Category Archives: unemployment

Driving and striving to survive a broken ‘Merica

Posted on January 6, 2018 by problogic

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

Homelessness in paradise

Posted on April 5, 2016 by problogic

 Since moving to Traverse City approximately six months ago we have observed a number of political and planning issues that are fairly common in larger cities, but which have percolated to the surface here more recently as the region has … Continue reading →

Posted in adaptive reuse, Advocacy, cities, civics, civility, demographics, economics, health, homelessness, Housing, human rights, humanity, infrastructure, land use, Love, planning, politics, poverty, social equity, Statistics, unemployment, urban planning | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Opting-out of mass transit = modern redlining

Posted on June 12, 2015 by problogic

Currently, more than 50 communities in Southeast Michigan opt-out of participating in SMART (the regional transit system). Just yesterday, in a narrow 3-2 vote, Bloomfield Hills voted to continue opting out. Most often, the rationale for not participating is due … Continue reading →

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, Bus transportation, Cars, cities, civics, civility, commerce, culture, diversity, economics, geography, government, history, homelessness, human rights, humanity, inclusiveness, infrastructure, placemaking, planning, politics, social equity, spatial design, sprawl, transit, transportation, unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

“Small, Gritty, and Green” just misses the mark

Posted on January 15, 2015 by problogic

While quite an interesting read, the book Small, Gritty, and Green: The Promise of America’s Smaller Industrial Cities in a Low-Carbon World, by Catherine Tumber raised only a few new ideas to this urban planner. Perhaps that was because it … Continue reading →

Posted in adaptive reuse, Alternative energy, art, book reviews, books, branding, cities, civics, climate change, colleges, commerce, culture, diversity, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, Economy, education, energy, entrepreneurship, environment, Food, geography, globalization, government, health, historic preservation, history, Housing, inclusiveness, infrastructure, Labor, land use, literature, marketing, new urbanism, North America, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, poverty, psychology, recreation, Renewable Energy, revitalization, schools, Science, Small business, spatial design, sprawl, States, Statistics, sustainability, technology, third places, tourism, Trade, transit, transportation, Travel, unemployment, urban planning, weather, writing, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Liverpool shaped The Beatles

Posted on November 5, 2013 by problogic

While I enjoy many songs by The Beatles, I tend to think of myself as more of a Rolling Stones man – music that is a little harder, edgier, and rugged. But, I too was (and still am) captivated by … Continue reading →

Posted in adaptive reuse, Advocacy, architecture, art, book reviews, books, Bus transportation, Cars, cities, civics, civility, coffee shops/cafes, commerce, Communications, Cuisine, culture, diversity, downtown, economics, education, entertainment, environment, Europe, family, film, geography, government, health, historic preservation, history, Housing, humanity, infrastructure, Labor, land use, literature, Love, movies, music, music reviews, nature, new urbanism, Passenger rail, peace, pictures, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, poverty, psychology, Radio, reading, Religion, revitalization, schools, skylines, spatial design, sprawl, sustainability, third places, tourism, transit, transportation, Travel, UK, unemployment, urban planning, visual pollution, walking, weather, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review of “Captain Phillips” – “Maybe in America” sums it up

Posted on October 15, 2013 by problogic

I came out of the movie theater after watching the film Captain Phillips last night literally feeling empty and frustrated. Not that the acting wasn’t terrific and the story compelling, but empty about such a needless tragedy. I also felt the title was … Continue reading →

Posted in Africa, art, civility, consumerism, culture, economics, Economy, entertainment, environment, film, Food, geography, globalization, human rights, humanity, logistics, military, movies, poverty, sustainability, theaters, Trade, transportation, unemployment, video, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

An outstanding book – “Nothing But Blue Skies”

Posted on June 4, 2013 by problogic

It is difficult to describe how truly outstanding the book entitled Nothing But Blue Skies: The Heyday, Hard Times, and Hopes of America’s Industrial Heartland is to read. As a nearly lifelong Rust Belt resident, I can attest to the fact that Edward … Continue reading →

Posted in Advocacy, Alternative energy, architecture, art, book reviews, books, Cars, cities, civics, civility, culture, deregulation, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, Economy, entrepreneurship, environment, geography, globalization, government, health, history, humanity, inclusiveness, Labor, land use, new urbanism, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, poverty, Privatization, racism, Renewable Energy, revitalization, Small business, spatial design, sprawl, States, sustainability, tourism, Trade, transportation, unemployment, urban planning, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Dreaming the dream…of an exquisite film

Posted on January 3, 2013 by problogic

I was privileged to see Les Miserables on New Year’s Eve. It was an absolutely breathtaking movie and easily deserves a best picture nomination and award. Having seen Lincoln, Argo, Cloud Atlas, Looper, The Hobbit, and many other motion pictures in … Continue reading →

Posted in advertising, art, civics, civility, Communications, culture, Economy, entertainment, Europe, film, fun, health, history, homelessness, human rights, humanity, Labor, Love, military, movies, music, pictures, politics, poverty, theaters, unemployment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Favorite witticisms by Woody Guthrie

Posted on September 25, 2012 by problogic

Aside from being an accomplished musician, Woody Guthrie was a writer (Bound for Glory) and commentator. Here are some of my favorite witticisms from him found in the book entitled, Ramblin’ Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie. Enjoy! – … Continue reading →

Posted in art, books, censorship, civics, civility, Communications, culture, diversity, entertainment, history, homelessness, human rights, humanity, inclusiveness, Love, music, peace, politics, poverty, unemployment, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A masterpiece – “Ramblin’ Man: The Life and Times of Woody Guthrie”

Posted on September 19, 2012 by problogic

There are biographies that summarize a person’s life in a rather abstract and detached manner and then there are biographies that literally introduce you to them and make you feel like they were your best friend. Ed Cray’s superior biography of … Continue reading →

Posted in art, book reviews, books, censorship, civics, civility, Communications, consumerism, culture, diversity, economics, Economy, entertainment, fair trade, family, film, government, health, Health care, history, homelessness, human rights, humanity, Labor, Love, movies, peace, Poem, politics, poverty, unemployment, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments