chocobean's recent activity
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link Parent@skybrian, I do want to apologize for my words. Not because I said them in mean spirit (I didn't) or that I don't think it's true (I do), but because many people are renting to others out of...@skybrian, I do want to apologize for my words. Not because I said them in mean spirit (I didn't) or that I don't think it's true (I do), but because many people are renting to others out of necessity right now. The billionaire class have hurt all of us, and we are just trying to survive the best way we know how.
(feel free to skip)
I still think that in a perfect society, housing should be a basic right and should not be a vehicle of getting rich. But seeing as how we don't live in a perfect society, what then do we do. I understand the POV that rentals make things affordable for some and it takes some risks away from renters and provide flexibility. I just have grown up in cities where that's not the case: investments become a barrier for basic housing, builds cater to investors (see article), and renters never break even enough to get to financial security. In an ideal world, landlords make a tiny bit of safe returns without risk of bad renters, and renters save enough money every month from the gap between rent and income they can eventually put down roots somewhere of their choice when ready.
But I am looking around at rental rates that are way more than 30% of income, and much higher than mortgage payments of the same home, and homes do NOT sell for anything like affordable precisely because someone with more equity can afford to bid higher to rent to the other bidders instead. And this gets worse and worse and worse, for 30 years. And I see the way the landlords lock rank and vote in a way to prohibit cheaper housing from being built or prices from coming down and my entire extended family and circle belong to this class of people and I'm tired of seeing this played out.
That all being said. I am reconsidering this uncharitable and holier-than-thou attitude when you called me out. We are all being squeezed and sometimes this is the only way we can make things work for our families, heaven knows employment is precarious, savings are flat, and investments full of deep pocketed shadow movers. There is the thought of, a good landlord buying up a unit tenants can't afford is better than a private equity buying it or a bad landlord buying it. That participating in the market this way provides one more option, when the tenant must choose between many other awful options. And that I am indeed speaking from a place of privilege when I have investment options other than letting out rooms in my house, and only choice prevents me from buying a second rental property, and that yes if I fall on hard times this is for sure something I am going to do as well. I hate that we're all stuck playing this game, but that seeing as we're all stuck, I do need to be more careful with my words and more charitable with my thoughts. I could have said any of that without being a jerk about it.
I am sorry.
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link ParentFwiw, teaearlgraycold's suggested it, and I did., and I stand by calling it "potential for highest possible (non monetary) returns."Fwiw, teaearlgraycold's suggested it, and I did., and I stand by calling it "potential for highest possible (non monetary) returns."
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link ParentIt's not a spin when it's a plain fact. Landlords, certainly ALL of the ones I have ever known including myself, did it for profit from poorer people who can't afford to buy a place of their own,...It's not a spin when it's a plain fact. Landlords, certainly ALL of the ones I have ever known including myself, did it for profit from poorer people who can't afford to buy a place of their own, and we never do it out of the charity of our hearts.
When it isn't to harvest money, it's called lending a place to friends or family, not renting. When we lend cash to help others with down payment or gifted money for that purpose, or connected one friend to another so they can work out living agreement, and my family's done a fair share of all of these, then it's called providing a place for others to live.
I'm not ashamed of calling it what it is.
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link ParentThis is another example where supple demand fantasy is false: people don't decrease prices they just let them sit until prices are high again, or else whine and cry until the government make...If they rent for less, the rate goes up. It is literally cheaper to let these spaces sit empty than it is to fill them at current market rates.
This is another example where supple demand fantasy is false: people don't decrease prices they just let them sit until prices are high again, or else whine and cry until the government make people borrow enough for the high prices.
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link ParentHermit crabs famously do not hold on to more than one shell at a time. That's where the supply fantasy breaksHermit crabs famously do not hold on to more than one shell at a time. That's where the supply fantasy breaks
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link ParentI completely agree: if a rich person can make profit they would never sell; if they can break even holding onto property they will; if they cant make money or when it becomes derelict thats when...I completely agree: if a rich person can make profit they would never sell; if they can break even holding onto property they will; if they cant make money or when it becomes derelict thats when they sell. Is that how we want trickle down to work, in a disgusting fight to drink their waste water kind of way? Ridiculous
I've seen some co-op housing work, and visited one that was....kinda gross, but still quite affordable. Maybe if we can again normalize housing is for living in not for retirement profit, we'll get somewhere. But when the billionaires have extracted so much out of the monopoly board that regular middle income people need investment properties to live / retire, we all lose.
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean (edited )Link ParentI love the idea of co-op housing, especially how (1) people "own" their units but they can never sell it more crazy amounts thereafter, just reasonable inflation increase, and (2) they must not be...I love the idea of co-op housing, especially how (1) people "own" their units but they can never sell it more crazy amounts thereafter, just reasonable inflation increase, and (2) they must not be vacant or sub-leased . Houses are for living in, not for harvesting money from the poor
Edit: I do apologize for being a jerk here. Sorry all.
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Comment on Gift ideas for niece who’s into sewing? in ~life.women
chocobean Link ParentJust saw this now but that grumpy cat bag is so darn stinking cute :) she might have fun adding decorations on it too thrift store edits are great fun I hope the search was fruitful and gave her...Just saw this now but that grumpy cat bag is so darn stinking cute :) she might have fun adding decorations on it too
thrift store edits are great fun I hope the search was fruitful and gave her lots of encouragement/ ideas.
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Comment on Wild adventure over for Poland's mystery puma in ~enviro
chocobean LinkMy bet is in escaped exotic pet, from the description of the people happening across it. Bonus Poland big cat newsMy bet is in escaped exotic pet, from the description of the people happening across it.
Puma panic 2.0 sweeps through Poland
Barely had Poland's West Pomerania puma settled into her new enclosure at Poznań Zoo when a second "puma" has allegedly turned up in the south west.
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Comment on Why socialists should embrace luxury apartments in ~society
chocobean Link ParentThis nonsense again? It's like they intentionally ignore the fact that the rich can simply hoard. Or the fact that they have figured out the rest of us must live somewhere and can become even...This nonsense again? It's like they intentionally ignore the fact that the rich can simply hoard. Or the fact that they have figured out the rest of us must live somewhere and can become even richer by hoarding AND renting to the poor.
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Comment on I need to make a wooden box to ship something delicate. Could I please get some pointers? in ~life.home_improvement
chocobean (edited )LinkHello friend, you have already gotten some fantastic advice including pre-built boxes which I also concur would be the best choice. I also grew up without a woodworking adult, and actually...Hello friend, you have already gotten some fantastic advice including pre-built boxes which I also concur would be the best choice. I also grew up without a woodworking adult, and actually discouraged to try because woman, but try it anyway and it's one of those easy to learn lifetime to master type things where one would never get better without trying. Think of it as being prepared for if young people in your life can benefit from learning from you in the future.
If you did have to make your own box, or if you want to try making something to learn as a skill, that's totally fantastic and you'll be fine!
I do have some tools to recommend for a first time project or to have around the house for fixing things. Aside from the safety eye glasses, everything else is optional, but items that looking back I wish I would have gotten these for my very first project.
Click to expand spoiler.
- Cordless drill (example photo) or impact driver combo
My first adult wood project was hammer and nails because I was trying to be cheap. The headache and bent nails and the fact I can't take it apart for reworking sucked.
- Sand paper. Gloves. Safety glasses. Ear plugs.
Powered sanding devices are also quite cheap now but manual is fine for occasional projects. Wood you buy from the store is very rough and will cut your hands a little until sanded. Also just feels much nicer and finished when sanded. Surprising how many products come with raw unsanded surfaces these days as well. Safety Gear are mandatory for your eyes.
- Right corner clamp and if money allows, quick release one handed clamps x 2
As a software person, I'm always frustrated that in real life things move and don't interface together ... On a project like yours it's crazy helpful if the corners are held tightly at 90° angle both while you prepare the holes, and when fastening together with screws.
- A good table for working on stuff. Can be make shift or cheap portable or your regular dining table with cloth over it, but don't work on the ground, your back will thank you.
general advice
Generic advice:
Pre-drill holes. @creesch is right. Don't skip. There are plastic drill guides if you are having trouble making the holes straight.
Measure twice cut once. :| this doesn't stop being true even with experience. Don't worry about embarrassment when mistakes are made we all still do.
When buying natural wood at the store, ask the staff to pick out straight pieces for you. The staff will usually take a lot of pride in being able to select something good and spend a long time making sure they select good, square, not damaged and not twisted or weirdly knotted pieces. For MDF or composite stuff just look for no obvious water / physical damage.
Stop working as soon as you feel tired. Hardware space is unforgiving; when you are feeling tired, that's when expensive mistakes happen and injuries more likely to occur. When it gets dark, either turn on better shop lights or wait for tomorrow, again because of expensive mistakes and risk of injuries.
Don't be intimidated by all the types of fancy woodworking joints. The humble but tried and true butt joint is perfect for most projects you're not entering a state fair or passing down as heirloom.
Some cities nowadays have Workshops for condo residents that come with all kinds of tools and beautiful work benches. If you live in one / have a buddy who has access to one it's well worth it to use one.
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Comment on What self-help / personal development books did you find valuable? in ~books
chocobean Link ParentI don't live in America either, and I thought the Royal Hong Kong Police Force I grew up with and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were the good guys too. But the first has proven itself to be...I don't live in America either, and I thought the Royal Hong Kong Police Force I grew up with and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were the good guys too. But the first has proven itself to be tools of an authoritarian regime, and the other was "created to control indigenous peoples" and had been instrumental in twarting workers rights, climate protests, and of course were tools of indigenous genocide.
I know not all cops are bad, but learning how to protect oneself from the bad ones is an important survival skill. Because the bad ones are dressed up the same as the good ones, and both of them think you dress exactly the same as bad citizens they need to hurt.
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Comment on What self-help / personal development books did you find valuable? in ~books
chocobean LinkArrest-Proof Yourself - An Ex-Cop Reveals How Easy It Is for Anyone to Get Arrested, How Even a Single Arrest Could Ruin Your Life, and What to Do If the Police Get in Your Face -- Dale C. Carson,...Arrest-Proof Yourself - An Ex-Cop Reveals How Easy It Is for Anyone to Get Arrested, How Even a Single Arrest Could Ruin Your Life, and What to Do If the Police Get in Your Face -- Dale C. Carson, Wes Denham
This essential “how not to” guide explains how to act and what to say in the presence of police to minimize the chances of being arrested and to avoid add-on charges—which can often lead to permanent disqualification from jobs, financing, and education. Citizens can learn how to avoid arrest both on the street and when pulled over in a vehicle and are alerted to basic tricks cops use to get people to incriminate themselves. Sprinkled with absurdity and humor, this urgent, eye-opening book is a guide to criminal justice for all Americans.
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Comment on Largest residential fire in modern Norwegian history destroyed more than 100 homes and forced hundreds of people to evacuate in ~news
chocobean LinkAnother terrible manmade tragedy when we've got our hands full on "natural" forests fires already. Hopefully the people and pets all made it out okay, and that the wild animals have fled long...Another terrible manmade tragedy when we've got our hands full on "natural" forests fires already. Hopefully the people and pets all made it out okay, and that the wild animals have fled long before they were harmed
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Comment on Hong Kong police raid independent bookstores and arrest five people in ~society
chocobean Link ParentPlease note they are focusing on literature because they've already done away with print news, tv, radio, street flyers, gatherings, and Internet forums not to their liking.Please note they are focusing on literature because they've already done away with print news, tv, radio, street flyers, gatherings, and Internet forums not to their liking.
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Comment on The Odyssey - discussion thread in ~movies
chocobean Link ParentThat's right, the back end is already perfect without a spoiler.That's right, the back end is already perfect without a spoiler.
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Comment on I am a transwoman, I am in the closet and I am not coming out in ~lgbt
chocobean Link ParentWould we all have the clarity and self love to be able to write love letters like this to ourselves every five years. :') To many more years for your positivity, and may you rediscover this post...Would we all have the clarity and self love to be able to write love letters like this to ourselves every five years. :')
To many more years for your positivity, and may you rediscover this post again in a few years feeling every more love.
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Comment on More people around the world now favour China over the US, Pew study suggests in ~society
chocobean Link Parent:) as a Hong Konger who grew up in Canada this is a sentiment I'm quite familiar with, either having felt some of these myself or else having heard them frequently expressed. Namely: 1990s, heard...- Exemplary
It's difficult to not be jealous at times. That's when I have to remind myself not to romanticize [The Other Nation]. As bad as things are [At Home], [Because Reason] I'd live here any day over [The Other Nation].
:) as a Hong Konger who grew up in Canada this is a sentiment I'm quite familiar with, either having felt some of these myself or else having heard them frequently expressed. Namely:
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1990s, heard from Chinese relatives who muse about us living in a British colony as second rate citizens. "Money's nice, but we're catching up soon"
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2000s, heard from Hong Kongers who have immigrated to Western countries jealous over friends who stayed in China where nothing bad happened after the handover, except now they're crazy rich. "Money's nice, but rule of law is non-negotiable in case something happens"
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View held by many Canadians over feeling jealous of US higher wages, standard of living, opportunities and lower income taxes: "money's nice but at least we've got free health care in case I get cancer or something". Always felt a bit sour grapes in tone, but in the last few years the feeling has switched to "oh thank God".
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China's been running an all angle media/whole life domination campaign where most of its citizens might feel jealous at time, but quickly at least outwardly confess if not actually believe, that China is still growing and things will get better, meanwhile look how crazy the idea of democracy is, where folks are jerked from one extreme to another every few years, so much money is wasted, and [insert horrible anti-traditional ideas] are tolerated and brainwashing our kids. "The idea of a free and fair society is nice, but look how it's just a fantasy and anyway we're getting richer slowly/I've gotten rich, and you can't eat ideas".
I think it comes down to risk tolerance and whether one is okay being part of a state at its worst. The short and obvious answer to an outsider saying "but how can you stand living there" is the push and pull between "everything I know is here" vs "(for wealthy/healthy citizens) when it gets bad enough I will leave, but not yet".
If it weren't for the Tibetan person's tragic death by immolation just the other day outside the UN building, I don't recall the last time their open, on-going genocides had been on the news.
“This death comes just a day after China’s Ethnic Unity Law entered into force, a law that brazenly pushes non-Han ethnic groups including Tibetans, Uyghurs and Mongolians toward a single, state-defined national identity rather than protecting their distinct cultures and languages.
Pretty scary that genocide can be just normalised over time.
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Comment on More people around the world now favour China over the US, Pew study suggests in ~society
chocobean Link ParentIt's like playing a board game with someone who hates your guts, vs a random number generator that hates all humans. Sure, the first is still going to suddenly turn the table, knife you and rob...It's like playing a board game with someone who hates your guts, vs a random number generator that hates all humans. Sure, the first is still going to suddenly turn the table, knife you and rob you after they think they've had enough turns, but the other has "fun" options like nuke the planet.
Re: 1989. 1997. 2014. 2019.
Same. Same ..... But we're still alive. We remember.
We do. Because the world has become more dangerous and isolating, and it feels like money is the only thing that can save us and hold our families together, after all the other safety nets have been torn down. But, as noted in another comment, i wasn't expressing this point kindly and I do regret that.