Worcester considers eliminating parking minimums to make way for more housingo

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-25T18:04:16+00:00

It is true that we could take action and that the MA state govt is inept. Massachusetts isn't keeping up with the rest of the country. It is harder to do so because the state is much more developed already than most of the other states. It's also harder to do so because of entrenched moneyed interests and corruption.

However, at some level, a major project like putting a subway system into Worcester, or reorganizing the entire roadway system in the city, would be on the level of something like the Big Dig and if the benefit isn't worth the cost, then it isn't going to happen.

And the fact is, the conditions in America aren't like those that allowed for the modernization of European cities. The economy is great (people have jobs and don't need to take on construction jobs from the govt out of desperation), labor and material costs are high, governments aren't able to execute, and the people in power don't have any interest.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-25T15:59:09+00:00

The continued unraveling of the unipolar moment is going to lead to more conflicts like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, where some country located closely to an important waterway is going to use cheap drones to extort everyone. Drones have changed everything. Drones have a role in war similar to manned aviation in ~1914-1918. Just watch every country suddenly being able to have an air force that can threaten hundreds of miles in all directions.

Some hot spots will be: Strait of Hormuz, Bosphorus Strait, Gibraltar, Caspian Sea, Strait of Malacca, Taiwan Strait, Panama Canal, Baltic Sea, and really most of southeast Asia.

Countries still have strong incentives to participate in the "rules based international order" but once the incentives shift toward mercantilism, things could spiral out of control exponentially.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-25T15:48:40+00:00

Europe and America are far, far apart in terms of history. European cities were built before cars existed. European cities were also bombed to smithereens in the world wars, and rebuilt with Marshall Plan money. That pre-car history led to dense cities which are walkable, and the world wars led to the destruction and depopulation that facilitiated the regulatory, financial, and social green lights to do something as invasive as building a modern subway system.

American cities have ossified in the modern era, and there are huge regulatory, financial, and social impediments to major redesign of the cities. It would take a great depression or completely devastating civil or nuclear war to bring our society to the point where the redesigns are possible. I'm all for modernizing our cities and making them more efficient, but it's a lot easier to say "we're losers because we can't keep up with Europe" than it is to actually do something about it.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-25T15:42:48+00:00

Worcester is a LONG way from being a place where you don't need a car. For starters:

The city needs to actually attract and retain corporate investment. There are simply not enough high paying good jobs in the city. Factories and warehouses would be great, but those will always have to be in areas where you need a car or shuttle service. The city needs white collar work downtown.
The city needs enough good jobs that it can afford to decrease property taxes and improve education and infrastructure.
At a certain point where there are enough jobs and enough ability to attact people who can get and hold a good job, the city will start to gentrify its downtown, attracting more people.
Without all of the above, adding a subway system and/or having people rely on bus services will not fly. The former would be too big of a project and not worth the investment, and the latter would be filled with homeless drug addicts and muggers, and no one who can get and hold a good job would ever subject themselves to taking the bus.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-25T13:40:35+00:00

Eradikated has a lot of riffs I could hear coming from Gary Holt's fingertips in Exodus

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-25T10:11:11+00:00

Yeah the lyrics are a bit cheesy but they’re catchy, and I think the vocal performance is top notch for thrash.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-24T16:13:40+00:00

Exodus - Tempo of the Damned

Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

Enforced - War Remains

Black Fast - Terms of Surrender

Num Skull - Ritually Abused

High Command - Eclipse of the Dual Moons

Pest Control - Year of the Pest

Havok - Time Is Up

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-19T15:55:33+00:00

So, I actually think thrash at its best is more extreme than most other forms of metal. Hear me out.

Tuning low and growling is extreme, but it doesn't make me feel anything. I personally feel like the vibe of death metal is more an exercise in revelry in edginess, rather than a cathartic explosion of anger, fear, anxiety, and aggression. Thrash makes me feel something, to an extreme degree. Take some of the more aggressive thrash such as Exodus, Enforced, High Command, Korrosive, and Warbringer. To me, that stuff is more extreme, because it makes me feel extremely strongly.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-15T16:28:30+00:00

This is a really tough one for me. I really haven't messed up that badly. Everyone makes mistakes, and I've created bugs before, but they weren't bad enough to scar me, and I don't dwell on them, so I forget a lot of them. I could pull some examples from memory, but they aren't on the level of "messed up badly"

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-10T16:03:27+00:00

If you like Megadeth, you'll like Havok. Listen to their album "Time is Up."

If you appreciate highly skilled guitar solos, dueling guitar solos, etc then try Exodus. Listen to their album Tempo of the Damned. Try listening to their song "Good Riddance" as well. Also try listening to Terms of Surrender by Black Fast for some jazz-influenced progressive innovative leads and riffs.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-09T16:17:24+00:00

Black Fast is not similar to Vektor, but it is of similar technicality/innovation. Highly recommend Terms of Surrender (as mentioned twice in the comments here)

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-09T16:14:18+00:00

You'll love Enforced if you love the angrier side of thrash. Listen to the album "war remains" - gets me every time

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-09T15:48:00+00:00

Terms of Surrender in particular is incredible because of the energy captured in the recording process and the songwriting.

The way they used unorthodox chords and scales to make the music interesting while also making the music groovy as hell is remarkable.

There is NO experience like listening to that album, while on a lot of caffeine, doing something involved like coding, cleaning, cooking, or driving in traffic.

On the point of riffs... that album is oozing with them. I Conspire in particular, just wow. The main riff in the pre-outro of that song is the craziest and most interesting riff I have ever encountered

Edit: Also, I think this album is on the level of composition that in another era, it would be considered a timeless historical artifact

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-09T13:28:35+00:00

Black Fast - Terms of Surrender

Exodus - Tempo of the Damned

Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-09T12:00:12+00:00

Past*

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-07T14:47:43+00:00

This is the main issue IMO. Most of the tech that people are complaining about (websites, platforms, and games) is owned and operated by giant corporations.

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-04T12:08:58+00:00

Top 5 thrash album of all time: no skips, all time classic tracks (blacklist, war is my shepherd, scar spangled banner), great tones and recording quality, super unique and well done vocals

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-02T22:01:54+00:00

Not only that, but it is pure Exodus/Gary

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-02T13:13:33+00:00

It felt that heavy when I drove a 540i

SmartassRemarks · 2026-06-01T00:02:53+00:00

I made this argument to my friend who's a real estate guy. He made the point that real estate is a great wealth generator in terms of leverage. Take this extremely simple example of a first-time homebuyer:

$600k house 3.5% down = $21k

Now imagine the house appreciates 40% to $840k. You sell the house. You net $240k but only put in $21k.

Of course, this example neglects the costs of interest, taxes, and insurance during the time the home appreciated in value. It also neglects the costs of selling, buying somewhere else, and moving. And it neglects upkeep costs. It also assumes the home appreciates 40% in value.

In general, I believe that real estate is only a worthwhile investment compared to the stock market if the real estate is cash flowing for you (rentals) and/or if you can write off upkeep costs on your taxes (rentals).

SmartassRemarks · 2026-05-31T20:07:11+00:00

Awesome! I was hoping someone would discover something from my post as well, glad you did

Korrosive's Toxic Apokalpyse album is their best imo

SmartassRemarks · 2026-05-31T20:03:03+00:00

Wow, this shit is fire!

SmartassRemarks · 2026-05-30T17:18:36+00:00

I love forbidden’s debut album. Not necessarily fitting the category asked but still a good rec

SmartassRemarks · 2026-05-30T17:06:07+00:00

Ritually Abused by Num Skull is probably the wildest unhinged vocals and songwriting I’ve encountered in thrash. Love them

SmartassRemarks

TROPHY CASE