Buck Hardcastle
Bio
Viscount of Hyrkania and private cartographer to the house of Beifong.
Stories (110)
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Pangolin Powers: 100 dubious claims about the world’s only scaly mammal
1. Pangolins curl into a ball to protect themselves from predators and awkward social situations. 2. Pangolin tongues are longer than their bodies, when not in use they are curled up within their chest. Just like a human! (Other people have tongues like that, right?)
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Petlife
Tips for new employees at any job.
There are a lot of books out there on how to succeed in business, but they are largely aimed at executives, which most people will never be. This is a guide for everyone else--though these rules are so universal they are also applicable to executives. These rules might seem banal and obvious, but I’ve seen plenty of people fail because they didn’t follow them.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Journal
Iron Bikini Logic: Reasons for minimalist armor
The most infamous thing about Red Sonja is her armor, or lack thereof. Sonja wears what writer Roy Thomas has dubbed an “iron bikini” which reveals more than it protects. It has been the subject of frequent outside criticism, “[It] combined discomfort with impracticality, but made up for it by being extremely implausible.” As well as frequent criticism within the comic “I’ve seen more armor on a man’s foot than you’re wearing right now lass.” However it’s worth asking, does Sonja wear an iron bikini?
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Geeks
Does being an LGBTQ+ make you a better philosopher?
A friend from my Peace Corps days recently emailed me: So I’m thinking my next self improvement project is wrapping my mind around the study of philosophy. Having degrees in economics and political science, I was exposed to philosophical principles but didn’t pay much attention to them. I was too busy drinking and chasing women at the time. No regrets. Nonetheless, I look to you for sage advice on where and how to begin my study. I’m sitting at a bar thinking how I should finally read John Rawls A Theory of Justice which has came up often in poli sci discussions and seems like something I should start on as I care about being a principled human.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Humans
Just saying “I condemn the violence” isn’t condemning violence.
In the aftermath of the January 6th Capitol riots there was bipartisan agreement that the violence was bad. That same day Republicans went ahead with their objections to the election results--the same objections to reality that fueled the riots to begin with. While in public Trump’s sycophants howled that the election had been stolen, when they came before court, they didn’t actually have any evidence that it was, because of course, the election wasn’t stolen. I’ve already written about how these riots were a result of a failed constitution. Here I want to look at how we are failing to take the riots seriously.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in The Swamp
Tips for RISK: The Game of Global Domination
Risk is a game that I used to play as a four hour board game once a week. Now I tend to play it on my phone in about 20 minutes daily. I’m currently ranked as a master. I usually play automatic placement, classic rules, progressive card bonus (I can be flexible on the other points, but I won’t play fixed card bonus, which feels more like a game of endurance than strategy). Here are some of my tips to win:
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Gamers
Media Executive is also a Cosplay Bikini Babe.
Shannon Kingston is most visible as the operator of the Red Sonja Instagram page, where she curates fan art and cosplay. She does much more than that though. Her title is Vice President of Merchandising, under which she is responsible for “Overseeing all business decisions, finding licensees, assisting in the creative process of all licensees” alongside running the social media. Red Sonja didn’t use to have much merchandise, now you can get Red Sonja tarot decks, Funko Pop figures and $1,300 statues (in case you’re trying to figure out what to get for my birthday, that’s one suggestion). Shannon also voiced twin characters Ayla and Nias for the video Red Sonja: Queen of Plagues. After some initial reluctance, Shannon donned the iron bikini for a cover shoot, and has appeared as Red Sonja or Vampirella (for crossover stories) 11 times.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Geeks
In 2021 I want to self improve by writing more
There are several health goals I want to work on in 2021. I’ve been doing Yoga with Kassandra most mornings in January and I hope to keep that going. I took up running in 2020 but I had to stop in December when it got too cold, particularly in the early morning that I find the ideal time for running. I am itching to be a runner again come spring. Last summer I did Hadrian’s Wall Virtual Challenge, where I ran a total of 90 miles. This summer I’m thinking of doing the Ring of Kerry Challenge, which is 124 miles. If the pandemic allows it, I might try to take part in an actual race with other people. Healthwise I also want to pare back my drinking, which became more frequent while stuck at home quarantined. I’ve found a useful framework to have set days where I don’t drink. I already don’t drink on Mondays, next I’ll prohibit myself from drinking any on Wednesdays.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Motivation
6 Bikini Warrior Women: Red Sonja Cosplayer Interviews
Nicole Kristenn Why do you cosplay as Red Sonja? Sonja is my only cosplay. I had been dying my hair red for some years and one day when I walked into a comic store looking for something different, the cover sprung out at me and I was hooked. I am fairly creative and always wanted to cosplay and, well, “if the glove (or chainmail bikini) fits”.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Geeks
I worked as a telephone psychic & tarot reader
In 2015 I moved back to America after a decade of living abroad, off and on. When I was abroad one of the biggest selling points on my resume was simply that I was a native speaker of English. In America that obviously didn’t count for much. I needed to figure out a new line of work and I stumbled around for a year trying to figure out what I could do. While I was looking for new work, I also had it in my head that it would be great if I could figure out how to get money without all that messy “labor” business. It was from this standpoint that I gave being a telephone psychic a try.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Journal
Pangolins
Introduction Pangolins are the only mammals to have scales. The scales of pangolins are very strong; when they are threatened pangolins curl into a ball to protect themselves and can withstand an attack from a lion or tiger. There are 8 species of pangolins, 4 in Africa and 4 in Asia. There are pangolins in rainforests, woodlands, swamps and savannas. Pangolins are sometimes referred to as “scaly anteaters” or “walking pinecones.” All species of pangolins are endangered.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in Petlife
8 Reasons January 6th was a Constitutional Failure.
While rioters were still in the Capitol building on January 6th, seeking to stop the results of an election process they disliked, people were rushing to proclaim "This is not who we are!" Well, sorry, but I think it might be exactly who we are--it’s just the latest example in the Trump era of saying the quiet part loud. This part of Trump’s appeal, he says the things he’s not supposed to--not because he’s a truth teller but because he’s shameless. He made the conservative movement realize that they didn’t have to pretend to love their fellow citizens, they could be shameless too. When those Trump supporters disliked losing, they weren’t going to be quiet about it out of respect for democratic norms, they made sure the whole world heard their displeasure.
By Buck Hardcastle5 years ago in The Swamp
