Frugal Upstate on a core concept of frugality: playing the hand you were dealt.

Everyone’s favorite punching bag, Richard Florida, gets a closer listen at CNY Ecoblog. (I wonder what Florida thinks about playing the hand you were dealt…) Quote:

Florida’s contributions to urban planning and economic geography are undeniable, but some of his ideas about the “creative class” and mega-regions have just always rubbed me the wrong way; and I’m never exactly sure why. But listening to him yesterday finally brought into focus what bothers me the most; its this perspective that a city or region is like a economic commodity that can be “purchased” like a car – used up and thrown out when it no longer suites our needs. There is an inauthenticity in this commodification of community that brushes aside the very real, existential commitments we have to our “place” in this world.

Syracuse Nostalgia is a blog focusing on North Syracuse and local mall culture, particularly Penn-Can Mall. Lots of links to old local news reports.

I-Saratoga covers Joe Bruno’s ride on the B.S. Express.

This guy is a Dutch student at SU who apparently works as a naturalist. If you’ve ever wanted to see our local birds up close and personal, he catches them and bands them, and takes good photos.

(By the way, did you know that starlings can talk? And on the phone?)