bhtooefr @bhtooefr@mastodon.social

I guess I should do an #introductions, given the influx of new people.

I'm Eric, I live in Ohio (it's approximately as bad as it sounds), I throw computers at people for a living, and I have a varied set of interests:

* #retrocomputing is a big one for me, I post about it over on @bhtooefr
* #transportation, including #cars, #bicycles, #trains, and #planes
* #sustainability, #solar, #renewables
* I have opinions on politics. Not very left by Masto standards, off-the-scale left by US standards.

Things that I'm happy to CW:

* Politics (including Fedi politics)
* Religion/spirituality
* Common traumatic events
* Discussion of bigotry
* Intoxicants
* Lewd content
* Some controversial figures/organizations

If there's something not in the list below you'd like me to CW, or I forgot to CW something, please ask.

Things that I will not CW:

* Food
* Tech (except for tech pol)
* Swearing

If you do not wish to see this in TLs, please mute or block me.

“Short Arms Syndrome” Sinks TerraE Consortium Plan: https://cleantechnica.com/2018/10/15/short-arms-syndrome-sinks-terrae-consortium-plan/

But of course. We're talking about manufacturers that still see diesel as the solution to their CO2 woes.

TBH, when they're *THAT* predatory... I wonder how long before someone who's desperate, maybe coming back off of a bankruptcy and can't discharge one of their loans yet, goes postal on them.

I won't say that I want that to happen - I'd rather see their business model be ended by lawmakers and the courts - but I won't exactly feel sorry for them if it happens.

How a Subprime Auto Lender Consumed Detroit With Debt and Turned Its Courthouse Into a Collections Agency: https://jalopnik.com/how-a-subprime-auto-lender-consumed-detroit-with-debt-a-1829527899

I wonder how much the backlash against Apple's "unapologetically plastic" iPhone 5C impacted the popularity of plastics on Android phones...

Not a fan of sliders, or miss *real* Palm OS? That's cool, have a Centro - although it's 21.4 mm taller (modern technology could shrink that...), it's the same width as a credit card. (I actually daily drove a Centro for about a year.)

Reminder that once upon a time, you could get a smolphone - half a millimeter wider, and 1.6 mm shorter than a credit card - meant to be your primary phone, and even having a keyboard for actual productivity.

TV Conservatives' Biggest Worries Right Now Are the Witches Hexing Brett Kavanaugh: https://splinternews.com/tv-conservatives-biggest-worries-right-now-are-the-witc-1829744018

(The biggest downside would be... actual "van life", you can sometimes stealth camp, whereas this thing, everyone knows what it is. But, if you're only doing it part-time, I suspect it's far more sustainable to tow something like this behind an efficient car, than drive a van around everywhere.)

But, also, if one wanted to do the whole "van life" thing without an actual van... I feel like this would be a bit too tight.

But, I do wonder if modern construction methods and modern materials could be used to basically take that late 1950s/early 1960s Hi-Lo design, and radically attack its weight while maintaining the amenities of a small camper van, maybe even with a decent amount of battery storage (instead of propane) and rooftop solar.

Now, the Wooden Widget Slidavan is basically a take on the Hi-Lo concept, but taken to more minimalist extremes: http://woodenwidget.com/Slidavan.htm

300 kg empty, now we're getting somewhere!

...but it only sleeps two. (Although, really, given how Hi-Lo's bunks worked, you could probably add mountings for a bunk for two more...)

TBH, I feel like this is kinda the closest to what I want? (Also, realistically, sleeping 4 would be a non-priority for my own use.)