Fantasy series are too damn long
It’s like I have to choose between hobbies, why does the world forsake me so?
h
Today's Document
todays bird

Discoholic 🪩

JBB: An Artblog!

Love Begins
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸

oozey mess
No title available

izzy's playlists!

祝日 / Permanent Vacation

if i look back, i am lost

Kaledo Art
No title available
hello vonnie
Three Goblin Art

Origami Around
Claire Keane
KIROKAZE
AnasAbdin

seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom

seen from United States

seen from Malaysia

seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from China

seen from Brazil
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from Malaysia
seen from Thailand
seen from Brazil

seen from Germany
seen from Italy

seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Dominican Republic
@dystopianrambler
Fantasy series are too damn long
It’s like I have to choose between hobbies, why does the world forsake me so?
Bansko Reviewed by a Fat Alcoholic
There are few things that bring me joy like skiing does – the addicting rush of the cold wind, the burn in my legs as I battle with mother nature and the breath-taking views only possible by sitting on the side of a mountain 2600m above sea level. Whilst the world enters a blind panic surrounding this new strain of flu, there is not a worry in my mind - staring at the natural beauty of the Balkan Mountains will do that for anyone. Of course, all is not perfect in the mountain town of Bansko, but I’ll get to that later. First, the good bits.
The Skiing
Bansko offers a wide variety of different slopes, with the easy blue pistes stretching from the very top of the mountain all the way bottom of the gondola. I am not sure if there are no green pistes on this mountain or if they simply use the blue/red/black system, as the blue pistes seemed to vary in difficulty from tame to punishing for rookies. If you are skiing for the first time, Bansko will be able to provide you with a challenge all the way through your learning.
For the experienced skier, Bansko has a variety of different red and black pistes to challenge yourself against. My recommendation has to be piste 15. This piste is away from the main hub of the resort, so to get there you’ll have to take a long but rapid blue piste down to a bar at the bottom of a ski lift (this path down the mountain acts as a nice warm up before the real challenge).
A thrilling and tricky black piste lies ahead of you which will probably surprise you the first time you descend it leads into an almost 2km high speed red piste where you can really test your top speed. Those who really want to push themselves can try to take on the professional level slalom slope that is the centerpiece of the mountain.
In summary, the slopes are more than enough to keep all levels of skier stimulated and entertained. The rookies will be able to learn, and the veterans will be able to push themselves.
The Location
It takes just over two hours to go from Sofia airport to Bansko, and the views going from underwhelming near the city to stunning in the mountains. The town of Bansko is not much of a looker, however, as large amounts of the town are in varying states of disrepair. All of that is forgotten when you reach the top of the mountain. This vantage point shows off the mountain ranges that surround the valley in which Bansko is found.
When I made it up to the top of the mountain for the first time, it was around midday, and I was hungry. There was a brutal 20 meter climb between the ski lift and the highest point on the mountain, but it was definitely worth it. Sat there with my sandwich in hand, staring out at the picturesque mountains I felt truly content. There is no doubt that the natural side of Bansko is gorgeous, but the town is yet to catch up to it.
The Food
Well, it was terrible. Every restaurant felt like an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. How you can fuck up basic barbecue or pizzas is beyond me. Especially if that is all you serve. I went out the Bansko with two vegetarian friends and they had a nightmarish time finding food that was actually edible. One restaurant served a stuffed and baked aubergine, which sounded like a good dish. What came out from the kitchen, however, was a squishy, grey, rancid tasting mess of gloop that wouldn’t be fit for pigs. Meat was never well seasoned or cooked properly (always way over) so the only option was to eat sandwiches and pizzas. Even those were hit or miss, with half of the sandwiches having no condiments and all the pizzas having soft bases with bland toppings.
The Alcohol
Cheep booze is one of the first reasons people will give to spend their holidays in eastern Europe. This held true for the most part, with supermarkets selling half liter cans of beer for less than a pound. Disappointingly, the bars and clubs on the high street were considerably more expensive, looking to make the most of the partying tourists. However, if you stray away from the high street, you’ll find the less pretentious but cheaper establishments where you can drink your fill.
The Nightlife
In the span of one evening on the town, we were offered entry and free drinks at 5 different “exotic” bars. Considering we only spent about 20 minutes outside of the bars we actually wanted to frequent, this is quite the statistic. The actual nightclubs we managed to find were rather small and empty, but this was almost to be expected seeing as it was the end of the season. The good pubs and bars were able to draw in decent crowds without needing external promoters, so my recommendation would be to stick to the places where you find large gatherings of foreigners, as they seem to have figured out what is and isn’t a scam.
The People
This was surprisingly disappointing. Many of the natives spoke very little English, which wouldn’t have been a problem if they had even attempted to be friendly or welcoming. Of all the people we encountered, only two seemed to not be immediately pissed off at the prospect of trying to answer a question. The vibe we got from many of the locals was that they would only be of any assistance for as long as we were paying for that aide, and even then it was service without a smile.
Overall
I find myself recommending Bansko almost reluctantly, as I know I will be returning for more of the excellent skiing. For as many things that are sub-par, I find that the quality of the pistes and the beautiful countryside make it an ideal location to go skiing with friends or groups who are sports focused in general.
7/10, would ski again.
- T
Stat Talk: Giannis is the MVP (How I use stats to asses players)
Thanks to a week long streak of good form from LeBron and Giannis having a streak of bad form, many (mostly the media tbh) have decided LeBron is now first in the MVP race. But he isn’t. I don’t understand how this needs to be explained to so many people. Let’s look at some advanced stats. The kind of stats that emphasize a player’s impact on winning games.
PER (Player Efficiency Rate)
LeBron:Â 25.9
Giannis: 31.7
Giannis is leading the league in PER (again) and has surpassed his average for last season. Fun Fact: 31.7 is the PER LeBron managed to achieve during his 08/09 MVP season. It’s a historically great number, only surpassed by Wilt Chamberlain (twice) and Michael Jordan (once).
WS/48 (Win Shares per 48 Minutes)
LeBron: 0.218
Giannis: 0.282
Another stat where Giannis is leading the league for the second year running. For those who don’t know, Win Shares are an estimate of how many games an individual “wins” for their team. I prefer the per 48 minutes adjustment as it better represents a player’s time spent on the floor. For those wondering, Giannis also leads LeBron in total Win Shares, whilst also leading the league in defensive Win Shares.
The traditional box-score stats also favor Giannis, especially when adjusted to per 36 minutes to make up for the amount of rest these players get to take (they earn the rest by blowing out opponents so quickly they almost don’t have to play entire quarters at a time, Giannis especially). These are their traditional slashes both regular and per 36.
           Pts/Rb/Ass      Pts/Rb/Ass (/36)
LeBron     25.7/7.8/10.6      26.5/8.1/11.0
Giannis     29.6/13.7/5.8      34.5/16.0/6.7 Â
I am a strong believer in using these types of adjustments to stats in order to create a fairer comparison. When comparing players from different seasons (especially when we’re talking about seasons that are more than 5 years apart) my go to would be to adjust stats to per 100 possessions, as this would slightly account for the different meta-games of the different eras of basketball.
Here is the least advanced stat that can be used when comparing players up for MVP:
Wins
LeBron: 49
Giannis: 53
Well, the Bucks have won more games. This isn’t enough of a margin to really decide anything though, with both their teams leading their respective conferences and having already clinched their playoff spots.
So what about their teammates? Giannis’ best teammate is Khris Middleton. LeBron’s best teammate is Anthony Davis. Considering one is top 5 in the MVP voting and the other very much isn’t, this is a no-brain-er.Â
Khris Middleton is a very good player and an efficient scorer, but he isn’t the two-way monster that is AD. In terms of pure stats, AD has as good of a case for MVP as LeBron. In fact it would seem his stats are actually better than LeBron’s, with AD having a higher PER, WS/48 and WS. AD even leads the Lakers in points. Having that level of player to help you every night has to detract from your case as MVP.
So yeah, Giannis is currently the MVP, ciao.
Internal Dialogue
I have heard it said that something as fundemental as the way one thinks differs between individuals. I mean this in a literal sense rather than any esoteric sense of individuality and perspective.Â
Some people think entirely using fragments of thought and memory such as colours, images and feelings, commonly referred to as a stream of consciousness, whilst others think primarily using an internal dialogue - thoughts take the form of sentences created internally but as if they were being listened to.Â
Auditory hallucinations are sometimes caused by the mind “hearing” itself and not realising it is doing so, creating an effect that is very to close to regular hearing.
As someone who belongs to the latter of the two, I am curious to find out if there are any profiles of these demographics. Is one more susceptible to certain forms of mental illness, or more likely to follow certain career paths.Â
It brings up many questions for me. Am I more likely to suffer from dissociative identity disorder? How does this affect my outward interactions with people? Would someone ever switch completely between these two distinct states of thinking?
The primary indication, to my thinking, of a well-ordered mind is a man’s ability to remain in one place and linger in his own company.
Seneca
B-Site
This idea of propagating a code name for a project is one I find slightly off-putting, but I am interested in “B-site” nonetheless. With Thorin as the creative director, I am expecting to see a level of unprecedented creativity and content within the Counter-Strike scene (as promised by the e-sport historian himself in his video announcement). Here’s a quick breakdown of the things I like and dislike about what has been revealed so far.
The Talent
The talent choices are mostly good, aside from one who I will get too later. I’ll start with the Desk:
Freya is a skilled host and interviewer and Semmler is a greatly entertaining broadcast personality, so we should have no issues with the hosting. The combination of Thorin and Sean Gares analysing match ups and breaking down strategies with all the resources that will be afforded to them is a tantalizing prospect.
On the commentary side, the first tag team will be Anders and Moses. These two have a lot of experience commentating at a high level and have proven time and time again to be one of the best duos in the business. The other pair will be Bardolph and DDK, the classic pairing favored by Faceit for quite a while now. Whilst Bardolph has produced entertaining commentary for years, I’ve always found DDK grating and devoid of the wit and likability that has allowed others to cement themselves as the best in this field.
I’m not sure what to think of MonteCristo, I don’t follow the games he is known in. Guess I’ll find out what he’s worth as it happens.
The Teams
So far only six teams have been leaked as members of the B-Site project. Cloud9 are confirmed, with President of Cloud9 Dan Fiden being quite open about his involvement and his team’s involvement in the league. The other names on the list are MIBR, Dignitas, Gen-G, Mad Lions and c0ntact (ex-Cr4zy).
Whilst these teams do not make up the elite teams in counter-strike right now, they are all positive additions to the league in their own ways. Cloud9 brings a huge fan base to the table, as do MIBR and Dignitas. Gen-G, Mad Lions and c0ntact are all constituted of up and coming players looking to make their mark on the professional scene. The combination of veterans trying to make a comeback and younger players trying to prove their worth should mae for fascinating story lines to follow as the league progresses
The issue I have with these teams is simple - they aren’t the best. They aren’t even close to the best, with none of these teams ranking in the top 10 teams in the world according HLTV.org. This may change as more teams are announced, but for now the level of star power in the league is low. This should allow for players to step forward into the spotlight, but it is a worrying sign about the quality of counter-strike that may be on display.
The Format
The games all being played in an offline environment is a good thing for the viewers, and the choice to play the league games in a city like Los Angeles has its perks for the players travelling to compete in it. This does mean that watching the games live in Europe will be slightly difficult considering the time zone difference, but the side-content as well as demos being uploaded to YouTube should maintain a high level of interest on Counter-Strike’s home continent.
The idea of fining teams based on their performance is interesting, but I await further elaboration on the implementation of this rule in order to judge whether or not I agree with it.
Conclusion
The ideas behind this league are to allow for a simpler breakdown of revenue compared to other leagues and to allow for a higher amount of said revenue to make its way to the teams and tournament organiser involved. These are ideas I can get behind, as the current models we use in Counter-Strike have led to tournament organisers and teams hemorrhaging money whilst players make some of the most ridiculously inflated salaries in e-sports. I am excited to watch this league when it begins in March and hope it succeeds in all the ways it hopes to.
-T
Basketball isn’t really position-less
I am tired of hearing the idea that basketball has become position-less in the modern era. This simply isn’t the case. Positions and roles have evolved to a point where what a player does on the court is more important than their height.
No longer are positions limited by the terms Guard, Forward and Center. The idea of having a point-guard, wings and a center is closer to what the game actually looks like today. In order to truly explain how the game is played, I think it is better to simply explain the various roles a player on a team can take up.
Playmaker: Irrespective of size or mobility, the player around whom the offense revolves is the Playmaker and should be referred to as such. These players may also be able to fill other roles when off-ball, but their primary focus is the creation of offense for their team.
Floor Spacer: The modern offense requires many floor spacers, so those who can play this role will always find value in professional basketball. The existence of floor spacers is the reason defenses have had to change so much over the last 10 years. These players are also partially responsible for the uptick in scoring we’ve seen over that same span.
Lob Catcher: One of the few roles left which allows for the use of traditional big men, as well as more athletic players whose max vertical leap is higher than their 3 point percentage. When there is space to exploit in the paint, one of the best ways to make use of it is using a pick and roll, allowing your gargantuans who can’t shoot to get one of the highest efficiency shots in the league. Athletic players, such as Derrick Jones Jr or Terrance Ferguson, can add value to the team outside of shooting by making cuts and catching lobs.
Off-Ball Playmaker: One of the most dangerous things to deal with on defense is a floor spacer who can create offense. This role is defined by a player’s ability to create openings for themselves using their off-ball movement. The great off-ball playmakers of the modern era include players like Kyle Korver, JJ Redick and the great Stephen Curry. Players in this role are capable of running off of off-ball screens all game long in order to find their openings to create and shoot from.
The Postman: Not so many offenses in the league allow for this position to be filled - but the correlation between the offenses that do is simple: They have an elite postman. Postmen in the modern game are expected to score efficiently, whilst making the correct passing plays should the opportunity arise. Nikola Jokic does a lot of work as a Postman whilst also being a Playmaker. Other big name postmen in the modern game include LeMarcus Aldridge, Anthony Davis and Andre Drummond. Whilst they are not as prevalent as they used to be, those who score efficiently and create openings for their teammates are still highly valuable.
All players in basketball perform different roles depending on what the offense requires of them. Those who can do at least three of them to an elite level are typically the best players in the league. LeBron is primarily a Playmaker, but at other times is an Off-Ball Playmaker and a Lob Catcher. Anthony Davis is primarily a Lob Catcher and Postman, but can also be an Off-Ball Playmaker and even a Floor Spacer when required. Players like Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are both Playmaker, but their ability to playmake off-ball and to space the floor allows them to co-exist in an efficient offense.
Breaking down the roles/positions are player fulfills on offense also allows us to explain why certain combinations of star players do not work. Joel Embiid is a Postman and a Lob Catcher but he is rather limited when taking up the position of a Floor Spacer. Ben Simmons is a Playmaker who can’t play the Floor Spacer role either, meaning they get in each others way on offense. This is why they typically play their minutes with minimal overlap on the court.
Modern defenses have also changed with these developments. No longer is everyone fixated on playing man defense - European style zone defenses are becoming more prevalent, teams playing 2-3 zones, 3-2 zones, box & 1 and, against the rockets, triangle & 2. These defenses are better equipped to deal with the variety of offenses being thrown out, as well as being easier switch between them depending on what positions the opposing team have put together.
Bleurgh.
-T
Dolphins
Where can I find J Posada’s opinion/ideas about dolphins? I have been informed he said some mental shit, but can’t find evidence of such spewings.
Brexit summary written for a friend because he asked nicely. It’s probably all wrong.
In the beginning there was peace and prosperity, and the people of all the realms lived harmony. But in the dark lands of the West, an evil power was rising...
 The nomination bestowed upon Donald J. Trump by the Republican party can be considered a shift in the politics surrounding Brexit. Suddenly, what was once news was now fake, the code of conduct during debates was thrown out of the window and the people were clamouring for a leader who was not afraid of the backlash from bloggers. The Brexit election was upon us.
 Defeated in the polls, David Cameron resigns in shame, having placed his entire career (but not his offshore accounts) in the hands of the people. Theresa May takes over leadership of the Conservative party, invoking the dreaded Article 50. A deadline is set for the 29th of March 2019, with the Dark Lord growing more confident in his success. But this Western evil had not accounted for the power of British bureaucracy.
 Fearing that she would not be able to do the Dark Lord’s bidding without a greater majority in the house of commons, Theresa May called a general election: “Strong and Stable” she roared to the British people. “Weak and Wobbly” came the response, with the conservative party losing their majority in the House of Commons, forcing them into a coalition with the DUP (Northern Irish Conservatives).
 The 29th of March came and went, with the British people still stuck in limbo - "When do we kick out the Europeans?" they asked. "Never" responded the bureaucrats "Without them the economy would crash". The British sighed and returned to their pubs. With the deadline moved to the 31st of October and more political stagnation to come, Theresa May stepped down as Prime Minister.
 Boris Johnson (hereafter referred to as Trump Lite) took over control of the Conservative party and defaulted to being Prime Minister. Before allowing him to commit his act of evil in the name of the Dark Lord, the opposition to Trump Lite forced him to set a date for a Brexit. This made a hard Brexit a real possibility, not just a commonly used euphemism in uni dorms.
 With the latest Brexit delay announced, the Conservatives weren't sure if the British people still loved them so they drunk dialled them to find out. (It was actually another election). The Conservatives won, just about defeating the ageing, communist, anti-semite leading the Labour party. Finally, the Brexit could be achieved. The Dark Lord was triumphant.
 The latest deal proposed by Trump Lite was approved in the House of Commons, but this is the United Kingdom. In order for anything to happen, the Lords must agree to it. Which, of course, they didn't. Even if a withdrawal agreement is passed, there is still the matter of drawing up the appropriate trade deals with the EU. If that does not occur before the end the year then a big, hard Brexit still occurs until a trade deal can be finalised. So here we are; four years, 3 different Conservative Prime Ministers and we still aren't 100% of sure what's going to happen. Brilliant.
Opium of the Masses
The opiums of the modern masses are nostalgia and underwhelming endorphin releases. Why indoctrinate people when you can just bore them and lull them into blissful monotony from which there is no real redemption or rebellion. Even those who believe to fight the power are swinging at shadows left on blank walls by the institutions who would have them distracted.
Kendrick Lamar
is appropriately rated
I am inbetween belt hole thingies
it’s annoying
Order at: http://www.metalblade.com/whitechapel Whitechapel "Hickory Creek" from "The Valley." Directed by Mathis Arnell - http://www.naughtymantis.com "Hick...
Whitechapel made a deathcore album that I can actually recommend. This is the highlight of the album, which overall is excellent.
Don’t watch Enter the Void (2008) on public transport
I tried to watch this movie on the train. Shit got real awkward real fast when my movie about drugs and hallucinations suddenly had a naked woman playing with a man’s penis, framed as if to show off said genitalia to everyone crammed into the carriage. I almost died.
2 weeks later and I haven’t watched another movie. Not even just on the train, I haven’t watched any amount of any movie. I’m not sure how I’ll ever recover.
Emblas Saga is annoyingly good.
So there’s a power metal band called Brothers of Metal. They released an album a while back called Prophecy of Ragnarok which was decent, if a little cheesy. Irritatingly cheesy sometimes. Cheesy to a point that I started really enjoying singing along and laughing about it. Over the course of a couple of months, I became infatuated by the shite lyrics and generic, over the top hooks.
Now, imagine my dissapointment when they decided to release a second album that featured better music and (mostly) better lyrics. I was, and still am, infuriated. Thankfully the cheese remains in songs like One, Ride of the Valkyries, Theft of the Hammer and Powersnake. I guess it’s a good thing that there are songs like the titular Emblas Saga and Weaver of Fate to serious things up a bit.
7.5/10, solid metal shit. Recommended to fans of the first album and powermetal fans.