Couldn’t agree more. Contest, competition, creats good results. I think local designs would push outsiders to do a better job all round.

A contest to upgrade the architectural integrity and make a cultural statement and set the tone for the Bayfront Development is a great idea
and maybe a local architect will understand our local weather conditions and take into consideration crossing those bridges in the winter months, unlike the design of the parking garage of the hotel next to the Convention Center where there is no direct access to the hotel from the parking garage without going outside the garage to the hotel entrance. This works well in Florida but with a little more thought a simple access to the interior of the hotel would serve the public better in the winter months.

Let us make sure that these bridges are a path to a successful Bayfront Development and not BRIDGES TO NOWHERE……

I have a 197 acre project just outside of Erie and I am looking into forming a small group, 10 or less, to see if I can attract people who want to share resources, grow food, build energy efficient houses,
we have free gas, natural gas hook ups available, trees, hunting, creek, pastures just 15 minutes from Erie, the problem is getting that many people interested in working together, if not, maybe just a few people that can work together will work, if not, I will do my own program.
The old ways of expensive houses, lots of debts, big toys, over the top living is being deleveraged and the hyperinflation coming soon will make the value of land make this concept viable as the price of land will rise along with other comodities such as gold as the dollar seeks its own value based on wastefullness. Like always, its back to the individual.

Nothing the President or Congress has done or proposed will help. The Fiscal Responsibility summit is a disgrace. If I hear, “This isn’t a Democrat or Republican problem, ” again I’ll go crazy. No it is a governmental problem. The government, Demo’s and GOP got us into this mess by destroying the money, deficit spending, unconstitutional government, and a massive national debt. Now they’re going after contract and the rule of law.

George’s mention of the massive frauds reminds me of the old saying, “Who watches the Watchmen?” All the watchmen failed, repeatedly, but why aren’t those defrauders in shackels, orange jump suits, with a cellmate named sweet bubba? Why aren’t the failed watchmen out of work, disgraced, and having their spouses leave them? Why is it the same cast of characters that got us into this mess still their?

Geither! He’s been here from the start of this current mess in the NY Federal Reserve. He’s in charge now with no answer, no plan, and no real positive thought. At least FDR was positive!

I hate to say this but revolution may be a possibility in a few years. All the pillars of our civil society are being eaten away. We are becoming a total political economy and those always fail. Maybe we can do the Czech Velvet Revolution thing, but I doubt it. Get ready to speak Chinese and do manual labour for the rest of your natural. America was a nice experiment while it lasted.

WE have to pound Dahlkemper to either return to the rule of law or Constitution or replace her. WE need to let her know their are consequences to uneconomic and unconstitutional votes.

The stock market in the past was usually an indicator of where the economy is headed but with the massive frauds, the $50BILLION Madoff scandell and the $6BILLION Stanford alleged recent fraud scandal maybe investors are signalling that they are tired of the lack of supervision and over sight of the people who are trusted to invest their money. Before the stock market gets back to where it was in the past it is going to have to reform is structure to insure safety. Maybe something like a company being formed solely for the purpose of independently auditing every company trusted with investor funds, paid for by a percentage of every stock sold set aside to fund this totally independent entity, short of some vehicle to instill confidence the Stock Market as we have known it in the past may just a memory…..

Interesting that yesterday I received a call from a mortgage broker from Pittsburg who is looking to finance commercial real estate deals in the Erie area. The word is getting out that Erie may be a place that is moving forward, even in these uncertain times. Now is a good time to plan for the time when things turn around, and they will turn around, but the people driving the truck have a longer learning curve than I had hoped for.

Perhaps, Rev. Wright was correct. The chickens may be coming home to roost, as Obama’s approval ratings are starting to slip already.

Perhaps the symbolism of approving 17,000 more troops at the same time he took off for Canada might have some of the more left leaning supporters having second thoughts about their guy.

As for Erie, I have been checking various websites trying to find something beneficial for Erie in all this, and so far at least I’m not having much luck. The most information I got came from the Washington Kiplinger Newsletter of last Friday, and they indicated most of the infrastructure spending going to Philadelphia for hybrid buses and improvements to subway stations, with some bridge and road repaving for the rest of the state.