So here's the general trend in establishing a hip neighborhood. Take one run-down section of the city and lower the rent to bring in the poor. With the poor come the artists who enjoy the bohemian lifestyle and the ability to support their art. More and more artists then flock to the area, making it an "art-center" of the city. These same artists (or the people who desire their business) open "cool" and "hip" furniture stores, coffee houses, seedy bars, etc and a desired neighborhood has been born. (see ex. Silverlake) So take my advice, go to the oldest, crappiest, most run-down part of town and buy a warehouse. Give it 50 years and you got youself a tenement building, possible laundry-mat slash bar slash pool hall, or any number of money-makers. I don't know about you, but I'm heading to Boyle Heights.

In 1997, Professor Gordon Ball nominated Bob Dylan for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He has subsequently nominated him every year after. This apparently has led to a debate among scholars over what is truly considered "literature." Some argue that any works of written art that need to be performed (orally, musically, and otherwise) have no place being designated as literature. Others insist that Dylan's words are some of the best poetry in the last century. As is usual for these types of arguments, probably neither statement is true. However, I'd take Dylan over most poets, most of the time. But, then again, what do I know.