Group items tagged

In a "cold" economic climate better to make cities better cities than to build icons. 

Copenhagen and Melbourne are among cities seen as being highly livable. Most of the work was done in cold economic times.  Creating Public spaces can be the least expensive, quickest, the most visible with the greatest impact for the greatest number of people that a city can do.  Lyon did this in an economic downturn.   

Copenhagen had economic issues in 70's and still put money into streets to lift spirits of the community.  

"In this City everything will be done to invite people to walk and bicycle as much as possible in the course of their daily doings." Keyword inviting. 

5 times more people can move per hour on a bicycle track compared to a lane for cars.  

Copenhagen credits bicyclists with saving 90,000 tons of CO2 every year. 

'Bicyclists live longer" "Danes who bicycle to work every day reduce the risk of serious diseases 50%"

Cities become destination in their own right now merely someplace to do other things like shopping.  

Copenhagen Streets: Sidewalks, 2 proper bicycle lands, street trees, 2 lanes for 2 way traffic and a substantial median to facilitate crossing the street. "We do not have to think and act as 1960's traffic engineers for ever - times are changing and traffic engineers are by now much smarter"

Sidewalks and bicycle lanes are taken across sidestreets making the city more comfortable and people friendly!

Copehagen in its 2009 New Public Life Policy strove to the "WORLD'S FINEST CITY FOR PEOPLE" among the goals having everyone to walk 20% more by 2015!!!

Copenhagen is a city where bicycling has become incorporated as an efficient, citywide transportation system.

Bicycles are taken straight through the street crossings and the lanes are marked with blue.  Bicycle signals turn green 6 seconds before car signals.

In Copenhagen 27% drive a car to get to work, 33% use public transit, 5% walk and 37% ride a bicycle.

Between 1994 and 2004 Melbourne City Center saw increases in Pedestrian traffic on weekdays by over 40%, Pedestrian traffic in the evenings by over 100% and stationary activities by over 200 to 300%

"Compared to most other mindsets, Vancouver's thinking has been counterintuitive because we rank walking at the top of the list followed by bicycling, transit and goods movement. The auto is last.

People are looking for a Lively City, an Attractive City, a Safe City, a Sustainable City and a Healthy City.

Issues or problems to be solved versus governance and democracy.  The later interferes with the former. Argues that the power of individual people is uncovered.  Democracy is not seen as perfect just better than all the other ways. In a true democracy all funding would come from the people as a whole.  Democracy has we know it is inadequate.  It is slow, biased, inaccurate and expensive. Talks about pushing democracy to the original ideological principles but which one's Greek, English, American and whose version?  Is Leaving politicians in office even if we collectively want to change the system right now OK? Can we pick and choose policies instead of being forced into all or nothing?  Can we hold more elections (while at the same time pointing out increasing costs) Points out problem with technical issues (chads) which supposedly go away.  No fail-ability and instantaneous results based it seems on the same infrastructure that brings about social opinion online.  Landmark events Obama's election. Given the right catalyst democracy thrives through the power of the individual.  Individuals of like minds come together to create change.  A collective consciousness that bubbles up from each individual in the group.  This consciousness governs the way the group behaves. Complex Adaptive Theory how simple elements self organize into super organisms. Civilization or at least what is deemed to be civilization by two researchers without the use of reason. 

Tries to make a case of similarity between the evolution of termites as a super organism and humans as a super organism seeking equivalence between ant colonies and human nations that only obstacle being language.  Really actually the same thing.   The super organism is more competent than the individual parts.  Argues for transformation by humans into a super global organism.  This global organism created is competing with nations. Held by ideas rather than genetics of insects. Cites Darwin both philosophically and photographically.  We are supposedly going to a better place because of technological evolution than we are now. Radical Inclusion supposed maturity in technology allow for problems to be brought up that are effecting this super organism and improve its self regulation.  Radical Inclusion is a vehicle for shifting the consciousness of this super organism we are a part of. Breaks down barriers of geography, language and politics. 

 Ideas can spread but does not mean they are good ideas. Top rated content. Claiming that  changes in Egypt were due to wanting to connect online rather than a local wish to change the government. Fast Unbiased Accurate and Inexpensive. Voting is available from anywhere to where though to whom. Stops bias supposedly supposedly more accountable but somebody is in control of the accounting.  Allows global votes so everyone can vote on the Secretary General of the UN rather than the nations. Brings up technical issues such as authentication or access to the internet. Come back is to compare this endeavor with putting a man on the moon. Done we are told with less computing power than with a regular cell phone. Then just implementation issues. Finishes up with From the very beginning we have loved one another and lived in the company of one another and through giving up much we have live strong to become the greatest power on earth. Love and ingenuity allowed the weakest of us to collectively triumph through it all villages become cities become states become super organism. Still waiting for it to mature though. Radical Inclusive Democracy is a step catalyst seems like genetic engineering. Online UN voting platform for COP15.  At that point focus was bringing accountability to advocacy. COP15 was a cop out is beside the point. Does Radical Inclusion permit responses to crisises against humanity will it allow harnessing the power of individuals of global change at speed. And do what is right for us all.