The building pictured on that meme isn't fast-casual, penny-pinching, developer-driven architecture at all.

Above, I've refashioned a meme about "fast-casual architecture." Before linking you to an explanation of the visual, below is the actual meme. Recently it went viral.

What makes the meme relevant to New Albany? Our fast-casual Break Wind Lofts at Duggins Flats, that's what. Can an interim executive director of public housing afford one of those units?

Ironically, the structure pictured in the viral meme isn't faux luxury housing at all. Rather, it's low-income housing for seniors in a neighborhood of Seattle.

Here's the rest of the story.

The Story Behind the Housing Meme That Swept the Internet, by Kriston Capps (CityLab)

How a popular meme about neoliberal capitalism and fast-casual architecture owned itself.

The Providence Gamelin House opened its doors in Seattle in 2005. It was built to offer safe, affordable housing for low-income seniors in Seattle’s Rainier Vista neighborhood. To occupy any of the facility’s 77 units, residents must be ages 62 and older and earn below 50 percent of the area median income for King County in Washington. Most of them earn far below it: The average annual income for Gamelin House residents is $11,000.

For more than a decade this permanent supportive housing facility has served low-income residents of south Seattle. It’s their home. But the Providence Gamelin House only came into its own at the end of 2017, when an architectural rendering of the project was compelled into service as a meme. Specifically, as a housing meme, which is its own bucket for signifiers of our slide into late capitalism.

The meme surfaced wherever memes surface and spread however memes spread—idk. Eventually it found its way to the desk of Timothy Zaricznyj, director of housing for Providence Supportive Housing, the person who now oversees this alleged gentrification nightmare. (In fact, he manages 16 affordable-housing developments in Washington, Oregon, and California.) Zaricznyj was not exactly tickled. “They chose the wrong project, if they want to slam developers,” he says ...

 ... The fact that this meme depicts modest affordable housing—not penny-pinching, developer-driven Fast-Casual architecture—even inspired a meta-meme backlash ...

 ... The original meme is a vague critique of “architecture by bean-counters” (of which Seattle does not lack for examples) and developers’ thirst for transitional neighborhoods. The Gamelin House was the work of Michael Fancher, an architect who designed affordable housing across the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s and ‘90s. But don’t blame Fancher: Affordable housing is subject to severe restrictions and even worse funding shortfalls.

CARTOON: Gahan Mach III ... or, daddy needs a brand new logo.

Thanks to DG for the idea.

Get it right this St. Patrick's Day: "How the Myth of the 'Irish slaves' Became a Favorite Meme of Racists Online."

Fakery of a different hue (and IBU).

The imminent arrival of Faux Irish Amateur Hour, sometimes called St. Patrick's Day, offers the ideal opportunity to dispense with a fake "fact" that I've seen far too much lately.

It bears repeating that the Southern Poverty Law Center is an excellent source of bona fide information on a variety of repugnant topics (racism, discrimination, white supremacists). To make the point, I'm keeping the pull brief. However, there's much more, so click through and prepare for a bout of head shaking.

online">How the Myth of the "Irish slaves" Became a Favorite Meme of Racists Online, by Alex Amend (Southern Poverty Law Center)

Briefly stated, what are the historical claims behind the “Irish slaves” meme?

It broadly claims that indentured servitude and penal servitude can be equated with racialized perpetual hereditary chattel slavery. It proclaims that an “Irish Slave Trade” was initiated in 1612 and not abolished until 1839, and that this concurrent transatlantic slave trade of “white slaves” has been covered up by “liberal," “cultural Marxist” or “politically correct” historians.

The various memes make many claims including (but not limited to) the following; that “Irish slaves” were treated far worse than black slaves; that there were more “Irish slaves” than black slaves; that “Irish slaves” were worth less than black slaves, that enslaved Irish women were forced to breed with enslaved African men, and that the Irish were slaves for much longer than black slaves.

This is then invariably followed up by overtly racist statements, e.g. “yet, when is the last time you heard an Irishman bitching and moaning about how the world owes them a living?” The “Irish slaves” meme is a subset of the “white slavery” contemporary discourse which emphasizes class over race and is fueled by a potent cocktail of bad history, false equivalence, conspiracy theories, and reductionist fallacies.

Scarlet letter? As New Albany hemorrhages jobs, we reveal Team Gahan's economic development argument.

(Reader Submission -- thanks)

I couldn't resist: Bernie or Hillary?

Your Saturday morning Coffey. I'll have mine black, like his record.

But my, how our DemoDixieDisneycrats love Dan's natural political orientation as one capable of harvesting votes from the seniors.

It makes perfect sense that the Floyd County Democrats would hire Comical Ali.

You'll remember Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf as Comical Ali (or Baghdad Bob).

He is best known for his grandiose and grossly unrealistic propaganda broadcasts before and during the war, extolling the invincibility of the Iraqi Army and the permanence of Saddam's rule.

Meanwhile in New Albany ...

ON THE AVENUES ENCORE: The Adamite Chronicles: Have muzzle, will drivel.

Hash it #gahanhypocrisy: A mayor who doesn't bother attending council meetings criticizes KZ for poor attendance.

ON THE AVENUES: No more fear, Jeff.

Here's the link to the Leadership Southern Indiana debate video.

Republican mayoral candidate Kevin Zurschmiede and I discuss the issues. It's an hour long, and worth your time.

Leadership Southern Indiana's New Albany Mayoral Debate

In the aftermath of the debate, much has been made about Mayor Jeff Gahan's absence -- and that's as it should be.

Baylor for Mayor: We're the "no excuses" team.

Hobknobb Roasting Company location on State Street is closed.

I'm not sure when the Hobknobb on State Street closed; I happened to notice the sign on the door while cruising past on Wednesday afternoon. The web site still lists it. The original Knobs location remains in business, and you still can read the owner's conservative "meme-a-day" postings on Facebook.

They're an interesting sociological phenomenon, and I really enjoy perusing them while seated at Quills, downtown, safely out of range of the exurb.

Inappropriate Bill Clinton in a meme that really matters.

Consider this a public service for those readers (how many?) not residing on Facebook. In the past, I've been critical of those on social media who post photo after doctored photo, seemingly unable to express their own points of view without resorting to another's creativity.

Today, I emulate them, and not because of my eagerness to point to the absurdity of Vladimir Putin's prosecution of a punk band. This already has been achieved with consecutive Trotsky/Pussy Riot posts.

It's because this meme is the funniest single thing I've seen on FB the entire year. What makes the gag work? Neither the look on Bill Clinton's face, nor Barack Obama's resignation. It's the aide walking behind Clinton, who's thinking of the movie Caddyshack.

Whomsoever the comic graphic genius, I congratulate you.

Indiana oxymorons? Parking and reading comprehension?

Speaking of Indiana oxymorons, and "only in Southern Indiana," So. Indiana Wonka is on Twitter. It's a localized variant on the condescending Wonka meme. It is highly amusing. Look here: www.twitter.com, and ‏@soindianawonka

Bluegill's PR tip o' the day.

If one has something negative to say about New Albany, broadcasting it to a large swath of the exact demographic we're trying to attract to the city isn't a good idea.

One might temporarily feel better, but we all look worse.

Louisvillians don't vote in Southern Indiana. Hoosier political battles will not be won or lost in the Louisville media. Economic ones might be.

Please refrain from negatively impacting our investments with one's words. Barring that, please refrain from words.