Like any clear-headed voter, I was in shock following the "what happened" 2016 election. I turned to Jane Jacobs for help and went straight for Dark Days Ahead” in my library and came to this in the first chapter: “…the death or the stagnated moribundity of formerly unassailable and vigorous cultures is caused not by … Continue reading Vote Early
Posts
James Baldwin
https://youtu.be/5Tek9h3a5wQ?t=835 I have no idea if Aeon Video is a good source to use, but these few minutes of James Baldwin are vitally important to recall as words spoken a half-century ago. Even more instructive is the obsequious British joy in gaining Balwin's participation in their instruction, and then of the insight of Buckley who … Continue reading James Baldwin
Review the Rules
Rules In all of our worlds (social, political, economic, biometric) we search for things considered necessary. We see closed doors, glass ceilings, and tables with no invitations. The good news is we have a set of new rules that could make change more positive. Nikola Tesla A way to develop answers to questions about change … Continue reading Review the Rules
CD Choice
Examine Your Lack of Choice On June 26, 2018, the residents of the Ninth Congressional District had an opportunity to test leadership in Congress on criteria established by voters. Clarke won by a slim margin. Challenged again in 2020 she won again big time. Adem Bunkedekko was the closest rival, capturing 17% of the vote … Continue reading CD Choice
Brownsville
I built playgrounds in the early 70s because it was my job. One of them was on the block bounded by Park Place and Sterling Place between Howard and Saratoga. It came to mind when Hilton Als said the word Brownsville as a place he knows. I was listening to parts of his essay "Homecoming" … Continue reading Brownsville
Club Democrats
Take a look at all of the "political clubs" in Brooklyn. Rarely are these outfits exposed as viable components of local leadership, merely those who have a detailed understanding of the inner workings, tips, and tricks of a Board of Elections system that needs to be Repealed and Replaced. Congress Member for Life Why did … Continue reading Club Democrats
Tale of Two CTs
City Center Lincoln Square Compare To examine the building footprints in greater detail Google Map "Mandalay Bay & S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV" for the City Center and "Columbus Circle, New York City." The street grid and building footprints for City Center provide for massive building enclosures as compared to the pedestrian-oriented portion … Continue reading Tale of Two CTs
In the Wind
On January 4, 2013, The New York City Independent Budget Office of New York City published a study on the cost of Hurricane Sandy in overtime pay. As part of that study, the chart below illustrates who made the most money. There is a way to look at this sarcastically but helpfully. The Police as … Continue reading In the Wind
Represent Us! Damn It!
https://youtu.be/93bQyZpRBds Unbreaking America: Justice For Sale, an 8-minute short film Expose the connection between the prison industry and our corrupt political system. The failure of America’s criminal justice system is a failure to trust. Trust this film. Pass the word. Desmond Meade was in prison for 3-years, and Omar Epps grew up with the system … Continue reading Represent Us! Damn It!
Whitney M. Young Jr.
Whitney M. Young, Jr., Executive Director, The Urban League Opening Session: 100th American Institute of Architects Portland, Oregon, June 24, 1968 “You are not a profession that has distinguished itself by your social and civic contributions to the cause of civil rights. I am sure this does not come to you as any shock. You … Continue reading Whitney M. Young Jr.
Racism
Kara Springer created the image/public art above. A Small Matter of Engineering, Part II. "The attention given to the social construct of race and racism is four-hundred-year-complicated, the subject of multiple doctoral thesis, many excellent books, and legislation. On the other hand, there is an uncomplicated pre-systemic solution to racism for ordinary people available right … Continue reading Racism
Jobs and Education
Software, digital hardware, and the life-science industries are capable of adding jobs indirectly to a local economy as multipliers, in much the same way as the manufacture of autos and appliances, contributed decades earlier with one significant difference. The education of the workers. Job Multipliers Research and development firms in physical, engineering, and life sciences … Continue reading Jobs and Education
Malfunctions
Life Imitates Malfunctions This section on malfunctions prepares a larger narrative. We are working on how America has 1) an unqualified health problem that includes the inability to use wealth for the effective self-study of health challenges. The importance of recognizing how 2) equality and equity for all Americans requires a system change that clearly … Continue reading Malfunctions
Housing
The causes of the housing problem can give you a facial tick. Here goes one recent example, the housing market has added single-family-rental securitization. This specimen is made of our old friend mortgage-backed securities that continue to be backed by inflated home value, and a rising market for rental housing. Combined with the collapse of … Continue reading Housing
Second Change
Part Five - Every Change is a Second Chance: Change does occur by chance, having a readiness for it, on the other hand, requires an eagerness to be fit for the job. Hitting a search engine with the phrase "Theory of Change," you get something like the mosaic below. My favorite is the Theory of … Continue reading Second Change
System Change
Smithsonian “Salute to the Wheel” Map of Mesopotamia (3500 B.C.) Introduction This introduction to five explorations of system change is about discoveries, then I take a look at malfunctions as the heart of the issue, and explore some critical thinking gambits and pathways. I conclude with the idea that every change is a second chance. … Continue reading System Change
Congress and the Constitution
In taking on a major malfunction, breaking it into smaller pieces is helpful, but whether in big parts or the little ones it is hopeless when it comes to constitutional jargon. American's observing the jurist legislators of our nation have nothing better to do than tie knots in their tongues. There are reasons to do … Continue reading Congress and the Constitution
Box Gambits
Part Three - The Box Gambit: The “rule” of this gambit is to connect all the dots with four straight lines by not allowing your pen/pencil to leave the surface of the page. Solving this graphic riddle will require some thinking, and trial and error to be accomplished. Try it four times. Good luck. Pen … Continue reading Box Gambits
Pandemic in NYC
Attacks at over 200 mph for the kill The Economics of a Pandemic in NYC The impact COVID-19 presents one of the most serious recovery challenges New York City has ever experienced. It will require a system change as it will, without doubt, reveal a previously unknown range of malfunctions. A practical example of how … Continue reading Pandemic in NYC
Discovery
Part One - Discoveries: System change builds on the psychology of transparency in human relationships. In this openness, we find friends to love and leaders to trust with our tithings and taxes. The chart illustrates a heuristic method for building awareness, trust, and confidence whenever, a “never doubt” group decides to change the world. It was … Continue reading Discovery
Critical Thinking
Part Four - Critical Thinking Pathways: Research into the idea of malfunctions requires the insight of the arts well ahead of the imaginable political strategies around which there is so much negative sensitivity. Expanding "our reality" through the eyes and experience of others is often too esoteric, and not goal-driven. Not to worry, there are … Continue reading Critical Thinking
Malfunction
Part Two - Introducing Malfunctions: System changes occur in an environment of malfunction. Four were recently recommended to "The Albemarle Report" for exploration. They are developed only partially below and in more detail (here). The response to the Great Recession of 2008 reveals errors compounded in the govern m ent sector response to the Pandemic … Continue reading Malfunction
Fifty!
No doubt that urbanization has been a messy business. The rapid pace of development over the last couple of centuries has led directly to life-threatening conditions in a rush to mechanize every aspect of life. People were packed into camps to harvest forests of wood, mountains of granite, and every available mineral with trade value. … Continue reading Fifty!
Caduceus Erroneous?
Caduceus Erroneous? Geopolitical challenges such as a pandemic or the multiple impacts of climate change instruct the genius of humanity to bring about systemic change and to resist and reverse “them not us” policies and strategies. These are tests for leadership without national borders, that rage against the intolerant behaviors most likely to kill or … Continue reading Caduceus Erroneous?
Medium
Stories Published to Medium and The Ascent The Ascent A community of storytellers documenting the journey to happiness & fulfillment. Join 90k+ others making the climb on one of the fastest-growing pubs on Medium and Ascent https://twitter.com/DelegationW The Red Tail Planes and Sorry
Dancing with the Bear
The following introduces trends in professionalism. It is an excerpt from a more substantial project entitled: The Four Problems. The focus of that effort is on planning, architecture, and engineering. The challenge to all professionals today suggests that the dance with the bear has begun, and we can’t stop until the bear stops. Three Steps … Continue reading Dancing with the Bear
Bodacious, Blueberry Wine and Bushwacker
I found this must be old on what the 2030 report was supposed to create. I noticed a comment I made regarding the process that they picked up. If they were serious they would disclose the process used to accomplish one of their basic goals. Goal: Get a park/recreation facility within walking distance of everyone, … Continue reading Bodacious, Blueberry Wine and Bushwacker
Bay Area
https://vimeo.com/242851294 BIG+ONE+SHERWOOD: A Social Ecosystem for Resilient by Design | Bay Area Challenge from BIG on Vimeo. "I believe in people, and I can depended on my friends in a crisis. The thing is, I have to depend on their belief in truth, facts, and my best whiskey."Rex Curry
Connect the Council
City Council The New York City Council has 51 members with two-term limits of four years. The relationship between the city, the state and national government is complicated. A close examination of issues that confront the City Council Members should include those the state and federal government share. The focus here is on the eight … Continue reading Connect the Council
Connect Senate
Connect Senate Members & CD9 NYS-63 Senators The relationship of constituents to the State Government's 63 members of the NY Senate can last a long time. They have two-year terms but there are no limits. This section seeks information that contributes to a better understanding of issues that confront our state representatives that share a portion of … Continue reading Connect Senate