The National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting nominations for the 2005 America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list until January 19, 2005. Each year, the National Trust issues this list to identify and raise awareness of historic sites at risk from neglect, deterioration, lack of maintenance, insufficient funds, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy. Since 1988, the list has been one of the most successful tools in the fight to save America's irreplaceable architectural, cultural, and natural heritage. The 2005 list will be announced in May.

Among the many sites that have been listed are the tobacco barns of Southern Maryland, Vieux Carré in New Orleans, Ellis Island in New York Harbor, the Kennecott Copper Mines in Alaska, the Bethlehem Steel Plant in Pennsylvania, and the village of East Aurora, New York. Each represents preservation challenges facing thousands of communities.

To ensure that the most threatened sites are chosen, the National Trust uses three primary criteria to determine the 11 finalists: significance, urgency, and potential solutions. For more information about the application process and to download the application, visit the web site or call 202-588-6141. Completed nominations must be postmarked by January 19, 2005.

Eric Miller on 11.29.04 @ 07:44 PM PST [link]  

Museum stores offer holiday shoppers an outlet to find truly unique gifts as well as the opportunity to support their communities. Consumers can feel good about their purchases from museum stores because the profits are used to support the collections and programming of the institutions.

Museum stores are unique and interesting places to shop because they offer merchandise related to the content of their museums' collections. Many museum stores carry products developed exclusively for their museum, so the items can't be found at chain stores or big-box retailers.

For example, history museum stores often offer specialty items from their era of expertise. Many art museum stores develop proprietary home décor accessories based on pieces in their collection. Stores found in botanical gardens often carry jewelry based on plants in their collections. Science and children's museum stores stock games and toys that promote exploration and education.

Museum stores also offer holiday shoppers additional ways to support their community by offering items from local artists and craftspeople. Many select merchandise from regional suppliers that reflect their institutions' mission as well as their communities.

Museum stores contribute to the overall success of their institutions by providing a valuable stream of revenue to support the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. In fact, museum stores are the number one source of earned income for museums, according to the most recent financial and operational data found in the American Association of Museums' "2003 Museum Financial Information" report.

Shopping at stores in museums during the holidays also offers a respite from crowded malls and superstores. Shoppers can enjoy a distinctive atmosphere and select appropriate gifts with help from museum store associates who know the merchandise's background and relation to the museum's collection.

In many cases, there is no need to pay museum admission to visit the shop, and many have comprehensive online stores. For a list of museum stores in your area and additional general information about museum stores, contact the Museum Store Association at (303) 504-9223 ext. 14.

Eric Miller on 11.27.04 @ 08:12 AM PST [link]  

Saks Fifth Avenue has announced a corporate partnership with Philips Electronics, which allowed the luxury retailer's dreams of a snowflake fantasy for Holiday 2004 to come true. On Tuesday, November 23rd Saks and Philips unveil their Snowflake Spectacle, a high-tech light show that combines holiday tradition and advanced technology.

The inspiration for the captivating holiday concept came from the vintage snowflake photographs by famed photographer William "Snowflake" Bentley. The snowflake theme was developed as a dramatic presentation requiring state-of-the-art lighting and technology systems, which led Saks to partner with Philips Electronics.

Philips, which lights many of the world's preeminent landmarks including The Eiffel Tower, The Sydney Opera House and The Sphinx, is providing 72,000 programmable LED lights to adorn 50 distinct snowflakes, that when illuminated will give the effect of snowflakes falling and dancing across the facade of the Fifth Avenue store every half hour during the Holiday season. The giant snowflake structures ranging in size from eight to 20 feet in diameter, will include more than five miles of lighting, 15 multi-color, changing uplights and 40 strobe lights.

The technology provided by Philips will be featured not only on the exterior of the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship store, but also in the 28 windows that surround the building. Over 38 custom- designed steel snowflakes and 2,300 hand-painted, chrome-dipped Philips Halogena Brilliant Crystal light bulbs will be utilized in the Saks snowflake-themed fashion windows.

Eric Miller on 11.27.04 @ 08:10 AM PST [link]  

One of the nations largest cities and two major metropolitan areas are likely to be without weekend transit service and higher-overall fares thanks to the Republican-controlled legislature in Pennsylvania. In addition, the state's two biggest transit agencies will be forced to cut thousands of jobs.

The Port Authority (Allegheny County/Pittsburgh transit agency) announced that as a result of inaction by the state legislature to address statewide funding for public transportation, it will have no choice but to move forward with drastic fare increases and dramatic service cuts that were the subject of a public hearing on November 4, 2004. Gov. Ed Rendell has asked the State Legislature to return to address the issue, but Republican leaders indicate they have no interest in returning. (let the cities rot seems to be the message--payback for our Democratic votes?).

"The General Assembly adjourned early Sunday morning without addressing public transportation funding that Port Authority and other transit agencies across the commonwealth have long pursued," said Port Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul P. Skoutelas. "While there were several specific proposals advanced to increase funding for public transportation, none was acted upon by the legislature.

"We are very disappointed that the General Assembly did not establish dedicated funding for public transportation, which is vital to our riders and the economic health and well being of our region. This inaction will seriously threaten the ability for many of our riders to remain employed and live quality and productive lives."

Among actions which were the subject of the November 4, 2004 public hearing included:

* Elimination of Saturday, Sunday and holiday bus, rail and ACCESS service
* Elimination of all weekday bus, rail, Mon Incline and ACCESS service after 9:00 p.m.
* Elimination of 70 bus and rail routes, or approximately one-third of the Authority’s 210 routes
* Elimination of special event shuttle services
* Increase in the base fare from $1.75 to $2.50 along with corresponding increases in the price of pre-paid fare instruments
* Doubling of the fare for ACCESS riders living beyond three-fourths of a mile of a Port Authority bus or rail route
* Tripling of the fare for ACCESS convenience rides

Across the state Philadelphia's trasit agency, SEPTA reports it will have to:

* Eliminate all weekend service on all SEPTA routes including paratransit (provide Monday-Friday service only)
* Reduce weekday service on all SEPTA routes by 20%
* Raise Base Cash Fare from $2.00 to $2.50
* Implement a 25% average increase in the price of all other fares – tokens, weekly and monthly passes, and ADA fares
* Eliminate 1400 SEPTA employee positions

As a result of the service reductions, Port Authority will close one of its five bus divisions and eliminate approximately 500 jobs. ACCESS is also expected to reduce its workforce by approximately 150 positions. These actions are necessary to help the Authority address an operating deficit in excess of $30 million, resulting largely from years of state underfunding.

Port Authority is one of 70 transit agencies across the state which is experiencing serious financial problems. For example, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia is facing a $62 million deficit and is taking action to raise its base fare to $2.50, reduce service by 20 percent and lay off 1,400 employees. More than half of the other smaller transit agencies in Pennsylvania, such as in York County, Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre, have either implemented or are proposing fare increases, service cuts and employee layoffs.

"The inadequate funding of public transportation is clearly a statewide issue," Mr. Skoutelas said. "This has been verified by two independent financial and business management reviews over the past year, including those initiated by Governor Rendell that performed a financial assessment of the Port Authority and SEPTA.

"Both of these reviews identified chronic underfunding by the state as the primary reason for the financial crises confronting public transportation providers in Pennsylvania. These reviews, along with the governor, also recognized the Port Authority for its effective efforts to responsibly manage and control its operating expenses."

Port Authority has taken aggressive action to reduce its costs internally before considering fare increase and service changes. These actions have included, among others, hiring, wage and salary freezes, the elimination of 141 jobs, including 57 administrative positions (15 percent of the administrative workforce) and the reduction of many other administrative expenses. Altogether, Port Authority has implemented cost saving measures which have yielded over $145 million in operating savings over the past seven years.

"This crisis can be averted if the state legislature takes immediate action to address this chronic funding problem," Mr. Skoutelas said. "The problem and solution is well known by the General Assembly and the Governor’s Office. There must be a statewide dedicated, predictable and growing source of revenue for public transportation."

PA Senators with email
Find your representative

*This report was compiled in part from material provided by PAT and SEPTA

Eric Miller on 11.24.04 @ 08:39 AM PST [link]  

Hang 'em, mail 'em. Enjoy these quality items from your destination for city living.

Eric Miller on 11.23.04 @ 02:29 PM PST [link]  

The American Public Transit Association (APTA) reports (otherwise myopic , my comments) voters across the country resoundingly approved a record number of public transportation referendums as Americans went to the polls on Nov. 2.

Among the measures approved by voters were a long-term transit expansion plan in Denver that includes new construction of light rail and Bus Rapid Transit; a $16 billion plan in Phoenix that includes light rail and bus improvements; and passage of a half-cent sales tax in Charleston, S.C., that will keep the city's transit system from running out of money.

"This year has shown that it's not just big metro areas that are clamoring for transit; medium and smaller communities like Parkersburg, W.Va., El Paso County, Colo., and Kalamazoo, Mich., also see its benefits," said Stephanie Vance, program manager for the Center for Transportation Excellence.

"This has been a record year for transit initiatives," according to Vance. "We've seen a significant jump in the number of transit initiatives on the ballot and in how many passed." Of the 22 successful initiatives tracked by the Center for Transportation Excellence, the measures are worth an estimated total of over $40 billion.

"From suburban to urban to rural communities, the success of these initiatives proves that people are willing to invest in quality transit services that will pay dividends for years to come," said APTA President William W. Millar. "Voters clearly said that they deserve a better quality of life that available public transportation brings, namely, less congestion, cleaner air, and access to jobs."

Vance noted: "This clearly is not a partisan issue. Of the states that passed initiatives Nov. 2, seven went for President Bush and four went for Senator Kerry. Citizens across the country regardless of party strongly support transit investments and more transportation choices."

Passenger Transport tracked more than 30 transit-related ballot issues. Except for a few cases where the results were too close to call as Passenger Transport went to press, the outcomes are reported below:

South


Two neighboring municipalities in northern Virginia-Arlington County and Fairfax County-voted to approve bond issues for transportation needs largely covered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The $18.5 million Arlington County measure, which received 81 percent of the vote, will finance construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of WMATA facilities, together with other available funds.

By a margin of 76 percent in favor and 24 percent opposed, Fairfax County voters approved a $300 million bond referendum for transportation and other county programs, of which $165 million would go toward transportation projects. Of that amount, $110 million, or two thirds, will go to WMATA for infrastructure renewal, improved system access, and system expansion.

Preliminary reports in Charleston show approval of the half-cent sales tax by a margin of 59 percent to 41 percent opposed. This was the third time the tax was on the ballot: it was defeated narrowly in 2000 and approved narrowly in 2002, but was thereafter nullified by the state Supreme Court because of errors in ballot language. The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority noted that it expected to run out of money by February 2005 if the measure did not pass. The tax will raise a total of $1.3 billion over its 25-year life, of which 18 percent will go to CARTA.

In San Antonio, Texas, voters passed a one-quarter of 1 cent sales tax increase as part of a proposal to create an Advanced Transportation District. The preliminary vote was 58 percent in favor and 41 percent opposed.

The transportation district is designed to provide San Antonio residents with advanced transportation options and mobility improvements, including a 10-year plan for the transit system. According to VIA Metropolitan Transit, half of the $34 million to be raised annually from the new sales tax will go to the transit system, while the other half will be divided equally between city street maintenance projects and the local matches needed to secure federal highway dollars.

VIA noted that a earlier tax measure in 2000, specifically earmarked for light rail, failed by 70 percent of the vote. The ATD referendum excludes light rail.

"The passage of the ATD is evidence that the community wants its transportation infrastructure improved," said John M. Milam, president and chief executive officer of VIA. "The voters have chosen to entrust us with scarce and sacred tax dollars, and we will honor that trust by working with our transportation partners to effectively and efficiently implement all the components of the ATD."

Voters in Austin, Texas, voted by 62.2 percent in favor to approve a plan to authorize a $60 million, 32-mile commuter rail starter line. An earlier version of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority's proposal, covering a 52-mile light rail system at a cost of $1.9 billion, failed in 2000.

The starter line between Leander and downtown Austin will operate on an existing railroad track Capital Metro owns, using diesel-powered trains, at a cost of less than $100 million. Initial plans show nine stations along the line.

The Transit Authority of Lexington in Lexington, Ky., will benefit from a property tax of 6 cents per $100 of assessed value, which passed by a vote of 54 percent to 46 percent. The tax is expected to generate $10.9 million annually.

LexTran General Manager Terry Garcia Crews called the win "a turning point for LexTran. We are now in the position to provide enhanced service for our current riders, as well as our new riders. I am excited about the future." Two earlier levy attempts failed, in 1980 and 1995.

The system had cut service on July 1 to balance its budget, and LexTran management noted that it plans gradually to restore all of the cuts while also adding new service.

The vote on the BayLink light rail trolley system proposal in Miami-Dade County, Fla., which would serve Miami Beach and downtown Miami, was too close to call as Passenger Transport went to press.

Statewide, 64 percent of voters in Florida approved a constitutional amendment to repeal a citizen initiative for a high-speed rail system, which passed in 2000. The repeal, supported by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, would allow the state legislature to re-evaluate the rail proposal.

Mid-Atlantic

Voters in Parkersburg and Vienna, W.Va., renewed a two-year renewal levy to expand service provided by the Mid-Ohio Valley Transit Authority. The measure provides for 7.4 cents per $100 in Parkersburg, and 7.5 cents per $100 in Vienna routes, and is expected to raise $960,511 each of the two years in Parkersburg, and $411,647 each year in Vienna.

The measure received 63 percent of the vote in Parkersburg and 68 percent in Vienna. A five-year measure previously appeared on the ballot in Parkersburg in June; although it received 58 percent of the vote, state law requires 60 percent for passage.

Midwest

A 1-mill property tax renewal in Kalamazoo, Mich., to benefit Kalamazoo Metro Transit was approved by 67 percent of voters. The 1-mill measure, which has been in place since 1998, was an increase of a previous half-mill measure originally approved in 1986 and renewed every three years thereafter. The measure will raise a projected $1.56 million for the transit system.

Rockies

FasTracks, the Denver Regional Transportation District's $4.7 billion, 12-year comprehensive transit expansion plan, received 57 percent of the vote, according to preliminary reports. The ballot measure provides for a sales tax increase of four-tenths of 1 percent.

The FasTracks plan includes construction of 119 miles of new light rail and commuter rail lines; 18 miles of Bus Rapid Transit service; 21,000 new parking spaces at rail and bus stations; and expanded bus service in all areas of the region.

In El Paso County, Colo., voters approved a one-cent sales tax to form the Rural Transportation Authority to serve Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, Green Mountain Falls, and unincorporated El Paso County. The vote was 54.92 percent in favor, 45.08 percent against. Fifty-five percent of the funding is set to go for road construction, 35 percent toward maintenance, and 10 percent to transit.

The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority in Aspen, Colo., asked voters to approve a sales tax increase, at a level to be determined. Also, a ballot issue in Garfield County, Colo., asked voters outside Aspen city limits if the county should join RFTA. Both issues were too close to call at press time.

Pacific Northwest

Proposition 1 in Vancouver, Wash., which would have provided a sales tax increase of 0.3 percent to maintain current levels of C-TRAN transit service and provide for some service enhancements, failed by a preliminary vote of 54.17 percent against the measure.

"What this means is that the community will start to see service reductions every quarter, beginning in January 2005. The reductions are necessary to balance C-TRAN's budget by January 2006," said C-TRAN Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Lynne Griffith. "Our goal, at this point, is to educate our riders on upcoming service changes so they're able to plan appropriately."

Voters in Seattle voted, 67 percent in favor to 32 percent opposed, to support two advisory measures proposed by the Metropolitan King County Council. One measure asked voters if they supported developing a locally funded package of congestion relief and safety projects, to be placed on the November 2005 ballot, and the other listed five funding options to pay for the congestion relief package.

Also in Seattle, voters defeated Initiative 83, which would have killed the 14-mile Seattle Monorail Project. Completion of the elevated rail project is scheduled for the summer of 2009. Published reports state that the monorail project must now prove that it can complete the system within the financial constraints it has set for itself, and that the monorail must pass a city financial review.

A proposal to establish an independent transit district in Bend, Ore., was defeated by a vote of 41 percent in favor and 53 percent opposed. The new district would have been funded in part with a new property tax of roughly 29 cents per $1,000 assessed value. The city proposed a startup transit system with two fixed routes, one north-south and one east-west.

Southwest

Voters in Phoenix approved Proposition 400, the 20-year Maricopa County Regional Transportation Plan, with 57 percent in favor. The plan extends the county's half-cent sales tax for another 20 years, funding a $16 billion plan that includes $2.2 billion (15 percent) for rail capital, $1.3 billion (9 percent) for bus capital, and $1 billion (8 percent) for rail operations and maintenance. Transit improvements would include 27.7 miles of new light rail expansion, added to 30 miles built by cities; new or enhanced service on 30 bus routes, plus the creation of 10 new routes; enhancements to 26 existing Bus Rapid Transit routes and 14 new BRT routes; and tripling of paratransit service.

"It's exciting that at a regional level, public transportation has gotten a very strong 'yes' vote," said Richard J. Simonetta, chief executive of Valley Metro Rail. Pointing out that a regional transportation tax has never passed in the past, he said, "The community has come a long way." In the final weeks leading to the election, the well organized opposition outspent Proposition 400 supporters two to one, he added.

California

A measure to authorize $980 million in general obligation property tax bonds to pay for earthquake safety modifications to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District passed in San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties with 70 percent in favor. A similar measure fell short of the required two-thirds majority in 2002.

Bond revenues from this measure will allow BART to strengthen its Transbay Tube, stations, and elevated tracks. The estimated average yearly tax rate would be approximately $7 per $100,000 of assessed value over the life of the bonds.

An increase in the existing parcel tax in Special Transit District Number One, served by AC Transit in Oakland, Calif., was approved with 71.2 percent of the vote. The measure increases the tax by $2 per parcel per month and extends its for 10 years, with an independent fiscal oversight committee to ensure that all money stays in the district. In general, the district refers to the area from the city of Richmond in the north to the southern boundary of the city of Hayward.

California state law requires two-thirds approval for the enactment or renewal of sales taxes for transportation purposes. Although a majority of voters in Solano County supported a sales tax increase that was expected to raise approximately $1.43 billion over 30 years, it received only 63.77 percent of the total vote, less than the necessary two-thirds.

In San Mateo County, 75 percent of voters passed the extention of Measure A for an additional 25 years of a half-cent sales tax for transportation. The measure originally passed in 1988, and it would have expired in 2008 without the extension. It is expected to generate more than $1.5 billion over 25 years, enabling the county to capture an additional $1.2 billion in state and federal funding for transportation-related projects and services in the county. Thirty percent will go to transit.

A half-cent sales tax reauthorization on the ballot in Marin County, approved by 71 percent of voters, is scheduled to generate an estimated $16.5 million per year, or $275 million over 20 years. Expansion of the local bus system is among the transportation uses listed for the funds.

Seventy-five percent of Sacramento voters opted to extend Measure A, the existing half-cent transportation sales tax, for an additional 30 years: the measure was originally enacted in 1988, and was set to expire in 2009. The approval means that $4.7 billion will be raised for road and transit improvements including light rail construction and improvements.

Voters in San Bernardino County approved a continuation of Measure I, an existing half-cent sales tax to benefit local transportation, which originally passed in 1989 and was due to expire in 2010. The ballot issue, with 79 percent of the votes in favor, will retain the tax for 30 years, generating an anticipated total of $6 billion to be shared by cities and the county.

Measure J passed by 70 percent in Contra Costa County. The county-wide half-cent sales tax is a continuation of Measure C, which was enacted in 1989 and was set to expire in 2009. The new measure would raise $1.6 billion in transportation funding through 2029, and update the "Growth Management Program" initiated by Measure C.

Voters in Ventura County turned down a request by the Ventura County Transportation Commission for a half-cent sales tax increase to pay for road and transit improvements. The measure, which would have generated an anticipated $1.5 billion over 30 years, would have provided for expanded Metrolink commuter rail and local bus services.

A half-cent sales tax measure in Santa Cruz County, turned down by 57 percent of voters compared with 43 percent in favor, would have raised $530 million to cover transportation issues including the widening of a highway, a passenger rail station in Pajaro, and the addition of carpool lanes.

Two other California sales tax issues were too close to call as Passenger Transport went to press. In Sonoma County, Measure M would provide a quarter-cent sales tax hike to raise $470 million over 20 years for transit, and traffic congestion relief. Proposition A in San Diego would continue a half-cent sales tax to raise $9.5 billion over 20 years for transportation. This tax was originally approved by voters in 1987 for the $3.3 billion TransNet program, which expires in 2008.

Eric Miller on 11.23.04 @ 02:22 PM PST [link]  

Newton, Massachusetts is back! After years of finishing among the top five cities, Newton at last has reclaimed first place honors as America’s Safest City. Newton last won the award in 1999. The announcement will appear in the new edition of City Crime Rankings, an annual reference book of crime statistics and rankings slated for publication in December. The results of the 11th annual Safest City Award were announced today by Morgan Quitno Press, a Lawrence, Kansas-based publishing and research company. At the opposite end of the crime scale, Camden, New Jersey ranked as the nation’s most dangerous city.

“Newton has an outstanding record when it comes to fighting crime, “said Scott Morgan, President of Morgan Quitno Press. “It reported no murders and boasts some of the lowest rates among cities for rape, robbery and motor vehicle theft.”

The Morgan Quitno Safest City Award is based on a city’s rate for six basic crime categories: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft. All cities of 75,000+ populations that reported crime data to the FBI for the six crime categories were included in the rankings. In this year’s survey, 354 cities were considered for the award. Final 2003 statistics, released by the FBI on October 25, 2004, were used to determine the rankings.

Joining Newton at the top of the Safest City rankings are Brick Township, NJ; last year’s winner, Amherst, NY; Mission Viejo, CA; and Clarkstown, NY.

At the opposite end of the Morgan Quitno crime scale, Camden, New Jersey ranks as the nation’s most dangerous city. While Camden has always ranked among the 10 most dangerous cities in Morgan Quitno’s rankings, this is the first year that Camden has been named the most dangerous city. Camden is joined at the bottom of the crime rankings by (in ascending order) Detroit, MI; Atlanta, GA; St. Louis, MO and Gary, IN.

In addition to ranking the safety of cities, Morgan Quitno Press also examined crime in metropolitan areas. In those rankings, Appleton, WI was this year’s Safest Metropolitan Area. The Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI metropolitan division ranked as the most dangerous.

Eric Miller on 11.22.04 @ 11:45 AM PST [link]  

Skyline views in Pittsburgh are a dime a dozen. Now you can enjoy Pittburgh's panoramas even if you don't call the steel city home. Our high quality calendars are printed on glossy 100 lb text weight paper. They measure 8.5" x 11" when folded, and 11" x 17" when hanging on your wall. Click to shop.

Eric Miller on 11.18.04 @ 08:13 PM PST [link]  

As communities across America each grapple with how to deal with development sprawl that is eating up 2 million acres a year, thousands of quiet success stories lie behind the 1500 land trusts that are successfully conserving farmland, forests, coastal land and scenic vistas. These nonprofit groups have doubled the acreage protected just 5 years ago and are now protecting more than 800,000 new acres each year. Typically land trusts either buy land outright or work out private, voluntary land agreements that limit future development.

The Land Trust Alliance, a national association representing land trusts since 1982, today released its census of progress made over the last 5 years. The nation's local and regional land trusts have conserved over 9 million acres as of December 31, 2003, doubling the acreage protected just 5 years ago and creating an "everlasting legacy on the land," according to the Land Trust Alliance's President Rand Wentworth. Indicating their growing popularity at the local level, new land trusts are being formed at the rate of 2 per week, with the fastest-growing region being the West.

"The mission of land trusts is not just to save land, but to protect the traditional lifestyles of a community, a way of life that remains connected to that land," said Wentworth. "This can mean saving the family farm, setting up a community garden or urban park, ensuring the sustainability of a Southeastern forest, or conserving ranchland in the American West."

He attributes the success of land trusts to their grassroots nature and their entrepreneurial spirit. "These groups-many of them all volunteer-represent the best of community spirit in America, bringing people together to protect some unique piece of land that, for them, helps define what makes their community unique." Wentworth stressed that land trusts work solely through voluntary private transactions, often fulfilling a landowner's wish to keep their land as it is for their children and future generations.

Despite this progress, Wentworth and his land trust colleagues cite cause for alarm. "The current rate of development essentially means that we have at most 20 years to protect our most cherished landscapes before they are lost forever," said Wentworth. "Private land trusts are our last best hope, particularly now that deficits will severely limit the ability of the federal government to conserve new lands. Land trusts are vitally needed to do this work."

The National Land Trust Census, the nation's only tabulation of the achievements of the private, voluntary land conservation movement, describes how people in their own communities are helping to safeguard water quality, preserve working farms and ranches, and protect wildlife habitat and other natural areas. The Land Trust Alliance's Census identified several milestones:

-- Local and regional land trusts have now protected 9,361,600 acres of natural areas, an area four times the size of Yellowstone National Park. This is double the 4.7 million acres protected as of 1998. Although this Census tallies data only from local and regional land trusts, national land trusts have protected an additional 25 million acres.

-- A record 5 million acres were protected through voluntary land conservation agreements, more than triple the amount (1.4 million acres) protected just five years ago

-- A record 1,526 local and regional land trusts were in operation in 2003, a 26 percent increase over the number (1213) that existed in 1998.

During the last five years, the land trust community has seen growth in many areas:

-- California, Maine and Colorado led the nation in the amount of acreage protected by local and regional land trusts. Land trusts in the Northeast (ME, NH, MA, NY, CT, VT, RI) protected a total of 2.9 million acres.

-- Percentage increase in land protected was highest in the Pacific and Southeast. In the Pacific (CA, NV, HI), protected lands jumped 147 percent to 1,521,007 acres, up from 614,796 acres protected as of 1998. In second place, the Southeast (AL, AR, FL, GA, FL, GA, KY, LA, MI, NC, SC, TN) experienced a 123 percent increase in protected acreage -- 648,895 acres in 1998 compared to 291,413 acres five years earlier.

-- The Southwest (AZ, CO, NM, OK, TX, UT) and Pacific regions saw the most rapid growth in the number of land trusts. Southwest region land trusts numbered 70 in 1998 versus 107 in 2003. Pacific land trusts grew from 127 to 189 over the same period.

-- California now leads the nation in numbers of land trusts with 173, followed by Massachusetts, the birthplace of land trusts, with 154 nonprofit land conservation organizations. Connecticut is third with 125.
 
Land trusts protect different land types, with the most common ranked as: 1) habitat for plants or wildlife, 2) open space, 3) working farms or ranchlands, and 4) working forests. "The dramatic growth of land trusts and acres protected show that private conservation initiatives are successful at the local level. We are doubling the pace of conservation and we are doing it in a nonregulatory way that respects private property and is supported by local communities," said the Land Trust Alliance's Wentworth. "Land trusts are the vanguard of land conservation in the 21st Century.

Eric Miller on 11.18.04 @ 02:27 PM PST [link]  

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 and Chicago Wilderness have chosen five area public landscaping projects as winners of the 2004 Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards. A ceremony was held today at the annual Chicago Wilderness Congress at DePaul University.

Local government winners are Chicago and Highland Park park districts and the villages of Glenview, Schaumburg and Deer Park.

All projects were recognized for their extensive and creative use of natural landscaping to support native plants and animals that contribute to the region's biodiversity.

"These 'green' projects enhance the quality of life in our communities," said Bharat Mathur, acting Region 5 administrator. "Not only are native plants beautiful, but they offer many environmental benefits."

John Rogner, chair of the Chicago Wilderness consortium agrees, "Native landscapes are not just about pretty flowers," he said. "They are working landscapes that keep our streams and rivers clean, reduce storm runoff that otherwise floods our basements, clean the air we breathe and provide habitat for the plants and animals that are part of our midwestern heritage."

Chicago Wilderness is an alliance of more than 178 public and private organizations that work together to protect, restore, study and manage the natural ecosystems of the Chicago region.

Eric Miller on 11.18.04 @ 02:24 PM PST [link]  

New items have been added to the store at newcolonist.com!

Eric Miller on 11.17.04 @ 10:16 PM PST [link]  

Standing atop Mt. Washington, looking at the mouth of the Ohio River tonight, I thought it should be renamed the "Blue River," spreading sense through a state seemingly taken over by those who would send us back to the dark ages. Yet all along the Ohio, along Lake Erie and even in the state's capital, it's pretty blue. Ohio is very urban--and it wasn't Cleveland and Columbus who won Ohio for the Republicans.

Thinking about California and New York, together unable to choose a presidential candidate I started to think about blue states and red states. Seeing things this way makes the country look even more red.

That of course is misleading. A blue-red county map overlaid a map showing population distribution undoubtedly shows blue areas and areas with people are one in the same. Socialist Eugene Debs and other anti-urbanites are certainly filling their graves with laughter at this one. The countryside rules in the United states. In fact, despite continually increasing populations--in numbers and percentage-- in the countries largest MSA's, all cities with 500,000 people or more together couldn't elect a president.

As the Urban Archipelago points out, John Kerry won among the highly educated, Jews, young people, gays and lesbians, and non-whites. "What do all these groups have in common? They choose to live in cities. An overwhelming majority of the American population chooses to live in cities. And John Kerry won every city with a population above 500,000. He took half the cities with populations between 50,000 and 500,000."

Further, other recent accounts in leading publications show the extent to which blue states finance red states. It would be interesting to learn how much of the GDP is represented by red areas. I have a hunch the blue more than pull their weight. From Silicon Valley to Silicon Alley, where there's an economy, there's a blue splotch.

Eric Miller on 11.16.04 @ 07:23 PM PST [link]  

The U.S. Conference of Mayors issued their sixth annual metro economies report demonstrating that the nation’s 318 metro areas are indeed the engines that drive the American economy and significantly contribute to the country’s total economic output in 2003.

Authored by Global Insight, Inc., the report showed that U.S. metros in 2003 accounted for 85.4% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 88.6% of the labor income. In 2003, the output from the ten largest metro areas ($2.7 trillion) was greater than the combined gross state product of the 31 smallest states ($2.6 trillion). In 30 states alone, the combined metro economies contribute
75% or more of the state’s total economic output. In nine of the largest states, metro economy account for more than 90% of the total gross state product.

Further, U.S. metros are forecast to play an increasingly important role in the nation’s growth in the coming years. In fact, by 2029, 87% of the U.S. gross domestic product -- approximately $39.5 trillion -- will be derived from the nation’s metro areas. The top twenty metros in the nation accounted for 36% of national output in 2003 and 42% of total gross metropolitan product (GMP*) output. Real GMP growth for 2004 is forecast to be 4.6% for the top 20 metros, and 3.7% in 2005.

The report also includes 2003 and 2004 employment growth figures, revealing that as of August 2004, the nation still had lost over 1 million jobs since its peak employment level in March 2001.

“In the current economic climate, job growth is a very real concern for mayors that we all watch very
closely,” said Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Chair of the Conference of Mayors Council for Investment in the New American City, who releases the report. “As the engines of the economy, we rely on our metro areas to lead our country into long-term growth.”

In 2003, a total of 109 million workers were employed in metro areas, amounting to 84% of total national employment. Through 2005, 90% of the nation’s job growth will occur within metro areas.
Among the top twenty metros, 13 saw zero or negative job growth in 2003, compared to only 4 metros in 2004. Eight of the top 20 metros are expected to see job growth of greater than 1% in 2004 with sunbelt metros of San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas and Atlanta leading the way.

The report also highlights how U.S. metro areas compete internationally in the global market place with nations. Of the world’s 100 largest economies 47 are U.S. metro areas. “Contrary to popular belief, it's not the economy of the 50 states that drives this nation. It's the 318 metro economies - made up of cities - that are the strength of this nation,” added Tom Cochran, Executive Director
of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Blue State or red state, it's cities that are the engines of the economy (and cities are largely blue).
The complete report is available online at www.usmayors.org

Eric Miller on 11.15.04 @ 07:04 PM PST [link]  

Richard Florida is gone from the city that wouldn't accept him, yet many of his ideas have stayed, or so it seemed at the annual meeting of the Allegheny Conference. The need for a city to create a welcoming environment was mentioned several times during the course of the event held at the Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh.

During the course of the year, delegates from Pittsburgh traveled to Minneapolis, a city they compared with Pittsburgh in terms of its industrial past, its geography and its future. It's a river city, it's also cold there and it's not near a coast. There are differences, however. The first being it's a growing, not declining city. The second, it's worked at attracting and been able to attract newcomers to the city. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in the past decade the population of the 13-county Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area grew by 430,000 people, many of them immigrants. Minneapolis used to be referred to as the "whitest" city in the U.S., but no longer. That distinction today may indeed go to Pittsburgh.

There's a long way to go before we are in a position to attract many many newcomers from points around the globe. The United States as a whole isn't really in a position these days to attract other groups such as gays and lesbians. Perhaps a few will come across from Ohio since that state has pretty much outlawed their relationships. The environment here isn't so obviously welcoming either. Despite being controlled almost completely by Democrats, few public attempts have been made to embrace alternative families.

The Allegheny Conference has also been slow from moving from the whiskey-smells and cigar smoke of the rich paneled rooms in the Duquesne Club, but this years event showed at least an openness to new ideas, along with a commitment to education reform and reform of the fiscal problems the city now faces.

I can see the city changing some now, and progress on many fronts is being made. Moving the reform from think tanks and private business groups into the marbled walls of city hall are a bigger challenge. How we have to change may also be a harder sell on the streets.

That we are making steps in the right direction is clear. The notion that we are a welcoming environment open to diversity or a gateway for new ideas is one that's not yet so convincing.

Eric Miller on 11.14.04 @ 05:07 PM PST [link]  

Not a lot to say right now, except our October family trip to China was filled with lots of insights about urban living.

Perhaps the most interesting was learning about Hutongs--a traditional form of communal life in Beijing.
The Hutongs are rapidly disappearing to make way for high-rise apartment buildings.

Yet, there are some in China who are intent on preserving some of these and this very happy, community-based way of life.

Essentially, Hutongs are homes built inside quadrangles, sharing common outside walls, and a common courtyard. The closest Western equivalent I could think of was co-housing.

Our local guide in Beijing remembers fondly his childhood in a Hutong, and contrasts that with the relative anonymity he experiences as an adult in a high-rise.

At any rate, to learn more about our trip, go to this link on my website:

www.unconventionalideas.com/china.html

Also, I'd be happy to answer by email, any questions you may have about our trip or Hutongs.

John Andersen on 11.14.04 @ 08:41 AM PST [link]  

It's been a rushed and harried couple of weeks for me, and yesterday I ended an email to a friend by saying I hoped to spend the last ten years of my life in a Zen monastery.

This morning I remembered something I saw in Tokyo last year that illuminated the narrowness of that remark: one fine Sunday in Ginza, walking down a crowded sidewalk in the midst of more people than I had ever seen in a place at once in my life before, I suddenly came upon, in fact, a Buddhist monk, sitting by the curb with his begging bowl beside him, meditating. He sat erect, his eyes closed, his face calm, neither content nor discontent visible in his features…as it should be.

Tokyo is full of tranquil parks large and small, as well as quiet residential alleys that embody elegance and calm, but this good soul could meditate on the busiest street in the busiest city in the world. And not one out of the endless passing throng of Tokyo denizens found it the least bit remarkable.

As it should be.

Richard Risemberg on 11.14.04 @ 07:38 AM PST [link]  

San Francisco has announced the adoption of a Green Building Ordinance, which requires that all new projects, including city-owned facilities and leaseholds, achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

The LEED Green Building Rating System™, developed by the USGBC, is the only nationally recognized green building rating system. LEED evaluates the performance of buildings from a “whole building” perspective, over the course of a building’s lifecycle, which provides a definitive standard for what constitutes a green building.

San Francisco’s Green Building Ordinance will apply to all new city construction projects, renovations and building additions. San Francisco joins nine other cities that have adopted green building ordinances requiring LEED. “The City’s adoption of LEED Silver standards in their ordinance demonstrates San Francisco’s exemplary commitment to green building,” said USGBC President, CEO & Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi. “We look forward to more cities following their leadership.”

Under this ordinance, municipal buildings will need to follow green building design principles, which will help to create healthy workplaces, increase energy productivity, protect the environment and save the City millions in funds. “This Green Building Ordinance will translate into millions in savings on future operational costs for new city buildings. The ordinance is good for the City and will help improve the health of our environment and the wellbeing of the thousands of employees that continue to provide services for this community,” explains Jared Blumenfeld, director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment.

Eric Miller on 11.12.04 @ 12:14 PM PST [link]  

Monday, Nov. 15 is America Recycles Day. America Recycles 2004 will hold a national launch event in Lafayette Park with the White House as a backdrop to kickoff recycling activities, events and celebrations across the country. The Federal Environmental Executive, Ed Pinero, will present the Presidential Proclamation and officially launch the national day of celebration, in conjunction with D.C. children, by placing recyclables into the America Recycles 2004 recycling bin.

The event is themed around America Recycles new tagline, "It All Comes back to You". Recycling experts from across the country representing public and private sectors will discuss the benefits of recycling and how those benefits come back to Americans. Actual examples of the benefits that revisit Americans will be pulled from a recycling bin as speakers talk.

We recycled the administration without removing any of the contaminants, let's do a better job with our garbage.

Eric Miller on 11.12.04 @ 10:14 AM PST [link]  

A large pool of first-time homebuyers, who account for four out of 10 home purchases, provide liquidity to the housing market and make it easier for existing owners to trade up or trade down, according to a new survey of home buyers and sellers released today by the National Association of Realtors.

The 2004 National Association of Realtors(r) Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, based on transactions from mid-2003 to mid- 2004, is the latest is a series of surveys evaluating marketing, demographics and other characteristics of home buyers and sellers.

David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, said the market share of first-time buyers has been stable since 1993. "Strong activity by entry level buyers has provided solid and substantial growth to the housing market over the last decade," Lereah said. "The demographics of our country favor this trend going forward because echo-boomers, the children of the baby boom generation and almost as large, will be in the prime years for buying a first home for the next decade. These findings demonstrate a fundamental underlying demand that will be driving the housing market at a higher plateau for the foreseeable future."

The typical first-time buyer is 32 years old, has a household income of $54,500 and makes a downpayment of three percent on a home costing $139,000. The typical repeat buyer is 45 years old with a household income of $79,100 and places a downpayment of 22 percent on a home costing $209,000. In all, 94 percent of buyers believe their home purchase is a good financial investment. The level of for-sale-by-owners (FSBOs) hasn't changed since 2003, with 14 percent of sellers conducting transactions without the assistance of a real estate professional. The FSBO market share has fallen from a cyclical high of 18 percent in 1997. Thirty-two percent of sellers who sold their home without a real estate agent knew the buyer in advance, meaning that about one- third of FSBO transactions are not placed on the open market.

The median selling price of a home sold directly by an owner was 15.4 percent less than agent-assisted transactions. "It appears that sellers wanting to save money by not using an agent may be losing money in lower sales prices, despite the fact many FSBO homes might be smaller," Lereah said.

The survey found that the biggest problem areas for FSBOs were getting the right price, prepping the home for sale, and understanding and completing paperwork. Half of recent FSBOs said they would sell their current home without the assistance of an agent in the future, while 34 percent were unsure of what they'd do.

A great percentage of buyers are finding agents the traditional way: 44 percent were referred by a friend, neighbor or relative, 13 percent used an agent from a previous transaction, and eight percent saw contact information on a "for sale" sign. Seven percent found an agent on the Internet, six percent met at an open house, and five percent each walked into a real estate office or were referred by another agent or broker. Five other categories accounted for smaller shares each.

The most important factor in choosing an agent was reputation, according to 42 percent of buyers, followed by that agent's knowledge of the neighborhood, 24 percent. Of buyers who use an agent, 64 percent choose a buyer representative. Satisfaction with real estate agents is very high, with knowledge of the purchase process, knowledge of the local market, knowledge of the local area, people skills, and responsiveness each generating responses of "very satisfied" by eight out of ten buyers. Eighty-four percent said they were likely to use the agent again or recommend theirs to others.

Seller responses were fairly comparable, with eight out of ten selling through a real estate agent. Thirty-eight percent chose agents based on a referral by a friend, neighbor or relative, and 31 percent used the agent previously. Fifty-four percent said reputation was the most important factor in selecting an agent, followed by their knowledge of the neighborhood, 19 percent. Eighty-two percent said they were likely to use the same agent again or recommend to others.

Married couples continue to dominate the housing market, accounting for 62 percent of transactions through the first half of 2004. Single women purchased 18 percent of homes while single men made up only eight percent of the market. Unmarried couples were nine percent, and two percent were listed as other.

The typical buyer walked through nine homes, searched eight weeks to buy a home and moved 18 miles from their previous residence, while the typical seller placed a home on the market for four weeks, had lived in that home for six years and previously owned three homes, including the one just sold.

Existing homes are the lion's share of the market, accounting for 79 percent of transactions, while new homes make up 21 percent of purchases. These ratios differ from analysis of market share using statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau (news - web sites) because that data does not include homes built on contract, which are not counted as new-home sales by Census.

Buyers use a wide range of resources in searching for a home. Ninety percent use a real estate agent; the Internet and yard signs were used by 74 percent each, newspaper ads, 53 percent, and open houses, 51 percent. Five other categories were used by less than 50 percent each.

"Use of the Internet in searching for a home has risen along with the level of Internet penetration, rising from only two percent of buyers in 1995 to 71 percent in 2003 and 74 percent currently," Lereah said. "It's hard to imagine having Internet access and not taking advantage of tools such as Realtor.com when searching for a home, or in educating yourself about the housing market."

Eric Miller on 11.11.04 @ 08:02 PM PST [link]  

Good planning and a willing community can make it easier to successfully redevelop commercial property in urban and central business "infill" areas, speakers told a real estate forum at the annual National Association of Realtors(r) Conference & Expo.

"With capital chasing real estate, investors are more willing to go into diverse communities and consider ground-up development, especially in underserved markets," said Richard McCoy, president, CEO and chief investment officer at Urban America, LP, New York City. "The United States is a cheap place to invest, given the devaluation of the dollar," said McCoy, who has been involved with over $400 million worth of inner city commercial development.

Investors in such projects often include partnerships of banks, public pension funds and individuals. "Once they understand the economic viability and successful approaches to infill development, they become enthusiastic investors," McCoy added.

Retailers in redeveloped areas with residents in mind typically enjoy very high customer traffic. "Many of our tenants have the highest customer volume per square foot of space in these infill projects in all of the locations where they operate," McCoy said. "This increases customer traffic, provides a better experience for customers and offers higher profits for tenants. In some cases, we are negotiating a 'percentage lease' so we can also tap into the advantages of these high-traffic properties."

The percentage of minority populations will increase over time, McCoy said, and they have significant buying power. Out of the 100 largest cities in the U.S., 48 have majority "minority" populations. "This requires visionary change - businesses need to meet customers where they are and customize development to appeal to the people living in these areas," he said.

Successful communities have entertainment complexes, healthcare and educational facilities in the inner city areas. "Infill is exciting because the population density, the buying power of the residents and tax incentives are there to be tapped, sometimes with free land and cheap credit. Seniors are coming back, people don't want long commutes and transportation is already in place."

Kennedy Smith, a principal with the Community Land Use and Economics Group, LCC, in Arlington, Va., said tax credits are an important ingredient in the economic viability of financing infill development. Smith, a previous director of the Main Street Program at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said the federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit and federal New Markets Tax Credit are applicable in redeveloping older or historic commercial buildings.

"By thinking small and embracing the character of older buildings, opportunities can be created -- especially in communities with demonstrated public-private partnerships and a stable political environment," Smith said. She identified several keys to successful infill development: design, organization including private-public cooperation, promotion and marketing, and economic restructuring. By working with communities that have a sound downtown and good organization, it is easier to cut red tape and find innovative solutions, she said.

"Historic redevelopment works best when considering what will complement rather than disrupt the existing economic structure and environment," Smith said.

Eric Miller on 11.11.04 @ 07:59 PM PST [link]  

Caribou, a pricey brew from a coffee-shop chain, has topped 41 other regular and decaffeinated Colombian and Kona coffees in tests performed for the December 2004 edition of Consumer Reports. Inexpensive Eight O'Clock and Dunkin' Donuts placed second and third respectively, beating brews from Starbucks and Seattle's Best. The edition also includes the latest coffeemaker ratings where Braun's simple but sufficient Aromaster model came ahead of pricier machines.

Consumer Reports' tests found a far lower percentage of very good or excellent coffees than when the magazine last reported, in 2000, even though many of the same brands were again included. The tests rated Caribou coffee as "Excellent" and two different brands; two caffeinated and one decaffeinated, as not only very good, but also CR Best Buys. Among the other finds:

-- Whole beans usually bested ground. Three of our four best- tasting coffees are whole bean.

-- Coffees with the same brand name may not be equally good. Eight O'Clock Colombian whole-bean regular and decaf are both very good. However, its Royale Kona Delight is so musty that it barely tasted like coffee.

-- High price doesn't guarantee high quality. The top-rated Columbian coffee costs $11.25 per pound, but other high-rated choices cost about $2.50 to $8.

-- Coffee-shop brands may not shine. Coffees from Gloria Jean's, Seattle's Best, and Starbucks are good at best.

Consumer Reports suggests consumers keep the following in mind next time they're buying coffee:

-- To grind or not to grind. Whole-bean coffee is likely to taste better than ground.

-- Black coffee or not. Milk and sugar masks flaws in mediocre coffee. If you drink black coffee choose one of the brands rated very good or excellent.

-- Consider which beans you favor. Like wine grapes, coffee beans have distinct flavor, depending not only on the type of beans but on where they're grown.

Coffeemakers: Less is More

Experts at Consumer Reports have found that $20 won't get you a coffeemaker with lots of neat features, nor one of the new single- serving "pod" machines. But it will buy you Braun's Aromaster, a basic machine that does the job very well and that bested six models that cost between $100 and $300. The tests also found that high price doesn't get you better coffee or easier brewing. Among some of the other findings:

-- Coffee quality depends more on the beans than on the machine.

-- More money buys more features.

-- If you use a big machine for a single cup, the coffee quality may suffer.

-- All coffeemakers respond to various combinations of coffee and water and can produce a range of brew strengths.

Consumer Reports advises consumers to keep the following in mind next time they're buying a coffeemaker:

-- Consider how much you consume. If one cup of coffee is enough to jump-start your day, you'll like the convenience and compactness of a single-serve drip coffeemaker.

-- Consider how often you refill. If you wait an hour between cups, buy a full-sized coffee maker with a thermal carafe.

-- Consider convenience and features. Extra options to look for-if any-will depend on your coffee-drinking habits.

The December 2004 issue of Consumer Reports will be available Nov. 9 wherever magazines are sold. To subscribe, call 1-800-765-1845.

Eric Miller on 11.11.04 @ 07:56 PM PST [link]  

A little perspective on regional economics, social issues, and conservative delusions:

"Led by California, almost every one of the blue states is a federal tax-donor state. We send more tax money to Washington than Washington sends back to us, meaning the blue states are subsidizing the very red states — those capitals of rugged individualism like Alaska and North Dakota — that seem to loathe us.

"Clearly, California, as the premier blue state, supposed bastion of liberalism, can pay more federal taxes because it is more prosperous. Why? Why does the Almighty allow this? Why do millions of us flourish — people that a right-wing ad reviled as "latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving … body-piercing, Hollywood-loving" Californians.

"For one, Californians believe in gravity, not to mention stem cell research. We don't stick science and innovation in the back seat while religion drives the car. For two, in a nation founded on taking risks, California still fervently practices what the rest of the country preaches. It welcomes the new and different. Wherever you are from, you too can grow up to become a Californian. And for three, your private life is private."

From Patt Morrison of the Los Angeles Times. Click here for the entire article. (Link will probably change in a few weeks.)

Richard Risemberg on 11.10.04 @ 10:32 PM PST [link]  

While the Bush crowd trumpets its 51% share of the vote as a mandate and struts about thanking the "values voters" for their help, I wonder what it is in the neofeudalist cabal that half the electorate found so appealing. Whatever, it was, it couldn't have been the "values" of lying, cheating, and naked aggression that really turned the tide. While I covered some of the reasons for the neocons' attractiveness to Middle America a few weeks ago ("The Appeal of Fascism"), the matter hasn't left my thoughts, and a few more musings came to mind this afternoon while I sat at my corner coffeehouse….

• Bush told them that they were right and that others were wrong
  
• Bush told them that they were strong and that others were weak
  
• Bush told them that they were beloved of God and that others were anathema
  
• Bush told them that they were rightful masters and that others were destined to serve
  

And so they voted for him, and went home to their suburbs and trailers and felt good.

And the next day they drove off again, alone as always, to serve another day.

Richard Risemberg on 11.08.04 @ 07:51 PM PST [link]  

I pulled a newspaper from 1925 out from under old flooring today. Thought you might enjoy some of these classified ads.

WILL RENT TO COLORED $18 5146 Mossfield Street, near Schenley Ave. Frame house, 4 rooms, posession at once.

AMERICAN COUPLE desire to rent small house 3 or 4 rooms, T.H. West Ohio Street, North Side.

LIGHT colored woman desire's day's work or domestic. Call Fairfax 7575.

WHITE MAID For general housework; good home; good wages. Call 1246 Pemberton Ave. North Side or phone Linden 1367.

YOUNG married man desires a position in a meat market to learn to cut meat. Can speak English, German and Slav (I cant' read the rest).

MIDDLE AGED German woman wants cooking and gerneral housework; small family. 8745 Station Street.

Eric Miller on 11.08.04 @ 04:24 PM PST [link]  

Through all of my life thus far I have arrived at the conclusion that it is better to live in my own time than any other. Today I am not so sure.

As a teenager I visited New York, rode to the top of the Empire State Building and looked at the city with wonder. Returning, the look at the skyline was still beautiful, but scarred by reality.

The obvious reality is the absent twin towers. Even if they were there, little has appeared in the skyline--certainly no monumental building--since my first visit. I had to wonder if the tourists visiting today were posing in front of monuments to commercial modernism or ancient relics. I fear we are moving into a time and place when vistas like this seem strangely unfamiliar.

Before I get into politics, let me say New York is still full of energy and many new buildings, though smaller, have been built. Yet, compare that to Shanghai where nearly 3,000 buildings over 18 stories tall have sprouted and an additional 2,000 are planned or under construction. The world's tallest building is now, at least briefly, in Taipei. The new World Trade Center will add a monumental building, but did it have to take such a tragic event to muster up the energies needed to build?

With or without buildings, I'm afraid the fundamentalism in the middle east and the attack of 9-11 has led to a new fundamentalism here. I fear we will regress as a society and spend the next part of our history clinging to our religions, huddling in our tribal units and existing on the mental and physical capital of the past--represented here in the New York skyline.

I can only hope we don't have to wait decades or centuries for a new age--I hope a better age can start before the capital left for us runs out. I hope we can spark that renaissance before there are few left to throw Bibles and Korans at. Once the light dims, it could be gone forever, or, perhaps many years later people come to see what's left of these monuments to capitalism and progress and realize that they didn't always exist, it was we who created them, and we were not divided by fundamentalism, but we were united for progress and achievement. We, today, must leave this blinding and dangerous cave and build.

Eric Miller on 11.08.04 @ 06:14 AM PST [link]  

Pittsburgh is a city full of Democrats, yet increasing numbers in this and similar areas are casting values for Republicans. These are the "blue dog" Democrats who are enticed by the right's focus on moral issues. Of course there is more than one moral code, but I'm referring to the traditional Evangelical Christian values and not a moral code based on reason and individual liberty. The mass of the heartland relates much better to the former. This places the Democrats in a position of division between their worker-base and their tradition of civil libertarianism, or if you prefer, social liberalism. Sixty percent of those who go to church at least once a week voted for Bush, placing the Republicans squarely in line with, well, God--or at least "god."

For Republicans it seems the fiscally conservative Barry Goldwater or even in some ways Ronald Reagan types are gone. The religious right is now carrying its version of moral authority around the world, while bankrupting the government at home and even using fiscal conservatives as a source of power--since all they seem to want is their tax breaks, they're willing to let the religious right have their crusade in order to get them.

The Democrats cannot give up one either the position of fighting for the average worker, or the civil libertarianism. The only hope is for the right to fall under its own weight or develop some sort of similar internal conflict (it's only a conflict because it appeals to different subsets of voters). The supporters and politicians in the Republican party who are not so religiously right unfortunately don't see much motivation to present a challenge because, well then they won't win. The status quo presents an opportunity to convince the average worker to vote for the pocketbooks of the ultra-rich and against their own interest. (To credit, this thought process began while listening to the Lynn Cullen Show on WPTT in Pittsburgh)

The problem here is also in the process. The established parties are afraid of renegade candidates like John McCain or Howard Dean. Early in each election cycle massive resources are spent into getting a milquetoast candidate on the ballot. Third-parties are shut out. In the end the power of the major parties makes it necessary to vote for the lesser of two evils. The key is to register outside a major political party.

In the end, I wish the religious right would begin to focus on helping people instead of legislating their activities. I wish this were just a matter of seeing things in terms of a choice between socialism and freedom. If you do see things in those terms, your only real option is to leave or step out of the system entirely (not vote).

p.s. I'll throw in that Massachusetts has the lowest divorce rate and the states with the highest divorce rates are all red. New Mexico, Idaho, Alabama, Indiana , Wyoming, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Nevada.

Eric Miller on 11.03.04 @ 08:52 AM PST [link]