RichardBonham's recent activity
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Comment on Why Americans love big cars in ~transport
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Comment on Using Barbie as a litmus test on feminism and patriarchy in ~life.women
RichardBonham Link ParentThink of them more as proxies than as tests. How to say you're part of the patriarchy without actually saying you're part of the patriarchy, as it were. Kind of like the way asking people about...Think of them more as proxies than as tests. How to say you're part of the patriarchy without actually saying you're part of the patriarchy, as it were.
Kind of like the way asking people about their authoritarian political leanings is more accurately done by asking questions about child rearing.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247506135_Authoritarianism_and_child-rearing_practices
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Comment on What games do you most wish had a remake, or a sequel or both? in ~games
RichardBonham LinkI am ready for Left 4 Dead 3. Same player dynamics that incentivize cooperation, maybe from early in the zombie apocalypse (say the 14 days before Left 4 Dead in Philly where everything had...I am ready for Left 4 Dead 3.
Same player dynamics that incentivize cooperation, maybe from early in the zombie apocalypse (say the 14 days before Left 4 Dead in Philly where everything had already collapsed).
Say, small Southern town big enough to have people but not in a big city with an airport. Extra points for two of the characters being Ellis and his buddy Keith.
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Comment on Favorite ambient / instrumental music? in ~music
RichardBonham Link ParentSadly, I do not have specific recommendations save for the genre. Gamelan is an obscure genre of music and is ancient and not particularly popular. I am mainly listening to what I can find on...Sadly, I do not have specific recommendations save for the genre.
Gamelan is an obscure genre of music and is ancient and not particularly popular. I am mainly listening to what I can find on Spotify or Pandora. I thought UNESCO had recordings of it, but I find that that is not correct.
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
RichardBonham LinkStarted splitting firewood for the winter. Will be having friends up for the weekend to just hang and also discuss plans to go to a small local music festival!Started splitting firewood for the winter. Will be having friends up for the weekend to just hang and also discuss plans to go to a small local music festival!
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Comment on Do you think life was better in the past? in ~talk
RichardBonham Link ParentAgree. The Golden Age of Capitalism following WW2 was when one could get a well paying job with a diploma or degree that would pay for a house, car, a family with a stay-at-home spouse and a...Agree.
The Golden Age of Capitalism following WW2 was when one could get a well paying job with a diploma or degree that would pay for a house, car, a family with a stay-at-home spouse and a vacation. The job provided benefits and after 20-30 years at the same company you got your retirement party and gold watch.
Lots of good reasons to be nostalgic for a period of peak purchasing power.
OTOH, the same period of time was one in which women couldn’t open an individual bank account, racial minorities were extremely marginalized, homosexuality was diagnosed as a psychiatric illness and consumerism was born with the invention of charge cards.
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Comment on Why has Enlightenment, the Scientific and later the Industrial Revolution started out in the "Western" world? in ~humanities.history
RichardBonham Link ParentDiamond’s book does a good job of examining the role of geography in shaping history. Tomas Pueyo (Uncharted Territories) also closely examines this.Diamond’s book does a good job of examining the role of geography in shaping history.
Tomas Pueyo (Uncharted Territories) also closely examines this.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
RichardBonham Link ParentPerhaps it might be more effective to subsidize construction (supply) than people...Perhaps it might be more effective to subsidize construction (supply) than people (demand).(https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/magazine/vienna-social-housing.html?referringSource=articleShare&smid=nytcore-ios-share&utm_source=pocket_saves)
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
RichardBonham (edited )Link ParentMax (HBO) streams a series produced by David Simon (of The Wire, Treme and Generation Kill) called Show Me A Hero (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Me_a_Hero) . It is about a local politician...- Exemplary
Max (HBO) streams a series produced by David Simon (of The Wire, Treme and Generation Kill) called Show Me A Hero (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Me_a_Hero) . It is about a local politician becoming mayor of Yonkers, NY in the 80's running on a platform of solving the problem of federally-mandated desegregated affordable public housing. This was based on real events in which he collaborated with a housing designer and produced what basically looked like a block of duplexes with a fenced in front and back yard. They were adjacent to a pleasant neighborhood. Applicants were screened for criminal activity and were told that staying in these low-cost units was dependent on a zero-tolerance for criminal activity or complaints.
The idea was that these units looked and felt like homes and were fenced at the sidewalks like private property. From the standpoint of design, these were completely unlike public housing projects in which public areas such as stairwells and playgrounds quickly became open drug markets. The lack of public spaces was felt to be a crucial element to success. The design concept is referred to as Defensible Space Theory (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defensible_space_theory) and still has some currency today.
Public housing also does not have to be 100% low-income tenants.
Vienna's Gemiendebau (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/23/magazine/vienna-social-housing.html?referringSource=articleShare&smid=nytcore-ios-share&utm_source=pocket_saves) are lifetime low cost housing, whose construction is subsidized even if you become wealthier. The mix of tenants is felt to be helpful in reducing crime rates.
New York's Lower East Side, through retirement of a long-term incumbent representing the area, was able to build on three very large tracts of undeveloped land on the south side of Delancey Street leading to the Williamsburg Bridge. This is mixed use including subsidized housing that is intentionally both low-income and market-rate. To my direct experience, there is no high-crime vibe right in front or along Delancey and prices remain reasonable for the area. The adjacent Essex Market offers meals for as little as $4-6 which is pretty good anywhere and especially for Manhattan.
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Comment on What consumeristic and somewhat pointless hobby do you have? in ~hobbies
RichardBonham Link ParentThis sounds a lot more like artistic expression and creativity than consumerism.This sounds a lot more like artistic expression and creativity than consumerism.
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Comment on What consumeristic and somewhat pointless hobby do you have? in ~hobbies
RichardBonham Link ParentFWIW, I bought some kimono and hakama from a site a few years ago. Their site pointed out that they loved to see all kinds of folks enjoying their traditional clothing and specifically did not...FWIW, I bought some kimono and hakama from a site a few years ago.
Their site pointed out that they loved to see all kinds of folks enjoying their traditional clothing and specifically did not regard it as a form of cultural appropriation.
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Comment on What consumeristic and somewhat pointless hobby do you have? in ~hobbies
RichardBonham Link ParentActually, I am back to reading fiction because I’m reading it on my phone. The screen is backlit and in dark mode, so I can see the text more clearly and I can read laying down in bed without...Actually, I am back to reading fiction because I’m reading it on my phone.
The screen is backlit and in dark mode, so I can see the text more clearly and I can read laying down in bed without keeping my wife up.
Being able to change the font and text size is also a huge plus.
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Comment on What consumeristic and somewhat pointless hobby do you have? in ~hobbies
RichardBonham Link ParentWow, and here I was just remarking to my wife last night that I love grilling and barbecuing in my bare feet. Feels more…elemental.Wow, and here I was just remarking to my wife last night that I love grilling and barbecuing in my bare feet. Feels more…elemental.
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Comment on What consumeristic and somewhat pointless hobby do you have? in ~hobbies
RichardBonham (edited )Link ParentThere are always other ranged weapons. Crossbow shares a lot of similarities with rifle, but is cheaper, uses non-expendable ammunition, is quiet and can be practiced at home if you live on some...There are always other ranged weapons.
Crossbow shares a lot of similarities with rifle, but is cheaper, uses non-expendable ammunition, is quiet and can be practiced at home if you live on some acreage and has minimal maintenance requirements.
Slingshot use and tomahawk throwing are also fun! Just have to be mindful of having a backstop.
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Comment on I’ve reported on gun violence in the US for more than a year and I just can’t get used to it in ~news
RichardBonham Link ParentIMO, Red Flag laws should be nationalized. Furthermore, individual law enforcement officers and chiefs of police or county sheriffs should be criminally and civilly prosecuted for failure to...IMO, Red Flag laws should be nationalized.
Furthermore, individual law enforcement officers and chiefs of police or county sheriffs should be criminally and civilly prosecuted for failure to enforce them. If found guilty, penalties should include loss of retirement/pension benefits and being barred from law enforcement, private investigation and security work for life.
I’m done with police deciding which laws to enforce with impunity. -
Comment on Reddit demands moderators remove NSFW labels, or else in ~tech
RichardBonham LinkEnshittification (this auto-completed!) will continue until morale improves.Enshittification (this auto-completed!) will continue until morale improves.
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Comment on What did you do this week (and weekend)? in ~talk
RichardBonham LinkHad my younger brother’s family over for the weekend: it was a blast! Also got set up to split wood to season for this winter. The wood is from two oaks we lost in the winter storms this year.Had my younger brother’s family over for the weekend: it was a blast!
Also got set up to split wood to season for this winter. The wood is from two oaks we lost in the winter storms this year.
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
RichardBonham LinkAbout 3 years ago, we built and plumbed an outdoor bar using old redwood siding from our house. Two weeks ago, we got a slab of hand milled, dried redwood to replace the bar top (which is finished...About 3 years ago, we built and plumbed an outdoor bar using old redwood siding from our house.
Two weeks ago, we got a slab of hand milled, dried redwood to replace the bar top (which is finished plywood). So, there's going to be a fair amount of removing the bark from the unfinished edge, sanding and finishing this summer. It should look gorgeous!
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Comment on What creative projects have you been working on? in ~creative
RichardBonham Link ParentThe original martini was equal parts gin and sweet vermouth with a dash of orange bitters and garnished with a twist of orange. The use of dry vermouth didn't emerge until the 1890's. Feel free to...The original martini was equal parts gin and sweet vermouth with a dash of orange bitters and garnished with a twist of orange. The use of dry vermouth didn't emerge until the 1890's.
Feel free to experiment with the balance of gin and vermouth, play with the type and brand of gin and see if you prefer dry or sweet vermouth.
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Comment on Affirmative action and its role in your life in ~life
RichardBonham LinkMy experience in past (late 70-s to mid 80's) was that Asians were treated as a monolithic "model" minority that did not require assistance programs such as financial aid or employment assistance....My experience in past (late 70-s to mid 80's) was that Asians were treated as a monolithic "model" minority that did not require assistance programs such as financial aid or employment assistance. At the policy making level, everyone visualized Asians as 3rd generation middle class Chinese or Japanese. You were basically shit out of luck if you were Pacific Islander, Southeast Asian or 3rd generation Chinese or Japanese but poor or working class.
As an interesting historical note, black people strongly preferred big cars back in the days that the Green Book was a useful guide for identifying friendly gas stations, restaurants and motels and also for avoiding unfriendly ones and "sundown towns". There's a reason there aren't so many black people in the "heartland" and it's not because they don't like living in the countryside or can't farm or raise livestock.
A big car, such as a Cadillac, demonstrated to your wife or sweetheart that you had the capacity to just pull over somewhere safe for the night and sleep (relatively) comfortably in your car. It wasn't so much a status symbol as a way to travel without being murdered in your sleep.