sonufamitch's recent activity
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Comment on Why does "Everything Everywhere All at Once" repulse me so much? in ~movies
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
sonufamitch LinkLast week I played Twilight Struggle for the first time. I'd heard that it was a 2 player board game, where the USA(me) and USSR(friend) struggled for influence over regions of the world. It...Last week I played Twilight Struggle for the first time. I'd heard that it was a 2 player board game, where the USA(me) and USSR(friend) struggled for influence over regions of the world. It reminded me of Risk in that it is a game of global competition for dominance. Unlike Risk, it's only two player, actions are taken from a set of cards in hand, victory points swing the game back and forth, and there are extra tracks to represent power and nuclear threat.
I went for a strategy of gaining influence in the regions and keeping nuclear threat high, as nuclear threat prevents military power actions. My friend went for higher VP scoring cards, and tried to end the game early with the war games card. War games gives 6 VP to your opponent and then ends the game without end game scoring. He would have won if I hadn't played a regional score card just before.
The game is very flavourful, cards are named after historical events. My favourite was Kitchen Debates, where the USA player, if winning the influence metric, can poke the USSR player in the chest.
As the game was made over 15 years ago, I'm surprised by how modern the mechanics seem. Action cards can either be played for their text or their value or discarded in the space race. Discarding cards is important, as more than a 3rd of cards have text that specifically benefit your opponents. If you play an opponent's card for its value, your opponent then plays the text part of the card. Winning definitely felt as much creating a strategy as being given opportunities by your opponent.
My review is that I like the game, but I don't like how it took 5.5 hours to get through. I think I would only really want to play for myself one more time as the USSR. Otherwise this game would become one of those educational games that I reckon people should try at least once.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of July 8 in ~news
sonufamitch Link ParentWhy do you believe that a change would sink the democrats?Why do you believe that a change would sink the democrats?
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Comment on Does anyone have the right to sex? [2018] in ~life
sonufamitch Link ParentWhat did you mean by simply undesirable? And how is it simple from your perspective? The author of the essay laid out a pretty compelling rationale for why it is much more complex. That our...What did you mean by simply undesirable? And how is it simple from your perspective? The author of the essay laid out a pretty compelling rationale for why it is much more complex. That our desires are a result of the political intersections of our experience.
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Comment on Homicides are plummeting in most American cities in ~life
sonufamitch Link ParentSo I wonder how much this is could be affected by a limited scope of research. Could it be that homicides are down because of less deaths by violence? Is the medical system changing the outcomes...So I wonder how much this is could be affected by a limited scope of research. Could it be that homicides are down because of less deaths by violence? Is the medical system changing the outcomes of the legal charge? Was that spike during covid a complication of a stressed medical system? I feel like I remember something along these lines in a freakonomics podcast. I don't know for certain, but I'm wondering if anyone else might have something to say about this.
Thanks in advance -
Comment on Why American cities are squalid in ~life
sonufamitch Link ParentOh wow! Yes I didn't know that. I will be mindful of that word's connotation in the future. Thanks for the benefit of the doubt. Edit: That's pretty embarrassing considering that I was commenting...Oh wow! Yes I didn't know that. I will be mindful of that word's connotation in the future. Thanks for the benefit of the doubt.
Edit: That's pretty embarrassing considering that I was commenting about the connotation of regulation, a much less hateful word.
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Comment on Why American cities are squalid in ~life
sonufamitch LinkSo the author describes an experience on the new York metro after missing a connection. The author is fristrated about how the homeless people have abused the metros. And like OP points out, the...So the author describes an experience on the new York metro after missing a connection. The author is fristrated about how the homeless people have abused the metros. And like OP points out, the author blames a low trust high regulation society.
I think this part of the piece is particularly salient:
I’m also worried about the cultural forces that have got us here: that they allow the tolerably well-off to ignore the plight of those who are forced to depend on public services
But the author doesn't go into those forces. The author also implies that the tolerably well off are working professionals he identifies with, and those dependent are the commuters who need to work for the professionals but are priced out of living in the city. The author sets up a dualism between these two labour groups.
I think it is weird that those that "depend on public services" are implied to exclude the homeless people. I am also personally challenged by the use of the word "regulation" in this, because of how high regulation has been a bogeyman in libertarian and neoliberal politics; and by their logic deregulation a virtue implying smaller government. I think that the connotation of the word means that if the author actually wanted to build trust within American society, they should've been more careful with the word regulation and give definitional context rather than assume the audience understands the author's definition.
I disagree with the 2 tiered new York comment, it should at least be 4: professionals, labourers/ service workers, homeless, and capitalists-politicians. Describing it as 2 treats homeless people as not a part of society, and capitalists as not a cabal of power directing the experiences of the other groups.
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Comment on Why do hardly any straight men write about sex and dating? in ~life.men
sonufamitch Link ParentThanks Sodliddesu, I like your insightful way of talking about this article. I admit, I read your comment before the article, because the title sounded so sensationalised and clearly biased...Thanks Sodliddesu, I like your insightful way of talking about this article. I admit, I read your comment before the article, because the title sounded so sensationalised and clearly biased towards a hetero male - hetero female dichotomy.
I've also got the scared little boy inside me. I am also sensitive to the people around me, desire to be seen in a positive light, and get crushed and easily manipulated by little lines like that. That line is an attempt at calling to action, but in a disgusting, manipulative way, that I reckon you have experienced similarly in other parts of your life. Is that accurate?
I think it is weird of the author to come in with the assumption that dating from a binary hetero male perspective is any different than dating from non binary queer perspective. I get plenty of great, practicable, sensitive advice from non binary queer people that I can introduce into my dating life as a hetero male. I'm a better person because I listen to those perspectives. If I got advice from those males that are handing it out now, I would be misogynistic and conspiratorial and other unhealthy traits for a partnership.
I think this author's perspective is unclear, which makes their writing, and their call to action, disgusting. They might be writing this call to action for sensitive men like us, who have the perspective described in the article. If so, they clearly are keeping the cycle of division going with that line.
But maybe they are actually trying to tap in to those less sensitive than us? I dunno, I'm trying to see something positive but it's tough.
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Comment on What have you been eating, drinking, and cooking? in ~food
sonufamitch LinkToday, I did Thanksgiving in Aus, as I'm from the US. The challenge was that my friends are all vegan. I made a date quinoa salad with nutritional yeast dressing, Dahl (pressure cooked, came out...Today, I did Thanksgiving in Aus, as I'm from the US. The challenge was that my friends are all vegan. I made a date quinoa salad with nutritional yeast dressing, Dahl (pressure cooked, came out way too mushy), a mushroom zucchini pie, and a sweet potato pudding with whipped peanut butter cream. A fellow American friend brought over a bourbon pecan chia seed pie.
It turned into a fun night and I'm happy with most of the food. Next year I will attempt some kind of faux meat monstrosity. I'm most proud of the peanut butter whip. We have a recently available lentil based cream in stores which whipped pretty well with smooth pb.
I'd love to hear other vegan thanksgiving/ hearty winter food ideas if anyone has some! -
Comment on Marriage between cousins and extended family members may soon be banned in Norway in ~life
sonufamitch LinkWhen I read the title, I thought this was going to be an issue like Iceland, where genetic pools are so narrow you can accidentally hook up with a cousin. This is not the same story. This is...When I read the title, I thought this was going to be an issue like Iceland, where genetic pools are so narrow you can accidentally hook up with a cousin. This is not the same story. This is particularly targeting Norwegian-Pakistani marriages, with some pointing out the racist/culturalist implications of such a law.
Others point out that cousin marriages are more common in forced marriages, and that targeting this will prevent it... I don't believe this. If it was to reduce forced marriages, then require and fund counselling for all relationships prior to a marriage. Any counter thoughts?
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Comment on D&D video game without mature content? in ~games
sonufamitch Link ParentThat's interesting, I personally wouldn't have considered Amiri's character design objectifying as the bikini is actually a binder. She is a character uninterested in romance, and as such is not...That's interesting, I personally wouldn't have considered Amiri's character design objectifying as the bikini is actually a binder. She is a character uninterested in romance, and as such is not romanceable in the game. It may be that I'm accustomed to more egregious forms of this objectification and this just doesn't register to me. That said, the character has a great arc regarding power and standing up to tribalistic patriarchy.
I would still recommend the game as something that does not objectify women, and in specific the character of Amiri.
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Comment on What have you been watching / reading this month? (Anime/Manga) in ~anime
sonufamitch LinkI'm up to date with Witch Hat Atelier, which I believe I saw recommended on Tildes in a world building post. Without spoiling anything, I enjoy the themes discussed regarding power and the...I'm up to date with Witch Hat Atelier, which I believe I saw recommended on Tildes in a world building post.
Without spoiling anything, I enjoy the themes discussed regarding power and the perception of power. The main character's goal is to save a loved one, but dies she break taboos to do so.The art style is beautiful and fantastic, much like studio ghibli, yet the characters often express complex emotions tying back into those complex moral themes.
I'm also so impressed that the only confirmed couple in the story is queer. I don't think I've seen something like that outside of erotic manga. If anyone has any recommendations for queer represented manga, I'd be grateful
My oldest friend used to dislike movies that the rest of the friend group liked. Which they commented on and ribbed him on his pattern. This turned into a vicious cycle, because the more he perceived the group making him conform, the more viscerally he reacted to the liked movies. Later he said he got out of the pattern by not being so attached to his opinions or the opinions of others. Hope this helps!