![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dancerjodiWaltham folks - Mr. Dacey is dead! He had a heart attack Globe Article .
In other townie news, there's been an increase in gang activity again http://www.dailynewstribune.com/homepage/x1344107633 . Granted its not South Central LA or anything, but I wonder what the newer residents may think of this. Its interesting that despite gentrification on the South Side we seem to be heading back to the way things were (at least for teens) in the late 80s/early 90s. Is everything cyclical? There were fighting gangs of kids around Charles and Felton streets when my Dad was a kid too, though the color lines were less blurry (you couldn't walk down those streets if you were white unless you were accompanied by someone of color that was cool enough to earn some respect - thankfully my Dad had some friends like this).
I guess because I've always thought of Waltham as a city and most cities have these kinds of issues I'm not surprised. With crowds and poverty and poor parenting come these sorts of things. To have the 'stuff' that a city has to offer you have to deal with the consequences. Some very poor people haven't been priced out yet as often happens, I think to a large degree because of the amount of services and programs in the area. What seems to be happening is a shift to where the middle class is moving out as they age and don't like the way things look (like my parents) or are priced out of purchasing or renting without subsidies while the upper and lower classes hang on. It makes for an interesting dynamic sociologically. The yuppies in the hives (ugly rows of new condos off Moody street) are starting to have children, so it will be interesting to see what happens as that generation ages.
All of this comes in the face of a new Mayoral election. One of the City Councilors (who was also incidentally the DJ at our wedding) is running against the current Mayor. It should be an interesting battle to watch!
In other townie news, there's been an increase in gang activity again http://www.dailynewstribune.com/homepage/x1344107633 . Granted its not South Central LA or anything, but I wonder what the newer residents may think of this. Its interesting that despite gentrification on the South Side we seem to be heading back to the way things were (at least for teens) in the late 80s/early 90s. Is everything cyclical? There were fighting gangs of kids around Charles and Felton streets when my Dad was a kid too, though the color lines were less blurry (you couldn't walk down those streets if you were white unless you were accompanied by someone of color that was cool enough to earn some respect - thankfully my Dad had some friends like this).
I guess because I've always thought of Waltham as a city and most cities have these kinds of issues I'm not surprised. With crowds and poverty and poor parenting come these sorts of things. To have the 'stuff' that a city has to offer you have to deal with the consequences. Some very poor people haven't been priced out yet as often happens, I think to a large degree because of the amount of services and programs in the area. What seems to be happening is a shift to where the middle class is moving out as they age and don't like the way things look (like my parents) or are priced out of purchasing or renting without subsidies while the upper and lower classes hang on. It makes for an interesting dynamic sociologically. The yuppies in the hives (ugly rows of new condos off Moody street) are starting to have children, so it will be interesting to see what happens as that generation ages.
All of this comes in the face of a new Mayoral election. One of the City Councilors (who was also incidentally the DJ at our wedding) is running against the current Mayor. It should be an interesting battle to watch!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Freakonomics
Date: 2007-06-21 03:32 pm (UTC)Re: Freakonomics
Date: 2007-06-21 04:14 pm (UTC)