10 responses to “What’s Wrong With This Map?”

1. 

   D. King

   22 September 2011

   With the government takeover of student loans…
   It’s so corrupt George, so corrupt!

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2. 

   Russ Steele

   22 September 2011

   Very insightful map. We were in Omaha a few weeks ago and the place was booming, we did not see any foreclosure signs, few houses for sale, no boarded up shops, car dealers lots full, new Cabelas opening, new construction, etc. According to a Wire article Omaha has remade itself in to the cultural center of the mid-west, attracting young and old a like. When we lived there in the 1970s, downtown Omaha at night was a dead zone. According to Wired, it is now alive at night, with bars, clubs, and restaurant. Companies are be lured to Omaha by the expanding highly educated work force.
   Now, compare with what is happening in California. Gov. Jerry Brown will sign legislation this morning authorizing the state to raise $200 million more from utility rate-payers to subsidize the installation of photovoltaic solar panels on homes and small businesses, and also extending the Public Utility Commission’s authority to collect $83 million annually from ratepayers for similar projects.
   The bills are supported by the green-energy industry but opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce, which said the increased cost would burden businesses.
   Right, why would the graduates of our fine Universities stay in California when there are places like Omaha, Charleston and Boston. I have written before about the companies that moved or expanded in Utah.

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3. 

   Douglas Keachie

   22 September 2011

   Because the map makes no allowances for the ages of those with college degrees, we have no way of knowing what the demographics really mean, in terms of the local economies. Are they workers, or retirees? Did they move from downtown Boston to the suburbs, or are these cross country moves? Also, without knowing the numbers of degreed persons in the rest of the country, and the locations from where the influxes are coming, and how many in real numbers are coming, we are further in the dark.
   “The bills are supported by the green-energy industry but opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce, which said the increased cost would burden businesses.”
   Currently businesses are untiered, and pay far less than the homeowners per kilowatt. It’s about time for them to share the hit.

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4. 

   Russ Steele

   22 September 2011

   Douglas,
   What difference does it make where these smart people came from, these communities are attracting the nations best and brightest and California communities are not doing that and we need to understand why? Those communities with the best and brightest will be where tomorrows products are envisioned and produced. The communities that are not attracting the best and brightest will soon become intellectual backwaters and the impact on the local economy will growing like a bad cancer. In Nevada County we attracted many middle life engineers with some great ideas, which resulted in many of our applied technology companies. We need to continue to attract fresh brains to Nevada County. The question is why are they not coming to Nevada County like they have in the past? Telestream needs to expand, but will have to do it else where, as they cannot recruit the required brain power. Why? We really need to know, our future technology sector depends on attracting fresh brain power.

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5. 

   stevenfrisch

   22 September 2011

   I think the answer is simple if you really look.
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_class
   http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/1000492_tech_and_tolerance.pdf
   http://www.creativecities.org/VI%20exec%20summary%20071811.pdf
   There is an entire rural movement based on the idea of the rise of the creative class, and specific strategies that work to to attract creative class people.
   In short, we are failing in every major area except one–access to recreation and outdoor activities.

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6. 

   Russ Steele

   22 September 2011

   Larry Burkhardt, the first ERC CEO was the one who introduce me to Richard Florida and his creative class economic development theories. Larry had heard him speak at an economic development conference. I bought copies of Florida’s books for the ERC CEOs that followed Larry, but got little traction. Major community deficiencies are the lack of a four year university and an active night life for young people.

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7. 

   RL Crabb

   22 September 2011

   Interesting stuff about the creative class and migration trends. Back in 1972 I moved to Atlanta with a few musician friends. Atlanta was THE happening place for music back then. (Allman Bros. Lynyrd Skynyrd) Ted Turner’s “superstation” was just getting off the ground. Jimmy Carter had displaced Governor Lester Maddox and the old south image.
   Then in 1990 I lived in Seattle. It was in the middle of another big music scene, there were many opportunities for cartoonists, and microsoft was just really kicking into gear.
   Both places were very inspirational for me. It helps to be around all that creativity. In fact, I might have stayed in Seattle but for family obligations. I could’a been a contender, or else eaten by banana slugs.

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8. 

   Douglas Keachie

   23 September 2011

   “We need to continue to attract fresh brains to Nevada County. The question is why are they not coming to Nevada County like they have in the past? Telestream needs to expand, but will have to do it else where, as they cannot recruit the required brain power. Why? We really need to know, our future technology sector depends on attracting fresh brain power. ”
   My guess would be that we have not hit critical mass size. An engineer looking to uproot and come here has good schools and recreation galore, but should the company prove not to be friendly afterall, how many additional opportunities are here? Now you have to uproot the family, sell the house in a difficult market, etc.
   Hi quality rentals in wooded settings would help, but I don’t see those up here. Down in Sacramento relative lives in a very spacious 1 bedroom in a garden & tree setting with pool and spa, gated, for around $900/month. Elegant and cozy, fireplace, peacocks and turkeys, she’s comfortable not buying a house.

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9. 

   Douglas Keachie

   23 September 2011

   BTW, if as a country, it’s every state for themselves, a tremendous amount of resources will be wasted, get a plant to move from here to there, with no increases in exports, no net additional income and improvement in trade balance.

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10. 

    George Rebane

    23 September 2011

    DougK 948pm – that was the same argument used by the commissars as the basis for having just one shoe factory, just one kitchenware factory, just one tire factory, just one … in a very large geographical region. The ideologues in the USSR could just not fathom the benefit to society of two trucks, both loaded with shoes, heading in opposite directions on any given highway – such waste. And therefore it was eliminated.
    This thinking has clearly survived the Fall of the Wall.

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