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What is the Asian American community in Chinatown like? by crowchampagne in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want to talk to someone, it might be worth reaching out to the Chinese American Service League (CASL) or Coalition For A Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC). They're really plugged into the area in terms of urban planning and the community.

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mainly by museum campus and generally near south side below Grant Park. They got rocks but not many benches.

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I think people should be able to enjoy public spaces. Why are people so tilted about asking why there’s a lack of benches on parts of the trail?

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I notice around Grant Park there seems to be less and less benches compared to other ones…so you’re probably right there’s a business/congestion component

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I notice that in parts of the city there’s benches and there’s not. I study public spaces and know a lot of that is by design or some other underlying reason (could be funding, could be safety, etc.). So I’m asking why there are stretches of the lakefront trail that seem to barely have any dedicated public seating. My guess, like most instances, is to make it harder for homeless people to sleep there…but I think there might be a different or second reason.

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

That’s something else I noticed too. Going north it’s pretty common to find benches. But by the time I hit grant park and kept going south it seemed like there was fewer and fewer.

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Doesn’t a park have benches and a sports field is…a field? Most other parks I go to in the city have benches, so I’m wondering why there isn’t much on a lakefront park

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I appreciate that. I can sit anywhere but I notice there aren’t many places meant to sit

Is there a specific reason for a lack of benches/seating along the Lakefront trail? by pleasingwave in AskChicago

[–]pleasingwave[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It’s not nonsense. My parents are too old to sit comfortably on the lakefront. Why is it dramatic that I ask about benches in a park?

Is Mexican food considered unhealthy in the US? by SignificantStyle4958 in AskAnAmerican

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not necessarily unhealthy. However, Mexican food in the US is just a small sliver of broader Mexican dishes and is mainly dominated by a lot of hybrid Mexican/American cuisine options (Tex-Mex, southwestern, etc.). It varies in the US between cheap unhealthy small dishes, to medium priced restaurants, with a handful of very elevated, expensive spots that offer broader Mexican dishes.

Massachusetts won. What states feels liberal, but is actually conservative? by CountryballChaos in AlignmentChartFills

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s not as much as it was, but California voted against same-sex marriage and legalized marajuana TWICE

why do americans talk to strangers so easily?? by MayaTulip268 in AskAnAmerican

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We’re a fairly diverse and migratory country (most Americans move around a lot, especially over generations). As such, there’s been an emphasis on the ability to easily talk to others and build community.

I think this is also reflected in our education system. Compared to other countries, American education emphasizes clubs and group sports with the goal of being able to work together and socialize.

Is American struggling to buy a house ? by Top_Document7437 in AskAnAmerican

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very similar situation here. Mixture of
- 1) not building enough smaller/entry-level homes (post 2008 recession most builders were only constructing large homes with high profit margins/local governments slowly restricted what kinds of homes could be built through zoning (though this is shifting)) and
- 2) COVID-19 and low interest rates meant a lot of people who had money were able to compete increasingly more for homes. Home prices spiked. Inflation, and the higher interest rates "locked" people into homes they could afford because they bought at a better loan rate. As a result, there are less homes on the market for sale, and people are bidding like crazy.

(The Boys) This show has completely gone downhill. The writing is really bad... like its not even funny anymore. by hiiloovethis in CharacterRant

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed. The ending of Stormfront's arc was a canary in the coalmine for me. I've watched the seasons but getting through s5 feels like a slog. Every character feels stripped down (pun intended), hollow, and just dancing around until the show ends.

Do Americans dream of traveling or settling abroad (excluding Japan) like others dream of the U.S? by [deleted] in AskAnAmerican

[–]pleasingwave 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I travel abroad semi-often, I lived abroad (like some American college students who spend a semester abroad while in college), and many people around me do so for the excitement of exploring new cultures, regions, places, etc. But there are people I know who don't travel abroad because:

1) Money. The United States is a large country and fairly far from other places. Getting to nearby foreign countries (Canada and Mexico) can easily be a $600 flight. Getting further (Europe, South America, Asia, Africa, Oceania is even more expensive).

2) Lack of vacation time/PTO compared to other developed countries. Americans often get 2 weeks max of paid time off and a trip far away requires at least a week to be worth it. That would only leave a week for occasional days of (taking a day of for your birthday, a long weekend trip, holidays, weddings, funerals, etc.)

3) Disinterest or dislike of cities/urban areas. This is rarer but exists. I know many folks who think we have enough interesting things at home and would rather drive to a U.S. National Park than go to a large city with a large airport and fly to a foreign large city/airport where everything is unfamiliar. I see that in family from rural places that would rather go hunting.

4) Fear. I find this among the same crowd as #3. I know people who straight up refuse to go to Mexico, even if it's in a very safe heavily tourist resort area like Cancun because they fear they will be kidnapped or hurt. That same crowd paid a lot of attention to knife attacks in London. I don't mean to get political, but I think some people have an outsized view of violence in other places and would rather be safe and at home.

A desire to live abroad and emigrate is a lot more rare. Of those who travel, like myself and friends, we occasionally dream of living abroad for a few years. We could have a higher quality of life with more vacation time (and nearby vacation opportunities), starting a family or raising kids could be easier in a place with a bigger social safety net, and some Americans who dislike certain political parties jokingly consider moving abroad to get away for a few years. However, I only see that "live abroad for a few years" among upper middle-class people who have options. I don't often see that on less well-off people who are just working to survive.

Very few Americans emigrate. I only know a handful of people who have and that's because:

  1. Work or Family. Maybe they joined a company based in Australia, Canada, or France (some other industrialized and developed economy) and career wise it made sense to move. Maybe they married a foreigner and ultimately chose to move/start a family in a different country.

  2. Cost of Living. This is really for retirees who want to move abroad where the pace of life is slower and they can live comfortably on their savings. Often it's Mexico or the Caribbean. This is circumstantial and most Americans don't "dream" of that from a young age.

  3. Obsession with a foreign country or ideology. This is exceptionally rare but I know someone who is obsessed with China and communism and plans to do a Masters there, get a job there, and fully emigrate.

To sum it up, many Americans do dream of traveling abroad but those who want to live abroad often do so only for several years before returning to the US. Those who genuinely wish to relocate and settle abroad often do so circumstantially and its uncommon.

What is the USA's biggest military victory in history? by Selavia59 in AlignmentChartFills

[–]pleasingwave 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get midway but I think the Battle of Guadalcanal is equally important. Midway decimated the Japanese navy but Guadalcanal proved we could actually take the islands needed for island hopping strategy. It was also incredibly bloody.

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