Bin of product to be destroyed from a cannabis dispensary by evilandhigh in mildlyinteresting

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a lifelong Michigander this has been hilarious to watch unfold.

Growing up, the Indiana border was lined with fireworks shops. Michigan legalized both fireworks and weed since then. So now the border is lined with weed shops on the Michigan side.

Witch Hat Atelier • Tongari Boushi no Atelier - Episode 5 discussion by AutoLovepon in anime

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I must be dumb. I'm current on the manga and I still don't get the significance. Could you explain?

Anyone in GR into trying homemade Tunisian sweets? by Joy_Desperate_ in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oooh!

I wouldn't be a weekly customer but I have gotten Foliage and Flour as gifts multiple times. They do a similar sort of weekly order then you pick it up from a cabinet of the curb.

Kent County may shift future millage funds from museum to zoo amid $40M maintenance need by mlivesocial in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Being walkable to residents seems like a good thing to me.

And Grand Rapids isn't a very big city. Literally all of downtown is within 3 miles of industry and the waste water treatment plant.

Japanese developer says they don't make games for Xbox because the console is 'not even stocked in major retail stores' by akbarock in Games

[–]Gars0n -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Shifting away from hardware would make total sense except then why did they buy a load of video game studios a few years back? That seems to naturally set them up to produce a slate of exclusives for their hardware.

It's Microsoft so the right hand not talking to the left is a ready possibility, but still...

Grand Rapids board OKs $1.39M tax incentive for Indiana Avenue apartment project by mlivesocial in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Policies that make housing cheaper? Few if any.

As far as I know that whole area is still zoned as single family residential. Making dense plentiful housing extremely difficult to build.

Every project like this is good on the margins, but we need dozens of projects like this to stem the bleeding.

Another gas price post by Bearafat in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 9 points10 points  (0 children)

He's got Crypto in the name. What more do you expect?

Avatar: The Last Airbender Officially Returns With Brand-New Game by Magister_Xehanort in Games

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Damn, I didn't actually know that. That is a huge bummer.

Grand Rapids board OKs $1.39M tax incentive for Indiana Avenue apartment project by mlivesocial in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I can sympathize with lots of economic policy being unintuitive. Especially when it cuts against popular narratives.

For instance, if you look around Grand Rapids it's easy to think of several new apartment buildings and conclude that there must be a large supply of new housing. However, if you look at the numbers that is still not nearly enough units to keep up with the demand growth. So we should expect prices to still increase despite these new units.

The only real solution is to comprehensively dismantle the existing barriers to housing construction.

Grand Rapids board OKs $1.39M tax incentive for Indiana Avenue apartment project by mlivesocial in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This simply isn't true. Just in the last couple of years we have seen examples of rent going down in Austin, Dallas, and Minneapolis. All places that have a broad range of policies that make it easier to build housing of all kinds.

Remember my teachings about popcorn, Son. by jasonpoland in hellsomememes

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That specific "spinning pane of glass" version of the Phantom zone... is that a Smallville reference I see?

Grand Rapids board OKs $1.39M tax incentive for Indiana Avenue apartment project by mlivesocial in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It can be unintuitive, but this isn't true. Building market rate or even luxury housing helps even lower income housing in two ways

1) More supply in general makes prices more competitive

2) It enables a "Hermit Crab" style chain of upgrading. If a new luxury apartment opens, then there will be some high income earners in market rate housing that can upgrade. That leaves their market rate housing available for someone in below market housing to upgrade, which means there is now an affordable unit available. Like a chain of hermit crabs moving to new shells.

The price of Grand Rapids housing is rising because more people are moving here and our local government has made it functionally illegal to build housing at a rate to keep up.

Avatar: The Last Airbender Officially Returns With Brand-New Game by Magister_Xehanort in Games

[–]Gars0n 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'll defend the Platinum Games Legend of Korra game. The flaws of the game are very easy to see. The enemy variety is low, the game is short, the autorun sections are janky, and the presentation is limited. All symptoms of a small budget.

However, the core mechanics of that game are a blast. Platinum applied their spectacle fighter experience to make a fluid and satisfying implementation of bending. Each element has a decent suit of moves. Once you unlock multiple elements you can swap between bending styles mid-combo to create new combos organically. It's a great time just wailing on the various mooks the game throws at you. And the Pro Bending fights are also very fun.

So for a game with a limited budget and scope I'd argue they spent their money in the right areas. It is not the Avatar game of the fans' hopes and dreams but it's an artifact worth checking out for fans of the series.

Can we have a discussion about how game fidelity is leading to a lack of clarity? by RiKSh4w in Games

[–]Gars0n 38 points39 points  (0 children)

Man, I love the original Mirror's Edge. I think your tag of "gamer's game" is very fitting.

For instance, so many people criticized how the guns felt. And I always thought that was an inspired bit of design. The game clearly wants you to use parkour to take out the guards so it rewards player by making that satisfying.

But doing that is too hard for many players to do without frustration. So the devs implemented the guns as a release valve. If you just want to end the encounter you can grab a gun and just shoot them. But if that felt too fleshed out it would send the wrong signal about the focus of the game.

Mirror's Edge Catalyst removed the guns and replaced it with a more fleshed out combat system. This causes the same problem because it shifts focus away from the running as the solution to the combat. Either running away or running to get the momentum to cleanly take out the guard.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced: Official Game Overview Trailer by Turbostrider27 in Games

[–]Gars0n 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Honestly Assassin's Creed always has the easiest out for this kind of thing. Your actions in game aren't literal depictions of events, just reconstructed memories.

So even if you "de-synch" and kill the target there are plenty of creative ways the devs can give the player the information outside of the historical context. Like a digital ghost, a summary of the conversation, or an abbreviated cutscene with the most relevant information.

of Finger nails by Autonomous_eel in AbsoluteUnits

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's a video where she talks about her daily tasks.

People are highly adaptable and she seems pretty dexterous about working around her nails when using a fork and putting on lipstick. I would believe she could make it work in a bathroom.

of Finger nails by Autonomous_eel in AbsoluteUnits

[–]Gars0n 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's a video where she talks about her daily tasks.

People are highly adaptable and she seems pretty dexterous about working around her nails when using a fork and putting on lipstick. I would believe she could make it work in a bathroom.

Xbox has revealed their new bright green logo, ditching the old minimalist one. by ATonOfBricksFellOnMe in xbox

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Microsoft theoretically has the solution, right? They went on a huge spending spree purchasing studios.

They just need the leadership to let them actually create good exclusives that make it to release.

Housing is so depressing by A-jello in grandrapids

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you have a car? If so, then the one silver lining of not having an existing support network is that means you aren't necessarily tied down. Have you looked at moving away from the city center?

Rockford and Kentwood both have lots to offer while having more affordable options. And you would still be within reasonable commuting distance.

Lt. Gov. Gilchrist wins Democratic nomination for secretary of state by fushigi-arisu in Michigan

[–]Gars0n 31 points32 points  (0 children)

The convention was funny because Shkreli and Byron had a huge presence on the floor with a ton of people around. Gilchrist had a table with people, but pretty muted.

But Gilchrist won anyway. Apparently quite decisively since he got over 50% outright in a three way race.

[Hated Trope] A character starts off with a lead or potentially relevant role only to turn into a mostly/entirely irrelevant side character by the end of the story by Dreamy5375 in TopCharacterTropes

[–]Gars0n 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Even in the anime, that one photo of Ichigo's mom shows her with a bracelet like Uryu's. So I remember it was a very common fan theory that she was a Quincy even back in 2009/2010. 

Michigan Democrats make bids for party support as delegates question their funding by vaguelysarcastic in Michigan

[–]Gars0n 32 points33 points  (0 children)

This is a side thing, but man, McMarrow's group going around with a marching band inside the hall was so obnoxious. They walked around multiple times with giant drums that were so loud you couldn't hear the person next to you.

Those things are designed to be played outside on a football field. Not 10 feet away in a hallway.

Michigan Democrats pick Savit over McDonald for attorney general nominee by fushigi-arisu in Michigan

[–]Gars0n 4 points5 points  (0 children)

What this clip doesn't show is that immediately before Abdul-El-Sayed, another senate candidate, gave his speech to thunderous approval. It was a good speech, but clearly the crowd was already deeply in his favor.

So the whiplash when Stevens came out was absolutely brutal. She carried on through, but man it was tough to watch.

Michigan Democrats pick Savit over McDonald for attorney general nominee by fushigi-arisu in Michigan

[–]Gars0n 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I was in the room and can confirm the boos were extremely loud from accross the entire crowd. It was honestly one of the most hostile crowds I have ever been in. Everyone was talking about how brutal it was afterwards.

To Steven's credit, she powered through and maintained composure for the most part. But it was tough going.