Doubting Thomas Blog

Archive for the ‘Buffalo’ Category

Today’s Buffalo News has an editorial encouraging readers to make a comment on the latest stage of the planning process of a new Peace Bridge. I’m commenting on the Peace Bridge web site, but I’m also encouraging people to consider the following.

I’m still waiting for someone to explain why Buffalo would want a new Peace Bridge. The reasons that I’ve heard so far are unconvincing. Here are a few:

1. More traffic. Buffalo will benefit from having more trucks drive through it.
2. More tourists. Buffalo needs another architectural feature to draw people to its West Side.
3. More jobs. Buffalo needs the jobs that would be created for construction workers.

Let’s start with the last one, jobs. Who gets these jobs, residents of Buffalo? I don’t think so. Bridge construction is a specialized field, so the men and women working on a new bridge won’t be from Buffalo. And won’t half of the workers be Canadians?

Next up, tourists. From what I’ve seen of the plans, a new bridge will only be able to be seen from the highway–the already chopped up Front Park will lose even more of its space. There won’t be any place to park near it and take photos. Also, let’s say that there were a nice place to stand and take photos of the bridge. Can anyone point out how that would be a positive impact, economically? Are they seriously expecting a huge increase in postcard sales?

Lastly, more traffic? Seriously, who thinks that would be a good idea? More trucks means more pollution. More asthma for the residents of that neighborhood. More accidents. More noise. Fewer homes. I’ve heard people say that those trucks will stop and buy stuff as they pass through Buffalo. How can people really think that? A trucker who just spent a couple hours waiting to get through customs is not going to find the nearest coffee shop and take a break. Not going to gas up, either. Show me the statistics of how many truckers are currently stopping for gas or coffee once they cross the Peace Bridge.

So, WHY is a new Peace Bridge needed?

Statistically speaking, the Buffalo Bisons are the worst team in the league right now. They have lost 47 of the 73 games they have played so far, which gives them an average of .356, which is 15.5 games behind the best team in the North division leader, the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees.

I have a proposal for sports teams. Instead of charging fans the same price for admission to every game, modify it up or down, according to how far above or below .500 the team’s record is so far this season.

For example, at today’s home game, every ticket is $7.00, no matter where you sit. The team is .144 below .500, so the price of each ticket is reduced by a factor of .144. Tonight’s tickets would therefore be $5.99 each. Tomorrow night, the most expensive ticket in the ballpark is $11.00. (I know! Isn’t that a deal?!?) If their record doesn’t change tonight (for example, they get rained out again), the ticket price would be adjusted to $9.42.

If the Bisons had the S/WB Yankees’ record of .568, the ticket price would be adjusted up by a factor of .068 to $11.75.

This provides a financial incentive for teams to play better and win more, and gives fans more incentive to come see teams that stink.

Go Bisons! Boo Yankees!

The boys and I rode down the side of the Erie Canal, on the wall that separates it from the Niagara River, to the end of the sidewalk. On the way back, I snapped this sunset photo.

For the ride home, I took off my sunglasses, and that’s when I really noticed how many little bugs are flying over the river and the canal. I kept getting bugs in my eyes, and so I tended to keep my head down a little to avoid direct hits. It also felt like little bugs were inside my bike helmet, biting my scalp. Yuck.

Normally about this time of year, I’ve already brought the bike taxi out of its winter hibernation, dusted it off, checked the brakes, tires, axles and everything, and brought it downtown to give people rides, but so far this year, I haven’t done that. NOT having a Sabres post-season (AGAIN!) has a little to do with that, but in general, I feel like April FLEW by this year.

At least we made it to one Bisons game so far, which last year… I hate to admit it!… but we didn’t get to a game all summer! And yes, it was a beautiful day, and despite the sunburn I got on my arms, my new tattoos, and my knees, and despite the Bisons LOST again! we had a great day.

I’d like to make it to at least one game every month this summer, but you know how it goes, when you’ve got your work schedule, the boys both have different baseball schedules, etc., it makes it hard. Plus we need to plan in a weekend to visit my parents out-of-state, go see my brother, my older sister, and my younger sister, none of whom have the common sense or kindness to move to Buffalo so that I don’t have to do all that driving!

Here comes May!

I already have my ticket for Greg Klyma’s show next Sunday night, and if you don’t have your ticket yet, I don’t know if you’ll be able to get one, because it should be sold out soon, if it hasn’t already sold out.