mediocrebuthungry's recent activity

  1. Comment on What games do you most wish had a remake, or a sequel or both? in ~games

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Your abilities have grown immensely. But it does my heart good to see that you have remembered the basics of what I taught... even the flaws. Great choice and totally agree. Definitely a lot of...

    Your abilities have grown immensely. But it does my heart good to see that you have remembered the basics of what I taught... even the flaws.

    Great choice and totally agree. Definitely a lot of untapped potential in this one still.

    2 votes

  2. Comment on What games do you most wish had a remake, or a sequel or both? in ~games

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Remake for Alpha Protocol! For those that have never heard of it, it's a spy espionage action game that tries to respect what kind of cool guy you want to be. The developers had the philosophy of...

    Remake for Alpha Protocol! For those that have never heard of it, it's a spy espionage action game that tries to respect what kind of cool guy you want to be. The developers had the philosophy of the "three JB's" - James Bond, Jack Bauer, and Jason Borne. The reason it isn't known as one of the best games of all time is because it's quite buggy, unbalanced (pistol super OP), and the ending isn't fully baked.

    That said, I remember playing this game and thinking to myself, "this game has so much heart." I really felt like the game went out of your way to respect the narrative you were trying to create for yourself. Every choice you make has an associated incentive attached which is something games with good and bad choices don't do. You get perks for getting everyone to love you, sure, but how many games give you a buff because you made everyone hate you?

    It's a bit short but I didn't think that was a bad thing. In fact, I saw it as a positive because it facilitates multiple replays without feeling fatigue. There were some choices I didn't realize were choices until I got blindsided by certain characters dying.

    Although I would rather developers pursue spiritual successors rather than remakes, I think Alpha Protocol has enough cult classic status for a remake to be a guaranteed success. Even if it never does, I encourage people to give it a shot!

    13 votes

  3. Comment on To build a more lethal force, the Marine Corps needs a font for the 21st century in ~design

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Might sound like a joke at first but font choice is serious business. After all, there are half a million people in the U.S. Army alone - ensuring that military orders are read accurately and...

    Might sound like a joke at first but font choice is serious business. After all, there are half a million people in the U.S. Army alone - ensuring that military orders are read accurately and efficiently is necessary to facilitate communication across the chain of command. (Also factor in the point that the military isn't famous for its learned population, and the need for simple effective communication grows even further.)

    Interesting points deriding Courier New - admittedly, I always thought that it was impractical as far as spacing was concerned, but the typewriter-esque font evokes that olden day feel which lends another layer of authenticity. After reading the article, I went back and looked up President Eisenhower's famous D-Day letter. Turns out it's written in Times New Roman!

    If you want any proof that font choice is worth debating, the Washington Post wrote another article that @Aestivation shared on Tildes: What’s your type? Try these tests to pick the perfect font for you.

    6 votes

  4. Comment on To build a more lethal force, the Marine Corps needs a font for the 21st century in ~design

    mediocrebuthungry
    (edited )
    Link Parent
    It's not, Task and Purpose is a well-known online publication within the military community. They do write some more satirical stuff occasionally though: see this article that examines Game of...

    It's not, Task and Purpose is a well-known online publication within the military community. They do write some more satirical stuff occasionally though: see this article that examines Game of Thrones through the lens of modern military doctrine.

    If you want pure military satire, Duffleblog is among the gold standard. They discuss a lot of niche scenarios that might not seem that humorous, but usually hit hard to anyone in the service. See this article that was written after cocaine was found at the White House this month: White House urinalysis NCO waiting his whole life for this opportunity

    4 votes

  5. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Huge respect for the wrestlers, I don't think they get half as much credit for how hard they have to grind to stay competitive. If that's the case you probably know way more about weight control...

    Huge respect for the wrestlers, I don't think they get half as much credit for how hard they have to grind to stay competitive. If that's the case you probably know way more about weight control than me. Good luck at the tournament!

    2 votes

  6. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    mediocrebuthungry
    Link Parent
    I felt a lot of this. When I competed in martial arts, I found that at the end of the day gym workouts were not as effective as sparring on the bag or with a partner. They will be good for...

    I felt a lot of this. When I competed in martial arts, I found that at the end of the day gym workouts were not as effective as sparring on the bag or with a partner. They will be good for increasing your overall power but cardio is much more important as your foundation for lasting all round. My humble recommendation is that you convert one of those gym days into another day either sparring or refining your technique.

    Everyone's got their own broscience when it comes to losing weight. If it's your first time doing this, you're going to feel miserable. Even people who do this for years still hate cutting weight. Five pounds isn't the worst but still enough to give you a fight when you're trying to be in a good mood. Nuts also make a good supplement to your diet. Lastly, remember that most of your body is water weight. Lean on other folks at your school for exact advice but look to taper water intake the week prior.

    2 votes

  7. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Due to taking a week long vacation for the 4th of July, I made some huge gains in bouldering and running! My climbing gym recently set some new problems and I was able to get the v5 in one session...

    Due to taking a week long vacation for the 4th of July, I made some huge gains in bouldering and running! My climbing gym recently set some new problems and I was able to get the v5 in one session when previously it would be a multiple week-long project for me. The increased surge in volume and intensity definitely took a toll on me after a week and a half though because I went yesterday and my arms were not feeling it at all. It's a funny feeling when the spirit is willing but the body fails to comply.

    Running is the other activity that I care about but the road to improvement is a lot more frustrating. I'm no stranger to running - I've ran a marathon before, but the effort needed for improvement far exceed the among of work I can regularly put in due to my work. Funny enough, unlike most people I feel like I get my best runs on the treadmill because it keeps me accountable for the pace. I set the grade to 1% to compensate for the machine and chug along way better than I do outside.

    In terms of nutrition, I started taking Biosteel's sports greens after seeing a lot of my favorite YouTubers promote AG1. I've only been taking them for a few days but I think they're better than nothing. I really don't eat as many greens as I should so even if this is a substitute it still gets me something that I didn't before.

    4 votes

  8. Comment on Magnus Carlsen became only the second chess player, and the first in nearly two years, to score a perfect 11/11 in Titled Tuesday in ~games.tabletop

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Yes, if Magnus Carlsen faced off against Garry Kasparov at his prime, Carlsen would likely win. Like you said, current generations will always be better due to both computer engine analysis as...

    Yes, if Magnus Carlsen faced off against Garry Kasparov at his prime, Carlsen would likely win. Like you said, current generations will always be better due to both computer engine analysis as well as being able to study previous games. Carlsen has studied many of Kasparov's games himself and there are videos of him instantly identifying key positions in Kasparov's title games.

    You could make a convincing argument that Carlsen has already succeeded Kasparov as the greatest of all time. After all, he is the only player to be the world champion in standard, rapid, and blitz. But within historical context, Kasparov's influence is legendary (not to say Carlsen's won't be). In 2020, Carlsen himself said in an interview that he doesn't consider himself the number one (yet):

    "Kasparov had 20 years uninterrupted as the world number one... He must be considered the best in history. But I feel that time is on my side... I'm not 30 yet. If I were to be considered the best in history at 30, I would have had to start dominating at 10."

    Greatness is always a subjective argument. As the years tick on the gap of perceived preeminence has become incredibly small and one's answer is mostly based on if you have a bias for the past or a bias for the present.

    9 votes

  9. Comment on Magnus Carlsen became only the second chess player, and the first in nearly two years, to score a perfect 11/11 in Titled Tuesday in ~games.tabletop

    mediocrebuthungry
    Link Parent
    Love me some Levy, he and Hikaru rep the digital chess world well. Even if you're not well-versed in chess, their highlights and reactions are worthy of any major Twitch streamer. "I'm mad trash...

    Love me some Levy, he and Hikaru rep the digital chess world well. Even if you're not well-versed in chess, their highlights and reactions are worthy of any major Twitch streamer. "I'm mad trash brah~" Cracks me up every time.

    Magnus is actually insane though. I know that he's expressed that his interest in chess sagged a bit in recent times but if he keeps it up he has the potential to surpass Garry Kasparov as the greatest of all time, as opposed to the undisputed number one of our current time.

    If you've never watched any major chess because you find it a bit dry, watch the reactions of these commentators to Magnus's "bongcloud" opening in a high-stakes tournament. It is both hilarious and adorable listening to Anna Rudolf freak out about one of the objectively worst openings in all chess. First 45 seconds.

    5 votes

  10. Comment on Photography: Next lens after nifty fifty? in ~hobbies

    mediocrebuthungry
    Link Parent
    Thank you so much for the clear and comprehensive explanation! This beginner definitely learned a lot today thanks to you and everyone else here!

    Thank you so much for the clear and comprehensive explanation! This beginner definitely learned a lot today thanks to you and everyone else here!

    1 vote

  11. Comment on Complaints about Tildes and comparisons to other sites in ~tech

    mediocrebuthungry
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    What are people saying against Tildes? Maybe I've been lucky but I haven't seen a lot of pessimism. The most negative theme I see is the fact that it's invite-only, which is clearly a conscious...

    What are people saying against Tildes? Maybe I've been lucky but I haven't seen a lot of pessimism. The most negative theme I see is the fact that it's invite-only, which is clearly a conscious decision made to prevent an Eternal September scenario.

    27 votes

  12. Comment on Why doesn’t the US have paid parental leave and do you think we ever will? in ~life

    mediocrebuthungry
    Link Parent
    It's worth noting that even though there's no federal mandate regarding parental leave, a lot of federal agencies DO provide significantly more generous leave policies than private American...

    It's worth noting that even though there's no federal mandate regarding parental leave, a lot of federal agencies DO provide significantly more generous leave policies than private American companies. For example, starting this year all branches of the military get three months of parental leave, no questions asked - including both the mother and father.

    If we're to be honest, the military isn't known for their stellar quality of life, so I admire them implementing this policy in full. It doesn't seem to have an adverse impact on their deployment and training cycles either. If the army, which rotates thousands of people to Europe and Asia on a yearly basis, can incorporate this kind of leniency and still maintain performance, why can't a more static company?

    1 vote

  13. Comment on Photography: Next lens after nifty fifty? in ~hobbies

    mediocrebuthungry
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    I had no idea! I got lucky with my A6000 but I guess I should have done a bit more research before pulling the trigger. It looks like several people are advocating for that range so I'm going to...

    I had no idea! I got lucky with my A6000 but I guess I should have done a bit more research before pulling the trigger. It looks like several people are advocating for that range so I'm going to start looking up specific Sony lenses in that zone.

  14. Comment on Photography: Next lens after nifty fifty? in ~hobbies

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Thanks for the article! A lot of the photos there are so evocative and make you feel like you're a part of history. I particularly enjoyed this photograph of a protest that shows the subtle...

    Thanks for the article! A lot of the photos there are so evocative and make you feel like you're a part of history. I particularly enjoyed this photograph of a protest that shows the subtle tension between the police and the protestors.

  15. Comment on Photography: Next lens after nifty fifty? in ~hobbies

    mediocrebuthungry
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    So when people talk about a 50 mm being good for portraits, does that mean I should be using the 35 mm for an equivalent effect?

    So when people talk about a 50 mm being good for portraits, does that mean I should be using the 35 mm for an equivalent effect?

    1 vote

  16. Comment on Photography: Next lens after nifty fifty? in ~hobbies

    mediocrebuthungry
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    I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even know what macro photography was before you started talking about it! Unfortunately I don't think it's in my wheelhouse right now. Most of the pictures I take...

    I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even know what macro photography was before you started talking about it! Unfortunately I don't think it's in my wheelhouse right now. Most of the pictures I take are of things moving around so trying to get it all with a macro lens would be quite the feat.

  17. Photography: Next lens after nifty fifty?

    ~hobbies Ask (recommendations)
    Beginner amateur photographer here (emphasis on the amateur - zero desire to monetize my photos or start a business). Several months ago I bought a Sony A6000 after doing some research on cameras...

    Beginner amateur photographer here (emphasis on the amateur - zero desire to monetize my photos or start a business). Several months ago I bought a Sony A6000 after doing some research on cameras for beginners. The camera was fine but to completely honest I wasn't very enthused with the pictures coming out.

    Then I bought a 50 mm prime lens, and what a difference! Compared to the kit lenses, my photos started coming out the way I envisioned them. They say you should never blame the gear and while I agree with the general sentiment, photography became a lot more fun after acquiring my nifty fifty.

    My question to all the photographers out there is, what next? For context, I mostly enjoy shooting people from close distances (1-5 m) away. However, a lot of my shots are of groups of people doing sports-like activities so when there's more than two people I have trouble capturing it all with my current setup. Any recommendations are much appreciated!

    13 votes

  18. Comment on Fitness Weekly Discussion in ~health

    mediocrebuthungry
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    This week I feel like I was able take my (indoor) bouldering to the next level, so I'm pretty chuffed about that. I've been hovering at v4-5 for a year now but within the last month I was able to...

    This week I feel like I was able take my (indoor) bouldering to the next level, so I'm pretty chuffed about that. I've been hovering at v4-5 for a year now but within the last month I was able to tame three v6's! My usual gym does grade pretty soft so I'm not going to advertise myself as a v6 climber but it's all relative and the numbers are going up.

    It's getting to a point where climbing feels like it's evolved from a hobby to a passion. I'm now spending my free time watching bouldering competitions and climbing documentaries. If you haven't tried it before, give it a shot!

    1 vote

  19. Comment on Running and the science of mental toughness in ~health

    mediocrebuthungry
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    Great article. Lots of great takeaways and something we could all apply to our lives. "Athletic performance is determined by a combination of body and mind" - a lesson a lot of us tend to forget...

    Great article. Lots of great takeaways and something we could all apply to our lives. "Athletic performance is determined by a combination of body and mind" - a lesson a lot of us tend to forget as we wistfully compare ourselves to elite athletes. It's easy to bemoan access to a gym, a dedicated personal trainer, training partners, etc., but at the end of the day how many of us use that as an excuse to just do the thing?

    I recently took a VO2 max test and was assessed to have a 60.7 ml/kg/min. As someone who isn't a professional athlete, I was thrilled for half a second but then was consumed by confusion and disappointment. Why? My last marathon was 4 hours and 32 minutes. According to this chart I should be running a 2:43. According to the data, I have the physical capacity to almost half my time. Is the difference simply my mental resiliency?

    There's so much regarding sports psychology that we don't understand. Even in the article, the difference between self-regulated learning and controlling your emotions isn't clearly spelled out. Regardless of what the answers end up being, they're skills that we can all end up using to navigate the stressors of life.

    4 votes