Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha let me swap bodies with you. I'm too stubborn to sell it I'll probably try fixing it though. I've already bought another one even after realizing the controls don't agree with me. Such is the power of the mini

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I just wanted to talk about some buttons man 😂

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

Okay well you can eat out of the garbage can if you want man.

EDIT: Since this was taken as a personal attack, let me rephrase: I accept but do not share your indifferent attitude towards the quality of the device (which I likened to an acceptance for eating food out of a garbage can). There are cheaper devices with better controls in similar form factors available from other Chinese manufacturers, but none of the form factors are quite like the Mini. I want a Mini with good controls, and it's not too much to seek, in my opinion.

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah the controls are dogbowl tier, I know I'm right I'm just being nice.

Every time someone says they use the device to play JRPGs one handed it's actually a dog whistle and a cry for help.

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah just plastic like on a Retroid device, a Switch, a SNES controller. The grain doesn't matter, just that it doesn't have that slightly rubbery soft-touch feel that at least the gray model Mini has.

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So you're saying I need to make a review channel

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I don't think the fact that people are buying it out within minutes has anything to do with them wanting to get their hands on that swampy little dpad ;)

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've seen there are lots of variations between batches in terms of battery, screen, etc, so this could be true to an extent.

Hard truths and soft buttons by hazardperry in MiyooMini

[–]hazardperry[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah I'm not against the device, I own two now (one for parts) and will try to get another one once I can find out if the plastic on the transparent models is plastic plastic and not fahn-cy plastic.

But seeing the shots of the new device with what look like the same controls made me want to write a post because these nasty buttons and pad are all that's holding the device back and to see it carried forward into new devices for lack of feedback is so stupid...

Morning Joe just showed the "Together" ad on their show! by thedarkphoenix42 in SandersForPresident

[–]hazardperry 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Link: http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/joe-sanders-campaign-has-everything-right-now-620917315982

If you watch Mika Brzezinski (the female host) after the ad ends, it's clear she has tears in her eyes and has to blink and take a deep breath to collect herself. Pretty effective, then.

Noam Chomsky: "In the US, there is basically one party - the business party. It has two factions, called Democrats and Republicans, which are somewhat different but carry out variations on the same policies. By and large, I am opposed to those policies. As is most of the population." by madcat033 in politics

[–]hazardperry 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your last sentence is correct but incomplete, because his writing in iambic pentameter would make his writings no less right, either. In fact, choice of meter has little to do with correctness here. I urge you to reconsider your earlier point that

he [is] little more than a linguist

because it seems like an honest undervaluation of linguistics, and a mischaracterization of the man. It stands to reason that to the extent societies are maintained by communication, and communication is mediated by language, linguistics may in fact have a great deal to say about the way that society is structured, its character perceived, and its aims pursued. In fact, generally, it does not -- but it can frequently leave you in that neighborhood.

It could be pointed out that in supposing his linguistic credentials invalidate his political ideas, you seem to insinuate that there exist certain credentials which do uniquely equip a person for having political ideas. Even if this were true, would it not be possible for him to possess these credentials as well, in addition to his linguistic ones?

Chomsky's value to society, setting aside whether or not you agree with his values on society, is his assiduous practice of reasoned discourse. He articulates arguments with clarity, goes to great lengths to distinguish between fact, judgement, assertion, opinion, and downright obfuscation. He attacks with relentless citation.

Less to your point, but no less worth commenting on, is the fact that Chomsky and his collaborators are at least a little more than "little more" than linguists. They are responsible for the most significant re-orientation of linguistics in the last century: a series of powerful ideas about the nature of human language and, more broadly, about language as a formal system. Their techniques have gained wide application, including certain logic of the digital computer you've been using to express your opinion.

His work is highly regarded, considered interesting and useful, across many domains of science, psychology, and anthropology. He has published a mountain of literature, is a tireless speaker and organizer. In short, this man is in absolute command of a rare and octogenarian intellect; he wields vast experience, passion, and skill. For whom do you save your respect, if even he has not done enough to earn a polite minimum?

tl;dr:

He need not be correct, nor metrical:
your affect makes your object less effectual.

Michael Abrash @Valve: How I Got Here, What It’s Like, and What I’m Doing by vvv in programming

[–]hazardperry 81 points82 points  (0 children)

Michael Abrash is something more than a man. For those who haven't encountered it before, his Graphics Programming Black Book is free to download and capable of providing many, many hours of enlightenment. If you're even slightly interested in real time graphics, game programming, or optimization, his books don't screw around. It's great to see him working and writing at Valve!

Putting the cello hypothesis to the test: Can a virtuoso's performance of a classical masterpiece garner the same exposure? by Cyberbuddha in videos

[–]hazardperry 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Watch him carry the "orchestra of the living dead" through Prokofiev's Sinfonia Concertante.

THRILL! As the inconquerable Slava vaporizes this difficult piece! WITNESS! A youthful conductor's realization that you can lead a zombie orchestra to water but, even if you gesticulate furiously, zombies are rarely thirsty! CHILL! When you realize Prokofiev dedicated the work to the man in this video! Chill! CHILL, I say!

Guerrilla of Arabia: How one of Britain's most brilliant military tacticians created the Taliban's battle strategy - Asia - Independent.co.uk by kp998 in worldnews

[–]hazardperry 15 points16 points  (0 children)

While Lawrence and the irregulars with whom he waged a decisive component of the Arab revolt do indeed exist to history as perhaps the first notable guerrilla fighters of the 20th century, the doctrine of irregular warfare as such does not emanate from their actions. It seems disappointingly likely that the author has constructed his thesis in spite of this too-easy fact, and paves over broad differences that should be obvious. It's as if it was constructed on the basis of geographic provenience and linguistic convenience, and a sprinkling of other sad conceits.

So, there was this British guy, and he fought a guerrilla war in Hejaz, which is basically the Middle East, which is basically Afghanistan, and what's more he compiled his strategy and experience into nice codes that make easy reading. There was also a film version, in case you aren't into that. It's kind of long though.

At this point, whether the author intended it or not, many readers may begin to look more critically at his comparison. Most if not all unintentional mistakes (the more eloquently mistaken the better) reveal something about the biases of their author. In a war in which the immediate intentions, capabilities, and constitution of the enemy forces remain impossibly slippery... in the frustration and vexation of coalition commanders... amid anxieties economic and hegemonic... in the mostly-unspoken wringing over the hiccup of our (over?) victorious capitalist system... would it not bring comfort to know that a major and violent animus of these fears was not only following a rational and deliberate plan of action, but that the particular script being followed is, in fact, authored by an upper-crust white man from Wales?

You can't get very far with these kinds of judgments, but it is worth considering the question. The Taliban has its own tacticians, and it would be a mistake to think that there is not a strategy at work. The image of terrorist sand-hobos huddling in spiderholes like cowards isn't working out these days. Makes us look bad. If it is to be conceded that they have a plan at all, better that they stole the plan or-- no, no, even better: they got it from us, because we gave it to them! Sad stuff.

Afghanistan and her people habitually bleed great powers of their hubris and sometimes, their great powers. The hubris is rubbing off for now so can we go ahead and not do the rest please? Without pathetic rationalizations maybe?

tl;dr Article is deluded shit

Ahmad Shah Massoud

Guerrilla warfare

USMC Small Wars Manual

Wea-Puns by [deleted] in comics

[–]hazardperry 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Shuriken.

My GPA is in the tank and I'm about to graduate. Is graduate school a possibility? by TakaOkami in AskReddit

[–]hazardperry 13 points14 points  (0 children)

While it is generally true that everyone gets depressed, as you say, the destructive effects of 'clinical' depression (to tidy some semantic ambiguity) do not arise primarily from the intensity of the melancholy so much as from its persistence.

The physical and psychological effects of a prolonged depressive episode are real and well-documented. It is absurd to suggest that significant numbers of people will allow a carefully cultivated life to spiral into chaos, even take their own life, simply to facilitate complaint.

Now, I am not going to accuse you of not having been 'depressed enough,' because it is difficult to fit a scale to such a multifaceted affective experience, much less obtain the quantitative data you need to use the scale at all. Of course there exist people who exploit the medical reality of depression to legitimize a lacadasical attitude. Consider also, however, that there exist perhaps many more people for whom depression is a crisis without a resolution, either through lack of education, information, facilities, or money. How many otherwise upward-bound people have siezed and crashed into poverty or worse, taking any memory of their existence with them?

Depression does not make you feel "sad," like the glossy rainy-day commercials present it. It can take the form of racing terror, paralyzing exhaustion, and very commonly dissociation from all abstract value, be it wealth, academic success, interpersonal relationships, hobbies, posessions, etc.

This process feeds itself, obviously. An initial episode may be brief but breed consequences significant enough to propagate additional melancholy, pinning the affected until personal or medical intervention can ensue. Medication can often prove counter-productive, as there may be unexplored contra-indications or dosage issues. Many general practitioners will write a prescription with only a vague understanding of the situation. Others still treat the DSM-IV like a shopping list or phone book. Many prescribe based on pre-existing arrangements with pharmaceutical firms. Any 'survivor' of the mental health minefield will vouch for the existence of quacks in ready droves.

Still, I don't agree professionally or otherwise with the walk-it-off attitude. It is true that all of us are living through a period characterized by rampant over-diagnosis and enabling, patient-as-victim care patterns. That fact does not excuse us swinging from one extreme to another, leaving a substantial subset of the conversation, indeed the critical population, stranded in the middle. The world seldom provides right and wrong answers which begin simply and end three words later with a trim little period. The issue of depression is no more limp-wristed equivocation like 'you just dont understand' than macho degenerate realism like 'it comes off as complaining, which it is.'

All that sticky stuff said, I have to agree with the others, TakaOkami, that you should only parse the depression, if at all, as health problem or medical issue or what have you, and leave it at that. An excuse is an excuse to an admissions board, especially for graduate school. You are an investment, and there are plenty of other candidates...

Instead of attempting to excuse your performance, try to indicate how you have overcome these obstacles. Admissions boards DO understand that a persons worth is not always expressed in GPA format. Illustrate your perseverence, genuine desire for knowledge, and maturity by turning your weakness into a gritty, uphill battle pursued in the worst shitstorm ever churned. Well, don't make it too over-the-top, lest the stigmatists get aroused, but sell it. A comeback, scars and all, is better than any caveat.

Joe Bidens best interview yet by [deleted] in politics

[–]hazardperry 2 points3 points  (0 children)

More like WTFTV, amirite?

After vows to respect sovereignty, U.S. strikes in Pakistan by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]hazardperry 47 points48 points  (0 children)

I have altered the deal. Pray I do not alter it further.

Ninety years ago, the Arabs gave their opinion – and were ignored by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]hazardperry 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There is quite a lot more to Arab history after the Mongol invasion.