Imagine Title Here

Suburban Urban Nashville

2010-10-14T09:36:00.019-05:00

Today, The Huffington Post has a post by Suburban Nation co-author Jeff Speck on the, "10 Worst Things About Suburban Sprawl." This photographic lists includes, rather depressingly, an example from urban Nashville--Green Hills:

Hillsboro Circle, near Hobbs Road:

Yes, Green Hills is an area that is notoriously suburban in nature despite being in (what should be) an urban area. The good news is that the photo is out-dated and the pedestrian obstruction has been removed from the sidewalk:

You can even see the scar left behind by our stupidity:

So, yes, Green Hills and much of urban Nashville is still annoyingly suburban in nature. Perhaps the good news is that things are slowly changing for the better. One good Green Hills example is the delightfully walkable Hill Center.

Also, Mayor Karl Dean recently signed an executive order to implement a, "Complete Streets," initiative for Nashville.

feeding the multitude

2010-08-28T11:16:00.007-05:00

. . . and a large crowd had gathered there, following Him. And the people were hungry. And His disciples worried, how will we feed all these people? There are thousands and thousands of people here (not that we're counting). And Glenn said: thousands? If the media says there are thousands of people here, then there hath wilt be a multitude of millions of those that gather here in the shadow of humanity to witness great miracles. (By the way, I am humbled).

And Glenn took just five loaves of bread and two fish from a small boy who was brought forth by Americans for Prosperity. And He shouted aloud to the people: I couldeth pass this bread and fish around and feed the masses, in the name of my Lord. But socialism is of the devil. Rise up and feed yourselves! And Glenn used the word shall as much as possible. And the people were all white, except for the important token non-whites, who legitimized the movement. And there was great pointlessness and vague declarations.

And Glenn said: I am the bread of life. Also, President Obama has a deep seated hatred for white people. He is a racist.

Americans choose WC soccer over Glenn Beck

2010-06-24T19:12:00.015-05:00

Glenn Beck on June 11:

"It doesn't matter how you sell it to us. It doesn't matter how many celebrities you get. It doesn't matter how many bars open early. It doesn't matter how many beer commercials they run. We don't want the World Cup. We don't like the World Cup. We don't like soccer. We want nothing to do with it. You can package it any way -- you can spend all kinds of money. You can force it on our television sets. We will not enjoy the World Cup."

(by 'we,' I'm guessing he means himself and that guy at the Vatican who keeps Beck up to date on how wildly important his work is)

Glenn Beck on June 17: World Cup Soccer will, "never interest Americans."

On June 23rd, the US-Algeria game on ESPN was the highest rated show on any network, including Beck's, among the males aged 18-34 and 18-49 demographics.

Glenn Beck may not need that vapor rub to help him cry this time...

Nashville flood slideshow

2010-05-04T15:43:00.000-05:00

from yesterday to today

2010-05-04T15:15:00.005-05:00

Photo taken Monday morning:

Photo taken Tuesday afternoon:

Looks like not much is changing, but in between the time these two pictures were taken, the river went up some more and then came back down to about the level it was when the first picture was taken. The good news is that the river is slowly going down.

But we have a long ways to go.

2010-04-09T12:24:00.004-05:00

Bob Cesca has a great column on Glenn Beck as a fraud (obvious), but a dangerous fraud (maybe not so obvious). Cesca nailed it when he compared Glenn Beck to another TV personality who puts on a rather entertaining fear mongering act:

"Listen to any random monologue by Glenn Beck and then watch some clips of televangelist Jack Van Impe. Both are master manipulators and (crazy aside) riveting speakers. They each nail their audiences with rapid-fire barrages of nonsense presented as dramatic fact -- so twisted and obscured that it begins to seem real and anything that might not seem entirely plausible, just have faith. After all, there are complicated drawings on a blackboard!"

Mystery NCAA resumes

2010-03-15T16:51:00.011-05:00

Team #1
27-7, 14-4 in conference
RPI: #23
SOS: #80

Team #2
25-8, 11-5 in conference
RPI: #12
SOS: #22

Team #3
24-8, 12-4 in conference
RPI: #25
SOS: #32

SCROLL DOWN FOR ANSWER

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Team #1: Ohio State, 2 seed in NCAA
Team #2: Tennessee, 6 seed in NCAA
Team #3: Vanderbilt, 4 seed in NCAA

When Vandy fans are finding undeniable proof of it, then it must mean UT got screwed with that 6 seed. Listening to some of the talk surrounding the NCAA Tournament selection process this year, I am beginning to think the whole process needs serious reform. Instead, there is talk of expanding to 96 teams--imagine that mess.

ht: Got this idea after listening to a discussion on 1045theZone.

Is Murray State the next Siena?

2010-03-15T10:05:00.012-05:00

In the 2007-08 season, Vandy went 26-8, 10-6 in an SEC that qualified 6 teams for the NCAA Tourney. That earned the Dores a 4 seed and an opening round game versus 13 seed Siena. Vandy was a no-show and was blown out by the Siena Saints. You may remember how many college basketball talking heads were picking Vandy to get upset in that game. They were right.

Now in the 2009-10 season, Vandy has earned a 24-8 record, 12-4 in an SEC that qualified 4 teams to the NCAA Tourney. Again Vandy was placed into March Madness as a 4 seed. And again the talking heads like a 13th seed, this time the Murray State Racers, to upset the Dores.

There do appear to be some similarities between the 07-08 season and this season. One may hear the talking heads and wonder: are the Murray State Racers the Siena Saints of the 09-10 NCAAs for Vandy?

If you've followed Vandy basketball for any time at all, you know that Vandy almost never enters any competition as a favorite--no matter their ranking or seed. Hell, (if I remember right) Vandy was picked by the media to finish third or fourth in the SEC East in 1993 when they ended up as overall SEC Champs.

In 2004, Bob Ryan said 6th seeded Vanderbilt University was, "too white," to compete with opening round opponent and 11 seed Western Michigan. Vandy ended up in the Sweet 16 that season. In 2007, 11th seeded George Washington was a hot 1st round upset pick versus the 6th seeded Dores. Again, Vanderbilt went on to the Sweet 16 that year, and even then were only stopped by a team that was allowed to, "travel," past them.

Before that? Vandy was a 10 seed and was matched up against 7 seed Xavier. Did the experts see an upset in that one? No, they thought Xavier would prevail (and they did).

No matter what Vandy does, who they have on their team or what their record is--when they advance to the post-season, they frequently seem to be viewed as a team that is, "likely," to lose. Sometimes the experts are right, sometimes they are (very) wrong. I don't think you can count on the, "experts," for anything when it comes to predictions on Vanderbilt.

So, what do the resumes say? How likely is it that Murray State will be the dagger to the Commodores that Siena was?

Looking at Siena in 2007-08 and Murray State in 2009-10, there are some similarities. Murray State actually has a higher RPI than Siena did in 2007-08. But that comes from Murray only losing 4 games, despite playing an almost all cupcake schedule. Obviously winning your games can be more important than playing a tough schedule when it comes to RPI ranking, as evidenced by the numbers of 2007-08 Siena and 2009-10 Murray State:

Siena 2007-2008

23-11, 13-5 in MAAC

RPI: 67

SOS: 143

strengths:

loss by 8 on road at Syracuse (NIT team in 07-08)

beat Stanford by 8 at home (was top 10 team in 07-08, advanced to Sweet 16)

bad losses:

lost 102-58 at eventual national championship runner-up Memphis

Murray State 2009-2010

30-4, 17-1 in OVC

RPI: 62

SOS: 287

strengths:

5 point loss at California to open season. No other games all season long versus top 50 RPI teams. Only had 2 other games against teams that advanced to NCAA Tournament this year: 61-57 neutral site victory over ETSU (16 seed in this year's tournament) and 75-66 home win over Morgan State, who is a 15 seed in this year's NCAAs.

I say Murray State's 2009-10 tournament resume is much more similar to that of Vanderbilt's 1st round opponent in 2003-04, the Western Michigan Broncos (we just need Bob Ryan to open his yap again):

Western Michigan 2003-04

26-5, 15-3 in MAC

RPI: 53

SOS: 226

resume:

all loses came on road

neutral court win over RPI 31 UAB, 69-62

Both Western Michigan and Murray State dominated weak conferences and were strong at home. All loses for both teams came on the road. Vandy and Siena, however, were built to compete with the big boys, and win away from home against quality competition.

Unfortunately, Vanderbilt has been consistently inconsistent the last few weeks of the season. And that makes them ripe for an upset. They could probably beat just about anyone or lose to just about anyone right now.

So, Murray State could well upset Vanderbilt. But when you look at how untested Murray State is this year compared to Siena in 2007-08, Vandy is getting an easier out this time. And Vandy, themselves, are a more balanced, more talented team than the last Commodores edition that entered the NCAA Tournament.

Final Four sleeper vs. Cinderella

2010-03-15T07:03:00.001-05:00

CNNSI's Stewart Mandel on Dores/Racers in NCAA:

"Best first-round matchup: Vanderbilt-Murray State. Prior to Sunday night, I would have listed Vanderbilt as my Final Four sleeper and Murray State as my top Cinderella candidate. But now they're playing each other. At least it should be entertaining."

MSU compares favorably to Ole Miss & Florida

2010-03-14T14:50:00.007-05:00

The talking heads of college basketball are obviously more knowledgeable and aware than me, but I think they are wrong...about Miss. St.

If you stop listening to the group think (that says MSU is out after losing SEC Tourney Final) and start looking at the numbers, then MSU should make the NCAA Tournament, at least in comparison to their SEC bubble team counterparts. Compare MSU's numbers to Florida's and Ole Miss' and if either of those teams make the tournament then Mississippi State definitely deserves to as well.

Resumes:

MSU

23-10, 9-7 in SEC

RPI rank #55

SOS: 97

2-4 vs. top 1-50 RPI teams

bad losses: Rider, WKU

strengths: advanced to SEC Final and took UK to OT; beat Houston on road, swept Ole Miss, beat Vandy in SEC Tourney

Florida

21-12, 9-7

RPI rank #56

SOS: 33

3-8 vs. top 1-50 RPI teams

bad losses: lost to South Alabama at home

strengths: beat UT at home, beat Ole Miss at home; beat Michigan St.

Ole Miss

21-10, 9-7

RPI rank #62

SOS: 70

2-6 vs. top 1-50 RPI teams

Don't see a really bad loss; did lose to Arkansas at home by 7

strengths: lost to UT on road in OT;

Florida and MSU both lost to Richmond, which I don't consider all that bad of a loss. Richmond, RPI rank #22, just took Temple (a 3/4 seed) to the wire in final of A-10 Tournament today.

I know the talking heads are the talking heads for a reason, and MSU may not make it into the NCAAs. I don't know if MSU deserves to make the NCAA Tournament--but I do know, without a doubt, that if either Florida or Ole Miss make field of 64, then MSU definitely deserve to go as well. And the numbers support me, not the talking heads.

for those about to get stupid, there's always Deadspin

2010-02-23T23:08:00.013-06:00

Tony Kornheiser recently got in trouble for saying these stupid things:

“Hannah Storm in a horrifying, horrifying outfit today. She’s got on red go-go boots and a catholic school plaid skirt … way too short for somebody in her 40s or maybe early 50s by now.” [She's 47.] “She’s got on her typically very, very tight shirt. She looks like she has sausage casing wrapping around her upper body … I know she’s very good, and I’m not supposed to be critical of ESPN people, so I won’t … but Hannah Storm … come on now! Stop! What are you doing?

And here's what the ignorant fuckwads at Deadspin, attempting to write about the controversy, said about Hannah Storm:

"She just wants to talk into the camera, look pretty, and go home and play with her kids."

Tony Kornheiser=stupid. Deadspin=makes Kornheiser look brilliant. Deadspin is incredibly inept at writing about actual sports, they relegate themselves to everything sensationalistic and nothing substantive. Here, they reported on a controversy by displaying the exact sort of ignorance that created the controversy in the first place.

Deadspin is Mark Sanford to Tony Kornheiser's Bill Clinton

ignorance and hypocrisy plagues teabaggers

2010-02-21T20:43:00.016-06:00

If you turn on any political news show or debate these days, you will surely hear about how important the Teabaggers have become. But the Teabaggers have never really given any of us a reason to take them seriously. Because they don't really stand for anything (other than white rage, I would contend). And they are either ignorant of, and/or completely hypocritical on, the one thing they claim they do stand for--tax cuts.

Bill Maher provided a perfect example of this on his show on Friday night:

"Now here’s an amazing statistic--in a recent poll, almost 90% of Teabaggers said that they thought taxes had either gone up or stayed the same under Obama. Only 2% thought that they went down. But the reality is taxes have gone down. For 95% of working families taxes went down. Think about that--only 2% of the people in a movement about taxes, named after a tax revolt, have the slightest idea what’s going on with taxes."

less b.s.+more sports=good

2010-02-17T16:14:00.020-06:00

The other day I turned the radio dial over to the Thom Abraham show just to see what was going on. He was talking about how he didn't understand how Nashville (specifically the Nashville media) was ignoring a video on TMZ of Vince Young dancing and fooling around with friends in the streets of Dallas at the NBA All-Star game festivities.

Abraham was speculating/assuming that VY was drunk and claimed that his behavior was irresponsible and one reason why he will never be an elite quarterback, like Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and others (because they would never be caught behaving this way).

First of all, it's a little bit funny and ironic that he mentioned Brett Favre, who has a very specific history of drug and alcohol abuse. Hello, hypocrisy. Secondly, this sort of crap is a good example of why Abraham was annihilated by the Sports Zone the last time he was on during drive time. He just doesn't understand Nashville. He literally sounds like hundreds of other shock jocks all across the nation, who spend their time on the air trying to say or do something controversial, just looking for something to complain about.

It's the angry white man syndrome. Talk radio is filled with it--white guys behind the mic screaming and yelling to mostly white guy listeners about how angry they are about the unbelievable things some non-white athlete has done. And often times it's something as harmless as dancing in the streets or embracing a rapper or something similar.

There's a reason why George Plaster's Sports Zone has completely blown out every other sports show that has ever competed in their time slot. They know and understand Nashville. And they don't bring the typical sports talk radio bullshit that you have to put up with on nearly every other show out there. If a controversial topic comes up they address it. They argue, they discuss, they lament. But they don't give angry monologues, they don't muck up good talk about sports with a lot of b.s. in a pathetic attempt to grab attention.

I understand that the Sports Zone isn't for everyone. Some consider them boring--God knows they can be cheesy. And yes, Thom Abraham is filling a (small?) void out there. There are people who like the typical sports talk crap. Its not that I haven't tried it. I've listened to a lot of the big ones before--like J.T. the Brick and Colin Cowherd--they spend as much time stroking their egos as they do on actual sports talk.

I once listened to a long conversation on a national sports talk show on whether a man can carry an umbrella when rain is in the forecast and still be a man---or if it makes him girlie. See, when I tune into sports talk, I like to hear discussion on sports related topics, not a pathetic diatribe on someone's thinly veiled sexual insecurities. But it's surprising how often some shows are reduced to just that.

It's not that I think that Thom Abraham is bad. He seems like a nice, genuine guy. In fact I think he's probably better than most of the typical sports talk crap out there. And the times that I have tuned in, he hasn't usually been doing this angry white guy crap. But I still don't think he understands Nashville very well. If he's still complaining about how the fools in New York or wherever else would be throwing a fit about a non-story, just to have something to complain about, then I would expect he will continue to trail far behind the Sports Zone.

Nashville is more laid back than a lot of big cities out there. There isn't such an obsession over athletes and celebrities--their every move isn't tracked compulsively. I think, for the most part, they are allowed to live fairly normal lives here, compared to many other places. I think that is a refreshing change from many other markets. And that's one way in which I hope Nashville doesn't change.

I definitely think there is room for two successful drive time sports talk radio shows in a sports-obsessed town like Nashville. But as it is now, I think we only have one. With good reason.

countdown status check

2010-02-14T14:05:00.012-06:00

31 days to spring, 2 weeks to March.

Vandy countdown status: LOCK

In the last week or so, the Commodores have played two bad games and one brilliant one (sweep!)--but they went 2-1, which is good news (especially considering recent injuries/illnesses). Vandy is now 19-5, 8-2 in the SEC and are alone in second place in the SEC East (with a two game lead over UT and Florida). They are #10 in the RPI rankings.

I originally set the countdown at 10 wins, because 10 wins in the SEC would make Vandy a lock most years in the league. But Vandy's non-conference schedule helped boost their RPI and got them some quality wins (along with a few blemishes) on the resume. But at 19-5 with 8 SEC wins, it is hard to imagine a scenario where Vandy wouldn't end up with an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. There is no more denying--Vandy is a lock for the post-season.

Preds countdown status: UP IN THE AIR

The Preds record at the Olympic Break: 33-23-5, 71 points, 7th place in the Western Conference. 19 points away from 90 and a possible playoff berth. 71.3% probability of making the post-season.

The countdown for the Preds is much less of a sure thing. Just when it looks like they might be ready to shed an apparent slump, the Preds find a way to lose a game to one of the league's worst teams. And just when it looks like they might be ready to bow out of the playoff race, they come up with an impressive win against a team like Pittsburgh.

The Preds sent themselves to the Olympic break by killing off a Pittsburgh Penguin overtime power play, diving and scrapping along the way, and then becoming the first team to beat the Pens in a shootout this year. It was an inspired performance from a Preds team that has struggled badly at special teams. But any momentum will have to wait--the Olympic hockey tournament gets underway today.

ps--just 4 months until the World Cup

twitter helps politicians...display their dumbassness

2010-02-09T22:35:00.008-06:00

I love that Twitter provides politicians a very public forum for making complete asses out of themselves.

After D.C. (22" of snow last week, more on the way) and Nashville (first significant snowfall in nearly a decade) each experienced rare amounts of snowfall, the dumbassness of the conservatives went on display via Twitter:

Jim Demint: It's going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries "uncle

Ron Ramsey: Heading from Chattanooga to Knoxville. Creeping along on interstate. Snowing like crazy! Hey Al Gore, what happened to Global Warming?

What happened to global warming? Well, using these conservatives' moronic logic**, it's currently wreaking havoc on the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics:

"The Olympic plans at Cypress were undercut by the warmest January on record, which kept snow-making to a minimum. According to Environment Canada, the average temperature this year was 7.2 degrees Celsius ( 45 Fahrenheit), when it normally is 3.3 C (38). From Dec. 1 to Jan. 31, the area received 79 percent of its usual precipitation, but most of it was rain."

Wow. Canada is literally having to truck in snow for the Winter Olympics at the same time Republicans are celebrating extreme weather, a hallmark of the effects of global warming, as proof that global warming doesn't exist.

Classic.

**Obviously, neither snow nor lack of snow is proof of anything when it comes to global warming--those are just local weather events, but this contrast does provide a window into the idiocy of the climate change deniers . . . and their failed attempts at quippy humor.

the countdown continues...positively

2010-02-05T13:07:00.005-06:00

42 days till spring; 3 1/2 weeks till March; and just 1 week until the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics (not much time for Ron Wilson to learn how to coach).

4 Vandy MBB wins to being an absolute lock for NCAA at-large berth

24 Predator points to the NHL playoffs

Last night the Preds offense woke up from a lengthy slumber, scoring five goals (4 in the second period). It felt like one of those turnaround games where a team can capture momentum seemingly out of nowhere. Let's hope that's indeed what it was.

If the last few weeks could somehow end up being Nashville's one bad down-cycle for the season, it would be extremely good news for the Preds' playoff hopes. That is, however, an awfully rosy scenario.

In reality, the Predators are going to need one of their goalies to get hot and play like a true number one (I'm convinced that would have to be Rinne). The offense/power play would certainly benefit from one or two key role players via trade to help work things out.

But really? What the Preds need more than anything else is to have goal tending AND the players we already have playing their best hockey of the season in April. That's never really happened before--and that's why we are still waiting on our first playoff series victory in Nashville.

ps--more positive news: the Preds may have a new naming rights partner. If true, I'm thinking this partnership would pretty much be a best possible scenario for the Preds.

Get me through the winter; week 3--Opposite directions

2010-01-28T11:03:00.006-06:00

There are only 50 short days (and apparently at least 1 real-not fake snow storm) until the first day of spring, 4 1/2 weeks until March and just 15 days until the 2010 Winter Olympics.

I've been counting down the days and wins until the Vanderbilt Commodores and Nashville Predators qualify for one of my favorite parts of spring--the post season. Unfortunately for the Preds, in the last week the two teams appear to be headed in opposite directions.

The Vanderbilt Commodores men's basketball team had another phenomenal week. They followed up their big win on the road at South Carolina by coming home and falling behind to Auburn by as many as 16....before coming back and dominating the second half to win their fourth SEC game in as many tries. Then Vandy did what they hadn't done in a long time--they went into Knoxville and actually played well--very well. Again, Vandy dominated the second half and beat UT 85-76. And it sounds like the skeptical national sports media is taking notice.

Vandy is now:

16-3, 5-0 and is just 5 wins away from becoming a lock for the NCAA tournament
the only unbeaten team in SEC play
in 1st place overall in the SEC
ranked #10 in RPI rankings, right behind UK at #9
...which, by the way: now Vandy gets to go into Rupp Arena and face a mad UK team who just lost its first game of the season.

The Predators story is similar to Vandy's only in that they also play a big rival this weekend. They go to Joe Louis Arena to face the Wings tomorrow night while trying to halt a four game losing streak. Since the last update the Preds lost road games to Phoenix, Colorado and Columbus. Their record is now 29-20-3, 61 points and are still 29 points away from 90 points and a likely playoff berth.

They have fallen to 7th in the Western Conference and hold a very precarious 2 point lead on Detroit for 2nd place in the Central Division. According to Sports Club Stats, the Preds chances of making the playoffs are down to 76%.

a (hairy) visit to Taco Mamacita

2010-01-22T11:46:00.014-06:00

I admit, I was a big fan of Rosario's, the late Edgehill Villa Mexican restaurant. It had it's own style and atmosphere. The sleekly decorated dining room consisted of two levels which cut the room into various unique areas, resulting in a rather intimate space. I thought it was a great place for date night.

For me, Rosario's had a more elegant feel than a place like the Gulch's Cantina Laredo, without trying as hard, and without charging as much (though one of the most common criticisms I've heard regarding Rosario's was that it was overpriced). They had interesting dishes (mole enchiladas were awesome) alongside the standard ones (excellent fish tacos), as well as good vegetarian entrees (mango ceviche).

Taco Mamacita (recently opened in the space formerly occupied by Rosario's) is just a different restaurant. I understand that. But, compared to Rosario's, Taco Mamacita has more of a Chili's (or Flingers) atmosphere. You get the feeling the staff is very specifically trained to be nice....almost to a cheesy level. Sure, it's nice but it's also feels a little fake and a little annoying.

The dining area is now just one open level, decorated in the standard casual Tex-Mex style. It definitely feels more like a place ready to capture a portion of the bar crowd than Rosario's ever did.

**

The good:

Our waitress was very informative and knew exactly which dishes were completely vegetarian.

The margaritas were good. Would go back for that. We tried one top shelf one which had a bit of orange juice in it. It was different, not my favorite. The standard margarita was very good though. Fresh.

The fusion tacos were interesting. Creative combinations, lots to try. I had 'The Memphis' (bar-b-que pork, chopped dill, jalapeno corn slaw)--popped with flavor. Also tried 'The Caribbean Jerk' (jerk chicken, shredded cabbage, mango salsa, refried black beans, spicy Caribbean jerk sauce and a peach aioli)--wonderful combination.

The not-so-good:

Chips and salsa do not just show up when you sit down like they do at many casual Mexican eateries. You have to order them and you have to pay for them--annoying for a casual place that is replacing what was supposed to be an, "overpriced," restaurant.

Random note that most people wouldn't care about:

The televisions in the half empty bar area were wasted on stale NBA games that nobody was watching while our local Nashville Predators could have been seen on another channel. I know this isn't a big deal, but it might be nice for the new local restaurant to think a little more locally. Maybe I am nitpicking.

The very bad:

My dish came with a well placed hair sitting atop one of my tacos. Not good.

**

I'm sure Taco Mamacita will survive much more successfully than Rosario's. They do bring some fresh ideas to Tex-Mex fare, are probably gonna make more money than their predecessor (chips+salsa=cha-ching), and definitely do drinks better than Rosario's.

Another criticism I have read about Rosario's was the patchy service (never was a problem in my experience). While Mamacita's wait staff was a little annoying about it, they are definitely serious about good customer service. So, maybe I shouldn't complain so much in that area.

I think Taco Mamacita may eventually be a place that I get back to on a regular basis. But only when I get over some of the unpleasant things about my first dining experience there--and when the comparisons to Rosario's aren't quite so fresh in my head.

Get me through the winter; week 2

2010-01-21T07:24:00.006-06:00

There are 57 days left until spring, 5 1/2 weeks to March, and 22 days until the beginning of the Vancouver Olympics...

Vanderbilt had one game and one day off since the last post. They won the second of their only two road SEC games so far this season, beating South Carolina soundly. Their record is now 14-3, 3-0 in the SEC. They rose in the RPI rankings in the last week from 28th to 22nd in the nation. Vanderbilt is now just 7 wins away from having enough to be a lock for an NCAA Tournament berth. Vandy now hosts Auburn before heading out on two very tough road games at UT and UK.

Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators finished up a three game sweep of their western Canadian road trip by beating the Calgary Flames only to come home and lose to the hapless Toronto Maple Leafs. They went 1-1 last week and are now 29-17-3, with 61 points. That obviously leaves them 29 points from likely having enough to qualify for the 2010 NHL playoffs. They held steady in 2nd place in the Central and 4th overall in the Western Conference. According to Sports Club Stats, the Preds chance of making the playoffs also held steady at 87%. The Predators start another road trip tonight that will last until the end of the month.

Get me through the winter; Week 1

2010-01-14T16:07:00.001-06:00

We've hit that time of year where motivation to do anything can become a bit difficult (at least for me). So as of today I am starting several countdowns to help get myself through the depressing winter, mostly with the help of (what else?) sports.

In Nashville by the time March arrives, winter is really over for the most part. Yes, we sometimes get March snow and/or cold, but the persistent part is over. If it does get cold, it only lasts a day or so and then the temps climb back into a more pleasant range. So I'm counting down to March.

Sports-wise there are some great things waiting at the end of winter, so I'm counting down to March Madness, the NHL playoffs and a few other great sports events w/hopes that certain local teams will be meaningful participants.

Today is Thursday, January 14th:

there are 6 1/2 weeks remaining until March and there are 64 days until the first official day of spring (March 20th).

the Nashville Predators record is 28-16-3, 59 points. They are 2nd in the Central, 4th in the Western Conference with 35 games remaining. They are 31 points away from 90 points, which would likely be enough to qualify for the 2010 NHL playoffs. Sports Club stats currently state the Preds have an 87% chance of making it.

the Vanderbilt Commodores Men's Basketball team is 13-3, 2-0 in the SEC East with 14 regular season games remaining. They are 8 wins away from going 21-9, 10-6 in SEC which should be enough to make them an absolute lock for an NCAA Tournament bid. Vandy's RPI is #28th in the nation.

there are 29 days until the beginning of the 2010 Winter Olympic games in Vancouver

there are 5 months until the 2010 World Cup in South Africa

and there's only about a month until Vandy baseball begins the 2010 season

plenty to look forward to and enjoy in the meantime...

Tuesday brought excellent news

2010-01-14T08:13:00.005-06:00

LP Field, Nashville are ready... the world awaits

partly sunny with a 75% chance of WC soccer

2009-12-22T08:05:00.005-06:00

A decision should be coming soon (today? this week?) in the cut to 18 among the 27 remaining cities competing to become part of the United States' bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. Nashville Convention and Visitors' Bureau President Butch Spyridon sounded confident after meeting with the bid committee last month: "Spyridon told the Sports Authority he felt extremely confident about LP Field's chances of being chosen as a venue, putting the odds between "75 and 80 percent."

In order to become a World Cup host city, Nashville would likely have to beat out most of the following cities: St.Louis, Orlando, Tampa, Charlotte, Baltimore, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Atlanta and Indy. That list includes a previous World Cup host (Orlando), an MLS market (Kansas City), a former MLS market (Tampa), a traditionally very strong soccer market (St.Louis), a city with a brand new state-of-the-art retractable roof stadium (Indy) and, of course, the capital of the Southeast region of the United States (Atlanta).

It would appear that Nashville's bid to host World Cup games at LP Field would require quite an upset. Nashville is smaller than all of the cities listed above. But for almost a year, I have been laying out some of the reasons that Nashville and LP Field would make ideal hosts for the World Cup. At first it was mostly dreaming out loud, but now Nashville is tantalizingly close to making that dream become reality. 75-80 percent? I hope Spyridon is right.

2 convention centers for downtown Nashville?

2009-11-30T14:10:00.010-06:00

Market Center Management Company plans to redesign the current Nashville Convention Center into a 12 story, 2 million sq. feet facility that would be known as the Nashville Medical Trade Center. The project is contingent, of course, on Metro Council approval of both plans to build a new convention center in SoBro (Music City Center) and its own plans for the old convention center.

proposed Nashville Medical Trade Center-photo from NashvillePost.com

This makes three potential high-profile projects and tons of potential dollars that could come to downtown Nashville, but are contingent on the city going thru with building the proposed Music City Center:

1. 2014 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four

2. Nashville's bid to host World Cup's international broadcast center (also contingent on Nashville's bid to be WC host city for either 2018 or 2022 WC). This one becoming reality is admittedly very unlikely, even with new CC.

3. Nashville Medical Trade Center--a $250 million investment in downtown.

For me, the question of whether to build a new convention center has never been a question of need. I think that is obvious. The need is there. Obviously there are unprecedented opportunities for Nashville if we build a new convention center. Not just for more and more larger conventions, but for all sorts of prospects. Not just opportunities to bring dollars to downtown Nashville, but to bring high-profile events to the city. To grow the brand of Nashville, and make downtown a bustling destination. And to catch up with peer cities like Indianapolis.

For me, the question of a new convention center has always been about cost. Mayor Karl Dean has had a bumpy road so far with the CC, but he does appear to be listening (at least listening) to concerns about the high cost of a new CC--especially with regard to the CC hotel. That is where the project seems to get expensive--and risky for taxpayers.

Just initially hearing about the opportunities that could come with the proposed Music City Center--I think it is worth it. I think Nashville needs to build it--if we can find a responsible way to do it (as far as cost).

I would have preferred a better designed CC that was more of a city center and a place for its own residents. And I may have chosen a different location. But even though the Music City Center plans don't suit my own specific tastes in those areas, it appears to represent a wealth of opportunities for our city. And that's what is most important.

I know there will be discussion about how all these potential opportunities contingent on a new CC represent nothing more than a good sell job to the public. And there will be more questions of why the city didn't just expand on the current CC themselves. And I'm sure there will be more skepticism on whether either of these two new convention centers will ever live up to the numbers being put forth by their proponents.

I guess I'm just feeling increasingly convinced. Or maybe I have stars in my eyes . . . and buyers' remorse awaits.

Making the case

2009-11-10T13:41:00.003-06:00

Today, Nashville makes its final pitch to the Go USA Bid committee to be included as one of the host cities in the United States' bid for either the 2018 or the 2022 World Cup.

We all know that all the World Cup games will sell out, no matter where and when they are played. But surely one of the things the committee will be taking into consideration is each city's history of attendance/support at USMNT games. While Nashville has a short history with the USMNT, it is a very good history.

LP Field hosted a World Cup warm-up friendly match between Morooco and the USMNT in 2006. Then in 2008, Olympic qualifying (and the u-21 USMNT team) came to Nashville. But the biggest soccer event Nashville has ever hosted was April 1st of 2009, when LP Field and the USMNT hosted Trinidad and Tobago for a World Cup Qualifying match before 27, 959 fans.

Of all the USMNT home games played in America in 2009, the one in Nashville was the fifth best attended. It is true, those matches do include a variety of situations against a variety of opponents, but if 2009 attendance is given any weight, then Nashville is looking good:

2009 USMNT Home Matches:

1) US 1- Mex 5 (Gold Cup Final), 7/26/09 Giants Stadium, NY: 79,156

2) US 2- Hon 1 (Gold Cup Semis) 6/06/09 Soldier Field, Chicago: 55,647

3) US 2- Hon 0 (WCQ) 7/23/09 Soldier Field, Chicago: 55, 173

4) US 2- Panama 1 OT (Gold Cup Quarters) 7/18/09 Lincoln Financial Field, Philly: 31, 087

5) US 3- T&T 0 (WCQ) 4/01/09 LP Field, Nashville: 27, 959

6) US 2- Costa Rica 0 (WCQ) 10/14/09 RFK Stadium, Washington D.C. : 26,243

7) US 2- Hon 0 (Gold Cup Group Stage) 7/08/09 RFK Stadium, Washington D.C. : 26,079

8) US 2- Haiti 2 (Gold Cup Group Stage ) 7/11/09 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough,MA: 24,137

9) US 2- El Salvador 1 (WCQ) 9/05/09 Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utah: 19,066

10) US 4- Grenada 0 (Gold Cup Group Stage) 7/04/09 Qwest Field, Seattle, WA: 15,387

11) US 3- Sweden 2 (Friendly) 1/24/09 The Home Depot Center, Carson,CA: 9,918

See Also--

The Tennessean has a series of articles on Nashville's pursuit of the World Cup, coinciding with the city's final presentation to the bid committee on Tuesday:

World Cup in Nashville would spark serious celebration
Nashville continues to pursue World Cup soccer tournament
Soccer is viewed as great unifier
Competition to lure World Cup is strong
Nashville touts assets in World Cup bid application
Nashvillians should have little trouble learning soccer's rules
Nashville's immigrant community is excited about World Cup bid

A Braves fan's perspective on the Yankees winning the Series . . . again

2009-11-05T09:10:00.016-06:00

When I think of the New York Yankees the first thing I think of is Jim Leyritz. And Mark Wohlers' hanging slider in game four of the 1996 World Series. The moment that ultimately decided that the New York Yankees, and not the Atlanta Braves, would become the 'team of the nineties.'

As a lifelong Braves fan that moment is one of the most painful that I have encountered in all of sports. The Braves had been up 2-1 in the Series and up 6-0 in game 4. But it all fell apart. I still want to scream at Bobby Cox and Mark Wholers: "Just throw the damn fastball!" Mark Wohlers had a great fastball, but that stupid slider, that stupid hanging slider . . .

Looking back it still feels like Leyritz's home run permanently turned the lights out on Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, even though one last game was played there before the Braves moved next door to Turner Field. That last game in Fulton County Stadium history was a quiet Andy Pettitte masterpiece--a 1-0 shutout of the Braves that put the Yankees one win away from what would be the first of four World Championships over the next five years.

But Braves fans probably associate that last loud crack of Leyritz's bat with the end of Fulton County (and effectively, Wohler's career as we knew it). In some awful way, it was almost an appropriate end for a truly historic place. Leyritz's historic home run flew over the same fence that Hank Aaron's historic 715th home run flew over. Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was truly a home run park, as evidenced by its nickname, The Launching Pad. Maybe it lived up to its nickname a little too well in the end. Leyritz's blast led to the Braves fizzle while the Yankees flew into history.

Pettitte on the mound leading the Yankees to a World Series victory--that brings us to last night. 13 years after Pettitte and the Yankees defeated the defending champion Atlanta Braves, Pettitte and the Yankees did the same thing to the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies.

This time it was Pettitte going 5 and 2/3 innings and getting the win in a 7-3 victory that clinched the New York Yankees' 27th World Championship. It was the first for second year manager Joe Girardi. That is another way in which 2009 is reminiscent of 1996 (Girardi, by the way, was also on the 1996 edition of the Yankees, as starting catcher. Leyritz was actually a game 4 sixth inning substitution for Girardi--which led to Leyritz's fateful home run). '96 was the first World Series title for then first year manager Joe Torre. And it ushered in an era of Yankee dominance. One has to wonder, will Joe Girardi's reign be similar to Torre's? Could this be the beginning of more Yankee supremacy?

Petite and Rivera dominating on the mound, a new manager named Joe claiming his place in history, pinstripes piling up on the pitcher's mound with Sinatra blaring in the background amid joyous smiles in the Bronx--even this bitter Braves fan has to admit: it may be haunting, it may be painful, but the Yankees winning the World Series just seems right.

27 times right.

Larry Woody's 2 Nashvilles

2009-11-03T07:38:00.018-06:00

You may have noticed how trendy it is for members of the local news media to jump ship and shack up with the arch enemy of their former employers. Everyone who used to write for the Tennessean now writes for various South Comm publications, while others have defected from The City Paper over to the evil Gannett Corporation.

But Larry Woody is the original rebel. Yep, he defected ("retired") from The Tennessean and went to The City Paper way before it became cool to do so. Those were the days. Back before Jack White haunted the streets of 12th South, when The Nashville Scene wasn't glossy, when things just made sense.

But Nashville has changed. These days the kids are wearing skinny jeans, cutting their hair, even using condoms. But Larry Woody remembers a better time. He remembers a Nashville the way it should be--a Nashville with no bike lanes, with a solid red light district, with just more . . . tackiness. You know, back when Billy Ray Cyrus was famous for his shitty music instead of his daughter.

Woody's recent column in The City Paper lays out a well organized conspiracy by, "elitists," to kill all the good things about Nashville--namely the absolute shithole known as the Tennessee State Fairgrounds and the historic Fairgrounds Speedway. Woody brings a John Edwards perspective to the debate on the property, he lays out . . . .Larry Woody's 2 Nashvilles:

Larry Woody's Bad Nashville--these are the things and people in on the conspiracy to kill stock car racing and push out good ol' dirt & grime regular folk:

Golf courses
NHL Hockey
Condominiums
Nashville liberals
stunning views of downtown
people who don't like miles-traveling sound pollution of race cars
the new Country Music Hall of Fame
the Schermerhorn Symphony Center
the Sommet Center
Irish pubs
more hip eateries and boutiques
sushi restaurants
Ryman Auditorium (today, esp. when it hosts rock & pop shows)
Flight of the Conchords
Kid Rock (whaa?)
Mayor Karl Dean
elitists
anyone younger than 105
Ghost Ballet & other 'art'
Percy Warner Parks
urban parks in general
the infamous, "they"
Lower Broad, post clean-up...faux country

Larry Woody's Good Nashville--the victims of the grand conspiracy to un-Nashville Nashville

prize pigs and pumkins
fairgrounds
ordinary folks
working-class folks
people in work shirts with their name stitched on the pocket
the super classy & safe Tennessee State Fair & its denizens
the Grand Ole Opry
the shitty Country Music Hall of Fame from the 80's and the tacky souvenir shops that once surrounded it
Opryland
flea market & its fleamarketers
Ryman Auditorium (back when it only hosted Grand Ole Opry a couple times a week)
anyone with the last name Marlin
everyone 105 and older
people with old ball caps and scuffed shoes
Bill Goodman's Gun & Knife Show
race car drivers
Danny Denson
Shoney's
Lower Broadway when it was dirty, crime-ridden...real country

This conspiracy has pushed out, "ordinary folks," to make way for hipsters. Apparently it's a sort of gentrification . . . except the victims in this instance are white hicks:

“First they moved the Grand Ole Opry out of town, and now they’re running stock car racing out,” Denson said. “They’re doing away with the history and tradition that made our city so unique and special. It’s sad to see.”

It’s true the Ryman Auditorium remains, but the Opry’s fans got shuffled across the Cumberland River, so the “Mother Church of Country Music” could host shows by Kid Rock, the Jonas Brothers and Flight of the Conchords. (talk about revisionist history)

The remodel may be coincidental, but looking back it can easily be perceived as calculated or elitist. The original Country Music Hall of Fame used to grace the edge of Music Row, next to a Shoney’s and across the street from tacky souvenir shops. Now, the new hall is downtown near the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and the Sommet Center, and the tacky shops have given way to more hip eateries and boutiques,including an Irish pub and a sushi restaurant.

Opryland’s ruins were rebuilt as Opry Mills, a grandiose oval housing merchandise tailored more for tourists than local folk.

And while the city still loves to tout its Lower Broadway and its honky-tonks, the dirt and grime were cleaned up considerably in the past couple of decades, turning seedy into trendy.So where do our ordinary folks go? Well, the fairgrounds — the flea market and the noisy, dusty oval racetrack.

And for those who would complain about the noise? Ya' ain't got no argument, boy:

Is racing noisy? Of course it is. It was noisy when the first race was run at the fairgrounds in 1904, and it’s been noisy ever since.

But as third-generation racer Sutherlin Marlin reminded the Fair Board during a recent meeting, only residents older than 105 have a right to complain. All others knew racing was there when they moved in.

“It’s like somebody buying a house by the airport — usually at a pretty good bargain — then complaining about the planes flying over,” Denson said. “There’s not a single person living in this neighborhood [near the track] who wasn’t aware that there was a racetrack here when they moved in.”

Actually, Larry Woody is the elitist. Look at the neighborhoods surrounding the fairgrounds. There are a lot of poor people in the area. People who maybe took the bargain of being close to the noisy eyesore that he and Danny Denson love so much because they couldn't afford a quieter place farther away from the track. Or perhaps a majority of the community surrounding the racetrack decided they were tired of the noise. They do have that right, as property owners in the area. Or does racin' trump everything else?

Truth is, time has passed by Larry Woody and Danny Denson. Gone are the days when the neighborhoods surrounding the fairgrounds were filled with people who relished the idea of a night at the races. The neighborhood, like the city, has changed (and did so a long time ago).

But don't tell 'ordinary folk' they can't have their race track, their grime, their kitsch, their empty grandstands, their C-level racing. Because they were here first. And they aren't going to be caught dead at that new-fangled Super Speedway out in Gladeville.

That place is for hipsters and elitists.

Be More Like Atlanta?

2009-10-20T08:46:00.009-05:00

Both Atlanta and Nashville struggle with urban sprawl. But while Nashville is considering spending over $1 billion on a new controversial Convention Center for SoBro, Atlanta has plans to spend $2.8 billion over the next 25 years fighting sprawl with what might be the most ambitious urban development greening project in the nation: the Atlanta Beltline.

The Atlanta Beltline will make use of abandoned railroads and old industrial wasteland to create a 22 mile loop of trails, transit, affordable housing and green neighborhood development.

From beltline.org:

Over the past 20 years, metro Atlanta’s growth has occurred in widely spread and disconnected pockets of development which have strained the region’s quality of life and economic growth. By attracting and organizing some of the region’s future growth around parks, transit, and trails, the BeltLine will help change the pattern of regional sprawl in the coming decades and lead to a vibrant and livable Atlanta with an enhanced quality of life.

The BeltLine will add 22-miles of light rail transit that will connect with the existing MARTA system and the proposed Peachtree Streetcar. New multi-use trails will follow the 22-mile transit loop, and 11 miles of additional trails will extend into surrounding neighborhoods to increase access to the BeltLine. The BeltLine will also improve the City’s transportation infrastructure by connecting neighborhoods via sidewalks, streetscapes, and road/intersection improvements leading to a more cohesive urban street grid.

Before/After photo on proposed Atlanta Beltline

Living In Denial?

2009-10-15T07:32:00.012-05:00

Barbara Ehrenreich caught my attention last night. She was on The Daily Show to promote her newest book, "Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America."

From Democracy Now:

"In her new book, author Barbara Ehrenreich documents what she says is the destructive power of the positive thinking movement in the United States, from breast cancer to the workplace, to the economy, to politics as a whole. Ehrenreich opens the book by writing about her own experience with breast cancer culture after being diagnosed with the disease in 2000. She says in the prevailing positive thinking culture of America, breast cancer patients are urged to avoid feeling angry and instead find meaning and even uplift in the disease. She writes, "In the most extreme characterization, breast cancer is not a problem at all, not even an annoyance -- it is a ‘gift,’ deserving of the most heartfelt gratitude."

Wow, I totally agree. My mom is a breast cancer survivor and I think the characterization of breast cancer as a gift or a blessing is totally ridiculous. Though, I must admit, I don't know if my mom would agree. She is a devout Christian and might feel exactly that way. But, I guess the point is, not everyone does, and it's okay to feel bad about bad things happening. I sure do.

It reminds me of when there is some terrible tragedy and people say, 'it was meant to be, something good will come of it. It's just part of God's plan.' And they are saying this, usually on TV or something, after they have survived something awful while the bodies of people who didn't survive are almost literally right behind them on the screen. Meant to be? Part of God's plan? Something tells me you might not think that if you were the one who was dead. Yeah.

I get mad when I get a cold--or when I just think I might be getting a cold. And I've been warned not to be negative about it. As if being mad about the possibility that a sore throat might turn out to be the beginning of a miserable cold will actually make it happen. I'm sure if I got a serious illness I would be seriously pissed off. Sometimes pissed off leads to taking action. Not all bad.

I get that Ehrenreich's full court press on the pitfalls of positivity isn't for everyone. Different things work for different people. But her argument could stand to be heard by America as a whole, not just people like me who are tired of being told to search out the positive side of terrible situations. Is America turning into a nation of Mildred Montags clinging to their seashells and reaching for Huxley's Soma? Increasingly, we can't deal. Anti-depressants are the most prescribed drugs in America.

I'm thinking of the concrete smile of Laura Linney, in The Truman Show, assuring the TV audience that everything is A-OK even as the artificial reality crumbles around her. But no matter how ridiculous, she plays for the camera with her fake grin. Meanwhile, she is on her way to a nervous breakdown.

You can get to a point where the power of positive thinking is nothing more than living in denial. And that isn't healthy.

Time to fire Coach Fisher?

2009-10-12T00:10:00.008-05:00

After the Titans' 0-5 start, which is the franchise's worst start since they came to Nashville, my thoughts drifted to something that Chris Collinsworth mentioned during the NBC Sunday Night Football broadcast.

Collinsworth mentioned that he was surprised that the Titans had apparently decided against instituting any kind of, 'wildcat' formation for Vince Young, even while staying with Kerry Collins as the Titans' starter. Sure, VY, may not currently be the Titans' best drop-back option at quarterback, but surely the Titans could make use of his other undeniable skills (especially when the offense is sputtering as it has lately).

The reason this caught my attention is because it would seem to highlight the larger problem at hand...and the reason you can make a strong case as to why the much-revered Jeff Fisher actually does deserve to be fired.

This season, from defense to special teams to quarterback play, Jeff Fisher has been tardy or completely inept at making the necessary changes/decisions to avert the Titans' extended winless start to the season.

Even after the Colts were gashed by the Miami Dolphins' 'wildcat,' formation the Titans failed to include such options into their gameplan for the Colts--and make no mistake--on Sunday night, the Titans had every opportunity to experiment with their offense. Yes, Vince Young finally made his 2009 debut, but only long after the Titans 0-5 start had long since become reality.

If Jeff Fisher and the Titans were really exploring every opportunity to win instead of entrenching themselves in their seemingly familiar philosophy of , 'our way or 0-and whoever we play,' then at the very least, on Sunday Night, Nashvillians would have seen an ugly VY Wildcat offense fail miserably while the game was still in question. Instead we got what seems to have become the same old Jeff Fisher status-quo--and it failed miserably.

Yes, it is nice to see a coach stand up for the players he has decided to start. But being a stand-up guy isn't what NFL coaching is all about. Especially when you are standing up for some choices that are no longer working.

Surely Fisher's unwillingness to experiment with all available options on offense is at least one reason why Bud Adams and the Tennessee Titans have to consider severing ties with one of the, admitedly, most desirable names among NFL coaches.

Turning the corner in health care reform debate?

2009-10-08T07:30:00.008-05:00

The latest liberal linkage:

Say what you want about Keith Olbermann. His place in American politics could simply be described as the one man answer to the Fox News Revolution. So, yes, there is a lot of controversy, adversity, conflict, pettiness and combativeness involved with Olbermann as anchor man/commentator. But Keith Olbermann's hour long Special Comment on health care reform was heartfelt, sincere and filled with undeniably effective moments--none more so than the final moment. I would go so far as to say it was courageous, as he brought a decidedly personal perspective to his comment, which made it that much more genuine.

HuffPo says health care reform is gaining momentum.

Right now there seems to be an unprecedented amount of positive talk for health care reform. We aren't hearing nearly as much from the conservatives who oppose it. At the very least, HCR seems to be winning this news cycle. From Robert L. Borosage:

"The struggle over health care reform is now reaching its climax. The backroom struggle over energy and financial reform is already fierce. It is time for Democrats to unite to get these done. It is time for the two or three Senate Republicans with any iota of independence to put country over party and be part of the solution. But most of all, it is time for us to follow the money, to track the contributions, expose the lobbyists, and challenge the legislators in both parties who hope to benefit by serving special interests rather than representing their constituents."

Meanwhile, what is the far right up to? Fear mongering over the H1N1 vaccine. Obsessing over ACORN. Off message?

Meanwhile, President Obama has Arnold Schwarzenegger's support in health care reform.

Bob Dole supports health care reform, says it will pass. Tennessee's Bill Frist is supposedly on board as well. Not sure what all this Republican, "support," for health care reform really means, but one thing is for sure: the Liberal side was taken back the bully pulpit from the Teabaggers, who effectively snatched it away this summer.

State-Based "Public Options" Gaining Steam

Betsy McCaughey was obliterated by Dylan Ratigan on MSNBC the morning after being embarrassed by Anthony Weiner in health care reform debate.

Bob Cesca reminds you that the health insurance you have now sucks.

Doctors for America visit the White House. And Mad As Hell Doctors crashed the party.

Finally, I think some locals may have missed the point of all the national (and local) liberal talk of challenging Jim Cooper in the primary. It really pissed off some liberal Nashvillians who ranted about how liberal Nashville isn't. How dare national liberals assume Nashville is so liberal? Awful. People not from the left have defended him valiantly. I agree that Nashville probably isn't overly liberal. And its definitely not conservative. It's more moderate than anything. But so what?

Perhaps, the point wasn't to really primary Jim Cooper. The point was to get his attention and let him know that he has constituents who are serious about their support of a public option. Right? And to let him know there are national groups who are willing to put some pressure on him as a convincer. At the very least, I think it is safe to say that such an attempt was successful--at least at getting his attention. Whether it changes anything in the ultimate outcome of things is another matter.

Or maybe it really was evil national liberals swooping in, injecting themselves where they don't belong, trying to liberalize Nashville Dems who would rather be left alone. But I am glad to see liberals at least attempt to force Blue Dogs and Conservative Dems to stop the b.s. and help support REAL health care reform.

Oh Jesus, it's the Sarah Palin of artists!

2009-10-07T10:08:00.010-05:00

The first thing that makes Jon McNaughton's painting, "One Nation Under God," fun is that he has created an interactive tool so you can scroll over each character in the painting to read a bit of teabaggery tinged perspective on each one. There's Jesus, Ronald Reagan, Supreme Court Judge, Satan, etc.--each of them have a little explanation as to their importance in the painting.

See, Jon McNaughton isn't taking any chances with his own brilliant, "symbolism." He wants to make sure everyone out there can see exactly what he is getting at. Just in case his 'hit you over the head' style wasn't obvious enough already.

The second thing that makes One Nation Under God fun is that the painter is apparently delusional. If you go to his website you can read a discussion on the painting that sounds like it is between Jon McNaughton and . . . himself. He begins the interview by congratulating himself, "Well Jon, you've created another masterpiece painting." Interviewer Jon eventually closes the discussion by declaring to the world that Artist Jon has, created what, "may truly be the most important new painting of the twenty first century."

I think Jon McNaughton studied art at same place Sarah Palin studied politics. I tried to google this guy to find out more about him. The most I could find out is that he has created a collection of art that you might find hanging on your grandmother's wall. Apparently not much else to know. There is a wiki entry on John McNaughton, but that is on a Hollywood Director (ironically one of characters in the painting) who made Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

The third thing that makes McNaughton's painting fun is the most fun part. After you read through McNaughton's delusions of grandeur and his own painful explanation of every last detail of the painting, go here, where you will find a more entertaining interactive tool which explains (sarcastically) every last detail of this hilarious disaster, ahem, I mean important masterpiece.

Yep, he would've been a great mayor

2009-10-05T09:50:00.005-05:00

This isn't a post to criticize Mayor Karl Dean. Has he been perfect? No. Am I unsatisfied with the job he's done as mayor thus far? Overall, no, of course not. I voted for Karl Dean and I am glad he won. But I voted for David Briley before I voted for Dean (in the run-off). This post is about him--eventually.

Last Friday I was away from my computer doing typical non-computer Friday things. I missed this story. You can catch up on it here and here. A quick re-cap of the controversy from Nashville Is Talking's Christian Grantham:

"NashvillePost Political blogger Adam Kleinheider is facing charges of racism from some of his readers after posting this post earlier today.

The post features a YouTube video from State House candidate Steve Turner under the headline “Is That Jason Powell in Blackface?”

Turner, who is black, appears in the video promoting his candidacy for the state House representing the 58th District and mentions a fundraiser that takes place tonight.
Powell, who ran against the current incumbent Turner is challenging, lost to Mary Pruitt in 2006. He was one of the first people to demand Kleinheider remove the post in comments."

The uproar around the story grew when SouthComm didn't take down, retract or even comment on the post quickly. At least not quick enough. Eventually they did comment. In a variety of places. Including on SouthComm's newly acquired Nashville Scene blog, Pith in the Wind. SouthComm's CEO, Chris Ferrell even weighed in there.

I think of all the reactions to this controversy that I've read, the most reasoned, rationale response was from our sort-of-almost-mayor, David Briley. Obviously, there is more to being mayor than bringing reason to controversy, but I think his comment is evidence that, while things didn't work out for him in his bid to be mayor, yes, he would have been (and still is) a great leader for this city:

"By posting on my Facebook page yesterday that “racism is a live and well”, I intentionally did not use the word “racist”. I did not use that word because I do not believe anyone at SouthComm (including Kleinheider) believes that a person’s race determines who they are or their value to our community. That’s what I would mean by racism. I know Chris Ferrell, Ken Whitehouse, Liz Garrigan and Tom Wood well enough personally to say that just the opposite is true.

I used the word “racism” because, in my opinion, Kleinheider’s post is an example of “racism”. Part of today's racism is the continued, subtle use of a trope, description or assumption that historically was part of society's effort to perpetuate false stereotypes about race. We as a culture used these false stereotypes to subjugate blacks based on arbitrary categories of race. Kleinheider’s use of “black face” which historically was a significant part of that effort is evidence that we have not gotten beyond the issue.

I don’t post very often to Facebook, although you can see pictures of our Labor Day pig roast there. I felt Kleinheider’s post deserved a response because he has become a significant voice in Nashville for those of us who follow politics. If he is going to stick around, he ought to be held accountable for what he says. He also ought to spend some time talking to the adults in this City who lived through institutional segregation and listen to their opinions about whether race is still an issue here. Maybe then he would not joke about whether this is still the South. Maybe then he’d understand why it’s offensive to suggest a guy who dared to put his name on the ballot is just a white guy dressed up to look black.

Finally, in retrospect, it would have been a mistake for SouthComm to pull down the post immediately. The discussion has been good and in the future there will be plenty of legitimate stuff posted that someone will want taken down. I think Chris’s approach with Kleinheider makes sense. I hope Kleinheider will clear the air with his next post.

Dems=worst supermajority ever

2009-10-01T08:28:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, not only did Dem leaders help kill the public option, they also voted for abstinence-only sex education.

Jon Stewart's commentary adds some humor to an utterly sickening reality:

"Democrats couldn't get laid in a house [where people's] soul purpose is to have consequence and disease-free sex with legislators on finance committees."

Video from The Daily Show:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Democratic Super Majority

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Ron Paul Interview

Help bring World Cup to Nashville

2009-09-30T12:30:00.003-05:00

Will LP Field be the site of World Cup games in 2022?
You can help make it reality.

Nashville is one of 27 cities still being considered to be included in the United States' bid to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022. Please go here and sign the petition to bring the World Cup to LP Field in Nashville, TN. All you need to do is provide your email and most importantly your Nashville zipcode. Thanks for your help.

The Golden List

2009-09-02T23:29:00.011-05:00

We have heard about the companies pulling the plug on advertising during the Glenn Beck Show after he called the President of the United States a racist. But what about the ones that are sticking by Mr.Beck? There are almost 60 companies on the boycott list; compare that list to the companies still advertising during Beck's show and you will find great contrast.

One list reveals well known powerhouses of the American economy (Capital One, Mercedes-Benz, Clorox, Geico, GMAC Financial, Proctor and Gamble, Progressive Insurance, Radio Shack, SC Johnson, State Farm Insurance, etc.). Meanwhile the list of leftovers is, well . . . golden (you'll see). It is a weird mix of conservative media standing up for Beck, companies you probably have never heard of, along with a lot of advertising aimed at 1) seniors, and 2)people worried about their financial security, as well as 3) seniors worried about their financial future.

It should come as no surprise that companies selling fear are the many of the ones still left advertising during a show that sells fear.

Here is a list of all those companies advertising during Glen Beck's 9/02/2009 show (in order of appearance):

Fox News
Joseph A. Bank
Rosland Capital (G.Gordon Liddy peddling gold because the dollar is, "unreliable")
Accu-Check Aviva (medical supplies for those with diabetes)
Anti-Carbon Fuel Standards ad paid for by Consumer Energy Alliance
Hughes and Coleman

The Villages (jingle tells viewer it's, "Florida’s Friendliest Hometown”--it's a senior citizen retirement village)
The Weekly Standard
Merit Financial (another gold commercial--"The current economic crisis is striking close to home and your financial future could be at risk.” They assure you they are a member of the Better Business Bureau. Always comforting.)

Fox News
Easy Water (water conditioning system)
Lear Capital (another gold commercial!)
GoToMeeting.com
Fox News

Fox News
The Wall Street Journal
Zerowater.com
Comcast
A Grandmother’s Wish Care At Home (home health care for seniors)
Pinpoint (local Comcast programming)
Guaranteed Consumer Funding (financing for poor credit consumers)

Joseph A. Bank
Rosland Capital (yep, more gold)
Binder and Binder
American Advisors Group (selling reverse mortgages to seniors)

Media Matters reports that 11 more companies have also pledged to no longer advertise during Glenn Beck. One of those 11 is Binder and Binder (listed above), so you can take that one off the list as well.

Glenn Beck and Fox News, meanwhile, are enjoying high ratings and are supposedly feeling no worries about the boycott. Beck's current list of sponsors might be golden, but it certainly can't have Fox News feeling very secure about the show's financial future.

Glenn Beck on The President of the United States:

"He has a deep seated hatred for white people or the white culture"

"This guy is a racist."

You can sign the colorof change.org petition to call on advertisers to drop sponsorship of Glenn Beck here.

BRT Lite--another half-assed transit solution?

2009-08-24T08:06:00.016-05:00

When Mayor Karl Dean was elected he ambitiously stated he wanted to make Nashville the most walkable city in the region (or did he say nation?). Unfortunately, reality is a far cry from ambition. Today, Nashville is the opposite of what Mayor Dean hopes to turn it into. Sunday's Tennessean decried that, "walking here is hazardous to your health," as evidenced by this ominous fact: "the number of pedestrian accidents has gone up nearly every year since 2004 — a grim statistic in a city already known as one of the least-pedestrian-friendly places in the country."

Meanwhile, we are being reminded that even the positive developments aren't nearly as positive as they could be. One of Mayor Dean's most important campaign promises is about to come true--the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit. The first BRT line will begin service next month.
But even that good news must be tempered with a dose of reality. In today's Nashville City Paper, Sam Claycombe writes that Nashville is actually getting "BRT Light," also known as BRT without the dedicated lanes:

It can be argued that dedicated lanes are the cornerstone of the BRT model. Building a system that is contingent on new riders with an incomplete foundation may be hazardous, since sitting in traffic in a comfortable bus is still sitting in traffic.

Although it may be riskier and more expensive to finance, a true BRT system might garner more recognition and praise. The Gallatin Road buses won’t have their own lanes, but McAteer believes BRT Light will significantly improve the quality and speed of Nashville’s mass transit.

The City Paper article mentions other recent 'failed' attempts to get Nashvillians out of their cars. In that way, BRT Light does sort of remind one of the low budget approach to commuter rail. The first Music City Star line went to Lebanon (instead of elsewhere) because it was much, much cheaper than alternatives. Now there are largely empty trains operating to Lebanon daily, while people in Southeast Nashville clamor for an alternative to the I-24 commute (same goes for routes North on I-65).

Murfreesboro is Tennessee's fastest growing city, with 101, 753 people. Also along a proposed commuter rail route to the Southeast are cities like Smyrna and LaVergne, which add another 40-50K in population. But where did the first MCS route go? To Lebanon and Mt.Juliet with a combined population of at least 100,000 less people (and less density--see above map) than the Southeast route. And some of the communities on the Lebanon line had to be dragged along.

One has to wonder--was it really worth it to build the barebones cheap line to Lebanon? Will it ultimately just slow down or kill plans to expand the Music City Star (and other local mass transit initiatives) to areas that actually want rail service? Maybe it would have been better to wait and build a line that will actually be used, even if it meant waiting longer to begin service.

The plan was to expand commuter rail service to other areas. But three years later there is only below projected ridership and no plans to expand service anytime soon. Same goes for the new BRT line on Gallatin Road. Supposedly, there are plans to eventually add dedicated lanes so that our BRT is actually BRT. No details on when that will actually happen.

I say, for once, let's actually do something all-the-way when it comes to transit. Let's add those dedicated lanes soon--like 'set a date' soon. And let's hope that these budget-wise initiatives really are beginnings and not endings.

Nashville makes cut; a look at the competition

2009-08-20T11:05:00.027-05:00

The next cut list for cities bidding to host games in either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup is out. Nashville is again on the list. Below is the list of cities that I thought would/should be picked. Three cities that I thought might be on the list are not, and there are four more that are on the list that I thought would be cut:

Atlanta Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, ~~Cincy~~, Cleveland, ~~Columbus~~, Dallas (new Cowboys stadium), Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indy, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Oakland, Orlando, New York, Philly, Phoenix, ~~Pittsburgh~~, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, D.C.

Interesting to note that domed stadiums in Atlanta and St.Louis are still on the list. Regional competitors for Nashville that have been eliminated include Cincy and Columbus; but Atlanta, Charlotte, Orlando, and Tampa are still in at this point.

Here's a closer look a few of the stadiums closest to Nashville that will be competing to make the final cut:

Georgia Dome, Atlanta (from wikipedia): built in 1992, currently has field turf, which would have to be replaced temporarily with natural grass for World Cup games. Regularly hosts huge events such as the SEC Football Championship, the SEC Basketball Tournament and the annual Peach Bowl. Also hosted Super Bowl Super Bowl XXVIII, Super Bowl XXXIV (1 yard short!) and the NCAA Final Four in 2002 and 2007. This dome is from an ideal setting for a World Cup match, however, there are some proposals to build a new facility for the Atlanta Falcons that would provide a significant improvement.

photo from Wikipedia

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC (from wiki): opened in 1996 seats 73,504. Obviously it has natural grass. It hosted the NCAA Mens Soccer Championship in 1999 and 2000. It has never hosted any USMNT games, but North Carolina is a soccer-rich state, much more so than Tennessee.

photo from Wikipedia

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN (from wiki): Brand new 63,000 seat stadium opened in 2009. It has a retractable roof with a field turf surface. It is already scheduled to host Super Bowl XLVI in 2012. Indy has a long history of hosting huge sports events such as the NCAA Final Four. With a roof to protect from weather and a state-of-the-art facility, Indy has to be a heavy favorite to be included on the final list.

photo from Wikipedia

Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, FL (from wiki): Built in 1994. Seats 76,877, with natural grass. Hosts the annual Gator Bowl and in 2005 hosted Super Bowl XXXIX. As far as I know, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium has not ever hosted any high profile soccer games.

photo from Wikipedia

Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida (from wikipedia): Natural grass surface. Hosted World Cup games in 1994, also hosted Olympic matches in 1996. It is an aging stadium, but supposedly Orlando is considering refurbishing the stadium.
photo from wikipedia

Edward Jones Dome, St.Louis, MO (from wiki): This domed stadium was built in 1995 and can seat up to 70,000. It currently has a field turf surface (which would be temporarily replaced with natural grass for WC games). Hosted Big 12 Football Championship in 1996 and 1998 and the 2005 NCAA Final Four. It is currently undergoing a $30 million renovation.

photo from Wikipedia

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL (from wiki): Natural grass, seats 65,857 but is expandable up to 75,000 for special events. Hosted Olympic qualifying (along with Nashville) in 2008 as well as some Major League Soccer games before their franchise was contracted. Also hosted Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, 2009. Also hosts the annual Outback Bowl.
photo from wikipedia

Hopefully three or four of the above cities are included in the final list (I'm thinking Indy, Nashville and Tampa). In my opinion, Nashville is more centrally located and has better facilities for hosting a World Cup Soccer match than any of the above venues (except for Indy). So that's good. However, most of the cities have hosted high profile events that Nashville hasn't.

I believe they will be selecting 18 cities to be included in the bid. However, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati has expressed a hope that, "we might convince them to let us have a couple more." There is still a long ways to go (and the USA bid, itself, has to be approved), but it is exciting to know that Nashville is one step closer to what would easily be the biggest event it has ever hosted.

Dems finding a way...to screw this thing up

2009-08-18T18:31:00.014-05:00

After seeing this, I was thinking to myself that perhaps a throw away vote against Jim Cooper would be better than voting for him ever again. I wondered if other liberal Nashvillians might be having similar thoughts. Blue Dogs like Jim Cooper, it seems, might as well be Republicans, so maybe its time for liberals to stop voting for them just because their names are written in blue.

Turns out someone in Tennessee may indeed have been having some similar thoughts about Blue Dogs. Today, I saw this post over at Southern Liberal Living. It provides a warning to Blue Dog Dems, who so far have seemed less than helpful in Barack Obama's push for affordable health care for all Americans:

"So, if I were a Blue Dog, especially in Tennessee, I would work on supporting the President’s plan with respect to health care and the economy. Plus, I would cultivate a friendship with his supporters. The Obamnicans are organized, well funded, and extremely popular. When a blue dog criticizes our President Obama, he is estranging himself from the biggest supporters in the Democratic Party. When most Democrats think of Blue Dogs, we think of someone closely aligned with George W. Bush. Their so-called fiscally responsible and conservative tag they boast about themselves, seems superficial at best because they voted for a $3 trillion dollar war in Iraq for no good reason and Bush tax cuts. This is not a winning strategy for them. The last election was all about change. If they continue listening to the tea baggers and party of NO, there will be change in 2010, but not favorable to them. Time to get with the
Democratic platform, time for all of us to be united. "

The health care debate seems to be hitting a crucial turning point--or so it would seem. Is anyone else beginning to get that sinking feeling? Suddenly we are hearing 'co-op' rhetoric from Blue Dogs, and it sounds as though the White House may be ready to crumble under the pressure of ridiculous talking points such as death panels (bye-bye end of life counseling) and socialism (bye-bye health care reform?).

Is Barack Obama completely losing control of a crucial issue for the first time as President? As usual, Jon Stewart and The Daily Show have the most sensible (and tragic) (and humorous) take on the current state of affairs in America.

It would seem the backboneless Dems are up to their old tricks--where's that change we were looking for?

More neighborhoody, less Nolensville Roady

2009-08-17T08:16:00.010-05:00

When it comes to the planned development on 10th Avenue South, not everyone is pleased. But developers say they are working with the community to create a restaurant/retail/office project that is sensitive to its neighbors:

"Developers have had nine meetings with members of the community and presented the neighborhood with three design options from which to choose.

...The community eventually chose a two-story design that’s sensitive to the street and has parking in the back. During the community meeting process, the neighbors also expressed concerns about the possible tenants of the development. As a result, Morgan and his team agreed to limit the possible tenants the project could house.

“People didn’t want tobacco stores, single-beer joints, all the nuisance uses,” Morgan said. “People also don’t want to see a late-night bar, so we wrote into the SP a major provision that businesses can’t stay open past 9:30 at night.”

Some neighborhood residents are understandably concerned about rising property values and gentrification. But the developers claim to have brought a, "community-minded approach," and believe has the potential to be a true, "neighborhood center."

They also are proposing something that Nashville needs badly--a new philosophy in urban development. Moving away from the strip mall mentality of such thoroughfares as Nolensville Road and toward neighborhoods with small clusters of retail services embedded in them--that's a change that should be welcomed:

"Morgan says his team’s main goal is to create a project that will compliment the neighborhood but also fulfill the principles of infill building — a development focus that creates nodes of development rather than cluster it in one area.

“A true neighborhood has a diversity of housing types, usually some kind of walkable retail, an identifiable center, open space and a connected street system,” Morgan said. “All the bones for making a true neighborhood are in place and functioning well.”
Infill development shouldn’t be left along single roadways, these principles hold, but spread in pockets of mixed-use developments that hopscotch from one neighborhood to another.

“The idea is that you don’t want a lot of places like Eighth Avenue, Gallatin Road or Nolensville Road, where you have these long strips of commercial,” Morgan said. “You really want to have as much as you can in small nodes.”

While there are still concerns about adding substantial retail density to the neighborhood, it does sound like the developer is working to bring a project that is sensitive its surroundings. Soon, you may see people walking or biking to dinner, work or maybe to get their haircut; that's a nice alternative to driving to Nolensville Road or 8th Avenue.

This could be the project that takes an ordinary neighborhood and turns it into a really unique spot (as opposed to just being an extension of the 12th South area). It doesn't sound like the idea here is to extend the 12th South District into this area or vice versa. Instead, this would be but one more pocket of development spread throughout connected, walkable neighborhoods, each offering a variety of experiences from one to the next.

The USMNT needs a new approach to road games

2009-08-13T12:51:00.007-05:00

The USMNT lost to Mexico in Azteca yesterday . . . again. Really, it's not the losing that I have a problem with. I mean, yes, I always have a problem losing to Mexico. They are the most hated rival of any of the sports teams that I follow. Sure.

But sometimes your team is going to lose to their rival, especially on the road. And let's be honest, the USMNT could take their best game into Azteca, play brilliantly, play hard, score pretty goals, be sound defensively and still manage to come up a goal short. It's the magic (and altitude) of Azteca. Mexico has only once been beaten there.

However. It's the way the USMNT lost yesterday--it's not acceptable, and to be honest it is disturbing. This is exactly the reason Bob Bradley got into hot water to begin with. When his teams go into intimidating atmospheres on the road (or neutral sites), they clam up like a frightened turtle.

Look at their horrific performance at Saprissa earlier this year. Then look at the opening games of the Confed Cup (quality competition notwithstanding). The USMNT was intimidated and were very timid. And they got dominated because of it. The early part of yesterday's game provided a glimmer of hope. Landon Donovan, who is playing better than he ever has, played a brilliant through pass to Charlie Davies for an early goal.

But then there was the rest of the game. Mexico had all the possession, while the US sat back like they were afraid the ball might explode if they got too close while on defense. Way too conservative. It was reminiscent of the early Confed Cup games. In some ways, the success that the US had in the Confed Cup after those early losses should put more pressure on Bradley. We have a clear picture of what his team can do when they don't play so timid.

The US has proven they are at least even with Mexico, often times better. Surely going on the road cannot create that much of a gap. I understand it is one of the toughest atmospheres in sports. I understand they are worried about fitness because of the smog and the altitude. But if you are constantly waiting to go full out because you will run out of steam, you sort of end up without any steam to run out of.

A loss would have been perfectly acceptable and understandable yesterday, had the USMNT asserted itself. Bob Bradley's second half substitutions were completely and totally irrelevant. Because as a team, they had already decided to play scared football. And that's a shame, because Mexico left the door cracked open yesterday. The US had an opportunity to kick it the rest of the way in and seriously injure Mexican soccer.

The US in many ways had an exhilarating and successful summer. But some of the less than exhilarating parts (the embarrassingly bad ones) are the ones Bradley and company need to learn lessons from. The US was ahead of Brazil in a FIFA tournament championship game and ahead of Mexico in Azteca--two places they've never been before.

But neither time did they have the mental toughness to finish the job. There seems to be a mindset of getting ahead (or even) and holding on for dear life. That usually doesn't work (as we've seen). While recent results are getting the US achingly close to the mountaintop--the mental gap is one they seem far from closing.

I believe that the USMNT has a major problem with how they approach intimidating road atmospheres and playing with a lead. Especially in places like Azteca. Bob Bradley has to do something to fix that. And he only has a year to do it. Otherwise, the US will be looking for another coach this time next year.

Will Nashville be 1 of 25?

2009-08-13T07:29:00.010-05:00

This morning, The Tennessean has an updated article on Nashville's bid to be a host city as part of the USA's bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. The news is that the list had previously been trimmed to 37 bidding cities, and by the end of the month that will be trimmed to 25.

Here's a prediction: Nashville will make the next round. I would be very surprised if Nashville wasn't included in the next list of 25 teams. It's the next cut that after that which will be difficult. Either that, or maybe I'm too close to the forest...

Another (perhaps non) development this week happened when U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati held a news conference to discuss the bidding. One reporter asked him specifically about Tampa possibly being chosen to be a host city (I believe this was asked because they were in Florida). This is relevant to Nashville, because probably the two best venues (in my opinion) in the Southeast to host a World Cup game would be Nashville's LP Field and Tampa's Raymond James Stadium. Since cities will be picked from all over the country, cities from the same region tend to have to compete against each other to win a chance host games. Here is Gulati's response:

"Tampa as I understand has already hand delivered their information yesterday. We’ve got 37 cities that are responding and we’ve got an extraordinary wealth of choices. So I think it would be a bit early for me to pre-judge that. There are a number of venues in Florida. Tampa has indicated a very strong interest, as has Jacksonville, as has Miami. And, we’ve got a lot of great new stadiums across the country, one of which Mr. Blatter visited at the (New Meadowlands Stadium) on Sunday prior to the game. And there was another one showcased a week earlier in Dallas. The one at Dallas, obviously, with a roof so you don’t have weather issues. It’s impossible to predict at this time, how we’re going to get down to meet this requirement of no more than 18 recommendations and we might convince them to let us have a couple more. We have so many extraordinary choices but we’ll certainly look very strongly at Tampa.”

That's about the response you'd expect, not giving anything away. And I'm sure it isn't indicative of ... anything. But it's still definitely interesting to hear Gulati's answer. One wonders what he and other decision makers think of Nashville and LP Field as possible hosts.

You might remember that the two cities that hosted the semi-finals and finals of the Olympic qualifying games last year were Nashville and Tampa. I think that if Nashville does make the list of 25 cities, that Tampa and Nashville will be competing with each other to be a host city. If one is chosen, I doubt the other makes it. Then again, there are tons of great venues, and only twelve will be chosen. Nashville would probably have to also beat out Cleveland, Cincinnati, Charlotte and Indy.

A new website has been set up for more information on the US's bid. You can learn more here, and can see a list of all the bidding cities (and venues) here.

Here's what cities I think (& hope) should be chosen for the cut to 25:

Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincy, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas (new Cowboys stadium), Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indy, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Oakland, New York, Philly, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Seattle, Tampa, D.C.

I pretty much eliminated all the older college football stadiums and the old domed stadiums. I can't see any reason why the USSF would go back to places like that. There are just too many new state of the art stadiums in proximity to those that blow the domed stadiums away. For example, you have St.Louis (great soccer market) but they have the aging Edward Jones Dome. In the same region you have Indy's new indoor stadium, two state of the art outdoor stadiums in Ohio, 1 in Nashville, not to mention Soldier Field in Chicago.

It could be that my guess as to how venues will be chosen is completely wrong and the US would go with sheer numbers (like 100 grand in Knoxville over 69,000 in Nashville) over field size and overall quality of the venue and city. But I don't think so.

Let's hope I'm right.

**Read previous posts on Nashville's WC Bid here**

Microcosm of the conversation we aren't having

2009-08-05T09:48:00.017-05:00

Here is video of a conversation that I think is the perfect microcosm of the current discussion that America is (or isn't) having on health care reform. One one side you have AARP’s David Certner attempting to discuss specific policy regarding the issue, on the other side is Glenn Beck, who lashes out with buzz words (rationing), fear mongering (the gov’t will decide when you die) and desperate irrelevance (a sex education rant).

Beck fails to identify any specific part the health care bill that convinces him that it is, “not senior friendly,” and eventually wraps things up by instructing his viewers to, “be afraid of national health care.”

Most people want to have an earnest discussion on the pros, cons and costs of health care reform. That discussion is being interrupted by people on the fringe yelling and screaming irrational and irrelevant talking points because they are being worked into a frenzy of fear by people like Glenn Beck.

Coppola, at 70, still defining himself

2009-08-03T13:05:00.027-05:00

Combine ballet, theatre, and film noir, mix in a bit of Citizen Kane and Spike Lee and you might just end up with a great film. That film might be Francis Ford Coppola's Tetro.

In Tetro, Coppola uses imagery, light and shadow and Dutch angles in unraveling the family secrets of the Tetrocini family. I once wrote a paper in college (mine is a useless Communications degree with a concentration in film studies) about the difference in film noir as a genre versus film noir as a cinematic element. I argued that elements of film noir sneak into films even though those films don't really fall into the film noir genre (see It's a Wonderful Life--as soon as George Bailey meets Clarence, the film turns into a full fledged film noir for 40 minutes). I think Tetro would be a good example of this theory. Elements of film noir certainly sneak into Tetro, much like they did in Citizen Kane, with its shadows, dark rooms, ominous camera angles, foreboding music, all amid rising tension in the plot.

The father figure in Tetro looms large over the black-and-white film. Even after his death his likeness spends a good bit of time looking down on his surviving family members, much like the people attempting to solve the mystery of Charles Foster Kane's Rosebud seemed to spend a lot of the film looking up at his likeness. Tetro's contrasts between the story's more lighthearted beginning, which takes place mostly in the unassuming (La Boca) Buenos Aires apartment of Tetro, and the apex of the film, which occurs in gloomy, massive mausoleums (which recall Xanadu), are also reminiscent of Citizen Kane.

I also noticed a couple of elements of Spike Lee in Tetro. The most obvious is the famous floating tracking shot made famous by Spike Lee (which he supposedly stole from Scorsese). Whether Coppola's tracking shot is meant as an homage to Lee or Scorsese, or neither, I think it is fascinating that Coppola, at the age of 70, he is not only still making (great) films, but he is still evolving as a filmmaker.

At times, Tetro does seem to veer into melodrama. But like Citizen Kane, it is an epic (or at least it feels epic). Perhaps its largest flaw is that it tries too hard to be . . . epic? It may not be perfect, but it is deserving of Best Direction or Best Cinematography consideration. More importantly it is a visually striking piece of cinema.

Coppola's Godfather is frequently mentioned alongside Citizen Kane as being among the best films ever made. Perhaps one day Tetro will also be looked at favorably alongside Coppola's other films. Because even with classics such as Godfather and The Conversation under his belt, Coppola's Tetro will also be career defining.

Oil shortage threatens, Nissan offers green Leaf

2009-08-03T08:13:00.006-05:00

Two stories that go together; one frightening, one hopeful:

1) Is Dr Fatih Birol a realist or an alarmist? I'm sure some will say alarmist, but if you have paid attention at all, then you have at least heard of the theory of peak oil. There is no question that one day we will run out of oil. What is in question is how far away are we from that point.

"In an interview with The Independent, Dr Birol said that the public and many governments appeared to be oblivious to the fact that the oil on which modern civilisation depends is running out far faster than previously predicted and that global production is likely to peak in about 10 years – at least a decade earlier than most governments had estimated.

But the first detailed assessment of more than 800 oil fields in the world, covering three quarters of global reserves, has found that most of the biggest fields have already peaked and that the rate of decline in oil production is now running at nearly twice the pace as calculated just two years ago. On top of this, there is a problem of chronic under-investment by oil-producing countries, a feature that is set to result in an "oil crunch" within the next five years which will jeopardise any hope of a recovery from the present global economic recession, he said.

In a stark warning to Britain and the other Western powers, Dr Birol said that the market power of the very few oil-producing countries that hold substantial reserves of oil – mostly in the Middle East – would increase rapidly as the oil crisis begins to grip after 2010.

"One day we will run out of oil, it is not today or tomorrow, but one day we will run out of oil and we have to leave oil before oil leaves us, and we have to prepare ourselves for that day," Dr Birol said. "The earlier we start, the better, because all of our economic and social system is based on oil, so to change from that will take a lot of time and a lot of money and we should take this issue very seriously," he said."

2) That deeply concerning story goes with this one, on a bit of a local level. Nashville based Nissan yesterday revealed its new electric car, the Nissan Leaf. It will go on sale next year in America and overseas. The Leaf potentially puts Nissan ahead where they were once behind automakers like Toyota and Honda, who concentrated on Hybrid technology. These cars will be completely electric and will be very affordable:

"Nissan has promised that the Leaf, which goes into mass production as a global model in 2012, will be about the same price as a gas-engine car such as the $15,000 Tiida, which sells in the U.S. as the Versa, starting at about $10,000.

The car has a range of 100 miles on a single battery charge, according to Nissan. The company is targeting initial annual production of 50,000 units for the Leaf at its Oppama plant in Yokohama, including export models."

Hopefully, our neighbors, businesses, councilpersons, mayors, governors and Presidents are ready to take more serious action with an eye towards the future. The Leaf is a small step in the right direction.

Residents concerned over LEED project in East Nashville

2009-08-03T07:41:00.005-05:00

Developer Richard Amend says he is working with residents of East Nashville in planning a would-be LEED platinum certified residential/retail building at 16th Street and Ordway Place. But so far neighborhood residents aren't on board with the project that would add substantial density to their street:

"The proposal, which calls for five 1,000-square-foot residential units and two 500-square-foot commercial spaces, is complex because it is in both a historic and urban design overlay. That means the developer must navigate Metro’s Historic Commission, Planning Department and the Metro Development and Housing Agency.
According to Councilman Mike Jameson, whose district includes the development, neighbors were skeptical after the first meeting because of the proposed size of the development on an intersection that is both residential and commercial. But Amend has scaled back the proposal from three stories to two and offered a willingness to address other concerns.

“I’m extremely excited about being the first neighborhood in Nashville to have a LEED Platinum mixed-use development,” Jameson said. “But the neighbors have legitimate concerns about density, mass and scale that need to be addressed.”

A neighborhood meeting was held last week and at least one more is planned. After the first meeting, neighbors opposed the development with a vote of 18 against and two in favor."

So far, no renderings are available to show what sort of design this project would include.

Obama's Human Moment

2009-07-30T06:44:00.015-05:00

I, for one, am glad we finally have a President that is fed up with the way law enforcement has interacted with minorities and more specifically African-American males for decades. But, since Barack Obama is now the President it may have been a bad idea for him to speak so candidly as he did about 'Gates Gate.' That's why it is probably good that he backed off some from his initial statement on the issue that he made during the health care press conference.

But let's not get carried away. Calling President Obama a racist? Please. Let's look at what he specifically said about the issue:

"Now, I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that, but I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge Police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there is a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact."

Immediately he says he doesn't know what role race played in the incident. Next he says the police acted stupidly. Now, while it was a good idea for him to soften his initial statement because of his position as President, he was exactly right about the police acting stupidly. There is a reason why the charges were dropped so quickly.

Robert Gates didn't break any laws. Lawrence O'Donnell wrote in his article for Time Magazine,

"Yelling is not a crime. Yelling does not meet the definition of disorderly conduct in Massachusetts. Not a single shouted word or action that Crowley has attributed to Gates amounts to disorderly conduct. That is why the charges had to be dropped."

That certainly doesn't mean that race played a role in the incident, but that's exactly what President Obama said. So while Obama was good enough to soften his comments on the Gates issue, it didn't mean he got it wrong. What he said was completely accurate.

But Obama did openly discuss the issue of racial profiling. If he had even gone farther and said he was absolutely sure that race was involved in the incident could he (or any minority American) be blamed? Think of all the racism that has been hurled at Obama in the last year alone. Then add in the fact that he has grown up in America as an African-American male and has, without a doubt, experienced racial profiling first hand.

So many white people are furious with the President over this issue. But if those people could only stop for a moment and consider what it is like and what it has been like to be a non-white person in America, maybe they would see things a little differently. A little empathy goes a long way. It might help if angry white people could shut up long enough to consider the experiences and feelings of other people for once.

But right now that is probably asking too much. White people are seeing their power grip on this country loosening. And they know that inevitably it will release completely. Panic is setting in for those people. That's why you see things like the English Only movement, the Obama Birthers movement, Obama Bucks, Obama Waffles, etc., etc., etc.

While Obama's words on the Gates issue are considered a bit of a political misstep, they represent an intriguing moment in his young relationship with his constituency. That was a very human moment for Obama, probably the most human moment of his Presidency so far. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't comfortable, but it was a reminder that, yes, America for the first time has a black man for a President. That will continue to change America, even as it literally pisses some people off.

Our last President endorsed racial profiling after 9/11. Our current President is a person who has probably experienced it. Yes, he is bringing a different perspective to the White House than any that has preceded.

And ultimately that is a good thing. Even if it can be a bit . . . tumultuous.

Electric Cars and Hybrid Buses

2009-07-21T08:37:00.006-05:00

You may not know it, but Nashville has two electric car charging stations (for Metro employees only, which are not being used) , with plans to add more. This puts Tennessee among a handful of states that have begun developing critical infrastructure for this green technology.

These charging stations are the beginning of a partnership between Nissan and Tennessee to bring electric cars to America . . . and more specifically to Nashville and Tennessee. The Nashville Post's Sananda Sahoo investigates whether the region is ready or willing to be a leader in the green movement:

"Washington is on the front line of EV infrastructure, as is California, with plans for 200 charging stations in San Francisco alone. And the figures are increasing every week, Lowenthal says.

However, you couldn’t gauge such excitement here. The scene is much quieter in Tennessee. Down Interstate 65 sits the headquarters of Nissan North America, which is significant since the company is planning an electric vehicle that will be built just a short drive away in Smyrna. But other than the touting of a charging station here and there, the landscape for ‘green’ travel is far from plug-in ready.

On July 1, as part of Mayor Karl Dean’s Green Ribbon Committee on Environmental Sustainability, Nashville installed two charging stations for Metro employees at the Fulton campus at the corner of Lindsley Street and 2nd Avenue.

Last year, the state and Nissan announced a partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority on efforts that will initially focus on the region’s heavily trafficked Interstate 24 and Interstate 65 corridors. And on July 8 of this year, Gov. Phil Bredesen signed the 2009 Clean Energy Future Act that pushes for the EV infrastructure and looks toward a statewide EV fleet."

Read the full article here, which also includes a footnote on MTA's first Bus Rapid Transit line, which will officially begin service on September 27.

New HSR group, map emerge

2009-07-21T07:55:00.012-05:00

A new organization has been founded to advocate for a state of the art high speed rail system. The US High Speed Rail Association wants to, " build public and political support for a nationwide high-speed rail network, built within 20 years." Their plan is considerably more ambitious than current plans that will be funded by $8 billion of federal stimulus.

Their proposed high speed rail map would include Nashville (as opposed to the current HSR map that the Obama administration is using). Nashville would be connected to Louisville and Birmingham in 2020, Memphis, Chattanooga and Atlanta in 2025 and St.Louis in 2030 under their proposed plan.

From treehugger.com:

"USHSR plans to generate support for the plan and help advance the rail industry in America by organizing a series of public events and conferences (the first one is scheduled for October 22-23 in Washington DC). A partnership with the International Union of Railways in Paris has also taken shape, and USHSR plans on hosting tours of European and Asian high-speed rail systems in the future.

Said Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, Director General of the International Union of Railways and a member of USHSR's Advisory Board:

“The ambitious plan recently publicized by President Obama in the framework of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act announces a fascinating time for railway development in America. A competitive high performance railway system – including a large network of high speed links – will constitute one of the pillars of US policies for transportation and sustainable development.”

More discussion on HSR plans here. See discussion on how well suited the midwest is for HSR. I still think that even though Nashville isn't on the feds' current radar, if HSR is successful in the midwest, it is only a matter of time before Nashville becomes the next logical step in improving that network in the (distant) future and connecting it with the southeast.

--h/t Broken Sidewalk, a blog on urban Louisville, but also a great resource for anyone interested in urban development anywhere.

Yours So Nashville If...

2009-07-15T15:51:00.006-05:00

Your local GOP makes the KKK look like the ACLU.

That's my winning YASNI entry on the cover of this week's Nashville Scene. Hopefully, you think it's funny. If not, and my entry makes you want to shoot me, I'll be heading to some local restaurants and bars soon--opportunity knocks.

The 2nd and 3rd place winners had me cracking up too:

SECOND PLACE: You drunkenly tried to order a chicken taco from an unfortunate tourist in a Winnebago. Dan McNamara

THIRD PLACE: Your minister may be a felon, but you're just happy he's not gay. Bill Mason

The Gulch--what it is, what it could be

2009-07-14T09:10:00.029-05:00

Recently, The New York Times blogged on the so-called 'Brooklynization' of Nashville, praising The Gulch for its, "master plan that incorporates a bikeable and walkable street grid, renovation of more than 80 percent of the existing buildings and eco-minded new towers."

"At the moment there are 900 condos and a handful of shops and restaurants ranging from a burrito-and-margarita place to the serious foodie magnet Watermark. Within five or six blocks of most of the neighborhood are dozens of city bus lines and bike and pedestrian paths."

Of course, it is a big deal when The New York Times takes notice of your city, especially when that recognition is positive. But even better is the local discussion that recognition has spawned...

From The Nashville Scene's Pith In The Wind blog:

"But the idea of the so-called "Brooklynization" of cities--big-city folks splitting for mid-sized cities and boroughs looking for cheaper rent, and giving back cultural cues--that Blackerby tries to apply to us doesn't really stick. It's the sort of trend that typically includes interesting residential rehabs and culinary niches, not overpriced brand new construction and margarita-and-burrito places--not to mention chains . It embraces a vibrant arts and music scene rather than either ignoring it or merely hovering over it."

From Mike Byrd's Enclave Nashville blog:

"As bright and shining as neighborhoods like the Gulch are, Nashville will never be a serious urban destination until it makes room for kids, good schools and more generational/income diversity in city neighborhoods."

I've had similar things to say about The Gulch in recent months, especially with regard to its lack of income diversity. In April I wrote that The Gulch,

"continues to be mostly for rich people only. The only affordable housing in the neighborhood remains Laurel House Lofts. Urban neighborhoods don't have to be only for rich people. You only need look at our peer cities to find that out. But in Nashville, the urban middle class is way too small and the classes on either end of the spectrum are too large."

I moved to The Gulch a little over four years ago excited at one day living in a thriving urban neighborhood. To be honest, I don't care about the hipster or singles scene. And I fear that The Gulch will end up as a sort of soulless scenester urban area and not the urban neighborhood that it has the potential to become.

That's why I'm glad to see some critical discussion happening on what The Gulch could be versus what it is and isn't today. There is no doubt--The Gulch (and other local infant urban areas) offers not only some exciting possibilities but indeed some exciting realities. Where there was once urban decay there are rehabbed and new buildings, retail, dining and increasingly, people.

But there has to be more than trendy chains like Urban Outfitters and scenester joints like the late Bar 23. Right now you can have dinner, get drunk and look good doing it in the Gulch. And if you are wealthy (for the most part), you can go upstairs and sleep it off in your 600-700 s.f. Gulch condo, too. But what if you want to walk to the local bookstore and then to the grocery on your way home? One day I think that will be possible. But the question remains--will anyone but rich people be able to afford to do those things in The Gulch . . . or anywhere in urban Nashville? And what happens when those people want to have kids?

I felt a little bit like an urban pioneer when I moved into The Gulch four years ago, and to some degree, still do today. That's because The Gulch is a neighborhood in its infancy. When I moved into the neighborhood there were two residential options: Mercury View Lofts and Laurel House Lofts, with probably a total of 100 or so units available. Both are rental apartment buildings.

Soon there will be ten times as many residential options in The Gulch as there were when I became a resident of The Gulch. But Laurel House was and still is the only option in the neighborhood that offers affordable housing. You can actually rent an apartment for under $1000 in The Gulch. Not many people know that. It is true that there are salary restrictions initially, but residents are grandfathered in and can go above the salary restrictions after moving in.

As far as I know, there has been a waiting list to get into Laurel House for the entire 4 years that I have lived there. This proves that there is high demand for affordable urban housing. Instead developers have flooded the urban market with condos (not rentals) which starting at probably 200k (200k for 440 sf). The salary requirements of Laurel House aside, there is great demand for affordable urban housing.

For the past year I've dated a wonderful girl who lives in Louisville. She introduced me to urban Louisville. She lives in a well established urban neighborhood called The Highlands. Louisville has miles and miles of dense, walkable middle class urban neighborhoods. They have the trendy restaurants and some scenester areas like Nashville. But they also have dozens and dozens of local small businesses that give their neighborhoods a unique character that can't really be found in urban Nashville (at least to that degree).

There are affordable residential options as well as the higher end real estate in Louisville, both in safe neighborhoods. Hopefully, in the future, Nashville will look to cities like Louisville as positive role models instead of just trying not to become the next Atlanta, which seems to be a local obsession (and a ridiculous one). Nashville couldn't become the next Atlanta no matter how hard it tried (and I realize that fear is based not only on size but on the lack of smart community planning there). But seriously, Nashville could realistically become more like Louisville, without a doubt.

In The Gulch, ICON and Terrazzo have been completed and Velocity is about to open as well. Actual people are beginning to fill those condos. Trendy upscale dining and shopping is landing in the Gulch. But it's true, we are still waiting on some critical things to land in The Gulch that, I think, would turn it from a trendy urban area, into a true urban neighborhood:

1) a non-hipster, unassuming neighborhood pub (Nashville could use a good one)

2) a good bookstore, even if its a chain bookstore, because the chances of it not being a chain are pretty slim.

3) a small grocery

4) more affordable housing (and by affordable I don't mean a 400sf condo for 175k).

5) a park

I've heard rumors about the possibility of a grocery possibly being in the works for The Gulch and I think Velocity may include a dog park area (but that may just be the inner courtyard that is for residents only) . There have also been rumors that the Bicentennial greenway will one day be extended to the Gulch.

The future could hold some great possibilities for The Gulch. It could become a great urban neighborhood . . . one day. But until some of these things become reality, I think The Gulch will probably continue inching toward a bit of a trendy urban area, whose denizens are destined to eventually get distracted by some other hip area, or who will simply outgrow it.

It seems that in the last 15 years or so, Nashville decided it wanted to be a city again. That began a long process of rebuilding a city that was previously destroyed by white flight. That process will be filled with many growing pains, some of which we are experiencing now. But it is good that we, as an urban community, are recognizing that there is still a lot of work to be done, despite the positive recognition from the ultimate American urban mecca.

In It To Win It

2009-06-28T21:16:00.026-05:00

Getty Images

It was on the face of Clint Dempsey. He had just received the bronze ball trophy, recognizing him as one of the top players of Confederations Cup 2009. He and the rest of the US National Team were about to receive their runners-up medals.

There, in South Africa, receiving awards he and his team were never meant to win, with the tears he could no longer hold back, it was on his face: dejection. He wasn't satisfied. He wasn't feeling pride (though he should) at having beaten top ranked Spain, having advanced to the championship game. He wasn't happy with nearly beating Brazil, the most legendary and most decorated international side in the game.

He was crushed.

That same dejection was on all of Dempsey's teammates' faces as well--the pain of coming so close to a landmark win and a championship. Perhaps it was the dejection on those faces that told the real story of the USMNT at Confederations Cup 2009.

Football fans across the world may insist that whenever the USMNT succeeds it is because of luck. They may scoff at the oxymoron of American soccer. The US media may continue to whine about how soccer will never work here (remember how the MLS was supposedly destined to fail when it began 15 years ago?) and how no one in this country cares. They may wallow in their ignorance and bitch about how the US will never have a chance against teams like Spain and Brazil.

But the players that put on the shirts and represent their country--they believe. They believe they can compete, even with the greatest teams in the world on the biggest stages in the world. And they believe they can win.

This US team didn't come into Sunday's final to make a good showing, as Landon Donovan noted after Sunday's final, "We're at the point where we don't want respect, we wanna win." They showed up to take the Confederations Cup away from Brazil. And they almost succeeded.

They aren't deluding themselves that they will ever be favorites for World Cup success, that it won't be as difficult as it has ever been when they arrive back in South Africa next summer. And they don't mistake an upset for an upset. But look how far US Soccer has come in just the last twenty years--that progress was on display yesterday.

Really, Confed Cup 2009 almost seems like a microcosm of those twenty years. The US looked so terrible early on, as if perhaps they didn't even belong at all. But they quickly turned things around and not only competed, but triumphed; last week to this week, 1990 to 2009.

Yesterday was just a little bit of a small taste of what it must be like to compete in a World Cup final. Mabye another twenty years of progress will find the US doing just that. Or maybe sooner--just look at those faces.

AP Photo

USMNT STUN SPAIN, ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP

2009-06-24T21:57:00.026-05:00

Wednesday June 24th, 2009 is a date that will be remembered in United States Soccer history. Yesterday, the US shocked Spain, the #1 ranked team in the world, to advance to the championship round of the 2009 Confederations Cup. The US also ended Spain's record 15 game winning streak and 34 game unbeaten streak.

Martin Meissner/AP Photo

WHO ARE THOSE GUYS?
It wasn't just that the USMNT had been struggling against world powers like Italy and Brazil. In recent weeks they were trounced on the road against Costa Rica and had to come from behind to beat Honduras at home in World Cup qualifiers. Not that they are so great that they should win every time out in CONCACAF. It was the way they were losing that was disturbing. They didn't look like the power of the CONCACAF region. They looked listless, confused, disorganized . . . scared. They looked like the team that got Bruce Arena fired. Now, just days later, they look like a completely different team.

The USMNT going into their final game of group play at the Confederations Cup is a team that fully deserved to be doubted, questioned and criticized. Really, their next two performances, against Egypt and Spain, have proven that fact. In those two games, the US showed what they are capable of. Sure, those results include at least 1 upset. But even if the US talent isn't on par with world powers, there is no reason why they can't play competitively against great sides like Spain and Brazil, and with increasing consistency--and sometimes pull the upset.

FUN AGAIN
The US managed to put the fun back in the USMNT. Aggressively going after world powers like Spain is more fun than shaking in one's boots against teams like Brazil or being completely intimidated by road atmospheres such as Saprissa. When the US plays with that fire, that belief they can beat just about anyone--that's fun to watch.

IN THEIR HEADS?
I don't see any major line-up changes, no big difference in tactics that would have caused such a stunning swing in the US' recent play and the results they have garnered. They definitely are doing some things better, playing smarter. But I think it is mostly attitude. What's that saying? Sports are 80% mental. Yeah.

BEATING THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD

The biggest positive against Spain was the heart, the toughness. The US have rediscovered their gritty will to win. They got up on Spain and then dug their fingernails in and decided they were going to win--whether it was pretty or not didn't matter.

The US created dangerous chances around Spain's goal for the entire match. They have also seemingly rediscovered their offensive creativity.

Howard was brilliant--he put up a performance that was reminiscent of Keller's in the 98 Gold Cup victory over then #1 Brazil. He emphatically squelched any doubts about who owns the US goal.

Donovan has played with renewed passion and vigor in the Confed Cup. I'm sure he is turning heads in Europe. Hopefully this is the Donovan we will see more often than not from now on. I like how Bill Archer described Donovan's performance in the Confed Cup:

"What I've seen is a guy out there busting his ass, trying to drag a bunch of plowhorses over the finish line. A guy who never quit for a second, never took a
break, never stopped trying."
The back line did get repeatedly exposed against Spain (it was Spain after all--they are so quickly so very dangerous), but Bob Bradley's back line fought hard and were up to the extremely difficult task of standing eye to eye with the best team on the planet. Especially from about 35 minutes into the game through about the 70th minute, when Spain took over the game and put the US' final third under constant attack--the defense gave what was, perhaps, the most inspiring performance of the game.
I love Feilhaber and Bornstein getting playing time too. Feilhaber was a perfect option for a game like yesterday, where the US had grabbed the lead but were increasingly hanging on for dear life. Feilhaber came in with fresh legs and helped the US nail down a little bit of possession. He helped slow down the game just a bit for the Americans. Probably no mistake that they were scoring soon after he entered the game.

THE GOALS
The goals against Spain came from the Americans doing simple things which seemingly escaped them against teams like Costa Rica, Italy and Brasil: smart passing, aggressive play, hustle, scrapiness . .. .

The 1st Goal--27th Minute, Altidore assisted by Clint Dempsey:
Spain had the ball on the US end of the field. The US wins the ball and it ends up on the feet of Onyewu at the back line. What DOESN"T he do that the US has been doing entirely too much of? He doesn't play a desperate, pointless long ball up the field. Instead he makes a short pass to his right, I believe to Bocanegra. That sets off a string of 7 short passes and 1 medium/long one that ends with Altidore making a brilliant turn on the Spanish defender and scoring the game's first goal.

2nd goal--74th minute, Clint Dempsey:
The play starts with a broken throw-in by the US on the Spanish half of the field. A bit of a scramble ensues but sheer hustle by Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley gets the ball wide to a quickly cutting Benny Feilhaber. He makes a brilliant, fancy move around a defender, giving him room to make a perfect lead pass to Donovan, who is making a wide run back on the near side. Donovan plays a ball across the mouth of the goal which is misplayed by a Spanish defender and Dempsey is able to slam it home to seal the upset victory for the US.

Feilhaber's beautiful footwork is what exposed Spain and left them vulnerable to be scored on. You could see once he played the ball to Donovan, it froze two defenders who were bunched together. Panic and confusion followed, which ultimately led to the goal. Feilhaber may not show up on the score sheet, but he created that goal.

THE RED CARD
I've watched it several times. This is the same ref that red carded Ricardo Clark against Italy for a hard challenge, then ignored similar challenges later in the game without so much as a whistle. When it comes to the 3 red cards that the US players have received in this tournament, I think they feature lapses in judgement, both by the players and the referee. However, when you look at the two cards that this ref gave out and look at other plays that went unpunished, his officiating is inconsistent.

The card that he gave against Michael Bradley was completely and totally ridiculous. Even if it was a bad challenge (I can barely see how it even warrants a whistle. Perhaps Bradley's cleats may have come up for a split second), at the absolute worst it warranted a yellow card warning. The referee deserves to be disciplined for his poor decision making. The crew also had several questionable off-sides calls.

Still, the cards obviously point to an ongoing problem for the US. Hopefully they are learning their lessons in South Africa now so they don't have to learn them next summer in South Africa. Especially Michael Bradley. He is too good to continue to be sent off the field at crucial moments for the US.

English Only--the election that keeps on giving

2009-06-22T11:23:00.006-05:00

According to Think Progress, Pat Buchanan recently got together with some fellow racists to discuss how the Republicans can regain control of the country. Not surprisingly, the English-only movement came up as one solution. This included promoting the myth that Americans overwhelmingly support English-only legislation. This from one of the panelists, self-described 'white nationalist' Peter Brimelow:

"I really do recommend the language issue because you know that polls better than immigration and affirmative action. Eighty-five percent of Americans say they would favor official language policy."

Nashvillians are very familiar with such ridiculous claims. Frontman for the local English-only movement, Eric Crafton (with his own connections to white supremacists), purported similar statistics about America and Nashville before reality splashed him in the face.

Nashville's English Only vote is proving to be the election that keeps on giving. It is real-world proof that these 85% claims are just that: claims, and bogus ones. In Nashville that supposed 85% turned out to be 43% in reality.

Our vote against racist legislation is proof that the far right's talking points are based on nothing more than their own xenophobic paranoia, at least when it comes to immigration and race relations. If the numbers didn't play out in the increasingly red state of Tennessee, where would they play out?

COMCAST, ESPN IN VAST CONSPIRACY; US PULLS MIRACLE

2009-06-22T09:29:00.013-05:00

I spent the weekend in Louisville, as I often do these days, to see Carrie (when it isn't her turn to come to Nashville, I'm guessing, to see me). So, my Sunday was perfectly planned. I would leave Louisville just in time for my own soccer game at 4:40pm. Meanwhile, I had my trusty Comcast DVR set to record the USMNT game against Egypt at 1:30pm.

Things worked out surprisingly well. I got to Nashville just in time for my game in the blistering 100+degree heat. We struggled, somehow avoided heatstroke, got down 1-0, then came back to win 3-1 despite being considerably out manned. Even better, none of my teammates mentioned the US game, which meant I would be able to go home and watch the game as if it were live, with no clue as to how it played out.

That's where my plan hit a snag. My DVR didn't record the damn game. The most sound logic would suggest that this snag was caused by human error. If the human correctly sets the DVR to record at a certain time, it will do so. Right? I say screw the most sound logic. Perhaps my DVR is related 2001's HAL. Computers are just as flawed as the humans who created them. Since Comcast has enjoyed a monopoly (at least until recently) on cable service in Nashville while raising-raising-raising their ridiculous prices, I am officially blaming Comcast and their stupid DVR's. I absolve myself.

My next vain attempt to remedy this awful situation (especially after I found out that the US won the game 3-0 and miraculously advanced to the semi-finals of the Confed Cup) was to attempt to watch a replay of the game somewhere online.

The only place, so far, that I can find a full replay is on espn360.com. But, only certain people can access espn360. I'm not one of them. I did get a message that Comcast customers in my area would be gaining access to this (currently) pointless medium in August. As if that helps me now. ESPN and Comcast have been successful. They were able to torture me multiple times by letting me know that the game and the replay of the game are tantalizingly available, just not specifically available to me.

So I read up on what I missed. I can still celebrate the stunning win and wonder aloud about what it really means...

was Sunday the beginning of some real competition and controversy over who will be in goal for World Cup 2010? One couldn't help but wonder about Tim Howard a little bit, he hasn't seemed to have those spectacular, improbable and important saves recently that keep his team in a big game. But that was because the team didn't really give him the opportunity, right? Or was it possibly a little bit the other way around? Who knows. Surely Guzan's shutout, however, at least wins him the right to face Spain. One thing's for sure: a little competition is healthy.
is it time to give the armband back to Donovan (permanently)? There is no doubt that, in some big games, US fans have been frustrated by Donovan's disappearing act. But in this tourney, I've been happy with Landon's leadership. Even in the loss to Italy, Donovan seemed poised to lead the US from a man down to a improbable victory. The passion is there for him. And he's been involved (i.e. hasn't disappeared). Losing the captaincy to injury for Bocanegra may seem unfair, but this team may be discovering itself in his absence. Landon Donovan is probably the true leader of the team, so why not let him be the official leader?
Speaking of the US discovering itself, the Egypt victory could be the turning point for this team. I, like many fans, have questioned the leadership, the coaching, the line-ups, the absence of passion and willingness to scrap and fight. Rightly so. But maybe Bob Bradley is making progress with this team. Maybe they are discovering their will to fight. The US is not the most talented team in the world. But they do have some talent, without question. If you take that talent and mix in a bit of organization and some fire and passion, then something special can happen. We've seen it before. Just look at the 2002 World Cup. The US can and should be consistently competitive with other good international sides.
...results like 2002 (not a fluke) are what make some fans so incensed at what the USMNT has done in recent times. Many of us who have followed the team for a long time expect better than we have been getting. We are ready to see the US take the next step from that 2002 success, and believe it is possible. Instead, recent play in big tournaments feel like a big step back. But if the team falters, then it is definitely not wrong to question and call out and demand better. It's good to see some positive momentum behind the US again. I think Bill Archer, who actually saw Sunday's game, said it best in his commentary on BigSoccer.com:

"But maybe, just maybe, the US found itself yesterday. Maybe they can begin to hit the field with some confidence instead of just a load of hope. Maybe that was the day when we finally stopped trying to recapture the the McBride/Keller/Reyna/Pope et. al. past, and started building something new and, dare we say it, better.
If so, then we may look back on this game as deserving one of those little nooks in Oneonta all it's own."

And here's to hoping the next big USMNT win on the international stage won't have to be such a miracle.

1 year to WC, USMNT just looks bad

2009-06-18T12:49:00.013-05:00

Was Thursday's debacle against Brazil as bad as it seemed? Maybe not. Wait, wait. Maybe not? Yeah, that's better.

It's probably important not to overlook the second half. The first half was, admittedly, a disaster and an embarrassment. At no time in the first half did the USMNT look like they belonged on the same field as Brazil. And that corner kick? May have turned out to be one of the worst in the history of the sport. Right now, there is no doubt--this team is bad. Their coach? Not exactly inspiring confidence. Certain players seem destined to ride the pine while DeMarcus Beasley STARTS? Against Brazil? With the year he's having? Decisions like that should make you want to follow @firebobbradley on Twitter.

Here's what I think was the biggest problem on Thursday: the US was way too tentative. Compare Thursday's game to the opener against Italy. One of the best things the US did was they put some pressure on Italy. They didn't sit back and watch and wait to see what Italy was going to do with the ball--they were active, they put pressure on the ball. And it led to some good things. On Thursday, however, the US looked intimidated by Brazil and their talent. They gave Brazil way too much room. And Brazil feasted. Especially in the first half.

It's true, Brazil are amazingly good. But the United States' performance on Thursday was unacceptable. This country needs a coach that refuses to accept even one half of the type of poor effort and lack of concentration that the US National Team displayed on Thursday. I'm not convinced that Bradley refuses to accept such things. It's not okay to play one competitive half against Brazil and then say, 'well, we fought hard right to the end, and Brazil is one of the best teams in the world...'

But there was the second half. The USMNT did find a bit of passion in their game (even despite another foolish red card challenge, this one by Kljestan). They hit the crossbar twice in the waning moments of a game that was admittedly, already over. But those late scoring chances are still important for this team. They have struggled to score from the run of play. It was good to see them generate some offense that way. Also, it was good that Feilhaber reminded us (and Bradley?) that perhaps he belongs on the field. His shot that rang off the crossbar was reminiscent of his Gold Cup blast from about 25 yards out that defeated Mexico and eventually helped land him in the Premier League.

Was the 3-0 drubbing as bad as it seemed? I don't know, but hopefully something good comes from it. The US has 1 year to find the right line-up, the right mentality, the right chemistry to do something special at the World Cup, and to show that they have made progress since 2006. Right now, there is no evidence of any progress.

The USMNT closes out their Confed Cup play against Egypt. Right now, it's hard to imagine Egypt not trouncing the US on Sunday.

Oh yeah, and one other thing...

Enough with Onyewu coming up from the back line to take the long throw-ins in the penalty box. I don't think I've yet seen it lead to any kind of a scoring chance--more often it leads to a counterattack against the US. Bringing him up into the box for corner kicks are a good idea--his size and strength make him very dangerous in the air for a header. But the throw-ins seem to me to be a waste of time.

And one last thing...

I would love to see the USMNT recommit to passing football, to establishing some possession. How about some short passes to go with all those long balls. I heard a stat on Thursday's broadcast that the US had attempted more long balls than any of the other teams in the tournament, but had completed fewer. That screams disorganization and desperation . . . and it screams for better coaching.

Transformed by the blood

2009-06-17T13:42:00.010-05:00

"When Payne enters the hallway, police say, he sees Davis stabbing Jo Ella with a buck knife, cutting her throat and severing her carotid artery and windpipe. The blade penetrates so deeply that it bites into her spinal cord, nearly decapitating her. Blood sheets down her dress."

The above passage is part of the story of local minister Maury Davis' bizarre and disturbing journey from sin to salvation--via one gruesome, grisly murder. Today, Davis has turned the story of that journey into a money making ministry which starts with his personal testimony, "From Prison to Priesthood," that has made him rich and famous. It may not surprise you to hear that he leaves such gory details, as the ones above, out of his sermons.

But you can read about those and other disturbing details of the crime in this week's Nashville Scene. It is a compelling article, not only because they tell the story of the almost unbelievably nonsensical, horrific murder of an elderly women by a man who would go on to become an important leader in the Conservative Christian movement. The story is really intriguing and disturbing for other details of the crime that it reveals.

For example, the only reason that Maury Davis gave for having nearly decapitated an elderly women was because voices told him to do it. He says he was possessed by Satan:

"Brewer [Davis' lawyer], meanwhile, mounts an insanity-by-way-of-possession defense. It's been but a few years since the The Exorcist lodged itself in the nation's consciousness. In court, Davis claims a voice told him to murder Jo Ella."

Here is what is so disturbing to me about the above paragraph. If it is true that Davis claimed to hear a voice that told him to murder Jo Ella Liles, then that means one of two frightening things are true:

1) either Maury Davis suffered (and one would assume still suffers, unless he has had professional mental treatment/medication since then) from Schizophrenia or some other form of delusional disorder or . . .

2) (and obviously, this is the much more likely possibility) He lied. Every time Mr.Davis steps up to his pulpit, he knows that he lied under oath about hearing voices telling him to kill another human being in order to avoid life in jail, and possibly a death sentence. And he makes his living profiting off that lie.

Sure, maybe he has managed to convince himself that it is all true. And it must have been an easy transition into the ministry after witnessing the power of such a story. After all, it saved his life and made him a free man.

But what you get with this b.s. demonic possession story is Davis removing himself from any culpability for what he did. It started out as a defense strategy--and somehow it worked. But after Davis got out of jail and began to minister to people as a disciple of Christ, did he ever take blame for what he did? Sure, in his testimony he says, I killed someone. I sinned. But even then he says he was on drugs and possessed by an evil spirit. But privately, in his heart, did he ever really come to terms with what HE did. Not some demon. He considers the whole thing to be a miracle of God. He was transformed by the blood of Christ.

He has built a successful career around this, 'evil spirit' and this, 'miracle-working God.' But in removing himself from the crime via the miracle story, I wonder: did he really ever deal with what made him murder in the first place? What about that rage? The hate that he must have held for other people in order to kill and react so coldly afterwards.

Someone that says he is hearing voices and kills because of it needs serious psychiatric treatment. But it doesn't sound like he ever got any. Instead, Davis got God. But does that hate still live in Davis today? If you have followed this blog, then you know that I have written about Maury Davis several times. He is what I consider to be a hate-filled man. What if Davis only found a different way to channel his rage, his hate?

Maybe he was 'transformed by the blood' --just not in the way he suggests.

Nashville Makes WC Short List

2009-06-17T09:21:00.011-05:00

The USA Bid Committee has released a, "short list," of remaining cities and stadiums they are still considering to potentially host matches as part of their bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022. That list has shrunk from 58 stadiums to 45 stadiums in 37 cities.

Nashville's LP Field again made the cut, but from those 45 stadiums there is still a long way to go toward hosting an actual match if the US bid is successful. From U.S. Soccer:

"FIFA’s current criteria requires a candidate host nation to provide a minimum of 12 stadiums and a maximum of 18 capable of seating 40,000 or more spectators. Stadiums with a minimum capacity of 80,000 are required by FIFA for consideration to play host to the Opening Match and Final Match. The U.S. used stadiums in nine cities when it last played host to the FIFA World Cup in 1994."

Now Nashville and other cities will have a chance to present an argument as to why they would make a good World Cup host. It's time to sell the city, not just the stadium:

“In continuing with the selection process, we will now shift our focus to the cities and markets in connection to these venues. We want each city under consideration to have the best opportunity to present their case and, to that end, we are recommending that officials representing these cities, metro markets and stadiums form host city committees in the near future to help move our national bid forward at the local level.”

This is where people like Butch Spyridon (President of the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau) and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean come into the picture in a much larger way. This part of the process is where Nashville has excelled in the past at separating themselves from the pack, despite its diminutive size.

Nashville recently won a bid to host the 2014 NCAA Women's Final Four by beating out larger cities such as Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Philadelphia and San Antonio. Winning a bid to host a World Cup match will require a similar, if more difficult feat. See a list of the 37 cities Nashville will compete against here.

The final list will be revealed by the end of this year:

"In the months ahead, the USA Bid Committee will work with these 37 cities/markets with the intention of announcing a final list of host cities/markets at the end of the year to be included in the Bid Book that will be delivered to FIFA in May 2010."

There Will Be Red

2009-06-16T08:14:00.010-05:00

The US lost their Confederations Cup opener to Italy, 3-1. After going a man down, they actually took the lead on a Landon Donovan goal. Some thoughts:

there will be blood, or at least red when the US plays Italy in a big tournament game. That would be red in the form of an ejection. The last time these teams played it was in the World Cup; you may remember McBride's bloody face, De Rossi's ejection for his elbow to McBride's face and then two more red cards given to US players, leaving them a man short in what became an epic draw. Yesterday brought more controversial red.
when you play most of the match a man down to the defending world champions and it takes an American born player (Giuseppe Rossi) to beat you, it's not the worst thing in the world.
the challenge by Clark did not warrant a red card. That was obvious. Not that the ref's decision was surprising . . . again. When will the USMNT get a fair chance against Italy? And when will FIFA rein in the ridiculous red cards and refs ruining international games?
losing to Italy 3-1 definitely feels better than losing to Costa Rica 3-1.
I don't understand how Clark is a better option to start than Kljestan, Adu or Torres. Bob Bradley's decisions puzzle me.
Could Onyewu be the most overrated player for the US? I say overrated based on the fact that if he is healthy, he starts pretty much no matter what. Meanwhile, Spector, who I think is superior, has played much less consistently. Onyewu is good, he is physical, he is big. I'll admit that. But he is flawed, he is awkward and definitely not what you would call overly-skilled. And he seems to lose his man or give up dangerous chances too often. I guess that's gonna happen to everyone some of the time ....
Michael Bradley has deserved, in the past, to be benched for his play. Yesterday, however, he continued to impress. I think he can mature into the next Claudio Reyna. He does still suffer from mental lapses and, perhaps, simple youth. But he is going to be great.
Dempsey is talented, but not consistent enough; and he seems less consistent the longer he is out on the field. He has flashes of brilliance. Therefore, I think he might make a better sub than a starter.
I liked the way the USMNT battled yesterday while being down a man for most of the match, even leading for a while. It was even more of an uphill battle than it would normally be against the world champions, thanks to an overzealous referee.
For Brazil, my ideal starting 11 would be Howard, Spector, Onyewu, Califf, Bornstein, Adu, Bradley, Torres, Kljestan, Donovan, Altidore. Subs: Dempsey, Beasley, Wynne/DeMerit. The backline is definitely the hardest to figure out with Bocanegra and Heyduk out with injuries.

2009-06-08T22:48:00.019-05:00

My first attempt to capture a long exposure of a lightning storm was pretty much an overexposed disaster. I took the shots at dusk and left the shutter open too long. When I got the photos back, the lightning shots were pretty much white. So I tried to edit them to where they are half-decent, but they turned out grainy and seventiesish looking--which is fitting since they were taken with a Vivitar SLR that was made back then.

The others are some random shots--the new children's theatre and a weird angle of the new Pinnacle at Symphony Place as seen from Rutledge Hill, etc. This is photography that is definitely a work in progress.

TN Meets With Feds on HSR

2009-06-04T09:26:00.006-05:00

According to The Transport Politic, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood met with state governors and officials yesterday to discuss the high speed rail program. Apparently, the administration, "wants states to have a better understanding of what the federal government will be looking for when it starts distributing grants by late summer."

Perhaps this is good news for the future of local rail hopes: Tennessee's Commissioner of Transportation, Gerald Nicely, was in attendance. That makes Tennessee one of just nineteen states that were represented at the meeting. Here's Yonah Freemark's take on the gathering:

"It’s not made known whether these individuals were selected specifically for attendance, or whether all states received invitations; I would assume the latter. Nonetheless, the list makes it clear which states are serious about attempting to move federal funds, and which ones aren’t as enthusiastic. The most significant states not represented are Texas, Florida, Washington, Oregon, New York, and Minnesota, each of which has a high-speed rail program and which was theoretically intending to apply for federal funds. On the other hand, there is no requirement that a state has to have a representative at this meeting to receive funds, so perhaps the governments of those states are confident in their approaches without having to attend a meeting in Washington. Secretary LaHood previously stated that California and Florida were “way ahead” of the others and most likely to receive funds. We’ll see."

a few leftover shots of Louisville

2009-06-01T10:14:00.013-05:00

Some of these are shots that got a bit overexposed and I tried to touch up and experiment with editing on the computer. I am getting recquainted with this SLR manual film camera from the seventies that I started using again for the first time in years. The camera seems to still be mostly functional.

Looking at Louisville Waterfront Park

2009-05-31T22:44:00.016-05:00

Back in 2007 I took a look at Chattanooga's riverfront redevelopment, as Nashville hired the same firm to redesign its waterfront that planned Chattanooga's revamped riverfront area.

Ever since then we've been waiting for something to happen and just recently Nashville got the news that it will be getting its new Riverfront Park, as planned (pending Metro Council vote, of course).

So now is a good time to look at what some other peer cities have done with their riverfronts. As luck would have it, I recently visited Louisville's Waterfront Park and got some shots of another city that is way ahead of Nashville when it comes to riverfronts.

Phase I of Louisville's Waterfront Park was completed in 1999; they are now working on phase III. In all, their waterfront redevelopment includes 85 acres of park land. Waterfront Park includes The Great Lawn (a gathering place for fireworks and concerts), an Adventure Playland, a beautiful 900 foot water feature, playgrounds, bike rentals, bike paths, an amphitheatre, a promenade, picnic areas, a wharf and overlooks to the Ohio River.

pubilc art sculpture with bike rental shed in background

sculpture and fountains that flow into ohio river

more public art in plaza overlooking the ohio river

downtown, as viewed from the great lawn

more bike rentals in downtown (near but not in Waterfront Park)

Louisville's Waterfront Park appears to be very similar to the way Nashville's proposed Riverfront Park would look. The biggest difference to this point is that Louisville's park is real while Nashville's has only been imagined. Another stark similarity and contrast between Louisville and Nashville are their downtown minor league ballparks, real and imagined, respectivley.

louisville slugger field as seen from waterfront park

Sparkling new Louisville Slugger Field is in similar juxtaposition (except all of Louisville is on one side of the Ohio River) to downtown and to the waterfront as Nashville's proposed Sounds stadium was to be, with respect to its own downtown and riverfront (before the project fizzled). For all those doubting the impact of new pro sports stadiums on their respective neighborhoods, check out Louisville, Kentucky. Where there were once empty wharehouses and urban decay, there is a burgeoning new downtown neighborhood being built around Louisville Slugger Field.

statue at louisville slugger park looking toward new residential development

more new condos across street from ballpark

Tn shows transit the money

2009-05-21T07:40:00.005-05:00

The State legislature has approved dedicated funding for mass transit for Tennessee's four urban areas. From The City Paper:

"The enabling legislation clears the way for a dedicated funding source to be created for mass transit. The unknown funding source would be approved either by voter referendum or by the local legislative body. The legislation had support of all the city and county mayors in the Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Memphis areas.

Greg Adkins, the president of the Tennessee Public Transportation Association, called the unanimous votes “the biggest thing that’s happened for public transportation in Tennessee in decades.”

Adkins, who also serves as the District 26 Metro Council member, said the enabling legislation was necessary in order to expand and improve mass transit options in the major metropolitan areas.

“Our region has sat around and talked about this for a long time,” Adkins said. “It took a lot of great minds and really hard working people to make this happen.”

Mayor Dean is going to have to opportunity to profoundly change (for the better) the greater Nashville area by the time he leaves office. It will be interesting to see how ambitious the city's vision for mass transit is, once a funding source is identified.

"The Nashville Area Metro Planning Organization is developing a regional mass transit master plan, which will be completed later this year or early next year. That plan will serve as a starting point for identifying dedicated funding options.

“The next step is to develop a plan that is appropriate for the region — one that is focused on a better future, but remains fiscally responsible for today,” MPO Director Michael Skipper said. “Only then will we be able to have an idea of what it will take to implement new services and how we might pay for them.

“Working with citizens and the business community, we hope to pull that plan together before next Summer, with discussions for how to move forward following shortly thereafter.”

This could be a vital step in taking Nashville off some of those bad lists on which it has routinely appeared .... like least walkable, most polluted and most car-dependent. Obviously, transit options alone won't do the trick. It takes more sidewalks, bike lanes and greenways, an offering of a variety of services in the urban district, good zoning laws, etc. All of these things work together to change the culture of a growing city--and that takes time.

American Christianity is dying--just ask the ethicist

2009-05-12T09:02:00.006-05:00

Another example of the conservative Christian movement's disconnect with the teachings of Christ:

"A new poll from the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life found that 62 percent of white evangelical Protestants surveyed believe that torture is often or sometimes justified. The poll also found that 44 percent of all regular churchgoers — regardless of race or denomination — believe that torture is often or sometimes justified.

David Gushee, a Baptist ethicist at Mercer University in Macon, Ga., said the poll is a sign of moral failure. He believes the war on terror has made Christians ignore the Bible.

Jesus, he said, told his followers to love their enemies. That makes torture unacceptable."

One thing I would disagree with Gushee on--he has the order of things mixed up. It's not the war on terror that caused Christians to morally fail by accepting something as anti-Christian as torture. It's the other way around. It's the moral failure of the conservative Christian movement, the movement away from the teachings of Christ and toward political radicalism, that made it possible for them to see torture as a morally acceptable part of the war on terror. Fear was just the perfect vehicle.

HSR viewpoints

2009-05-12T08:01:00.010-05:00

I've heard a lot of bitching and whining about how high speed rail is never going to happen. And now that President Obama has made it a priority for the country, people are promising that it will never happen in Tennessee.

It may still be a few years off, but as cities like Nashville and Chattanooga commit more time and money to mass transit, regional mass transit like high speed rail will become more and more viable and attractive.

Chattanooga already has free electric shuttles that service the downtown area. Nashville already has one commuter rail line, with plans to expand service to Hendersonville and Murfreesboro. It is also starting a BRT line with plans to start another in the near future. And last week, Mayor Karl Dean revealed a capital spending plan which will include money to start a downtown circulator line--one that would perhaps be free to the public. That would be another vital step to improving mass transit in Nashville.

Meanwhile, The Tennessean recently opined that Tennessee should hop aboard the high speed rail movement, despite being left out of the President's initial plans:

"President Barack Obama heightened attention to high-speed rail and rail transit in general with his inclusion of rail service in his $787 billion economic stimulus plan. Unfortunately, Tennessee was not part of the excitement of that funding. Given the nature of the package, designed for "shovel ready" projects, Tennesseans should not have anticipated any benefits in terms of rail service.

But Obama's $13 billion proposal, which includes $8 billion in stimulus spending and $1 billion per year for five years in the federal budget for high-speed rail, should jump-start awareness of the issue, and it should highlight the benefits of improving transportation infrastructure."

The benefits of improving transportation infrastructure cannot be understated for Tennessee--an obese, car-dependent state. We have the chance to transform our way of life--to make it better. Yes, the cost of making such improvements will be high, but the price of doing nothing will surely be higher.

The Tennessean also published commentary from Bob Clement and Michael Skipper in support of more transit for our area. Clement wrote that studies have shown that three passenger rail lines could be viable and successful in Tennessee, including the proposed high speed rail line:

"A rail line extending from Bristol to Memphis.

A Chicago-to-Miami line via Nashville, Murfreesboro and Chattanooga. This route offers connections through Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky, then onto Atlanta, Jacksonville and Miami. Both of these projects could be operated by a system like Amtrak.

The third project is a high-speed passenger rail line, which fits in perfectly with the $8 billion stimulus plan President Obama announced in mid-April. Tennessee was not included in the 10 high-speed rail corridors targeted by the federal government, but Tennesseans should not give up hope for future inclusion in this new federal initiative to prioritize rail travel."

Meanwhile, Skipper pointed out the obvious economic and enviromental benefits of high-speed rail service and mass transit for the future:

"High-speed rail service in this and other nations has proven to be less costly to build than urban interstate highways, uses significantly less foreign oil per user than other modes of transportation, and with a shift from more polluting modes, can help improve air quality by reducing the toxic emissions that contribute to personal health problems.

High-speed rail also provides infrastructure that can be used locally for regional mass-transit service and freight movement, offsetting the frightening projections of increased auto and truck traffic on our highways."

Rachel [painfully] Getting Married

2009-04-30T00:02:00.025-05:00

I'm sure someone will rip me for this, but Rachel Getting Married? Pass. I know that the critics jumped all over this while turning their noses up at Margot At the Wedding, but I'd rather have Margot At the Wedding any day (not that it, either, was perfect or anything). I'm not going to compare the two films any more than that, because it's been quite a while since I saw Margot At the Wedding and I can't remember that many details about it. But I can remember that I liked it.

Here's the thing--I have this reaction to Rachel Getting Married that is similar to reactions I've had to other much loved films . . . like, for example, to Robert Altman's Nashville. That reaction is--who cares? These films do feature some effective filmmaking. But neither make me care about the story or the characters--at all.

Rachel Getting Married is actually the story of Rachel's attention-grabbing, drama-inducing sister, Kym (Ann Hathaway), getting out of rehab for her older sister's wedding. Along the way we learn that Kym is the black sheep of the family--she had a drug hazed car accident that inadvertently killed her younger brother, Ethan at some point in the past.

The moments of conflict and melodrama pop in and out among extended Altmanesque wedding party scenes. But where the film fails (or one of the areas where it does) is when the faux-open photography/handheld style shot (where the camera hangs back and observes little moments of the story from a distance) film clumsily clogs its way into one of the many carefully orchestrated 'moments,' of drama.

These moments are very calculated and ridiculously absurd. A plate belonging to the late Ethan stops a raucous room full of wedding partiers (it is accidentally brought out with a stack of plates by the unfortunate Kym). When it grabs the father's attention, his smile disappears and he becomes inconsolable. The deflated room quickly empties save for Kim (and her guilt). An innocent hair appointment turns into an exposition into Kim's innocuous, or not-so-innocuous dishonest past. Rehearsal dinner toasts turn into a Kymcentric moment of awkwardness when she decides to recall her rehab past with a room full of strangers. Sure, these moments are effectively uncomfortable and consistently unsurprising (as family drama often is), but that doesn't make them, or the characters, compelling. At least not to me.

There's the guilt ridden-addict sister (Kim); the non-addict sister who feels ignored and feels she is due to have 'her' big day (Rachel); the distant, inept mother; the over protective, everything's-alright-father, who is probably more fucked up than all of the rest of the family members, despite initial appearances. But the dead brother hangs over them like the freaking Hunchback of Notre Dame. Annoyingly so. If I were the dead one, I would kindly ask that everyone get over it and move on, or at least stop creating ridiculous awkward social situations centered around my death.

The flow of the film screeches to a halt every time a 'dead brother drama' scene is written into the film in super-ridiculous melodramatic fashion (don't get me wrong, I like some melodramas, The Best Years of Our Lives is one of my all time favs). No moment of happiness is safe from each character's ineptitude at dealing with the tragic death of their brother/son, even though there doesn't seem to be a need for them to at that given moment. And the filmmaker holds that over the entire 2 hours of the film (which also often feels more like a music video than a film).

Indeed, the audience is constantly left wondering if the next important wedding moment will go off without a hitch. I realize, this is the point, but again, who cares? I don't. If I did, I would probably enjoy reality television much more than I do. Unfortunately, that is what Rachel Getting Married feels like to me. Annoying, pointless reality television. So if you like weddings--wedding rehearsals, wedding rehearsal dinners, wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions . . . you are going to like this film. And if you also like stupid behind-the-scenes wedding drama, you are going to love it.

Oh, and by the way, what is up with everyone fawning all over Anne Hathaway's performance in this film? This is her breakout performance? Really? Cause it seemed not all that different from her performance in Havoc; and I didn't she anything in Rachel Getting Married that didn't feel like a repeat of most of her work in other films--though, I have to admit, I never saw Ice Princess 1 and 2, or whatever crap it was that consisted of her Disney career.

Or maybe I'm not being fair. Her performance in Rachel Getting Married does seem at least somewhat more sophisticated than the one in the hackneyed Havoc (how could it not be?). I mean, Rachel Getting Married was certainly better than Havoc (again, that's not saying much). Or at least, maybe it helps us forget about Havoc.

Havoc was seemingly Hathaway's attempt to breakaway from her squeaky clean Disney princess image. In that film she got naked, did drugs, seduced the bad boy character, etc. I think Havoc, for Hathaway, was sort of like Showgirls for Elizabeth Berkley. It was even embarrassingly bad like Showgirls was. Well, okay, it wasn't that bad. Then again, Hathaway didn't have as much to get away from as Berkley did. I mean, as far as I know, she never cried out, "I'm so excited," in an episode of Saved By the Bell that still remains her most memorable on-screen moment.

That's the thing. Berkley was trying to get America to forget about that little moment when she did Showgirls. Instead, Showgirls ended up being just one more punchline in Berkley's career that continues to be most memorable for that hilarious 'I'm So Excited' moment.

The good news is twofold: one--Hathaway didn't have as much to live down and two--she is actually capable of acting her way out of her early career Disney stereotype. I want to say that this is thanks in no large part to Havoc, but maybe it is. Her role in Havoc is not all that dissimilar to her role in Rachel Getting Married. It may have, in fact, been a stepping stone to that role. A role for which she was nominated for an Academy Award--not that I'll ever really understand why--but I will admit, it is something that certainly is commendable.

A Picture of it, from it

2009-04-29T11:03:00.007-05:00

Here's one more really cool Country Music Marathon photograph from a unique perspective. My friend Tara Latham completed the half marathon this year (congratulations Tara) and she took this picture of the mass of humanity at the starting line, from within the mass of humanity at the starting line:

Is pursuit of maglev holding Tennessee back in race for HSR?

2009-04-27T09:15:00.017-05:00

I got a really interesting email from a reader regarding the high speed rail issues that I have been writing about. The email is from one of the [many? few?] Tennesseans who have been following the federal stimulus dollars story and who are hoping that Tennessee is eventually included in our country's new high speed rail plans. So far Tennessee has been ignored.

The emailer wondered if Tennessee's pursuit of a maglev line from Atlanta to Nashville has been a waste of money. He brings up an interesting question--has this pursuit taken away from our chances of being included in Obama's high speed rail plans? Maglev is a much more rare and much more expensive technology than normal high speed rail. Proponents have already spent lots of money to study it. And it would take billions of dollars for it to become reality. Would such funds (and grant money) be better spent to study a less expensive and perhaps more realistic form of high speed rail?

It is possible. I will say this about a possible Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville maglev line. I think if it ever got built, Tennesseans and Georgians would embrace it. I think it would start out with a bang and I believe ridership would increase with time, not decrease. It would have an immediate and profound effect on Nashvillians and Chattanoogans, and even Atlantans.

High speed rail would encourage more public transit options in Nashville and Chattanooga. Adding high speed rail as fast as maglev technology would allow for would also raise the quality of life in Tennessee and Georgia, cutting travel time (and hassle) between the much travelled corridor from Nashville to Atlanta. Nashville and Chattanooga would immediately become closer to Atlanta. Imagine the benefits and possibilities of having a booming metropolis of 4 million people, the economic capital of the Southeast region, two hours closer to your city.

I agree that, whether a maglev line between Atlanta and Nashville is ever built or not, this state should certainly be pursuing Amtrak-type service between Memphis and Knoxville, and Nashville should be vying for passenger rail, high speed or not, to Louisville and Chattanooga.

Tennessee does have a political leader who is making some noise and standing up for our state on the high speed rail issue. It may come as a surprise that it is a Republican leader who is speaking up. U.S. Rep. (and 2010 gubernatorial hopeful) Zach Wamp, R-Chattanooga is apparently in favor of the proposed maglev line and a more ambitious national high speed rail plan. From the Chattanooga Times Free Press:

U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Chattanooga, suggested that the high-speed rail initiative should have included $50 billion, rather than $8 billion, to really encourage the next generation of trains.
“We need to throw the ball deep,” Rep. Wamp said.

It may seem like Democrats have cornered the market on issues like mass transit and global warming, but that isn't' necessarily true. Look at Charlotte, North Carolina.

Their Republican (and conservative) mayor, Pat McCrory, envisioned and spearheaded Charlotte's light rail line that has transformed urban living in North Carolina. Despite many detractors and dire predictions, LYNX, their light rail system, has been a complete success. This video, from PBS' NOW, profiles Mayor McCrory and the success of Charlotte's light rail system. It also tackles some issues surrounding how states will or won't spend federal stimulus dollars as it relates to transit.

Largest CMM ever

2009-04-27T08:25:00.004-05:00

West End Boys/Girls:

Photo: JAE S. LEE / THE TENNESSEAN

The above photo from The Tennessean is amazing to me. About 35,000 people participated in the Country Music Marathon this year. According to this site, it is the fourth largest marathon/half-marathon in the country. The CMM started only 10 years ago with just 6,000 participants, but has become one of the coolest Nashville traditions.

MUTEMATH Live at Grimey's

2009-04-20T09:17:00.005-05:00

It was a packed weekend. Managed to get in 5 films at NaFF, a little bit of Earth Day, went to the Downtown Homes Tour and . . .

Carrie and I snuck away from the Nashville Film Festival just long enough on Saturday evening to go see MUTEMATH perform a free show at Grimey's (we also caught some of The Ettes). The only catch was we didn't get there early enough to get a spot among the packed crowd where we could actually see the band, so the pics are only of the crowd (but I guess they are proof that we were there).

It was still worth it, though. MUTEMATH was fantastic live. Drummer, Darren King, got up to where we could see him for one of several kick ass drum solos--got short video of it (see below). Paul Meany was great, doing handstands (saw his feet) and jumping up a couple of times so some of us 'non-first few rowers' could catch a glimpse of him. Of course, we also got to catch a glimpse of the band as they carried their own equipment in through the crowd to the stage.

Record Store Day at Grimey's was a one of a kind experience.

MUTEMATH is up there somewhere (honestly):

Also, if you haven't seen their new video for the single Spotlight, catch it here (it's great):

MUTEMATH - Spotlight

TN not in early Obama plans for HSR

2009-04-20T07:36:00.006-05:00

The Tennessean has an article this morning stating that Tennessee high speed rail supporters have not given up hope on a Nashville-Chattanooga-Atlanta high speed rail line, despite the fact that Tennessee has been completely ignored/avoided in President Obama's high speed rail plan.

“We’re extremely disappointed that Tennessee seems to be left off that map,” said Michael Skipper, director of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, referring to the route plans for 10 new high-speed lines the president has proposed. “I don’t think that it means all is lost for high-speed rail in Middle Tennessee.”
It does mean, though, that officials backing the line as part of a proposed Nashville-to-Atlanta corridor will have to make the case for millions of federal dollars to continue studying the idea.

The Transport Politic, however, points that the plans are not final--they are a good first step, but the maps that we have seen are not the final word on federal funding for high speed rail:

"The document also mentioned the mandated national rail plan, which will expand the discussion of the goals for train service in the United States and be released by mid-October. This document, which will be elemental in defining the future of rail in America, must be “consistent with approved State Rail Plans and national rail needs to promote an integrated, cohesive, efficient, and optimized national rail system for the movement of good and people… [it] will expand upon the vision outlined in this document, including identifying specific corridor goals and measures of success. The plan will likely provide an opportunity to revise the high-speed rail designation, including a new category of approved corridors, i.e., those corridors for which a detailed corridor plan and institutional framework are in place to permit development of a successful corridor that meets the national rail goals.“

Does this mean that the national rail plan will revise the much-maligned national map of designated high-speed rail corridors? We’ll have to see - I certainly hope so. But what’s clear is that today’s document is the first step towards a major national consideration of high-speed rail for the first time in decades."

If the country continues forward with a real commitment to a national high speed rail plan as is envisioned by President Obama and others, I think a Chicago to Atlanta connection (including Louisville, Nashville and Chattanooga) would be a necessary and obvious eventuality. Either way it would seem to be a very distant eventuality.

p.s. Interestingly, Amtrak is apparently still not allowed to expand its service? It would be nice even to get normal rail service in Nashville. Why, in God's name we don't already is surely a weird government mystery.

Death Cab photos, set list

2009-04-19T21:14:00.011-05:00

Death Cab For Cutie at the Louisville Palace: they played a Plans-heavy set (not surprising), but they mixed in stuff from all their albums, including their new Open Door EP. It was a great show. Ra Ra Riot and Cold War Kids were also excellent. We weren't really close enough to get quality close-up photos, but hopefully these are still enjoyable.

The Louisville Palace

Cold War Kids

Death Cab For Cutie

encore

4/10/9 Set List:

Cath...

Your Heart Is An Empty Room

The New Year

Why You'd Want To Live Here

Crooked Teeth

My Mirror Speaks

Grapevine Fires

Title Track

Soul Meets Body

I Will Follow You Into The Dark

I Will Possess Your Heart

Little Bribes

Title and Registration

A Movie Script Ending

Long Division

The Sound of SettlingMarching Bands of Manhattan

----

Summer Skin

Company Calls

Transatlanticism

Official: Hockey, Soccer Eclipse Conservative Rage

2009-04-16T07:38:00.000-05:00

It's official: soccer and hockey are more popular in Nashville than conservative rage.

Yesterday, across America, Fox News helped organize middle class Americans who are pissed off at President Obama in a 'teabagging' protest against (among other things) high taxes, even as President Obama was talking up his tax cut for . . . middle class Americans. According to The Tennessean's political blog, around 3,000 people gathered in Legislative Plaza for Nashville's teabagging event:

"Metro police and other officers at the event estimate 2,800 to 3,000 people attended the rally, according to Metro spokeswoman Kris Mumford."

Yes, I will rely on the figure from the Metro police and not the organizers of the event, who claim to have had over 7,000 people in attendance--especially after Neil Cavuto and Fox News pulled this little trick:

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So, the rally that Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Michael DiGiorno and Phil Valentine have been plugging managed to get the attention of about 3,000 people in Nashville.

Compare that to the July 19, 2007 rally to save the Nashville Predators that drew 7,500 people to the Sommet Center.

Compare that to 27,959 that watched the USMNT beat Trinidad and Tobago just a few weeks ago in a World Cup Qualifying match.

And how about this--compare that to Nashville Pride 2009, which will take place this summer, and will easily (very easily) draw more than 3,000 people.

That means 1045theZone's George Plaster (who plugged the Predator rally) must have more pull in this town than Phil Valentine--go figure. That means that Nashvillians would rather watch soccer, the sport that so many Americans love to hate, rather than hate on Obama. Yes, as horrific a reality as it may be for some to acknowledge, much maligned sports such as hockey and soccer are eclipsing conservative rage in Nashville.

And for all the pissed off right-wingers that are fans of those sports, there is one more reason for you to cringe the day after your Fox News-infused Tea Party Fauxtests--the thriving gay culture in Nashville, which is apparently more active than the local 'pissed off right wing talk radio culture'.

But keep chugging away, Phil. I'm sure there's a Republican governor out there somewhere thinking of proposing an income tax--not to mention some people waiting to blast their car horns to help you drown out any actual substantive debate on the subject.

NaFF 2009

2009-04-15T23:25:00.002-05:00

Go to Green Hills. Watch films. 258 Choices.

Also, don't miss Variety on NaFF 2009.

Nashville Will Bid To Host World Cup Match

2009-04-15T19:02:00.005-05:00

Two weeks ago, Nashville took a big step forward. That step forward involved packing nearly 28,000 fans into the lower bowl of LP Field to see the USMNT win a World Cup Qualifying match over Trinidad and Tobago 3-0. The crowd stood for the entire match and was treated to a Jozy Altidore hat trick.

That step is also is hopefully on the road to hosting a World Cup match. Just a few months ago, before we even knew that Nashville would get to host that WC Qualifying match, I wondered:

"The United States Soccer Federation has made it official--they will submit a bid to host either the 2018 or 2022 World Cup. Considering that the last time the U.S. hosted the World Cup, in 1994, it was the most successful event ever in the history of FIFA, one would have to consider them to be a heavy favorite to host again.

That brings me to an all important question--has any Nashville official been in contact with USSF about the city's interest in being involved in the process--possibly even as a host city? It may sound unrealistic, but I believe there is a chance it could happen."

Well, last week we found out the answer is yes. The Tennessee Titans' Don McLaughlin was on 104.5 the Zone to announce that Nashville had been invited by the United States Soccer Federation to bid to host a World Cup match in either 2018 or 2022, if the U.S. bid to host the World Cup is successful. He added that they are, "clearly interested," in hosting and said the city will be preparing a bid.

At this point, Nashville is one of 70 possible venues that could host a match. If Nashville were lucky enough to be chosen, it would easily be the largest event the city has ever hosted and would put the city on a world stage like it has never known--not even close. Think billions of viewers around the world with their eyes on Nashville's East Bank.

With that in mind, the USMNT Blog has posted this fantastic behind the scenes video of their trip to Nashville:

April 1, 2009: USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago - Behind the Scenes from ussoccerdotcom on Vimeo.

details on high speed rail tomorrow

2009-04-15T07:26:00.005-05:00

Saw this over at The Transport Politic:

Tomorrow plans will be unveiled on just how the $8 billion stimulus funds will be used for high speed rail in the U.S. From Reuters:

"The Obama administration is expected to unveil its plans on Thursday for accelerating development of high-speed rail, a concept that in the past has had mixed political support and little public funding.
"It will be broad and strategic," Karen Rae, acting head of the Federal Railroad Administration, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday about the initiative described by officials as President Barack Obama's top transportation priority.
"It's going to talk about how we begin to create
this new vision for high-speed and intercity rail," Rae said."

I'm sure this probably won't have an immediate effect locally here in Nashville, but if it is done right and it is successful, a national high speed rail network would have a tremendous effect throughout America (and eventually specifically in places like Nashville and Memphis--hopefully).

Hybrids hit the road

2009-04-14T22:54:00.007-05:00

Nashtransit.com reports on the maiden voyage of Nashville's new 60 foot hybrid buses that will soon serve our city's first BRT route (photos included):

"It really did have that new bus smell! It was a nice smooth ride. Obviously, it's also much quieter than the traditional diesel buses. Much easier to carry on a conversation with 61 of your closest friends when you're not competing with a noisy engine.

Of course the real benefits are in fuel efficiency. Channel 5 reports MTA CEO Paul Ballard as saying the new buses are 34 percent more fuel efficient. Maintenance costs are also reduced.

There are currently 6 new buses, each costing about $840,000. That's about $140,000 more than a new diesel bus, so it will take a few years to make up the difference, depending on the price of oil. If you're thinking long term, though, this is the way to go."

photo from Nashtransit.com

The Other Teabagging

2009-04-13T20:09:00.016-05:00

Fox News has been working hard to help create a 'grassroots' movement/protest (otherwise known as a Fauxtest). For some reason, they've chosen the term teabagging to describe their activities. That's right--teabagging.

What exactly are they protesting? (I'm guessing it's not a certain activity that you might find happening in, say, a gay bar in a John Waters film--just a guess). It seems they may be protesting skyrocketing tax rates in America. They were obviously thinking of the Boston Tea Party . . . hence the teabagging.

But about those skyrocketing tax rates? Lawrence O'Donnell was on Keith Olbermann's Countdown on Monday ,with some clarity:

"Sean Hannity, in the approach to this April 15 protest has talked about the skyrocketing tax rates. The tax rates have not increased in this country in 16 years. And they did under Bill Clinton in 1993. He increased one tax rate, the top tax rate. And President Bush then immediately cut it as his first order of business. So all of the protest of the federal tax rates on April 15--all of it--will be targeted at George W. Bush. I'm not sure the protesters understand that."

Barack Obama has proposed tax cuts for most Americans. The only increase will raise the tax rate 3 percent for the wealthiest Americans. But even those tax rates have yet to come into effect.

O'Donnell:

"It's a one day protest aimed at nothing Barack Obama has actually done.

. . . They've picked April 15th as rage day for taxpayers, . . . and there's not a single taxpayer out there who is paying a new Barack Obama tax rate. That doesn't exist."

The 'teabagging' video, which btw, is irresistibly hilarious:

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Rachel Maddow also blushed over all the teabagging. Man, you gotta love Republicans, always good for a laugh these days:

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MTC Questions

2009-04-13T12:12:00.013-05:00

Richard Lawson, in today's City Paper says a city-wide debate is needed on May Town Center:

"At some point, Mayor Karl Dean, Metro Council or the business community — or all three — will need to get off the fence and show some leadership one way or another on the development.
That’s not to say that they will need to support May Town Center as such. It’s a matter of determining where in Davidson County future development should go and
how best to improve the county’s tax base by identifying large sites that could compete for future Nissan-like economic development prizes."

Maybe the best case scenario would be for the city to negotiate with PSC Metals to relocate somewhere else and reclaim those acres for parks and development. For my money, that would be the best place for something like the May Town Center project (and it would jive much more with the recommendations in The Plan of Nashville). But such a scenario doesn' t seem to be in the cards for the near future. And Lawson doesn't see it as realistic:

A corollary to that argument is that Nashville somehow should be the one to reverse a national trend in which substantially more office development happens in the suburbs instead of downtown. Take Columbus, Ohio, as an example. Since 1989, more than 33 million square feet of office space has been in the Columbus area, according to real estate research firm Xceligent. Of that, 4 million square feet was in the city’s central business district.

In Portland, Ore., which is exalted as one of the great bastions of urbanism, more office development has happened outside the core than in it. There and everywhere,
residential and retail development has driven urban revitalization.
The economic reality is that costs for large-scale office developments downtown are astronomical compared to the suburbs. To encourage more CBD office development, the city very likely would have to create substantial tax incentives. How palatable does that sound these days?

May Town Center has taken to arguing itself as the sprawl needed to stop sprawl.

"May Town Center is a major tool in the fight against sprawl in the Nashville region. The entire development will be built on only 550 acres of land located less than five miles from Downtown. In the sprawling suburbs, by comparison, this amount of development would devour as much as 15,000 acres of Tennessee countryside! By attracting companies and residents to locate near the core of Nashville, we can prevent sprawl from occurring out at the suburban fringes."

That argument is salesmanship talk for basically admitting to the fact that May Town Center is sprawl. The question is, is potentially being able to win tax base-increasing projects away from Williamson County worth the Davidson County sprawl that it would cost? And is such an action a threat to downtown?

I also wonder about the fact that we have a city where there are great areas of development springing up in the urban core, but they are separated by areas of blight. The areas that are densely populated and walkable are great--but they aren't continuous--such a problem is a recipe for crime. So why are we planning an urban development in the middle of a rural park, which is not really connected at all to the rest of populated Nashville?

We are already a hyper-car-dependent community. May Town Center proposes a six lane bridge over the river which would spill into Centennial Boulevard which would spill into Briley Parkway which would spill into White Bridge Road/I-40. How would that not increase our car dependence/traffic issues?

May Town Center is most definitely Davidson County's own version of Cool Springs. While it would potentially solve some of Nashville's problems (losing corporate campuses to Williamson County), it would seem to increase others (sprawl, traffic, pollution, car-dependency, CBD vacancy rate, planning that robs the core of potential density).

Rambling on recent (and not so recent) films

2009-04-09T07:44:00.007-05:00

Pride and Glory--two words I can't imagine ever being associated with the filmmaking in Pride and Glory. It is two hours of melodramatic re-tread of every cliche you've already ever seen in a cop film. Right down to the point when one dirty cop mutters the words that describe how he once felt about being a cop, Pride and Glory, before shooting himself in the head--"I used to be a good person," he laments. Bang. Nothing surprising or even really interesting to speak of at all.

It pains me to say it that about Pride and Glory, because I think Ed Norton is a fantastic actor. But then again, watching Leonardo DiCaprio in the last few years has impressed upon me how great of an actor he is--and I really do believe he is a great actor. If it wasn't for DiCaprio's casting in The Departed, I think Martin Scorsese might still be without an Academy Award. He always seems so compelling, and to me, he makes otherwise boring films seem interesting. For example, I thought his electricity made films like Blood Diamond and Body of Lies watchable as opposed to just being typical formulaic political thrillers (which, yeah, they pretty much were).

But DiCaprio was in Titanic--one of the most atrocious films ever made. I guess it's no secret--great actors do sometimes act in terrible films. Look at DiNero and Pacino (I also just saw Righteous Kill this week--what a complete waste of time) and Norton (Incredible Hulk--really?).

But despite how horrible Titanic was, it's sorta hard to argue with DiCaprio's decision to do Titanic. I mean, just look at all those damn Oscars. All those meaningless statues. It's just too bad that it is Titanic that is the film that makes all Oscars look so ridiculous. His co-star in that film is another great actress--Kate Winslett. So wait--if both DiCaprio and Winslett are such great actors, is it possible that I've just been unfair to Titanic all these years?

Is it possible that I could be wrong--maybe it isn't as bad as I remember? Should I go back and find some way to sit through it one more time, just to make sure? I do remember there was one lady who made the local news because she went to the movie theatre about 100 times, so she could see Titanic over and over again. She just couldn't get enough. Is it possible that Titanic really did deserve more than just a 'Set Design' or 'Visual Effects' Academy Award? Am I just a snob? Is James Cameron, the man who made Arnold into The Governator, really one of the great filmmakers of our time? Is it possible?

No, it's not possible. If that's what you think, then you're the one who needs to go back and force yourself through three insulting hours of that crap. Not me.

Transit Week April 13-19, 2009

2009-04-08T13:12:00.006-05:00

Next week is Transit Week, April 13-19. You can pledge to ride the bus at least once next week (and experience the new Music City Central transit center), attend urban design forums, learn more about the possibilities of a downtown circulator (word is Mayor Dean likes the idea), etc. It all ends Sunday, April 19 with the Downtown Home Tour.

Gulch good, but only for some?

2009-04-07T07:39:00.005-05:00

We are finally getting to an exciting step in the development of the Gulch--infill. Landmark high rises such as The ICON and Terrazzo are finished or are finishing construction and are opening. The next step is for projects that will replace surface lots that will really give the neighborhood a neighborhood feel.

The City Paper has an article updating the status of goings-on in the Gulch. Dirk Melton, of MarketStreet Enterprises, the master developer for the Gulch:

"MarketStreet’s role as master developer allowed us to create and maintain a comprehensive land-use master plan, a governing document for future development. We are finalizing the fourth plan update since 2001, which features more density and a wider variety of product types."

My only concern for the Gulch, other than the economy slowing everything down to a crawl, is that it continues to be mostly for rich people only. The only affordable housing in the neighborhood remains Laurel House Lofts. Urban neighborhoods don't have to be only for rich people. You only need look at our peer cities to find that out. But in Nashville, the urban middle class is way to small and the classes on either end of the spectrum are too large.

Fun with video

2009-04-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

. . . or exposing Glen Beck for being full of it. And by it, I mean bullshit:

he's crazy (and his glasses are crooked)

2009-04-06T16:48:00.005-05:00

Glen Beck uses Nazi imagery in reference to Obama administration, right wing gun nut says, "it pales in significance compared to the vitriol aimed at President Bush by Obama and his supporters."

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Transit Race

2009-04-06T13:24:00.005-05:00

Nashville's first BRT line will be starting up later this month. However, the signal extenders that make a route truly BRT won't get going until summer. The 60 foot hybrid buses that will begin service later this month have already been seen making test-runs around town, but I haven't been able to get a picture of them yet. From The Tennessean:

"Starting in mid-April, MTA will use 60-foot hybrid-electric buses on the Gallatin Road route, which is the city's most popular with up to 100,000 passengers a month. Later this year, it will use federal economic stimulus money to upgrade passenger shelters with real-time digital readouts telling riders when the next bus will arrive."

Mayor Dean has hopes of starting up a second BRT line as soon as next year. Although, MTA is still dealing with budget cuts and could lose up to $1.8 million in the coming year's budget.

It is good to see that federal stimulus dollars are helping transit initiatives here in Nashville, but looking at what other cities are doing is simultaneously frustrating. Louisville is getting hybrid buses (some of which they already have, I believe), like Nashville, but is also getting $1.8 million to build a transit center for bicyclists which would supposedly be similar to the one in Chicago's Millennium Park. [ht http://brokensidewalk.com/]

The more we catch up, the more we fall behind, it seems.

USMNT Nashville Photos

2009-04-06T00:15:00.008-05:00

Dear USMNT:

2009-03-28T23:31:00.005-05:00

Please don't bring the same pathetic, shitty excuse for soccer to LP Field on Wednesday that you brought to El Salvador on Saturday night (and to Nashville in 2006).

I'm glad you managed to come back and salvage a tie against El Salvador. But I have been looking forward to seeing you play in Nashville since the last time you were here and were completely and totally disappointing. If you play like you did on Saturday night, it will be another disappointing Nashville appearance. Please, please, please don't do that.

I can understand going down by a goal on the road in a tough atmosphere. I can understand struggling some without Tim Howard in net. What is inexcusable is the way you played from about twenty minutes into the game till about 65 or 70 minutes into the game.

During that time you were unorganized, out hustled, Donovan disappeared, Bradley went back to making boneheaded fouls, Dempsey looked almost disinterested (one time he made a horrific turnover which created a breakaway for El Salvador and he just jogged along, making no effort to get back and help on defense) and every touch that Beasley had was nightmarishly bad. The team looked sluggish and they kept trying to jam the ball into the crowded middle of the field which continually resulted in turnovers.

Did it really take 75 minutes to make adjustments? against El Salvador? Really? And why not take Beasley or Dempsey (one of my favorites) off the field instead of Kljestan?

Maybe it was just a bad game. And it was good to see you come back and salvage a point on the road in a very tough atmosphere. That took guts and patience and heart. Sometimes it seems impossible to come back from even 1 goal down in a road qualifier against an inferior opponent who has decided to pack it in on defense. Kudos to you for solving that puzzle twice after being down 2-0.

But the last time you were here your team absolutely did not meet expectations. The game against Morocco in 2006 was a terrible foreshadowing of what was to come in the World Cup. I am hoping that Saturday night's performance is not a foreshadowing of how you will play in Nashville. You can do so much better. I and thousands of other fans will be expecting much, much, much more when you come to Nashville on Wednesday.

We will be there on Wednesday evening, will you?

It's that time of year again

2009-03-12T09:56:00.008-05:00

It's the best time of year.

After the daylight savings time change this past weekend, everyday between now and July will have more hours of daylight than the one before it. Sure, there's ice on the ground this morning, but it was 80 degrees just 48 hours ago and people were already exiting their caves and filling up bike lanes and parks across the city. Warm, sunny days are just ahead. Somewhere Springsteen's Girls In Their Summer Clothes is playing. Oh wait, that's on my IPod.

It's also the best time of year because of sports. March Madness and (hopefully for the Preds) the NHL playoffs. The return of the Boys of Summer. And pretty soon the USNT will return to LP Field for a World Cup Qualifier.

Tonight, for me, March Madness really kicks into gear. It could have before now, but both Belmont and Lipscomb lost in the semifinals of their conference tourney. So neither of them will make an NCAA appearance this year. However both MTSU's and Vandy's women's teams had great years and won their conference tourneys en route to the NCAA's.

The Preds have already been thrilling in getting back into the playoff race with a hot streak since the all-star break, including an 8-0 thumping of the hated Detroit Red Wings. That was especially sweet--even though the Pred Wing, who sits in my section and who earlier this season tried to have me kicked out of the Sommet Center for taunting him, wasn't in attendance when the Preds took the 'ugly red' waydowntown. So, tonight the Preds try to stay in the top 8 with a rare home game against the New York Rangers. They have 15 games left, a lot of them tough road games, so they need every point they can possibly get at home.

Simultaneously, Vanderbilt will be playing tonight in the SEC Tournament, against Alabama. Kevin Stallings has done another brilliant coaching job guiding the young Dores to a surprising 8-8 SEC record and what will likely be another 20 win season. Vandy is probably NIT bound if they don't cut down the nets on Sunday. But the future is bright.

The Commodores are brimming with young talent (they have no seniors on the team this year) and, I believe, are positioned to be a threat to win an SEC championship over the next couple of years. Next year they will get help where they have struggled this season: perimeter shooting. John Jenkins, a shooting guard from Station Camp High School in Gallatin, TN will join the Commodores next year. He averaged 42 points in his senior season and is a nationally touted recruit.

For now, it's the eternal hope of the conference tournament. Even though Vandy has never even made the championship game, fingers are crossed, the chance is still there. Somewhere Gene Hackman is imploring his players to pass four times before shooting. Oh wait, that's in my DVD player.

It's the best time of year.

Hybrid buses, BRT on the way for Nashville

2009-03-10T07:25:00.003-05:00

Details are coming in on how federal stimulus dollars will be spent on transit in Nashville. From the Tennesseean:

Overall, Tennessee will get a $72 million piece of a $7.5 billion stimulus pie designated for mass transit systems across the country. How much each community gets is determined by population.

The Federal Transit Administration estimated Nashville-Davidson County would get about $14 million and the Murfreesboro-Rutherford County area would receive about $2.1 million. More could come to the area if other communities do not use the money within a year.

Part of the stimulus funds will go to BRT:

About $7 million is slated to buy four new hybrid-drive buses to start a Gallatin Road route for bus rapid transit, which uses smart technology and fewer stops to reduce time. Bus shelters also would be improved along the route.

Another $4 million would be used to upgrade the MTA operations and maintenance facility on Nestor Street, a transformed aircraft factory.

RTA will use about $3.2 million to rehab one of three locomotives for the Music City Star commuter train.

Maybe we should expect more from our leaders

2009-03-09T21:51:00.010-05:00

Often times, Atlanta is held up as the example of what not to do when making decisions as a city. It is associated with bad traffic and urban sprawl--not with smart growth. But it is undeniably a place where many exciting and positive developments do happen. It is even known as, 'the city too busy to hate.' Not to advocate for any growth at all over smart growth, but perhaps Nashville should be known as, 'the city too busy planning to actually grow.'

Over the years Nashville has done a lot of studying. We've studied light rail, riverfront projects, commuter rail lines to Murfreesboro and Hendersonville, plans and proposals to develop the valuable thermal plant site (specifically the Sounds stadium development project), etc.

The Nashville Civic Design Center even published The Plan of Nashville in 2004, written by Christine Kreyling, outlining an ambitious potential vision for Nashville's future--one in which the interstate that tears through East Nashville is replaced by a tree lined boulevard which is served by multiple forms of mass transit connecting dense, walkable neighborhoods.

We even elected a mayor who proposed that we implement a BRT line (which was promptly stricken from his first budget) with an eye towards light rail for the future.

Yep, we've studied a lot of things. Talked about a lot of things. But the fact is that none of those things have ever come to reality. And that's the problem. Planning and studying for smart growth for a city means absolutely nothing if the plans never actually come to fruition. Nashville has successfully grown into a city that realizes that it needs to plan, that it needs to grow smartly. Now it needs to grow into a city that actually has the will and the means to implement those smart plans.

While we talked, envisioned, planned . . . even decided on a plan to redevelop our riverfront, other cities like Chattanooga and Louisville have actually redeveloped (and expanded) their riverfronts. While we commissioned studies on BRT and light rail lines, cities like Charlotte have actually built (and expanded) their own real-life light rail lines. While we held public meetings and even picked a specific plan to build a new minor league baseball stadium which would include parks and residential development, other cities like Memphis, Indianapolis and Louisville have actually followed through with their plans for new stadiums/development.

While Nashville has planned and studied, other cities have taken action and are currently reaping the benefits of that action. Meanwhile, it is Nashville that is often looked upon as the next Atlanta (a moniker that is probably simultaneously negative and positive).

Then there's the new convention center. You could hold that up as an example of progress that is actually becoming reality. Once again, Nashville studied and planned for the best way forward. Our Mayor even provided encouraging quotes regarding the planning of the new center: "Modern convention centers don’t have to be big boxes. They can be architecturally attractive buildings that fit into the fabric of a neighborhood."

Then the preliminary plans for the convention center were released earlier this year. All that planning and studying appears to have resulted in a big box plopped down in SoBro that goes against the advice of The Plan of Nashville and seemingly violates the city's own plan for the neighborhood of SoBro.

Again, what's the point of smart planning if that planning is ignored when it comes time to put the plan in action?

There has, admittedly, always seemed to be good reason for why things haven't gotten done in Nashville. With the Sounds development it was the former Sounds ownership and the developer who couldn't agree on the financial details of a large scale project. Mayor Purcell took a hands off approach and, as a result, Streuver Brothers, who successfully partnered with the city of Baltimore in a similar (more ambitious) redevelopment plan around Camden Yards, left Nashville with billions of dollars of unspent money in their pockets.

Mayor Purcell was definitely not a bad mayor. His term would have to be considered a successful one. And because he was at the end of his administration and was vowing to be a protector of the taxpayer dollars, he was given the benefit of the doubt when it came to the Sounds failure.

Our current Mayor, Karl Dean, has talked about implementing BRT. But when he came into office and the city was in a budget crisis, mass transit was one of the things that saw cutbacks. It was understandable because this nation is in an economic crisis.

Now, after several years and half a million dollars of studying the correct way forward on redeveloping our riverfront, Mayor Dean wants to stop and study the redevelopment process some more. And make changes (hopefully this isn't just political bickering). Again, we as a city are likely to give the benefit of the doubt as the economy IS in shambles and this is supposedly the reason that a change in course is needed on the riverfront development.

It's time for Nashville to realize some of the potential that its planning and studying and proposing suggests that it has. The original riverfront development project was an organized, well-thought-out step in that direction. More importantly it was a project that was made with citizen input and support. It is, or at least at some point was, a funded project that was ready to begin. So here's a thought--why not find a way to go with the plan that has already been decided on. Let's take a step out into the real world and see what one of these proposed plans actually looks like when shovel meets ground.

Like with Mayor Purcell, Mayor Dean seems to be a successful mayor to this point. He has guided the city through some tricky issues like the English Only vote and the Predators saga. One could argue that he has some political capital to play with, sort of like Purcell did. Maybe he, too, deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Or maybe Nashville has gotten into the habit of giving its political leaders the benefit of the doubt too often. A great city has to find its way through troubled times as well as easy ones. Are we going to abandon our ambitious plans every time there is a recession? Are we going to reverse course every time we elect a new mayor? Are we going to accept that, once a mayor gets close to the end of his term, it is okay to 'pass' on difficult issues? Are we going to continue to study things one way and take action in another way?

Or are we ready to grow into a community that demands a new level of greatness from its leaders and indeed itself?

Jindal Provides Clarity For America

2009-02-25T10:59:00.011-06:00

In the last year, two future Presidential hopefuls of the Republican party have had to share the national spotlight with President Obama and both have come away looking pretty ridiculous. First there was Sarah Palin, who is still blaming the media for her failures and embarrassments while in the spotlight.

Then last night it was Bobby Jindal's turn. His response to Obama’s speech was described, even by conservative pundits, as “amateurish.” It wasn't just his odd sing-song tone that left him falling far short of the mark that Obama set in his address to Congress. It was also the same, tired whining about tax cuts that we have heard over and over from Republicans.

Last night, MSNBC showed some clips from previous Presidential addresses which included this line from a 2001 speech from President Bush:

"I hope you will join me in standing firmly on the side of the people. You see, the growing surplus exists because taxes are too high and government is charging more than it needs. The people of America have been overcharged and, on their behalf, I am here asking for a refund."

This was met with a massive roar of approval from Republicans back in 2001. And after 8 years of giving rich people tax relief, record deficits and a horrific economic crisis, the only thing that Republicans can up with is . . . more tax cuts.

They are clinging to failed policy. It seems to be the only rebuttal they have presented to Obama's plan. If they don't get the tax cuts they want included in the stimulus bill, during a time of national emergency, their answer is simply: no. If projects are included in the stimulus that they disagree with (such as calling mass transit funding pork), then the answer is: no. That's all the Republicans seem to have left. No.

Instead of proposing their own realistic attempt at a solution to the problem, they decided to withdraw and gamble that the stimulus plan, along with the country, would completely collapse. The opportunity for, 'I told you so,' seems more important to them than the fate of the nation.

When Jindal finally got through with story time and got around to attempting to address Obama's talking points, he fell flat on his face. Obama seemingly had already answered the issues that Jindal attempted to raise:

Jindal:

"As we take these steps, we must remember for all our troubles at home, dangerous enemies still seek our destruction. Now is no time to dismantle the defenses that have protected this country for hundreds of years, or make deep cuts in funding for our troops. America's fighting men and women can do anything. If we give them the resources they need, they will stay on the offensive, defeat our enemies, and protect us from harm."

Obama, minutes earlier:

"As we meet here tonight, our men and women in uniform stand watch abroad and more are readying to deploy. To each and every one of them, and to the families who bear the quiet burden of their absence, Americans are united in sending one message: we honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice, and you have our unyielding support. To relieve the strain on our forces, my budget increases the number of our soldiers and Marines. And to keep our sacred trust with those who serve, we will raise their pay, and give our veterans the expanded health care and benefits that they have earned."

When it came to taxes, Jindal proposed what the President has already set in motion:

Jindal:

"To solve our current problems, Washington must lead. But the way to lead is not to raise taxes and not to just put more money and power in hands of Washington politicians. The way to lead is by empowering you, the American people. Because we believe that Americans can do anything.

That is why Republicans put forward plans to create jobs by lowering income tax rates for working families, cutting taxes for small businesses, strengthening incentives for businesses to invest in new equipment and hire new workers, and stabilizing home values by creating a new tax credit for home-buyers. These plans would cost less and create more jobs."

Obama, minutes earlier:

"In order to save our children from a future of debt, we will also end the tax breaks for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. But let me perfectly clear, because I know you’ll hear the same old claims that rolling back these tax breaks means a massive tax increase on the American people: if your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: not one single dime. In fact, the recovery plan provides a tax cut – that’s right, a tax cut – for 95% of working families. And these checks are on the way."

Next, it was the same 'small government' rhetoric coming from Republicans that oversaw the biggest increase in government this country has ever seen, against Obama's utterly rational explanation for his proposals:

Jindal:

"In all these areas, Republicans want to work with President Obama. We appreciate his message of hope, but sometimes it seems we look for hope in different places. Democratic leaders in Washington -- they place their hope in the federal government. We place our hope in you, the American people."

Obama, minutes earlier:

"But that does not mean we can afford to ignore our long-term challenges. I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves; that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity.

For history tells a different story. History reminds us that at every moment of economic upheaval and transformation, this nation has responded with bold action and big ideas. In the midst of civil war, we laid railroad tracks from one coast to another that spurred commerce and industry. From the turmoil of the Industrial Revolution came a system of public high schools that prepared our citizens for a new age. In the wake of war and depression, the GI Bill sent a generation to college and created the largest middle-class in history. And a twilight struggle for freedom led to a nation of highways, an American on the moon, and an explosion of technology that still shapes our world.

In each case, government didn’t supplant private enterprise; it catalyzed private enterprise. It created the conditions for thousands of entrepreneurs and new businesses to adapt and to thrive."

Jindal's speech wasn't a successful rebuttal, it seemed like more of a random afterthought--an odd footnote to Obama's potentially historic speech.

Obama's speech was a bold call to all Americans to participate in America's comeback. He was stern, but offered a bi-partisan hand. He was inspirational and genuine. He was honest, but hopeful. He seemed more Presidential than he has so far in his few months as President.

Bobby Jindal did successfully provide a stark contrast. By the end of the night there was a very clear distinction between President Obama and a Republican party without any ideas or leadership . . . or potential contenders for Obama's Presidency.

unrealistic is what a fat city needs

2009-02-24T14:22:00.007-06:00

Now is the time to get something done in mass transit for Nashville. With President Obama in office, there are now possibilities for transit funding that were not there before (especially once the economy improves). From The Transport Politic:

"The Overhead Wire suggests that the President’s proposed Livable Community initiative might provide increasing funds for streetcars and other forms of transit, but we haven’t heard much about that program so far. With the economy continuing its downward spiral, it seems likely that this won’t be high on the priority list and probably won’t be mentioned in the speech to Congress."

Then there's the stimulus money, some of which will hopefully be used toward transit in Nashville. Mayor Dean is definitely in favor of transit and it sounds like he plans to get back on track with the starter BRT line sometime soon--one way or the other. The City Paper:

“While we need to be thinking about long-term plans for mass transit on a regional level, here in Nashville Bus Rapid Transit offers the most immediate solution for enhancing our mass transit options,” Dean said. “This is a project that will be implemented in phases and we plan to start the first phase this year. We hope there will be stimulus money available for projects such as this, but we are committed to it either way.”

Governor Bredesen was always a bit cooler on mass transit when he has Nashville's mayor, but he is a cinch to be more open to it than whatever Republican is likely to take his spot--sooner or later. Admittedly, I don't know what role a governor plays in transit initiatives for individual cities.

*A streetcar travels down Church Street in downtown Nashville

Bringing streetcars (accompanied by more sidewalks) back to Nashville seems like another logical step. Perhaps if Nashville and Tennessee were thinking creatively, they might be able to use part of the stimulus funds to help with starting a streetcar line. Of course, that sort of thinking may be completely unrealistic.

But at this point, unrealistic is what is needed.

*image from Tennesse State Library and Archives

Dean of Sidewalks?

2009-02-22T22:37:00.010-06:00

From 1999 to 2007, Bill Purcell was Nashville's mayor, and he was unofficially known as the, 'sidewalks and neighborhoods mayor,' for his concentration on those issues.

So, Nashville has already had a mayor whose main concentration was sidewalks. Take a look around hyper car-centric Nashville today and that becomes a scary fact. In other words, we only got started under Mayor Purcell.

Mayor Dean came into office with a lot of issues to be addressed (the budget, the convention center, the Sounds stadium, the Predators, English only, etc.) Wouldn't it be nice if Mayor Karl Dean could be the 'sidewalks and neighborhoods mayor-plus'?

From The Tennessean:

"The mayor, an occasional cyclist himself, has added a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator to his staff and appointed a citizen advisory committee. He says it’s time to carve more sidewalks and bike lanes into the city’s 500-plus square miles.

“I just think it’s really needed,” Dean said. “It’s one part of the puzzle to making Nashville a really livable, world-class city. … People are really going to want to see these quality-of-life amenities addressed.”

The city’s current plans call for about 300 new miles of sidewalks and 400 new miles of bikeways by 2016. About 700 miles of sidewalks and 100 miles of bikeways already exist; many of them were built during former Mayor Bill Purcell’s administration after a long-term strategic plan was completed in 2003.

But Metro’s reputation could use some work. Prevention magazine said last winter that Nashville was the 444th most walkable city in the nation. Memphis was 73rd.

“We’ve accomplished a lot, but we have a long way to go,” Jim Snyder, capital improvements manager for Metro Public Works, said at the advisory committee’s first meeting Tuesday."

It's good to hear, not only of Dean's commitment to making Nashville more pedestrian friendly, but also to hear that he is thinking big:

"Metro needs to think big, Dean told his advisory group of cycling, walking, greenways and public transit enthusiasts.

“Cities have a tendency to meet expectations,” he said. “Our expectations should be high.”

Not Left Behind . . . Yet

2009-02-19T11:34:00.006-06:00

More on the high speed rail discussion . . .

It would be a mistake to use the allocated $8 billion on the wrong project, so says Yonah Freemark, over at the Transport Politic blog. And the current high speed rail map would include some of the wrong projects, while omitting some of the right ones:

"The FRA (Federal Rail Administration) also misses out on a number of opportunities that make a lot of sense: connecting Houston to the rest of the Texas network; Jacksonville to Orlando and Tampa to Cape Coral in Florida; Ft. Collins to Pueblo in Colorado; Louisville to Nashville; Cleveland to Pittsburgh; Detroit to Toledo; Savannah to Charleston; and Albany to Montréal. These lines - which would fill a number of gaps - probably aren’t included because FRA’s map does not represent a truly national system."

The good news is that the bill states that the funds can be used for lines that have not yet been included in government plans and that no final decisions have been made . . . yet:

"Final decisions about where the high-speed funds will be spent will not be made until May at the earliest; we better hope that DOT Secretary Ray LaHood is smart enough to know that his agency’s designations are not necessarily representative of the best policy for investing in American rail."

Old white GOPers cringe in anticipation

2009-02-19T09:44:00.004-06:00

Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele says he is about to go, "off the hook," with his new party strategy.

"We need messengers to really capture that region - young, Hispanic, black, a cross section ... We want to convey that the modern-day GOP looks like the conservative party that stands on principles. But we want to apply them to urban-suburban hip-hop settings."

Now if they can just get that square peg in the round hole.

Future Rulers Over Nothingness

2009-02-19T09:27:00.004-06:00

Republicans already seem to have gone, 'all in' on their stiumulus gamble: if they're right, and the entire world economy collapses because of, or despite, Obama's stimulus bill, then they will get to rule over the nothingness that remains. Or at least get to say, 'told ya so.' Nice. If they're wrong . . . well they can always go looking for another Monica Lewinsky.

So, already all in, some Republicans want to up the ante even more:

"A handful of Republican governors are considering turning down some money from the federal stimulus package, a move opponents say puts conservative ideology ahead of the needs of constituents struggling with record foreclosures and soaring unemployment.

Though none has outright rejected the money available for education, health care and infrastructure, the governors of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alaska, South Carolina and Idaho have all questioned whether the $787 billion bill signed into law this week will even help the economy."

Palin, others, worried about being forced to help those that they don't think need it:

"Barbour spokesman Dan Turner, for example, cited concerns that accepting unemployment money from the stimulus package would force states to pay benefits to people who wouldn't meet state requirements to receive them.
In Idaho, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter said he wasn't interested in stimulus money that would expand programs and boost the state's costs in future years when the federal dollars disappear _ a worry also cited by Jindal and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin."

Left Behind

2009-02-19T07:33:00.006-06:00

Kansas City, St.Louis, Indianapolis, Louisville, Charlotte, Atlanta, Macon, Birmingham, Mobile, New Orleans, Raleigh, Jacksonville, Orlando, Greeneville, Little Rock, Tulsa, Cincinnati, Columbus, Savannah, Texarkana,Toledo, Richmond, Columbia and Meridian (Mississippi).

All those cities are included on this map from the U.S. Department of Transportation as possible destinations for high speed rail. Meanwhile, the entire state of Tennessee appears to have the damn plague or something. Obviously this map is preliminary and unofficial, but hopefully Memphis and Nashville officials are ready to do some lobbying. Large, growing metro areas like Nashville deserve high speed rail service before Texarkana, Meridian, Little Rock, Mobile, Macon, and others.

Of course, that was the point of the Transport Politic's study that I posted on here. They rewrote the map, as they found that the old one was outdated and no longer logical.

***
Here's a quote from The Transport Politic's original post about how the government's map is outdated and illogical:

"Similarly, the Federal Railroad Administration has authorized the development of high-speed rail along a number of the nation’s corridors, illustrated in bold yellow in the map below. The States for Passenger Rail Coalition has recently been pushing for the development of medium-to-high-speed rail along FRA’s proposed lines. But the FRA’s vision is now decades old and the corridors it has authorized focus either on unpopulated areas - such as the route from Dallas to Texarkana - or miss obvious connections - such as between Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Neither the FRA nor the States for Passenger Rail Coalition have been active in working with Canadian authorities to consider how the two nations’ systems might function as one."

Dumbassness alive and well in America, Tennessee

2009-02-18T08:18:00.008-06:00

Eric Crafton may not be speaking Japanese to the Metro Council these days. And W may no longer be President . . .

but we still have Michelle Bachman, who told a reporter this week that she does not support Obama's stiumlus bill because we're, " running out of rich people in this country." There was more where that came from.

And we still have Limbaugh

. . . and Hannity

. . . and don't forget the Tennessee GOP, one of the most consistent racist organizations in America. Chip Saltsman would be proud.

Yes, Michelle, we may be, 'running out of rich people,' in America, but we are not running out of dumbassness.

Obama's Signature Issue

2009-02-18T07:48:00.006-06:00

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel describes an interstate high speed rail system as a signature issue for President Obama. From Politico:

"The $787.2 billion economic recovery bill — to be signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday — dedicates $8 billion to high-speed rail, most of which was added in the final closed-door bargaining at the instigation of White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel

As a candidate for president, Obama spoke of high-speed rail as part of his vision of “rebuilding America.” Campaigning in Indiana, he talked of revitalizing the Midwest by connecting cities with faster rail service to relieve congestion and improve energy conservation. “The time is right now for us to start thinking about high-speed rail as an alternative to air transportation connecting all these cities,” he said. “And think about what a great project that would be in terms of rebuilding America.”

Now the battle for right-of-ways can begin . . . but at least it can begin:

"Big hurdles remain. Critics already argue that the money is misplaced in a stimulus bill since it will be hard to spend quickly. Much depends on winning the cooperation of Class 1 freight lines that control many of the rights of way outside the Northeast.

But it is a landmark transportation investment with regional effects in almost every corner of the nation. Just last October, former President George W. Bush signed a bill authorizing up to $1.5 billion for high-speed rail through 2013. Obama’s commitment in the same period will be eight times that."

One can imagine the stimulating benefits that having high speed passenger rail service come to one's city could have. Surely being bypassed or having to wait an extra decade for it would be conversely deflating. If high speed rail comes to fruition, that could end up being Nashville's dilemma. Competitor cities of similar size such as Indy and Louisville would be in line ahead of Nashville for high speed rail, primarily because of their Midwest locales and being closer to Chicago.

The Gulch is thirteenth worldwide

2009-02-17T13:24:00.014-06:00

According to the Tennessean, my neighborhood, the Gulch, has achieved LEED certification, and is the thirteenth area worldwide to do so:

"The mixed-use neighborhood between Broadway and the interstate loop last month was awarded silver certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program. The project was recognized for its proximity to mass transit, friendliness to pedestrian traffic, dense layout, green construction techniques and other factors.

The area was the 13th neighborhood worldwide to have achieved LEED certification under the program, which is in its pilot phase."

My only gripe: I live in Laurel House Lofts and I like to run from there up 11th Avenue to Division Street and on to Music Row on a regular basis. There are a few surface lots (waiting on the economy to recover so they can be developed) in between my building and Division Street, where ICON and Sambuca and Mercury View and everything are. That's fine for now, except that the lots are used by valet parking companies. So, we have these nice, wide, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks with baby trees and benches and the LEED certification and everything.

But.

The valet company likes to park the grossly oversized SUV's that their customers drive with their bumpers hanging so far over the sidewalk that there is barely room for two pedestrians to pass eachother while also avoiding the tree in the middle of the walk. By doing this, the valets can fit more cars into the lots. And make more money.

But it isn't very pedestrian-friendly, certainly not on a LEED certified level.
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Here's a link to the list of the certified neighborhoods. We're in there with Beijing's Olympic Village. Impressive Company. I think.