3 Smartest Things in Buffalo- September 20, 2013

I’m not going to say one word about how our sports teams are doing right now, because I don’t want to jinx them.

1. We’re Not a One Newspaper Town Anymore

Remember the good ol’ Courier Express? Since that paper folded in 1982, we’ve spent our pocket change on the only big time print edition left in town, the Buffalo News. Newspapers have done a lot historically to shape our daily conversations and viewpoints. Be they “red/blue,” conservative/liberal, or sit on some other side of some other modern dichotomy, papers have had the power of the press for a long time.

Of course, there are always two sides to any conversation, so it’s good news that there is more than just one paper here today. Of course, by “more than one paper” I don’t mean another actual printed broadsheet. I mean something much broader.

On Thursday, Alan Bedenko of Artvoice published a piece on TBN’s Donn Esmonde, a post that reminded us that while there can be an agenda behind the printed word – there’s also always a “paper trail.” If there is evidence of a lack of ethics, someone is going to point it out.

Nowadays, we’re all plugged into the big Internet feed. It brings together TV and print, radio and blogs, and the consumer, and it does so on a constantly updating stream. TBN has done well enough to keep up the pace, with the creation of their new sports show on WBBZ and even appearing here on Trending Buffalo once or twice.

Technically we’re a one newspaper town, but that term doesn’t apply anymore, does it? Everyone is reading each other’s words. We’re all engaged and conversing. The best part of all of this is that at the end of the day, we’re forcing each other to create a better product.

2. GEAR-gun-sons

He told us how to say it right, because we asked him.

Don’t blame us if you screw it up in October. (And hey, even if he doesn’t make the team, he’ll get here this season. Nothing stops the Latvian Locomotive.)

#HockeyIQ

3. The Kickstarter of Kickstarters

Brainstorm’s a-comin’.

UB is hosting this year’s “Buffalo Startup Weekend” on October 4-6. The idea is simple, smart, and powerful:

“All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54 hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.”

Here’s the video from 2012’s event:

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Note: “3 Smartest Things” is being produced to go along with the “5 Dumbest Things” series here on TB. “Why three,” you ask? Well – far be it from me to break our time honored tradition of berating each other on the progress of our fair Queen City. Tell you what, when the new Peace Bridge goes up, we’ll go up to five. And of course, feel free to follow me on Twitter to discuss all things trending in Buffalo when you’re bored at work. Your boss will appreciate your increased productivity afterwards.