Mystery of Jesus Dreams Solved... kind of

Here is why you should go to CBID meetings. Look who one of our neighbors spied the other day. BOOM

So here is the scoop (hat tip to Mr. Owens who lives in The Holston), Ricky, the "artist", is actually some kind of religious zealot. Not sure if its a particular sect or something he just came up with, but this is psuedo-christian missionary work apparently.

 Now it gets interesting. Ricky puts up the "Jesus takes away bad dreams" and the other variations because #1 it is Gods message and he can put it on Gods property and since God owns everything he can put it everywhere. And #2... wait for it... the message itself is aimed at the Jews. Apparently a jewish person will understand this code language and perhaps be converted. Any of our semitically inclined readers care to comment on that part? Gentiles don't feel too left out, he has started a new line of all inclusive art (see the bottom right corner of the picture) a picture of the bible that says Jesus loves you.

So if you see Ricky around putting up posters feel free to call the police as he is defacing public property, and generally being a creeper. The things you learn by going to the CBID residents meetings.

Also the Pol has been nominated to be one of the CBID board members representing the residents downtown. So all you property owners please vote for Cullin Spellings or assign him as your proxy for the June 25th meeting. You'll be getting your ballots in just a few days. Thanks!

A Win for Urbanism

Forgive my absence, fatherhood takes its toll on a young man.

 That said, I want to defend the indefensible. I am a supporter of Walmart.

 Now before you attack me let me add my caveat. I am a supporter of the Fulton Bellows project and I'll tell you why. For years we have been talking about how people need to look back to the center city for living and working. That sprawl is not the inevitable, much less the desirable goal of city planning. How we long for businesses, stores, retail, grocery, etc. to move back in to downtown bringing with it that density that adds so much flavor to life.

 Well, its time to declare a partial victory.

 Walmart is a suburb store. The epitome of what we look to as the problem. Walmart buys up 20 acres of farmland, throws up a store and with 6 months there is a Chili's, McDonald's, 2 strip malls, Advanced Auto and 19 subdivisions full of throw away houses. Yes they are part of the problem, but they are the worlds largest retailer, they draw people out of the city center and now they are coming back in.

 I recently had a conversation with a friend who went off on having a Walmart move in near campus. He is convinced that it will destroy businesses in the area. Lets grant the possibility, though I'm not sure what retailers on the strip will suffer. He argued that people who would shop at Just Ripe and The Market would now just go to Walmart or the new Publix. Again, that may be marginally true, but people are already doing that. I shop Kroger weekly, it's just a must do. So do 95% of everyone else.

 And here is the core of my argument, people are going to shop the big retailers, because its more economical. It just is. But by companies like Walmart and Publix taking a non-standard site that would be vacant and blighted, trying out a new location and a new model and in turn keeping more people close to town I see as a win-win. This is something to be looked at as a positive development as a sign that our overall goal of bringing life back to the high density areas is well under way.

Congratulations Knoxville Urbanists, you are having a bigger impact than you thought.

Lights out for an old friend

How does one say goodbye expost?

Two weeks ago I was enjoying the Big Fix, a side of deep fried corn on the cob, and a cold Knoxville Corona, not a care in the world and without any hint of there being trouble in paradise.

Backroom BBQ is dead, and along with it my hopes for a quadruple bypass by the age of 30.

I've tried to come up with poetry, perhaps write a dirge or an aria, maybe some grand bit of prose to be worthy of the place that captivated my tastebuds imagination for so long.

No more horseshoes, no more bad pinball machines, no more watching socially inappropriate man-tv in mixed company. Backroom was a place I could go on a budget and be filled. It also had the best brisket in town. (No arguing that point here, it's impolite to speak ill of the dead.)

I'm really going to miss Backroom BBQ, it was a go to place for visitors in Knoxville and now its gone. If anyone has some words of encouragement this sad and hungry blogger covets them.

Cue Semisonic.





(Apparently Patrick Sullivans is also closed, honestly i only sat there to eat backroom when the bar side was closed and apparently the guy who ran it was a crook, at least in conjunction with the musical acts. Or so I hear.)

I'll take that beverage to go

I have a proposal that has probably been proposed before, but I'll go ahead anyway.

I think it's time for Knoxville to seriously begin talking about travelers, and when I say travelers, I'm talking about a disposable cup full of the beverage of your choice which you can take from bar to bar.

The first time I experienced the beauty of the traveler, I was in Savannah, Georgia. The architecture, the Spanish moss, and the overall quaintness of the town was enough, but then, while at a bar, my friend suggested we buy a beer to go. My mind was blown. It was magical.

Some of my favorite memories are of popping open a bottle of wine next to an outdoor fountain with friends in a different country. It would be so nice to do the same here.






















This is exactly what it would feel like!

Today, I live next door to a guy that moved here from New Orleans, so we've been talking about it more because they have open container laws there. I'm not suggesting Knoxville try to be another city. All I'm really saying is that I want to walk outside with a beer in Market Square on non-festival days.

We are traditionally a conservative city, I know, but an open container doesn't have to mean public intoxication. We have police to regulate that. I think it could mean more business downtown, however, which would be a great thing.

So my proposal is that we get this going in Market Square and see how it goes. You say we need cleaner air and to take care of the homeless? Of course! But might I also add to the list that we need more beverages under the sun.

Bridge Meeting, Be There

Quick update.

Remember there is a meeting about the future of Henley St. tonight at 6PM at the Community center. It would be great for anybody who is interested in the future plans of what Henley will look like to be there are as a sign that we would like for there to be real change and for a highway not to be running through downtown.

Also, please let anyone who has been impacted negatively by the nighttime construction know about this so that there can be no more lame excuses about how no one complains.

If you can't go, please call City Councilman Nick Pavlis 579-2055 and let him know your thoughts about Henley.

K thanks hope to see many of you tonight.

Irresponsible, Incompetent, and Deadly

Updated 01-26-11 10:30PM

A tragic event happened this morning in my back yard. A man died while working construction on the Henley St. Bridge. Though there are no details that will be released for weeks I think that the evidence points to the fact that TDOT has picked the wrong company to do this construction.

I went to one of the original meetings about the Henley bridge several months ago before a contractor had been picked. My biggest concern was the noise and potential impact on my quality of life as my building sits at the foot of the bridge. I asked the man who was in charge of picking a contractor if night work was planned, he said no. He lied.

I and my neighbors and others in Maplehurst were lied to as well. The construction and jack-hammering goes on from 10PM to 6AM. It is impossible to sleep without loud ambient noise and the sleep is fitful at best. There is no work around for that kind of construction. There was no consideration given to the hundreds of people who live literally next to it and apparently there was little consideration given to those who were working on the bridge.

The company, Britton Bridge LLC, which apparently can't be bothered to set up a website, has been in business for 10 years. I'm not privy to the details of the bid, my wife called over to complain about the noise and was told, in so many words, that speed was the most important thing.

It's time to stop this crazy pace. There is no need to have men operating heavy machinery hundreds of feet off the ground in the snow, ice, and pitch black of January. There is no reason to make people suffer for years, to make their home rattle all through the night, and to create an unsafe and untenable living situation.

Complaints can be directed to TDOT and their Bridge HQ on the south-side of the bridge at 865-577-6988. I'll follow up with some further details about noise ordinances etc., but wanted to make a firm statement after this tragedy that was a complete waste of a human life. Please call often to complain about this unnecessary push that has already cost one life.

I have hope for comfort for the mans family and hope for wisdom from the city.



Some video of our typical night

UPDATE

From my neighbor: 2 emails

Hi Mr. The Pol (that's how my neighbors know me - what?),

I just finished speaking to the TDOT of Knoxville (594-2400) and spoke to a secretary. I voiced my complaints and the woman was quite rude, shocking. She said she is aware of only one other complaint and that the construction is not in violation because of the type of contract they have. It allows the contractor to work at anytime of day in order to complete the project within 3 yrs. She then transferred me to the contractors office and I spoke with another woman. In any event, I was given the phone number of the office and a Mr. Jack Stout is reportedly the man responsible and overseeing the project of the construction. The number is 577-6988. The office was closed, possibly for lunch. I will call again later. As far as the city ordinances I found, here is the direct link.

I'm going to call city council again.


And the second email:

I left a message for Nick Pavlin (579-2055), the city council member responsible for the Henley St bridge construction. I was also told they will be having a city council meeting at the Henley community Center between Blount and Chapman streets, across from an old hospital? It's at 6 pm on Jan 31st.

Tomorrow could be a grim day for Knox County: The controversy of Midway

Since deciding to stay in Knoxville and make it my home, I've realized that I frequent West Knoxville less and less. You can call me pretentious (do it, I really don't care) because it's not arrogance that keeps me away but something more. As I grow older, I consider the things that are most precious to me, and as a result, discover the things I disdain. I know I risk sounding melodramatic here, but I think I've developed a chemical aversion to sprawl. (Sidenote: As you read this, please do not mistake what I mean for sprawl as progress. I am pro-progress, anti-sprawl.)

I can assure you, it's not just West Knoxville. I feel it each time I go home to Memphis and stay at my parents' home in the suburb Cordova. Back roads that were once surrounded by farmland are now rows of desolate looking cookie cutter houses, stretching for miles along treeless streets. It breaks my heart and makes me lose faith in the creativity of mankind, to see people's greed at the expense of beauty and living in quality environments. I wonder how we got here, creating places that are cold and characterless, that all look the same, from city to city. Places you can't walk around by foot. Places that only accommodate vehicles. The lofty idea of development- bulldozing land, putting up buildings in hopes to lure tenants all in the name of "stimulating economy" - has made our cities and towns identity-less.

***

Tomorrow, Knox County Commissioners will vote on whether or not to approve the proposed business park off the Midway exit in East Knox County. This has been an ongoing battle, as outlined by Jesse Mayshark in this week's Metro Pulse. If you haven't been following this very controversial plan, in essence, the Development Corporation of Knox County wants to build a 300+ acre Industrial Park in East Knox County off of I-40 at the Midway Exit. Pam Strickland of the News Sentinel writes about the problems with the plan here.

This area of mostly farmland happens to be relatively untouched, a beautiful place unscathed by development. Many Knoxvillians don't want it to be developed, especially the people who have called it home for generations.



I decided to take a drive out there yesterday to take some photographs. I wanted a fresh reminder of what is at stake here for East Knox County. It's true, there is nothing there but farmland, rivers, and homes, farmhouses, and barns on stretches of land. There is nothing commercial or sprawling about it. Not yet.





So why put a business park here? Essentially, the Development Corporation bought the land for too much money in a supposedly shady business deal and are proposing this business park in order to make back the money to cover their asses. They say it will bring in thousands of jobs, but they don't even know what business will occupy the space much less how many jobs it will provide.






















The Development Corporation masks their greed by promising that the business park will incorporate parks and natural spaces and that it won't result in a domino effect of sprawl, but everyone knows that within a few years, gas stations will pop up, fast food restaurants, and the subdivisions to "sustain" them. East Knox County will be on its way to looking like West Knoxville, and I cannot think of a sadder fate for such a beautiful area. It is a gem, the kind of place that makes East Tennessee East Tennessee- Seven Islands Wilderness, the French Broad River, and expanses of farmland as far as you can see are all there.



What is even more frustrating is that the Development Corporation has been sweeping their already failed industrial parks under the carpet and won't consider using locations in Knoxville that are already vacant and perfect for commercial use. They say they need the acreage on Midway or else their plans won't succeed.



Tomorrow, the Knox County Commission will vote on whether to pass the plan or not. If it passes, it will be a dark day for not only residents of East Knox County, but all of those who oppose the plan across Knox County. Either way, I hope it will motivate a call for bigger and more organized movements to sweep across our county to protect the precious and beautiful land that makes Knoxville special and unique and to think of better, more creative ways to stimulate our economy.



Addendum added 12/13/2010: The vote by County Commission that was scheduled for today has been postponed due to inclement weather. It has been rescheduled for December 17, 2010 at 4pm. IF YOU ARE AGAINST THE PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL PARK AT MIDWAY The French Broad Preservation Association asks you to show up at 4pm at the City County Building to show your County Commissioners you don't want your tax money to be spent on it. See you there. -B

Why Not Knoxville?

OK sorry to double post, but I have to put this up as well.

I'm not usually one to discuss national issues on this blog, but I think Knoxville has a chance here to be of some good use to our president/ fellow citizens.

See articles here, here, and here.

Here is my basic premise. If we are going to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (9/11 mastermind) in Federal Court, but don't want to try him near NYC I say we try him in Knoxville.

We have a Federal Courthouse right here in downtown, we are far away from NYC, and we do not provide a high profile target for other terrorists.

On a more selfish note, I would love for the Federal government to pump $100 million plus into Knoxville for this trial each year. Imagine how much business would be driven into downtown at a time where we could really use an influx of new patrons to support the new businesses and residences that are coming on line.

Knoxville would benefit and the country would benefit, it's a win-win. I hope Bill Haslam (who is following the Wigshop on Twitter) sees this and pushes for it.

Read on for the other post I wrote today, which is also time sensitive.

to hen, or not to hen

There's been a growing movement in Knoxville that might surprise you- to raise chickens legally in one's backyard. Many of you might not realize that raising chickens is illegal in our town. Fewer of you might know that this doesn't deter many Knoxvillians from doing just that. Lo has pointed out at least three coops that you can see from his back patio. A co-worker tells me she wakes up to rooster crows down on Sevier Ave.

Now, with the "Urban Hen Coalition" some of our townsfolk are seeking to make what's already happening nice and legal-like. And, improbably, our leaders are listening and testing the water. Nick Pavlis, the District 1 councilman, has joined the interweb era and actually has a poll on his website asking whether or not hens should be allowed in the city.

What do you think? Go tell Pavlis at his fancy website. As for me, I'm gonna start shopping around for a head-chopping block for my backyard.

Let's Talk about Henley St.

As you may have read in the Metropulse this week, there is a plan underway to repair and expand the Henley St. bridge. Jack Neely did a great job so I'm not going to rehash the same stuff he said, or at least I'll try not to, but I am going to discuss my perspective on it.

I live at the base of the Henley St. bridge, look out over it every morning and listen to the traffic on it every evening. the one consistent issue I notice is the speed with which people travel across that bridge. They treat the strip of road between Blount Ave. and Summit Hill like a drag strip.

Speaking with my neighbor (Brian Pittman who was quoted in Neely's article) it came to light that very few people even know they have options when it comes to the coming construction. Knoxvillians aren't simply obligated to expand Henley into a 6 lane speedway. I want this post to be a bit of a forum for others thoughts about the entire future of Henley and what type of traffic situation we think would be most conducive to our community.

I'll propose one idea. Having just come back from a trip to the British Isles I have once again come to appreciate the beauty of the round about. It keeps traffic moving smoothly while slowing drivers down considerably. I think Knoxville should install a roundabout at the intersection of Henley and Blount Ave. Just on the south end of the bridge. This would send drivers a signal that they are entering a residential, or at least mixed use, area and high speeds are not conducive there, plus it would ease the congestion that can arise during football games, rush hour, etc.

Hopefully, we can begin to correct the tragedy of separating the campus and Fort Sanders from downtown and start to bring the feeder neighborhoods back into the fold.

The city is moving in the right direction by encouraging TDOT to use bike lanes and more pedestrian. See the story HERE.

I'm glad to be back from the long break, looking forward to 2010. Much Wigshop love to everyone.

Being in a Pickle isn't so bad

On Wednesday, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Pickle Mansion.

John Haas, the owner, was our tour guide. He's in the process of rebuilding the mansion for his family by returning it to its original state of a three bedroom home. He's a landlord in the Fort and owner of the Fort Sanders Yacht Club, so I'm told, so it makes sense for him and his family to live there. I'm not sure when it will be done, but what an amazing home it will make one day.
He's owned the house for about three years now and has been busy fixing the foundation. This included removing extremely large and incredibly heavy water containers (I don't remember the technical name of them) without making the whole house collapse. The stone work is gorgeous on the ground level. He showed us several archways he's had to rebuild.
From what he said, it sounds like the foundation is set, and so he'll finally be able to move on to the second and third floor, which, of course, is all necessary for the installation of the roof. The damage that was done originally by the fire and over the past six years by water is extensive. I finally realize what a task he has taken upon himself to fix the Pickle Mansion. Calling it a labor of love is an understatement; a labor of insanity is more accurate.

I didn't even know before visiting how the fire six years ago started, but I learned that the mansion used to be split up into several apartments. Supposedly, one of the tenant's girlfriend had just broken up with him, he couldn't pay rent, and as a result, was asked to vacate his apartment.

Shortly after his eviction notice, his neighbors heard him come in, make a bunch of noise, and leave. A few minutes later, smoke was coming out of his apartment. His neighbors tried to break the glass on the fire extinguisher to find it was not glass, but lexan, an unbreakable material. The landlord had replaced the glass with lexan because his tenants had (gotten drunk and) broken the glass one too many times.

The neighbor beat the encased extinguisher until the whole thing fell on the ground. By then they had to leave because the fire was spreading.

All this is hearsay, and the disgruntled tenant was never convicted. It could have all been an accident. All we know now is that John Haas has his work cut out for him for the next decade or two. I hope he finds it within himself to keep going, and to invite me back over when it's all said and done.

Weekend Editorial

Well I've been pretty silent recently on affairs political (excepting of course red light cameras which is not a political issue but moral), but today that changes.

This latest dust up about Bill Lockett, the County Law Director, and whether or not he should step down has flared up my anti-dual government system again. It's just the latest in a long list of examples of how this inefficient and unnecessary system creates unneeded distractions and drama for the people of Knoxville

I've run for county commission as some of you may remember. I took 3% of the vote in the 1st district as a write in candidate and was involved in a number of debates. During that time I discussed my desire to see a metro style government develop in Knoxville. Here again is more evidence that this should be the case.

First it was the ousting of county commissioners because of the sunshine law, then removing the appointed replacements, then it was Mayor Ragsdale and p-cards, Now it's the Law Director and taking money, could someone please tell me what these people do for us besides create scandal.

While running for commission I tried and tried to find out what county commission did that was so important, I never could find anything. We're paying for them to cause problems, as best I can understand it, and I cause enough problems in my own life that I feel I don't need to pay others to do the same.

The reality is, the city government does alot more real day to day governing, and alot less dramaticizing. One system works the other doesn't. Let's please grow up and move on ahead with the business at hand and let these clearly irresponsible people go back to only being irresponsible on their own time, not ours.

There, now I've said my peace.

Fun with Stencils!

Hey, are you interested in an exciting career in art? Want to make your 'mark' on the world? Well create a stencil and any urban landscape can become your canvas! 

Seriously, I like these little fellows, but a note to the artist: less is more! One 'installation' per block is probably a bit much.

bars and churches

Following up B's post about her secret building crush... Apparently the Flynn Paint building is being renovated into a bar and restaurant called "The Hill". They haven't opened their doors yet, but controversy is brewing.

The Muslim Community of Knoxville (a local mosque) is 191 feet away. Why is this a problem? Certain local laws, a legacy of our prohibitionist past, states that no alcohol serving place can be within 300 feet of a place of worship. Bureaucracy has kicked in- the city regulates beer permits, the state issues liquor licenses. The city has chosen to wait and see what the state does, however it would seem silly to not let beer be sold where liquor and wine were permitted. The restaurantueur, Trevor Hill, seems unconcerned. However, the mosque is against having alcohol so near to them. Potentially, a precedent might be set if the state issues a liquor license that would overturn our local law.

From an urban standpoint, a new business at 11th Street and Western Ave. would be welcome. With the Valarium nearby, the no man's land between downtown and the inner neighborhoods seems to be filling in with activity. I understand religious places not wanting what they consider immoral activity close to them, but this is a city. Living in an urban context often means living near a lot of people who are not like you and dealing with it. To that point, is legally segregating certain lifestyles within the city moral? Hopefully as we live beside each other and learn from one another, maybe we'll see that such laws are no longer needed.

Is keeping alcohol away from churches important? What are the pros and cons of separation? What do you think?

Updates on Cherries and the French Market

This is all according to the MetroPulse:

The French Market, which was opened recently by Allen Tate and located on Gay Street, is being kicked out of the Farragut Building. A California company bought the building recently and just told him he has until early next year to get out.

Apparently the business was doing well. I still haven't been, but definitely intended to.

I haven't heard any news about it recently, but Tate is hoping to fight the eviction because he signed a five-year lease.

Also in regard to Cherries Internet Cafe: "After being open for a few weeks, the cafe closed in November. Affordable Home Builders, a contractor who did renovations on the space, is suing the business for $43,909 in unpaid bills, according to court records." --MP

show your support

Print this out and tape it to inside of your car window if you support swimming in Knoxville's quarries. Maybe if we get a movement behind this, we can afford sticker paper. Remember, nothing sticks it to the man like a bumper sticker.

check out: legalizethequarry.blogspot.com

The Wheels on the Bus Won't go West Anymore

OK Time for a good 'ol fashion smack down on a bad idea that is being discussed.

READ HERE

Long and short, the city and KAT are looking at killing off a few bus routed to save money. Why is this a problem you ask? They want to kill off the West Town Express and the Farragut Express. Hmm, on the outset one might say oh well the burbs don't really use the bus that much, so why worry, let it go, won't effect me.

Wrong. By removing these lines all Kat is doing is further dividing this city along socioeconomic lines. Much like what happened when 40 plowed though town, making it nearly impossible to get from gay street to Mechanicsville without a map and compass, killing off of the bus lines does nothing but encourage those in town to stay there and those out west to continue cutting themselves off from the rest of us.














(Make the buses like this)

Instead of reducing the number of trips available to people, the bus routes need to be increased, the equipment updated, and a serious effort to make public transit a viable alternative to everyone. The Farragut express already services 17,000 plus riders already this year, proving that there is a demand.

My wife has ridden the bus out to Cedar Bluff several times and has enjoyed it. I would ride it except the infrequency of trips mean I would be out at work 1 hour early (which doesn't seem like a good idea to me). Soon, though, I may not even have the option.

Let's increase the number of park and rides, lets paint the buses red, update the system, and make the timing more reliable (as that has been my wife's complaint). It's time for an increase in service to open up the city to everyone instead or sectioning us all off further. And believe me I know buses (yep that's my old man)

Write-In Spellings

misguided tree huggers

Anyone who has walked by the stage end of Market Square this week has probably noticed that many of the trees along Wall Ave. have been removed. I was dismayed on Monday to see mulch where nice old trees used to be. The bulging blank beige wall of Gus's Restaurant was exposed and one of the most traveled sidewalks in Knoxville (most people come out of the parking garage here) was made a lot less pleasant.

Last night fluorescent colored posters showed up on Gus's wall condemning the murder of the trees and quoting Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi"- They paved paradise and put up a parking lot. I strongly suspect that Trustafarians over at Mama Jan's were behind it. They were little over the top (let's protest something...), but I agreed with them in spirit.

So what's the deal?

"They" turned out to be the City Arborist, who knows more about trees than the average tree hugger. It turns out that the trees in question were 20-year-old Bradford pears. Bradford pears, the darlings of suburban development, are to trees what pugs are to dogs. Cute, but genetically inclined to not do so well later in life. After two decades Bradfords give up and start dropping limbs. Not good for trees next to busy city streets.

We can all rest easy, though. The powers that be of Market Square have informed me that the City Arborist will be replacing the trees with Red Maples. Maples, unlike Bradford Pears, are robust trees that grow tall and shady and can last centuries. So let's all do some research before we start protesting, shall we?

an open letter to "Anonymous"

Speaking in the editorial "we":

As our unbridled popularity increases, I'm sure we'll see more West Knox readers here at the blog. The infamous "anonymous" posts on Friday ignited a firestorm in the comments on an otherwise whimsical post. So let's talk.

Dear "Anonymous,"

We at the Wig Shop bear nothing but goodwill to our suburban brethren. It's not that we dislike you, we just dislike your unsustainable lifestyle. We don't hold it against you- most people over 40 were raised to believe that natural resources were unlimited, that Americans deserve to live however they want despite the consequences, and that personal happiness (read: convenience) is the best measure of a life well lived. We have our shopping malls and big box retail and cheap flat screen TVs. Everyone can be "middle class" with enough credit cards! That kind of Cold War era mentality gave us Knoxville's urban sprawl and our bad pollution. Again, we don't blame you. And we're not asking you to change if you don't want to.



We're just trying to do our part and get things heading in what we think is the right direction. Living downtown, buying locally, using cars as little as possible: all this has positive impacts on our area. We're not just a bunch of "faux hipsters" creating a subculture. We are the future of mainstream culture. We're trying to prove that normal people can live with less and still live good, fulfilled lives. As the price of suburban lifestyles continues to skyrocket, more and more people may start considering how an urban lifestyle could work for them. And we'll be here to help when gasoline hits $5.00/gallon.

So indulge us our few pretensions of elitism, and don't misinterpret it as hatred. It's not that Downtown is "sad." It's just that we want our city to be a great place, unique and weird, not "the place where America stops for gas." Which, when you get down to it, is what most sensible Knoxvillians want. "I just feel sorry for [downtown], because honestly it's kind of a sad place." We're here to say it's NOT. We feel that way about a place where you have to commute half an hour to see an pseudo-IMAX. So let's agree to mutually feel sorry for each other.

As a side note, I'd like say that I like to imagine "Anonymous" being Bill Haslam. I don't know why- something about "If I left my name, it'd only make you angrier" rang in my mind. Haslam!

Let's keep the dialog going. And let's keep it classy here at the Wig Shop: no name calling!

XOXO

Faux Hipsters