I’m in the paper again…
You may remember my last illustrious mention in TheO. Well this morning Miss Amy at the Mercury passed on a story about SE 82nd Ave (no, I won’t call it the other thing). Basically this article is talking about all the things on 82nd that are happening and improving and getting better. Yes, there’s still a few strip clubs. Yes, there’s still a LOT of car lots. Yes, there’s still that place that’s porn in front and escorts in the back. But there’s also Fubonn and the glorious new PCC SE Center.
But that’s not what TheO would have you believe. Here’s the last bit of the article:
But the efforts, rosy and otherwise, may fall flat for naysayers such as local blogger Banana Lee Fishbones, who dubbed the City Council’s 2005 resolution to nickname 82nd Avenue the “Avenue of Roses,” “putting lipstick on a pig.”
Turner has heard the sentiment before.
“It doesn’t make any difference what we do for some people; they’ll never get over their ideas of 82nd Avenue.”
So I get called out for something I said in a comment on a post that dieselboi actually authored. My next sentence was this: Maybe asking the people who live there what could be done would be a better use of their resources.
And if that one comment from FIFTEEN MONTHS AGO is a legitimate part of the conversation today, then I submit the following:
* Commenter Atlas calls SE 82nd “that repulsive and horrid stretch of earth”
* Rosarians do some gardening which includes the aside “too bad the rose will probably be stolen and hawked for meth…”
So how come those are not valid comments to point out? Because they are from last year and not 2005? Because quoting “Banana Lee Fishbones” is more interesting than quoting “Dieselboi” or “Atlas”?
FOR THE RECORD: My “perception” of 82nd (since according to the article, “Perceptions of 82nd Avenue are key,”) is that it is a street. It’s not the nicest street to drive down, but it has some nice spots, like a lot of streets I drive down. I have nothing against 82nd. I certainly won’t be first in line to extol its virtues, but it’s a street. I don’t think it’s “scummy” like the commenter in the article getting on the bus, and I don’t think it is inherently unsafe, or I wouldn’t live as close to it as I do. However, I do think a lot of it could use a powerwash and a fresh coat of paint. You could say that about lots of parts of Portland though. Here’s what else I think: Spending a bunch of money on a bunch of signs to call 82nd something else and planting some flowers so people feel better about it may not be the best use of those resources. Why not do what you’ve done in other parts of town? Give new businesses tax breaks to move there, make deals on new construction, make it tempting to build a new thing on 82nd. If perceptions are so key, then let people perceive actual redevelopment instead of some signs and some landscaping.
At least the O managed to use your online identity correctly instead of vaguely referring to bloggers or ignoring the source entirely:
http://www.blueoregon.com/2007/02/rules_for_journ.html
http://bojack.org/2007/02/uh_oh_5.html
Wow thats pretty lame! they should have at least emailed you. Although, this site doesn’t really provide anyway to contact you!
Greg-
That is sort of true. However in the author bios there’s a link to my personal site which will show you how to contact me. It isn’t impossible. They could have even commented on a post even if it was completely off topic! Anything at all would have been nice.
Well, you did say it and all. Er, write it.
admit it…you LOVE the recognition.
What anon blogger wouldn’t?
For the record…
82nd = Worst street in America
Lelo: I did say/write it. But I said it a very long time ago for one thing, and for another I wasn’t against development or improvement or change. I was against the name change which I still think is dumb. I stand by what I said when I said it in November of 2005, before a real push for improvement on 82nd had really started. Most of the article says “look at all the great things happening on 82nd, it’s so nice that all this stuff is improving” and then at the end a snarky comment from the tubes which isn’t even related to the stuff that’s happening now just seemed like bad form. I am FOR development. Hell, I’m even for Starbucks if it would make my neighborhood a bit more attractive.
ALN: I don’t love that recognition. If I was going to be recognized, I’d like it to be for the interview I did with NRK morning host Greg Glover, or the rant I did about illegal sudafed, or the discussion about a friend of mine who died, or any of the other thoughtful and interesting things I’ve posted here. I mean really, if you look at the last two mentions my O track record is pretty dubious. (:
Please Oregonian reporters: Recognize me for something great for a change! Party invites and bitching about 82nd aren’t things I want to call my mom and tell her I made the paper for. I’ll even write on the subject of your choice so you can quote me if you so desire. Let me know!!
wow banana, that last comment sounded a bit desperate! The guys at the O are probably all giddy that they are getting mentioned so much in the blogosphere. you gotta just forget about those old schoolers.
I miss the Stash and the Metal Shop, one stop shopping for Rush posters and roach clips.
82nd used to rock and its comin’ back!
Learn to love it.