[Vision2020] [Bulk] Re: Corridor debate: Daily News

Paul Rumelhart godshatter at yahoo.com
Sat Apr 14 15:12:04 PDT 2007


Every time I hear about this mythical "free market", I see how far we 
are from that particular target.  It's a noble goal, but it's too naive 
a concept even for me.  Everywhere I turn, I see abuses of this 
so-called "free" market.  Politicians rewriting laws to benefit the 
biggest corporations in their districts is a perfect example.  Don't 
even get me started on corporations like Microsoft who spend their time 
trying to eliminate all level ground so that they aren't forced to have 
to compete on it.  You can't have a free market when the biggest players 
are gaming the system.  In this particular case, the owners of the 
Palouse Mall know that they don't have any significant competition that 
is likely to come along anytime soon.  So they jack the prices up to 
just short of the biggest players spending limits.

So... working toward a free market I can see as a laudable goal.  
However, assuming the market is anything at all like "free" right now is 
just going to turn around and bite you on the ass.

Just my opinion.

Paul

Donovan Arnold wrote:
> Tom,
>  
> Businesses went under in the Palouse Mall because the Mall owners 
> raised the rent really high so many left. A new mall will create 
> competition and serve as a check on the lease prices. Also, the mall 
> kicked out many smaller businesses that are locally owned in favor of 
> big chain stores. Market Time Gifts was one forced out. The mall 
> owners won't even let Book People in there.
>  
> It would be nice to have a mall that supports local business owners 
> and counters the over inflated rent prices.  This is the free market 
> at work. One guy jacks his rates to the roof, so another builds one 
> for cheaper.
>  
> Best,
>  
> Donovan
>
> */Tom Hansen <idahotom at hotmail.com>/* wrote:
>
>     Building more malls is NOT the answer. How many businesses have
>     come and
>     gone from the Palouse Mall? And your answer is to build another mall?
>
>     That reminds me of a joke:
>
>     John and Jerry were buying widgets from a manufacturing warehouse
>     at a
>     dollar each. To develop and exapnd a customer base they decided to
>     undercut
>     their competition by selling their widgets at 80 cents a piece.
>
>     Sure enough, customers were flocking to get more and more widgets
>     from John
>     and Jerry. John realized that the more widgets the customers
>     purchased, the
>     more widgets John and Jerry had to buy from the manufacturing
>     warehouse.
>     Joh also realized that somehow they were losing money on this
>     venture. John
>     approached Jerry and asked him what could be done to avoid further
>     loss.
>     Jerry's response was, "Simple. We will get a larger truck."
>
>     Like John and Jerr's predicament, building another mall here in
>     Moscow will
>     not solve anything.
>
>     We need to expand on career-oriented, professional jobs. As more
>     and more
>     people move to Moscow seeking professional employment in a
>     career-oriented
>     job, the more appealing another mall will be for retailers who
>     will be
>     targeting more than just the college-age customer.
>
>     Tom Hansen
>
>
>
>     >From: "Matt Decker"
>     >To: thansen at moscow.com, donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com,
>     msolomon at moscow.com,
>     > lfalen at turbonet.com, jampot at adelphia.net, vision2020 at moscow.com
>     >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Corridor debate: Daily News
>     >Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 13:18:40 -0700
>     >
>     >Tom,
>     >
>     >I do agree conservation and prevention should be on all our
>     minds. Not just
>     >water, but also electricity, fossil fuels, and such.
>     >
>     >What I can't foresee, is why a company would want to move here.
>     We have
>     >very little to offer. Very limited businesses, resturaunts,
>     shopping areas,
>     >etc.
>     >
>     >I don't see how adding a costco, olive garden, red lobster, old
>     navy, and
>     >whatever else comes into mind will kill our "perfect" little
>     town. We could
>     >stand to grow a little without taking away the soul of our great
>     little
>     >community.
>     >
>     >All of these will help draw in the bussiness types we would all
>     hope for.
>     >With this current Mayor and council nothing will happen. She will
>     focus on
>     >getting rid of poeple who oppose her. Instead of worrying about a
>     $134,000
>     >fine we have now received from the feds. Along with
>     keeping/seeking a
>     >conservation driven growth policy. Something that is very
>     possible with our
>     >technology.
>     >
>     >Meantime, we lose bigtime money from our neighbors who seem to
>     get it.
>     >Moscow and Pullman need to both thrive for conservation.
>     >
>     >Matt
>     >
>     >
>     >>From: "Tom Hansen"
>     >>To: "'Matt Decker'" ,
>     >>, ,
>     >>, ,
>     >>
>     >>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Corridor debate: Daily News
>     >>Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 08:28:24 -0700
>     >>
>     >>I have no problem with housing development. As Moscow expands
>     housing
>     >>development becomes an absolute necessity. Tacking on another
>     >>mega-shopping
>     >>center isn't.
>     >>
>     >>We have enough shopping malls to support the population of
>     Moscow (as well
>     >>as Pullman). What we need is expansion of career-oriented
>     professions
>     >>here
>     >>in Vandalville. More shelf-stockers and fast-food egg flippers
>     merely
>     >>doesn't fit the bill.
>     >>
>     >>As professional, career-oriented jobs develop and grow in
>     Moscow, more
>     >>students will opt to stick around after graduation. Housing
>     developments
>     >>will increase along with the tax base.
>     >>
>     >>Until we can calculate just how much water remains in the
>     aquifer, we must
>     >>assume a defensive posture.
>     >>
>     >>If not, what will we do when the faucets run dry?
>     >>
>     >>Tom Hansen
>     >>Moscow, Idaho
>     >>
>     >>"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The
>     college
>     >>students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
>     >>
>     >>- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
>     >>-----Original Message-----
>     >>From: Matt Decker [mailto:mattd2107 at hotmail.com]
>     >>Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 8:08 AM
>     >>To: thansen at moscow.com; donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com;
>     msolomon at moscow.com;
>     >>lfalen at turbonet.com; jampot at adelphia.net; vision2020 at moscow.com
>     >>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Corridor debate: Daily News
>     >>
>     >>Tom,
>     >>
>     >>You stated"If we allow unlimited
>     >> >use of the aquifer by corporate "gluttons", it will disappear
>     and our
>     >> >citizens will suffer. We must restrict access to our limited water
>     >> >sources
>     >> >until another source is identified and put into use."
>     >>
>     >>So are suggesting that we stop all houses being built? Maybe
>     even a high
>     >>tech industrial baised company moving into Moscow? All this
>     while Pullman
>     >>catapults itself way ahead of us, and continues to drill new
>     wells which
>     >>draw from the same water source. Thus drawing more business,
>     residents,
>     >>and
>     >>tax revenue, most of which is beneficial to the area. Granted,
>     some such
>     >>as
>     >>a Walmart I could go without. Along with growth would become
>     more problems
>     >>too. However, the ending result will most likely create a better
>     community
>     >>with more options.
>     >>
>     >>Matt
>     >>
>     >> >From: "Tom Hansen"
>     >> >To: "'Donovan Arnold'" , "'Mark
>     >> >Solomon'" , "'lfalen'"
>     >>,
>     >>
>     >> > "'g. crabtree'" ,
>     >> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Corridor debate: Daily News
>     >> >Date: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 06:05:17 -0700
>     >> >
>     >> >Arnold stated:
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >"Mr. Solomon's ideas are not based on economic realities and
>     don't solve
>     >> >the
>     >> >water problem, it just prolongs it."
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >So, you are admitting that there is a water problem. If we allow
>     >>unlimited
>     >> >use of the aquifer by corporate "gluttons", it will disappear
>     and our
>     >> >citizens will suffer. We must restrict access to our limited water
>     >> >sources
>     >> >until another source is identified and put into use.
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >Arnold goes on . . .
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >"Thinking we shouldn't have stocking and service orientated
>     jobs for
>     >> >students I think is a bad idea. First, those lower paying jobs
>     should go
>     >>to
>     >> >college students, not 40 year olds trying to make a living;
>     somebody has
>     >>to
>     >> >ask, "Would you like fries with that?" And I don't think it
>     should be
>     >> >people
>     >> >middle aged with Master's in Environmental Science."
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >Our community NEEDS career-oriented, professional jobs if it
>     is to
>     >>compete.
>     >> >If Moscow were to limit its growth to those minimum-wage,
>     >>service-oriented
>     >> >jobs you reference, those 10,000 college students (referenced
>     by Dale
>     >> >Courtney below) will simply graduate and move on to greener
>     pastures
>     >>away
>     >> >from Moscow.
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >Question: What 40 year olds and local residents "with Master's in
>     >> >Environmental Science" are you aware of that are hold these
>     jobs at fast
>     >> >food outlets? I have lived here in Moscow for 15 years. All I
>     have
>     >>seen
>     >> >are college students working at local fast food restaurants
>     (as well as
>     >> >bartenders at my favorite haunts).
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >Tom Hansen
>     >> >
>     >> >Moscow, Idaho
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >
>     >> >"We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students.
>     The college
>     >> >students are not very active in local elections (thank
>     goodness!)."
>     >> >
>     >> >- Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
>     >> >
>     >>
>     >>
>     >> >=======================================================
>     >> > List services made available by First Step Internet,
>     >> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>     >> > http://www.fsr.net
>     >> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>     >> >=======================================================
>     >>
>     >>_________________________________________________________________
>     >>MSN is giving away a trip to Vegas to see Elton John. Enter to
>     win today.
>     >>http://msnconcertcontest.com?icid-nceltontagline
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>
>     >>=======================================================
>     >> List services made available by First Step Internet,
>     >> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>     >> http://www.fsr.net
>     >> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>     >>=======================================================
>     >
>     >_________________________________________________________________
>     >Need a break? Find your escape route with Live Search Maps.
>     >http://maps.live.com/?icid=hmtag3
>     >
>
>
>     >=======================================================
>     > List services made available by First Step Internet,
>     > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>     > http://www.fsr.net
>     > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>     >=======================================================
>
>
>     =======================================================
>     List services made available by First Step Internet,
>     serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
>     http://www.fsr.net
>     mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>     =======================================================
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
> Check out new cars at Yahoo! Autos. 
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48245/*http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html;_ylc=X3oDMTE1YW1jcXJ2BF9TAzk3MTA3MDc2BHNlYwNtYWlsdGFncwRzbGsDbmV3LWNhcnM-> 
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> =======================================================
>  List services made available by First Step Internet, 
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.   
>                http://www.fsr.net                       
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> =======================================================

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20070414/cc7ef82c/attachment-0001.html 


More information about the Vision2020 mailing list