| Coincidences like this usually result in 'dox. |
[27 Jan 2009|03:13pm] |
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Construction |
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Ok, officially weird. Did a search on youtube for Symphony 1 by Daniel Buckvich. Found it. Linked off of it was Franz Beibel's Ave Maria....
Over ten years ago, I performed those songs in sequence with our symphonic band. One of the most powerful effects I've ever seen on an audience in my life. It's also a very strange coincidence (at least to me). It's also the kind of coincidence that weirds me out.
It also has made me remember just how long it has been since I actually have performed anything, or even really played seriously.
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| Tanks, Healers and go-no-go |
[03 Sep 2008|02:19am] |
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Taking Back Sunday -- You Know How I Do |
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So one of the major deficiencies in group play I've noticed: party balance.
I understand the need for party balance, but it seems to be a recurring theme in most games I've played. Someone is the meatshield, and since the early days of D&D it seems that you're screwed if no one is the cleric.
In my WoW group I now have enough alts to be a Tank, Healer or DPS (and one that can, for now, do all three on the fly if needed). I find myself the main tank (and now understand a lot better how MTs get burned out, espeically if raiding). I've been one of hte main healers before for a guild, and I can't say I envy the boring/OMGEYERYONEISDYING factor that occurs while running, along with the lethality of Healer Tunnel Vision. Admittedly, the group I play with is a lot better than most of the pickup groups I played with before Project WoW started. Even the newest/worst of our players are a cut above a lot of players I've run into.
I like DPSing (damage-dealing for the non-mmo players out there). It, in a way, was my first love. I sometimes wish that I could do it more often. At the same time, I've learned ot love tanking, and there is something sarisfying about being the only thing between a whole bunch of bad-guys and our squishies.
My question: what is the meta-reason for the "holy trinity" of group composition (healer, tank, and damage per time) ? Is this just min-maxing and the recognigion that most, if not all players do this across systems (hide behind the Troll and make sure that CoG Theurge is standing next to the Ahroun))? Is there a deeper tactical reason for this that is reflected in real-life conflicts?
Ah well, back to working on the test-suite for work.
JBG
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| Because it came up |
[29 Aug 2008|12:56pm] |
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Chrono Cross - Time's Scar |
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This came up while in a discussion with one of my other friends: absentee voting.
In case it becomes important to anyone else (as for me, I'm going to be out on my honeymoon at the time).
From the Cook County Clerk
Covers absentee and early voting in Chicago.
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| Bad on national defense? |
[21 Aug 2008|01:11pm] |
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Listen To Your Heart (Furious F. EZ Radio Edit) - D.H.T. |
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A thought occurred to me. The last war we fought in that was complete victory was WWII, was headed up by which party?
What do Iraq (I and II), Vietnam, and Korea all have in common, other than a failure of objectives? Which party was in charge at the end for all of them?
Now who is supposed to be the best on national defense? And why the hell hasn't that been used as ammunition?
A fight is not won by who knows the best moves or who brought the best weapon, but by the one who most efficiently and effectively uses what they have.
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| Another great performer dead. |
[20 Aug 2008|11:23am] |
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music |
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#41 - Dave Matthews Band |
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LeRoi Moore, Dave Matthews Band saxophonist is dead.
Link
You'll be missed.
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| Finally, A Candidate I Like |
[04 Jun 2008|03:19pm] |
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April's Bonfire - Color Theory |
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Yay, there is finally a candidate that I kind of like (despite the differences I may have with certain positions). Glad to see that Obama has snagged the nod. Hopefully he gets elected and hopefully some of King George's damage can be undone. Hell, we may see something we haven't seen either Clinton or Bush (either of them) do and provide some actual, decent, leadership and maybe, just maybe, someone who isn't going to treat the Constitution as just a bunch of suggestions.
Here's to hoping he doesn't engage in a cock-up by picking Hillary for the VP role. There are better choices out there, and the last thing the US needs is that narcissistic bitch getting any closer to more power.
Here's to hope for now, results later. This is the first time that I have actually liked a political candidate (on local or national level) and had some shred of hope that he had principles that he would stick to.
JBG
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| Heisenbug's uncertainty principle |
[29 Apr 2008|03:04pm] |
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31 Ghosts IV - Nine Inch Nails |
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Sooo...I just found a Heisenbug in my code. For those that may not be familiar with this phenomena, a Heisenbug is named for Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, i.e. there are quantities that can be known to only a certain degree of accuracy relative to eachother (the classic example is position and velocity in quantum systems), and is somewhat intuitive as the act of measuring something causes very small changes in a system.
A Heisenbug is a bug that goes away when the program is altered slightly, such as when one compiles in debugging information, or switching to a different level of optimization. Suffice it to say, these things are probably the most obnoxious bugs to locate and squash.
On the plus side, they are usually interesting to peg down.
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| More fuel for the roflcopter |
[19 Mar 2008|02:15pm] |
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Chrono Trigger Ruined World (Eternal Derelict) OC ReMix - Children of the Monkey Machine |
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Ok, it isn't a secret that I happen to dislike Hillary, after all she ranks at about the same level as ambulance-chasers, child molesters, and guys driving H2's in my personal evaluation.
In addition to Obama's speech yesterday, which has clinched his position as the only politician I actually like at the moment (and one of the few that can really be considered human), I found this gem a couple of days ago.
An annotated guide to Clinton's campaign emails.
In addition to the above being high quality snark, it also shows the straight out FUD spreading that her campaign does. Then again, the last eight years of Bush shows that that is, indeed, a winning strategy in this nation, which seems to be dominated by civics wash-outs, cowards and mental midgets who are all too easy to cow.
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| Television, Supernovas and Flash |
[11 Feb 2008|12:01pm] |
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The Missing McCloud Boys |
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So, just got an email that apparently, Tuesday night at 8pm CST, the Supernovas episode of The Universe is going to air.
Not sure how much of our work is there, but it is supposed to be there.
-JBG
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| Good WoW advice |
[11 Feb 2008|11:59am] |
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Wayne Andrews, The Old Bee Keeper |
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From the folks at Penny-Arcade, this is how you deal with an epiced-out 70
It's good to be the dr00d
I found it amusing.
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| Observation |
[17 Jan 2008|01:40pm] |
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One More Time To Live |
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People talk about being "surgical" in reference to being precice.
However, I'd like to point out that amputation is still surgery.
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| If he wants a Theocracy he should GTFO the USA |
[16 Jan 2008|12:27pm] |
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irritated |
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Battery (LP Version) |
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So, in case anyone had any misconceptions that Huckabee was religious reich lite, you may want to watch this gem...
So, how should we ammend the constitution...hmm?
I'm not sure who I am more disgusted at, the Republican on stage spewing anti-American BS from the podium, or the idiots in the audience who cheer him when he says this.
*facepalm* *headdesk* /wrist
ETA: I suggest spreading this link around. People should know what this joker stands for.
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| Things are moving... |
[03 Dec 2007|12:20pm] |
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The Scientist |
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Update for those who haven't heard yet:
First, cat's out of the bag; yes, I am getting married. Next October, but still, it is official. Now for the details.
That said, Jess is now moving in. Her cat has already arrived and started her takeover. She (both of them) seems to be really happy about it. The cat's disposition may have been improved by three cans of wet-food, though.
The moving stuff is also getting me more organized in a hurry. I am even filing stuff now *shudder.*
Oh, and a particular property company in Chicago needs to encounter a series of unfortunate events.
I'd also like to state that my current landlord is awesome. They had a very good reason for their delay in contacting me, and once they responded, they responded fast. Especially when I said we had a cat that needed to be moved quickly.
Work is work. SC'07 was pretty cool in Reno, and I've determined that computer companies give the best swag.
Well, I'll be around.
JBG out
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| Look at those Memeories! |
[13 Sep 2007|10:01pm] |
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Some MSNBC Show |
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What I should be when I grow up
1. Go to http://www.careercruising.com/
2. Put in Username: nycareers, Password: landmark
3. Take their "Career Matchmaker" questions.
4. Post the top ten results
And my top ten list is...
1. Farm Equipment Mechanic
2. Millwright
3. Automobile Mechanic
4. Diesel Mechanic
5. Small Engine Mechanic
6. Aircraft Mechanic
7. Motorcycle Mechanic
8. Heavy Equipment Mechanic
9. Stationary Engineer
10. Industrial Machinery Mechanic
Heh, computer programmer is number 40 on the list...
Tweaking for education:
( Cut for length )
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| Politics Blows (apparently) |
[29 Aug 2007|11:56am] |
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Pandora Radio |
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To the Senator Larry Craig: Thank you for giving me further evidence for the theory that everyone who voted for the Defense of Marriage act, stumps for a Federal Marriage Amendment, and is just a general prick towards the LGBT (and even straight but not prudish) population is either a closet case(too many to list), a pederast (thank you Foley), and/or an adulterer (Gingrich, the Louisiana Senator). It seems to be an emergent pattern.
And I swear, if this guy digs any further into the closet, he's going to fall out in Narnia.
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| Entirely Too Appropriate |
[13 Aug 2007|03:42pm] |
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Neverender |
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This just fits too well...
Your Score: Lurch! Our test has determined that you possess
36% Hellbentness, 26% Sanguinity, and 72% Creeps!
Well done!
"Youuu Raaang?" Our test has determined that your Proto-Goth icon match is Lurch!
Lurch, the butler for the Addams family, is our test's Eidolon of Creepitude. While personifying the image of a "gentle giant" (he plays harpsichord!), his great stature and quiet, zombielike nature always manage to make the "normals" feel unsettled and ill-at-ease. Little is known of his past and if asked about him, Morticia gets a strange glimmer in her eye and says only, ?A shovel, a grave, and a cute little book bound in human skin that my father gave me when I was a child; one of my fondest memories.? Lurch was a wedding present to Gomez from Morticia and her Grand Ma-ma; they exhumed him from the local cemetery and brought him to life via magical incantations.
The Lurch Files website has the following to say about him: "In truth, without the faithful Butler, the Addams mansion would probably be a cheerful place to live (eegads.. perish that thought!!)."
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