For Second Check.......What it means for Chicago not to hold the 2016 Olympics!!!

First off though it would be very interesting and cool for the city of Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics, I think that it is better that we are not hosting the games in 2016. My reasoning for this is as follows:

First, there would have to be buildings developed in order to house all of the contestants. Where exactly would those building go? There is over crowding in much of the city. Building are already close together and many homes do not already have backyards. The areas that do or would provide adequate room have trees, and flowers and beautiful space that I am sure not many people would want to give up so freely.

Not to mention that traffic will increase terribly. Most of the people in the Chicago land area have bad road rage, hosting the games will make cab drivers as well as anyone else on the road more angry. Second, there is the issue of overcrowding. I mentioned already how there would have to be building built in order to house everyone. There is not much space in Chicago to move around freely. Building more housing complexes would make this already crowed city more crowed.

Then there are taxes. Most don't like to allow tax increases when it comes to children in schools who need books, desks, etc.... Does one actually think that the people of Chicago are going to want a large increase of taxes for the paying of the housing complexes, to pay for the contractors, electricians and pave roads. The increase in taxes is going to be something that Chicago and the suburbs are going to have to pay for.

Third, I do not know about anyone else. I know that in the Chicago land area we have enough traffic, enough persons mad about anything and everything wrong with the city that can not be changed. I like our city just the way it is.....I like to be able to take the train into the city and not have to worry about not having access to the road or where I want to go because the contestants are training and doing whatever it is that contestants do..... I like to be able to enjoy my city and live a nice life coming to the city and leaving the city in the already bad traffic. Not hosting the 2016 games allows me to do more of that, enjoy life.

Discussion of Census Forms and Questions

On the U.S. Census I decided to answer number 1:

1.) Why do you think "Indians not taxed" were an exception in the instructions on enumeration?

Answer: I believe that the way they wanted to embrace the Indians was to only be able to count them as humans and part of the population was if the Indians were being part of the white society. If the Indians go into the white world, be part of the white culture then that is the only way the Indians would be included into the population census.

4.) What is your overall sense about the likelihood of achieving accuracy on these forms for counting and gathering data about the population?

Answer: I believe that while these forms and ways for gathering data are nice and have many attributes for why we do them, I believe that they have just as many faults. Persons would be happy to lie about their status because of fear of being caught by immigration. I also think that the idea behind why we do a Census every ten years is a really good thing. It allows a city to understand how and why it is growing as well as what makes the population grow. Could it be the environment, families want more pace and more of a quiet life? These kinds of questions can always give a society more information on a culture and what cultures do. I just think there need to be better questions asked on the Census for those same persons in fear of answering honestly.

Reflections and Impressions on Websites.

In the first website I looked at entitled revealing Chicago I thought the pictures were nice, interesting and pretty but to be honest they didn't really stand out. I can say my favorite picture was the one of Lake Shore Drive where it meets Sheridan Road. That picture was pretty and nice and I think it does captivate the city really well but for the most part those pictures did not motivate me to want to take pictures of the city. I believe a picture one states should be motivated as well as breath taking to some degree by the picture taker.

The second website I looked at entitled picturing Chicago was a great site. I love it. Just looking at the album entitled North Shore North Side was diverse and culturally interesting. It was not just pictures of people, places, trees, or empty buildings but rather it was pictures of signs attached to building in black and white. I love black and white. I think it makes the building or picture itself more full of imagination for the viewer. The pictures show a culture and the people who live in that culture. I believe to the fullest that is the way pictures should be taken in a society and city. Especially one as big, full and diverse as Chicago. This site makes me want to go out and take pictures to see what my city has to offer.

The last website I didn't really enjoy either. I felt it was to bland and boring. There was not imagination and or intrigue to make a person want to look at what they have to offer.

Discussion of Classmates blog...!!

I read Nicole's blog posting talking about her second city, how she feels that she has a second city. I thought it was very interesting and exciting to see how she compares the facts between Mesa and Chicago. How Chicago is a fast paced city and Mesa is more slow. Where in Mesa the city dwellers tend to enjoy their day and talk to other people not worrying about the businesses of the day and in Chicago everyone is so busy going about their day that no one stops to just enjoy it. I would have to completely agree with Nicole. I have never been to Mesa, but I find it more interesting how she feels like these two cities that are totally far apart have so much in common.

I think her blog approaches the subject of cities because through the many different cities and comparing those same cities with the people who run around in them doing their daily activities we all can learn how cities have changed. By learning how cities have changed and what we can do to better them we can help improve the dynamic of the way cities are made.

Do I agree or disagree with Richard Florida's arguement as stated in Article 9?

I believe that Richard Florida has many good and valid points that he makes about the creative class. He mentions how, "the creative class wants to be in a place where there is diversity, lots to do, places to be and see while still being about to be who they are without depriving themselves of something in the process." I believe that to be true.

Though a city itself can strive for greatness, greatness does not always come to those who strive for it just because they want it bad enough. Persons especially those with power have to be willing to make changes. Like for example, instead of spending precious money on things that may not be wanted that much, like expensive stadiums for instance one can spend it on things to do in the area that will attract creative people to want to work and live in the area. Without those things no one is going to want to be with that job. A person is going to choose a job that is fun, with lots to do outside of work to be creative with. A person gets much of their creativity from their lives and their everyday activities. How will a person be able to use that creative genius if they live in a place with nothing much to offer?

The fact is that they won't be able to prosper. Cities that have been unable to get creative people to want to live in their city have done all the damage to themselves and their cities as a whole because they are unwilling to except what creative people want in their city. The political people in charge believe that people in the creative class want lots of things that deal with sports in their town, because of sports that will be the attraction that gets the creative class to come and stay when it fact it pushed persons father away says, Richard Florida.

I have to agree with most if not all of what he is saying. I am getting closer to graduation, probably within the next year in a half or so maybe less and I even have been thinking about where I want to work and live for my future. I can say this without a doubt I would not want to live in a city where there is no diversity, people being able to live how they want, where they want. I love the fact that cities that are good have lots to do and so much more to offer then just a place to live. Chicago does a great job in being a place where creative people can grow and prosper.

One interesting thing wrote, either poem or picture....Deals with city.

I love walking through the area seeing all the buildings.
There's so much to do, so many friends be hanging.
People conversate with multiple nationalities.
Going here and there and everywhere in small and big yellows moving mobiles.

There are police officials, teachers, students and home business owners.
Mothers, sisters, dads and children all walking side by side.
You can live high in the sky or low to the ground.

The night life is always alive, whether it be at the bar at the concert or in a ballfeild.
Everyone visits here at least once in their life.
Traffic always sucks.
Yes it's a city, It's my city.

Discussion of article "Gentrification", from internet readings for September 17.

Upon reading this article entitled "Gentrification", by Tom Slater I was sort of confused. I was a little like what is exactly going on and if I can figure out exactly what is Gentrification? I have an idea of what the article was talking about, which is basically how the business developers have found a way to push or move people from poor neighboring cities which have slummed a little bit to become better and bigger if the developers can just move the poor out of the way.

The article seems to imply that in order to make these cities better and improve them with business is to replace the old wit the new. Which means in a sense that one has to get rid of the bad, old and stuff that does not belong and replace it with new homes, businesses and ideas that would then bring more people and possibly a better class of persons into an area. In order to do this, those same persons who have not had a place to go before still will not have a place to go when Gentrification begins. The poor/lower middle class will be disbursed and left without possibly a place to live. With that said, if one does not have a place to live some could possibly loose their jobs because of Gentrification taking place in their area.

If one starts to think about the neighborhoods who have people who live there that are poorer, and Gentrification starts those same people might not want to leave and this can cause a fight/riots or disagreements. Persons starting these fights, riots and when that happens the police tend to get involved. That causes an increase in violence, criminals and brutality. When Gentrification happens more people tend to get arrested and put into the jail system. This causes a higher rate of people that could be unable to get a jobs because of felonies and the end result is that those same people will have no place to go. That number of people can rise substantially. The process just repeats itself in Gentrification. It may repeat itself in the same area in some way shape or form or it may move from one area to another. That is what I believe to be some what true when I think of how Gentrification can affect some one's lives.