68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice • Hacker News Board

Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

#281

Post by [deleted] » Fri, May 01, 2020, 12:24 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #176

fnord123 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The land war the movie is referring to is Vietnam From Hansard: https://bit.ly/2V7BgbK > The next war on land will be very different from the last one, in that we shall have to fight it in a different way. In reaching a decision on that matter, we must first be clear about certain rules of war. Rule 1, on page I of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler, and…

And then the next paragraph goes: > The more I study the problem of future war, which I do a good deal, the more I reach the conclusion that air power and sea power will provide the main offensive punch in an unlimited nuclear war of the future. Their offensive power must be mobile. Land power will be essential as a direct "stop" on the ground, in order to protect vital territories and peoples. But the strategy of th…

[deleted]

Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

#282

Post by gdy » Fri, May 01, 2020, 12:42 PM UTC

"Friends are better than money. Almost anything money can do, friends can do better. In so many ways a friend with a boat is better than owning a boat."

But if everyone of your friends follows this advice, you'll be a bunch of poor people without a boat unable to help each other when a boat is needed.

Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

#283

Post by wpietri » Sat, May 02, 2020, 6:27 AM UTC

glangdale wrote: post #276

wpietri wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am fascinated that you are sure you know more about journalistic research than Wired's founding executive editor, a guy who has written a half-dozen successful books. But I think we get a little closer to the truth about what's going on when you admit that you just really don't like this kind of thing. Which is fine! Nothing's for everybody. But your problem here isn't the article, it's your expectations. Reading t…

You have a point about "journalistic research" (very likely what he means by "research" for obvious reasons) - I am applying my value-smuggling and reading "research" (which is all it said) as either academic or "post-academic" (i.e. the sort of research you might do as a working practitioner with a PhD). A generalist writing for Wired might well be more reasonably expected to take 7 steps (give or take) than someone…

What exactly do you think happened to Polonius?

Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

#284

Post by prawn » Sun, May 03, 2020, 3:34 AM UTC

luord wrote: post #278

> Rule of 3 in conversation. To get to the real reason, ask a person to go deeper than what they just said. Then again, and once more. The third time’s answer is close to the truth. This is one where I see how it can be very helpful, but I don't have the first clue on how to go about it. Simply asking to "go deeper" is often met with a "what?" > Before you are old, attend as many funerals as you can bear, and listen.…

I think "go deeper" is replaced with a contextual question that shows you understand so far and invite the person to speak further.

On simplifying your art, I assume they're getting at leaving readers to fill in parts with their imagination. There is some notorious shredding of Dan Brown writing I've seen which might help convey it.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/dont-make-fun-of-r...

i.e., describe rough hands to infer a life of manual labour or a deliberate pace to imply age, rather than just tell people the age, job title and so on.

A landscape photographer I know advises looking at the scene and finding a way to simplify it. Then again. And again. So, recomposing the scene to avoid an extra tree, or more rocks or something else distracting. When editing a digital image, it can involve spot-removing rocks from sand or blemishes that only distract the eye.

Found this on Reddit: As Dr Seuss said: "A man with two heads must have two hats and two toothbrushes. Don't give him hair of purple seaweed and live fireflies for eyes."

Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

#285

Post by prawn » Mon, May 04, 2020, 12:24 AM UTC

afarviral wrote: post #88

eitland wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

40 y.o. here as well. My life has improved after I started getting up extremely early (0400) four or so years ago. And that doesn't happen without an alarm clock. My point is not to say that you are wrong but that we might be better off trying different solution for ourselves instead of believing in authorities here or elsewhere. (I'm not saying you shouldn't listen to normal advice like getting good sleep etc, but d…

I recently did a stint of waking at 0500 to work on my side projects. This was a big transition from waking at 8:15 and hitting the sack after midnight. But getting the important stuff sorted early and having such a consistent routine, including a bedtime routine was intoxicating. Since moving and being in complete lockdown Ive returned to my old ways for various practical and also disfunctional reasons but I look ba…

I've done the same and also reverted, but found it easier in summer (no fear of getting out of a warm bed, plus earlier daylight).

That said, I get by on little sleep and can be productive in the evenings when I know I have more time available if I get on a roll. Wake up at 5am and parents inevitably have kids up and distracting them from 6:30. Work at 9pm, and you can carry on until 3am or longer without distraction.

Re: 68 Bits of Unsolicited Advice

#286

Post by simonebrunozzi » Wed, May 06, 2020, 6:47 AM UTC

ggm wrote: post #3

There is a lot to be said for "never get involved in a land war in Asia"

It might have also been a reference to the videogame Civilization (can't recall which one. Civ 3 perhaps?), where that one is quoted in a loading screen.