Just Wow

[HankStrong]

Gawdy cross and all, it is an improvement to what was there.

[HankStrong]

I'm not touching a politics thread to save my life, but I sure have to say JUST WOW at partisan voting.  Both sides.  Idiots all around playing a shell game with random rich people (and locally with a straight up criminal who got 41% of the vote thanks to it) who don't even slightly care about them.

I can't begin to imagine people who think straight-line voting is an effective tool for picking leadership.

[JFW657]

On 10/31/2018 at 11:44 AM, HankStrong said:

Gawdy cross and all, it is an improvement to what was there.

I liked the cross being visible from I-4. 

In its new spot, it just looks tacky.

Or, as you said, gawdy.

More tacky, though.

[spenser1058]

Here come the Brise! The first 20' panel has arrived at the Orange County Regional History Center.

There will be an official "thank you" for their return on Dec. 1. Let's all join Hank for this exciting event!

https://bungalower.com/2018/11/05/piece-of-round-buildings-brise-soleil-installed-at-history-center/

From Bungalower

[HankStrong]

BOO!!!  HISSS!!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

[spenser1058]

An interesting stat released by Brookings in the aftermath of the midterms (it echoes results from the 2016 presidential election:)

House seats won by Democrats represent 61% of US GDP; Republican districts represent 38%.

Getting a bit nerdy with my urban econ visor on for a moment, the article notes this is a fundamental disconnect compared to other successful economies. Effectively, the most productive areas of our national economy are having to beg the less successful areas for the inputs which contribute to growth. 

It's important to ponder how long the mismatch can continue and what the remedies might be.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/11/15/charts-democrats-represent-modern-economy-republicans-left-behind.html

From CNBC

Edited November 15, 2018 by spenser1058

[Dale]

5 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

An interesting stat released by Brookings in the aftermath of the midterms (it echoes results from the 2016 presidential election:)

House seats won by Democrats represent 61% of US GDP; Republican districts represent 38%.

Getting a bit nerdy with my urban econ visor on for a moment, the article notes this is a fundamental disconnect compared to other successful economies. Effectively, the most productive areas of our national economy are having to beg the less successful areas for the inputs which contribute to growth. 

It's to ponder how long the mismatch can continue and what the remedies might be.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/11/15/charts-democrats-represent-modern-economy-republicans-left-behind.html

From CNBC

Democrats: Party of the Rich.

[HankStrong]

Please don't screw up another thread with political badgering and bickering back and forth.

 

You are both quite right in some ways and you both are VERY VERY VERY VERY wrong in some ways.  Play nice together!

[spenser1058]

37 minutes ago, HankStrong said:

Please don't screw up another thread with political badgering and bickering back and forth.

 

You are both quite right in some ways and you both are VERY VERY VERY VERY wrong in some ways.  Play nice together!

There will be no back and forth as I have that poster on ignore. Further, it's not my opinion, it's Brookings' stats.

[Dale]

9 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

There will be no back and forth as I have that poster on ignore. Further, it's not my opinion, it's Brookings' stats.

Could the poster who has me on ignore at least be notified that when he besmirches I’m going to smirch back ?

[HankStrong]

How about you both just keep it to the politics thread and shut your pie holes about it elsewhere?

[spenser1058]

*Is still sitting in the corner with my RC and a moon pie and wonders when urban econ became so inflammatory (and is happy that apparently putting the earlier poster on ignore was probably a wise choice)*

[spenser1058]

If I'm recognizing the posting style correctly, it appears one of our posters who left us in an ignominious blaze of glory seems to be posting now over on SSC.

It made me think of Roseanne going to another network...

Edited November 19, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Goldman Sachs is predicting a significant slowdown in the US economy in the second half of next year.

Since that's when our tourism industry is scheduled to warp into hyperspace with the addition of major new additions, it will be interesting to see how it will affect us locally.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2018/11/19/goldman-sachs-believes-the-us-economy-will-slow-to-a-crawl-next-year.html

From CNBC

[spenser1058]

Maybe we aren't all the same. It turns out the Chinese hate new car smell and Ford's trying to get rid of it. Who knew?

https://amp.freep.com/amp/2027822002

From Detroit Free Press

[spenser1058]

A Happy Thanksgiving to all the posters and visitors to our UP Orlando forum.

Also a reminder that the first Thanksgiving celebrations between European settlers and the local Timucua tribes took place at Fort Caroline and St. Augustine, right here in Florida, almost 60 years before those Johnnys-come-lately in Massachusetts.

Florida First!

http://floridapolitics.com/archives/281567-thanksgiving-florida-first-coast

From Florida Politics

Edited November 22, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

A point of personal privilege that doesn’t relate to Orlando at all but makes me sad: Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander announced he will not run for reelection in 2020.

I worked on then Governor Alexander’s re-election campaign in 1982 and have followed his career ever since. He’s wise, has a gentle sense of humor, believes passionately in the Senate as an institution and most importantly, these days, is a true gentleman. He’s earned his retirement but he’ll be sorely missed.

https://amp.tennessean.com/amp/2276521002

From the Tennessean 

[spenser1058]

A very Merry Christmas to all our UP’ers:

From YouTube

Also, for those with different traditions, here’s hoping you had a Happy Chanukah or enjoy a Happy Kwanzaa. Also a Festive Festivus!

From the Maccabeats / You Tube 

I continue to learn so much from all of you and enjoy all the personalities that keep the Orlando room lively. “ ‘Tis a privilege to live in Central Florida” as the Sentinel used to say.

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

An interesting comparison of Florida downtowns from our friends at The Jaxson (Jacksonville):

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/floridas-major-downtowns-how-does-jax-compare/

[spenser1058]

The grass is always greener over the septic tank (thanks, Erma Bombeck!) no matter which megatall city you live in:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/upshot/happy-new-year-may-your-city-never-become-san-francisco-new-york-or-seattle.html?action=click&module=News&pgtype=Homepage

From the New York Times

[HankStrong]

1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

The grass is always greener over the septic tank (thanks, Erma Bombeck!) no matter which megatall city you live in:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/upshot/happy-new-year-may-your-city-never-become-san-francisco-new-york-or-seattle.html?action=click&module=News&pgtype=Homepage

From the New York Times

My grandma had that book in her bathroom for years!

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

The grass is always greener over the septic tank (thanks, Erma Bombeck!) no matter which megatall city you live in:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/26/upshot/happy-new-year-may-your-city-never-become-san-francisco-new-york-or-seattle.html?action=click&module=News&pgtype=Homepage

From the New York Times

Orlandoization? 

[prahaboheme]

On 12/26/2018 at 6:19 AM, spenser1058 said:

An interesting comparison of Florida downtowns from our friends at The Jaxson (Jacksonville):

https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/floridas-major-downtowns-how-does-jax-compare/

Fascinating side-by-side comparisons.

Orlando is really only outpaced by much larger Miami from this perspective, and surpasses FL’s other major downtowns in workforce, residents, and residential units.

Where Orlando lags is in downtown hotel rooms. Considering that downtown has to compete with its own tourist cooridor to fill rooms, I don’t see that changing significantly anytime soon.

[Dale]

First blush: Jax is a laggard, Orlando punches above its weight,Tampa set to narrow the gap in a hurry, St Pete the nicest of the cities compared.

[Dale]

The difference between Neo and metro.m is that whereas the former is not big on pointed repartee, tit-for-tat, rough and tumble, the latter would ban you for breathing.