David Bonowitz
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dbonowitz.bsky.social
David Bonowitz
@dbonowitz.bsky.social
Buildings. Earthquakes. Public policy.
Functional Recovery <--> Community Resilience.
Giants baseball. Princeton hoops.
contact: djbonowitz (with a 'j') at gmail
Today, Solvang. Tomorrow, ...
January 17, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Quick question: The $140 / kWh cited near the top is total CAPEX, right?

Forgive my ignorance, but I still find it hard to parse a lot of cost data, since sometimes it seems to be the "cost to install" and sometimes the "price to buy on the market." Is there an easy way to sort that out? Thanks
January 17, 2026 at 8:11 PM
Don't let anyone tell you this Admin discourages education.

A book that simply covers everything Kristi Noem and her underlings get WRONG could make a pretty good Civics text.
January 17, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Love it, but oh, the irony. Just making this change would already be a move against our American Exceptionalist identity and the idea that the Founders were demi-gods. We'll never admit that failure (we fought a Civil War last time we tried).
January 17, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Yes, though I confess I'm frightened more by the rose-colored hindsight. T1 was felt as a failure in 2017, but 7 years later it's remembered as a success? Can't fix that one with even a constitutional change.
January 17, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Yes, shifting to tariffs de-escalates in a worthwhile way, but it probably increases support for the acquisition overall, since tariffs are already plausible in the minds of R influencers, while a shooting war isn't. Prob worth it, but now harder to recruit opposition. And it punts to scotus.
January 17, 2026 at 5:11 PM
way ahead of you ;-)
bsky.app/profile/dbon...
T has 3 groups of supporters:
1. The "deplorable" maga base
2. The R elites -- Senators, plutocrats, the McConnell wing
3. Historic R voters who take cues from Grp 2 and wind up victims of the con

Grp 3 are the folks we need to persuade. But Grp 2 is by FAR the most venal & dangerous of the three.
Romney spoke about shutting down the EPA. George W. Bush tried to privatize Social Security. This is what they've wanted all along. The problem isn't Trump. It's Republicans.
January 17, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Yep. At least it wasn't the Giants getting caught looking this time.

bsky.app/profile/dbon...
This is why I call the Dodgers a "front office dynasty." They don't win everything on the field (tho lately they win plenty), but they win EVERY free agent battle by being open and creative -- Ohtani (SFG were also willing), Yamamoto, Sasaki, Glasnow, Freeman, Betts, Scherzer (as a rental), etc.
January 17, 2026 at 8:17 AM
w/ respect, you're over-simplifying. You "cancel the midterms" by redistricting, voter intimidation, & giving a green light to state legislatures -- all of which he and R govs are already doing.

If they win a handful more seats than they would in a fair election, that's effectively cancellation.
January 17, 2026 at 7:26 AM
Hmm, attempted chemistry. Maybe Sideshow Bob was on to something.
January 16, 2026 at 11:35 PM
I'm no expert, but based on what I've learned today from @stevevladeck.bsky.social and @cohen489.bsky.social , this may be less about prosecuting Walz and Frey than it is to establish a pretext for the Insurrection Act.

Which doesn't make it better. It's just useful to understand the gears turning.
January 16, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Follow up: So the original post I referenced has been replaced with this update. That said, "No increase" does not mean "decrease."

bsky.app/profile/pabl...
🚨BREAKING: DEMS DRAW RED LINE IN DHS APPROPS: NO FUNDING INCREASE FOR ICE. POLICY RIDERS GROWING. STORY COMING IN MIGRANT INSIDER
🚨NEWS: Senate Dems are reportedly offering ICE funding increases in exchange for body cams and de-escalation training for agents.

Body cams can be turned off. De-escalation training can be ignored.

Unclear if no masks, requiring ID badges, and no immunity is on the table.
January 16, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Your post, sir, is enigmatical.
January 16, 2026 at 8:32 PM
I know you're wary of giving "legal advice," but as a lawyer, do you have thoughts on effective protest styles or tactics?

I had some thoughts last summer (below) but I don't think they're as effective against the kind of surge we're seeing in Mpls.

bsky.app/profile/dbon...
Not sure we've learned the right lesson from the sandwich guy. I continue to think we are not yet making effective use of ketchup squirt bottles (for their cars), glitter, or food-coloring water balloons & super-soakers -- anything with a soft impact that can be launched from a distance.
January 16, 2026 at 7:56 PM
I also just left a message at @padilla.senate.gov 's SF office.

@schiff.senate.gov 's voicemail box is full and would not accept a message.
January 16, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Thanks for sharing this. Some lessons in the piece:
- They were under-insured, a common condition.
- They DID get a SBA loan, w/o conditions (we'll see if the Admin changes that too)
- The flood was April '25. It's unclear when the conditions were imposed and when the church became aware of them.
January 16, 2026 at 7:27 PM
If he's referring to proposal E24-24 by @stephenjacobsmith.com , is he saying that a public comment has been submitted for hearing in April?

He also appears to be referencing the WJE / U Minn report that got some discussion here last month?
www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
www.dli.mn.gov
January 16, 2026 at 6:08 PM
I think you mistook my meaning, but no worries. I believe the accents described in the OP can be heard in the movie, w/ some exaggeration. I am familiar w/ St. Louis Park, and I agree that A Serious Man is a truer representation of the Coens' personal histories.
January 16, 2026 at 6:47 AM
Not even the characters who live in the Cities?
January 16, 2026 at 6:23 AM