OBVIOUSLAND

Our Retirement Story

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:59:00 +0000

How finances, health, and quality of life shaped our decision.
What we did about the last-third of our lives. where to retire. I guess it dawned on us that Chicago wasn't cutting it any more and another place might fit our back third better.

About thee years ago, Terre and I GOT serious about

My wife and I are retiring to Oregon from the Chicago metro area. Precisely to Troutdale, the eastern edge of the Portland metro area. Since they have master regional planning this is as far east the metro will grow. A half of mile to the east begins the Columbia Gorge, national scenic area.
Yes we considered several other areas during a nine year search. But for me, my mind was made up about three hours after hitting town in 2010. While I may appear to be rationalizing our decision my real goal is to share our thoughts and considerations as well as offer a candid, open and honest decision making process for assessing their retirement situation and hopefully making the most of it.
They say Portland is a young persons town but I strongly feel it can serve as a mecca for aging baby-boomers who are seeking a more rebust, nature-oriented retirement lifestyle. a place were I saw a whole lot of peers.

In the end the decision was largely the result of gut-check and inttuition; what do we like, want and can afford for our last third of our lives. (30/60/90). It had the 'feel' right.
So what were our requirements, resources and issues, plotting out how to cut-loose, move and re-establish oneself in another place going to happen. Well, fear not because I'm a master at the planning, logistics and operations of moving.
In all candor, health issues and the economic collapse influenced our decisions overwhelmingly.

Part 2 - the mine-field of issues.
Part 3- the puzzle, creating and putting together the pieces.

It can feel like an overwhelming task to physically relocate especially the older one gets. Besides while I had moved a great deal throughout my life, Terre hadn't ventured far from her origins - like just a few miles.

Moving involves several distinct elements.
- Picking a place.
- packing/disposal - what to keep.
- new residence
- actually moving
- setting up and getting established.
- what to do with your time once settled.

First, let me describe the field of play:
- cancer survivor
- birth issue
- heart issues/weight
- employment/ age discrimination
- economic collapse of Fall 2008.
- poor accumulation of assets.
-lived off of savings/ slow cutting of expenses.
- student loan debt.
- health care debt.
- frustration/mild-depression.

So reached a conclusion that the presnt ebvironment wasn't working and as I have done in the past -plotted a new location. My partner, frozen in hestitation at the thought of moving still desparately wanting to move,

What motivated us to chose Oregon -

COST OF LIVING
- the perception and reality of affordibility.
- relative to where we were(are)
- fixed expenses vs. total income.
- trade-offs - taxes/energy/food/congestion/availability
My research indicates places generally don't differ much by 10% in costs. If its better than 10% less expensive than that's a very good sign. Fixed costs ideally should come in around 50% of total income.

THE SUPPLY OF PUBLIC/PRIVATE ANEMITIES.
- generous supply of assets.
- the stuff you need to live
- gov't/business/social-cultural/financial/healthcare/employment

LOCATION APPEAL
- nicer than where we are at present.
- ocean/ mountains
- ecologically fascinating bordering on beautiful.
- adequate sized urban/suburban environment with sufficient and unique satellite cities.
- an attractive, reasonable scale social environemnt, more humanistic.
- stronger economic basis than mid-west or Pgh.
- good growth potential (economis/social/cultural)
[ the areas arounf the tri-met are all primed or in the process of being developed - urban nodes build on a station much like the 19th century america around the railroad (station). I expect a population growth of 5-10% over the next decade absorbed principally through these nodal density upgrades.]

THE MIND-SET
- liberal/progressive attitude
- magnetism

CLIMATE/WEATHER
- can be outside more than not
- no extremes
- limited summer in the AC.
- lower need to warm in the winter,
- rains more frequently but no strong storms.
- ability to be more physically active.
- less precipitation than chicago/Pittsburgh/ Wilmington.
- Besides I look better in a sweater than in speedos,
- ignore climate change/global warming all you want - along with increasing energy costs I don't want any physical destruction or high energy costs.
- pull out a us map - where:
no Gulf Atlantic coasts/ no deep south/ no rural-great plains

Troutdale is surrounded on two sides by other suburban cities - Wood Village (retail/residential) to the west and Gresham (retail/residential/mass-transit link) to the south mixed with adequate/some open space. Both offer 80% of what we need on a monthly basis (the amenities) within a five mile radius. Troutdale itself has a gentrified downtown (upscale/toursit) with half undergoing rehab/redevelopment. To the north there is the Interstate crossing east to west, an encased outlet mall of 25 stores, scattered warehousing/transporation, parks and the river. about half developed/half open space.
Eastward - zoning protected, sandy river - nature-water corridor, farming/rural residential, national secenic area-protected forest/natural beauty.

THoughts on Education

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:23:00 +0000

Four things:
- reasonable attempt to reach each child.
- is child there and ready to learn.
- size of the group. Major problem.
- does the teacher know how to teach.

Cook with what you have!

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:32:00 +0000

The republican conondrum

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:43:00 +0000

Now that America has heard the top ten reasons why romney lost (going on 25 at last count), the truth is obvious, the republican message sucks.

1. Your messenger was carrying your message; romney did not create the GOP platform or pander to all of its radical constituencies on his own. Do the republicans really plan to ditch the homphobes, true believing radical Christians and those who see America as it existed fifty years ago? Romney never criticized the nut jobs nor distanced himself from their comments. Why?

2. The modern day GOP is built on separatism and dividing the country; it is called maker vs. takets, job creators vs. welfare queens, the successful vs. the food stamp nation; ready to actually practice some real inclusion with that idealogy? Talk with a republican and within a few minutes you'll hear the 'us' and 'them' line of bs.

3. Government is never the solution, it is always the problem; that is except when you want the public to bail out the banks which gambled us to the brink, when you insist on favoring industries which required corporate welfare even when profitable and when you continue to use government as tool to enforce social policies which your side favors vs. what the majority believes.

Reform requires real commitment to changing your bad habits; and the first step in that is to admit you might have some. So far what we have seen from the Jindals, Barbours and others is totally cosmetic and not substantive.

1. No one likes a loser particulary after you have chosen that loser as your standard bearer and spent a few billion to get him elected;

2. Victory has a thousand parents; defeat is an orphan;

3. Nothing is so clarifying as to have your candidate and his (your?) message rejected by a majority of the electorate.

(1st draft) - The utopian vision

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:56:00 +0000

of hindsight. Longing for the 50's and 60's.
The recent election of 2012 brought into focus an almost mythical characterization og the 1950's. The nmedia likes to characterize the c omposition of the republican/ tea-party/ right-wing base as the white man who longs for the 1950's.
Well who is the people who long for the 1950's. Most likely not those lived them as adults. Think about that - 18 in 1950 would make one 80 today so its mostly those who were children are the majority that make up the group that romanitize the 1950's

But what are the social/ economic eleements the characterized the 1950's?
1) jobs / empolyment\
2) level / state of education
3) characteristics of the population then vs. 2012.
4) taxiation
5) transportation - auto / air / rr.
6) make-up of work.
7) only country left standing
8) WWII - political/economic-mass production / labor force.
9) the incentives to relocate between states and cities.
10) myth of free market
11) right to work [anti-union]
12) emerging from WWII as the only power
13) the mercantilist empire
14) the white world vision thing
15) gthe 1950's last vestige of the regional economy that came to be as the USA developed in the USA as it grew and evloved.
16) the agricultural transformation -

The other thing about the agricultural-industrial complex is that it has gutted the populace of the ag states, turning them from the self-reliant small farmer-citizens into financially disenfranchised farm laborers. This is a key driver for the anger. They distrust the federal government for good reason- ag policy has destroyed their way of life. And as a consequence, the nation as a whole has lost an important part of what made us great- small farmers and the small local industry of tinkerers that they foster was traditionally one of the engines that fuel manufacturing innovation- and serve as a stabilizing political force.

The things that influenced me. (4-27-2013)

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:00:00 +0000

1) Well, isn't it always one's mother - rreading/travel/nature/family-ancestors/architecture-design/history/

2) The location - the earliest english experience west of the appliciations/railroads/industry/technology

3) G. Washington - prototype of leader

4) Thomas Edison - the practical creative/technology

5) Braddock expedition - military/ logistics

6) Brownsville - economics/patterns of development/evolution.

7) roots of architecture/urban design. - Colonial villages/walkable places

The best read on the elction yet!

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 02:44:00 +0000

Watch for it. That moment in the debate were it becomes clear that the zingers are not enough, or the other gimmicks they are training him for run their course and he's left standing there with just himself, his authentic self to draw from. Obama will be kind if not even generous in the moment, but make no mistake he will finish Romney right then and there. Because that's what a winner does when it's winning time. - BadGimp @ DemocraticUnderground 9-30-2012.

Chicago - mass transit that serves nowhere (3-28-2013)

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 03:23:00 +0000

nowhere. The failure of a transit strong American city. Service to a lot of locations is poor or non-existent. Case in point: Soldier Field, McCormick Place, Navy Pier, United Center, Comiskey Park vs. Wrigley Field.

mass transit accellorate development. Answer: it doesn't. It creates disfunctional development that ultimately fails and leads to urban decline.
My 14 years here - discovered several thimngs about chicago - its history / influence of roads, railroads and transit. growth , mid-west sensibility.
the magnets of development. south loop railyard / near wset side / ball parks / future of gambling.
party twons - america has seven: New York, Miami, New Orleans, Chicago, Vegas, LA, SF.

How tying the major magnets into & together with mass transit would accellorate economic development by achieving two factorors: ability of the workers to get to their jobs easily and economically. and secondly, provide the visitors to these venues with a variety of choices of how to get to these places.

-transit corridors are natural avenues of development.
- Brookfield / Hollywood / Congress-Park stations.- a set of suggested development principles.
- Chicago's major mistake - no mass transit to entertainment venues.

The NFL maintains twice the

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:06:00 +0000

number of players that it actually uses. What does that say about labor? American labor in general. Twice the number of workers, so a 50% umployment rate is acceptable.

The Medicare Differences

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 00:53:00 +0000

The New Republic's Jonathon Cohn has an exhaustive guide to the Medicare debate playing out in this election. Or, nearly exhaustive, because of course neither Romney or Ryan has produced sufficient details to answer all of the questions Cohn poses.
But here are his key questions: 1) How do the plans control Medicare spending; 2) How quickly do the plans cut spending; 3) On whom do the plans place the most risk; and 4) What else would the plans (and the men behind them) do to the health care system? And here's a quick chart of Cohn's analysis

An executive summary of the differences from a article at Daily Kos by Joan McCarter, 'The Most-definitive Gude to the Medicare Debate'.

1. How do the plans control Medicare spending?
In the case of the Affordable Care Act, through "reductions in what Medicare paid providers—that is, doctors, hospitals, and suppliers of medical goods," using information about where Medicare is overpaying and introducing incentives for increasing quality of care. In the case of Romney/Ryan, market competition—moving Medicare to a privatized, voucher system.
2. How quickly do the plans cut spending?
This is a harder one to nail down, for both plans, since there are so many factors at play. But, in essence, the Affordable Care Act cuts $716 billion (that number is subject to change) in the next 10 years, extending the program's solvency to 2024. The Romney/Ryan current voucher plan doesn't really supply enough specifics to know how quickly spending cuts will unfold, but those cuts will likely be harsher if Romney/Ryan followed through on their promise to restore the ACA cuts, the same cuts Ryan included in his budget. They'd also be harsher because Romney has a budget cap, a hard target for spending. Keeping Medicare spending to a hard target will mean "a more severe spending cut than Ryan’s or Obama’s."
3. On whom do the plans place the most risk?
That's an easy one, and also the most important question of the whole debate. With the Affordable Care Act: "[I]t does not undermine the basic guarantee to seniors—that, upon retirement, every American will get a comprehensive set of insurance benefits." There is the very real possibility that access with be more of a problem, if providers start dropping Medicare patients because of reduced payments, but seniors will still have comprehensive insurance. The Romney/Ryan plan would force seniors to pay more, and does put the future of the program as it exists today at risk.
4. What else would the plans (and the men behind them) do to the health care system?
Obviously, the Affordable Care Act expands access to affordable health insurance and to a key program for providing health care to lower-income people: Medicaid. Romney/Ryan's plans for Medicaid would drastically cut the program, shrinking access to health care for millions, including many seniors. It would force states to have to prioritize who got health care, forcing states to become de facto death panels

To Joan , thanks for this work. I copied it to remember these points for arguement.

Isn't this what right-wingers believe

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 21:27:00 +0000

about Obama? While not my work - This says it best: courtesy 'NonPartay" @ HP.

They should really cast Obama as the next James Bond. He's obviously the best Secret Agent that's ever lived. Just as he was born, he was able to slip out of a Kenyan hospital, plant his own birth announcement in two separate Hawaiian

2016 election.

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 01:18:00 +0000

I'll say this here and now, the candidates for the two major parties in 2016 will be individuals currently not on the radar. The baby boom generation is exiting and a younger, more diverse generation is taking hold. The effective and likely candidates will be from unique, non-political can-do backgrounds and get in late. Four year running candidates will be shunned. The winning candidate will keep America's historic promise to the elderly while describing a path for the other generations to have and keep the American dream. Obama will ultimately win in 2012, and none of the existing names - Hillary, Jeb, et. al. or Ryan will be seen as viable. I love youth for all its frailities. This from an aging baby boomer.

This election may actually break the Republican party apart and in the process reset the entire American political system. I've brought this up elsewhere but 2016 will be the true first election of the new century. None, I repeat none of the current crop of potential or under consideration candidates for President will be seen as relevant. Jeb, Hillary, Timmy, Ryan, Liz, you name them will appear out of sync with the world of 2016. The effective candidates will get in late and come with a solutions based background that projects fairness and equality. The party that satisifies the baby boomers fears and needs while appealing to the new American electorate will dominate for a generation. Technology/information, meaningful living, energy/environment are reshaping the paradigm. I'm a child of the sixties and want to see the dream as reality before I move on.

If Romney wins, what can we expect?

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 01:00:00 +0000

If Romney wins, what can Americans expect?
With a Romney win, the US House and Senate are likely to be both Republican dominated. The agenda, in the first one hundred days will be furious. As DeMitt indicated, he believes every thing must be pushed through in that time frame because after that the American people will Wake UP and demand a more sane policy regarding domestic and foreign issues.

First off, forget any serious effort at social issues. That is Abortion. gay rights and health care. Republicans talk the talk but don't particularly care about these. They love the anger these issues generate but don;t like to waste political capital legislating against these. Health care in particular will get starved to death or obstructed on a state level. With no money available to implement Obama Cares, health care spending as a percentage of GDP will grow while more continue to lose their health insurance. Medicaid will be gutted, leaving about 35% to 40% of the  population without heath insurance or the ability to pay for health care by 2016.

Regarding defense spending. More is better. But how much is waste? Romney has vowed to increase spending significantly, in the range of $250-$500 billion yearly. With no accountability and no source of increased Federal revenues other than 'trust me'. The bulk of the increase goes to weapons purchases, keeping much of old "Cold War' weapons systems in place'. Very little bang for the dollar.

On foreign affairs, I don't see a major shift in the short run, except regarding Iran. Romney, surrounded by Bush people, wants a face-off against Iran in order to prove he too is a war-time President. No one in their right mind believes Iran will be a cake-walk and the cost in treasure and lives would leave the USA near bankruptcy once the illusion of a short, quick war fades. The likelihood of increased terrorism directed at America targets both domestically and internationally   will sap the fortitude of the public.

It's clear where he wants to go by his verbal abandonment of the 'honest=broker' position the USA as held since 1967 when he mocked the Palestinians during his little foreign policy tour. It gives Israel a clear signal to end the false two state solution and annex the west-bank into Israel proper.

Domestic economic issues, however, are where Republicans want to leave a permanent stamp. Extending the complete Bush tax cuts are their primary goal. Secondly, adding the additional 20% tax cut Romney loves to hype is their real objective. And this is where the real damage to the America economy comes from. So far, the Bush tax cuts, war with Iran, and increased defense spending deliveries an annual Federal deficit of around 1.5 to 1.75 trillion. The added 20% breaks the bank.

Here's why! How much were income taxes cut for the average American in the much-maligned Stimulus?  And the stimulus is set to expire. Well, it was greater than 20%. So, right-off the top, an average American income tax payer will see a modest income tax increase, under the guise of a tax cut. How fair is that? But, wait, the annual deficit is now running 2.5 trillion. Here is where Romney has solutions but are they realistic? He proposes numerous fixes in the tax code to make his 20% tax cut revenue neutral by ending or cutting back hundreds of specific income tax deductions, credits and
incentives to large and small business as well as those favoring the American public.  But will Congress go along. I seriously doubt it and here's why!

Take the talk of ending the homeowners interest deduction. Want to end home ownership has we
know it? The mortgage banking, real estate, home building and home improvement industries, who pay big money in annual lobby fees, will cry and howl and bring Congress to its knees. Imagine first time home purchasing falling completely off the cliff. I can't, so that's going to be a no-no. The same of course, holds for the hundreds of other tax credits, deductions and incentives. Corporate America doesn't spend millions yearly lobbying Congress to just decide, hey, let's give up this favorably tax environment we spend millions creating. Nearly all Corporate America pays little or no taxes under current law, do you think they are willing to pay another cent. It ain't going to happen. Corporations will replace every one of the tax increasers.

So, now America is looking at annual deficits in the range of 3 trillion.

What this election will really decide -

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 02:28:00 +0000

How large is the low-educated, no analytical skills voting group. In my review: 15% benefit from the current economic arrangement and they break 75%/25% republican. About another 10-12% are progressive.Same number conservative but uncertain about this group. Another 10% on each side back whatever. And the other 40%, well, fortunately half don't vote. It's the half that do, I'm worried about.

What's behind romney's past secrets?

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:17:00 +0000

Well, I have my take:

Is this just another hysterical episode from the romney campaign or the real deal? If this runs another week then it will burn until the convention. If romney survives the nomination what will he look like on Labor Day, the start of the final run?

And here's some-one else's thinking:

An Andrew Sullivan reader who is an securities attorney writes:

"The average voter is more like a member of a jury than an SEC board member or securities lawyer. Here is the case that I would make against Romney on this issue, in a nutshell:

He was listed as President, CEO, and sole stockholder of Bain until 2002 on SEC filings that carry criminal penalties if they are false.

He doesn’t dispute that he owned the company, lock, stock and barrel.

During that time we know that he was paid at least $100,000 - an enormous sum to most jurors. You don’t get paid that kind of money for doing nothing.

We don’t know how much more he was paid because he won’t release his taxes.

Before he ran for Governor of Mass in 2002, he talked about how he attended board meetings for Staples and Marriott – two Bain Companies during that time period.

He is responsible, like all CEOs, for what Bain did through 2002.

He says it took three years to "change the name of the CEO"? Bain would target a company, swoop in, divert all the cash, pick the bones, fire the employees and be gone in less time than that.

His story is (insert synonym for BS)

Then, when opposing counsel wanted to argue Romney wasn’t paying attention to particular deals, that SEC document was for Bain LP, not Bain Capital, LLC, or whatever, I would just let him talk. All it does is make him look like more of a BS artist.

This says it best -

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 16:42:00 +0000

Every Romney speech and statement I hear is almost entirely about Obama. It's as if Romney himself doesn't exist except as a fun-house mirror reflecting a wildly false view of the president. Is this how he expects to win?

complete communities (4-27-2013)

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:59:00 +0000

the better description for - complete communities

only communities composed of multi-options, diversity and inclusive will survive and remain successfully functional and effective in the 21st century. They will be characterized as equitable, affordable, sustainable and walkable. The specific components are housing, work, services, amenties, movign and thriving. whose factors include: quality education; access to good jobs, affordable housing; affordable healthy food; affordable health services; ability to enjoy amenities; access to recreation and parks; meaningful civic engagement; affordable transportation choices.

As in all communities, decision-making models fall into three categories: grand plan by primary elements (government/business)/almost no deliberate and/or subconscious actions by individuals and small-entities. moderate planning/moderate actions. liitle or no planning/primarily actions.

The secret and charm of community is its diversity and level of human interaction achieved by creating walkable urban-style environments. 'Spontaneous' diversity (on all levels-primary & secondary) is generated by planting seeds.
four conditions are all necessary and indispensible.
1) must serve more than one primary function and preferably more than two.
+ insuse people to go outside on different schedules
   (people distributed throughout the time of day)
   (factor of users spread through time of day)
   (maximum person/times - when needed most for time balance)
- mid-afternoons(2-5)
- evenings
- saturdays/sundays
+ are there for different purposes (residents/workers/irregulars/tourists)
+ use many facilities in common
+ a waterfront itself is the first asset capable of drawing people.
+ primary uses - anchors/bring people to a specific place/ can be unusual / attractors of people
   (offices/factories/dwellings/education/entertainment/recreation)
+ secondary uses - enterprises that respond to the presence of primary uses / serve people & flourishes sufficiently / contains enough of unusual & unique.
+ primary uses mixtures - to preform effectivel/overlap/use same streets/some of same facilities
   (incubate operation/incubators of enterprises)
+ constant replacement - less with more intensive/no artificially induced dispersion,only centripetal   forces/courts of honor[formal design]/functional & economic needs of the place/
+ mingled city - individual architectural focal pts./intimately surrounded by everyday matrix in harmony w/economic-functional behavior.
+ each primary use needs imtimate matrix with its secondary diversity.
+ primary uses - complexity & variety. {place requires a grid/network/overlap of primary uses]

2) most blocks must be short; streets and opportunities to turn corners must be frequent
+ isolated, discrete street neighborhoods are apt to be helpless socially.
+ monotony - endless stores/depressing predominance of commercial standardization.
+ consolidation, scale of support, scale of convenience.
+ no stringent physical segregation of regular users
+ streets containing buildings where things could start up & grow at spots economically viable
+ various alternative routes to choose
+ mutual paths - mixed & mingled.
+ supply of fleasible spots for commerce.
+ distribution / convenience of placement.

___________________________________________________________________________________
article @ The Atlantic Cities / Irvine Minnesota Inventory.

All of this means is that truly walkable urban communities are much more economically vibrant than their drivable suburban neighbors. Creating a supply of walkable urban neighborhoods, substituting 'walkable urban' for “drivable suburban”.

What do most people want in the way of a community? A functional, safe, economically effective, place that provides a diversity of choices for residence, work, entertainment, recreation, transportation, services and human needs. Additionally, people want walkable, energy-efficient, more sustainable places that offer racial and ethnic diversity, prosperity, and stability.

I've been emphasizing this point for years - America needs to re-invent its cities for two reasons - and this is one; the other is energy. I don't see America giving up the individual transportation module (car) any time soon (say the next 100 years) but with fossil fuels ending and thus more expensive, living in suburban is not going to work. the cost and inconvenience will not sustain itself. Small to mid-sized cities would do well as bloomer-centric hubs, particular those with good mass transit and several features that attract activity. With small electric powered cars, zones with a 5-mile radius will be ideal especially with the availibility of transit.We live in an older suburb of Chicago - 95% of everything we need is within 5 miles, everything one would want or need + rail and mass transit & easy access to 3 interstates. And yes, we have our few square feet of grass.
However, many will always live rurally and in the far out suburbs - energy and the recent economic phase shift will pull more people into the cities , particularly if cities can regain employment centers and prove 'safety.

Regarding my two point - that America will have to/must re-invent its cities and suburban centers because of energy.

establishment of suburban villages around transport corridors. (an example - suburban chicago) What is required is an easement from zoning regulations allowing for three or four story multi-use development an eighth of a mile around a designated transport service stop, and three story multi-residence development a quarter of a mile around a designated transport stop. The multi-use zone should allow for both ground level retail and ground and/or second story professional uses, with townhouse residences above. The easement should also include a maximum allowed parking minimum, with allowance to include pooled parking in the zone to meeting parking minimums

As it was originally designed, Outer Suburbia and Exurbia was designed to fail in an era where increasing energy efficiency will be a fundamental platform for ongoing growth. However, its possible to retrofit Outer Suburbia and Exurbia to a more sustainable design

All across the U.S., residential exurbs that sprouted on the edge of metropolitan areas are seeing their growth fizzle, according to new 2011 census estimates released Thursday.
...
"The heyday of exurbs may well be behind us," Yale University economist Robert J. Shiller said. Shiller, co-creator of a Standard & Poor's housing index, is perhaps best known for identifying the risks of a U.S. housing bubble before it actually burst in 2006-2007. Examining the current market, he believes America is now at a turning point, shifting away from faraway suburbs to cities amid persistently high gasoline prices.
...
"Suburban housing prices may not recover in our lifetime," Shiller said, calling the development of suburbs since 1950 "unusual," enabled only by the rise of the automobile and the nation's highway system

If values (property values below replacement cost) are sliding because of the cost of travel per mile in an area that requires a lot of miles of travel to get things done, there are two responses that can boost value:

Reduce the numbers of miles that need to be traveled to get things done, and
Reduce the cost of transport per mile

Both of these goals may be pursued with the same policy response.
(1) Suppose that you had a small, multi-use "suburban village" that was in relatively easy travel distances.
(2) Suppose that the suburban village was connected by lower cost transport to additional suburban villages as well as to one or more larger urban multi-use areas

http://marketurbanism.com/
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/
http://www.streetsblog.org/
http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/
http://discoveringurbanism.blogspot.com/
http://newurbandesigner.com/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes from 'The Oregon Experiment', 1975, Christopher Alexander, et. al., Oxford University Press.

1) organic order - planning and construction is guided by a process which allows the whole to emerge gradually from local acts. The kind of order achieved when there is a perfect balance between the needs of the parts and the needs of the whole. The community shall not adopt any form of physical master plan, but instead shall adopt a process. The process enables the community to draw its order from a communal pattern language. The process is administered by a single planning board of less than ten members, made up of users and ____________ in equal numbers, and a director of planning (supported by a staff ). It is impossible to fix today what the environment should be like 20 years from today, then steer the process of development toward that fixed, imaginary world.

2) participation - all decisions about building are in the hands of the users. what to build, how to build it. User design team for each proposed building, and only those designs initiated by users will be considered.

3) piecemeal growth - construction undertaken in each cycle will be weighed overwhelmingly towards small projects. piecemeal growth is essential to create organic order, growth and repair, in order to maintain balance and coordination, the quality of the whole. To maintain morphological integration repair must conserve a pre-ordained order and adapt continuously to changing uses and activiities. gradual sequence of changes, distributed across all levels and scales. good environments have in common whole & alive due to slow growth over long period, piece by piece. adapting to changing users and needs.

4) patterns - design and construction guided by communally adopted planning principles called patterns, covering all levels (macro / micro).

5) diagnosis - well being of whole protected by annual diagnosis which explains which spaces are alive and which ones are dead at any given moment. Planning staff along with the users of individual spaces will prepare an annual diagnostic map for the entire environment. This diagnostic map will be adopted, published and available to all.

6) coordination - slow emergence of organic order assured by a funding process whcih regulates the stream of individual projetcs put forward by users.

Beyond the Corporate Economy

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 04:11:00 +0000

Does the USA need a new economic system?

Over the last thirty years, economic growth has been driven entirely by debt - government, business and consumer. That doesn't say any thing good about our capitalism economy. In fact, it's a sign that the USA is in failure mode. It's time to recognize this and plan for the eventually that America's and the entire world's economies are collapsing. More importantly, we need to formulate and start creating the next way.

First, forgot thinking it's not going to happen. It's in progress as we speak. Mid-June 2012 and the EU is near ruin - Greece, Spain and Italy are in various states of fiscal failure.

Second, to prove my point - let's examine GDP growth, debt growth, changes in money supply, and several other factors that illustrate this point.

Third, what are we speaking about. To paraphase Andrew Mack, Ph.D. from New Florence, Pa in a letter to the editor in the June 2012, the Atlantic:

More on the ACA

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 23:04:00 +0000

The ACA was an example of single-payer for the insurance industry, a few bones for the public, and placating the health providers without offending the money sources, namely the private sector that still offers health insurance to its employees. It did include the seeds of a single-payer system and the start of a universalist model, to its benefit.
The corporations want to quit providing health care insurance and the insurance companies themselves only want to offer a high-premium, up-scale add-on product.
The Republican/Romneycare model offers more of the same with double the mandate, higher premiums, weaker coverage and smaller subsidies. And a tax increase without any deductibility.
Only total fools spout crap about Obamacare's short-comings and their fantasy of no mandates. Get real you're goin' be payin' more, and by law.
If you are using health care and paying attention, only the middle-men are making any money.
The Republicans will push the USA into single-payer faster than the Democrats. Ask an insurance executive.

The Romney question ?

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:37:00 +0000

Willard - How would you deal with a Democratic Congress that completely refuses to even look at any of your budget / governmental objectives? How about if they pretend you don't exist?

Romney out of control

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 02:26:00 +0000

Nia Malika-Henderson reports: Mitt Romney today staged an attack on Obama at a factory that closed ... under George W. Bush.
The Romney camp’s response: It would have opened again by now if it weren’t for Obama. This perfectly captures the Romney argument that, okay, yes, the economy is improving under Obama, but not fast enough.
* Or, as Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom puts it:

“The fact that it struggled through the last three years is not the fault of Barack Obama’s predecessor, it’s the fault of this administration and the failure of their policies to really get this economy going again,” he said. Fehrnstrom said that Obama “cannot take any credit for any success on the jobs front.”

“None at all,” he added

Romney the ultimate welfare queen

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:36:00 +0000

Romney, the ultimate welfare queen? Do you remember the myth Romney himself tells of his start with Bain Capital. How he went hat in hand to the US Government seeking tax forgetness for $10 million in taxes and how that event launched his career at Bain Capital and his and their subsequent success at leveraged buyouts, corporate turn-arounds and liquidations and sell-offs. So what part am I missing? Is he no different than a welfare queen, depending on the government to save his a**. How different would the Romney narrative be if this was the story.
Now, lets look at these numbers $10 million, I believe was the number Romeny quoted, at interest plus inflation, over 20 years, would be approximmillion.ately $250 million today. Now, add in the tax manipulation and off-shoring and Romney would owe America $100 miilion.

And this guy wants to restore 'the hope of the American Dream' - not the American dream, but its hope.

The Most Basic Question

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 02:10:00 +0000

Is Romney weird? So asked the article. He asked his grandchildren to call him 'Ike'. You tell me.
The most basic question Who would you personally follow?
The most basic organized group capable of survival under even extreme conditions is the combat infantry squad of 7-10 people. Each squad has a leader and functions in a harmonious fashion with all members supporting and complementing each other. Keep in mind a combat infantry squad operates to optimize the survival of each and every member of the team as well as the team itself. Who would you follow? Who would you chose to lead the squad you're in? And why? Answer me this?

John McCain
John Boehner
Sarah Palin
Barak Obama
Nancy Pelosi
Mitch McConnell
Mitt Romney
Ron Paul
Joe Biden
Newt Gingrich
Rick Santorium
Rick Perry

Do we have to elect Romney

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Do we have to elect Romney to see what he stands for?

By trying to destroy Obama will the Republicans destroy Romney in the process.

Why do Republicans blame Democrats for their own failings and shortcomes? We just love that 'free stuff' we get with Republican and Democratic administrations and want more, like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, Food Stamps, Small Business support, Mass Transit, Single-payer, universal Health Care; quality free public education through grade 14; convenient, affordable child care 24/7/365 (because 90% of Americans actually workoutside the home); job training & re-training; A living wage assured through a 'realistic' mininum wage;

The budget savings we're hoping to have come from budget estimates decided on in 2011. So, if we spend less than the projected budget estimate but more than we have, its a spending cut and therefore reduces the deficit so we can afford a tax cut for job creators. Deficits will never be as low as they are currently no matter who is president and who controls Congress. The annual Federal deficit is the same amount as the annual profits of Corporate America combined - what a surprise!

Because if Republicans tell you what they will do, you wouldn't vote for them.

the man who is running for President entirely based on his private sector financial success is the one who is most unwilling to share with the American people how he attained that success.

Whio has the credibility to

noreply@blogger.com (David) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:28:00 +0000

explain to the American public how health care should work? That's the delemia!

Do you remember when employer-paid health insurance was virtually free. Like $5 co-pays & free prescriptions, Labs & hospita; - 20% of cost to cap / then free. Why is it that it cost that much now? Think in terms of total dollars spent.