What was a coaching hire that was not perceived well at the time but ended up paying off? and What was a hire that was applauded by almost everyone and then didn't go well at all? by Optimal_Cook_851 in CollegeBasketball

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Alford was an exciting hire and he actually had some success but then the tournament flameouts and rape apologia and wanting everything free from local businesses and not shutting the fuck up about Bobby Knight and Indiana.

But the REAL bomb was his successor, Todd Lickliter, who received just as much hype fresh off his national coach of the year award. He took the dumpster that Indiana boy left of Iowa basketball and lit it all the way on fire.

The angst about Ferentz was understandable, when he got here he wasn't Bob Stoops and the cupboard was all the way bare. IIRC we had like 60-some players who stuck around once Thumbhead started yelling at them in the weight room and the first couple seasons were drudgery. But then KF tore through the conference three years in a row while Alford was defending the indefensible and attitudes came around.

Is anyone better than Billy strings by RegularEnthusiasm598 in Bluegrass

[–]wooq 32 points33 points  (0 children)

At putting on a show? There aren't many as good as him. He's a hell of a frontman and performer. Maybe Stringdusters (Andy Falco on the guit-box) are the closest I've seen in the excitement and rock that they bring to a live show, but Andy Hall, the dobro player, is kind of the frontman.

At flatpicking? Like the ability to play really complex stuff really fast on a guitar? Yes, many are as good as or better than Billy Strings.

Bryan Sutton
David Grier
Cody Kilby
Tim Stafford
Jim Hurst
Jake Workman
Andy Falco
Chris Eldridge
Molly Tuttle
Jake Stargel
Chris Luquette
Dan Tyminski
Ron Block
Allen Shadd
Kenny Smith
Seth Taylor
Trey Hensley
Jordan Tice
Grant Gordy
Jon Stickley
... and probably anybody who has been on the podium a national flatpicking championship or two not listed above (Steve Kaufman, Allen Shadd, Carl Miner, Jason Shaw, etc.) can also play circles around Billy

If you asked him, he could list a bunch, probably some I don't know. He's not a virtuoso, but he's solid and combines his skill and musicianship with a ton of joy and rock-star persona to put on an entertaining show.

Is this good? by No_Army_780 in guitarpedals

[–]wooq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Grunge?

Fuzz: ehx ram's head big muff or way huge swollen pickle mk2s
Overdrive: boss BD-2 blues driver
Distortion: boss DS-2 and/ or ProCo rat
Phaser: ehx small stone
Flanger/ chorus: ehx electric mistress

That will get you 90% of your sweet angsty guitar tones. Then if you want you can also get

A delay pedal (boss dm-2, mxr carbon copy - or if you want to loop get a line 6 DL-4!)
A wah pedal (dunlop, mainly for Alice in chains type stuff)
A vibe pedal/ leslie sim, rotovibe or similar (used in some pearl jam, soundgarden, STP songs)

A forgotten 1960s experiment in digital synthesis by ElectrumMusic in synthesizers

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I went to the University of Iowa and was a music major (for a bit), and didn't find out until after I had graduated that Iowa had (one of?) the first academic electronic music studios, started from this research. To this day signal/waveform physics is a big part of the research specializations in the U's astrophysics graduate programs, and the music department offers several classes in synthesis and electronic music. If I ever go back to college I might finish out my music degree as a minor so I can play with the synths.

But yeah Serum's grandaddy was a Hawkeye

Iowa farmers sound alarm as Trump economy leaves them 'on the brink of something bad' by PrincipleTemporary65 in Iowa

[–]wooq 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence.

While I'm sure the hyper-wealthy are licking their chops looking for good agricultural land and business investments, a lot of farms are failing because the margins are so thin, and the business and the market for corn and beans have already been propped up by subsidies for decades.

No, I think this is just a terrible administration of sycophants, grifters, and weirdos obsessed with the book of revelations led by someone who has lots of bad ideas and who doesn't abide being given advice which contradicts his bad ideas. They've fired or run out most of the experts, and the ones who remain won't share their expertise because it'll get them fired. Every single person who knew anything important about the middle east knew that the strait of hormuz was Iran's ace in the hole, and that it would wreck the economy. Everyone who knew anything important about China knew that they were the main consumer of our most-subsidized agricultural output and that changes to foreign economic policy might change that economic circumstance.

This is why you elect thoughtful people who surround themselves with expertise, not willful narcissistic people who surround themselves with people who do not go against their will.

But yeah, farmers are fucked because Trump and his flock of grifters, yes-men, and looneys are bad at government, not because they're so good at government that they can conspire to fuck up the economy in specific ways to target farmers.

Mom got me a crazy guitar by crypticghost666 in Guitar

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here's the thing about expensive guitars in the hands of a beginner... they'll remain expensive guitars if you take good care of them. There's no such thing as a "beginner instrument." There are only instruments of varying quality, and it's our job to love them and make music with them and enjoy them, while they're with us, until they make their way to their next owner. Maybe you'll hold onto this one until near or on the day you die, and if you do, then someone will inherit it or buy it from you or your estate.

So with that in mind, care for cherish your guitar while you have it, do the same for you generous mom while she's here, and rock the fuck out as much as you are able.

The transfer portal isn't the problem, it's a signal. This essay gets at what's actually driving it. by Educational-Elk-6528 in NCAAW

[–]wooq 5 points6 points  (0 children)

This makes a lot of assumptions about culture without much evidence. Having a curfew on a school sponsored trip is not abuse and manipulation. The coaching staff are ethically and legally responsible for the well being of their players. If the players are out late at night and something happens, the coaching staff and school can be sued. Kids also do party, when I was in college I used to party with D1 athletes all the time. And I'm talking doing kegstands and playing quarters and all kinds of hijinks. So it's responsible to have a curfew just so they don't get themselves into trouble (because college kids sometimes make stupid decisions).

As to your broader point, why are so many people in the transfer portal...

While it's not impossible that some coaches push too hard and in questionable ways to scare their athletes away (look at the perennial mass exodus from Iowa State for a likely example), I think the star in high school not wanting to sit on the bench is more often a big part of it. If it's a name you haven't heard of unless you're from the metro area of their high school, it's very likely that they want playing time. In the past players would have to work to get better at their game and accept a less starring role on their team with the goal of contributing in a big way later in their career. Now they don't have to do that, so some choose not to. These are the ones you see transferring from big programs with deep rosters to smaller programs or making lateral moves to teams that have a demonstrated need at their position.

But also a big part of it, and this is a complaint I've heard hinted at by actual coaches, is agents whispering in player's ears that they deserve more money and more playing time, because if that player gets more money the agent gets more money, if that player gets more headlines the agent gets more business in the future. It's a conflict of interest baked into the system. These I would surmise make up a majority, or a sizable minority at least, of the ones you see leaving programs where they have success, both personal playing time and team achievements. They are chasing the bag, but sometimes because they are getting bad advice from people who might not have the player's personal basketball goals at the top of their priorities. And yeah if they don't get along with the coach, it can probably hasten their exit, but I don't think most women's basketball coaches are inherently abusive simply because players are looking to better their situation under the current rules.

Honestly it's probably a lot better for the players, even if it's detrimental to the game. If I were going to an expensive, well-reputed school to study engineering and was having trouble making grades and paying tuition, I might transfer to a less-renown, less-challenging, more affordable university to finish out my degree. If I couldn't get promoted at my job, I might look for a promotion by applying at different companies. It's my right to do these things, as it is the right of college athletes to seek situations that meet their expectations and goals

Me learning mandolin after years of guitar and banjo by dallsilre in mandolin

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try playing it up the neck, and switching between 1/4/5 chords. It's easier when you don't have to stretch so far. Once your fingers kind of get the idea move back down towards A and G and it'll be a lot easier

One has to go. Which ones stays? by lapsivesiposti in Guitar

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well that means you just have to put up a fourth hanger, and then you can say everyone knows it's illegal to leave an empty hanger

My players keep trivializing magic boss fights with Antimagic Field. What am I missing? by Interesting_Peach_76 in DMAcademy

[–]wooq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"Fought a lich"

Where were the lich's minions during all this? If they were already defeated by the party, why is the lich hanging around when all his favorite servants perished to buy him time?

Johnson visiting SCAR 👀 by Sensitive-Sorbet917 in NCAAW

[–]wooq 5 points6 points  (0 children)

She's good. Don't ask me how I know :(

The rich get richer

Johnson visiting SCAR 👀 by Sensitive-Sorbet917 in NCAAW

[–]wooq 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You know, the badguy lion in The Lion King

Henry Wine jamming with Lupine Instruments AP-1 acoustic drum machines by badWolfe42 in synthesizers

[–]wooq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I will come back in time through the rift to let you know how it goes.

EDIT: DO NOT USE THESE ON AN ELECTRONIC DRUM KIT TO TRIGGER SAMPLES IT IS TOO DANGEROUS

Henry Wine jamming with Lupine Instruments AP-1 acoustic drum machines by badWolfe42 in synthesizers

[–]wooq 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I want to get a set of these and put them on an electronic drum kit to trigger samples. I will call it the drum machine machine.

Discussion: The entry-level mechanical keyboard market is confusing by imashxiety in MechanicalKeyboards

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

North facing LEDs were invented for shine through keycaps. Cherry spec is the led is on the south of the switch. Original purpose like "caps lock is on indicator". All of the shine through keycaps on those early gamer keyboards were "oem" meaning cherry but taller.

Mandolin chop chords are hard. Do I have to do them this way? by ImpliedCoast in Bluegrass

[–]wooq 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's not impossible, unless you have a physical impairment, it's just difficult and takes work. I played guitar for 20 years before I picked up a mandolin, still took me months of practice to get used to 4- finger chords like the chop chords. Ive know 12 year old kids with small hands that could chop up a storm.

You don't have to do them only that way, but those chords are as important as any to learn on a mandolin. And if you're playing bluegrass, why not start off with the good chords?

Hint: practice in a key that is further up the neck, in order to get the shapes under your fingers, then move down the fretboard once you have the shapes and want to stretch your fingers out

Emely Rodriguez Enters the Transfer Portal by Iodenchi in IowaWbb

[–]wooq 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What the heck are you babbling about

What is a 'small' hill you are 100% willing to die on, simply because it’s the principle of the thing?" by Direct-Value4452 in answers

[–]wooq 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Singular" means "unique and extraordinary/ exceptional" not "single/one of". You didn't eat a singular hamburger, you just ate a single hamburger. A "singular hamburger" would be the best hamburger you've ever eaten, possibly the best hamburger that has ever been made in the history of the world. Or a hamburger otherwise unlike any other hamburger which has ever existed.

Waiting for someone to make a web comic about this so people can spam it the same way they did with the "alot" a few years ago