What counties have you been to?

got this idea from MSPtoMKE at SSP. thats my map. not great coverage, as you can see, or edited work. but what I lack in domestic I more than make up for in international travel. let's see your shit...what type of traveling have you done 'round this land of ours?>

Is the North America the New Old World?

Is North America the next new old world? I mean, since alot of our architecture, culture, and ideas are based from Europe, and since the upper north america, is dominatly European decendants, and we also have alot of the same values in historical preservation, not to mention how much European architecture is in almost every central area of cities in the midwest, southeast, and eastcoast.>

Did nature make Bay Area greatness inevitable?

More so than any metropolitan area in America, did nature provide the Bay Area with so much in a physical setting (incredible beauty, wonderful climate, coastal access, enormous sheltered harbor) that its greatness was assured? Was it inevitable that (with its setting) San Francisco was going to achieve greaness? IMHO, there is no metropolitan area in the world that is so situated to enhance the mixture of man and nature. The huge bay smack in the middle serves as an enormous amphitheatre to the hills that ring it on all sides. The steepest slopes (Mt. Tamalpais, Mt. Diablo) are shifted to the periphery, the city itself is a set apart peninsula where hills and water mix and views aren't blocked. There are other spectacular locations...i.e. Hong Kong, Rio, Vancouver, but to a degree (particularly HK and Rio) their slopes dominant more than what you see in SF and the Bay Area where the hills and what is made by man serve more to enhance each other. Is it just me...or is the Bay Area the most magnifcent setting in the world for a metro area, the best possible place to see the interplay between nature and man?>

Is Washington still different from all US cities?

Few American cities have changed as much as Washington, DC, in these past 70 or so years. A city that once was seen as a southern backwater has exploded with growth that has paralleled and been generated by the growth of the US government. This former backwater, the place JFK described as being a combination "northern charm and southern efficency" is now a major world city. It is cultured in ways that go far beyond the museums of the Smithsonian. It has the retaurants, entertainment, and street life commenserate with the important city it is. It has spawned considerable non-government (but governmental related) growth as a place where professional associates locate to be near the governmental power structure on which they rely. In short, Washington is a major city in its own right, elevated by*the US government to a position not subservent to it. The child has grown up. With all the changes that DC has experienced (and I'm counting the incredibly powerful region of DC/MD/VA....inside and sprilled out of the Beltway), IS IT STILL FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT THAN ALL OTHER U.S. CITIES.....AND, IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS? Certainly economic; the metro area is the most recession proof in the nation. Government and government spending don't skip a beat no matter what the economy is like outside the Beltway....going right on being a cash cow. But are there other ways that Washington, DC, fundamentally differ from other US cities.>

Which of these US cities has the best suburbs?

Eventhough I know that pretty much all SSC users are city limits all the way, I was just curious, what city do you think has the best suburban area overall?>

Suprises from County estimates released today

-Louisville, Kentucky is officially up to 700,000 people -Cuyahoga County, Ohio which includes Cleveland lost 10,000 people -Franklin County, Ohio (Columbus) had a weak showing only gaining 2,000 people -San Francisco County lost another 7,000 people, dropping to 744,000 people -Hamilton County, Ohio lost 8,000 and is down to 814,000 people -Allegheny County, PA (Pittsburgh) lost 9,000 people, which means the population loss is intensifying, -Los Angeles might be to 10 million people this time next year. -Maricopa County, Arizona gained 113,000 people last year, and has surpassed three and a half million -Clark County, Arizona gained about 75,000 people, the county population alone is the about the same population as Indianapolis and Columbus metro area -New Orleans continued its 5,000 person annual loss -Ramsey County, Minnesota lost around 5,000 people going under 500,000 people and Hennepin County is about the same as 2003. I think thats ridiculous Hennepin and Ramsey counties are building so fast they cant keep up. -St. Louis, Missouri lost 5,000 people, last year slidding to 343,000 people (estimate)>

Does anybody recognise this city? Please? lol

somebody if you know what the name of the city is please reply ill be checking back thanks.>

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Population growth and city growth

Hello alltogether. I read a scientific article, unfortunately I dont have it handy, but it stated, that the population of the US, due to the birthrate and the immigration of some 1 million people /year will grow up to 350 mio in 2030, and maybe even over 400 million in 2050. Now my question is, where should all these people live? I mean, now you have 300 million people. You would have to create 20 cities with 5 million people each to accomodate this. 20 cities with about the size of chicago!!!!!!!! What does that meand for the future US? How will it affect the way, the US is organized concerning housing, transportation, public or individual, and workin? The population density wil reach european or even asian numbers in some areas. Any comments>

Traffic Theory of Urban/Metropolitan Areas

This is my new theory about the relationship between traffic and urban/metro populations. The greater the difference between the urban and the metro population, the greater the traffic that city has in porportion to its size. Factors such as density, use of mass transit...etc affect this theory. This applies to many U.S. cities. Look at Los Angeles, America's worst traffic place. L.A. urban population is 12 million while its metro is 17.5 million. That is a significant difference resulting in heavy traffic and since it's a very large city, it has HORRIBLE traffic. New York's urban population is 18 million while its metro is 22 million. Not as significant difference as Los Angeles therefore it has less traffic problems. But since New York is HUGE, it's common for it to have heavy traffic. Remember the traffic in porportion to the city's size and the density as well. Chicago's urban population is 8.3 million and its metro is around 9.6 million. Not a very large difference, but Chicago is a very large city therefore traffic is common, and the size of Chicago's highways are a factor making Chicago's traffic worse than it should be. I hear some people in this forum complain about Chicago's highways are too narrow and should have more lanes. Philadelphia's urban population is 5.2 million and its metro is 6 million. Not a very big difference therefore less traffic problems and the use of mass transit benefits as well.>

What are the limits: gentrification & downtown development?

I'd like to explore the limits of the following on middle size US cities: • gentrification of neighborhoods • developing a vibrant downtown And, in the process, I would like to do it generically. Thus I'd like to examine City X: • population: 615,000 • metro population: 2,461,000 The beauty of City X is that it can fit just as easily in the northeast, the midwest, the south, southwest, or the West City X has gone through some of the successful downtown redevelopments that many cities of its size has experienced. Shops and restaurants have returned downtown in respectable if not spectacular numbers. Some high rise condo building have gone up as well as new hotels. Cultural attractions, enjoyable if not commanding, have helped draw suburbanites and out-of-towners. Light rail has increased transit options. In the process, population, after years of slow decline, has stablized, and outside of the city core, a series of interspersed residential projects are underway....although they are few and far between and aren't really changing the nature of City X's neighborhoods. For all its admirable efforts, City X has not shaken its insular and provencial nature. It does not have the critical mass to attract an art community nor does its job base support the type of super incomes that might become cash cows in larger cities. Immigrants shy away from City X in large numbers as it is hard to establish an ethnic community to meet their needs in such a small city. Meanwhile, City X has not been able to do anything to separate itself from other cities on the make, nor does it have the ability to generate the economic changes that are beyond the ability of civic government or chambers of commerce. As a result, city neighborhoods, while healthier, are hardly giving the impression that they are in a strong state of revival. Like any metro area, that around City X still feels a lure for cheaper land and more open space of suburbia. And City X's suburbanites have an advantage not shared by those in bigger cities: if they want to go downtown, they can still drive there with relative ease, still park affordably, and return home comfortably from a day with far fewer hassles than what they would experience in a larger city. And the truth is, with all of downtown's redevelopment, there isn't that much to keep them downtown for hours on end, even with the new casinos and the three new stadiums (baseball, football, and basketball) that have gone up. Is it just possible that there are severe limits on City X's desire to revive in an age when our cities are more about "life style" than about employment? Are the differences between City X and City Y (population 4,200,000; metro 10,500,000), a global city in its region of the US with a large and vibrant downtown, extensive rapid transit, a long history of strong cultural instittuions, a magnet for international immigrantion and business, an eductional and research powerhouse based on universities and institutes, an attractions for the art community....and on and on and on? In 1940, City X may have been looked at as a smaller version of City Y. In an industrial era, the jobs were plentiful in both places. Life was more about work than life style. Disposable time was limited as were consumer products. Image didn't even make the radar screen. Is this a different world today for the City X's? Are there severe limits to their revival due to their inability to create a critical mass and differentiate themselves from others? Are cities more "tiered" today as a city's image and what it has to offer in ammentiies is more important, in many ways, than the degree of employment it can deliver? Is there a real and unclosable gap between City X and City Y that didn't exist in a simplier time during the first half of the 20th century?>

New DT Louisville Bridge designs...cast your vote

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The Leprechaun Sighting!

has anyone heard about this! A possible Leprechaun in Mobile! http://www.wpmi.com/news/local/story...3-6BDEE14609D6>

Historic US Freeway Pics

Please post historic pics 4rm ur city. Here r some historic pics 4rm LA that I found: I-10 Santa Monica Freeway construction to the west from the Harbor Freeway (CA 110), 1962. I-405 San Diego Freeway construction south showing the Mulholland bridge, 1962. Hollywood Freeway at the Pasadena Freeway in 1952. Closeup of the Four Level Interchange in the above photo. The ramps from the southbound Hollywood Freeway were not yet open at the time. Cahuenga Pass on the US 101 Hollywood Freeway in 1961. There was no center barrier on the road at that time. First sign reads: "Burbank, Barham Blvd. Use Right Lane". Construction of the Hollywood Freeway, looking south near Vine Street around 1951. Cahuenga Pass looking north from the Pilgrimage Bridge, 1951. Construction of the Hollywood Freeway south of Highland, 1953. Highland on the left, Cahuenga Blvd. on the right, and Odin Street between the two, with the southbound bridge over Highland under construction. Opening day on Cahuenga Pass, 1940. The freeway through Cahuenga Pass ending just past Barham Blvd and continuing north on Cahuenga Blvd. Click image for a larger overall view. Note how rural the area is just north of the end of the road. Long Beach Freeway (then CA 15) at the unopened I-405 freeway (note the blank signs on the exit) in 1964. Construction of the Long Beach Freeway (I-710), 1955. Intersection is Bandini Blvd. and Atlantic Blvd. (the predecessor to the route). US 101 coming north into downtown Los Angeles in 1974. The Brew 102 buildings (below City Hall in this photo) have since been demolished, but there is still a tight jog in the freeway due to the original routing around the building. Figueroa Street Tunnels in 1941. At that time traffic in both directions used the tunnels. Sign at the tunnel entrance reads: "State Highway Under Construction". These tunnels were constructed in 1931. In 1936. Note the lanterns and the L.A. city seal detail on the portal. By 1946 this stretch had been made into a freeway. Note the dashed lines weren't used at the time, white meant passing ok, yellow for no passing. >

The Melting Pot Is Still Melting

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...0/b3963121.htm DECEMBER 12, 2005 The Melting Pot Is Still Melting Unlike their counterparts in France, U.S. immigrants are getting ahead The explosion of unrest among the immigrant community in France revealed a long-stewing culture of economic discontent. Should we worry about the same thing happening in the U.S.? The good news is that the American melting pot still seems to work. The latest data show big gains since the mid-1990s for immigrants on the key measures of economic performance -- education, poverty, homeownership, and unemployment. In some cases, immigrants have shown bigger improvements than native-born Americans. "America has done extremely well in assimilating immigrants," says David Card, an economist at the University of California at Berkeley. True, questions remain about the assimilation of illegal immigrants, many of whom are unskilled. Creating a class of "temporary workers" who have to go home after a few years -- as President George W. Bush again advocated in a speech on Nov. 28 -- might exacerbate the problem by lessening the incentive for immigrants to learn English and become "more American." Nevertheless, immigrants from Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America, who make up most of the illegal population, have enjoyed improving fortunes in recent years. Unemployment for Latin-American immigrants fell from 10% in 1996 to 6.8% in 2004, even as unemployment for natives rose from 5.9% to 6.1%. This experience contrasts favorably with that of Europe, where immigrants have been held back, in part, by a slow rate of job creation. European employers, with few jobs to fill, have favored natives over first- and second-generation immigrants. This starts a vicious cycle, since the lack of work experience makes immigrants even less employable. CAUSE FOR HOPE In the U.S. the ease of finding work opens up opportunities, especially when the overall economy is doing well. Since the New Economy boom started in 1996, the poverty rate for immigrants has fallen from 22.2% to 17.2% (that's for 2003, the last figure available). The share of immigrants with a bachelor's degree or better has also climbed from 23.5% to 27.3%, just below the level for native-born Americans. The percentage of immigrants owning their homes -- the ultimate sign of assimilation -- has jumped as well. These numbers do overstate the positive picture by mixing together Asian newcomers, who typically start off with a good education, with Latin-American immigrants, more than half of whom haven't graduated from high school. But poverty has plunged even among Latin-American immigrants, while homeownership rates for that group have gone well over 40%. There are even signs of movement on the education front, albeit small. In California the number of Latinos graduating from the state's higher education institutions has been steadily rising. For example, the percentage of associate degrees going to students of Latino background rose from 18.7% in 1996 to 25.4% in 2003. And Latinos got 17.5% of bachelor's degrees awarded in California in 2004, up from 13.5% in 1996. This isn't enough to close the education gap between natives and Latin-American immigrants. But it's enough to give immigrants and their children a healthy piece of the economic action -- and that's a lot better than what's happening in Europe.>

False MSA and CSA impressions.

I have been reading these crazy comments lately on how big their CSA's has gotten. Indy 2.1 million, Charlotte 2.1 million for example.. Folks these are not METRO area's. Why do some people continue to think their metro's are that big? These aren't one cohesive metro area's but they continue to talk about it that they are one metro.>

from BAD image to GOOD

Alright, as we all know there are US cities that have been impressions in our minds because Hollywood or history seems to urinate all over them. I've listed some things about how a city can improve it's image, these are my suggestions and I ask that you vote and discuss this here. "Rust-Belt" cities seems to have this problem, down on their luck and out of money...tell me what you think they should do to fix the bad image and fix the issues all together.>

Does your city have any streetwalls along expy's/fwy's?

Does your city have any street walls directly facing its downtown area? I'm speaking of those stretches that directly parallel a rather solid wall of high rise buildings? I'd have to say the best (and best known) of these currently can be found on the LA freeway system. On the Chicago forum, we have been talking about one developing on the Kennedy Expressway, west of the Loop. Boston, of course, exprerienced such a street wall prior to the Big Dig. If you have any pictures of such a streetwall-on-the-expressway, we'd love to see them.>

Education & Cities: let's weigh the factor

Let's keep this one simple: If our government(s) (and society) had the ability to raise the quality of education in our major cities to level of the better-to-best suburban schools, what effect, if any, would the change of that one variable have on our cities: would far more families choose to live there (in the more affordable neighborhoods), would there be other quality-of-life issues that would improve because of the efforts in education. In general, what would our cities by like if we made this one major change...based on the change itself??????????????>

The best and worst neighborhoods to buy a home

click on the cities in the two charts to see the neighborhood in that city. Quote:> Best and worst neighborhoods to buy a home Big city ZIP codes with the greatest, least price appreciation since 2003 The south Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts has been notorious for many things, among them race riots, poverty and gang warfare. Now it can be known as a great real estate investment. Over the past few years, rising property prices have rocked the state of California with an earthquake-like vengeance. Luxury subdivisions have filled hillsides, bidding wars have pumped up home sales, and teardowns have sold for more than $1 million. Los Angeles saw home prices increase about 50% from 2003 to 2005, according to the National Association of Realtors, a trade group based in Washington, D.C. The median sales price for an existing home in L.A. stood at $529,000 at the end of last year. One might think that the bulk of that appreciation came in wealthy and well-known enclaves like Beverly Hills or Bel-Air. But according to a Forbes.com ZIP code analysis, within the Watts ZIP of 90059, home prices rose 91.9%; more than any other ZIP in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, had you sunk your funds into the upscale neighborhood of Holmby Hills, you would have the least amount of appreciation in the city — under 9% from 2003 through 2005. It is a pattern that held true in several of the largest cities in the U.S. over the past two years. Long-coveted areas, such as Pacific Heights in San Francisco, Buckhead in Atlanta or the Upper East Side in New York, were not the best performers. Instead, in many metros, neighborhoods with lower median incomes, neglected housing stock and low prices, or areas that were dominated by office or industrial space, have surged forward. For investment performance, think Miami's Little Havana, where prices increased more than 150% over the last two years. Or the tough Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia, which went up 70%. Or Manhattan's Lower East Side, where tenements that once sheltered struggling immigrants are now occupied by high-priced lawyers, and the median home price is more than $650,000, according to real estate appraisal and consulting firm Miller Samuel. "In the past, you would expect that neighborhoods with higher median incomes would have stronger demand for homes," says David Lereah, senior vice president and chief economist for the NAR. "Lower-income neighborhoods will have more renters. Higher-income areas will have more demand from people wanting to climb the ladder. It means that some things have changed." As prices have increased, some of the most desirable neighborhoods — which have always been more expensive — have topped out, becoming unaffordable for many home buyers. So instead of buying charming but overpriced stone homes in the leafy Baltimore neighborhood of Guilford, for example, young families turned to blue-collar areas near the water, rehabbing old row houses that seemed cheap in comparison. Jonas Lee, a founder and managing partner of Redbrick Partners in Manhattan, a private investment fund that puts money into single-family homes, is not surprised. His company targets just such urban areas for investment. "It takes people a while to figure it out, but there's a very large arbitrage between these neighborhoods and some of the nicer neighborhoods," Lee says. "Once that price differential is large enough, people start to recognize the opportunities, and then there's a sort of a herd mentality. It's leading to the revitalization of neighborhoods that had not seen a lot of investment for a long period off time." This shifting of money isn't limited to individual neighborhoods — it mirrors a national trend. "I call it the 'rolling boom,' " Lereah says. "Vegas to Reno was the first thing we saw." In 2004, the median home price for Las Vegas went up a startling 52%, he says. But by 2005, it had dropped to 12%. "What happened was, Reno went up 32%," he says. "Then it appeared the boom rolled to Phoenix. You saw similar things in Boston; first Boston got the boom, then it rolled to Providence, R.I., and the air came out of the balloon in Boston." Not every city we looked at fit the rolling-boom pattern, however. Metro areas such as Dallas and Minneapolis-St. Paul have not seen tremendous real estate price gains in recent years. In Dallas, where the median existing home price went up 6% last year, according to NAR, the greatest appreciation is still coming in more established, pricier neighborhoods. Same goes for Minneapolis-St. Paul, where prices overall rose 4.5% in 2005. Prices are difficult to pin down in Phoenix, which has seen tremendous growth; a new community can spring up in a year, utterly and suddenly altering the prices in a neighborhood. To get a snapshot of how prices have been moving, we turned to Brooklyn-based real estate data firm OnBoard for numbers on all cities, except for parts of New York. For 20 of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, OnBoard gathered the median home prices from 2003 to 2005 for all the ZIP codes the U.S. Postal Service associates with each city. We tossed out ZIP codes that had fewer than 30 sales in any year during that period because they would not reliably show trends. We then searched for the best performing and worst performing in each city since 2003 and determined the neighborhood or neighborhoods primarily associated with each ZIP. For New York City, OnBoard gave us ZIP codes for four of the five boroughs. Because 85% of the apartments in Manhattan are cooperatives, which do not have to publicly list property transfers, we turned to real estate appraisal and consulting firm Miller Samuel for the inside scoop. >http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11809832/>

how did Chicago's skyline evolve?

Its one of the most amazing skylines in the world. Did Chicago start out with a very small cluster of skyscrapers that was known as "the shicago skyline" and then got a very tall skyscraper and the skyline of today grew around that? or did it evolve some other way? post early skyline photos of Chicago if you can find them as well.>

Sports and Indy

Sports & Indy: Is it good teamwork? Events such as this weekend's Final Four bring estimated $1 billion to Indy, but not everyone thinks it's a bargain One billion dollars. That's how much major sports events and organizations might pull into Indianapolis this year. And that figure doesn't count money spent by Indianapolis-area fans or the added benefit as those dollars circulate through the local economy. It's The Indianapolis Star's tally, based on figures from eight economic studies and estimates from local tourism officials, of how much out-of-town visitors spend on such things as hotels and hot dogs, cab rides and courtside seats. It's roughly the same amount Eli Lilly and Co. pays its more than 14,000 Indianapolis employees. And it's a number that -- after 30 years of work -- affirms Indianapolis as one of the nation's elite sports cities. This weekend's NCAA Men's Final Four is the latest example. "That's real money," said Susan Williams, president of the Indiana Sports Corp., the nonprofit group that bid for and organized Indianapolis' hosting of the Final Four. "That number demonstrates what a market niche we have and demonstrates what the whole sports picture has become to our city's and our region's economy." Or does it? Not only do economists disagree on how beneficial Indianapolis' sports industry really is, but local officials also realize they have to keep pouring resources into sports to keep Indianapolis ahead of the ever-increasing pack of cities trying to duplicate its success. Right now, local leaders are trying to outbid Chicago to permanently host the men's and women's Big Ten Conference basketball tournament, as the city did this year. Indianapolis also might lose the lucrative U.S. Grand Prix Formula One race to Las Vegas. At the same time, local officials dream of landing a Super Bowl or part of the World Cup soccer tournament to keep the city's sports industry growing. In fact, city officials had their eye on a Super Bowl when they pushed to win tax increases to fund a $500 million football stadium for the Indianapolis Colts. Local taxpayers also footed the bill for part of the $183 million Conseco Fieldhouse, opened in 1999, and for part of the Colts' current stadium, the RCA Dome. Some sports economists question the wisdom of spending more money to attract ever-larger events. That's one reason many of the economic studies tallied by The Star were commissioned by sports organizations or the city, which had a clear interest in winning public support for expensive new sports facilities. No comprehensive study has been conducted to measure the overall impact of sports in Indianapolis. And at least one economist, Bruce Jaffee of Indiana University, said the sum total of the piecemeal studies seems inflated. Interestingly, Jaffee said that even if sports' impact on Indianapolis is half as much -- or $500 million a year -- it's a boon. Sports impact disputed But another economist, who did not question the $1 billion figure, doubts very much of it will actually thicken Hoosier wallets. "Undoubtedly, because of sports, $1 billion changes hands in Indianapolis (in a year)," said Victor Matheson, a professor of economics at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. "The question is, 'Are the people in Indianapolis $1 billion richer because of that?' That's a completely different story." It's different for two reasons, Matheson explained. First, when big events such as the Final Four come to town, the hordes of sports fans crowd out people who otherwise would have visited the city for business or pleasure. Second, while Indianapolis' hotels and restaurants make a killing on the Final Four, it's unclear how much of those profits stay in Indianapolis. Out-of-state companies own many of the city's restaurants and hotels. Matheson and other sports economists cite an array of economic studies, which say jobs and earnings do not rise noticeably for cities that host major sporting events versus those that do not. "If this is success, I'd hate to see failure," said Robert Sandy, an economist at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He said Indianapolis' tax dollars spent on sports could have been better spent on schools or other basic infrastructure. But city leaders say such criticism fails to account for other benefits sports bring to Indianapolis. Williams said Indianapolis gets incalculable exposure from hosting more than 1 million visitors a year for sports events and from being frequently mentioned in news media nationwide. Indeed, attracting direct spending from sports fans was just one of three parts of a deliberate sports strategy put in place 30 years ago by then-Mayor William Hudnut and a cadre of young civic leaders. Another goal was to use sports to vault Indianapolis onto the radar screens of corporate decision makers, said David Frick, who was a deputy mayor under Hudnut. Frick is now heading the building authority that is erecting the new stadium for the Colts and other uses. "Sports plays a critical role in the culture of business decision makers in the state -- where to locate plants, where to grow, where to make investments," Frick said. "Indianapolis is now on the list, where it never was before." Also, Hudnut and others wanted to lure the headquarters of various sports organizations. And the city has done so. Today, 11 sports governing bodies and groups call Indianapolis home. The biggest of these is the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which moved its headquarters to Indianapolis in 1999. Altogether, the 11 organizations pump $63 million annually into Indianapolis' economy in payroll and expenditures, according to analyses by the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. A winning tradition Indianapolis also has managed a string of big wins in both professional and amateur sports. Beginning in 1977, Hudnut toiled to boost ticket sales and then to find a local buyer to keep the Indiana Pacers from moving out of town. The mall-owning Simon brothers bought the struggling team in 1983. By 1996, the Pacers were pumping $34.6 million a year into Indianapolis, according to a city-commissioned study. In 1980, Indianapolis hosted its first men's Final Four. Two years later, it hosted the National Sports Festival, where organizers first learned how to run a big event. In 1984, Hudnut, Frick and others persuaded the Baltimore Colts to move to Indianapolis. Twenty years later, the NFL team attracts $44 million a year in visitor spending into Indianapolis, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study. Indianapolis' biggest single event was the Pan American Games in 1987, which marshaled nearly 40,000 volunteers and showed off the many facilities the city had spent millions building -- for swimming, tennis, football, rowing and other sports. Since then, Indianapolis has hosted a slew of world championships, in swimming, diving, rowing, gymnastics, basketball and other sports. The biggest economic boosts, however, came not from the efforts of city leaders, but from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway expanding its franchise. IMS added the Brickyard 400 stock-car race in 1994 and the U.S. Grand Prix Formula One race in 2000. Combined, those two races bring in nearly $400 million annually to Indianapolis, according to a 2000 study commissioned by the Speedway. The Indianapolis 500 brings in $336 million on its own, the study said. The question now for sports advocates is how to keep growing. The Indiana Sports Corp., created in 1979 to promote amateur sports, was the first sports commission of its kind in the nation. Now, about 150 cities have similar organizations. Bidding for the crown jewel of sports tourism -- the Olympic Games -- has become so competitive it led to scandal before the Salt Lake City Winter Games in 2002 and led to major losses for Athens, Greece, which hosted the Summer Games in 2004. Indianapolis leaders don't plan to bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. But they do recognize they need to attract new events to keep bringing in visitors and their dollars. "Just like Kings Island has to have a new ride every year or so, we need to have a new thing," said Fred Glass, president of the Capital Improvement Board, which owns Conseco Fieldhouse, the RCA Dome and the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Williams, of the Sports Corp., plans to keep leveraging the city's relationship with its hometown sports organizations. The NCAA has promised to bring a Final Four event here every five years. And Williams thinks there's a chance to organize sports championship festivals for other NCAA sports besides basketball. But whatever the strategy, Frick thinks more taxpayer dollars will have to be spent to keep Indianapolis in the lead pack of sports cities. "I'm not sure we as a community are spending the kind of resources we need," Frick said. "The public sector needs to step forward. And I think that's a good use of public dollars because this activity creates jobs." ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPORTS IN INDY: A TALE OF THE TAPE Major sporting events and organizations could pull more than $1 billion into Indianapolis' economy this year, according to a tally of figures from various economic studies. The Indianapolis Star arrived at the figure by compiling data from eight economic studies and other sources. The figures relate to how much visiting fans -- not Indianapolis-area residents -- are expected to spend on such things as tickets, beds, grub, drinks, trinkets and transportation. Here is a list of the events and organizations and the visitor spending they are expected to draw. All data come from the most recent estimates available. Events • Feb. 23-28: NFL Combine, $2.5 million. • March 2-6: Big 10 Women's basketball tournament, $3.5 million. • March 4: IHSAA girls basketball championships, unknown. • March 9-12: Big 10 men's basketball tournament, $6.5 million. • March 10-12: Hoosier Midwest Qualifying volleyball tournament, $8 million. • March 25: IHSAA boys basketball championships, unknown. • April 1-3: NCAA men's Final Four, $33.3 million. • May 6: Indianapolis Life 500 Mini-Marathon, $1.2 million. • May 28: Indianapolis 500, $336.6 million. • June 16-18: Midwest Regional League soccer finals, $2 million. • June 22-25: USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, $4.5 million. • July 2: U.S. Grand Prix, $170.8 million. • July 15-23: RCA Championships, $4.2 million. • July 19-23: U.S. Rowing National Championship Regatta, $500,000. • July 19-23: Circle City Equestrian 500, $1.6 million. • August 6: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, $219.5 million. • Oct. 7: Coca-Cola Circle City Classic, $9 million. • Nov. 24-25: IHSAA football championships, unknown. • Dec. 16: John Wooden Tradition (November): $1.2 million. • Indianapolis Raceway Park events: $60 million. Total: $864,900,000 Miscellaneous • 10 amateur sports groups: $13 million annually in payroll and expenditures. • NCAA headquarters: $50 million annually in payroll and expenditures. Total: $63,000,000 Professional sports teams Note: It is difficult to determine how much local sports teams attract in spending from fans and businesses that are outside the Indianapolis area. The Pacers, Colts and Ice have all been part of economic impact studies, and those annual numbers are listed below. • Indianapolis Colts: $44 million in outside visitor spending. • Indiana Pacers: $35 million in payroll and expenditures • Indiana Ice: $5 million in payroll and expenditures. • Indiana Fever: unknown. • Indianapolis Indians: unknown. • Indiana Tornados: unknown. Total: $84,000,000 GRAND TOTAL: $1,011,900,000 Sources: Indiana Sports Corp., Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association, Capital Improvement Board, individual organizations, Star research>

Berkeley becomes first city to pass impeachment resolution against Bush/Cheney

Not a shock and soooo Berkeley...but I wonder if it will spread? Berkeley council passes impeachment resolution Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, June 28, 2006 (06-28) 11:01 PDT -- With overwhelming support from Berkeley residents, the Berkeley City Council unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night to be the first jurisdiction in the United States to let the public vote for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. The measure will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot, at a cost of about $10,000. Among those who urged the council to approve the initiative were peace activists Cindy Sheehan and Daniel Ellsberg, as well as 500 Berkeley residents who sent supportive e-mails to City Hall. Only three residents said they were against the idea. The council agreed to drop a provision that would have set up a task force of Berkeley residents to monitor the President and Vice President. E-mail Carolyn Jones at carolynjones@sfchronicle.com>

DOES NYC SUCK? OPEN POLL

NYC SUCKS. THE SKYLINE IS SMALLER THAN LA'S, THE SMOG IS WORSE THAN LA'S, AND WE HAVE A BETTER CLIMATE. WE HAVE HOLLYWOOD AND THE LARGEST PORT IN THE USA. WE'VE GOT ALL THE IMMIGRANTS AND WE ARE THE LEADERS OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY. NYC SUCKS. LA RULES. END OF STORY. ANYBDY DISAGREE? IF YOU DISAGREE, YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.>

What's your favorite NFL college team??

Mine is the Dolphins and the Miami hurricanes....!!!! Dolphins Dan Marino and Don Shula...Best quarterback of all-time and Shula best coach of all-time...Hurricanes College football team with the most NFL players...Dolphins only team to have a perfect season!!!>

Top 20 noteworthy people from your city

This includes people who have lived in your city, were born in your, or grew up in your city. (In order from most famous) For MACON, GEORGIA 1 Cher-- Lived in Macon for two yrs. while married to Gregg Allman 2 Little Richard--Born/Raised (King of Rock?? Ever heard of him?) 3James Brown. Lived in Macon for some years and recorded many albums in Macon 4Duane Allman/Gregg Allman== The Allman Brother's Band. Recorded Eat A Peach and others at Capricorn Studios in Macon 5Otis Redding--Famous soul singer. Born/Raised in Mac-town 6Nancy Grace-Has her own show on CNN formerly of Court TV 7 Young Sleezy--A very popular rapper. Grew up in Macon and nearby Hawkinsville 8Jason Aldean--Country Music Star-- Grew up in Macon 9Sonny Carter--Famous Astronaut born/raised in the "Big M" 10Jeff Malone--Former NBA player. Born/raised/and currently resides in Macon 11 Sidney Lanier-- Famous civil war poet and flute player 12-Norm Nison--NBA player 13 Soong Ai Ling (wife of famous wealthy Chinese man HH. Kung), Soong Ching Ling, and Soong May Ling (wife of Chiang-Kai-Shek) all went to Wesleyan College (First all woman college in the U.S.) 14 Sam Mitchell- Went to college in Macon-- Head Coach of Toronto Raptors. 14Catherine Benson- First female in the world to earn a college degree @ Wesleyan 15 Neva Fickling-- Ms. America 1953 16 Phil Walden--Founder of Capricorn Studios. Died a few weeks ago. 17 Roy Fickling-- Founder of Fickling& Co. Real Estate. 18 Bernard Ramsey--Born and raised-- Merrill Lynch Executive 19 Toni Jenning-- Florida Liet. Governer. 20Wesley Duke-- Went to college at Mercer in Macon. Tight end for Denver Broncos-- 2005 AfC West Champions>

Wanna earn $1,000 weekly? US Counties ranked by Average Weekly Wage

Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006 US Counties ranked by average wage $1,000+ Manhattan, NY........$1,419 Santa Clara, CA......$1,403 Arlington, VA...........$1,292 San Mateo, CA........$1,268 Washington DC.......$1,265 San Francisco, CA..$1,219 Suffolk, MA.............$1,198 Fairfield, CT.............$1,197 Fairfax, VA..............$1,188 Somerset, NJ...........$1,148 Middlesex, MA.........$1,110 Morris, NJ................$1,086 Alameda, CA............$1,053 Montgomery, MD......$1,027 Hudson, NJ..............$1,024 Durham, NC.............$1,019 Alexandria, VA.........$1,013 Loudon, VA..............$1,008 Fulton, GA...............$1,007 Westchester, NY......$1,005 ftp://ftp.bls.gov/pub/news.release/H....04122006.news>

Hemmed in by water...and loving it

What effect does the confining aspect of water boundaries have on our great cities density and ability to create a truly urban sense of place? I posed the question about this relates to Manhattan in another thread, but the issue goes well beyond New York. Arguably our greatest American downtown areas are in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston....and all have used the confining nature of water boundaries to create their special urban environments: • Long and thin, the island of Manhattan has used its surrounding rivers to allow virtually all its areas to be "central" in nature...well, certainly from downtown to midtown and beyond a bit • Chicago's Loop was its own island like location: Lake Michigan to the east, the Chicago River to the north and west, rail yards to the south. Such confinement, in the 19th century, and the beginning of the 20th, created a highly centralized city with a density one would not expect for a city on the prairie. • San Francisco's peninsular location may well make it the most "set apart" of all US cities; no city has been able to create its own world due to its watery surroundings as SF. And the downtown region (if you include areas north of downtown up to the north waterfront around the Wharf, Ghirardelli, Pier 39, is set off by water on the east and the north. • Boston's original tad pole shape created an inviting density that is one of that city's hallmarks. Early Boston was almost the island that Manhattan is. Elsewhere, Philadelphia stretches between two rivers and Seattle benefits from an isthmus location. And if you really want to see how water works in a midsize city, try a trip to Madison, WI. This urban gem is built on an isthmus between two lakes. Its downtown is easily the most confined isthmus location in the nation. The result? A density and urban texture almost unthinkable in a city of its size....and a city that consistently ranks at or near the top of any list evaluating urban quality of life. Water hemming in our cities, it seems, is a very good thing.>

seriously

Take 2 seconds and read this. No scam, no promises of wealth, if it's for you great, if not, thats fine too. I was able to make a couple of hundred extra last month which came in handy for little extras. Heres some pointers based on my trial and error. - register for free @ http://www.treasuretrooper.com/89855 - click "cash offers" on the left side" - click the links for the offers that say "Enter email address with intent to participate" - submit a valid email, once the survey pops up close the survey window and give it a minute - click "done" next to the offer you've just fulfilled, the survey is optional so don't waste your time - once it's been confirmed by them that you did the requirement, you get your $$$ - READ THEIR FORUMS, PEOPLE POST SCREENSHOTS OF THEIR PAYPAL ACCTS WITH THE MONEY IN THEM!!! Theres other stuff you can do like trial products or take surveys (if you do, just click no or no thanks as fast as you can, don't actually waste your time giving accurate answers about shopping habits and other BS) You can also get cash back on purchases etc if you choose to, the first part is the easier way to make $ in my book but you judge for yourself.>

Could LA/Chicago Surpass New York in our Lifetime?

just wondering. IN THE FUTURE...... could the US see a new leading city? not talking about the past or the present..... just the future.>

Could LA have been LA without Hollywood

Let's face it. Los Angeles caught the break-of-all-breaks when the movie industry chose the little town of Hollywood as its epicenter. Talk about an industry (in LA I believe it is referred to as "the industry") designed to bring fame, glamour, and keep your city in the spotlight. But did you wonder what might have happened if the film industry had taken roots elsewher (perhaps in the desserts of Arizona, or somewhere out on Long Island)? What would the reprecutions been for the City of the Angles if the silver screen never made Hollywood its home? Specifically without the high profile of the film industry, would LA emerged as the power center of the west? Would it have been the magnet it became without the studios? How much did the movie industry contribute to LA's power and clout? And related....without the movie industry, what would LA's position in regards to San Francisco been as LA overtook SF in population and power in the 20th century. Is it possilbe that San Francisco might have retained its role of "The City" in the west if the movie industry never moved to LA?>

Noteworthy Eccentrics in Your City

Every city has its' eccentrics..the strange people, that may or may not be homeless, seem to wonder, generally seem happy, talk to themselves, and are very familiar. They roam the same neighborhoods and sometimes you even talk to them. New Orleans has had many eccentrics over the years and they are still around. We have a new breed developing today (mainly in the French Quarter). Here is a site that is fun to read and check out... http://www.eccentricneworleans.com/g...eccentrics.htm . Simply press the picture and read about some of the eccentrics in New Orleans' past. Few of these are still around, but, let me assure you, as I stated, there is an entire new generation of eccentrics on the streets of New Orleans..they just haven't gotten to the point of these just yet. But, they will. Post some of the eccentrics from your city and any relevant info that will describe these interesting characters that roam the streets of our cities, day in an day out....BTW, on the link I provided, Becky Allen and Varla Merman are still around. Varla Merman was discovered and is now in New York. You can do a google on her. Ruthie the Duck lady, resides today, in a nursing home about one mile from my home. Several years back she just got too bad, dirty, and rude to the public and other eccentrics with money put her up in a nursing home. Many think it was one of the cruelest things in the world to take Ruthie's daily diet of a 12 pack of Miller Lite from her and to this day she still asks for a beer, every day.>

growth, density, population: why the obsession?

I've raised this issue on different threads where relevant, but feel it deserves a thread of its own: WHY IS THERE SUCH A PERVASSIVE OBSESSION ON THIS BOARD OVER OUR CITIES' GROWTH-FOR-THE-SAKE-OF-GROWTH, DENSITY-FOR-THE-SAKE-OF-DENSITY, HEIGHT-FOR-THE-SAKE-OF-HEIGHT, ETC. Where did we get the idea that there is a race for the biggest population, the most dense setting, the highest skyline? From the late 19th century to the present, the earth's population curve has curved dangerously upward. with growth has come an unpresidented use of the earth's resources with an unpresidented negative effect on the planet. Do we really want to see our major cities (metros) growing to populations of 30-40,000,000, presumably mostly affluent or at least well off growth. Do we really want to see that many more people in place depleting the globe's resources. Do we admire the population of places like Calcutta...and desire to emulate it.? Would living in a city so dense and so high that the sky was rarely seen something that would positively improve our quality of life? Despite dire predictions, we tend to ignore global warming and the human race's effect on it. We feel we can build with impunity and still keep the quality of life we desire. We can't. This century sadly will see many faceless cities throughout the globe whose populations will exceed 30,000,000. At some point, there will be virtually nameless cities in Asia or South America whose skyline's height (but not majesty) will far exceed Manhattan's. Our cities are real. They are not photographs on the skyscraper forum. They don't function well because we look at pictures and say, "Oh my God, look at that fucking density!!!!!! Our current fascination with density, height, population, etc., but be viewed abysmally and detrminetly by mid-century when their very existence contribute to the inhabitability of the planet. Why should we wait until then to be concerned. There is no race to the top. NYC and LA have long passed my city of Chicago in population; I'll concede the competiton to them and seriously pray we never do catch up (we won't). If Houston passes up Chicago in population sometime in the future, I won't skip a beat. I don't give a rat's ass. You see, my guess is that by mid-century, the largest cities in the world (and perahps the US) will be basket cases; the real power houses will those places that have been able to control their growth, their density, their excessive life styles. Sorry if this came across as a rant. No doubt it did. But I sincerely believe we are travelling down a dangerous road and need to seriously look where it is taking us.>

Cúcuta, Colombia... a nice city to visit!!

I created this thread to show my city.. Panoramics... Centro Comercial Gran Bulevar (Exterior) Av. 0 Calle 11 Centro Comercial Gran Bulevar (Interior) Av. 0 Calle 11 Centro Comercial VIVERO (Día) Puente Elias M. Soto - Round Point Carlos Ramírez París Centro Comercial VIERO (Noche) Puente Elias M. Soto - Round Point Carlos Ramírez París UNICENTRO (EN CONSTRUCCIÃ"N) Av. Libertadores con Canal Bogotá Centro Comercial Ventura Plaza (EN CONSTRUCCIÃ"N) Centro de la Ciudad Av. Libertadores Av. 0 Calle 13 Av. 0 Av. Libertadores Av. Libertadores Catedral (NAVIDAD) Catedral Iglesia de San Luis Iglesia Perpetuo Socorro Templo Historico (Donde se reunió el congreso de Cúcuta - Queda al lado de la casa del general SANTANDER) Hotel Casino Internacional Hotel Tonchala Coliseo Toto Hernández Piscina Olimpica Redoma Carlos Ramírez Paris Redoma Carlos Ramírez Paris Puente Internacional Simón Bolivar (Divide a Colmbia y Venezuela) Fuente Luminosa Av. Calle 10 Puente Elias M. Soto Puente Elias M. Soto Parque Simón Bolivar Parque Colon Parque Colon Parque Santander Parque Santander CÚCUTA DEPORTIVO Restaurante Carritos (Navidad) Restaurante Carritos (Navidad) Pueblito Coca Cola Restaurante Rodizio Ok.. that's all!! I hope you liked!>