Urban Issues

The Coming Collapse of the Developing World

48979218166_3987a3bbee_h.jpg

In Europe, North America, Oceania and East Asia, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a tragic, wrenching experience, creating more depressed and divided societies. Yet, as we have been gazing obsessively at our own problems, a spectre infinitely worse is emerging in the most populous, fastest growing and least resilient parts of the world.

Covid has caused a deep crisis in the already suffering developing world, which contains nearly half of all humanity. And this will have serious implications for the future of the world economy and political order.  read more »

Millennials Are a Lot Less Progressive Than You Think

young-couple-watching-sunset.jpg

Millennials have long been cast as the great progressive hope, or "New Progressive America: The Millennial Generation," as one study would have it.  read more »

International Traffic Congestion Extinguished by Pandemic and Remote Work

DFW DTN.PNG

The 2020 TomTom Traffic Index reflects a huge drop in worldwide urban traffic congestion levels. Congestion levels (rated by the percentage of additional time required for auto travel during “rush hour”) dropped in 387 urban areas while increasing in only 13.  read more »

California Fleeing

california-aerial.jpg

Some longtime Californians view the continued net outmigration from their state as a worrisome sign, but most others in the Golden State’s media, academic, and political establishment dismiss this demographic decline as a “myth.” The Sacramento Bee suggests that it largely represents the “hate” felt toward the state by conservatives eage  read more »

The Toxic Progressive Left

chinatown.jpeg

Baizuo definition from Urban Dictionary:

"Baizuo (白左, White Leftists) is a popular Mainland Chinese term coined for a specific subset of Westerners who are despised by most Chinese for their pretentiousness, hypocritical behavior and an overbearing sense of entitlement.  read more »

Record Low Congestion Levels – Seattle, LA, San Francisco: The 2021 Urban Mobility Report

TRIBOROUGH_BRIDGE_EXCHANGE_PLAZA_ON_RANDALL'S_ISLAND._-_Triborough_Bridge,_Passing_through_Queens,_Manhattan_and_the_Bronx,_Queens_(subdivision),_Queens_County,_NY_HAER_NY,41-QUE,2-21_(cropped).jpg

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute has released its 2021 Urban Mobility Report, which provides traffic data for the pandemic year of 2020. Throughout much of the year, traffic congestion fell materially. This is confirmed by the 2021 Travel Time Index, which the report defines as the “The ratio of travel time in the peak period to travel time at free‐flow conditions. A Travel Time Index of 1.30 indicates a 20‐minute free‐flow trip takes 26 minutes in the peak period.”  read more »

The New Labor Crisis in the Biggest Opportunity in a Generation

now-hiring_by-Marco-Verch.jpg

The COVID-19 pandemic has left pain and tragedy in its wake. But it has also created a unique opportunity to address the country's persistent class divides, thanks to a persistent lack of labor resulting from the pandemic.  read more »

Housing Psychographics

housing-living-room.jpg

Last week I got a call from young friends who wanted my opinion on whether or not to buy a particular house. It was a simple two bedroom one bath 943 square foot (87 square meter) cottage that was built in 1895. The location was in a fashionable small semi rural town in Sonoma north of San Francisco. It was on the market for $600,000. I said I couldn’t make that choice for them, but I could give them my interpretation of the pros and cons.  read more »

Will Progressives Learn from the Cities?

New_york_times_square-terabass.jpg

After a year of violence and unrest, large American cities serve as a cautionary tale for the progressives in Washington who want to move the country further to the left.  read more »

Fully Oligarchic Luxury Socialism

homeless.jpg

What happens in California matters well beyond its borders. The Golden State’s cultural and technological influence on America, and the world, now could provide the nation’s next political template.  read more »