New MPG

I just read this quick write up about how the Chevy Volt, which is to be released next year, will have a MPG rating of 230. That's a lot. But that's also the point. I don;t mean to belittle the achievement. I do mean to attract attention to the problem here. I think MPG is only a good measurement of fuel economy with traditional liquid fuels. By branching off and making the volt primarily electrically powered, the Volt uses very little gas, but it does use energy and fuel to move. I think we need an across the board measurement of economy. My first instinct is to measure miles against CO2 output. That would give an industry standard to measure across all types of vehicles: hybrids, gas, diesel, electric, hydrogen, etc. That way you can measure the carbon output and compare. Yes, MPG is useful in figuring fuel costs, but the environmental advantages need a new metric.

Livionia + Walmart 4ever

So Livonia has decided to build another Walmart where Livonia Mall once resided. It seems foolish to me. Its razing one outdated development and installing another. Having been away for years, I didn't even know that they were redeveloping the site. But given a site of that size and location, it seems that another big box, car dependent, pedestrian unfriendly shopping center is doomed to the same fate. Now I realize that Livonia is not urban, but this is a chance to change that to some degree. It could have been a nice mixed use development that could provide citizens with a one stop shop for all their needs. A mixed use condo/apartment with ground level retail/restaurant and some nice open green space and hidden underground parking would be much better for residents and neighbors. It is a relatively dense area for suburbia and it would attract more I think. But who wants to live next door to a Walmart? I mean, look at all the problems of their location at Middlebelt and 696. And that is a more reasonable location with its adjacent freeway access. Its not somewhere people would want to live anyway.

On Cobo Hall

The Free Press is reporting that a deal is nearly done on a new Cobo authority. Detroiters are well aware that Cobo, home to the North American International Auto Show, has been mired in conflict as the City is incapable of running and financing it, but is unwilling to cede control to a regional authority. Suburban leaders want a say in the matter as the Auto Show brings millions of dollars to the region that would be lost should the Auto Show chose another venue, likely in Chicago.

While this is good news, it does not address the concerns that the Auto Show organizers have informed Detroit that they would seek another site for the 2011 show if Cobo is not expanded and upgraded. This is a no-brainer, but finding consensus on how to pay for the deal is like finding the goose that lays a golden egg.

I have to say, I beleivce that Dave Bing, the new mayor of Detroit, probably has a lot to do with this. He is the only player that has changed recently, and now a deal seems imminent. Just goes to show what a successful businessman can do. Plus, the picture in the Free Press is great. Understated power and confidence. Sure beats the bluff and bluster of many Detroit politicians(Kilpatrick, Conyers...).

One thing that I hope Detroit and the new Cobo Authority will look at is the use of the Joe Louis Arena site. Its outdated, and Mike Illitch, owner of the Red Wings, and lease holder of the Joe, has been shopping other options. The city could end the lease, raze the site and use it for expansion of Cobo. With a phased construction schedule, Cobo could remain open the entire time, though at diminished capacity, and could have a grand re-opening for the whole facility with the 2011 NAIAS. Of course, to achieve that, the project has to move now and move quickly. If the will is there, it can be done.

Additionally, the city could trade Illitch the Joe site for the Tiger stadium site. There Illitch could build a new arena complex with a new home for the Wings, and perhaps a theatre, restaurants, and hopefully for Detroiters, a proper grocery store. I'm looking at a Verizon Center/Gallery Place in DC sort of set up.

All this means a bigger better Cobo, the Auto Show stays, the Red Wings get a new facility that is on par with the rest of the organization, and the city gets a big boost from the 100s of millions of dollars that all this would cost. And I bet, if they act quickly, they might be able to get some stimulus cash too. Especially if they also built a rail link between downtown and Corktown along Michigan Ave with expandability to the west for the future.

Some aerial views to help you non-Detroiters:
Cobo and the Joe: what looks like a giant parking lot between the Joe and Cobo Arena from the air is roof parking above the existing Cobo...

View Larger Map

Tiger Stadium out on Michigan Ave has been torn down. This represents a great opportunity for the city.

View Larger Map

And a zoom out of the downtown area to give some context. Below the D in Detroit is Cobo and above the Corktown label is where Tiger Stadium recently stood.

View Larger Map

On Iran

I have been resisting the urge to tell world leaders how to act, as they are the leaders, not me. I have also been resisting the urge to talk about Iran's actions as I may be fueling the fire. That, of course, assumes that anyone will read this. But this morning's article in the Post has pushed me past the point where I can keep it in. Even if I am am the only one ever to read these words, by putting them out there I feel a little better. There is nothing else I can do.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been jabbing at Obama and the west about our 'interference' in their affairs. The thing is that we haven't been interfering. We've been commenting and denouncing violence. Ahmadinejad has engaged in far more critical verbage than that which Obama used. Not only is Ahmadinejad a hypocrite, but he appears to be directly engaged in a diversion. He is pointing his finger at the west when the problem is internal.

He and the Ayatolah have been accusing the west of spreading lies and inciting the protests in Iran. This sort of conspiracy theory is the sort of stuff that makes us throw labels like crackpot at bloggers. All this while they are actively locking up and pushing out foreign press and releasing their own views through state media. If everything they are doing is truely legitimate and follows the law, they what do they have to fear? If everything is above the board, open the records to the public and the international media alike. Show the world definitively that President Ahmedinejad really won the election, and the world, and likely Iranian citizens, will respect the outcome.

By hiding the evidence the regime is discrediting themselves. Iranians and the world at large is suspicious of what occured. The Iranian people have notified the world through their protests and free nations everywhere want transparency for the people of Iran.

While Obama is not a hard line 'decider' like Bush was, he is still the Commander in Cheif of the US Military, and agression toward the US is likely to be dealt with harshly. Obama, thankfully, is much more diplomatic, and I am sure that he, like myself and many others, see through Ahmedinejad's empty rhetoric that just seeeks to veil internal woe and keep his own people in the dark. The people voted and they deserve to know the outcome and feel assured that it is accurate. That is all the US and the west want. That is what the citizens of Iran want. Ahmedinejad needs to grow up and look back at himself and his government and his people and do the right thing. It is Iran that is under the microscope, not the US or Obama.

I urge you to read the article that I linked to above, and any others you may find. Make your own decisions. Let the Iranian people do the same.

Russian novice steals spotlight

the Post has a nice story about Anton Chumachenko, an aspiring small time politician in St Petersburg, who has raised issues about his own election and the apparent fraud that gave him the seat he won. this dude obviously has big brass balls and a sharp mind. he just catapulted himself into the national spotlight at 26, gave himself credibility as an honest player, and discredited the United Russia Party's leaders (Putin), while asserting that the party seeks truth and the rule of law. i would venture to say that this guy is going somewhere, either the Kremlin or Siberia. i hope its the former.

a quick thought on the economy

'spend!' says the liberal.

'cut taxes!' says the conservative.

'what happened to my job?' says more than 10% of Michigan.

there has been a lot of chatter on what is the right or wrong way to fix the economy. like its a sputtering engine. while an engine is complex, the economy is like a million of them that have to work together. they dont have to be in perfect unison, but if 10% of the cars on the road stop, the rest of us are going to have trouble getting to our destinations and some more will run out of gas on the way. so the real question is how to fix a million sputtering engines so that the roads arent littered with lemons.

as i have debated various virtues of spending and taxing and tax cuts and social welfare programs and mortgage relief and bank failures and auto bailouts and wallaby overpopulation i have come to a conclusion, and as a blogger with no credentials, experience, or pertinent education on the topic, i think i need to tell the world, well, maybe just the US for now, what to do.

first, keep up the individual level social benefits. its important that we dont let more of our citizens fall into poverty where they will be a constant drain on the system. you would want it if it was you. but there has to be an end, you cant support people forever. second, dont dump bailout money into a sinking businesses. as much as i root for the big three and against the banks, let the ones that should fail, save the ones that are viable. dont throw good money after bad. third, fix health care. that shit is too expensive. i think part of it is that people cant really shop around for the right service at the right price. you go to the primary care physician that your insurance company tells you to, then to the specialists that he tells you to. that is if you even have coverage and can take care of your health properly. all that will take the burden off of business and consumers relieving stress and the cost. finally, temporarily eliminate or drastically reduce business and capital gains taxes and quit taxing money twice. think of the spending power that would be generated if the tax burden of businesses was half what it is. think of all the capital improvements they could make, all the people they could hire without needing more money. finally, the government needs to get this stimulus money stimulating. get that money moving. when businesses cant spend, the government needs to.

once all these things kick in, and the economy starts humming along again, you wind the taxes back up to replenish the deficit and combat inflation, and cut back on government spending. in the end, youve eliminated bad corporations, strengthened the remaining ones, boosted business in general, and created a health care system that works at a reasonable cost. so there you go congress and president Obama. now get on this shit ASAP, the traffic is getting thick and i only at have a 1/4 of a tank.

LaHood floats mileage tax

while i agree that a mileage tax is a better and more reliable way to fund our roads than a fuel tax, i dont think we should all out switch. the mileage tax would bring revenue to where it needs to be in order to maintain our crumbling roads. but we cant not tax gasoline. the government should raise the gas tax in order to encourage consumers and auto makers to switch to more efficient and greener power sources.

some have envisioned cars with GPS chips to track locations, but there has been a backlash from folks on that. it does reek of big brother and 1984. all cars now have electronic, more or less tamper proof odometers, so, why not include mileage in the fee to register or inspect cars. many states already require and anuual inspection, so let the states look at that, collect a fee, that is then used to maintain the state's roads with federal oversight.

i also think that freight should get some kind of reduced rate, because the idea is not to drive up the cost of goods, but to maintain roads. they shouldnt get a free pass either, because those rigs tear up the roads and we should encourage competition on the rails and through the air.

what say you?

Freep

hey, remember me?

i'm still alive, just been through a couple of real busy weeks.

anyway, Krauthammer is at it again. he's after Obama for not running around all over the world posturing against Russia, Iran, Pakistan, and Venezuela. well guess what, buddy. thats what we voted for.

you barely mention the domestic crises that were up against here. i dont think that we need to run around trying to assert our will all over the globe when were reeling from domestic woes. when ive got a cold i dont go out on the street spouting off at the mouth about everything that i dont like. id rather not get punched in the face. and i dont do that anyway.

talk softly and carry a big stick. despite Bush's best efforts, we still have the biggest stick around. Russia, Iran, Venezuela, N Korea all know that if they really provoke us, we will totally fuck them up. at the same time, we dont need to go around picking fights.

i feel like were the big good hearted guy in the school yard who keeps the peace. bullies think twice because were around. but if we go around trying to bully all the bullies, well, we might find ourselves surrounded. we kind of proved in WWII that even the biggest military machine can be brought down if theyre surrounded by a coalition of determined opponents.

were already down, we dont need to encourage our foes to kick us.

uuugh

not even two weeks into the new administration and im already sick of hearing republican whining about the lack of bipartisanship. this is a two way street guys. now i dont sit in the chambers of congress and i dont watch c-span, but all i have heard is bitching from the republican camp.

most recently this comes from the SCHIP debate. democrats added coverage for children of legal immigrants. republicans, for reasons inexplicable to me, were up in arms about it. citizens or not, you want them to contribute to society. if theyre sick and cant afford care the whole family suffers and advancing in any meaningful way is problematic. early care can prevent a lot of problems and give these kids a real chance to help our nation.

wont somebody please think of the children!

how to save the economy.

impose some fucking taxes on ExxonMobil! those bastards raked in over $45 billion in profits in 2008. if EM was a nation, their profit, not revenue, their profit, would put then just ahead of Belarus in terms of GDP at #68 in the world. so, congress, get off your asses and tax these motherfuckers. or at least investigate some shit. there has got to be something up here.

stimulate this

i doubt that it is new to you that the house passed Obama's stimulus package right down party lines. im fairly certain that i dont break news, i just put my perspective to it.

my first comment is that everyone on the right seems to think that this is the 'typical liberal tax and spend policy. what we ought to do is cut taxes.' because all the tax cuts in the Bush era have done so well. deregulation got us here, tax cuts and a foolish war turned a surplus into an enormous deficit.

yes, we are spending money we dont have. but whats new? this is America. after all, the whole 'mortgage crisis' was spawned by people asking for more than they can afford and banks who let them do it and a government that refused to regulate the process.

but anyway, cutting taxes wont stimulate the economy like spending will. spending puts money into the economy. tax cuts and rebates are frequently saved rather than spent, stimulating savings, which doesnt give people jobs.

the problem we have ended up with is a confidence deficit. people just arent confident in the market, their jobs if they still have them, their investments, American companies, or the stability of the economy in general. you can stimulate some confidence with spending. if the government vows to spend billions, there is some confidence that people will get jobs.

the problem i have with the plan is not the tax cuts, not the spending, but where the spending goes. $16B to transit and $30B to roads. the way i see it we need to maintain roads and bridges, but we dot really need any more. more roads, more lanes, more highways just stimulates more cars and more driving. a robust transit system is better environmentally, better for sustainable, walkable neighborhoods, and provides a way for people to get around if they cant afford a car.

dont worry, im from Detroit. i love cars. theyre great. theyve played a large role in making America great. but the world turns, time passes, and things change. horses once constituted the way to get around. when cars came around, we largely left the horse to recreation and specialized activities. the time is coming to move to a more sustainable mode of transportation. one where we ride together. one with lower emissions. one without freeways cutting through the back yard. i cant envision a world in which cars and trucks wont have a role, but our urban centers and transit corridors would be better served with a robust rail system rather than sprawling 10 lane freeways.

which brings me to another point. the US infrastructure was recently given a grade of D. our roads and bridges are crumbling, and we have neglected rail and other forms of mass transit and freight that they can pick up the slack. so in my opinion we ought to maintain what we have before we build anything new. fix or rebuild existing roads and bridges so that no more motorists fall into rivers. at the same time we need to expand other options, rail being the most familiar and proven.

more rail, maintain roads, no new lanes, green power infrastructure and green incentives for business is my prescription. but im not a doctor or an elected leader. im just some jerk with a blog. maybe if we blog jerks say it enough someone will listen. i hope.

pre-inauguration impression

yesterday i went down to the 'we are one' shindig on the national mall. much like i did, i think the authorities around town saw this as a warm up for tomorrow's festivities. all things considered it went pretty smoothly.

the post was reporting 400,000 people downtown, and from my experiences there, i dont think they missed the mark by much. there were a lot of people, but open space could be found relatively easily. that said, theyre expecting 4 or maybe 5 times as many people to show up tomorrow, so, wow. its going to be wild trying to get around, especially afterword.

also, it was rather odd to see a HUM-V on every corner within a half mile of the mall with National Guard troops all over the place. on the other hand, it was a comforting presence for the more part. i did feel that they arent the best at crowd control and maybe the MPD would have been better with that. they were no where to be seen except inside the secure concert area.

it was pretty cool. the one impression that sticks with me most is that there were NO conflicts or fights. every time i have been in a crowd like that people start pushing, or get pissed because of stepped on toes. this time everyone was just so upbeat that the didnt sweat the small stuff. everyone was happy and rather well behaved, and most remarkable for the east coast, people were even courteous.

tomorrow should be wild... im looking forward to it.

aw! come on, guys!

so the new stimulus package outlines $10 billion in transit funding. that sounds pretty awesome until you see that theyve given $30 billion to roads. no, im not saying let roads crumble, but induced demand is well documented and only creates more commutes, more pollution, and more upkeep. when will they see the light?

but lets pick our battles here. much of that highway money is pointed toward new roads while existing roads crumble. remember that bridge in Minneapolis? lets fix what weve got before we build more stuff that we cant seem to maintain.

from Transportation for America:

It turned out that thousands of bridges across the country were deemed "structurally deficient," and in almost two years, little has changed.

With billions about to be committed for a new economic recovery package, you'd think Congress would prioritize fixing what's broken. But the powerful highway lobby is pressing hard for nearly all the money to spent on building new roads and bridges.

I just signed a petition to the new Congress, asking them to make sure that our tax dollars are going to repair and maintenance, instead of wasting our money on expanding a crumbling road and highway system. Will you sign on, too?

http://action.smartgrowthamerica.org/t/3224/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=206

We can't afford for Congress to write a blank check to the states. The economic recovery package they're working on right now needs to include transparency and accountability, so we can see where the money's going and ensure that we fix what's broken before starting to build even more.

Why should we spend billions to build new roads to crumbling bridges?

Please, sign the petition today. All you have to do is click here:

http://action.smartgrowthamerica.org/t/3224/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=206

Thanks.

Jesus Christ, Isreal!

you bombed the fucking UN! youre really wearing your good will thin. with me, its pretty much gone. i realize that you have the right to exist, but killing a thousand Palestinians and setting a UN compound on fire have really put a dent in your standing. not just in the Arab world. i really think its time for the US to reassess our unwavering support of Israel.

this whole Judeo-Christian vs Arab battle thats been raging since the beginning of time (1982, when i was born, i mean, thats all i know) is really getting rather old. i feel like we in the west have given Israel a blank check of good will. i think its time to cap that withdraw. sit Israel down and have a nice chat with them.

"listen man, you know i like you. i think you provide a good balance to the neighborhood. but youve got to stop pissing off the neighbors. i mean, youve blockaded the bodega, they cant get even get some doritos. they have to have their friends buy em and sneak em in for them. then, when they get pissed off about the inflated dorito prices and isolation and throw eggs on your house, you totally flip out and throw moltov cocktails at em. and now even that goofy asian dude, that guy on the corner who likes every one and tries to get people together, is pissed at you. who can blame him? you even set his house of fire. you need to back off the rhetoric, put the gas can back in the garage, start treating your neighbors like neighbors, and apologize like hell to that asian dude and the rest of the neighborhood. i mean, they were ready to just accept you being there six months ago as long as you quit being so much of a prick. and im not saying that their insults and egg throwing help, but you need to figure out a way to live together, or you might just die together. chill out dude. maybe go visit your aunt in NYC for a week, clear your mind. we all know youre in for the long haul, so you might as well try to be a good neighbor. man, no one wants to live like this. and ill talk to the neighbors, see what i can do to get them off your back a little. weve all got to just live and let live. lets all just quit being ass holes. i mean, isnt that part of what great grandad told all of us. maybe he said it in different words, but we all got the gist back then. come on man, were all in this together."

feel free to use that, Secretary Clinton. you know, just say, my friend dano helped me prepare for the negotiations. and really, wouldnt a little verbal smack around on Israel not only make them back off, but show some good will to the neighbors, who weve either ignored or told to pound sand? but what do i know, its not like Jews, Arabs, and Christians all lived within a few miles of eachother where im from. oh, wait, they did. i actually went to high school with all of the above.

you tell 'em, Cox(smith)

Mike Cox is a politician. hes also a smart guy. hes also a guy i have voted against and in many ways am not a fan of. which may just go to show how much Michigan is united behind the Big Three. a couple weeks ago when i was at home every one there realized how devastating the fallout would be if the domestic auto industry collapsed. probably because they have a front row seat or are actually participating. well Mike Cox has authored a little opinion piece that the Post published today. you can feel the contempt. the frustration leaps off of the page and spits in your face. well, the Senate's face. it just goes to show you how much this really means when a politician holding one of the highest offices in Michigan goes out of his way to give the finger to the US Senate just so that they might see the light. so that they might see that the US auto industry is making the best cars out there. the nation may not think much of Detroit and Michigan, but i do. and i think much more highly of Mike Cox after reading this.

fuzzy math

my brother sent me this link, knowing my love for Detroit and my desire to be a homeowner. thing is, i dont think i can handle commuting from Detroit, MI to Fairfax, VA. my drive from DC is long enough, thanks.

anyway, the gist is that banks are basically giving away homes that they have foreclosed on so that they dont have to maintain them and pay property taxes. so banks gave loans on these things that the owners cant afford so the bank takes the house. the typical idea is that the bank sells the house to cover the cost of the loan, but here, the banks just want them off their books.

it seems like a better idea for the bank, the homeowner, the neighborhood, the city, pretty much everyone, if the bank and homeowner negotiate new loan terms to allow them to make a more affordable payment. i realize that perhaps the owner has lost their job in some cases and cannot make any payment. but if the situation is such that the owner took a pay cut, or one or the other spouse has lost income, a lower payment is still a payment and not a liability to the neighborhood and city.

it also seems that these houses are a great opportunity. the people who recently lived in the homes still need a place to live. at the prices they are offering, you could get into one of these and fix it up for under $30k, meaning you would have a mortgage payment less than $500 on a short term loan. many cars cost more than that. point being, you can make income the moment you rent a two or three bedroom place out for $600 or $800 a month.

you may notice that none of this has to do with the government. it makes sense for the banks, saving them money, and allows a new homeowner to keep their home. or, it gives someone a home and an entrepreneur a modest additional income. evicting people and giving away their homes is dime smart and dollar stupid if they can afford to pay something to stay there. its fuzzy math at best.

oh, Detroit

over the holidays i went back to the homeland and was happy to see some new improvements and hear some positive news. a quick rundown includes the newly opened Westin Book Cadillac hotel and residences, the newly opened Hilton Ft Shelby hotel and residences, a Woodward Ave trolley that is not only privately funded, but has the traction to get going, and a deal nearly done for Broderick Tower renovation. damn, Detroit, who do you think you are?

but of course, being Detroit, with the good inevitably comes some bad news. thought, in this case i think the good outweighs the bad, which is good. The Book Building is closed. this building was supposed to see it's renewal before its brother, the Book-Cadillac did. but a series of out of state owners, battles with utilities, and failed financing on the renovation has resulted in the building's last tenant, Bookies bar, vacating. the utilities are soon to be cut. the shell left to rot. an unfortunate, but all too common problem for Detroit.

over at the Freep's article the comments section is full of finger pointing and naivety. some blame businesses for relocating to the suburbs. some blame folks like me for abandoning the town. some blame absentee building owners. the real blame comes 40 years ago in the riot that drove a wedge between the white suburbs and black city and the quibbling governments that only fanned the flames of division. businesses were left with little reason to be in Detroit as the city declined and services declined. much of the wealth left Detroit and the city services fell off as tax revenue fell. it became a vicious cycle. the only part of the city worth visiting when i was in high school was downtown and Greektown, which are pretty much the same thing.

when Dennis Archer opened up relations with the region the city began a modest renaissance. Compuware invested and built a gorgeous new headquarters downtown that revitalized a small portion of lower Woodward as well as Campus Martius. a few other businesses followed. a seeming flurry of downtown renewal began, but much of these ran out of steam lacking financing or city approval, both of which can depend on political favor. the Lions returned to Detroit, the casinos were built, the Super Bowl and the MLB All Star Game came through town. the downtown area is studded with bars and restaurants that do brisk business on game days and during special events, but are nearly empty other days.

despite the progress Detroit still has a chicken and egg dilemma. people want to live where there is entertainment and services and safety. the vast bulk of Detroit lacks a proper grocery store. where are people living in the new downtown residences to shop? its virtually impossible to live in the city without a car, something many young people crave. still rent is low enough in Detroit to allow a vehicle. but people dont want to live across the street from hulking, decaying, abandoned buildings. businesses dont look at them as opportunities. a Detroit address is not a New York or Washington address. its frequently cheaper to build a new building the renovate a 80-100 year old structure. just a new air conditioning system for a building like the Book can run easily in the tens of millions. what makes it worth while to locate there when Detroit becomes a ghost town after 6pm? but if no one lives or works there what brings services like restaurants, bars, dry cleaners, groceries, jewlers, banks, etc without an adequate customer base? all those services, plus safer streets and better city services are all out in the burbs where people live.

so where is the beginning? the development that has happened is a start. but Detroit's next mayor needs to drop the corruption, be businesses friend. be a grocery store's friend. the mayor should be transit's friend and make it easier to get around in the city. were at the point where the new government needs to undo what has been done over the last 30+ years. to me thats the only way to get the city as a whole a desirable place to live and do business. it takes a commitment from the city to really care about the city to get businesses to do the same.

(ive got some photos i will post in a one i get them processed. yes, i used film.)