Second Check...summary of eminent domain...

I think issues that are going on all over the city could pertain to eminent domain...most importantly right now and how by Division and Clark there are low income housing that is being taken down to make room for a new area or extension of an area in Cabrini Greens....I was having trouble a bit trying to find more information as well as truly being able to understand what exactly is eminent domain. I don't know if I truly understand what it is, but I think or believe that it is when for instance a government agency or another agency tries to move or buy property to get rid of an unwanted person in the area. That is what I think Cabrini Green is doing to the residents who are from low income families. Trying to kick them out of their homes and make them move. The fact remains that if the families move out of their area where will they go and what will become of them?

Second Check..discussion of classmates blog...

I really liked reading Nicole H's blog pertaining to her reflection of the "Uncool Cities" article that we read about a couple or few weeks ago. How she talked about her ideas on what the author was trying to say about the article itself. I do believe that there is a truth behind the idea that we need to learn how to survive and then go from there. That in that respect we do have a right to learn about what is going on in our own neighborhoods, cities, and or even states. That there are troubles that will always being going on and it is our responsibility to learn how to adapt to our changing troubles and then kind of move on to the next set of problems that one might face. I just think that her blog can give a new perspective to the whole idea of cities as a whole.

Second Blog check...Community Building to me.....

Community building to me is a way for the community to build up itself and the persons living in the community. Whether that is by having a garden planted by the persons living in that area. By having a pot luck night at a local community venue, the point is that a community builds itself up with the persons in the community. One can not have in my mind a community building without anybody trying to build up the community. Those two ideas have to go hand in hand.

Community building is another way to improve the area one lives in. That can be done by lets say a building in the area needs renovations and everyone in the community is going to help out by painting a wall, or an outside door and so on....

Other community buildings could be informational issues, such as letting a person know about a certain health issue that could readily affect them or someone they might very well know.

Some of the community organizations that are helping to build in Chicago or at least in the Chicago land area are for example CDC. While yes they help in the entire world they are also set up in every large city to help make sure persons living in that city are able to get, talk to and receive information that can be pregnant to some one's health. Another Chicago land organization that is building community are also non profit, for example those Near Northwest Neighborhood Network, where this organization has decided to help out the community by letting people know about housing that is available, jobs that a person might be able to fill and community safety and activities for the youth in the area to be involved with instead of doing things one could possibly regret later on in life. All of those are ways the community is building itself to be better in the city of Chicago. Like i said, a city can not have community building projects or community building in the slightest without the persons willing to put in the work to help the community. In all both community and persons go hand in hand and as along as there are people wanting to help in a community those communities will always for the most part be able to have community buildings and organizations dedicated to helping out the community around them. It is just up to everyone to lend a hand and contribute.

Second Check....Discussion of Article 18 in text...!!

First off I want to say that I would have to agree with the statement made by Jane Jacobs, "that cities are for people." In the same breath that statement makes me think though cities are for people, people needs big businesses, bankers, persons to make a city run. Otherwise without those same things in a city, making that city run, it is not a city then. For example, the city of Chicago has many highways that run right through the city. It also has many different aspects to this city that I am sure people would not like to happen to a city. The truth it that city life needs upgrades, technological advances to help to make the city work better. Though some upgrades are not good for a city they are just a way for some top notch CEO's to get more money. Some are worth the advance in technology.....

After reading the section on how Jacobs believed how cities should have street corner stores not chain stores. The only problem with that, I know some might not agree with me is that some chain stores are not that bad. Take Walgreen's or CVS stores for instances, those same stores help families save money with their prescriptions plus allow people to be able to buy things that they would need. Those same things then are universal at all of the chain stores instead of having to take a chance and guess where one could find a particular item. Some small non chain stores are nice but some chain stores try to help and give back to the community.

Though yes it seems like Jacobs was a very influential person in that time period....Jacobs seemed like she liked to see less chance in those same neighborhoods. Some change is a necessity and is needed to make good things happen. More importantly I think that change will happen continuously because technology improves. Only when technology improves then one will see how everything improves.

Someone who is addressing urban issues and talking about those same issues are politicians trying to discuss issues that are damaging to the population and the persons in out Sociology class. We are all discussing issues of urban society.

Second Check....Reflection on Joel Kotkin's Uncool Cities!!

I must agree with the end of the article saying how, "political leaders must realise that great cities need schools for families, transport that works, jobs for the middle and the aspiring working classes" says Joel Kotkin. I believe this to be true because in order for a city to be able to grow and be successful in it's own right there have to be fundamental things that work for that city, like buses to be able to go to and from work and the grocery store for necessary things that a family would need. Take for example the city of Chicago, Chicago has its own problems like crime, but one thing this city always will have is public transportation for people to use and this city has schools and most of the school in the city of Chicago are good schools that provide a good instruction for their students to learn in.

My last point is how persons will run from cities that are to busy trying to build a society based on new end industry type things....People don't want to have just non essential things in their area. People want museums to be able to learn art and show that to their children at a non expensive price. People want to be able to go out and enjoy life, i.e. eat out, see movies, travel to new areas for shows whether it is for a live show or not. People don't always want new condos being put up at every new block. Most importantly people want their city to stay a city and place where their children can grow and learn and experience life and the life around them. People do not want a city that is based like an industry, for example I Robot. In that movie technology and industry won over cities and people were not allowed to live a life like normal people should because of what industry did with the new technology and that same technology took people's fun, power for life and choices away. That is the perfect example for this reflection on what people would not want versus what they would want to have in their lives.

Second Blog Check...Entry of my choosing....text entry...!!

I travel there and everywhere....
I talk with and sit next to new and exciting people....

When I am out this place never sleeps.....
There are no open or closing hours to speak off.....
One can find a coffee place, burger bar, bar, etc...anywhere.

People love to dance and make their mark....
Boys and girls make their beats out on those streets...

We have lots of schools to choose from....
we all can make their mark in this world,
they learn in many different forms...

There is always talll and short building....
railways, trains, buses and cars....
This is our place....This is my place....
This place is the city that never sleeps.....
No it is not New York....this is Chicago!!!

Second Check...Entry of my own...None text...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5jzFICVSBM


"The City", Theme song...

I was unable to put this song on the actual blog...but I did include the song website....I think this song depicts any city very well. Everyone feels differently when the moon is out, everyone is getting ready to go out and have a good time. This song reminds me of how much Chicago loves to have a good time. Also, this song reminds me how we live in one of the cities in America where the city never sleeps. Chicago is a lively city, an upbeat city, diverse city and most of all Chicago is our city to live in and party in....!!!!