DeleteMe

So, to be clear, it's OK on UP if you are part of the Up Vote clique, to write, and post, inane comments. What's the point of holding back? I was one of the original members of this site, left and returned hoping it would be better, or maybe less of a clique. Nothing has changed. This site is dominated by 2 kinds of posters: the know-it-alls and the suck-ups who will "like" anything posted by a know-it-all. It's actually a game to "win" most likes. Amazing. Instead of meaningful discussions about the value of urban design in our cities, it's speculation, rumors, and the occasional news leak. Why bother posting on the Georgia pages? Like the rest of this site, it's dead. The prima donna's on the Charlotte page are the only active users of Urban Planet. Good luck with your pursuit of "likes".

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/27/upshot/diversity-housing-maps-raleigh-gentrification.html

Dale loves an institution that uses his money to promote hatred of gay people. Shocking.

The Rail Trail is becoming a tourist destination. More art, more activities, more cool architecture, more outdoor eating/drinking open to the trail. Great job Charlotte.

the Census Bureau is on crack. Brunswick County is literally across a river from the City of Wilmington. It's almost as absurd as separate Raleigh and Durham MSAs. Since MSA's = recognition and status, it wouldn't surprise me if a Georgian was behind these decisions. (Yep, I hate Georgia).

I don't get the appeal of Chick-filet. It's breaded chicken with seasoning. Waffle fries? Seriously? Big deal.

Georgians, in general, are delusional. All you have to do is go to the North Carolina mountains or the Carolina or Florida coast and count the Georgians escaping Georgia (Georgia "mountains" -- LOL. Beaches? ROFL) to see that Georgia, without Atlanta, was well suited to be a penal colony. Savannah is great if you're an alcoholic or a dock worker, but Charleston is infinitely more attractive, has better food, and when it comes to the water -- rivers and ocean -- it's no contest. Of course, Georgia does have nice swamps.

Human settlement is predicated on the ability to access a place. There's no need for water and sewer if you can't get there. But, you also correct -- no one wants to live next to sewer treatment facilities. Sorry to digress.

Development follows transportation. Rule #1 in city building. It's people who say "there's not enough density to support rail" don't get. If we used that logic, the entire interstate highway network outside central business districts would have never happened and we'd never have had a landscape littered with crappy architecture.

Economics and urban development ARE political people. Where development occurs, how people get to jobs, salaries, taxes, expenses are directly or indirectly poltical. Do the math. $9000 a year to own a reliable the car that you have to have to get to a job in 2019, and housing costs. Having to own a car, and housing costs (and options) are directly attributable to poltical decisions made about fiscal policy and transportation investments that have created our current automobile dependent pattern of development. Add health insurance costs that we know are political. Toss in food. Supply-side economics is political. In the bad old days of Keysian economics, in 1965 for example, 28k a year was equal to approximately $3500. Then, the median annual income for American was about $6000, less than half and much closer to $3500. Today, the median income $61,000, is significantly more...2.19x more.....than $28,000. In 1965, lowering paying jobs were frequently within walking distance of affordable housing. Today, walkability is a luxury, benefiting the wealthy as low income employers chase cheap land in the hinterlands to maximize profits. Using the "it's better than waiting on a check" is a ridiculous defense of bad economic policies and ignores the reality of our public welfare system. Are some jobs better than no jobs? Not exactly. The point of having a job is to be able support yourself and perhaps advance your standing in the world. $28k a year arguably does neither, If this discussion belongs in the political thread, move it. But to pretend that economic development isn't poltical is absurd. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/08/cost-car-ownership.asp

Making America great again.

Or, decide when it's right to fight. Imagine yourself in Berlin in 1933 knowing what we know now about the next 12 years. Do you "look the other way" because your relationships are more important than saving lives, or, do you look the other way, fight behind the scenes, and let your loved ones meet their own fate? In 1933, a lot of people were convinced they were righteous and the other side pure evil but most were on the fence, including members of my own family alive then and in Berlin. Some were on the Left and voted for the Christian Democrats and Socialists but most were on the Right and voted for the nationalists and monarchists parties including the Nazis. There was outright violent political civil-war taking place in the streets. The time for talking had largely passed. But there was a time before 1933, when freedom of ideas, tolerance for others, and honest conversations happened between people with opposing beliefs. What happened? A Populist political movement took advantage of crisis and used the populations deepest fears prejudice and paranoia to crush dissent, slaughter, and imprison the opposition...first they came for the trade unionists and communists, the gays and artists then moved on. As time progressed the opposition was either happily on board, hopeful that this was just a passing phase or paralyzed by fear. The warning isn't so much that people have different beliefs, that's actually a good thing, it's when a demagogue emerges who promises to have all the answers, uses others as scapegoats, capitalizes on innate fears and prejudices, and monopolizes national and/or religious symbols and ideals as their exclusive domain at the exclusion of others. It can come from extremists on either the Right or Left. Right now, and for the last 30 or so years, it's been from the Right. Trump in a lot of ways is the most extreme political leader we have ever had in this country. He has the power of media behind him and arguably the military and police. He's largely been successful at converting old Republicans into his own version of a political party that loosely resembles the old. There is no room for compromise or discussion. He wraps himself in nationalism and literalist religion creating a fanatical base of supporters believe that they alone are the rightful protectors of nation and faith. I know what happened to my own family there in Berlin and I see what happened there happening again. History never repeats itself exactly as it happened before, but it will repeat the theme. Sure it's painful to think about this and witness the decline of tolerance and civility but you can't ignore it either. I don't think that this venue is the correct place to have these deep philosophical and political discussions but don't stop talking about what you believe in person with those you disagree with.

This. Is a great image. What an awesome contribution to an already awesome urban space.

I cant even imagine how horrible life has been for Trumpists. Heterosexual, Christian literalist, Anglo-Saxon...my God, the Horrors they've endured since 1955. They are fighting back now, taking bitterness to a whole new level, wallowing in self-pity, pretending to be civil, hiding behind flag and Bible verse. There is a lot of pent up anger in the world today. Maybe injustices and insult have come home to roost. Maybe we are all just a little spoiled. I'm going with mostly spoiled with injustice and insult sprinkled on top. Cherry-picking Bible verses and Constitutional Amendments to promote hatred and division. Cherry-bombing political process for economic gain. The top of the NC GOP is under investigation for bribery. The Ninth District is without Representation because of Republican shenanigans. "What if it were the NC Democratic Party...." Trumps whines about endless Mueller. Birth certificate, anyone? Poltical correctness is a Liberal monopoly...? "Happy holidays", Fox News. No thank you for your service.

The flared panels HAVE to illuminate.