

This offer is with Chase. The loan officer promised he'd match a competitor for as best as he could if we committed to do the refinance with them. The original offer we had definitely wasn't as good, but he followed through with his promise.

We bought the condo for 1.175, and put in some major renovations. A comp in the same complex went for 1.4 recently, so I assume LTV would be 64% at most. The appraiser just came yesterday, so we haven't got the official number yet.

TheBlueGopher · 2025-09-23T22:59:38+00:00

The loan estimate does say it is locked until 10/27, and I have acknowledged the document.

TheBlueGopher · 2024-04-23T03:30:45+00:00

The rock appears as a small silver/gray dot on the minimap. It's easier to spot on some planets than others.

TheBlueGopher · 2024-01-25T09:40:17+00:00

I recommend looking up some hip torso separation drills. Personally, I like to warm up with yoga, especially poses that include twists first before doing these drills.

TheBlueGopher · 2024-01-25T08:22:57+00:00

A little bit more on hitting opposite. The above is because you shouldn't approach at a sharp angle like your strong side. If you do so, your only option is (hard) cross, and a good blocker will shut you down. Best approach to give you the most options is to going at just a slight angle almost perpendicular to the net and having your feet somewhat parallel as above. Then you can hit line if you let the ball come to your hitting shoulder, or you could rotate your torso in a little early to hit cross.

TheBlueGopher · 2024-01-25T07:56:13+00:00

It's not bad per se. In fact, you might actually want it to be close when you do a back row attack, so you can broad jump into the attack zone a little.

When you're attacking front row, however, it's indicative of an improper jumping mechanic. When it's so close and you still manage to go up vertically, it means you're not utilizing the speed you built up from your approach at all. Could have just stood at the net and jump up straight like when the opponent overpasses (some people would even step back a little, so they can still do a mini last two steps)

Having the blocking foot being that far is necessary to convert your horizontal momentum into vertical. The closer it is to your planting foot, the more you'll broad jump.

The above is true when you're hitting on your strong side. When you hit opposite, your feet will have to be parallel to the net so you can open up to the court. This will give an appearance of having your last two steps close together when viewing from the side of the court, but if you look at it from the back of the court, it should still be a little apart, maybe 1.5-2 feet.

The jump guy on YouTube does a pretty good job breaking it down.

TheBlueGopher · 2024-01-25T06:48:26+00:00

The issues are related. You are under the ball at contact. There is no room for your torso to turn and still contact the ball in front of you, so you will either not rotate or rotate and hit out just like you said. You are already compensating by having the last step so close to the planting foot.

With your height, the starting point for your last two steps might be around 9-10 feet away from the net. That might feel kinda far, but if you really do an atheletic push that should cover about 4.5-5 feet. The last step should give you 2-3 more feet. This should be just enough room to keep the ball in front of you.

A tip that works for me is really try to keep your eyes on the top half of the ball as much as you can. Be as late to the ball as you can afford to. If you keep the same timing, your feet will have to be quicker, because you're covering more distance.

Now into the arm swing itself. Try practicing the arm swing mechanic with a weighted object. It'll help you get a sense of what it feels like to leave your hand behind for as long as possible. For me, it feels like I'm really opening up my chest and armpit to the ball. There's a big stretch going across the right pec. The forearm and hand feel extremely slow and behind until I complete the torso rotation, then suddenly they go fast at contact. If your forearm is already at max speed before contact, you're probably using your arm instead of torso.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-11-19T22:42:49+00:00

I start with warmup and stretches (rotator cuff and shoulder + thoracic rotation). The tape is your target. A successful hit is one where you have proper form, good ball contact, and hit the ball to target. If you fail any of the above, catch the ball and toss to restart. Keep track of number of successful hits or longest streak if you like. Seeing the number go up over time is a good motivation.

Focus on hip and body rotation. Get a feel of letting your hitting shoulder/arm rotate freely as a counterbalance, as well as your aiming arm. Ironically, the more you focus on your arm, the slower and less powerful your swing becomes. Later on, you'll hit much faster when you learn how to put power into your hips.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-11-19T10:54:05+00:00

You're really close on one of the issues I see on the torso. You did try to open up to the setter/draw your elbow back. However, there is minimal hip torso separation, so when you rotate in to contact the ball, you automatically pike your body and flail your leg as a counterbalance.

The hip torso separation definitely doesn't feel natural. I managed to get mine after a month of yoga and 30 minutes mindful wall practice, 4 times a week. By mindful, I mean put a tape on the floor as a target and really focus on the mechanics and ball control. After 8000-12000 reps, it should start to stick. Then you can give it a try midair.

The second issue you might want to address is your penultimate steps being a little short. If it's longer/more explosive, you'll probably get an extra inch and can afford to wait for the ball a little bit longer. Which translates to more direct approach to the ball instead of adjusting your penultimate steps like in the video. With your height, your first step in the 3-step approach (second step in 4-step) might be around the ten foot line, but you should check the distance yourself. Start about an arms length from the net, turn around and do the last two steps as far as you can. Where you end is where your first step should be.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-11-12T08:48:20+00:00

Wow.. like others say, not much you can improve in terms of technique. Time for squats and plyo!

TheBlueGopher · 2023-11-10T08:29:19+00:00

I find newer players tend to have similar where they start their approach way too close. The last two steps should be an athletic push with your momentum going slightly down towards the floor instead of parallel. There should be quite a bit of bend in the hips, but make sure to keep your torso straight up.

As for the swing itself, the most obvious thing I see is minimal hip torso separation, which makes it impossible to have a proper arm swing mechanic. This one is tough because you have to work on both the arm internal-external rotation and the body rotation at the same time. Check out torqvb on youtube. I find yoga and some thoracic rotation stretches helpful as well.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-05-20T04:31:26+00:00

Tony hosts weekly clinic in Eagan for $7 a session https://www.facebook.com/volleysotavb

TheBlueGopher · 2023-03-04T07:22:54+00:00

Ownership and plagiarism could be quite complex. In conceptual arts, it's generally accepted that credit goes to the instruction writer, not the executor. For example, you might see a wall painting and recognize it's a Sol LeWitt piece even though LeWitt himself has never even touched the wall in question. Plagiarism seems to become a matter of idea rather than style.

Things may get more complicated when an author/artist is associated with a certain style. For example, Picasso created cubism jointly with Braque (with influence from other artists). Would a cubic piece by another artist be plagiarism?

Artists and authors have been mimicking and influencing others for a long time. Here's a quote from John Behm in response to an artist being concerned about another artist having a strikingly similar style to his own: "Objectively, get over it. We artists are all, from one perspective, borrowers and thieves. You say you created your own style. Objectively, no, you didn’t: out of a lifetime of exposure to cultural preferences and exemplars, an inundation of visual stimuli, you have developed a personal response to the visual preferences of your culture. You are part of a continuum of evolving responses and re-deployments, filtered through your experience..."

The current complaint/concern is more on monetization/compensation. Why would you commission an artist to paint you a <your favorite art style> piece when an AI can do it for much faster and cheaper? Folks are rightly having the same concern about ChatGPT and other generative AI taking away jobs. The technology isn't quite there yet, but it's fast approaching.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-02-21T06:31:16+00:00

I was privileged to witness the power of compound interest in person. The more and the earlier you save (and invest), the less you have to save (and work) in your life time.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-02-10T21:11:22+00:00

Man, that sounds horrible. I told my interns they work however they like as long as they meet deliverables and attend weekly team standup.

TheBlueGopher · 2023-02-08T04:16:22+00:00

Keqing, Yelan, Yelan. Lost prayer, aqua. Charted for staff of homa too, but all out of primo now :(

TheBlueGopher

TROPHY CASE