“Work is about a search for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life, rather than a Monday-to-Friday sort of dying.” Pulitzer Prize winning author Studs Terkel wrote this in his classic oral history Working, and is the […]
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Using solar power to save the city money
Monday, November 14, 2011Our public buildings (including city offices, schools, recreation centers, police and fire stations, etc.) use up a lot of energy and are in desperate need of many capital improvements. Employees complain about the decrepit conditions often…One way to address these ills and save money is to install solar panels on publicity-owned buildings.
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Baltimore should become a software education leader
Monday, August 22, 2011The U.S. faces a critical shortage of skilled software developers. Employers cannot find enough talented practitioners despite offering high salaries and generous benefits. I believe this is due to the outmoded, off-putting way we expose students to computer programming techniques, and I propose that Baltimore become the world leader for a new educational approach. Baltimore […]
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Creating artisanal food districts in Baltimore
Monday, June 27, 2011Take a walk through Highlandtown or Station North and it’s clear that Baltimore has done an exemplary job of creating an environment that is not only welcoming to artists, but encourages their creativity. From housing communities and educational opportunities to tax breaks, Baltimore has rolled out the welcome mat, and like a friendly neighbor brought […]
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Hire an Innovation Community Manager for Baltimore
Monday, May 30, 2011Baltimore is experiencing a renaissance of ideas and entrepreneurship driven from the bottom-up; with a little support from the top-down, this renaissance has the potential to transform our economy. I challenge Baltimore’s economic development organizations to invest in this promising trend by sponsoring a new “Innovation Community Manager” staff position charged with supporting the community […]
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Make Baltimore a startup city
Monday, April 04, 2011The Idea Monica Beeman and I propose the creation of a business incubation and acceleration project to encourage more risk-taking and more wealth-creation in Baltimore called Startup City. During the 12-week program, ten teams of entrepreneurs create 10 new companies. Each team gets $15,000, free office space, business advice, and continuous mentorship from local investors […]
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Rate Your Ride
Monday, October 04, 2010Complaining about public transportation is almost a national pastime. While not quite cocktail party chatter, transit often comes up in conversations “around the water cooler” and invariably the discussion descends into who has had the worst experience. And also invariably the conversations end with at least one “why don’t they just…” Unfortunately, water cooler conversations […]
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Revitalizing Oldtown
Monday, March 22, 2010If the Oldtown community of East Baltimore is to be revitalized without the gentrification created in other Baltimore neighborhoods, a new form of economic development must be undertaken. Systemic barriers that exclude entire groups must be dealt with realistically. Change4Real, a coalition led by Sojourner-Douglass College consisting of local residents and core community institutions, believes […]
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Baltimore’s case for Google fiberoptic investment is more than just stunts
Monday, March 08, 2010What if Baltimore was a national leader in developing new technologies for the future of the Internet? It’s a real possibility and many of us here in Baltimore are working hard to make it a reality. On February 10, Google announced plans to build out a new, extremely fast fiberoptic Internet service in one or […]
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A neighborhood for the community…by the community
Monday, February 08, 2010Baltimore has a long history with successful planned communities. At the heart of each of these thoughtful, attractive, crafted developments (such as Sudbrook Park in Baltimore County, Roland Park, The Village of Cross Keys) is the intent that a careful layout of streets and amenities, and well-designed, attractive homes will foster a sense of neighborliness, […]
