Since I Disappeared. . .
Submitted by Internazionale on Mon, 10/08/2007 - 9:32am
A lot has happened since I disappeared from this site, which I enjoyed reading, posting, and commenting on from the springtime when I discovered this wonderful forum of people and their ideas.
I landed a great job in Chapel Hill, and I'm trying to sell my house in Forsyth County, which means I'm commuting 65 mins one way each day. So much for blogging time, and a lot of other things,for that matter.
So I thought I'd check in with you guys on a rare day off with some random thoughts.
First, for a guy who spent six years in Asheville, Chapel Hill is like a breath of fresh air after the last nine years spent in the Triad. It's good to be back in the majority, at least during my work day. It's not remarkable that I have an Obama sticker on my car or that I'm driving a Civic hybrid or that I say, "Neither," when offered paper or plastic. Very refreshing. . .but my wife and I have a theory about the places we've lived: as soon as we leave, they get really cool. I don't know if that says more about the places we've lived or about the two of us (malcontents, perhaps?).
Second, I'm getting really depressed about politics again, especially on a national level. It really feels like members of Congress, and particularly the leadership----that's YOU, Pelosi and Reid----are more about majority preservation and expansion and not leadership in a time of war (I say we can have both!!!). They want to go after Rush Limbaugh to tit the GOP's MoveOn tat, and they won't ever seriously consider defunding this awful enterprise that the War Criminal-in-Chief has mounted. It's all become a perverse joke, tugging at the heartstrings of their respective bases while every year, hundreds die and thousands are maimed. Why can't we stand while the GOP wallows?
Third, I'm getting just as depressed about the presidential race. Nobody's ever paid attention to national polls, but I'm afraid this year's early start to the campaign and unprecedented money grab have degenerated this campaign into a mass media horserace. I still have faith in the folks of Iowa and New Hampshire to stop the Hillary/Rudy anointing and have a fair fight on the ground---because if you believe the airwaves, the primaries are just a necessary evil to get us to a Subway Series next year.
I know this is very light reading compared to what the rest of you are doing right now, so I apologize for that. I just wanted to let you know that I still read all of your stuff and that I miss you.
Peace.
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Welcome back!
It's great to have you in Chapel Hill and back on BlueNC. Even if we'll have to agree to disagree about who we want to stomp Hillary!!!
One of the pitfalls of childhood is that one doesn't have to understand something to feel it. - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Thanks, Robert
I keep thinking I'll run into you when I'm out somewhere in CH during the day. I'm looking for a guy with a beard (that narrows it down--haha!).
I saw Edwards on MTP yesterday, and he looked better than ever. No, I don't mean his haircut, either. He gave great answers and really handled Russert better than the last couple of times I had seen him on the show. He seems to be peaking as a candidate at the right time---I say to hell with all the handlers and the media and the whole circus. It's about how a candidate grows during the process, and whether he/she spends more time reacting to the circus or more time trying to lead. We've seen both, unfortunately, from all of our candidates, favorite ones and not.
Right now, HRC seems to be playing a game, by calling all questions "hypotheticals." This will burn her in the end, I'm sure, since every question posed to you BEFORE you win office is a FREAKING HYPOTHETICAL!!! In the end, people aren't going to support a stone wall for president. And Edwards seems to have some actual answers.
I like our guys' chances, but I'm one of those Obama supporters who wants him to jab a little harder and more often. . .
War is over if you want it.
Larry Kissell instead of Robin Hayes
would be heaven for me.
David Price instead of Virginia Foxx
Have you stopped smiling yet?
No, and I probably never will
!!!!!!!!!!!
War is over if you want it.
Welcome to town!
Thanks for the update on your goings and comings . . . very glad to have you here in Blue Orange!
"If boiling people alive best served the interests of the American people, then it would neither be moral or immoral." Max Borders, Civitas Institute
Can't wait to make it permanent and not just a daytime dalliance
Still trying to find job for lovely wife and sell lovely home nr WS.
Question---why is it so expensive to live in all liberal utopian societies like CH/Carrboro, Berkeley, etc? Not bitching about taxes, either---when you see things like a school system ranked in the top 35 and a free bus system, you understand. Just trying to get a bead on why housing costs rival the mtns and the beach. . .
War is over if you want it.
Rural buffer
Chapel Hill and Carrboro have established a clear and firm line called the "rural buffer" that surrounds the towns. Water and sewer lines are prohibited from going into that buffer. As a result, supply of land inside the "donut" is finite, which means demand is high (for all the other reasons you mentioned).
Unfortunately, the towns haven't really embraced the density needed to keep prices under control. That will change over time, especially in the downtown, but it's going to be awhile.
"If boiling people alive best served the interests of the American people, then it would neither be moral or immoral." Max Borders, Civitas Institute
thanks for the tutorial
Guess that's why folks like Tim Toben are trying to stay ahead of the density embrace by introducing green density, huh?
Good stuff.
War is over if you want it.