They say you can see a bubble in the economy by looking at the skyline. I was in Los Angeles in the 1980s when a tsunami of Japanese money poured over the city. Back then Library Tower (now US Bank Tower) was under construction. It topped out in 1989 just in time for the market … Continue reading Boom
I’ve spent a lot of time exploring small towns and big cities from Michigan to Texas, Illinois to Kentucky, Georgia to California – often in the company of city officials, professional consultants, and sharp people trying to figure out how to make things work better. I keep refining my understanding of the forces at play … Continue reading Let’s Cut the Crap and Embrace Reality
When I was a kid in the early 1970s there was a friend of the family who would stop by from time to time – usually with a bucket of flounder he had just caught. He made an excellent beer batter and we’d have a fish fry dinner together. His name was Floyd and he … Continue reading Doing the Right Thing
I recently visited friends for lunch at their new home in the suburbs south of San Francisco. It’s only thirty five miles from the city, but it feels oddly like another world. It’s as if a little piece of Los Angeles or San Diego had calved off and drifted up the California coast and beached … Continue reading Silicon House
I’m tired of people trying to sugarcoat things in the name of cooperative constructive engagement. Meetings, conventions, more meetings, public charrettes, more meetings, another conference, more meetings… Welcome stakeholders! We value your input! I’m not a patient person. I want to go out in to the world and actually get things done. But that’s not … Continue reading The Bitter Suite
I’ve lived in this neighborhood for so long that I’ve grown used to tech start ups beta testing their schemes on my doorstep. I remember the first time I saw a car drive by with a huge furry pink mustache strapped to the front grill between the headlights. That was the start of Lyft. I … Continue reading Meet Marble
Last week was Memorial Day, a time intended for deep reflection on the loss of fallen soldiers. It can be that, but mostly it isn’t. Instead it’s another day to promote sales on mattresses or enjoy a long weekend of barbecues. For me it involved a lot of gardening and the construction of a small … Continue reading Memorial Day
Granola Shotgun 