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Post by Hucklebubba on Mar 29, 2008 1:51:57 GMT -5
Bruciness: adj. The degree to which a community's ambiance lends itself to the playing of selections of Bruce Springsteen and/or Bruce Hornsby, preferably at night or during a hazy sunset. Determined by various factors related to economy and zoning.
There are four primary elements that contribute to a town's Bruciness by their presence:
Railroad Tracks
Bonus if they're disused, and/or they serve as a socioeconomic dividing line.
A Struggling Downtown
You know the type: Block after block of vacant stores, punctuated by a single lonely donut shop.
Failed Industry
This is probably the most important one. Refineries are popular. Mills and factories also work well. Basically anything that involves people performing some sort of drudgery that pays a lot better than the drudgery people perform today.
Being a Dump
In less harsh terms; a town that has seen its best days. An unusually high crime rate is also a common and unfortunate attribute of Brucey towns.
At some later date when it isn't two in the morning, I'll go into finer detail by running Brucey-analyses on some of the towns I've lived in.
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Post by pfrsue on Mar 29, 2008 7:21:55 GMT -5
Hmm. Does the presence of a maximum security prison within city limits apply to the "unusually high crime rate"? If so, I would like to apply for a membership, sir.
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Post by Head Mutant on Mar 29, 2008 8:24:40 GMT -5
I think Detroit meets and exceeds every single one of those.
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Post by duckie on Mar 29, 2008 18:26:17 GMT -5
I think Detroit meets and exceeds every single one of those. Are there bonus points for combination PC repair / liquor stores? If so, then I'd agree with "exceeds". |
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Post by pfrsue on Mar 29, 2008 19:48:56 GMT -5
Are there bonus points for combination PC repair / liquor stores? If so, then I'd agree with "exceeds". Ah, good memories.... |
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Post by Head Mutant on Mar 29, 2008 21:02:58 GMT -5
Are there bonus points for combination PC repair / liquor stores? If so, then I'd agree with "exceeds". In fact, around the corner from my church is a small building that houses a liquor store and a computer store, side by side (although not the same store, but definitely in the same building). |
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Post by duckie on Mar 29, 2008 21:14:38 GMT -5
Are there bonus points for combination PC repair / liquor stores? If so, then I'd agree with "exceeds". In fact, around the corner from my church is a small building that houses a liquor store and a computer store, side by side (although not the same store, but definitely in the same building). Justin, that's actually the one I was referring to... when we were heading from the hotel to your church, we got turned around and had to make a u-turn in that parking lot. We thought it was, shall I say, interesting? Not quite the same as if it was a gun shop / liquor store, but still says something about the town  And the trip did say something about my navigational skills (ask Sue), which are usually impeccable... |
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Post by pfrsue on Mar 29, 2008 21:29:46 GMT -5
And the trip did say something about my navigational skills (ask Sue), which are usually impeccable... Not to mention Duckie's unnerving nocturnal driving habit of parking the car then thoughtfully wondering aloud, "I wonder if I had the headlights on?" And that he tried to maim a rental car agent with a windshield wiper. (Iirc.) |
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Post by TheLuckyOne on Mar 29, 2008 23:58:40 GMT -5
Stellar analysis, Huckle - spot on. Although it should be noted that being located in New Jersey automatically adds 50 points to a town's Bruciness score. Philly and New York get +10.
-D
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Post by Hucklebubba on Mar 30, 2008 1:00:32 GMT -5
I think Detroit meets and exceeds every single one of those. Stellar analysis, Huckle - spot on. Although it should be noted that being located in New Jersey automatically adds 50 points to a town's Bruciness score. Philly and New York get +10. -D Justin, Drew; your comments are almost eerily relevant. I had put both Detroit and Philadelphia on my list of "Places I've Never Been, But That I Suspect Are Very Brucey." In fact, I had pegged Philly as likely being the standard for Bruciness. In large part because it's one of only two cities Springsteen sings about (not counting the unnamed Hometown in "My Hometown"; which I firmly believe is based on my hometown, by the way.); the other being Atlantic City. However, I have my doubts about New York, for the same reasons that I've since developed doubts about Detroit. But alas, 'tis late again, and so further explanation will have to wait 'til the morrow. |
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Post by duckie on Mar 30, 2008 12:09:10 GMT -5
Not to mention Duckie's unnerving nocturnal driving habit of parking the car then thoughtfully wondering aloud, "I wonder if I had the headlights on?" Well, those new-fangled headlight setups (with the automatic on position) really confused me  And I blame her for trying to write on the windshield when the wipers were on intermittent... must be a rookie mistake on her part |
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Post by DarthShady on Apr 1, 2008 12:16:33 GMT -5
Stellar analysis, Huckle - spot on. Although it should be noted that being located in New Jersey automatically adds 50 points to a town's Bruciness score. Philly and New York get +10. -D I had put both Detroit and Philadelphia on my list of "Places I've Never Been, But That I Suspect Are Very Brucey." In fact, I had pegged Philly as likely being the standard for Bruciness. So I suppose this means Camden, NJ (or, as some call it, "Philly Jr") hits the mother load of Bruciness? Not really my hometown; I live in the comparatively swanky (but still not a nice place to live,) more suburban version of it. |
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