If only we could take JP Losman’s talent…

and combine it with Trent Edward’s brain…

We could have one amazing quarterback and no discussion about a controversy.

Edwards is no doubt the answer but I’m glad JP is starting this week…like to see him get one more chance to really prove himself. He plays better with a chip on his shoulder anyways.

I’m still just trying to get over the fact that if Denver and Dallas had maybe 2 less seconds to play with we’d be 5-2. This team?! 5-2?! Hard to comprehend.

Too much to say about today’s Buffalo News piece on growing up poor in Buffalo. Please read it. I don’t know how you can’t be concerned about the future of city neighborhoods-there is no end in sight. And if you don’t feel awful for the people profiled you couldn’t possibly be human. Or a Buffalonian.

As I’ve said before…the third world is just a bus ride away.

No pictures from the inside but just some observations.

*In front of the lobby entrance to the Ballroom, heard one of the construction workers say to his co-workers “You know the Rockefeller Center. This part is gonna look just like it. Water fountain shooting up from below.” What used to be there was the continuation of the floor that leads to the steps but now starts from further below and a point for people to look down.

*A lot of the construction workers are in their late teens, early 20’s. Probably a byproduct of the fact that BSC Group is big on supplying their own cheap labor in their construction projects

*The new elevators look great

*The 1st floor is destined to be a decent retail center and Issa is certainly gearing it toward it. The 1st floor will be absolutely spectacular upon completion.

LOLcatz are sweeping the internets these days. I was excited to see one with an urban planning angle…

Pretty huge project announced yesterday in Rochester. As Spitzer tours cities across NYS announcing state committments to various projects, he announced yesterday that the state will demolish Downtown Rochester’s “Midtown Plaza”. A shopping plaza that has really been going down the drain for a while. To replace the shopping center will be PATEC’s HQ’s, bringing in “1,000 or so” jobs in a “12-35″ story office tower.

“It could be anywhere from a $40 million to a $100 million project for us,” said PaeTec’s chief executive, Arunas Chesonis. “We want restaurants, supermarkets, condos, apartments, all kinds of things [built around it], just what you would want if you’re in the middle of Boston or Austin or San Francisco.”

I must say that something about this project smells fishy on PATEC’s part. The vast range in estimates of job growth and building height are a little fishy. Also, there’s no need to tear down all those buildings since there is no market demand for it. In fact, the Midtown Tower looks pretty decent. All I can think of when reading this is Adelphia.

But if this does actually happen, its great for Rochester’s downtown. Buffalo has been getting all the awesome development projects lately, the ROC deserves a couple thrown at them too.

If you’re an architecture junkie you’ll probably love the exhibit going on at the Albright-Knox right now. A small but interesting collection of drawing from the likes of Libeskind, Gehry, and Neutra. The big piece of the collection is this huge spanning series of drawings of the World Trade Center master plan by Libeskind. Really fascinating to look at.

I don’t blog about politics. I’m neither democrat nor republican. But I’m watching the Daily Show and I heard Lynne Cheney say possibly the most insensitve thing I’ve ever heard on TV…

I paraphrase…

Cheney: We haven’t been attacked in 6 years. Thats a great accomplishment by the administration. During the Clinton administration we were still being attacked overseas between the 93 and 01 bombings.

Stewart: But terrorists have attacked Spain and England since 9/11.

Cheney: But we’re talking about American Interests.

Awesome.

Last Friday a few friends and I went to the “Party at the Plaza” event outside of HSBC Arena for the home opener.

Basically hundreds and hundreds of young people all clusterd together to stand in front of a large screen for three hours. And then go home…or somewhere not downtown.

And then the game ended. 18,690 people left the arena, hundreds left the plaza and all convened onto Main and Perry. With nothing to do in sight. The wait for the light rail was crowded beyond a DC metro stop at rush hour, and dozens upon dozens of people who didn’t want to wait decided to just walk up Main Street until they either reached their parking lot or a place to eat/drink. It was a warm night so we didn’t mind walking up to Chippewa and Delaware.

But thats not the point. The point is that the area immediately surrounding the arena should and has to be developed into a great place to hang out and spend time/money. And I don’t understand why it hasn’t been already outside of investors being deathly afraid to test an untapped market.

Yeah its cold most of hockey season, but if you give 18,690 people a reason to walk outside for 1-2 maybe 3 minutes to somewhere…they’ll do it. They walk just as far to the many surface lots they park on anyways. There is no excuse for Canal Side to not be a great destination of stores, restaurants, and entertainment.

Just wanted to make that clear.

I was excited about the Buffalo News embracing the concept of blogging when they released their new website, but for the most part-the blogging was dissapointing. However-they have revamped the page this fall/late summer and actually give us a sneak peek at the renderings by Flynn Battaglia for the rehab of the Genny Block.

The Buffalo News has some of if not the best access to these kinds of things…here’s hoping they share more of the goods like this more often.

When you own a dog or a cat, its important to lay newspaper around certain designated areas for them to urinate on. But its also important to lay newspaper down for when one of the many homeless/mentally derranged men get on board our fair light rail in Buffalo.

Because you never know when he needs to urinate in public.

The man just sat down on the paper…lifted himself from the chair and swung around for a bit, and the next thing you know…yeah.

This would/should sicken me. But I think I’ve taken the train so much that I’m not even surprised…just amused.

The man got up with a very peaceful smile upon leaving the train. Give him some credit, he used the newspaper.

My friends enjoyed it though!

I have a more detailed picture but I’m afraid I’d lose most of my readership if I put it up.