Category Archives: Economy

Should Struggling Cities Be Renamed?

Posted on July 7, 2019 by

Everyone loves a good comeback story like is currently happening in Detroit. However,there are some cities that have languished in a depressed economic state for so long (some for 100 years), that their very name can evoke a negative impression. … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, branding, business, cities, civics, civility, commerce, Communications, culture, economic development, economic gardening, Economy, futurism, geography, government, history, infrastructure, land use, marketing, place names, placemaking, planning, politics, spatial design, Statistics, sustainability, topography, tourism, Travel, urban planning, Welcome | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Sad Place Where Mass Incarceration Thrives

Posted on June 14, 2018 by

While there are many famous prisons and penitentiaries in the United States including Leavenworth in Kansas, Sing-Sing in New York State, Alcatraz in California, and Huntsville in Texas, there is one county that contains so many prisons, it can rightfully … Continue reading →

Posted in cities, civics, Civil Rights, Economy, geography, government, history, Housing, humanity, infrastructure, land use, pictures, planning, politics, spatial design, States, Statistics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Great ‘Reverse’ Migration May Be Disastrous for Many Northern Cities and States

Posted on June 8, 2018 by

Between 1916 and 1970, more than six million African-Americans migrated northward to work in factories and live in cities across the Northeast and Midwest. Today, there is mounting evidence that this great migration has reversed itself, as those who can … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, cities, civics, Civil Rights, civility, culture, demographics, economic development, economic gardening, Economy, education, entrepreneurship, family, geography, government, history, Housing, humanity, immigration, inclusiveness, planning, politics, poverty, social equity, Statistics, urban planning | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Driving and striving to survive a broken ‘Merica

Posted on January 6, 2018 by

I will never, ever look at a recreational vehicle, van, motor home, or campground the same way again. Not since reading Jessica Bruder’s engrossing, informative, and heartbreaking new book entitled Nomadland. I have long imagined, envied, and eagerly anticipated my … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, ageism, art, book reviews, books, Cars, civics, civility, consumerism, culture, demographics, economics, Economy, family, geography, health, Health care, history, homelessness, Housing, human rights, humanity, Labor, literature, logistics, minimalism, politics, poverty, product design, reading, shopping, social equity, Statistics, transportation, Travel, unemployment, Women, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UK Smart Cities Index 2017: Leaders and Laggards

Posted on November 27, 2017 by

Below are the 2017 smart city rankings for cities in the United Kingdom. This is the first time that London is not listed as number 1. Congratulations to Bristol for topping this list in 2017. 82.7 = Bristol, England 81.2 … Continue reading →

Posted in business, cities, Communications, economic development, Economy, entrepreneurship, geography, planning, Science, technology, Trade, urban planning | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Time to say goodbye to large commercial signs?

Posted on November 22, 2017 by

With approximately 77 percent of all Americans now owning a smartphone, is there really a need for large commercial signs? One only needs to use the mapping software and GPS directions on their phones or built into their cars to … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, branding, cities, Communications, Economy, entertainment, futurism, geography, infrastructure, internet, Maps, marketing, pictures, placemaking, planning, signs, spatial design, technology, tourism, transportation, Travel, zoning | Tagged | Leave a comment

Eliminate shopping bore by frequenting your city’s core

Posted on December 14, 2015 by

This holiday season is the first one in my life where I recall making most of our family purchases at downtown stores instead of at a shopping mall, big box retailer, lifestyle center, or other strip suburban commercial complex. One … Continue reading →

Posted in architecture, art, cities, civics, civility, commerce, consumerism, culture, downtown, economic development, Economy, entertainment, geography, historic preservation, history, holiday, infrastructure, land use, marketing, placemaking, planning, shopping, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, Trade, urban planning, walking, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

2015’s Fastest growing markets for small-medium businesses

Posted on November 24, 2015 by

Fascinating data from PayPal which ranks small and medium business (SMB) growth by the year-over-year growth in total payment volume (TPV). All regions of the country are represented in the data, but what truly stands out are the number of … Continue reading →

Posted in business, cities, commerce, digital payment systems, economic development, economic gardening, economics, Economy, entrepreneurship, geography, marketing, planning, Small business, States, Statistics, urban planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rebounding core cities

Posted on June 29, 2015 by

Below is a list of core cities in the United States that have seen their populations rebound following several decades of decline. In some instances, such as Denver, Des Moines, San Francisco, and Seattle, the core city is now attained … Continue reading →

Posted in cities, demographics, economic development, Economy, gentrification, geography, history, Housing, humanity, inclusiveness, infrastructure, land use, new urbanism, North America, placemaking, planning, revitalization, spatial design, Statistics, sustainability, urban planning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

America’s busiest container ports in 2014

Posted on June 5, 2015 by

Interesting data provided in the chart below. Despite a labor strike in 2014, Los Angeles and Long Beach continued to the lead the way as the busiest container ports in the United States based on twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). the … Continue reading →

Posted in cities, commerce, economic development, economics, Economy, geography, globalization, history, infrastructure, Labor, land use, logistics, planning, Railroads, rivers/watersheds, shipping, Statistics, transportation, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment