darksabre

The Ralph Lauren suit I ordered from Riverside did have a vest option. I decided not to get a vest (first time ever), but I could have.

That's... Better than I expected. But not as good as I'd like from a supposed offensive defenseman. I wonder how that compares to a Karlsson or a Hamilton?

I know it sucks but I guess chalk it up as a good deed, right?

But that's all Risto really does. He eats minutes and caches in on secondary assists. If he's not eating minutes then why even have him and pay him?

Ain't no repairing rims.

I warned you bud. That was a tough game. Rask had a lot of puck luck tonight.

Wonder if Vegas just sitting around waiting for other matchups to end will be a problem for them. San Jose (it's gonna be, right?) is going to be ready to rock.

Chicken and egg for sure. I just think there probably is enough money in the east side to support small business, just not enough opportunity to do so, since starting those businesses is hard. Also, I always balk at the use of manufacturing jobs as a solution to employment problems. I feel like whenever someone says "there are going to be these jobs" they never turn up in the quantity or quality hoped for. It would be nice if manufacturing jobs really were part of the solution, I just never buy it.

Sabres Twitter would be 100 times better if I were running it. Guaranteed.

This would certainly make a difference, but how many of those jobs are there? It'd be nice if we were training people on how to run their own businesses instead of on how to work for wages for some company outside your neighborhood that doesn't care about you. I got on this train of thought the other day because I was wondering about black owned businesses and how the east side could probably use more than just a couple bars and corner markets. There are repair shops, a used appliance place, some clothing retail, but you'd think there could be more. These places certainly aren't supplying all the consumer needs of the east side. People still have to drive to Walmart or Home Depot or Tops. The backbone of east side growth should be neighborhood small businesses owned and operated by the residents. That keeps money in the community.

Hell yeah!

I think we're being a little hard on the definition of gentrification. At it's core it's just the middle-class-ifying of a neighborhood. It doesn't necessarily have to be wealthy whites moving in, but that's the form it certainly takes since white people in America also tend to hold most of the wealth, mobility opportunity, access to financial assistance, etc. But you are right that what Taro and I are talking about does differ a bit, mostly because I wish there was a better way to do the gentrification dance from within a neighborhood rather than from the outside. I'm trying to come at it from a different direction. I agree with him that it will inevitably happen. The east side will gentrify someday. In fact it strikes me as crazy, given the potential it is currently loaded with, that it isn't already happening. But we know why that is: the wypipo aren't ready yet. It'd be nice if it wasn't dependent on that... I guess I wish there was a way to get creative with the rebirth of the East Side. Do something different. Do it in such a way as to reward the people who currently live there instead of making them feel like it's not their thing, that they're just spectators watching as the white wave rolls back in. I know the east side is pretty poor, but you have to think there is more money leaving the east side than is staying in it (with respect to commerce), and that it could be tapped in such a way as to start that growth internally. One area where there is some growth happening is around Sycamore/Woltz where a Bengali Muslim immigrant population is settling in. I think it's great because that's the kind of fearlessness the east side needs. But oh my lord you should see the white people bitching about it on the Broadway Fillmore Alive Facebook. Gerry from Cheektowaga sure doesn't like that St. Gerard's is being turned into a Mosque even though he doesn't even effing live there.

Hm? I think we're talking about the same thing. Maybe from different angles. I don't think Buffalo does any of this but I could be wrong. The medical corridor maybe kinda?

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.

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.

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.

You just have to belieeevvvvveeee

If he can play half the season without getting hurt then fine.

I wonder what Buffalo's click bait ratings are? Do we click the bait more than the big cities?

I appreciate the tip on Get Dressed though. When I'm on a little more generous timeline I am definitely going to check them out. I bet I can probably get an even better suit there for an even better price, but I can't do wait and see right now for sizing. With the way I have to mix and match pants and jackets they might not work for me anyway. But I like the concept a lot.

Gangster does not equal "gangsta". Gangsta is a slang term born of 80s black rap and gang culture. It's a distinctly black term used by black people to describe other black people. No one has ever called a white guy "gangsta". So either you're racist or ignorant. Your choice. When you use slang, you better know the roots, unless you want to get called out.

I liked them. Nice place, not too overpriced. Very friendly service. They had what I was looking for. I was going to shop around but I figured I probably wouldn't be able to do any better anywhere else. I really like that they do the tailoring in house. They're going to call me when the suit comes in so I can get the pants measured and altered. I'm wearing a 42L jacket but need the width in the thigh of a 38 pant which doesn't come with the 42 jacket, so we had to order that combo.

Going with Riverside. Got a Ralph Lauren coming in next week and their April sale is $100 off. Tailoring free and in house. $357 total for a nice suit that I should have just in time for the first wedding on the 5th since only the pants are going to need alteration.

Yup, it's still there!