DTMesa Transformation U Can Believe In > "Rinky-Dink" Is Back!

Here's probably the only sign that the powers-that-be inside City Hall have been successful in the last three years with their top-down plans to transform downtown Mesa: How vibrant and how merry can Mesa Main Street get skating on thin ice?
Yes, it's better for sure than a parking lot that starts out by dumping a few piles of dirt on top of the asphalt heat island directly across from the $100-Million investment international award-winning Mesa Arts Center.
It's the 2017 Winter Wonderland Ice Rink * 
https://merrymainst.ticketleap.com/ice-rink/

* Information published on that site is incorrect: Ice skating on a 5,500 square foot real ice rink -- "the only outdoor holiday ice rink in the East Valley" ???
WRONG.
CityScape in Phoenix  
. . . but perhaps this is one small seasonal pop-up event lasting for 40 days during the Thanksgiving-to-New Years Holiday season to temporarily make-over the New Urban DTMesa when all these other bogus so-called "redevelopment plans", Big League Dreams and  Pie-In-The-Sky proposals to snooker Mesa taxpayers have failed to get off-the-ground:
$75,000 for City Center
$250,000 for ASU Satellite Campus
$500,00 Private Funds for Yes1Mesa
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Anyone want more "dirt" about the 2017 Merry Main Street?

Council Study Session Thu 09 Nov 2017

Imagine Mesa meant to engage citizens --- sounds very scripted by Julia Thompson, Chief Digital Officer.
Staggering, huh? According to the analytics that weeded-out "the deadwood".
Only 10% can be contributed to the paid advertising campaign
5 Vision Forums: Play dominated 
Published on Nov 9, 2017
Views: 22

More Than A Retail Apocalypse > 3 Must-See Charts

Why Is U.S. Wage Growth So Low?

It's All About the Top 80%

By Matthew Boesler        

@boes_More stories by Matthew Boesler

‎November‎ ‎9‎, ‎2017‎ ‎5‎:‎00‎ ‎AM

It's more than "early-bird" news > https://www.bloomberg.com/news

 

A Fantastic Piece of Reporting: Comparing wage growth in 2017 to 10 years ago, when pay was rising at the fastest rate of the previous expansion, shows a tale of two labor markets -- or maybe five. . .highest rise in earnings? Armored security guards 

1. Rising at the Bottom

2. Stalled Gains

3. Moving Sideways

4. Higher, Slower

5. More Pay, Less Growth

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America’s ‘Retail Apocalypse’ Is Really Just Beginning

By Matt TownsendMatt Townsend, Jenny SuraneJenny Surane, Emma OrrEmma Orr and Christopher CannonChristopher Cannon

November 8, 2017

"The industry’s response to that kind of doomsday description has included blaming the media for hyping the troubles of a few well-known chains as proof of a systemic meltdown. There is some truth to that. In the U.S., retailers announced more than 3,000 store openings in the first three quarters of this year.

But chains also said 6,800 would close. And this comes when there’s sky-high consumer confidence, unemployment is historically low and the U.S. economy keeps growing. Those are normally all ingredients for a retail boom, yet more chains are filing for bankruptcy and rated distressed than during the financial crisis. That’s caused an increase in the number of delinquent loan payments by malls and shopping centers. . . "

Link to original source > https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2017-retail-debt/

Rogue Columnist Jon Talton GETS REAL > Very Real: Big Real Estate Deals

Water is the most precious resource on this planet.
Using his pen "warmed up in hell", Seattle Times columnist Jon Talton is hitting the tip of an iceberg to reveal what's underneath the fortunes made in real estate here in Arizona - and both the scarcity limitations and high costs of controlling and delivering this commodity in the desert. 

Here in Mesa it's more-or-less the same story starting way back in 1877 with The Desert Act. Mormon "Pioneers" incorporated what was to become The City of Mesa the following year in 1878. In effect controlling and owning the water here.
Today, after all the multi-million$ of bond issues - the 'costs of doing business' for the construction, operations and maintenance of water treatment facilities - and wastewater treatment plants - approaches over ____million$$$$$$$ per year taking the biggest chunk of the Budget Pie Charts, paid for by taxpayers to service the debt. [see below]

Your MesaZona blogger prematurely popped and copped the original story from Business Real Estate Weekly in a post on Nov 06 here REALLY BIG Real Estate News
Jon Talton tells all in this fine piece of reporting:
Bill Gates buys Arizona land — hilarity, or tragedy, ensues

Originally published November 9, 2017 at 11:08 am Updated November 9, 2017 at 6:03 pm

Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment recently purchased an $80 million stake in desert land west of Phoenix. Unless Gates plans to turn the land into a preserve, he might want to know a few things that the locals didn’t tell him.

By Jon Talton Special to The Seattle Times

 

"The big news this week in metropolitan Phoenix is that Bill Gates’ Cascade Investment purchased an $80 million stake in desert land to the west of town. Boosters are excited because powerful development interests hope to turn this 24,000 acres into 80,000 houses, pushing sprawl farther into the pristine and threatened Sonoran Desert.
Unless BillG plans to turn the land into a preserve, he might want to know a few things that the locals didn’t tell him.

(And to put my cards on the table, I am a fourth-generation Arizonan, former columnist for the Phoenix newspaper, and continue to write, pro bono, a blog on Arizona history and issues.
First, Arizona doesn’t have enough water to continue these kind of developments, no matter what the mouthpieces of the Real Estate Industrial Complex say. . .

Second, climate change poses a clear and present danger to Arizona now. Summers are significantly hotter and lasting longer than a few decades ago. Massive wildfires are common, another new phenomenon. Whether Phoenix will even be inhabitable by mid-century is an open question. Already, it is a man-made environment totally dependent on electricity to power air conditioning and gasoline delivered by vulnerable pipelines. Environmental challenges are enormous beyond global warming. Phoenix has some of the dirtiest air in the country. . .
Arizona has a long history of land fraud . . .
That mostly ended in the 1970s — and went legit, first boosted by the savings-and-loan bubble, then massive freeway construction to make worthless desert and farmland valuable for sprawl development, and finally with the subprime and housing bubble of the 2000s. Unlike other peer metros, real estate in Phoenix isn’t driven by a diverse economy — it is the most powerful driver of the economy.
In addition to destroying precious wilderness, rural areas and farmland, sprawl is terribly inefficient and costly. It requires expensive infrastructure and Arizona requires few impact fees. It adds to greenhouse gas emissions and long commutes because of car-dependency. It hurts civic cohesion. All these and more are externalities never priced into these plays. Sprawl is one of the worst social-engineering mistakes in American history. But as a short-term proposition, it can be very profitable for developers and investors . . .
Link to original Source > https://www.seattletimes.com

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Here in Mesa there was a canned over-the-top highly staged "press conference" yesterday in the parking lot behind City Hall celebrating 100 Years of Utilities.

You can search for it on Mesa Channel 11 if you want ...

or

See this:

https://mesazona.blogspot.com/2016/06/city-of-mesa-fy201516-budget-pie-charts.html

DTMesa Triple-Vision: A Charrette or A Bus Tour or A Prototyping Festival ??

 

Years after that "Downtown Vision Thing" it is exciting for your MesaZona blogger to have the opportunity to highlight three events of possible significance for the future transformation of The New Urban Downtown Mesa.
Who's reached out to engage the diverse community the most either from the top-down or from all directions that can accelerate can Re/Generating The New Urban DTMesa??
1. The Mesa Chamber of Commerce will be staging a Charrette  on November 14
2. Local First AZ, the City of Mesa and RAIL will be sponsoring a Bus Tour November 15
3. Downtown Mesa Prototyping Festival will be staging
What's more inter-active and more dynamic for you?

What gets you excited?

1. PLEASE JOIN US: 

Downtown Mesa Planning Charrette

Earlier this summer the Mesa Chamber participated in a planning charrette process including an informative trip to Salt Lake City.  Some great information came from those meetings and VODA, the firm working on the final document, has done further research and interviews over the summer with various individuals. 

 VODA will be in town the middle of next week for some final outreach before they finish up the charrette report.  We'd love to invite interested members to have a chance to meet Mark Morris from VODA while he is here to offer your thoughts on what we need for a thriving downtown Mesa. 

When:  Tuesday, November 14 -  8am - 9:30am

Where:  Mesa Chamber of Commerce -  165 N. Centennial Way, #208, Mesa 

Please register to attend using this link: http://bit.ly/2m2wC0p 

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2. PLEASE JOIN US: 

Mesa On the Line Bus Tour

Following the success of our Camelback Light Rail Corridor bus tour, For(u)m shifts its attention eastward. Complementing Local First's work in small-business technical assistance for those affected by the Mesa light rail extension, this bus tour focuses on the current and prospective developments taking place as the light rail runs through downtown Mesa. 

Along and around Main Street, after decades of mostly-dormancy, Mesa has begun to be awakened. Starting with the singular multicultural experience of Mekong Plaza and the new market-rate townhome development of Main Street Station, the light rail line has welcomed and enhanced affordable housing and mixed-use projects, dynamic new retail, restaurants, and breweries, and unique pop-up and adaptive reuse projects.

In partnership with the City of Mesa and RAILMesa, this tour shines a light on the temporary use, new retail and restaurants, affordable housing, creative space, and mixed-use developments that will shape the next wave of investment for this vital, historic corridor.

Tour stops and speakers include El Rancho, Mesa Artspace Lofts, Cider Corps, Mekong Plaza, and more to be confirmed.

Admission is $10 in advance.

For(u)m members receive discounted admission

E-mail Connor@localfirstaz.com for details and to reserve your space.

Click here to RSVP: https://www.localfirstaz.com/events/forum-mesa-bus-tour
Learn more about Local First Arizona's work to advocate for thoughtful and sustainable development in the Phoenix metro area: https://localfirstaz.com/forum/ 

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3. PLEASE JOIN US: 

Main Street Prototyping Festival

NOVEMBER 17-18, 2017 FRI. 5-10PM & SAT. NOON-10PM

The Main Street Prototyping Festival, a free event, will feature 20 temporary prototypes (created by artists, architects, designers, students, makers, urban planners and others) that activate public space and engage the community toward enhancing connectivity and vibrancy in downtown Mesa. Prototypes include concepts for gathering places, virtual reality experiences, structures that offer space for interaction, performances, places to play and share in art making, and ways for passersby to offer feedback about their community. #mesaprototyping
 Click to view a map of the festival and placement of prototypes
 Through the festival, the City of Mesa, Mesa Arts Center, Neighborhood Development Corp. (NEDCO), Local Initiatives Support Corporation Phoenix (LISC) and Downtown Mesa Association (DMA) are collaborating to engage creative minds and the community in testing ideas that respond to dreams, needs and desires of citizens and visitors.   
 The Festival is supported by the City of Mesa, the Arizona Commission on the Arts, and a generous Our Town grant for $75,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts.  
Mesa Arts Center events

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Join our team of volunteers 
Be part of designing something truly remarkable - volunteer at The Main Street Prototyping Festival. Volunteers play a significant role in the success and overall enjoyment of the festival and downtown community. This is a unique opportunity to meet new people, engage with the community and experience MSPF from a different perspective. We need the valuable, and incredibly appreciated, help of our volunteers to make this festival the best it can be!   
Interested?
Check out the volunteer positions. Click here to fill out the volunteer application.
Not sure? Contact Brittany Durphey if you have any questions about volunteering.      

 

Exploiting A Vulnerability In Human Psychology

We all want and need to be "liked", right?
There's a very telling story this morning from Mike Allen @ Axios, along with a video of an interview with Sean Parker who simply admits what social media is doing:
Sean Parker's jarring Facebook Tell-All
He just tells enough to make your MesaZona blogger very curious to know to be told that we are getting exploited.
 What's that all about? It's a SOCIAL FEEDBACK LOOP [Link to a video at end of post]
Sean Parker: Facebook was designed to exploit human "vulnerability"

Sean Parker, the founder of Napster and former president of Facebook, said the thought process behind building the social media giant was: "How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?" Parker was interviewed by Axios' Mike Allen Wednesday:

"That means that we needed to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever ... It's a social validation feedback loop ... You're exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology ... [The inventors] understood this, consciously, and we did it anyway."

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Sean Parker, the founding president of Facebook, gave me a candid insider's look at how social networks purposely hook and potentially hurt our brains.

• Parker, 38, now founder and chair of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, spoke yesterday at an Axios event at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, about accelerating cancer innovation.

In the green room, Parker mentioned that he has become "something of a conscientious objector" on social media. By the time he left stage, he jokingly said Mark Zuckerberg will probably block his account after reading this:

• "When Facebook was getting going, I had these people who would come up to me and they would say, 'I'm not on social media.' And I would say, 'OK. You know, you will be.' And then they would say, 'No, no, no. I value my real-life interactions. I value the moment. I value presence. I value intimacy.' And I would say, ... 'We'll get you eventually.'"
• "I don't know if I really understood the consequences of what I was saying, because [of] the unintended consequences of a network when it grows to a billion or 2 billion people and ... it literally changes your relationship with society, with each other ... It probably interferes with productivity in weird ways. God only knows what it's doing to our children's brains."
• "The thought process that went into building these applications, Facebook being the first of them, ... was all about: 'How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?'"
• "And that means that we need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while, because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever. And that's going to get you to contribute more content, and that's going to get you ... more likes and comments."
• "It's a social-validation feedback loop ... exactly the kind of thing that a hacker like myself would come up with, because you're exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology."
• "The inventors, creators — it's me, it's Mark [Zuckerberg], it's Kevin Systrom on Instagram, it's all of these people — understood this consciously. And we did it anyway."

Be smart: Parker's I-was-there account provides priceless perspective in the rising debate about the power and effects of the social networks, which now have scale and reach unknown in human history. He's worried enough that he's sounding the alarm.

P.S. Parker, on life science allowing us to "live much longer, more productive lives":

• "Because I'm a billionaire, I'm going to have access to better health care So ... I'm going to be like 160 and I'm going to be part of this, like, class of immortal overlords. [Laughter] Because, you know the [Warren Buffett] expression about compound interest. ... [G]ive us billionaires an extra hundred years and you'll know what ... wealth disparity looks like."
• See video.
• Go deeper: Joe Biden rips Trump's "phony nationalism".

Anita Hill: Trump Language Attempts to Normalize Behavior

Published on Nov 8, 2017

Current Views: 18

Nov.08 -- Anita Hill, one of the first women to publicly accuse a powerful man of sexual harassment, discussed President Donald Trump and sexual harassment with Bloomberg News Editor-in-Chief John Micklethwait at The Year Ahead Summit at Bloomberg headquarters in New York.