Lantern Walk Obama at UC

We just returned from the Clifton Lantern Walk and on the way back we saw the line going into Nippert Stadium to see Obama. The line zigzagged all through campus past Morgan and Scioto Hall down MLK, back into campus around the Business School, then back out and up MLK to Clifton and all the way up Clifton Avenue. That is a line at least a mile long. There is no way all those people will be able to get into the stadium.

Westwood Halloween

 

Mass Transit Consequences

I am a big fan of mass-transit. I would love to see the city lay some light rail, and the streetcar seems to be a pretty cool idea. I know it is considered one of those "city" ideas, but I never understood why folks in the 'burbs would not be more behind it. Being able to take light rail to and from work seems like a brilliant idea to me. I spent 3 months working in Osaka, Japan, and using the subway to commute is one of my favorite memories. Now obviously Cincinnati is a smaller city, but I still like the idea.

Here is the kind of post that might be the source of some of the fear. Stephen Dubner (co-writer of Freakonomics) posted about some unintended consequences on the Freakonomics blog. He is blogging about an article in Riverfront Times.

His conclusion:

If the incoming President can find the money, there will surely be renewed efforts to expand public transit in a lot of cities.

There are obvious gains: environmental, less road congestion, fewer accidents, etc. But if St. Louis’s experience is at all indicative, there might also be at least one unintended consequence worth thinking about.

It is interesting to read some of the comments posted on this. I think Public Policy is often implemented without sufficient consideration of unintended consequences, but to use this as a rationale to not implement better mass transit misses out on a ton of positives, imho.

What are your thoughts?

Continuum of Care for Homeless

Interesting Article in Streetvibes about Roxanne Qualls' initiative to re-structure services to the homeless:

The goal is a major overhaul...

“The recommended plan must not look like the current shelter and service delivery system,” ... “We are not seeking to achieve minor reform. Rather, the Continuum of Care should use this opportunity to plan for homeless individuals by starting with a ‘blank slate’ and designing from the ground up a new system that would substantially decrease the number of homeless persons requiring shelter services each night.”

...the plan could include “a safe haven, more shelter for single women, additional substance-abuse services including housing, housing that would target specific sub-populations, a de-concentration of the Drop Inn Center and a statement of need for more permanent supportive housing.”

The goals are ambitious...

“The plan should result in a national model that guarantees the highest standards of care for the homeless …