rob,
It’s weird to see happening since we are so used to seeing everything grow and prosper in the USA,
but history is full of cities that have come and gone,
they just uncovered one in the Amazon jungle that they think my be the City of Gold, El Dorado.
I think Rome was a ghost town for a period in the Dark Ages.
They say living in a declining civilization isn’t so bad though, if that’s what we’re in for.
I’ve been to Detroit and it’s creepy: abandoned skyscrapers with broken windows in the heart of downtown that have been sitting empty, in some cases, since the 1967 riots. I guess some people are basically homesteading now, and that may in fact serve to turn the city around, but it’s all got a very post-apocalyptic feel to it.
It reminds me of what some parts of New York looked like in the 1970s, and what might have become of New York City as a whole as well, but didn’t for the most part (although instead, we’ve got incredible stratification where the rich and upper middle class revived select portions of the city, while others in outlying areas of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx still live in staggering poverty — the latter fact being something we sometimes forget here on brownstoner).
everything legion said about detroit is true except for the last part. unfortunately the city of detroit is doing nothing to make any of that happen.. ingrained corrupt politics often the cause of keeping detroit from changing. they really love their status quo, and unfotunately it’s that attitude which keeps it from transforming into anything remotely positive.
Rob, become a proofreader. You already like to read and mention books a lot; there are people who subsist (not very well) on this but for your second income it would be fine. you do need to learn proofreader’s marks though and might need to take class….
there was a big cover story on Detroit late last year in Time magazine.
it’s sort of a new problem we find ourselves in these days.
Entire cities that have lost their driving force or reason for being.
Detroit has lost about half it’s population since the 1970’s and that trend is making it a test case for urban renewal and planning in the 21st century.
There’s talk of reducing the city limits to allow for maintenance of basic services like police and sanitation.
it’s just too big to manage the space with the shrinking resources and tax base.
There’s talk of razing outlying areas and going back to agriculture or industry that can use the land effectively.
Houses in Detroit are available below cost but it’s a city that is in the midst of an entire re-structuring.
I cannot tell a lie,
that was jester’s idea about the proof reading. 😉
rob,
It’s weird to see happening since we are so used to seeing everything grow and prosper in the USA,
but history is full of cities that have come and gone,
they just uncovered one in the Amazon jungle that they think my be the City of Gold, El Dorado.
I think Rome was a ghost town for a period in the Dark Ages.
They say living in a declining civilization isn’t so bad though, if that’s what we’re in for.
“I don’t see why you have to focus on what you perceive to be useless, negative discussion or something you’re not interested in (sex). :-P”
Sex? Did someone say sex?? ; )
I’ve been to Detroit and it’s creepy: abandoned skyscrapers with broken windows in the heart of downtown that have been sitting empty, in some cases, since the 1967 riots. I guess some people are basically homesteading now, and that may in fact serve to turn the city around, but it’s all got a very post-apocalyptic feel to it.
It reminds me of what some parts of New York looked like in the 1970s, and what might have become of New York City as a whole as well, but didn’t for the most part (although instead, we’ve got incredible stratification where the rich and upper middle class revived select portions of the city, while others in outlying areas of Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx still live in staggering poverty — the latter fact being something we sometimes forget here on brownstoner).
legion, i like the proof reader idea!
*rob*
everything legion said about detroit is true except for the last part. unfortunately the city of detroit is doing nothing to make any of that happen.. ingrained corrupt politics often the cause of keeping detroit from changing. they really love their status quo, and unfotunately it’s that attitude which keeps it from transforming into anything remotely positive.
*rob*
Rob, become a proofreader. You already like to read and mention books a lot; there are people who subsist (not very well) on this but for your second income it would be fine. you do need to learn proofreader’s marks though and might need to take class….
Park Sloper,
there was a big cover story on Detroit late last year in Time magazine.
it’s sort of a new problem we find ourselves in these days.
Entire cities that have lost their driving force or reason for being.
Detroit has lost about half it’s population since the 1970’s and that trend is making it a test case for urban renewal and planning in the 21st century.
There’s talk of reducing the city limits to allow for maintenance of basic services like police and sanitation.
it’s just too big to manage the space with the shrinking resources and tax base.
There’s talk of razing outlying areas and going back to agriculture or industry that can use the land effectively.
Houses in Detroit are available below cost but it’s a city that is in the midst of an entire re-structuring.
Wasn’t Abe Vigoda in that Superbowl commercial with betty White???