Urban Hayride

Protest and the City

It is suggested by some, ridiculous as they may be, that urbanization and socialism go hand-in-hand.   I would argue that nothing could be farther from the truth.  It's not as if a wave of democracy and capitalism has taken over the Arab world, yet, but I ask: Would this movement have even been able to begin if it were not for the dense urbanization of the Arab countries? 

Legalize.

I knew as a little kid, that I had something in common with John Stossel.  Seriously.  Do you remember his reports on 20/20?  I do, which is a whole different issue in itself.

Stossel's view on prohibition is spot on.  How much of the crime that a) disseminates a perception of fear in our cities and b) absorbs a large proportion of municipality's tax dollars and police resources, is due to  drugs and other vices?  Without quoting any data, I have no hesitation to say probably over 50%.

People who don't like what we do have every right to complain about our behavior, to boycott, to picket, to embarrass us. Bless the critics. They make us better people by getting us to think about what's moral. Let them mock and shame. But shaming is one thing -- government force is another.

Prohibition means we empower the state to send out people with guns to force people to do what the majority says is moral. That's not right.

I'm sure the majority of Fox News viewers will think Stossel is some kind of heroin/prostitution advocate, but they are wrong.  Again, I've hinted at this before, with which party would a 'classic liberal' vote?  I do not think that they have a choice.

The rest of Stossel's piece here

I Won't Say 'I told you so'

When asked, "What's going to change in our society after this financial crisis?"

You probably won't have so many young people making $200,000 a year working at Morgan Stanley, running to Kinko's to make copies every day.

Comment from the managing editor of Fortune Magazine. 

That says it all.  This is certainly not the end of unjustified Wall Street salaries, maybe just a brief snap back to reality.  Unjustified might not be the right word.  People pay for these services, so you Morgan Stanley, or Goldman Sachs can pay whatever they want in salary.

There are simply going to be a lot of young, former I-banking analysts looking for a new career in graphic design...

New York's Bust; Charlotte's Boom

It looks like Charlotte is about to gain some ground on New York City's financial dominance.  Today, Bank of America announced it is buying Merrill Lynch.  Wachovia may be the next, and really the only money center bank that has the option of buying a Wall Street giant - Morgan Stanley?  Both banks are based in Charlotte.

Bank of America is about to expand its balance sheets, its payroll.  Wachovia may be doing the same.  It's not as if every job that was in NYC will move to Charlotte; until the stock exchange packs up and heads South, that won't be the case, but with the passing of each year more jobs will shift.

Wall Street's loss may be Charlotte's gain.  So, as Richmond continues to lose financial institutions ie. Wachovia Securities - Charlotte continues to boom.

It will be interesting and not to mention sad to see how many jobs will be lost due to, BofA's purchase of Merrill, Lehman's failure and any collapse in the the waiting.

Who Needs a Great Leader?

Penn Jillette offers some interesting commentary on the campaign. 

The idea, especially from the Democrats that I know, is, we just get a smarter guy in the White House, and all the problems will go away. We'll have smart speeches, smart high gas prices, smart bad economy, smart war on terrorism, smart war on drugs, smart hurricanes, smart global warming, smart war in Georgia -- smart, smart, smart...

We need someone stupid enough to understand that the president of the United States can't solve many problems without taking away freedom and therefore shouldn't try. The only reason John McCain scares me a little less is because I think he's a little less likely to win. They both promise a government that will watch over us, and I don't like that.

I don't want anyone as president who promises to take care of me. I may be stupid, but I want a chance to try to be a grown-up and take care of my family. Freedom means the freedom to be stupid, and that's what I want. I don't want anyone to feel my pain or tell me to ask what we can do for our country, or give us all money and take care of us.

I think Penn is being a bit facitious when he says "Who needs a good leader?", but his comments on personal liberty are right on the money.

I mentioned a short time ago that I have an internal battle brewing between my less government, free-market instincts and, well, the other side of me.  It's eating me alive.  Again, I end up in the middle - If I was to make a platform of my own political strategy, I guarantee it would line up 50/50 with the Republican and Democratic platforms.  That's really a shame; maybe a little weak, but I'll keep chopping away.

Williams Mullen Building Approved

From the RTD:

The council voted 8-0 to approve an agreement with the Virginia Beach development company Armada Hoffler for the construction of an office building at 10th and Canal streets. The Williams Mullen law firm would be the main tenant.

The $60 million building would stand between One James Center and Riverfront Plaza, and a portion would rise over the Expressway Parking Deck.

The agreement calls for the city to contribute $2.1 million in grants over five years, with some of the money going for parking deck and streetscape improvements.

Construction would start in the late fall with completion anticipated in mid-2010. Williams Mullen, with about 350 attorneys and staff members, is based in Two James Center.

This is good news overall for the City and its residents - higher tax receipts are projected.  I wonder what will fill the gap left in James Center II?  Eluting to a previous post, if structured correctly, form-based code could have had a significant impact on the creativity and appeal of this proposed building.

Kaine, Next VP?

Thought I would mention this,

From Politico (Via Drudge):

Kaine, an early Obama supporter whose biography nicely dovetails with the Illinois senator’s, "ranks very, very high on the short list," said a source who has spoken recently to senior Obama aides about Kaine.

Kaine "is getting a critical examination," the source said.

Article here
RTD Article

"Traditional Landmark" Proposed, Part II

The RTD comments on what they actually think of the Williams Mullen building proposed downtown. 

There is something symbolic about the geography of Richmond.  Our city is in the middle of the state that sits middle of the Mid-Atlantic; our population is "medium" sized; we lose a Fortune 500 company and then we gain one; our skyline is mediocre.  Our tallest building, 449ft, is probably the median height of all high-rise structures in North America.     We're not known to be the best at anything; we're arguably not the worst at anything.  Very simple-minded analysis? Yes, but true.

Just having a signature building will not change this terrible cycle in which we're caught, but it sure would make me feel better.  Thoughts?

Power Plant - Let Me Clear this Up

Just so everyone understands, I don't always make myself clear.  In my previous post, I did not mean to suggest that this coal plant was being built in Rockingham County or Harrisonburg. 

If you read the RTD article, it states that 20 people were protesting as part of the group Blue Ridge Earth First!.  I was only referring to the three JMU students mentioned in the article.  I was trying to suggest that there actually are political activists attending James Madison - something I thought was lacking while I was there... only 7 months ago.

Also,

I understand that coal is probably not the best option for energy production, but the article states that the same group is protesting a proposed nuclear plant addition.  So, my initial thought is to wonder how exactly Dominion is supposed to expand its energy production capabilities. Given that they cannot expand their production plants, that seems like a hard task. 

So, all of that being said, over at Carmelized Opinions there is some more perspective and a little more passion for the subject.  Check it out.

I still haven't heard of viable renewable alternatives for energy production.  I really need an explanation as to why nuclear power is such a bad idea.  Is it the heating of the water?  On the Blue Ridge Earth First! website the only suggestion came from a visitor,

We do, however, have available to us a potentially large-scale, economical, carbon-neutral alternative to coal: algae. Native algae grows like wildfire in the presence of wastewater (as the annual New Jersey-sized pollution-fueled bloom in the Gulf of Mexico vividly attests). Algae, intentionally grown on effluent from municipal sewage plants and agricultural sources, could be dried and burned directly in solid-fuel power plants, providing for cleaner air and water as well.

Algae? Interesting I suppose.

I have a feeling I don't agree with much of BREF's politics, but this most recent protest did catch my attention, and as far as I know no one was physically hurt.  So, mission accomplished. 

Honestly, I was just excited to see students from JMU make an RTD article - a rare occurrence

JMU - New Hotbed of Political Activism?

This morning on the way to work I noticed that the traffic on what are usually uncongested, free-flowing streets leading to downtown Richmond were awfully crowded (then I thought, "Why the fuck am I not riding my bike?).  I had no idea what had caused such an unusual back-up.  Finally, I know.  A lively bunch of college students were protesting the proposed coal-fired power plants in Southwest Virginia.  I guess not too many people want a power plant in their backyard.

 I wouldn't call my self an environmentalist, I'm rather ignorant when it comes to such matters.  Although, I like to think I'm learning.   I knew Dominion Power was attempting to build a new plant, but not more than that.  It's not the reason for protest that grabbed my attention, but that three of five protesters mentioned in the RTD article were from James Madison University.  Straight out of Harrisonburg, these rowdy environmental activists came to Richmond to make a stand.  Where was the political activism when I attended JMU?

You may disagree with me, but I think they made a good point.  I had forgotten about the issue, and I'm sure that at least some of the people sitting in traffic, late for work, will find out what was going on and maybe a little more.  I don't have a strong opinion about the issue.  Is this just NIMBYism or...?  Maybe now I will learn enough to have an opinion.

I like the excitement and activism coming, at least partially, from my alma mater.

Article here

We Have a Drinking Problem?

It has been of popular opinion, or at least conceived by many Americans, that Europe does not face the same drinking problems that we face here in the States.  Hmm.

Alcohol is now more affordable and available to teenagers than ever before, according to the Home Office and Alcohol Concern.

"They can simply use their pocket money to buy alcohol, because it's so cheap," said Soodeen.

At some British supermarkets, the cheapest beers sell for as little as 50 cents a pint.

In an interview he gave to the BBC, Police Chief Ken Jones lashed out at supermarkets for encouraging excessive drinking.

"Why is it we have got ourselves into a position where lager is being sold cheaper than water?" Jones asked

Article here

Ethnic Division

A church in Jonesville, SC has tried to sway the opinions of some with the use of what seems like ethnic scare tactics. 

It's simply to cause people to realize and to see what possibly could happen if we were to get someone in there that does not believe in Jesus Christ

Barack Obama does not believe in Jesus?  That sure is news to me...

The parish of the Jonesville Church of God are about as informed as the children of Palestine.  That may be a stretch - I doubt anyone at the Jonesville Church of God think Barak Obama should be killed.  However, I do see the spreading of misinformation as one of the most destructive actions for a society.

Bad Day for Richmond Business

Business in Richmond took a double blow today - one macro and one micro.

First, on the macro level, Blockbuster's bid for Circuit City became public.  I knew Circuit City hadn't been doing very well in the last few years.  I guess it is time for something to happen.  Obviously this is not good for Richmond; be prepared to say goodbye to yet more executive positions and young professionals drawn to Richmond by Circuit City recruiters.  Also, caulk up another failure for Richmond in the "corporate headquarters" column.  Two down in the last 12 months - nice...

Second, Ukrop's is closing its Grace and Harrison Street store.  Honestly, I'm too young to remember what the lower Fan was like before the Ukrop's was located there.  This loss is obviously not of the same magnitude as mentioned above, but I personally think it is a blow to Richmond's urban growth.  The lower Fan is where the excitement has to generate - directly out of the college campus.  It would seem to me that the area is dense enough to support a full-fledge grocery store.  So what was the problem?  The Fan District Hub posted an open letter to Ukrop's from reader Rad Tollett, part of which stated:

You can blame poor sales, but the reality is you never tried to make this store work. Frankly, you targeted the wrong demographic — the Community Pride demographic. You chose to stock your aisles with items that Kroger (Lombardy and Broad) offered at a better, more affordable rate. Moreover, you were blind to the demands of the wealthier and more socially conscious demographic right out your back door.

Ukrop's was targeting a broad demographic.  I don't think the answer would be to place an exclusive, upscale grocery store in that location - leaving many of the residents of the area with still few options when it comes to grocery shopping.  The "area" includes shoppers not only from the Fan, but Jackson Ward, Monroe Ward, Oregon Hill, and a few neighborhoods across the expressway.  I wonder how many of the "wealthy" Fan residents that Tollett speaks of regularly passed up the Grace Street location to visit the more spacious Carytown location - not simply because of the enhanced aesthetics, and a slightly better selection, but because of the mixed clientele (income, race, age, etc) that frequented Grace Street?  Would it make sense for Ukrop's to stock a large section of organic vegetables and exotic meats if they weren't selling?  I think, if you have any faith in Ukrops' management team at all, you would agree if "higher quality" goods were in demand, they would surely have stocked those items.  For the record, I never had trouble finding an item I needed.

I'm sad to see the store close, but so goes business.  I will no longer have a grocery store within walking distance of my house.  It will be interesting to see who the next tenant will be.

UPDATE: Just thought I'd share a comment posted by a reader of another Richmond blog reporting the Ukrop's story, The Lost Art of the City.  It seems to shed light on the argument I am trying to make here:

I always drive to the Cary St Kroger...That Laburnum store is too much.

Twenty-eight Million?

On the front page of Tuesday's Independent, UK newspaper, is a story titled USA 2008: The Great Depression.

Dismal projections by the Congressional Budget Office in Washington suggest that in the fiscal year starting in October, 28 million people in the US will be using government food stamps to buy essential groceries, the highest level since the food assistance programme was introduced in the 1960s.

The US Department of Agriculture says the cost of feeding a low-income family of four has risen 6 per cent in 12 months. "The amount of food stamps per household hasn't gone up with the food costs," says Dayna Ballantyne, who runs a food bank in Des Moines, Iowa. "Our clients are finding they aren't able to purchase food like they used to."

I had no idea of the amount of people receiving food stamps.  The Independent has given too much weight to food stamp allotments as an economic indicator; I think we are very far from what can be considered a depression, but this sure does shed some light on the economic problems we are facing as a country. 

For those of us feeling the pressure at a somewhat smaller degree, could this be yet one more catalyst for more central-city agglomeration, more visits to the farmer's market, more bicycle commuting, better public transit, among other things? 

Brain Drain

Bill Gates is questioning the U.S. immigration procedures.                      

Congress's failure to pass high-skilled immigration reform has exacerbated an already grave situation...As a result, many US firms, including Microsoft, have been forced to locate staff in countries that welcome skilled foreign workers to do work that could otherwise have been done in the United States, if it were not for our counterproductive immigration policies.

This isn't a new argument from Mr. Gates.  Flashback to 2006 when he was on Capital Hill lobbying for immigration reform.

I can't imagine that the only reason that technology companies want foreign workers is simply because they can be paid less.  At least the way I see it, when developing cutting-edge microchips and state-of-the-art technology, wouldn't you just want the absolute smartest people.  I can't help but think the resistance to allowing more high-skilled immigrants has something to do with the xenophobic attitude toward immigration many Americans still hold.  Granted - I'm not an unemployed American computer engineer looking for work...