Monthly Archives: February 2012

Urban/Suburban Planning & Crime

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

Most of the elements that neo-traditional urban planners—also called “Transit Oriented Design (TOD), New Urbanism, Walkable Communities, Smart Growth and Sustainable Communities”—want to see established and enforced in the Sacramento region, will lead to more crime, as this article from … Continue reading →

Posted in demographics, Public Safety

World’s Scientists Continue Cooling to Global Warming

Posted on February 28, 2012 by

And the reason for that is the continuance of articles—and facts—such as this from the Wall Street Journal. An excerpt. “The interest generated by our Wall Street Journal op-ed of Jan. 27, “No Need to Panic about Global Warming,” is … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmentalism, History, Politics

Mass Transit that Pays for Itself

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

That is the message—finally—that this article from Governing Magazine largely expresses and it is a long overdue and very welcome one; though the final mention of “treating transportation as a single network rather than considering highways, transit and other modes … Continue reading →

Posted in demographics, Economy, Environmentalism, Transportation

Failing Downtowns

Posted on February 24, 2012 by

Sacramento’s downtown has been a failure—empty buildings, horrible design elements, unsafe at night, agressive panhandlers and the raging mentally ill by day, and grungy all the time—for decades. So have many downtowns in Florida, the subject of this article from New Geography, … Continue reading →

Posted in demographics

Restoring Hetch Hetchy

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

This is such a no-brainer as it will allow one of the most wonderful wilderness valleys in the world to be recovered—though it is worth mentioning that the current lake setting is also magnificent and will be lost—but the water … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmentalism, Parks, Water

High Speed Rail

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

It is a project of national importance that should be funded by the federal government, just as it funds large dams and other major infrastructure projects that impact the national ability to conduct business, transport its people and protect them … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Government, Transportation

Helping Parks

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

In this story from the Sacramento Bee about the grocery chain that has stepped up to keep public swimming pools open, is the larger realization that bringing the private sector—forprofit and nonprofit corporations—into the arena to help with public facilities that … Continue reading →

Posted in ARPPS, Government, Nonprofit Management, Parks

Homelessness & Camp Pollock

Posted on February 17, 2012 by

As the Sacramento Bee reported yesterday, the people wanting to create a permanent tent/cottage city for the homeless in Sacramento have identified two parcels adjacent to the Parkway—one for future consideration being Camp Pollack and one close by they have … Continue reading →

Posted in Homelessness, Public Safety

Lighting the Parkway

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

Common sense indicates that well lighted parks are safer after dark, though the actual research points towards a fairly small statistical difference, but even increasing the sense of safety will increase usage, and that in itself will increase public safety. … Continue reading →

Posted in Homelessness, Parks, Public Safety

Building Dams in California

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

An article from the Stockton Record notes the yeoman’s work Congressman Tom McClintock is engaged in to bring some reason to the long delayed dam building need for our fair state, blessed with plenty of water but too few dams … Continue reading →

Posted in Environmentalism, Government, Shasta Auburn Dam