There's a surprising amount of information around the web concerning the local Mayor's race. If interested, a decent first place to look is here.
If you can cut through the noise/humor, you'll also find lots of good info at some of the other links below.
First Debate Live Blog
Second Debate Live Blog
Third Debate Live Blog
Showing posts with label Richmond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richmond. Show all posts
November 3, 2008
October 30, 2008
All Politics is Local
There's a fairly abrasive article about Goldman in this week's Style Weekly, who I stated I was for earlier. And the article brings up a number of good points that I missed. The article is correct, that inside of City Hall re probably acted as if he was bigger than his post, and contributed to much of the animosity within City Hall, and between departments, which is the ultimate legacy of the Wilder administration. With a region that suffered unnecessarily with the division between city and county and a regional and city political atmosphere so marred by divisions (territorial, geographical, and racial)... Goldman probably would not have helped the city in that regard. It doesn't matter if Goldman proposes some great idea on how we can decentralize the city's poverty, if he burns so many bridges we can't agree to do anything beyond knocking down a project or 2.
I was wrong in endorsing him. While I appreciate what ideas he might bring to the table, we elect people, not ideas. The city needs now more than any time in a generation, a person who can bring people together. I'm still not sure who can do that best, but Goldman would have been the least likely candidate to do so.
Another big city issue has been the city's first Charter School called Patrick Henry. The city has a number of special magnet high schools, such as Maggie Walker, Community, and Open. These schools give people like me (I went to Maggie Walker when the program was based in TJ) and Ashley (who graduated from Community), challenging opportunities to learn and grow, more so than the normal school environment. Much of my sense of curiosity beyond my day to day life was fertilized there. Ashley very well might not have entertained college as something achievable if not put through the mental meat grinder that churns out the city's finest high school graduates. Some of Richmond's most unique citizens have walked through the doors of Open, and their cultural impact is one of the jewels of the city. To see the city want to add another institution that can rise to the stature of these schools is something commendable.
But there are flaws with the proposed high school. It needs public transportation. The schools listed above work because they bring people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to challenging curriculum. I was shocked to see that RPS will not bus kids to the new charter school. It's hardly a public school then. Also the schools are mandated to pull kids from Richmond's diverse neighborhoods, from Ginter Park to Blackwell, from Church Hill to the Fan and Westover Hills. There's no such mandate in the charter, and the risk that Patrick Henry becomes a city funded Collegiate is simply too great. I hope the school board settles these issues so that the opportunity is given to any city kid that yearns to learn outside of the regular RPS school structure.
I haven't read the Downtown Master Plan and it probably deserves its own post. But there are a few things I like about Richmond, and I'd like to see the city continue on its success. VCU has grown substantially in the past 10 years, and now looks like a complete urban campus. Along Broad Street at VCU there's a decent number of shops that have returned, and combined with Grace St. it brings a youthful urban feel that's a welcome alternative to the malls scattered around the suburbs. You still have to drive to Mechanicsville or Short Pump to buy a TV, but from books, clothes, food, and even home improvement, I don't have to commute just to get crap. That's welcome. Seeing how Carytown is becoming a Stony Point clone, a urban place that has goods and cheap eats for single people 30 or younger is nice. I wish it was dominated by fewer franchises/chains and more independent offerings, but even the real independent p[laces are around.
That growth even extends east down Broad, so it's not just VCU. Broad st. is coming back. Would suburbanites travel to 2nd and Broad, probably not. But urbanites don't need to head out to Pump Road as much.
Also I enjoy the diverse neighborhoods. When I want to feel inspired during a run, I'll run east towards the financial district. Something about 20 story buildings get me to run faster. Or i can head south to the river, or west to stroll through quiet west end neighborhoods. People here know to respect pedestrians, something you won't find in the more modest of Richmond's suburbs. People in the suburbs expect you to run or bike at American Family, not outside. The architecture on Richmond's suburbs isn't as bad as when I went to Colorado Springs (some parts looked like Weed's fictional suburb of Argestic, CA), but the subdivision bylaws limit everything down to what color lights you can have at Christmas and how high you can fly an American flag. Seriously, I'm not making that up.
I want to see that diversity continue, I want downtown to have more for people after 7PM, I want the north bank of the river tastefully developed, and the south bank kept pristine and natural. James River park should be protected. VCU has been a faithful steward, and if it wants to grow, I'm perfectly OK with that (but I can do without the Chili's). There's more art on a single block of Main street than a in a square mile of Henrico, Hanover, or Chesterfield. The city has its strengths, and it doesn't need to become Charlotte, NC or DC in order to exploit them. The strengths are already here. What's needed is managed growth, so there's a place in the city for people who are attracted to its promise while being preserves so we and people in the future can appreciate them as well.
And none of this requires a stadium.
I was wrong in endorsing him. While I appreciate what ideas he might bring to the table, we elect people, not ideas. The city needs now more than any time in a generation, a person who can bring people together. I'm still not sure who can do that best, but Goldman would have been the least likely candidate to do so.
Another big city issue has been the city's first Charter School called Patrick Henry. The city has a number of special magnet high schools, such as Maggie Walker, Community, and Open. These schools give people like me (I went to Maggie Walker when the program was based in TJ) and Ashley (who graduated from Community), challenging opportunities to learn and grow, more so than the normal school environment. Much of my sense of curiosity beyond my day to day life was fertilized there. Ashley very well might not have entertained college as something achievable if not put through the mental meat grinder that churns out the city's finest high school graduates. Some of Richmond's most unique citizens have walked through the doors of Open, and their cultural impact is one of the jewels of the city. To see the city want to add another institution that can rise to the stature of these schools is something commendable.
But there are flaws with the proposed high school. It needs public transportation. The schools listed above work because they bring people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to challenging curriculum. I was shocked to see that RPS will not bus kids to the new charter school. It's hardly a public school then. Also the schools are mandated to pull kids from Richmond's diverse neighborhoods, from Ginter Park to Blackwell, from Church Hill to the Fan and Westover Hills. There's no such mandate in the charter, and the risk that Patrick Henry becomes a city funded Collegiate is simply too great. I hope the school board settles these issues so that the opportunity is given to any city kid that yearns to learn outside of the regular RPS school structure.
I haven't read the Downtown Master Plan and it probably deserves its own post. But there are a few things I like about Richmond, and I'd like to see the city continue on its success. VCU has grown substantially in the past 10 years, and now looks like a complete urban campus. Along Broad Street at VCU there's a decent number of shops that have returned, and combined with Grace St. it brings a youthful urban feel that's a welcome alternative to the malls scattered around the suburbs. You still have to drive to Mechanicsville or Short Pump to buy a TV, but from books, clothes, food, and even home improvement, I don't have to commute just to get crap. That's welcome. Seeing how Carytown is becoming a Stony Point clone, a urban place that has goods and cheap eats for single people 30 or younger is nice. I wish it was dominated by fewer franchises/chains and more independent offerings, but even the real independent p[laces are around.
That growth even extends east down Broad, so it's not just VCU. Broad st. is coming back. Would suburbanites travel to 2nd and Broad, probably not. But urbanites don't need to head out to Pump Road as much.
Also I enjoy the diverse neighborhoods. When I want to feel inspired during a run, I'll run east towards the financial district. Something about 20 story buildings get me to run faster. Or i can head south to the river, or west to stroll through quiet west end neighborhoods. People here know to respect pedestrians, something you won't find in the more modest of Richmond's suburbs. People in the suburbs expect you to run or bike at American Family, not outside. The architecture on Richmond's suburbs isn't as bad as when I went to Colorado Springs (some parts looked like Weed's fictional suburb of Argestic, CA), but the subdivision bylaws limit everything down to what color lights you can have at Christmas and how high you can fly an American flag. Seriously, I'm not making that up.
I want to see that diversity continue, I want downtown to have more for people after 7PM, I want the north bank of the river tastefully developed, and the south bank kept pristine and natural. James River park should be protected. VCU has been a faithful steward, and if it wants to grow, I'm perfectly OK with that (but I can do without the Chili's). There's more art on a single block of Main street than a in a square mile of Henrico, Hanover, or Chesterfield. The city has its strengths, and it doesn't need to become Charlotte, NC or DC in order to exploit them. The strengths are already here. What's needed is managed growth, so there's a place in the city for people who are attracted to its promise while being preserves so we and people in the future can appreciate them as well.
And none of this requires a stadium.
October 27, 2008
Long term gain, short term loss.
Best Buy is carrying the Touch Pro now, and it's the most awesome hardware out there on the market. While I like the tabs of the Sony Xperia X1 (reminds me of some funky Linux windows management GUI), the accelerometer of the iPhone 3G (awesome for gaming), or the Storm (feedback + multitouch?!??!?!?! how insane is that), the Touch Pro is straight business. That's the best looking keyboard I've seen on a phone. Combine it with a GUI that does a decent job of hiding the garbage that is WinMo, a VGA screen, good touch ability, as much 3rd party support as the iPhone, it's God damn awesome. A bit pricey at $300 (or $750 unlocked WTF?). Chances are though I will end up waiting for the AT&T version, so I can move into the corporate account. But it has to be available in just a few days, especially with word that Verizon is getting their version ready as well.
Saw W last night. Like it overall. Was a bit overboard with the psychodrama. The dreams at the end were weak and overbearing. It's like Oliver Stone wanted to beat down stupid people with the message "Our President has daddy issues! We went to war becuase his daddy has daddy issues!" But the portrayals were spot on. That alone worth makes it watching. It jumps around in time a lot, but it serves the movie well. I was under the impression that the various quotes (like Powell's "you break it you buy it" or Tenet's "Slam Dunk") were all in different contexts, but the way the movie keeps the principles together gives you the "internal debate" feel that Bush probably had in his head. As storytelling, it's a effective way to make dozens of different meetings and arguements into a single movie. Oh, and I love Powell v. Cheney. Speaking of Powell, every lne was like "When I was with your dad..." or "Your Dad would have done..." and that seemed disingenuous. I don't recall any biography that refers to Powell constantly referencing Bush 41 that way. Might have done it once or twice IRL, but he did it like a dozen times or more.
Starting to run again, just in time for the big race. It's gonna hurt. Bad.
I'm working the polls this year. Actually, I'll be in City Hall, working with the CAP Central Absentee Prescient. If you live in the city, and mailed in your absentee ballot, there's a decent chance I'll be the one opening the envelop and making sure it counts on election day. It's actually a pretty cool little way to give back to the community. Think of people like Ashley in Michigan, or people in the military, I'll get to make sure people who signed up to defend this country actually have a voice in its government. Kick Ass. But working from 5:30AM to 10PM or 11PM doesn't. Still, it's personally refreshing to see that these ballots actually get counted in the same day totals, and not added in as an after thought for the final tally at Wikipedia.
Learned a lot about the voting process, provisional ballots, etc. Personally, I don't think the system is a fraught with problems as some activists would have you believe. On one hand, there are people who want to win, and will use the rules to their advantage. On the other hand, you're dealing with the public which didn't attend an all day class on a Saturday to review the ins and outs of federal and state election law. So I understand people's concern. All I can say is show up early, expect to wait a little bit, bring a government issued ID, be polite to everyone around you, and don't carry or wear any material referring to the campaign or election to the poll booth.
I never really finished my post on Goldman, but I'm at a loss as to who to vote for Mayor. The last candidate discussion is tomorrow, and I'll be at the Library of Virginia for it. Hopefully someone will stick out. Otherwise... probably just skip that part of the ballot, or vote for the person who is last in the polls to help insure a runoff.
Saw W last night. Like it overall. Was a bit overboard with the psychodrama. The dreams at the end were weak and overbearing. It's like Oliver Stone wanted to beat down stupid people with the message "Our President has daddy issues! We went to war becuase his daddy has daddy issues!" But the portrayals were spot on. That alone worth makes it watching. It jumps around in time a lot, but it serves the movie well. I was under the impression that the various quotes (like Powell's "you break it you buy it" or Tenet's "Slam Dunk") were all in different contexts, but the way the movie keeps the principles together gives you the "internal debate" feel that Bush probably had in his head. As storytelling, it's a effective way to make dozens of different meetings and arguements into a single movie. Oh, and I love Powell v. Cheney. Speaking of Powell, every lne was like "When I was with your dad..." or "Your Dad would have done..." and that seemed disingenuous. I don't recall any biography that refers to Powell constantly referencing Bush 41 that way. Might have done it once or twice IRL, but he did it like a dozen times or more.
Starting to run again, just in time for the big race. It's gonna hurt. Bad.
I'm working the polls this year. Actually, I'll be in City Hall, working with the CAP Central Absentee Prescient. If you live in the city, and mailed in your absentee ballot, there's a decent chance I'll be the one opening the envelop and making sure it counts on election day. It's actually a pretty cool little way to give back to the community. Think of people like Ashley in Michigan, or people in the military, I'll get to make sure people who signed up to defend this country actually have a voice in its government. Kick Ass. But working from 5:30AM to 10PM or 11PM doesn't. Still, it's personally refreshing to see that these ballots actually get counted in the same day totals, and not added in as an after thought for the final tally at Wikipedia.
Learned a lot about the voting process, provisional ballots, etc. Personally, I don't think the system is a fraught with problems as some activists would have you believe. On one hand, there are people who want to win, and will use the rules to their advantage. On the other hand, you're dealing with the public which didn't attend an all day class on a Saturday to review the ins and outs of federal and state election law. So I understand people's concern. All I can say is show up early, expect to wait a little bit, bring a government issued ID, be polite to everyone around you, and don't carry or wear any material referring to the campaign or election to the poll booth.
I never really finished my post on Goldman, but I'm at a loss as to who to vote for Mayor. The last candidate discussion is tomorrow, and I'll be at the Library of Virginia for it. Hopefully someone will stick out. Otherwise... probably just skip that part of the ballot, or vote for the person who is last in the polls to help insure a runoff.
October 21, 2008
Goldman droppign out
With Goldman dropping out of race for Mayor, I'm at a bit of a loss as to who to support. Say what you will about Wilder, but I liked watching the 6PM news when "crazy white man" would let loose thought balloons into the air to test the waters and see what the city was interested.
Take for example the city school system. Massive capitol improvements are needed, and let's face it, we can't afford them. Goldman stands up, and says hey, let's close a lot of schools, build a few large mega modern facilities, and reap in the savings with better management of fewer facilities.
Or Stadiums. Why the hell should the city incur a ton of debt and raise my taxes to pay off a new stadium for county parents to take their kids to and high tail it back to whatever ticky tacky community they put their seed to bed in? I can understand my taxes being higher to support a K-12 population that's more disadvantaged, or providing more social services for people who need them, but to build a stadium to attract team that's just going to hit up city for more stadium improvements or threaten to leave? I'm not sure we need that type of corporate welfare.
Why destroy the character of Richmond to build the downtown versions of Twin Hickory or Brandermill? Aren't these single families going to live out in the counties near where they work, in close proximity to their Targets, Best Buys, malls, and Ukrops?
Take for example the city school system. Massive capitol improvements are needed, and let's face it, we can't afford them. Goldman stands up, and says hey, let's close a lot of schools, build a few large mega modern facilities, and reap in the savings with better management of fewer facilities.
Or Stadiums. Why the hell should the city incur a ton of debt and raise my taxes to pay off a new stadium for county parents to take their kids to and high tail it back to whatever ticky tacky community they put their seed to bed in? I can understand my taxes being higher to support a K-12 population that's more disadvantaged, or providing more social services for people who need them, but to build a stadium to attract team that's just going to hit up city for more stadium improvements or threaten to leave? I'm not sure we need that type of corporate welfare.
Why destroy the character of Richmond to build the downtown versions of Twin Hickory or Brandermill? Aren't these single families going to live out in the counties near where they work, in close proximity to their Targets, Best Buys, malls, and Ukrops?
October 8, 2008
October 1, 2008
Goldman for Mayor
Right now for Mayor, I'm supporting Paul Goldman, Wilder's former adviser. From the city debates, it seems like he's the candidate who is willing to put more attention into address citizen's concerns over developers (Pantelle) and is ambivalent over baseball (unlike Jones). I don't want to see the city get into hundreds of millions in debt for a AAA minor league team. I also dislike Jones' proposal for a satelite VCU campus within the city. A huge chunk of revitalized Broad Street is due to VCU. I'd rather see VCU grow vs more boarded up buildings on Broad Street. Also, I like James River Park, and I don't want to see it bulldozed over in the name of Condos. I also kind of like his idea of taking dilapidated properties, remodeling them, and then setting them aside for city civil servants like teachers and cops. They do carry a lot of heavy water for our community, and I think providing them great places to live in the city will attract a new generation of teachers and cops that can improve our streets.
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