tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post4537283587717076040..comments2024-03-01T07:43:16.529-06:00Comments on Smart City Memphis: Live From Memphis Faces Another Memphis Music Tradition: Lack Of SupportUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-91276070046331164522011-12-13T15:02:04.945-06:002011-12-13T15:02:04.945-06:00Your blog is outrageous! I mean, Ive never been so...Your blog is outrageous! I mean, Ive never been so entertained by anything in my life! Your vids are perfect for this. I mean, how did you manage to find something that matches your style of writing so well? Im really happy I started reading this today. Youve got a follower in me for sure!viagra wikipediahttp://buyviagragenericcheapmedic24rx.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-67113261428385109592011-06-07T13:30:08.395-05:002011-06-07T13:30:08.395-05:00why the hell we lack of support? it really piss me...why the hell we lack of support? it really piss me off, what a shame!Buy Cialishttp://www.learnsexualhealth.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-12882772057290571542007-10-26T08:58:00.000-05:002007-10-26T08:58:00.000-05:00I hate to say it... but it's the same in New Orlea...I hate to say it... but it's the same in New Orleans. People will care a lot more when it's gone and the memories will be fonder than the reality ever was.<BR/><BR/>as long as electronic media is dominated by five or six large corporations, the same old brittney fity cent puffdaddy clearchannel sony emi corporate crap will superceed the "real" culture that inspired the creation of the mess that is 500 channels of homogenous "product"<BR/><BR/>As long as we are too stupid or lazy to do anything other than complain...why would anything change ?topical ointmenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14018944293243949841noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-19122110233635284412007-08-14T22:06:00.000-05:002007-08-14T22:06:00.000-05:00Bob:We'll clearly never agree on the riverfront (w...Bob:<BR/><BR/>We'll clearly never agree on the riverfront (we saw it as the vehicle to accomplish just precisely what we needed to maximize our river heritage, it wasn't a sell-out to developers but a carefully constructed business plan that generated enough money to pay for the much-needed improvements, and Beale Street Landing is desperately needed for reasons we have previously enumerated, because Memphis has the absolutely dullest waterfront of any city where we work, etc., etc., but we'll never agree with each other)so to discuss the interesting question you raise, can you give some examples of heritage on the cheap, so we can discuss it? Maybe we can discuss this more broadly as one of the "questions of the week" topics.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-9555092901596688402007-08-13T21:41:00.000-05:002007-08-13T21:41:00.000-05:00I think City Watch meant Spin Street. Maybe he's ...I think City Watch meant Spin Street. Maybe he's a Michael J. Fox fan. Of course, finding George Kline or even George Klein on TV is a trick too. His show's pretty good, believ it or not. But it is public access buried at 2:00 AM.<BR/><BR/>Making the local outlets more aware of the Mephis music scene is a good idea. Seems to me I see more local music in used CD/record stores.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-42392524334572942862007-08-13T16:46:00.000-05:002007-08-13T16:46:00.000-05:00Since Tom (the principal blogger) and I have disag...Since Tom (the principal blogger) and I have disagreed on certain things before, I want to emphasize right off that I'm <EM>not</EM> disagreeing with him on this one. I wholeheartedly agree with his problem statement and encourage him to explore the issues as much as he can find the time to do so. I eagerly await part 2.<BR/><BR/>I just want to suggest to him a possible explanation -- an organic reason why this, as with so many other worthwhile things in Memphis, tends to fail.<BR/><BR/>I call it "Heritage on the cheap."<BR/><BR/>I've observed a tendency in Memphis to have eyes bigger than our pocketbooks. We have desires and aspirations far greater than our evident willingness to pay for them. It's possible we can't help it. After all, Tennessee has one of the lowest state and local tax rates in the nation. Memphians themselves don't feel like they're undertaxed, because they get two tax bills every year. But the numbers bear out that we (broadly speaking) do not put a lot of our money into the public sector. <BR/><BR/><EM>Individually</EM> speaking, some do.<BR/><BR/>Instead of taxing ourselves, we rely on a couple of private things to back fill our public aspirations: (1) The generosity of a handful of family foundations, and (2) the generosity of local, well-heeled businesses. Truthfully, (1) and (2) are related, because the the foundations are the spawn of very wealthy folk who got their money from those same businesses.<BR/><BR/>Far be it from me to complain about that. I am grateful to these folks for whatever help they provide, via foundations or businesses (so long as there aren't too many strings attached).<BR/><BR/>But in reality, these sources can only provide the seed money. <BR/><BR/>In the longer term, we rely on "public-private partnerships," and pure <EM>privatization</EM>. I despise the former term and would like to blog on it, but I'll save that for another day. What's important here is that we rely on a presumption that our public-minded aspirations can always be achieved by relying on self-sustaining private enterprise. In many cases, that presumption is false.<BR/><BR/>And even when our on-the-cheap plan turns out to really accomplish <EM>something</EM>, we later discover that we sold our souls to get it.<BR/><BR/>Not to bring up a sore subject, but here's an example: I think that is what happened on the Riverfront. There are so many things we could have done to improve the Riverfront (and solve most of the issues the RDC loves to highlight in its publicity) if we had been willing to pay a mere $10 or $30 million out of the public treasury*. But we weren't willing. So the powers that be turned the whole Riverfront problem over to private enterprise (read developers) using a so-called "public-private partnership" as a proxy. And guess what? It turns out that what they would do would cost us <EM>$100-300 million</EM>, and would sell out the City's heritage (the Promenade) in the bargain! And now, seven years later, we have nothing -- but the City wants to spend $20 million on something we don't need so they can close the books on this and claim it was all a success.<BR/><BR/>Now I <EM>don't</EM> expect Smart City to agree with me on my characterization of the Riverfront. It doesn't matter for the current discussion. <BR/><BR/>But I would like to hear Smart City Memphis tackle the general question:<BR/><BR/>Can Memphis have "Heritage on the cheap?" Is it always possible to find a profit-making way of doing the right thing? Or will we someday have to either pay up, or <EM>shut up</EM>?<BR/><BR/>I'm sure Tom's wealth of exerience in the public and private sectors (I mean that sincerely) should lead to some interesting commentary and discussion.<BR/><BR/>---<BR/>* $10-30 million over and above <EM>what was already necessary</EM>, for reasons of homeland security and age, to pay to move the Front Street fire station, I hasten to add.bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14730299223683907051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-29688701105848675502007-08-13T16:27:00.000-05:002007-08-13T16:27:00.000-05:00It's not exactly a last minute crisis sort of thin...It's not exactly a last minute crisis sort of thing. We've been writing about it for a couple of years, but no one at any of the music support groups seems to be paying any attention. Christopher Reyes just seems to have finally reached the end of his ability to fund this out of his pocket.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-81358607147078878312007-08-13T15:11:00.000-05:002007-08-13T15:11:00.000-05:00You know, it might help if the word got out sooner...You know, it might help if the word got out sooner about LFM's situation rather than it being a crisis last minute kind of thing.<BR/><BR/>City Watch, good idea. Local records stores, whether chains or not, should support local music.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-9717276758125107742007-08-13T12:00:00.000-05:002007-08-13T12:00:00.000-05:00We haven't kept up with nor understand the music i...We haven't kept up with nor understand the music industry, but we were amazed that after seeing a local singer on George Kline show, no one had heard of her at Spin City, and they didn't have much on contemporary Memphis musians.<BR/><BR/>Why hasn't some central authority bought space at music stores and other outlets with creative Kiosk-type display of Memphis music that is current with explanations of artist, style and history Maybe with some oldies but goodies mixed in.city watchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12626094647810622229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-46685805145101598172007-08-13T09:00:00.000-05:002007-08-13T09:00:00.000-05:00I had no idea that LFM was in such dire financial ...I had no idea that LFM was in such dire financial straits. This is pretty troubling indeed, and yet another example of the Music Commission's ongoing aloof and disconnected relationship with our city's real music community. <BR/><BR/>As a journalist and a fan, LFM has been an indispensable calendar and clearinghouse of information about events in the city. It's new LFM radio station was a terrific step in building larger nationwide awareness of Memphis' terrific modern rock scene.<BR/><BR/>In fairness, it should be noted that LFM focuses equally on music, art (performance and visual), and cinema--so the burden of supporting falls to fans of each of those disciplines, as well as institutions like the Greater Memphis Arts Council and the Memphis and Shelby County Film Commission. <BR/><BR/>Hopefully Reyes and his LFM team will be able to find the means to keep the site alive, albeit in maybe a more modest format. Thanks for bringing attention to this very upsetting situation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com