mercuex
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Posts posted by mercuex
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cool
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heh i thought so at the time. ive gotten used to it so that's that.
so does anyone care about nn development yet?
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what does your name mean, if you don't mind me asking?
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In Iroquois it means "deer with flying laser gun".
Actually it originally was meant to mean mercu(ry) and ex which is "from" in latin. From Mercury is meant to imply a connection to the god of war.
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What's happened to PeninsulaKiddo? I miss his entries. He's intelligent, has tremendous wit and is really in love with his home turf. Besides, I like his politics!
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LoL
Don't hate us for not being lefties
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I'm also tired of everyone assuming that American means you are white too. When I think of american i don't think of race.
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Damn! no kidding. I'm half japanese and half italian and i feel pretty god-damn 'merican, thank you very much. Virginian too.
Its annoys me most when people who aren't white don all these ridiculously stereotypical 'ethnic' costumes to 'get back to their roots' or whatever. Its like asians, any kind of asians, who follow anime and drive hondas because it seems like the asian thing to do.
I just dont see why we have to delineate ourselves and insist on being something else even though when it all comes down to it, we're just americans.
::sigh::
Oh here's FYI of the day. Newport News has a improportionally large number of Bosnians and Koreans. Norfolk has an improportionally large number of arabs and indians. Virginia Beach has an improportionally large number of people.
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I agree, my Grandfather was born in Germany but they came through here the right way and he was raised in South Philly. This is not a race issue of some sort at all, which those on the left try to make it. When you put water in the desert doesn't attract more people to jump the boarders? Isn't ashame that the minute men deturred more illegals than the feds?
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I know. I don't blame the INS Joe who is doing his damnedest when his own government is actively undermining his job. Not only do they keep them from having the numbers and firepower to keep Mexican border gangs from crossing with impunity, but our government policy aims just to make their jobs more difficult. It's really an untenable situation. I swear to god it's going to take a huge terrorist attack from converted Mexican Islamists for the feds to do anything logical.
I want immigration to happen, but this unabashed support by media and tacit nod by the government to illegals will ruin this country.
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One more intrusion about BOTTOMS UP, guys. If you're interested, go to todays Richmond Times Dispatch, hit Entertainment and look for the item called Table Talk. Melissa Ruggieri tells all about the new, improved Bottoms Up.
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I'm on the right but don't always agree with them. It sucks that you have to be one or the other. I don't like what Bush is doing with the immigration thing and letting Mexico push us around like they are. I can't believe Fox had the nerve to say that he thinks Mexico should have input on our immigration policies. Who the hell does he think he is. I have no problem with people that come here legally because most of our blood lines came here through that process.
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Oh god you said it!!
Vicente Fox knows that if we actually make it so illegals are treated as people who break the law, that he'll be losing a major source of cash infusion. Did you know that the amount of $$ sent over to Mexico from emigres totals more than our annual TRADE with Mexico? Intense.
Look, my mom is an immigrant and my dad's side immigrated in the 20s. I have no problem with immigration, but if Mexico is going to sodomize us, I don't feel like we should be dropping our pants and asking "please sir, I'd like some more".
I think it's bullcrap that Mexicans who come here legally are treated no better than the ones who circumvent the law. Worse in some cases. It's a freaking disaster.
Besides, what do we get back from Fox? Not much. He's considered "on the right" in Mexico but he hasn't done nuts to support our foreign policy and actually, instead, pursues a policy of active obstruction in the UN. Some pal.
Anyway, that's my rant.
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I want to get into some kind of developmenting of neighborhoods down the road too. Don't know if i will ever have that kind of money but urban planning does throw in political bias and such. I hate when you take classes and professors try to cram their political agendas down your throat. I always argue with professors about that too. I'm an engineering student so its far from urban studies.
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No kidding. The trick is to quote Marx a couple of times and use phrases like "so-called 'democracy' " and "anthrocentric, heteronormative paradigm" and "american socio-capitalist imperialism". Works wonders.
It's not that I'm far right or anything. I'm actually an independent and though I vote Republican, I vote dem sometimes too. My roommates both work for the dem party. I just am sick of this fringe crap from my university and the People's Republic of Richmond (at least it was before wilder lol).
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Yeah I sit in front of a PC all day for work so that is my main reason, but when i get home i check the site too. I'm like the talking about the development to much. Maybe I should get in something like urban development like coupe said. Maybe it would be a good minor or something.
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Yeah ... I was going to do a minor in Urban studies but after a few classes I realized it was more about the social aspect ... like homeless issues and why we all need to be socialist, etc. Wasn't for me. I care about the homeless and such but I'm not a fan of land/income redistribution like my profs.
By this point I had transferred to the business school and started taking real estate classes. Good stuff. Only problem was that I realized I would have to redo all my core classes if I wanted to graduate with a Real Estate degree. Got out. Now it's more a hobby. I figure I'll just try and get rich and do some development eventually on my own.
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You know I just realized that this forum is the MOST active during business hours!! After we all go home posts just drop off... LoL ... maybe its good the business community doesnt know about this too much ... haha
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I like giving people a hard time. I even do it at work
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Hahaha im neither a trader nor traitor. Is it a crime to like Richmond? All my friends here are potheads or screwing some fat girl from high school. I'll talk to you all day about HR development though.
While you Richmond hijackers/forum terrorists are still here, any news on the RIC streetcar stuff? That would be some sweet crap.
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You guys love hijacking threads! I'm the new 757 anit-terrorism guard who is in the anti-hijacking task force.
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Praise Allah, someone who had the balls to say what I was too nervous to say. I think it's because I've been jawing endlessly about Newport News development so I didn't want to look like a party pooper.
I do love Richmond though. I can't wait to move back, actually!
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The article states that they only did this because they couldn't find tenants for the original strip mall. Sounds like they couldn't get the big names in their mainly because there is no street presence. I don't know that much will change with a mixed use development, but kudos for someone breaking the strip mall mold.
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True enough, but it's a movement with growing momentum in Newport News. In my city alone, we have seven differerent New Urbanism styled developments. In the city's 2001 Framework for the Future, it stresses the importance of these kind of developments in creating the foundation for citywide urbanization.
-Port Warwick
-City Center
-Mariner's Watch
-Lee Hall/Endview
-Village at Stoney Run
-CNU Village
-Patrick Henry Marketplace**
-Other smaller various instances of ground-level retail and upper floor housing.
**New Addition.
I think that we should also give props to the people at Kahn for recognizing the profit-margin potential that mixed use, New Urbanism developments have. I think it was a revelation that came about after realizing they couldn't get these big box tenants ... and now they believe they can do just as well if not better with a mixed use pattern. Give credit where credit is due. Besides, it's not like it won't be a great development - after all, Carabba's and Cheeseburger in Paradise are hardly low-end spit joints.
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The immensely popular BOTTOMS UP Pizza restaurant on Dock Street in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom reopened today. It was nearly swept away in Gaston's floods last fall.
I'm sure this announcement is of little interest to you Peninsula guys and gals, EXCEPT I have just learned that the restaurant plans to expand to Newport News in the near future. If you like great pizza served in really cool surroundings, you"ll love this place.
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Wow! A double Whammy of good news! I'll be moving back to Richmond this weekend (thank god ... all my old friends here have turned into potheads and adolescent pseudo-intellectuals - the two usually come as a package) and it'll be great to go back to that place. Bottoms Up, even though its pizza isn't the best in Richmond (Mio's is by far the best), has the coolest surroundings and hippest atmosphere.
I wonder where they will be opening in NN? It would be AWESOME if they put it in City Center!!
OR ...
Okay People, here's a fun story by the Daily Press about Suffolk and NN and their respective New Urbanism developments. Apparently the Patrick Henry Marketplace, originially touted as a retail development like Yoder Plaza or the new Jefferson Commons (with the Kohls, Silver Diner, Panera, Starbucks ...) has restyled itself around a more pedestrian-friendly new urbanism development. Which is GREAT NEWS.
Also not a bad place for Bottoms Up to relocate!!
Here's the story:
August 11, 2005NEWPORT NEWS -- Two new "mixed-use" developments like Port Warwick and City Center at Oyster Point are expected to come before city planners in Newport News and Suffolk soon, continuing a growing interest in that type of development.
Kahn Development Company of South Carolina is preparing changes to its plans for Patrick Henry Marketplace, off of Jefferson Avenue near its intersection with Interstate 64. Kahn planned a retail center but switched its focus after failing to land key tenants such as Kohl's and Borders.
Suffolk officials are looking at a change to the city's land ordinances that would allow a 100-acre mixed-use neighborhood on land in Harbour View, the massive, still-evolving project in northern Suffolk near Interstate 664. The city wants the zoning changes to promote more of that type of growth.
The concept at both developments will include a mixture of sidewalk-level retail stores and restaurants with apartments and condominiums nearby. The model follows the popularity of Port Warwick and City Center here, and a national trend of non-sprawling development.
"New urbanism" has risen in popularity in the past five years, to the point where it is no longer a quirky corner of the market. The Urban Land Institute, one of the most respected development think tanks, has chosen the topic for its annual conference in September, titled "Place Making: Developing Town Centers, Transit Villages and Main Streets."
The development community of architects, builders and, importantly, lenders also has warmed up to working on mixed-use projects, said Neil Morgan, Newport News assistant city manager.
"So, now the challenge is to make sure the particular proposals are done well," Morgan said. "But, generally speaking, our planning and development officials are encouraging this kind of approach."
The only pieces of the Patrick Henry Marketplace project under construction right now are two restaurants, Carraba's Italian Grill and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Those were designed as part of the retail concept for the area, but with Kohl's going to Jefferson Commons and Borders to Patrick Henry Mall, the new mixed-use project now will wrap in the restaurants.
The mixed-use project could bring in twice as much tax revenue to the city as the retail project would have, wrote Alan Kahn, president of Kahn Development, in a letter to Newport News city manager Ed Maroney.
For that reason, city officials favor new urbanism developments. They have shown strong appreciation in value and an ability to attract businesses, all of which boosts the tax base. The developments come with lower infrastructure costs because they require fewer roads and take up less space.
In Suffolk, planners are considering tweaking the city's zoning ordinance to better accommodate mixed-use projects.
The city is asking developers to look at the former Obici Hospital site on Godwin Boulevard, just north of the city's old downtown, as a potential site for a mixed-use project. The city bought the 25-acre site for $4.5 million to ensure it was developed the way city officials wanted.
Developers with a firm called Landonomics already have started work on a roughly 100-acre site in Harbour View. The firm is looking at building condominiums, hotels, medical offices and retail stores.
"There is a need for smart growth," said Steve Lucas, Landonomics' senior vice president. "That's something that Suffolk has expressed a desire in."
WEEEEEEEEEEEEE Triple Whammy.
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That's not a bad idea. Though, I do wonder if there's already a regional committee who could take on this role rather than forking out more money for another bureaucracy that may or may not be accountable to anyone ...
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well if we were unified the transportation issue would be resolved. The seven entities are the problem with the transportation. Some want it some don't and you can't get it with out total support from all. It will not help if only some want it. The purpose of mass transit is to be able to get all around and not just DT or from point a to b but where you can get from a to z if need be. Vabeach needs to jump in and so does Hampton and Chesapeake and may be Suffolk and portsmouth. It needs to be regional not just one city.
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Thats a simplistic way of looking at it. Besides, the city that's least likely to entertain consolidation is Va Beach because they're afraid it would be swallowed by Norfolk. I'm sure Suffolk doesn't like the idea of joining anyone else either simply because of the way Norfolk and Portsmouth officials looked at it lustfully a little while ago as a fat piece of land to develop. Suffolk has its own bright future.
Anyway, it's hard to say that the region will solve its transportation issue if they can't solve anything on their own. For some reason I don't feel that an unmitigated cecession of local powers to a regional govt will do anything to solve much. A unified HRT, if you recall, was supposed to perform magic tricks that have made things arguably worse.
Also, Chesapeake and Hampton have both indicated they want in on light rail projects in the past. Portsmouth too. I don't know about Suffolk but I'm sure they'd be amenable (even if it is a little premature). Va Beach is the only municipality that has come out overtly against it. Who knows though, their BRT thing might work out great.
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Me too! but there is very little we can do. It would be nice to see Portsmouth and Norfolk become one city. I don't know if any of these consolidations of cities will come together. Hopefully it will
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Yikes ... am I the only one who thinks that one big HR city would be a disaster at our present time??
It makes more sense, instead, to consolidate the smaller cities like Portsmouth and Norfolk; Hampton, Newport News, and Poquoson. The new Norfolk and new Newport News would be both around 350-370,000 which provide impetus for much more consolidated development.
As far as smashing everything together though ... I don't think we're ready and I would oppose any sort of move for that to happen until we have a more unified transportation and public utilities rubric.
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I knew he was going to have problems with this but I think everyone will go back to watching the orioles and abandon the nationals. This is one of those new things that will fizzle out. I wonder how many times they will attempt baseball in the capital before they get a clue. They are getting ready to have strike three. I just feel bad about Peter after he voiced these issues with the commish and its happening as we speak.
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I hope you're right. It's a damn crime how Bud Selig and the others went out on a limb to screw over Angelos and the Orioles. Maybe when the Nationals flop we'll be ready to make that project work.
I wonder what those Norfolk Baseball Company people are up to nowadays?
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Ask that question about Jacksonville and Nashville (and even Charlotte) before you ask about Buffalo. Buffalo, Green Bay, and KC have had teams since the dawn of time.
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KC aint no Green Bay. Its a real city, as far as I'm concerned.
I think probably the best chance for a major league team is probably Basketball. I'm not much of a fan, but between our chances of getting a team and the feasibility of supporting a team, I think Basketball is our best shot.
On the other hand, the Orioles have had a pretty incredible season so far and yet, somehow, their numbers are being eroded by the Nationals playing in RFK stadium, which confounds me to no end. Frankly, I'd much rather go to Camden Yds to see the local girlscout troop play than set foot in RFK for baseball in Northern VA ... but that's just me. Luckily, DC will be building a brand new stadium in beautiful Anacostia ...
... yeah...
Maybe Pete Angelos, after getting indicted and acquitted for mysterious mail bombs to Bud Selig's house, will move his operation here and be welcomed like heroes! Imagine that? The Hampton Roads Orioles?
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BTW Ladies and gents ... the USA national team has, in a historical first, just been put by Fifa at 6th in the world.
It's incredible.
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Man, do I hate arguing that soccer is a tough sport, because most Americans only imagine 5 year-olds running around a field.
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Some of those 5 yrs old will grow up to be stars. Just wait and see.
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What's needed is for these stars to transcend pop culture and do to soccer what Jordan did to basketball. It seems that only over-the-hill foreign stars can do that like Pele did in the 70's and what Beckham might do in a couple years. We need young electrifying players to be in the spotlight, not icons in their twilight.
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It can happen. Freddy Adu is what ... 16? And he's a solid rounder for DC United.
Donovan is still considered young and the pool of talent only keeps getting better.
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I'm sorry too.
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I've emailed HRT about Norfolk and they say every time the feds send a request for info they send it in and then another request comes back months later with more requests. They have no idea if they will ever get the funds. If this area could present the light rail all together we might get the federal funding for it. If Norfolk and NNews joined in and got the expense as one bill and presented it to the feds I bet we would get the funding. When we submit it seperate we just cmpete with each other for the funding.
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That's probably true though I wouldn't be surprised if Fraim didn't want to add the Peninsula bid to his because he feels it would lessen their chances because maybe he feels Norfolk's proposal is more reasonable without the Peninsula bid fattening it up.
I think I'll email someone in NN and see what they say.
Providence/RI Photo of the day - by Garris
in Rhode Island
Posted
I miss providence. Why cant I get a job there?!