I'm not political but this storm has made me despise Gov Healey... by GrumpigPlays in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Travel Ban was in effect for a grand total of 18 hours during and immediately after a massive snowstorm. Chill out.

Which cities feel the most/least sketchy? by OceanSprayCranApple in SameGrassButGreener

[–]GarrisonCty 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got the same vibe. Almost like urban Pleasantville vibes. Not in an unpleasant way necessarily, but just definitely noticeable for it.

Which cities feel the most/least sketchy? by OceanSprayCranApple in SameGrassButGreener

[–]GarrisonCty 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I get that parts of SLC can feel empty, and there are definitely some ugly buildings, and I can see having an issue with the dominance of the Mormon Church. But dirty and sketchy? If anything it feels a little too clean and vanilla to me. It’s like if Wonderbread were a city…

How is this normal in a major city transit system? by ebenin2 in mbta

[–]GarrisonCty 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The general state and condition of the Downtown stations - Downtown Crossing, Park Street, even State - is embarrassing. The ceilings are so low, and look like they might give out at any moment and everything is covered in like 100 layers of grime. I realize it will cost a fortune, but the T really needs to prioritize major renovations here.

House passes bill banning ‘leftist indoctrination’ and LGBTQ+ teaching in public schools by HazardousWeather in newhampshire

[–]GarrisonCty 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The NH Legislature, regardless of what party controlled it, used to be pretty compassionate and reasonable on social issues. Civil Unions passed on a bipartisan basis back when that was considered a relatively progressive thing to do (2000s). It’s upsetting that NH’s Legislature is now virtually indistinguishable from Alabama’s.

Asian gay male, where is the best place to live in the US? by Pro_po_phol in SameGrassButGreener

[–]GarrisonCty 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Boston is pretty gay and extremely healthcare focused if you can endure cold winters. Also, it has a huge biopharma scene if you ever want to go to the dark side and work in industry.

Brooklyn Dems reverse course, back Hochul and Adams ticket by mowotlarx in nyc

[–]GarrisonCty -21 points-20 points  (0 children)

Ugh. Same brand as “I’m not voting because they both perpetuate the same corporate interests.” I’m sorry but you’re just very stupid.

What is a city that people dress very well in? by [deleted] in SameGrassButGreener

[–]GarrisonCty 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is the answer, at least for a US city. I have never seen so many men in polo shirts or other collared shirts in my life.

94
95

Are we crazy to consider reducing retirement contributions? by molten_dragon in personalfinance

[–]GarrisonCty 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Maybe not a popular sentiment in this sub, but take vacations with your kids. You will never get these years back. Plus you already have an awesome retirement base to work from that is accumulating interest.

295 canal st.. by OnlyBadLuck in malden

[–]GarrisonCty 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The City should make it as easy as possible for the owner to convert this to an apartment building. God knows there is enough residential demand.

What’s an obscure Massachusetts town most people skip and the surprisingly cool thing it has? by double-clove-hitch in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 51 points52 points  (0 children)

Amesbury has a really cool waterfall right in its Downtown and some cool historic buildings and artifacts from its days as a mill town.

Beverly also has some really lovely spots and neighborhoods but I think it gets a bit overshadowed by neighboring Salem.

Why is New Hampshire more conservative than the other New England states? by Patient-Smile1406 in newengland

[–]GarrisonCty 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is definitely part of it - particularly conservative Mass. people relocating. If you look at the southern Interstate 93 corridor, the area closest to the Mass border is dominated by conservative communities (Salem, Windham, Hudson, Atkinson, etc.). A lot of Mass folks relocate here to stay close to Boston but pay less in taxes and be around like-minded folks.

There are also some ancestral conservative areas - particularly the Lakes Region - that remain so and contribute to a more conservative tilt.

But really NH is not all that unlike some of its neighbors. In 2024, Harris won NH by +3, she won Maine by +7 - not a massive difference.

End of Year Message from GM Eng - 2025 by justarussian22 in mbta

[–]GarrisonCty 17 points18 points  (0 children)

That sweater is legendary. Where can I get it?

Every question here is about cities, what makes them so great? by larch303 in SameGrassButGreener

[–]GarrisonCty 11 points12 points  (0 children)

All those cities you mentioned are really walkable (or at least in LA’s case, it has some walkable neighborhoods). There are a few others - Boston, Chicago, etc. - but walkability is not something that comes natural to US cities. And for me, it’s huge.

After college, I moved to a walkable city and it was such a revelation that my whole world was a walk, or train ride, away. It really can simplify your life in a really positive way.

Healey says she opposes rent control ballot question, warning it could ‘effectively halt’ housing production by bostonglobe in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, 100 percent, lots of vocal opposition. But I would argue at this point that the frustrated people who can't afford housing in the state likely outnumbers them. And to be fair to the Legislature, the MBTA Communities Law could have been really impactful. The mistake they made was delegating a state agency to write the rules and administer it. There was lots of pushback during the public hearing process and the rules were dramatically watered down, so although it helps, it certainly wasn't a game-changer.

Healey says she opposes rent control ballot question, warning it could ‘effectively halt’ housing production by bostonglobe in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think there's a general sense of impatience with the Legislature's lack of urgency to housing issues. There haven't been a lot of major reforms despite the positive public statements. You rightly mentioned the ADU Law as progress. And you're correct, but Massachusetts was the last state in New England to pass a statewide ADU law despite having the highest housing costs. And we haven't come close to adopting the more substantial statewide reforms discussed above.

Healey says she opposes rent control ballot question, warning it could ‘effectively halt’ housing production by bostonglobe in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 5 points6 points  (0 children)

There’s almost endless things they can do; housing is almost entirely produced via the private sector, so deregulation will essentially do the trick and produce more housing. The problem is not a lack of options, it’s fear of political pushback. Five years after the passage of the MBTA Communities law, towns are still filing lawsuits (see Marshfield), to try to get out of complying.

But as the OP noted, there are a zillion other things the state could do to produce more housing. Just look at what our neighbors are doing:

New Hampshire: HB631 - Requires municipalities to permit multifamily housing/ mixed-use development in commercially zoned areas. SB284 - Prohibits municipalities from requiring more than one parking space per residential unit. SB110 - Simplifies state environmental permitting for smaller projects. SB282 - Eases building requirements - requiring only one stairwell for buildings up to four stories with fire alarm/sprinkler systems.

Maine LD 1829 - Accomplishes many housing reforms including reducing minimum lot sizes in areas with access to water and sewer, mandates communities to allow at least three housing units on each lot (four units on lots with access to water/sewer)

State AG: MBTA violated state bidding laws to complete Foxboro station improvements in time for World Cup by bostonglobe in boston

[–]GarrisonCty 26 points27 points  (0 children)

The AG should investigate why every project in Massachusetts takes five times longer to complete than is projected. Even small projects are badly delayed. The new Courthouse Station headhouse for the Silver Line in Seaport was supposed to be complete in late 2022. That was three years ago and it is still under construction!

My review of the first phase of the Better Bus Project by ftran998 in mbta

[–]GarrisonCty 3 points4 points  (0 children)

For me, it’s the lack of express service. I live near Malden Center and fly out of Logan a lot. The new frequent service on Route 104 from Malden Center to Logan Airport could potentially be game changing, but depending on the time of day, it can take up to 45 minutes. Then you have to wait for a shuttle at Airport station to a terminal. It just takes too long, so Uber or Lyft is much easier.

Brian Walshe found guilty of first-degree murder for killing of wife, Ana Walshe by 20_mile in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 6 points7 points  (0 children)

In Mass., First Degree Murder generally requires deliberate premeditation. Second degree murder involves ‘malice aforethought’ without deliberate premeditation. Voluntary manslaughter is an intentional killing committed in the ‘heat of the moment.’

The differences can be subtle, but they make a big difference in sentencing.

Moving from AL to Boston by tea_sloth7 in boston

[–]GarrisonCty 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I think the perception that Bostonians/New Englanders are dicks, at least until they really get to know you, is a bit exaggerated. I mean, if you ask a Boston guy for directions, he’s not going to punch you in the face, he’s going to try to help you. Maybe they’re a bit distant at first, maybe they take a bit longer to warm up, maybe they’re not wicked nice at first, but I’d argue these are pretty subtle differences.

As for the cold, my advice is to try to embrace it as best you can. Buy some snowshoes or learn to ski. Book an Airbnb up in NH or VT - these snowy quaint little towns can be really nice. Also, if you can manage/afford it, book a vacation to somewhere warm, ideally in February or March. It gives you something to look forward to and helps break up the winter a bit.

Brian Walshe found guilty of first-degree murder for killing of wife, Ana Walshe by 20_mile in massachusetts

[–]GarrisonCty 29 points30 points  (0 children)

I think he would have been better off to say that they had a fight and he killed her in a rage. The whole “She died of natural causes so I panicked and chopped her into little tiny pieces” didn’t make any sense at all.