In New Albany, "One way streets are an infectious disease being treated as if it were a chronic condition."

Kudos to the Bookseller for this excellent essay. With 2014 just around the corner, here's the takeaway:

Mayor Jeff Gahan and the New Albany City Council believe one-way streets are not that serious a disease and the we can “live with” a broken and discredited model of street grid.

It's fine reading as we await the official press release of the Opening Plenary Session of the 2014 Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Floyd County, which of course will be absent a substantive position but replete with flowery ssertions of future abundance.

Whatever. Now, go read Randy's piece.

One-Way Streets Are a Disease by NewAlbanyBooks

Think of New Albany as you would a human body. As much as we might like for it to be restored to its prime of life, there are physical aspects of the city we cannot control or change. A city does age.

But like a man or a woman in maturity, New Albany might just want to forestall the aging.

Humans die. Cities, properly managed, do not.

One way streets are an infectious disease being treated as if it were a chronic condition.

One-Way Streets Are Not a Chronic Condition

Halloween bash at Connor's Place tomorrow.

Wikipedia does Halloween (and no Gang of Four jokes from me):

The Festival of Halloween is a celebration of the end of the fertile period of the Celtic Goddess Eiseria. It is said that when Eiseria reaches the end of her fertile cycle the worlds of the dead and the living interlap. This happens on October 31. Masks are worn to show respect for the Goddess Eiseria who, like most Celtic deities, does not wish to be seen with human eyes. The day also preceeds All saints day, which was at first the celebration of the start of a new cycle of fertility for the celtic Goddess Eiseria. Couples incapable of producing children thus tried their luck on All saints day.

Fast forwarding to the present, the on-line information resource adds:

Trick-or-treating may often end by early evening, but the nightlife thrives in many urban areas. Halloween costume parties provide an opportunity for adults to gather and socialize. Urban bars are frequented by people wearing Halloween masks and risqué costumes. Many bars and restaurants hold costume contests to attract customers to their establishments. Haunted houses are also popular in some areas.

No Admiral Bicknell haunted house jokes from me ... although the combination of Halloween, masks and Professor Erika's haunted word processor is almost too good to pass up.

Anyway, it's the perfect segue into this reminder that on Wednesday, October 31, there'll be a Halloween bash at Connor’s Place. NABC beers are on tap, bar owner Dave Himmel is encouraging costumes, and NABC's own musical brewer Jared Williamson and his longtime collaborator Tommy Potts will be performing. It's all taking place downtown at 207 East Main.

You might even wear a half Groucho mask and a Hawaiian shirt, and come as "Dave Himmel." Here's an artist's rendition for use in planning your costume ... see you there.