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Author Topic: albany ny yo  (Read 17564 times)

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greatexpectations

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albany ny yo
« on: May 23, 2012, 03:00:40 pm »
+7

- 25 year old electrical engineer living near albany, ny.  born in north jersey, college in rochester ny.
- i was introduced to dominion via jonts26 back in October 2010. i loved it and i proceeded to go buy the base set a few days later. i am also a big fan of puerto rico, poker, and scrabble.
- my username is based on the book of the same name. no deep meanings, i just happened to be re-reading it when i created the isotropic account. i am also a big fan of a song by the same name.
- i read a lot. too much maybe. currently working my way through the song of ice and fire series. i have read and own almost everything written by tolkien and orson scott card. i have also read a lot by: asimov, bradbury, camus, clarke, dostoevsky, gogol, huxley, lewis, and vonnegut.  really i will go for just about any sci-fi/fantasy or classic literature.
- i help maintain a FAQ for the forums. check it out.  lots of info in there and everything is sourced.
- some other varied interests - sabermetrics, distance running, longboarding, awful puns, community, ice cream, traffic cones, and soccer.
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WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2012, 03:04:40 pm »
0

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

paddyodoors

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2012, 03:10:20 pm »
+1

- 25 year old electrical engineer living near albany, ny.  born in north jersey, college in rochester ny.
- i was introduced to dominion via jonts26 back in October 2010. i loved it and i proceeded to go buy the base set a few days later. i am also a big fan of puerto rico, poker, and scrabble.
- my username is based on the book of the same name. no deep meanings, i just happened to be re-reading it when i created the isotropic account. i am also a big fan of a song by the same name.
- i read a lot. too much maybe. currently working my way through the song of ice and fire series. i have read and own almost everything written by tolkien and orson scott card. i have also read a lot by: asimov, bradbury, camus, clarke, dostoevsky, gogol, huxley, lewis, and vonnegut.  really i will go for just about any sci-fi/fantasy or classic literature.
- i help maintain a FAQ for the forums. check it out.  lots of info in there and everything is sourced.
- some other varied interests - sabermetrics, distance running, longboarding, awful puns, community, ice cream, traffic cones, and soccer.

+1 for the intro, but also for sabermetrics, Dostoevsky (and a few of the other authors on your list).  ;D
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paddyodoors

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2012, 03:10:53 pm »
0

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

WW, y u no like Asimov?
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WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2012, 03:12:17 pm »
+1

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

WW, y u no like Asimov?
He of the SO many books, not TOO many good?
Eh, I don't know. Just a little dry, doesn't have the interesting issues I want to talk about so much. His style is also not my favorite. Not saying he's terrible, but... it doesn't entertain me nearly as much as I want such things to do.

greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2012, 03:13:51 pm »
0

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

sabermetrics and baseball are the chief rivals of dominion in what i use to waste time at work. though i usually run under a different user name at fangraphs and tango's site.  i was actually able to get an article up on the fangraphs community blog a while back. 

and i didn't mean to categorize any of the listed authors as being under any sci-fi or fantasy heading. i was just saying that outside of the listed authors i have a general interest in those genres.
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greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2012, 03:17:21 pm »
+1

well i said i read a lot by asimov, i'm not going to say i loved it all.  i've also read a lot by huxley and i am still confused as to what my motivation was for that. asimov has some (i think) brilliant short stories though.
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jonts26

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2012, 03:20:28 pm »
+1

I find that I like asimov's short stories way better than his novels. I think he's brilliant at creating and expressing ideas, but when it comes to characterizations and plotting, he isn't really all that good.
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jonts26

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2012, 03:21:41 pm »
+1

Also, greatexpectations, we have a lot of the same interests. Weird...
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yuma

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2012, 03:25:09 pm »
0

dostoevsky, gogol

I am diving into Dead Souls now, about 1/6 of the way through. hasn't been my favorite thus far, but hopefully it will pick up?
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WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2012, 03:28:16 pm »
0

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

sabermetrics and baseball are the chief rivals of dominion in what i use to waste time at work. though i usually run under a different user name at fangraphs and tango's site.  i was actually able to get an article up on the fangraphs community blog a while back. 

and i didn't mean to categorize any of the listed authors as being under any sci-fi or fantasy heading. i was just saying that outside of the listed authors i have a general interest in those genres.

Your use of wOBA saddens me. Such an overrated saber-stat (though, eh, not such a bad one). Is Wright's career platoon split really that far off of a normal one? I guess a bit. But grabbing my copy of the book... seems not that stable yet? I'm guessing lots of sample size issues here.

paddyodoors

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2012, 03:29:46 pm »
0

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

WW, y u no like Asimov?
He of the SO many books, not TOO many good?
Eh, I don't know. Just a little dry, doesn't have the interesting issues I want to talk about so much. His style is also not my favorite. Not saying he's terrible, but... it doesn't entertain me nearly as much as I want such things to do.

Fair enough -- and I actually agree with you on his novels.  I don't find them particularly catching... I actually had to "force down" the last three of them.  There is some completist itch within me that demanded to be scratched in that circumstance.  :-\

However, I did really like his short stories, and I feel like this is where his writing style shines.  The content of most of them is solid, too -- often times examining the line between "living" beings and "artificial" beings (did I say examining or blurring?.  Having read Asimov made me appreciate other sci-fi that examined that same line ("Measure of a Man," "Author, Author").

{edit: ninja'd on the short stories point by greatexpectations and jonts26}
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greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2012, 03:33:31 pm »
0

I am diving into Dead Souls now, about 1/6 of the way through. hasn't been my favorite thus far, but hopefully it will pick up?

i read that 4? years ago now, so i can't remember much that i won't confuse with his other works. but him and dostoevsky both can be really frustrating at times and then brilliant at others.  maybe it just has something to do with the translations?  i remember similar feelings when reading the count of monte cristo. 

i enjoyed their stuff, but it is not quite something i would pick up on a whim for light reading either. 
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greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2012, 03:42:12 pm »
0

Your use of wOBA saddens me. Such an overrated saber-stat (though, eh, not such a bad one). Is Wright's career platoon split really that far off of a normal one? I guess a bit. But grabbing my copy of the book... seems not that stable yet? I'm guessing lots of sample size issues here.

i'm not sure i would call wOBA over-rated, but in my defense i was a little fresher in the saber-world back then.  i would definitely approach that article a little differently now.  i would want to throw some other numbers in there as well as some pitch-fx plots.

as for wright, his career wOBA splits are .430(L) and .368(R). 1126 and 3274 PA respectively.  offhand i think the average wOBA platoon split is .025 points. even with some regression i think he has a favorable split. 
« Last Edit: May 23, 2012, 04:06:30 pm by greatexpectations »
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yuma

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2012, 03:47:29 pm »
0

As a slight takeover of this thread, but since it is on the topics of books I think it is ok, anyone here on Goodreads? At the minor risk of revealing my real name, here is my account - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3660669-jed-l - I am always looking for new friends on it and for new books to read.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2012, 04:17:22 pm by yuma »
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WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #15 on: May 23, 2012, 03:51:49 pm »
0

Sabermetrics, awful puns, score!
Alas, though, your kind of sci-fi and fantasy is not my kind of sci fi and fantasy... :(

WW, y u no like Asimov?
He of the SO many books, not TOO many good?
Eh, I don't know. Just a little dry, doesn't have the interesting issues I want to talk about so much. His style is also not my favorite. Not saying he's terrible, but... it doesn't entertain me nearly as much as I want such things to do.

Fair enough -- and I actually agree with you on his novels.  I don't find them particularly catching... I actually had to "force down" the last three of them.  There is some completist itch within me that demanded to be scratched in that circumstance.  :-\

However, I did really like his short stories, and I feel like this is where his writing style shines.  The content of most of them is solid, too -- often times examining the line between "living" beings and "artificial" beings (did I say examining or blurring?.  Having read Asimov made me appreciate other sci-fi that examined that same line ("Measure of a Man," "Author, Author").

{edit: ninja'd on the short stories point by greatexpectations and jonts26}

Well, all this talk means I should maybe read his short stories, which I have little experience with. Measure of a Man is such a good TNG. Author, Author would probably quite good if it didn't feel like such a blatant concept re-use of the exact same idea as Measure of a Man. I probably agree with jonts here, in that my impression of Asimov is not so much that his ideas are bad, more that I don't like the execution of how he writes them into a story. And ultimately I'm looking for stories (or have been) when I read it.

WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #16 on: May 23, 2012, 03:56:39 pm »
0

Your use of wOBA saddens me. Such an overrated saber-stat (though, eh, not such a bad one). Is Wright's career platoon split really that far off of a normal one? I guess a bit. But grabbing my copy of the book... seems not that stable yet? I'm guessing lots of sample size issues here.

i'm not sure i would call wOBA over-rated, but in my defense i was a little fresher in the saber-world back then.  i would definitely approach that article a little differently now.  i would want to throw some other numbers in there as well as some pitch-fx plots.

as for wright, his career wOBA splits are .430(L) and .368(R). 1126 and 3274 PA respectively.  offhand i think the average wOBA platoon split is .25 points. even with some regression i think he has a favorable split. 
According to The Book, 2000-'04, average platoon split, RHB, is .017 wOBA. And it stabilizes after ~2000 PA vs LHP. So regress it around 64%, you get a split skill estimate of... around .033 wOBA.

Also, you don't have to call wOBA overrated - I am. I'm pretty close to alone on this.

jonts26

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2012, 04:02:48 pm »
+1

I like wOBA. It's pretty much the gateway stat that got me into sabermetrics. I'm curious to see why you think it's so overrated. I figured the concept of linear weights is pretty solid at this point.
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WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #18 on: May 23, 2012, 04:07:19 pm »
0

I like wOBA. It's pretty much the gateway stat that got me into sabermetrics. I'm curious to see why you think it's so overrated. I figured the concept of linear weights is pretty solid at this point.
Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a fine stat, like way better than something like BA or SLG. And when I first read about it, I absolutely loved it too. The more I go on, the less I do, but I still don't think it's bad per se. It's a nice rough guesstimate. It's just, I don't think it should be the go-to stat in nearly the way it is.
In fact, it's precisely because it's based on linear weights. Well, ok that's most of it. Baseball ain't linear.
wOBA tells you what's better/worse in an average position in an average lineup against an average pitcher with an average game state (Actually, it doesn't even do this, since it is a per-PA thing, and games last per-out; so teams with higher OBP and the same wOBA will outscore those with lower OBP and the same wOBA). The percentage of times where this is the case (or even close, depending on how you define close) is incredibly low.

greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #19 on: May 23, 2012, 04:19:07 pm »
0

As a slight takeover of this thread, but since it is on the topics of books I think it is ok, anyone here on Goodreads? At the minor risk of revealing my real name, here is my account - http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3660669-jed-layton - I am always looking for new friends on it and for new books to read.

i have never heard of it, but it seems interesting.  strikes me as being quite similar to what last.fm is, just for books instead of music. to get off topic real quick, last.fm is pretty great for music fans, especially those with a statistical interest. this is my page over there.

when it comes to books, i just manage a google doc that lists all the books i own.  i'm just shy of 300 these days.  when i am looking for new reads i typically turn to the advice of a few different friends or bloggers/writers/musicians with similar interests.
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greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #20 on: May 23, 2012, 04:22:36 pm »
0

Oh, don't get me wrong, it's a fine stat, like way better than something like BA or SLG. And when I first read about it, I absolutely loved it too. The more I go on, the less I do, but I still don't think it's bad per se. It's a nice rough guesstimate. It's just, I don't think it should be the go-to stat in nearly the way it is.
In fact, it's precisely because it's based on linear weights. Well, ok that's most of it. Baseball ain't linear.
wOBA tells you what's better/worse in an average position in an average lineup against an average pitcher with an average game state (Actually, it doesn't even do this, since it is a per-PA thing, and games last per-out; so teams with higher OBP and the same wOBA will outscore those with lower OBP and the same wOBA). The percentage of times where this is the case (or even close, depending on how you define close) is incredibly low.

if it isn't your go to stat for offensive production then what is? are your problems with it more at an individual level or on a team level? i will gladly concede that it might get a bit more attention than it should, but it's simplicity and completeness are still pretty appealing to me.
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paddyodoors

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #21 on: May 23, 2012, 04:37:42 pm »
0

Well, all this talk means I should maybe read his short stories, which I have little experience with.

...

I probably agree with jonts here, in that my impression of Asimov is not so much that his ideas are bad, more that I don't like the execution of how he writes them into a story. And ultimately I'm looking for stories (or have been) when I read it.

Yes, I think you should.  Just an opinion, though.  The stories are better when we don't have to sit around with the characters for very long, like we have to do in the novels.

Measure of a Man is such a good TNG. Author, Author would probably quite good if it didn't feel like such a blatant concept re-use of the exact same idea as Measure of a Man.

For the past few years, I've been rewatching all of TNG, DS9, and VOY.  The reason for it is to share them with my wife, who has really come to love them.  My first impressions of Measure and Author were similar to yours, but seeing them again has allowed me to focus more on the subtle yet substantial differences between them.
- At first glance, it is important to note that these two were created written half-a-generation apart (over 12 years).
- In Measure, Data was then thought to be a totally unique, apparently unrepeatable being (Soong being the only known successful creator of the positronic brain {Asimov's term!}).  He is threatened with slavery and potential annihilation at the hands of a scientist/engineer.  The crux of the matter is whether this being has the right of self-determination, or is he bound in servitude?
- In Author, however, the Doctor is a program (a commonly distributed one), and thus clearly not unique, at least at face value.  Establishing his uniqueness is one of the pillars of his defense.  And the underlying issue is that of property - not necessarily self-determination.  Does this being have the right to own the fruit of his efforts?  A fundamentally different question than the one about slavery.
- Structurally, they may play out similarly, and I have a gripe with that.  But, when viewing them again after several years, I have really come to appreciate their differences, and thus give them both merit.  And you're looking for story?  I think the humor in Author really really helps it a TON.

Obviously, I'm not trying to tell you that your opinion is wrong.  Just sharing some things that I've seen that are a little more than surface-deep.  Maybe you've seen them, too, and still stick with your original position.  No worries.
« Last Edit: May 23, 2012, 04:41:32 pm by paddyodoors »
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WanderingWinder

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #22 on: May 23, 2012, 04:40:50 pm »
+1

Ironically, there's Lore (B4 just... doesn't exist), and if you remember, the underlying issue in MoaM IS property. The claim is that Data is the property of Starfleet. I'm well aware that there are differences, and I like both. I just can't call Author great because it's not original enough. Otherwise it would be, and one of the best episodes of VOY.

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #23 on: May 23, 2012, 05:47:50 pm »
+2

I find Asimov's short stories to be superb.  Reading later sci-fi, it is fascinating to see the tremendous influence he's exerted over the genre.  Any of his short story anthologies is probably a great read.

The Foundation trilogy is a bit more polarizing.  Some people don't like all the dialogue.  I kind of like it.
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greatexpectations

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Re: albany ny yo
« Reply #24 on: May 24, 2012, 09:36:52 am »
+1

I find Asimov's short stories to be superb.  Reading later sci-fi, it is fascinating to see the tremendous influence he's exerted over the genre.  Any of his short story anthologies is probably a great read.

The Foundation trilogy is a bit more polarizing.  Some people don't like all the dialogue.  I kind of like it.

i would agree, he had a lot of influence on the genre.  because of that, i think that he gets a bit of a pass for some of his work while simultaneously being heavily criticized by others.  almost reminds me of the beatles. 

i was a fan of the foundation series as well.  i can see why others might not like it.  really i am just glad that folk out there are reading. seems like it's something the current generation of kids is less and less interested in.
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