AntiRust

Imagine if Richard Florida was the Joker...

... and Joel Kotkin was Batman. This Associated Press story would detail how a fight between them would proceed on TV.

"It used to be a nice and quiet community, but everything's changing now. I see new faces everyday," said Sidkey, owner of Sundae's Ice Cream Shoppe & Coffee Bar. "I guess everyone found out our secret."

The secret — most think it's cheap housing prices — has made this bedroom community about 50 miles north of West Palm Beach the fastest-growing large city in the nation, according to census figures for 2003-2004 released on Thursday.

POW!

Port St. Lucie experienced the largest population growth for a one-year period beginning in July 2003. It added 12,689 people to reach 118,396 — a 12 percent jump.

Overall for the past four years, the census numbers show new residents flocking to midsize cities in Florida, Arizona, Nevada and California. Hurt by skyrocketing housing prices, people are leaving San Francisco, Boston and other large cities in droves.

Kablam!!

"People like to live in smaller places and a lot of it's propelled by the sharp spike in housing costs in the inner and more attractive cities," said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington. "People want to get as much housing as they can for their dollars."

Crunch!!

... Port St. Lucie, built on former swampland beginning in the 1960s, saw its population jump 33.4 percent in the past four years. Mayor Bob Minsky says he expects the boom to continue until the population tops 300,000.

He said each day 45 people — young and old — move to the city and 42 percent of them are coming from the booming cities to the south, where housing prices have become exorbitant for many.

"People like the lifestyle here and they're willing to commute. They sell their house down South, buy one here and have money leftover to put in the bank," Minsky said.

Zap!!! But keep reading. It gets far, far worse...

Port St. Lucie has grown so fast it lacks many of the cultural and social amenities of a large, urban area. There is no shopping mall or downtown, despite years of talk of creating a city center. The only place to get a cup of Starbucks is inside a supermarket; moviegoers have a single choice of theaters. Attractions like playhouses exist only in the neighboring, older communities of Stuart and Fort Pierce.

Oooofffff!!!!!

Hear that? People like the lifestyle. That is, they like cars and commuting. And get this: The people are building amenities now, AFTER arriving. That is, fancy amenities did not attract them.

That has to hurt.

Culture: Who Can You Trust?

Today's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a story about the Cultural Trust's recenly completed brainstorming session for Eighth Avenue:

"Everyone from out of town that I talked to, including the speakers, were very impressed with Pittsburgh -- its geography, the topography and the Cultural District," said Lou Astorino, CEO of Astorino Architects, a member of the Trust board of trustees and chairman of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. "The Cultural District really is one of a kind. They thought the opportunity was an amazing one."

Fans of the Cultural District included Harvey Lichtenstein, chairman of the BAM Development Corporation in Brooklyn, New York.

"I have admired Pittsburgh's Cultural District from afar," said Lichtenstein in a statement. "The Cultural District is the driving force for the city of Pittsburgh, invigorating the urban environment and the city itself. The cultural activity in Pittsburgh is extraordinary."

Not to be a killjoy, but what else would such people say? Aren't they pre-selected as folks enthused about cultural amenities? Was Joel Kotkin, or someone similar, invited?

In fact, don't some of these people look suspiciously like the kind that might be interested in participating in any proposed revitalization project? Frankly, these people make a living going to conferences and talking about upscale redevelopment. How long do you think they will continue to be included if they swoop in and say, "To be honest, Toledo blows." Or, "I get paid to find cultural oppportunities in urban environments, but I'll be damned. Erie is utterly hopeless. I suggest reducing taxes and regulations and hoping for the best." Or, "Geez, Baltimore has already done a lot. There are several museums, the aquarium and the Inner Harbor, and the city is still struggling. Maybe in this case the marginal use of more such amenities is so low that it cannot justify the cost." Don't hold your breath.

That doesn't mean these are people are necessarily wrong about Pittsburgh, of course. And the Cultural Trust certainly has no obligation to include people diametrically opposed to its mission. Still, I think that someone ought to appoint a commission that can explore the possibility of establishing a public/private partnership that will in turn generate a plan to take all this optimism with a grain of salt.

This is the Cultural District, of course, so I think it should be sea salt. Or at least kosher.

Cheesecake Factory Versus Steel Mill

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is running an intriguing series about economic development in Kosice, Slovakia.

Seems these Eastern Europeans have a plan: They establish a public-private partnership committed to diversity. Then they work to establish high-end retail, which in turn attracts loads of ethnic minorities, gays and sophisticated, college-educated types to the city. The keystone is a museum, a stadium and a series of chain restaurants and loft apartments on the water...

Oh, wait. That's what Pittsburgh did.  And got a Cheesecake Factory.

Kosice, on the other hand, is home to a new... wait for it... wait for it... here it comes...

STEEL MILL.

Built by U.S. Steel.

Employment numbers are through the roof, average salary has doubled.

Not to say that kind of industry can thrive in Pittsburgh anymore, but still, the irony seems pretty thick.

If Kosice hires Chuck Noll to coach the local soccer team I'll cry.

Bass Masters

I am skeptical about claims that many environmentalists make regarding the promise of eco-tourism. It helps, sure, but I don't think you can base a healthy economy on it. Still, you can only view the upcoming Bass Masters tournament in Pittsburgh with wonder.

My only gripe is that so many refuse to admit that this is real progress. Sure, you have to watch Corporate America, but these rivers keep getting cleaner, not dirtier. Same as the air. I know that green groups have to raise money and that scare tactics pay the bills. But come on. If someone had told you fifty years ago that anything would be swimming in the Mon, much less that it would become a draw for world-class angling...

Not So Hillbilly Anymore

When I was growing up in Ridgway, Pennsylvania, I don't think more than one percent of my friends had ever even contemplated the notion of a skateboard trick. And a ska band? Now we have this, from today's Ridgway Record:

News

Stunt show impresses crowd for third year
Monday, June 27, 2005 11:57 AM EDT

The Ridgway Independence Festival, for the third consecutive year, included a stunt show on Saturday at the bike and skate park on North Broad Street. Spectators gathered along the edge of the park to watch BMX bikers and skateboarders from all over northwestern Pennsylvania.

The youth participating, including an eight-year-old who got his skate board recently, from the beginning and at the frequent bequest of Steve Parrish who provided commentary, wore helmets as they attempted, and usually succeeded, in stunts including 360-turns and back flips.

The day concluded at the skate park with a performance by St. Marys ska band, Ska-Na-Na.

"Usually friends from other towns come," Parrish said.

Matt Decker of Houtzdale said he was invited while at Clearfield Skate park, and enjoyed the stunt show.

"I didn't even know there was one," BMX biker Adam Sanders of Erie said. "I just came down to ride."

Sanders said her enjoyed himself too.

"It was pretty good," Sanders said.

Participants were not the only ones who said they enjoyed the stunt show.

"They've taken it to a whole new level," said spectator Paul Rees, whose son Hudson participated in the day's feats.

During the show, Parrish also sold DVD copies of "15853," a BMX stunts film made by Ridgway's Eric Herzing, and also available at Cliffe's.

I'm not exactly an old-timer. I graduated from Ridgway HIgh in 1991.

I suppose I regret the loss of that cultural isolation on some level. Being part of the often overlooked rural Rust Belt gave us a sense of put-upon solidarity: A mountan-man versus flatlander pride.

But given the opportunity, I am sure I would have opted for the skate ramp.

I know a lot of these kids and they do a great job of combining their X-game edge with hillbilly horse sense. A lot of people worry about such things. How long will these kids pay attention to traditional rural pursuits when the glitz and glamor of city living keeps pouring into their homes via broadband?

Who knows? For now, they seem to be striking a balance between the two. Good for them.

Smoking Allowed (Except for White Trash)

More smoking stories. Gosh.

Still, this bit in the Washington Post deserves close attention. Seems that people are concerned that the proposed smoking ban in DC will affect increasingly popular hookah bars.

The hookah's popularity waxed and waned through the ages, declining again as recently as 1980 then surging in the 1990s, said Eissenberg, co-author of a water pipe study funded by National Institutes of Health's John E. Fogarty International Center.

Asal wants to cash in on that popularity and does not think the D.C. proposal will affect him. He assumes a compromise can be reached for hookah lounges, as it has been for cigar bars in other localities that faced similar restrictions.

An across-the-board smoking ban in the District "wouldn't be fair, especially since we can separate the smoking and nonsmoking customers in different seating areas," said Asal, 37. "Why don't they ban the alcohol instead? That causes more trouble," from drunken driving to disorderly conduct.

Besides, an alcohol ban would not inflict financial hardship on Asal. Prince Cafe, and many of its Muslim-owned rivals, do not serve alcoholic beverages for religious reasons. And they hope to attract like-minded customers.

He figures his cafes are a hip, harmless and relatively cheap alternative for underage college kids barred from booze-filled nightclubs. On Saturdays, his stores -- and their kitchens -- stay open until 5 a.m. His cafes feature Lebanese and Indian cuisine and plenty of Arabic music videos. The occasional belly dancer or Middle Eastern pop star performs at one Georgetown location. An across-the-board smoking ban in the District "wouldn't be fair, especially since we can separate the smoking and nonsmoking customers in different seating areas," said Asal, 37. "Why don't they ban the alcohol instead? That causes more trouble," from drunken driving to disorderly conduct.

Besides, an alcohol ban would not inflict financial hardship on Asal. Prince Cafe, and many of its Muslim-owned rivals, do not serve alcoholic beverages for religious reasons. And they hope to attract like-minded customers.

He figures his cafes are a hip, harmless and relatively cheap alternative for underage college kids barred from booze-filled nightclubs. On Saturdays, his stores -- and their kitchens -- stay open until 5 a.m. His cafes feature Lebanese and Indian cuisine and plenty of Arabic music videos. The occasional belly dancer or Middle Eastern pop star performs at one Georgetown location.

So let's get this straight: You are a young hipster. You want to grab a bite of hummus and puff on tobacco with like-minded people. Head to the hookah bar. Allowed.

You are a middle-aged wanna-be hipster. You want to grab a bite of kobe beef and puff on tobacco with like-minded people. Head to the cigar bar. Allowed.

You are not hip at all. You want a to grab a burger and puff on a cig.

Too damn bad, you son of a bitch. Don't you know smoking kills? And not just you. Everyone around you. You must be stopped.

Absurd.

Supreme Court to America: More Crap, Please

What a travesty. Today the Supreme Court ruled that cities can take property away from poor people who have no connections and give it away to rich people who have a lot of connections. Liberal or conservative, this is a shame. Sound familiar?

"Susette Kelo and several other homeowners in a working-class neighborhood in New London, Conn., filed suit after city officials announced plans to raze their homes for a riverfront hotel, health club and offices.

New London officials countered that the private development plans served a public purpose of boosting economic growth that outweighed the homeowners' property rights, even if the area wasn't blighted.

"We're pleased," attorney Edward O'Connell, who represents New London Development Corporation, said in response to the ruling.

The lower courts had been divided on the issue, with many allowing a taking only if it eliminates blight.

O'Connor was joined in her opinion by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, as well as Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.

Nationwide, more than 10,000 properties were threatened or condemned in recent years, according to the Institute for Justice, a Washington public interest law firm representing the New London homeowners.

New London, a town of less than 26,000, once was a center of the whaling industry and later became a manufacturing hub. More recently the city has suffered the kind of economic woes afflicting urban areas across the country, with losses of residents and jobs."

Awesome! I mean, letting city bureaucrats decide what's best for development worked great for downtown Monroevil... Oops. Wait a minute.

Even more frustrating is that this crap NEVER WORKS. I can already hear it. "Ho ho! What about Baltimore's Inner Harbor?"

Crap. Didn't work. I lived in Baltimore for five years and went there about three times.  I'll admit maybe that's just due to my personal preference for cheap dive bars, but look a bit closer...

The whole promise of the Inner Harbor was that retail development and other amenities would draw people downtown, promote growth on the fringes of the new development and eventually spur a virtuous cycle of renewal. (Paging Richard Florida.)

Good idea, but it DID NOT WORK. That's why Baltimore recently proposed initiating another bullshit scam... I mean, public/private partnership... to seize all the privately owned buildings on the fringes of the Inner Harbor, tear them down and build more crap.

Recall this is the blighted area that the Inner Harbor itself was supposed to fix. It didn't.

Victory for a Pennsylvania Manufacturer

The Bradford Era reports on a huge win for one of Northwestern Pennsylvania's most important--and arguably its most famous--manufacturers. The story is a triumph for smokers as well, so a double "huzzah" is in order. Scroll down for the numbers. This is a pretty big company:

"On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., announced that Zippo Manufacturing Co. has won the second half of its battle with the U.S. Department of Transportation and Transportation Security Administration.

Aircraft travelers can again carry liquid-fuel filled Zippo lighters in checked baggage, as long as they are packaged in a "rigid, vapor-tight, non-DOT specification solid plastic box," according to a press release from Santorum's office issued early Wednesday evening.

... Santorum, U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and U.S. Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., have been working toward this end in conjunction with the DOT and Zippo since a lighter ban preventing all lighters from being carried on airplanes was enacted April 14.

"I am pleased to share this good news with the employees of Zippo," Santorum said. "As one of the largest cigarette lighter manufacturers, Zippo employs 750 people in Bradford. Prohibiting filled lighters on flights would have a direct impact on this major employer in our state and would have put hundreds of jobs and our local economy in jeopardy."

...Zippo officials said back in April the ban would burn a hole right through profits to the tune of 20 to 30 percent annually. Zippo is the largest employer in McKean County and sold about 14 million lighters last year alone. A Zippo lighter typically costs from $15 to $20. "

Zippo is a truly remarkable company and deserves more attention than it gets.

Truth, Power and the Smoking Ban

A councilwoman in D.C. calls bullshit on a proposed smoking ban there:

A modest proposal, indeed.

By the way, why is it that Republican are leading the fight against this ridiculous prohibition movement? So much for "choice" on the left.

Link via Reason.

For great info on why the ban is bunk try this DC group called Ban the Ban.

And before you accept claims that the only people against the ban are funded by Big Tobacco (wrong), check out Ban the Ban's "About" section and learn where the public-health jackass squad gets its money...

Surprise! It's not grassroots $$ from gasping bartenders.

... Industry Moves South, Continued

More on that NYT story: So why are these factories popping up in the Deep South? I am sure the first paragraph will enrage libertarians, while the second will be pretty contentious with everyone else in Pittsburgh:

"The state of Alabama has been particularly generous in wooing auto companies. In 1993, it provided $258 million in incentives and tax breaks to land its first foreign automaker, Mercedes. The state has spent hundreds of millions since to attract the Honda, Hyundai and Toyota plants.

But what may have clinched the deals was the state's laws - similar to those on the books throughout much of the South - that do not require workers to join unions even if their plants are organized.

"The auto industry has found a welcome down here," said Johnny L. Mathis, a business development manager with Qore Property Sciences, a company that has prepared the construction sites for many of the new auto factories and parts plants.

Oof! "Constructions sites"  and "jobs" that are affiliated with "new factories" rather than stadium boondoggles and goofy high-end retail ventures. When's the last time Western Pennsylvania saw something like that?

What's the peanut guy at Heinz Field make again? Something less than $48 an hour, I suspect.