The even randomer thread

[ubkev]

Gerald Ford, who is one of two presidents who served with a last name that was not his last name at birth.

 

Who is the other?

Bill Jeff

[Sabres Fan in NS]

Bill Jeff

 

Hillary, who was going by Slick Willie?

[Eleven]

Bill Jeff

 

Yessir, born William Jefferson Blythe.

[spndnchz]

I somehow came across this twitter feed. Almost as hilarious as the Knights.

 

Lawrence Police‏ @LawrenceKS_PD Apr 17

 

Hey potheads planning to toke up on 4/20, stay off the road.

Stock up on Cheetos and Mt. Dew BEFORE you spark.

Saturation patrols to find drugged drivers to occur-

[Eleven]

 

I somehow came across this twitter feed. Almost as hilarious as the Knights.

 

Lawrence Police‏ @LawrenceKS_PD Apr 17

 

Hey potheads planning to toke up on 4/20, stay off the road.

Stock up on Cheetos and Mt. Dew BEFORE you spark.

Saturation patrols to find drugged drivers to occur-

 

 

awrence Police‏Verified account @LawrenceKS_PD Apr 17

More

If it's 4:45 on 4/20, and you get pulled over, and you got orange or red Cheeto dust on your finger tips, that's what we call "evidence".

[josie]

So, in stock photos, there is a lot of German content for some reason.

 

In German, "We are Searching for You!" is... Wir Suchen Dich! 

 

Indeed.  

[Stoner]

Eichel. Joe Camel. Richard Panik.

[spndnchz]

Silver door. Red fruit. White floor...

[inkman]

Something something penises

[Stoner]

Silver door. Red fruit. White floor...

Chuck?

[spndnchz]

Chuck?

:)

No I mean it’s really hard. Handcuffs turn me on.

[darksabre]

[Eleven]

Silver door. Red fruit. White floor...

 

Halfway decent scene but what was up with the egg?

[Randall Flagg]

John David Jackson can eat a bag of . 

[Stoner]

Halfway decent scene but what was up with the egg?

Google is not helping.

[darksabre]

I spend a lot of time thinking about the bountiful potential of Buffalo's East side. Land is cheap, so much of the old homes are cleared out that you could buy half a block with frontage on two streets for very little money. Taxes are low. There are undoubtedly people in these neighborhoods who would love to have jobs in those neighborhoods, or would love to have help starting businesses to serve those neighborhoods and employ some of their friends or family.

 

There's gotta be a point where white people are going to get sick of how crowded and expensive the suburbs and Elmwood village are and, finally getting over their fear of crime and minorities, start investing in the east side...right? 

 

How many more Dyngus Day invasions do we have to have before we decide that Broadway Fillmore is a place to build instead of visit? 

I understand this all sound super "white savior"-ey, but the truth is absolutely tinged by racism. 

The people who live there and who have always lived there would probably tell you they love it and hate at the same time, I think...

And that they wouldn't want someone coming in and developing them out of it...

But man. There's so much potential there. So much potential. 

[Taro T]

I spend a lot of time thinking about the bountiful potential of Buffalo's East side. Land is cheap, so much of the old homes are cleared out that you could buy half a block with frontage on two streets for very little money. Taxes are low. There are undoubtedly people in these neighborhoods who would love to have jobs in those neighborhoods, or would love to have help starting businesses to serve those neighborhoods and employ some of their friends or family.

 

There's gotta be a point where white people are going to get sick of how crowded and expensive the suburbs and Elmwood village are and, finally getting over their fear of crime and minorities, start investing in the east side...right? 

 

How many more Dyngus Day invasions do we have to have before we decide that Broadway Fillmore is a place to build instead of visit? 

I understand this all sound super "white savior"-ey, but the truth is absolutely tinged by racism. 

The people who live there and who have always lived there would probably tell you they love it and hate at the same time, I think...

And that they wouldn't want someone coming in and developing them out of it...

But man. There's so much potential there. So much potential.

 

If Buffalo's economy picks up enough, gentrification is almost inevitable.

[darksabre]

If Buffalo's economy picks up enough, gentrification is almost inevitable.

Right? I have to figure it is. I just wonder who will ultimately benefit from it. There's a great podcast series called "There Goes the Neighborhood" all about the pluses and minuses of gentrification/development in neighborhoods in NYC and LA, and it's fascinating just how double-edged the gentrification sword is. If the East Side does see a resurgence it seems to me that it can't be at the expense of the people living there right now. It would be nice if it could be by them, and for them. Rather than just white people coming in and opening up organic cookie shops and Starbucks and all that. 

 

It would be wonderful just to enable growth of what is already there by who is already there. 

[Doohicksie]

There's a pretty big swath of Fort Worth south of downtown called Fairmount.  Thirty years ago it was much as you describe the Broadway and Fillmore area; a few hardy souls got the area designated as a historic district.  Twenty years ago "urban pioneers" were buying homes among the bordellos and crack houses and fixing them up and started living there.  Ten years ago it was largely cleaned up with only the odd home that was still run down.  Today you're lucky if you can buy a home there under $200 per sq ft.  I guess my point is, yeah, gentrification is inevitable, but it will probably take a generation. 

 

Once it starts and gets a foothold, though, it spreads.  Fairmount is largely (re)built out, but adjoining neighborhoods are just starting the gentrify.  That's part of the strategy we used when buying our home:  it's in a neighborhood that isn't that close to Fairmount, but it's close enough that as the Fairmount prices shoot through the roof, South Hills (my new neighborhood) is still affordable, not too run down, and I think will eventually get swallowed up in the wave of gentrification which should keep home values stable-to-increasing and the neighborhood relatively safe and clean.

[Taro T]

Right? I have to figure it is. I just wonder who will ultimately benefit from it. There's a great podcast series called "There Goes the Neighborhood" all about the pluses and minuses of gentrification/development in neighborhoods in NYC and LA, and it's fascinating just how double-edged the gentrification sword is. If the East Side does see a resurgence it seems to me that it can't be at the expense of the people living there right now. It would be nice if it could be by them, and for them. Rather than just white people coming in and opening up organic cookie shops and Starbucks and all that. 

It would be wonderful just to enable growth of what is already there by who is already there.

 

It absolutely would be. The problem is, the potential business owners in these neighborhoods face 2 major, & sadly often insurmountable, hurdles: a lack of capital & a lack of business acumen.

 

Even when "lenders of last resort" are available (and they are available to a degree, particularly for entrepreneurs in impoverished neighborhoods) the lack of acumen tends to be overwhelming. In the last few years I've been more involved in this than I'd've expected & without getting into details (this isn't the appropriate forum for it IMO) have found that for myriad reasons, heartbreakingly, this is an extremely intractable & difficult problem to solve.

[darksabre]

It absolutely would be. The problem is, the potential business owners in these neighborhoods face 2 major, & sadly often insurmountable, hurdles: a lack of capital & a lack of business acumen.

 

Even when "lenders of last resort" are available (and they are available to a degree, particularly for entrepreneurs in impoverished neighborhoods) the lack of acumen tends to be overwhelming. In the last few years I've been more involved in this than I'd've expected & without getting into details (this isn't the appropriate forum for it IMO) have found that for myriad reasons, heartbreakingly, this is an extremely intractable & difficult problem to solve.

This is exactly something I've been thinking about. Like... What if there was a non-profit that employed accountants, business experts, stuff like that, who could help you manage your business, or teach you how to? You have experts who you can bring in to mentor the startup workers. Say I live on the east side and I don't have my high school degree but I want to open a bakery? I don't know a ton about baking, but the incubator has grant money to bring a bakery expert in to train me and a few workers, and a business consultant to help me with basic accounting, ordering supplies, etc.

 

I don't know. Just something I've been thinking on.

[That Aud Smell]

I spend a lot of time thinking about the bountiful potential of Buffalo's East side. Land is cheap, so much of the old homes are cleared out that you could buy half a block with frontage on two streets for very little money. Taxes are low. There are undoubtedly people in these neighborhoods who would love to have jobs in those neighborhoods, or would love to have help starting businesses to serve those neighborhoods and employ some of their friends or family.

 

There's gotta be a point where white people are going to get sick of how crowded and expensive the suburbs and Elmwood village are and, finally getting over their fear of crime and minorities, start investing in the east side...right? 

 

How many more Dyngus Day invasions do we have to have before we decide that Broadway Fillmore is a place to build instead of visit? 

 

I understand this all sound super "white savior"-ey, but the truth is absolutely tinged by racism. 

 

The people who live there and who have always lived there would probably tell you they love it and hate at the same time, I think...

 

And that they wouldn't want someone coming in and developing them out of it...

 

But man. There's so much potential there. So much potential. 

If Buffalo's economy picks up enough, gentrification is almost inevitable.

 

Seems like what d4rk was talking about, and Taro's reference to gentrification, are two very (very) different things.

[Doohicksie]

Does Buffalo have designated "Urban Village" districts or other Tax Increment Funding (TIF) districts?  Fort Worth uses a combination of those to help redevelopment efforts along.  Urban Villages are designated areas that are targeted for redevelopment, typically historic areas.  The city assists by putting in new infrastructure such as new plumbing, drainage, streets and sidewalks using TIF funding (a small increment added to property taxes that's restricted to use in the district where it was collected).  The citizen-run TIF board helps decide what to spend the money on.  The Urban Village designation might come with building codes designed to accentuate the existing nature of the neighborhood to project a sense of place within the community and to visitors.  Specific initiatives like the non-profits Dark refers to can help incubate new business in the area.

 

In Fort Worth, this is all funded by (as I said) TIF funds along with public-private partnerships and non-profits.  The TIF money provides the seeds that attract other investment.  It takes a long time and often doesn't work quickly, if at all (the Fairmount example above is the shining example in Ft Worth, but there are other TIF districts and Urban Villages that haven't been nearly as successful).  The trick is to make the given area attractive to visitors.  If there's an old-town feel or some other attraction (such as, say, Broadway Market), the locals need to make a concerted effort to make it easy for people outside the neighborhood to visit and enjoy themselves (the TIF district for Downtown Fort Worth does this by paying the city and some parking lots for on-street and lot parking near the central business district so parking is free after 6 pm, for instance).

 

Terry Pegula is largely concerned with downtown Buffalo from what I can gather.  It helps if there is a business or altruistic benefactor that can kick in money... which makes me wonder:  What happened to the money Ralph Wilson's wife donated from the sale of the Bills?  Is it in a foundation?  Could Broadway-Fillmore get grants from them?

 

If you get the right kind of people involved from the outset, and can garner some level of investment (possibly from outside the neighborhood), you can get these things going.  It takes a lot of dedication though, and as I said, it's not always successful.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Anordning

[darksabre]

Seems like what d4rk was talking about, and Taro's reference to gentrification, are two very (very) different things.

Hm? I think we're talking about the same thing. Maybe from different angles.

Does Buffalo have designated "Urban Village" districts or other Tax Increment Funding (TIF) districts? Fort Worth uses a combination of those to help redevelopment efforts along. Urban Villages are designated areas that are targeted for redevelopment, typically historic areas. The city assists by putting in new infrastructure such as new plumbing, drainage, streets and sidewalks using TIF funding (a small increment added to property taxes that's restricted to use in the district where it was collected). The citizen-run TIF board helps decide what to spend the money on. The Urban Village designation might come with building codes designed to accentuate the existing nature of the neighborhood to project a sense of place within the community and to visitors. Specific initiatives like the non-profits Dark refers to can help incubate new business in the area.

 

In Fort Worth, this is all funded by (as I said) TIF funds along with public-private partnerships and non-profits. The TIF money provides the seeds that attract other investment. It takes a long time and often doesn't work quickly, if at all (the Fairmount example above is the shining example in Ft Worth, but there are other TIF districts and Urban Villages that haven't been nearly as successful). The trick is to make the given area attractive to visitors. If there's an old-town feel or some other attraction (such as, say, Broadway Market), the locals need to make a concerted effort to make it easy for people outside the neighborhood to visit and enjoy themselves (the TIF district for Downtown Fort Worth does this by paying the city and some parking lots for on-street and lot parking near the central business district so parking is free after 6 pm, for instance).

 

Terry Pegula is largely concerned with downtown Buffalo from what I can gather. It helps if there is a business or altruistic benefactor that can kick in money... which makes me wonder: What happened to the money Ralph Wilson's wife donated from the sale of the Bills? Is it in a foundation? Could Broadway-Fillmore get grants from them?

 

If you get the right kind of people involved from the outset, and can garner some level of investment (possibly from outside the neighborhood), you can get these things going. It takes a lot of dedication though, and as I said, it's not always successful.

I don't think Buffalo does any of this but I could be wrong. The medical corridor maybe kinda?

[Doohicksie]

I kind of get the sense that Buffalo is where Fort Worth was about 30-40 years ago, in terms of renewal.  I largely see the finished product in Ft Worth.  I don't know how things like Urban Villages and TIFs were established way back when.  I would hope Buffalo leaders are looking around at other cities.  Buffalo has an upward momentum right now; it'd be a shame if it dissipated for lack of strong leadership.

 

I suspect the medical corridor had a strong investment motive from the hospitals themselves, and had fairly deep pockets in terms of having people to pull in outside money.  For a historic residential area such as Broadway-Fillmore, it takes more than a neighborhood association.  The city needs to set up structures that can facilitate redevelopment for that and other areas in the city.  If the city can set up the infrastructure to help things along, I think there could be a successful redevelopment.

 

I just remembered that my Ft Worth city council member went to some urban planning conference in Buffalo a year or two back and she was blown away by how beautiful the city was and how much historic architecture there was.  Buffalo's got a lot going for it.  Maybe the city needs an outside set of eyes to point that out to the city's leaders, and to suggest strategies for taking advantage of its... ummmm.... advantages.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Anordning