Back to CityLab London 2015 > What Mayors Say About One Big Thing

Mayors from around the world, including Boris Johnson, gathered in London last week to discuss solutions to transform cities around the world. Huffington Post UK featured some mayors from around the world, including John Giles http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/10/19/citylab-london-2015_n_8328842.html
CityLab explored income inequality, safety, mobility, infrastructure and other dynamics of modern metropolises to create more livable and sustainable cities.
Mayor John Giles was featured in an online chat for the Alpine Institute about infrastructure and innovation. In this post some excerpted comments from other mayors are included about the greatest challenges facing cities in the next five years.
More about what John Giles said about  innovation can be seen in a transcript of the online chat . . .
Ahead of the event The Huffington Post UK spoke to some of the influential leaders attending the event and asked one simple question: What is the one big thing that cities need to focus on or change in the next five years? Here's how they responded:

Stairway to The Spirits > Creative Place Making @ MAC

Good example of how arts and culture intersect in Creative Place Making in this weekend's Day of The Dead here in the New Urban downtown Mesa at the Mesa Arts Center.
Here in a shot of the Community Altar - an ofrenda or offering to the spirits of the dearly departed by artist Kyllan Maney - that was the showpiece for all the festivities and activities attracting people to a celebration of life from centuries-old pre-Spanish cultures that thrived in Mexico and Central America. See a link below for more information about Day of The Dead

Forbes Magazine: Arizona #1 For Future Job Growth

65+ Heatmap from geometrx.com

What's all this about "Millennials"?? . . . It's migration, folks.
Same reason the birds do it, flying and making their nests/winter here/summer there/maybe year-round . . . "empty nests"? Baby Boomers? Maybe caused by climate change? Our attractive weather with over 100 days of temperatures over 100 degrees?
According to an article yesterday by Kurt Badenhausen, who covers sports business with a rare dip in education and local economies [good combination of interests, eh?]
"Baby boomers retiring to Arizona is the main driver for Arizona’s employment growth,” says Kyle Hillman, an economist at Moody’s focused on Arizona. This migration fuels jobs in healthcare and consumer services. Net migration into the state is projected to total 679,000 over the next five years. . .  
Companies and workers are also finding their way to Arizona as a more affordable option to West Coast locales like the Bay Area and Seattle. The state offers a diversified economy with a skilled workforce.
Did somebody say follow the money? Financial service firms have a heavy presence in Arizona with Wells Fargo WFC +1.85%, JPMorgan Chase JPM +1.59% and Bank of America BAC +6.25% among the 10 largest private employers in the state. . . "

Millennials Urbanizing, Boomers Suburbanizing in U.S.
RealtyTrac reported last year reported that many U.S. housing markets are now seeing a shift in both baby boomer and millennial population migration patterns.
According to the data analyzed, millennials are now going to urban city centers across the U.S. for higher income job opportunities, while retiring boomers are now opting for less dense,  lower-priced housing markets to retire.
Top Markets for Boomers Include Wilmington, NC, Punta Gorda, FL and Phoenix, AZ;
Millennials Migrating to Washington DC, New Orleans, LA and San Francisco, CA
Link to data analysis >> http://www.worldpropertyjournal.com/north-america-residential-news/population-changes-in-us-realtytrac-report-millennial-migration-report-boomer-housing-report-median-household-incomes-lower-priced-housing-markets-8531.php

The Internet Of Things >> A Third Industrial Revolution :)

Jeremy Rifkin: The global economy is slowing, productivity is waning in every region of the world and unemployment remains stubbornly high in every country. At the same time, economic inequality between the rich and the poor is at the highest point in human history. . . Now, a new economic paradigm is emerging that is going to dramatically change the way we organize economic life on the planet. The European Union is embarking on a bold new course to create a high-tech 21st century smart green digital economy, making Europe potentially the most productive commercial space in the world and the most ecologically sustainable society on Earth. The plan is called Digital Europe. The EU vision of a green digital economy is now being embraced by China and other developing nations around the world. . . Now, a new economic paradigm is emerging that is going to dramatically change the way we organize economic life on the planet. The European Union is embarking on a bold new course to create a high-tech 21st century smart green digital economy, making Europe potentially the most productive commercial space in the world and the most ecologically sustainable society on Earth. The plan is called Digital Europe. The EU vision of a green digital economy is now being embraced by China and other developing nations around the world. . . To grasp the enormity of the economic change taking place, we need to understand the technological forces that have given rise to new economic systems throughout history

Today, Europe is laying the ground work for the Third Industrial Revolution. The digitalized communication Internet is converging with a digitalized, renewable "Energy Internet" and a digitalized, automated "Transportation and Logistics Internet" to create a super "Internet of Things" infrastructure.  . For the first time in history, the entire human race can collaborate directly with one another, democratizing economic life. . . The digitalization of communication, energy and transportation also raises risks and challenges, not the least of which are guaranteeing network neutrality, preventing the creation of new corporate monopolies, protecting personal privacy, ensuring data security and thwarting cybercrime and cyber terrorism. . .
In this expanded digital economy, private enterprises connected to the Internet of Things can use Big Data and analytics to develop algorithms that speed efficiency, increase productivity and dramatically lower the marginal cost of producing and distributing goods and services, . . The marginal cost of some goods and services in a Digital Europe will even approach zero, allowing millions of prosumers connected to the Internet of Things to produce and exchange things with one another for nearly free in the growing Sharing Economy. Already, a digital generation is producing and sharing music, videos, news blogs, social media, free e-books, massive open online college courses and other virtual goods at near zero marginal cost. The near zero marginal cost phenomenon brought the music industry to its knees, shook the television industry, forced newspapers and magazines out of business and crippled the book publishing market. . .

Inter-Generational > Back To The Future Part 2 | Future Hearts > Mesa MeltDown

Up for a surprise in the New Urban Downtown Mesa today during a too-quiet walk in the green space between the library and the convention center > hearing the sound of an amplified band.
My ears told me where to go in the direction of the Mesa Ampitheater - Womp! hundreds of people waiting in line!
This is a Tuesday afternoon just after 3 o'clock, the streets are usually devoid of people. What's goin' on?
My eyes were open to a whole new generation. I stopped and talked to find out ... Rain or Shine/All Ages

Take a look at concert poster [click on to enlarge]

Here's the crowd waiting in line in the image to the left, stretching back at least 150 yards going in one direction. This is on the walkway between the Mesa Convention Center  and the Mesa Ampitheater.

And here's the retail business district on Main Street at the same time . . . where are the people? You can see City Hall @ Center Street in the middle of the image.                                               

Hey!
Bona fide WORLDWIDE SENSATION HERE IN MESA just a couple of blocks away

Here are the musicians that hit my ears with their music and who attracted a crowd in the center of the city at the outdoor entertainment venue Mesa Amphitheater

ALLTIME LOW here Rain or Shine | All Ages | Who is All Time Low??                       Billboard chart-topping American rock group.  They’ve repeatedly topped the charts, sold over 1.2 million albums worldwide, raked in 100+ million views on YouTube, toured with the biggest names in music, and have taken over airwaves around the globe… American rock band All Time Low is a bona fide worldwide sensation and they’re kicking off a whole new chapter in 2015.


More of the crowd, early admission

After a two-year writing binge, band members Alex Gaskarth, Jack Barakat, Rian Dawson and Zack Merrick are back with what Alternative Press Magazine called the “most anticipated album of 2015”: their sixth studio album, Future Hearts.  The album, released on April 7th, debuted as the top selling album on the US and UK charts.

The massive buzz surrounding the new album triggered a fan frenzy among their 5+ million followers on social media.

 

Here's another group on today's program:

 

HERE'S WHAT'S NEXT

 

 

 

 

Just Havin' Fun > Time To De-Compress or To Compress? Doff N' Donner

MESA, AZ (PRWEB) OCTOBER 14, 2015
The Doff N' Donner has won the prestigious "Innovation to Care" Award (I2C) at a recent Medical Trade Show in Europe. The Doff N' Donner is used by Patients & Medical Professionals in the Application and Removal of Compression Stockings.
Link to Press Release >> Doff N' Donner in PR Web
[This blog covers a lot of demographics, if you're wondering]
What's this all about?
Compression Stockings have always had a notoriously poor compliance rate due to the difficulty in donning and doffing the stockings onto the legs. The Doff N' Donner has now been awarded and duly recognized for its innovative solution to this major industry problem.
This Mesa-based company,in the compression stockings market since 2012, helps patients & medical professionals to put on and take off compression therapy garments with greater ease. It is quickly becoming the gold standard in its field and has so far helped over a hundred thousand people around the world.
More than you want to know > http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/10/prweb13016677.htm

Nammo Talley Back In The News >

According to a report 15 October in naval-technology.com Norwegian aerospace and defense group Nammo has received a contract from the US Army Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition (SMCA) to provide shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon (SMAW) common practice rocket (CPR) ammunition to the US Marine Corps (USMC).

Mesa AZ location

It is the first order under the USMC, SMAW ammunition contract worth more than $42.7million.

Initially awarded in September [as noted in a post on this blog on 10 July], this five-year, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract has options to deliver three types of 83mm SMAW ammunition, the company stated.

In another development, Nammo has received an order to produce the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition (BDM).

Oct 15, 2015 .defense-aerospace.com

(Source: Nammo AS; issued Oct 14, 2015)

RAUFOSS, Norway --- On September 23, Nammo was awarded Delivery Order 19 to the indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract to produce the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition.
Work will be completed in Mesa, Arizona and Salt Lake City, Utah with delivery in December 2016. Maximum value of the multi-year contract is $567 million USD but actual value will depend on the total quantity of rounds supplied.
M141 BDM is a direct fire, man-portable infantry assault weapon comprised of a disposable launcher and an 83mm high explosive dual purpose round.

"Nammo Talley is proud to continue the M141 BDM program with our nineteenth delivery order on this contract. We'll work relentlessly to exceed the Army's expectations for quality, on-time delivery and safe manufacturing processes", says Scott Selle, Executive Vice President of Nammo Talley, a U.S. division of the Nammo Group.

This represents the delivery order 19 to the multi-year ID/IQ contract with a maximum value of $567m.
Work under this order will be performed in Mesa, Arizona and Salt Lake City and the system is expected to be delivered in December 2016.
Selle said: "Nammo Talley is proud to continue the M141 BDM programme with our nineteenth delivery order on this contract.
Nammo's M141 BDM is a direct fire, man-portable infantry assault weapon that includes a disposable launcher and an 83mm high-explosive, dual-purpose round.

Nammo Talley
Awarded M141 BDM Delivery Order

Wednesday, October 14th 2015

http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2015/10/14/nammo-awarded-m141-bdm-delivery-order#axzz3p86ZHzZJ