Disqus - Latest Comments for Clunking_Fist

Re: Everything you need to know about Trump's White House plans

Clunking Fist — Sun, 22 Feb 2026 04:35:27 -0000

"concerns with such public donations,"
18 months after Hillary Clinton lost the 2016 election, my government (New Zealand) quietly announced they were ceasing donations to the Clinton Foundation. You do know that the entire American political system is corrupt, right?

Re: Demolition of White House East Wing begins ahead of ballroom construction

Clunking Fist — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 02:16:47 -0000

The level of hubris in the comments are about where I feared they would be!

Re: MSNBC’s Reid: GOP Senators Will Confirm Trump’s ‘Bizarre’ Star Wars Cabinet

Clunking Fist — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 00:36:37 -0000

Lolz. Cry more, Joyless.

Re: World's largest cruise ship sets sail amid sustainability concerns

Clunking Fist — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 01:04:29 -0000

So a bit like a concert or a rugby world cup?

Re: William Samuels creates relocatable home as "radical departure" from standard house

Clunking Fist — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 17:49:48 -0000

Hello from New Zealand. The issue isn't land here. The issue is (was) the same in most English-speaking Western countries: artificially low interest rates and excessive monetary loosening. As is often repeated, low interest rates boost asset prices, "assets" being shares, art and property. It was developing over years, politicians rode the wave of everyone (voters) feeling richer as their houses grew in value (the Irish will know this feeling).

It's not helped by high levels of immigration, focus taking away from trade skills in favour of university or money diverted from boring infrastructure. Wellington, a greater metropolitan area of 500,000, is spending NZ$310 million on 20km of cycle route, NZ$300 million on restoring the town hall and NZ$180 million on a convention centre. All while residents plead for the water infrastructure to be maintained and extended.

Re: Australian student invents affordable electric-car-conversion kit

Clunking Fist — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 01:39:55 -0000

Probably weighs less than a boot full of luggage. And less than a couple of kids in the back seat. "Maybe the solution is to replace the engine with the battery pack – same
handling, the boot can be used for luggage and the vehicle will be lighter enabling the use of a smaller battery." That's what you pay $50,000 for...

Re: Thom Fougere creates collection of ring-shaped benches for forest floor

Clunking Fist — Thu, 21 Sep 2023 15:37:01 -0000

The support poles: not interfering with the root systems at all?

Re: Mid-century Zero House in London imbued with "Kubrick feel"

Clunking Fist — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 04:54:52 -0000

I'm in love.

Re: Lamborghini unveils concept for first all-electric car

Clunking Fist — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 03:37:21 -0000

I can't make out where the cupholders are. That's a deal breaker and a no from me.

Re: Contaminar stacks concrete layers to enclose twisting Portuguese home

Clunking Fist — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 02:37:58 -0000

"viewpoint structures that always smell like urinals." Amen.

Re: Baltic Architects Unions Association withdraws from UIA over Ukraine war

Clunking Fist — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 18:47:53 -0000

What action are architects taking after the US invasion of Iraq? Libya? Syria? Torture at Gitmo? US persecution of journalists? ... Hello?

Re: Snøhetta places shingle-clad viewing tower on mountain ski peak in Austria

Clunking Fist — Fri, 05 May 2023 21:47:49 -0000

I'm no big-city architect, but that first photo looks like a fail.

Re: Postponement of Soviet-era exhibition not about "censorship" says Cooper Union

Clunking Fist — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 16:49:19 -0000

This comment is for real, apparently. History is history. It doesn't stop being informative or interesting just because you don't like some guy currently temporarily in charge of a territory roughly approximating that under study. I happen to think that the Soviet era was orders of magnitude worse than the current corrupt regime. But I still find stories about the era fascinating and informative.

Re: Cities should not just build green transport but actively dismantle car infrastructure

Clunking Fist — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 20:04:22 -0000

Thanks to the edit of your comment, it is now clear what you mean: that we are effectively in agreement.

Re: Energy savings from home insulation "vanishing" after four years, study finds

Clunking Fist — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 19:50:06 -0000

"In low-income households, these savings were even smaller – an average of three per cent during the first and second-year post-retrofit – suggesting that any savings are immediately redirected into keeping the home warmer for longer." Err, surely it means that the low-income households were not heating their homes as much as other households? And/or that most gas was being used for hot water and cooking, not heating?

Re: Cities should not just build green transport but actively dismantle car infrastructure

Clunking Fist — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 16:58:35 -0000

One word: population density. Okay, it's two words but you (probably don't) get my drift.

Re: Mike Hewson installs giant boulders on wheels for "risk play" space in Melbourne

Clunking Fist — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 00:37:18 -0000

Thanks, Howard, for the clarification, most appreciated.

Re: Mike Hewson installs giant boulders on wheels for "risk play" space in Melbourne

Clunking Fist — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 20:08:09 -0000

Err like every school ever built, then? How does this "risk" playground enhance social skills any better than "normal" playgrounds? I don't see any claims in the article with respect to social skills. I took "risk play" to mean challenges to decision-making skills, as well as opening up city-bound children to the joys of free play. Not sure how it is relevant for Melbourne, though – it has to be the most sporty city in the world. (I know that doesn't translate to participation, but hey, Australia is known for sports.)

Re: Mike Hewson installs giant boulders on wheels for "risk play" space in Melbourne

Clunking Fist — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 20:01:56 -0000

LOL, downvotes. I come from a country, NZ, which still has free outside play. Albeit slathered in sunscreen and with big floppy hats. Climbing trees and little rockfaces, trying to catch creatures swimming in streams, riding bikes, etc. Designing a playground with outcrops of solid rock at head height seems a bit silly.

Re: Mike Hewson installs giant boulders on wheels for "risk play" space in Melbourne

Clunking Fist — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:32:14 -0000

I would be more concerned about them cracking their head, the way those rocks "overhang".

Re: Mike Hewson installs giant boulders on wheels for "risk play" space in Melbourne

Clunking Fist — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:19:16 -0000

"The concepts and benefits of 'free play', 'nature play' and 'risk play' in public space are well documented." Rather than, at great expense, creating an artificial play space, just take your children to the beach or the park to climb rocks and trees.

Re: Sixteen stadiums set to host games at the World Cup 2026

Clunking Fist — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 20:15:17 -0000

No Soldier Field? SF in Chicago has successfully hosted international rugby games. Notably 5 November 2016 when Ireland beat New Zealand.

Re: Sixteen stadiums set to host games at the World Cup 2026

Clunking Fist — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 20:07:01 -0000

I wonder if there will be any effort to tone down the surly customs and immigration folk at the border.

Re: Drone footage reveals The Line megacity under construction in Saudi Arabia

Clunking Fist — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 02:44:30 -0000

It will work because they will a) force their people to live there and b) pay redonkulous salaries to expats to work there.

Re: Drone footage reveals The Line megacity under construction in Saudi Arabia

Clunking Fist — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 02:41:03 -0000

And it has a monorail! Or similar.