Food is always a great gift; well, other than fruit cakes.
One of the coolest food gifts we received was an oyster sauce made from the leaves of a black walnut steeped in a jar over a period of a few months alternating between direct sunlight and basement darkness.
But yeah, doesn't have to be crazy like that... spiced holiday nuts are awsome; and our family recipe Baklava is something my dad started doing in the 70s for friends and the General Contractors he subbed for.
What? The cheerleading? That's basically the lowest common denominator of talking about foreign policy... so yeah, it's dumb when R's do it and when D's do it. I don't think it's a partisan thing.
I recommend the Sunbeam heated Mattress Pad with WIFI.
Sure, another single purpose app for your phone. BUT, you can program the pad to turn on 1/2 hour before your usual bedtime and there's nothing better than climbing in to nice warm sheets on a cold winter night. (I program it to turn *off* around midnight once I'm asleep and the bed temp is stable.)
POE2 early access launched Friday at 2, 2.30, 3, er 4.30 on Friday.
13 years building the best ARPG in the business... 5 years developing their next generation update... all they have to do is improve on the game they have -- fix a few janky systems, add some new classes, revamp some game skills and update all the graphics.
After all, they have a *great* game that people love.
About two years ago they introduced a 'passion project' to POE 1 which was an alternative mode called 'Ruthless'. Slow, clunky, fewer skills, punishing mechanics, etc. etc. -- it was purely optional and as a Dev Passion Project you could totally ignore it, and everyone did. It sucked.
During early play tests people warned them that it felt like Ruthless, and that they should 'fix' it...
Guess what, POE 2 is basically the sucky Ruthless version of POE1.
No one is happy about this. So stupid.
I have some faith that they will recognize that a Dev passion project is no substitute for a really successful franchise and will make a bunch of changes... but it's always possible the Devs will dig in and tell their players that they are enjoying the game wrongly.
... as anticipated, we're now in the 'cascading failures owing to the changes we just made' portion of the launch.
What's weird in this day of spin-up/spin-down architecture *and* the fact that they were anticipating 1M logins on day one... is how did they think making database changes 45min before launch was a good idea? Are they hosting their own hardware? In these days?
Someone rudely scheduled a call at 3, so I'll have to pause the slaughter of demons and abominations for that, but other than that?
I thought I had a Gala to attend on Saturday, but that turns out to be *next* Saturday, so more POE2.
Strangely Dec 8 is a holy day... which is also a Sunday (YAY!)...which almost universally means the Obligation for both are fulfilled on the same day! but the Pope said Italy couldn't keep the Holy Day on Sunday, but had to move it to Monday. Which I assure you is not a thing I've seen, like ever. And for unfathomable reasons (well, they are pretty obviously fathomable... but no religion), our Diocese is going to adhere to the Pope's recommendation for Italy. So, Sunday for Sunday and Monday for Sunday too. Lady Marchmaine remindes me this is a good thing; to which I give my intellectual assent; but my passions are a little chuffed at our bishop.
Eh, I'm working on real AI projects in Pharma right now... there are some really interesting developments with Image analysis for Cancer and Alzheimer's. Plus, fine tuned models to search various things from Medical Compliance Specialists, to R&D, to Marketing.
It's definitely legit... I don't work in the Provider Space, but cross-over image analysis and diagnostic recommendations will happen. Just not direct to consumer -- mediated through a Doctor (or similar).
Right... selling cheaper was a reasonable mistake, but it really did uncover the fact that no-one believes the program would be cheaper and it triggered the aversion to loss function.
Politically, I'd go the opposite direction... there are basically 5 insurers -- buy them out and make them regional processors as a large 10-yr merger project. People gets paid, we build on existing tech/efficiencies, and we remodel the policies governing the current market so there's less friction and inefficiency.
But, make no mistake, it will cost $$ and take time. But what doesn't?
Can confirm. Was surprised that the pre-approved procedure from in-network doctor to in-network hospital still managed to fling a $1k out-of-network anesthesiologist fee over the wall when all was done. Like we were going to go shopping for options? Or maybe I might have declined being put-under? What are my options here folks?
Unfortunately Health Care Policy discussions are sooo borked for the foreseeable future. The biggest mistake, IMO, is the focus on cost reductions... No one believes it, no one really cares, and, everyone is more risk averse that they will lose what they have now in chasing cost reductions that won't come.
Honestly, if we want to change Health Care... it has to be a Middle Class benefit that will cost more in the short run -- but which we sell as a QOL on the process side, not a reduction in costs.
I bequeath upon the Republic the Marchmaine Solution for Broad Pardons:
The recipient must declare all the crimes he has committed and for which the Pardon now applies. They get to unburden themselves of all their crimes with impunity; but any crimes they fail to disclose may be prosecuted. After all, we want the Pardon to be fully efficacious!
The Grantor of Pardons may decide that they would rather not learn of all the crimes in this manner, and instead may henceforth require all the crimes from the recipient in advance -- and then can decide which crimes they actually want to pardon.
Sure, but the Russians/Greeks don't think of it as sects -- you're Greek and therefore Orthodox whether you go to church or not. You're either part of the community (by marriage, usually) or not. You can work your way in - like any other community - but being Orthodox by doctrine isn't the same as being Greek Orthodox by birth. That's what I mean by semi-permeable.
It makes perfect sense in Greece or Russia... it has different ramifications in the US.
The 'sect' thing is seen by Orthodox as a particular Catholic failing... we've begotten all the sects from our Reformation.
But to your larger point, yes, the Liturgies are 'proxies' for the commitment to the whole-thing and not some sort of bowdlerized 'current thing' thing.
As a (half)Greek born into Orthodoxy this has been my experience... I wouldn't say 'hostile' I'd say it's selectively permeable and that a very significant aspect of the community life is the ethnic culture that produces the original founding of that specific ethno-centric Orthodox Church (Greek, Russian, Antiochean, etc.). Some local Churches are more open to 'new' folk than others, and even within the Greek Churches there are flavors -- ours in Chicagoland was more 'suburban modern' -- such that my Aunt/Uncle who lived nearby would drive into the city for the OG Ethnic experience.
I don't want to dive too deeply into liturgical wars, but in my ongoing experience with young men/sons is that what young men respond to is the full embrace of the sacred mysteries and do not respond to NGO-like community centers. Not all men, of course... but if you're talking about a trend, that's the trend.
Orthodoxy does the Sacred Mysteries of the Liturgy better than all... and that's a big appeal. In the Catholic Church, Latin Masses and 'High-Church' Novus Ordo also thrive among young families (and men). The Boomer felt-lined circle churches of the 70s? Fading, and almost no attraction to young men (or women).
On a lighter note, as a convert to Catholicism, I like to tweak my Latin Mass friends that the 1570 Tridentine Rite seems idiosyncratically Roman and hopelessly modern to someone raised on the ancient Chrysostom liturgy. It's like having antibodies to a certain sort of traditionalism.
As a final tangent... there's no American Orthodoxy (yet); that's one of the biggest tensions among third and fourth generation 'immigrants' where the community itself becomes selectively alien to these individuals depending on personal circumstances... which is why they see large drops as the diaspora assimilates.
On “From the New York Post: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot outside Hilton hotel in Midtown in targeted attack: cops”
I always knew that Live Action Role Playing was going to corrupt the youth.
"
Heh, vibeshift incoming.
On “Bashar al-Assad Flees To Moscow, Ending 50 Years of Syrian Dictatorship”
All borders are fungible and frangible.
On “The Fourteenth Annual Mindless Diversions Unsolicited Shopping Guide”
Food is always a great gift; well, other than fruit cakes.
One of the coolest food gifts we received was an oyster sauce made from the leaves of a black walnut steeped in a jar over a period of a few months alternating between direct sunlight and basement darkness.
But yeah, doesn't have to be crazy like that... spiced holiday nuts are awsome; and our family recipe Baklava is something my dad started doing in the 70s for friends and the General Contractors he subbed for.
"
I am averting my eyes lest I learn about decorative pillows...
On “Bashar al-Assad Flees To Moscow, Ending 50 Years of Syrian Dictatorship”
What? The cheerleading? That's basically the lowest common denominator of talking about foreign policy... so yeah, it's dumb when R's do it and when D's do it. I don't think it's a partisan thing.
On “The Fourteenth Annual Mindless Diversions Unsolicited Shopping Guide”
Wrong on so many levels... I thought the marriage covenant prohibited sleeping on the spousal side.
On “Bashar al-Assad Flees To Moscow, Ending 50 Years of Syrian Dictatorship”
Good summary; it's just hard to see how all the regional cross pressures coalesce into something stable, something we continue to call Syria.
"
No, the possibility exists that the new mess becomes worse than Assad.
It's just dumb to do cheerleading and treat foreign policy like sports teams that we root for.
On “The Fourteenth Annual Mindless Diversions Unsolicited Shopping Guide”
Oops, here's a link:
https://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-Connected-Heated-Mattress-Queen/dp/B08X16SNL4/?th=1
"
I recommend the Sunbeam heated Mattress Pad with WIFI.
Sure, another single purpose app for your phone. BUT, you can program the pad to turn on 1/2 hour before your usual bedtime and there's nothing better than climbing in to nice warm sheets on a cold winter night. (I program it to turn *off* around midnight once I'm asleep and the bed temp is stable.)
Merry Christmas.
On “Saturday Morning Gaming: Silent Hill 2’s Remake”
POE2 early access launched Friday at 2, 2.30, 3, er 4.30 on Friday.
13 years building the best ARPG in the business... 5 years developing their next generation update... all they have to do is improve on the game they have -- fix a few janky systems, add some new classes, revamp some game skills and update all the graphics.
After all, they have a *great* game that people love.
About two years ago they introduced a 'passion project' to POE 1 which was an alternative mode called 'Ruthless'. Slow, clunky, fewer skills, punishing mechanics, etc. etc. -- it was purely optional and as a Dev Passion Project you could totally ignore it, and everyone did. It sucked.
During early play tests people warned them that it felt like Ruthless, and that they should 'fix' it...
Guess what, POE 2 is basically the sucky Ruthless version of POE1.
No one is happy about this. So stupid.
I have some faith that they will recognize that a Dev passion project is no substitute for a really successful franchise and will make a bunch of changes... but it's always possible the Devs will dig in and tell their players that they are enjoying the game wrongly.
On “Weekend Plans Post: Recovery and Honeydews”
... as anticipated, we're now in the 'cascading failures owing to the changes we just made' portion of the launch.
What's weird in this day of spin-up/spin-down architecture *and* the fact that they were anticipating 1M logins on day one... is how did they think making database changes 45min before launch was a good idea? Are they hosting their own hardware? In these days?
"
POE2: We're doing some last minute database upgrades to try help handle the overwhelming amount of Exiles getting ready to LOGIN to Path of Exile 2.
...Nooooooooooo
Heh, last time this happened instead of having a queue on the login servers, we broke the login servers trying to login all at once.
On “From the New York Post: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot outside Hilton hotel in Midtown in targeted attack: cops”
Definitely a skill-up in the Christmastime battles.
On “Weekend Plans Post: Recovery and Honeydews”
27 minutes and 11 seconds until I login to POE2.
Someone rudely scheduled a call at 3, so I'll have to pause the slaughter of demons and abominations for that, but other than that?
I thought I had a Gala to attend on Saturday, but that turns out to be *next* Saturday, so more POE2.
Strangely Dec 8 is a holy day... which is also a Sunday (YAY!)...which almost universally means the Obligation for both are fulfilled on the same day! but the Pope said Italy couldn't keep the Holy Day on Sunday, but had to move it to Monday. Which I assure you is not a thing I've seen, like ever. And for unfathomable reasons (well, they are pretty obviously fathomable... but no religion), our Diocese is going to adhere to the Pope's recommendation for Italy. So, Sunday for Sunday and Monday for Sunday too. Lady Marchmaine remindes me this is a good thing; to which I give my intellectual assent; but my passions are a little chuffed at our bishop.
On “From the New York Post: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot outside Hilton hotel in Midtown in targeted attack: cops”
Eh, I'm working on real AI projects in Pharma right now... there are some really interesting developments with Image analysis for Cancer and Alzheimer's. Plus, fine tuned models to search various things from Medical Compliance Specialists, to R&D, to Marketing.
It's definitely legit... I don't work in the Provider Space, but cross-over image analysis and diagnostic recommendations will happen. Just not direct to consumer -- mediated through a Doctor (or similar).
"
Heh, Christmas rules in effect.
I don't play that way until after Gaudete Sunday... but I'm a big pro-Advent guy.
"
Right... selling cheaper was a reasonable mistake, but it really did uncover the fact that no-one believes the program would be cheaper and it triggered the aversion to loss function.
Politically, I'd go the opposite direction... there are basically 5 insurers -- buy them out and make them regional processors as a large 10-yr merger project. People gets paid, we build on existing tech/efficiencies, and we remodel the policies governing the current market so there's less friction and inefficiency.
But, make no mistake, it will cost $$ and take time. But what doesn't?
"
Since we agree, you are, of course, correct... do you want me to go over to Freddie's blog and let everyone know?
"
Can confirm. Was surprised that the pre-approved procedure from in-network doctor to in-network hospital still managed to fling a $1k out-of-network anesthesiologist fee over the wall when all was done. Like we were going to go shopping for options? Or maybe I might have declined being put-under? What are my options here folks?
Unfortunately Health Care Policy discussions are sooo borked for the foreseeable future. The biggest mistake, IMO, is the focus on cost reductions... No one believes it, no one really cares, and, everyone is more risk averse that they will lose what they have now in chasing cost reductions that won't come.
Honestly, if we want to change Health Care... it has to be a Middle Class benefit that will cost more in the short run -- but which we sell as a QOL on the process side, not a reduction in costs.
On “Joe Biden Pardons Local Man”
I bequeath upon the Republic the Marchmaine Solution for Broad Pardons:
The recipient must declare all the crimes he has committed and for which the Pardon now applies. They get to unburden themselves of all their crimes with impunity; but any crimes they fail to disclose may be prosecuted. After all, we want the Pardon to be fully efficacious!
The Grantor of Pardons may decide that they would rather not learn of all the crimes in this manner, and instead may henceforth require all the crimes from the recipient in advance -- and then can decide which crimes they actually want to pardon.
Win-Win.
On “From the New York Post: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot outside Hilton hotel in Midtown in targeted attack: cops”
One of these days it's going to turn out to be the dark side of Draftkings...
On “Open Mic for the week of 12/2/2024”
Sure, but the Russians/Greeks don't think of it as sects -- you're Greek and therefore Orthodox whether you go to church or not. You're either part of the community (by marriage, usually) or not. You can work your way in - like any other community - but being Orthodox by doctrine isn't the same as being Greek Orthodox by birth. That's what I mean by semi-permeable.
It makes perfect sense in Greece or Russia... it has different ramifications in the US.
The 'sect' thing is seen by Orthodox as a particular Catholic failing... we've begotten all the sects from our Reformation.
But to your larger point, yes, the Liturgies are 'proxies' for the commitment to the whole-thing and not some sort of bowdlerized 'current thing' thing.
"
As a (half)Greek born into Orthodoxy this has been my experience... I wouldn't say 'hostile' I'd say it's selectively permeable and that a very significant aspect of the community life is the ethnic culture that produces the original founding of that specific ethno-centric Orthodox Church (Greek, Russian, Antiochean, etc.). Some local Churches are more open to 'new' folk than others, and even within the Greek Churches there are flavors -- ours in Chicagoland was more 'suburban modern' -- such that my Aunt/Uncle who lived nearby would drive into the city for the OG Ethnic experience.
I don't want to dive too deeply into liturgical wars, but in my ongoing experience with young men/sons is that what young men respond to is the full embrace of the sacred mysteries and do not respond to NGO-like community centers. Not all men, of course... but if you're talking about a trend, that's the trend.
Orthodoxy does the Sacred Mysteries of the Liturgy better than all... and that's a big appeal. In the Catholic Church, Latin Masses and 'High-Church' Novus Ordo also thrive among young families (and men). The Boomer felt-lined circle churches of the 70s? Fading, and almost no attraction to young men (or women).
On a lighter note, as a convert to Catholicism, I like to tweak my Latin Mass friends that the 1570 Tridentine Rite seems idiosyncratically Roman and hopelessly modern to someone raised on the ancient Chrysostom liturgy. It's like having antibodies to a certain sort of traditionalism.
As a final tangent... there's no American Orthodoxy (yet); that's one of the biggest tensions among third and fourth generation 'immigrants' where the community itself becomes selectively alien to these individuals depending on personal circumstances... which is why they see large drops as the diaspora assimilates.