My Beauty Best Teacher

An excerpt from Robert Neuwirth's Lecture 'The Extroverted City of System D' a contribution to the book Open City:

In Lagos, everything is informal. The bus system is informal—the government got out of mass transit business decades ago (though it has recently stepped back into public transport with a bus rapid transit line) and the system that includes more than 75,000 danfos was held together informally by the National Union of Road Transport Workers as one-part mass transit and one-part Ponzi scheme. One of the largest formal supermarkets in Lagos buys most of its product from informal wholesalers. Some major multinationals here distribute their products through informal networks. And informal merchants invest in the formal world.

Authorities in the city acknowledge that as much as 80 percent of the work force—and Lagos has between nine and 17 million inhabitants, depending on where you draw the boundaries and who’s doing the counting—is involved in the informal sector. The federal government also suggests that somewhere around 60 to 70 percent of the country’s economic activity derives in some way from the informal sector—and this means that, in aggregate, merchants like Prince Chidi Onyeyirim and Fatai Agbalaya are more important to Nigeria’s future than Shell, Mobil, and Chevron, the multinational oil giants that pump sweet crude from the Niger River Delta.

Poor USA- I tried to warn you. We have a politician here in Michigan who sounds a lot like Obama- an amateur who lacked executive experience, a liberal who pushed for higher taxes and more regulation, and a Democrat who passes larger and larger budgets that benefit special interest groups while the state suffers. Granholm, our Governor, even has a bogeyman to blame like Obama- first it was Engler, than it was Bush, and if she was Governor another 10-20 years, it would always be a bogeyman causing the problems, not her. Get used to it, nation, because when I listen to Obama talk, that's the impression I get.

Okay, so I'm looking through Obama's speech, and here are some parts that jump out to me:

"That day of reckoning has arrived, and the time to take charge of our future is here."

First off, why is today the day of reckoning? Why wasn't it yesterday, or last year, or two years ago? Why wasn't it September 11, 2001, or 1940, or 1776? Why is it the election of Obama as President? Obama shows his lack of humility, and shows why people mock him by calling him the Messiah and the Anointed one- he feels that the election of him is the day of reckoning. That's interesting.

According to wikipedia, the Day of reckoning is a term used to describe the Last Judgment in Christian eschatology. Judgment Day, or Day of the Lords, is the judgment by God of all nations. It will take place after the resurrection of the dead and the Second Coming (Revelation 20:12–15). So what does Obama really believe about our times? Interestingly enough, wikipedia is a fine help- under the section "Gnostic tradition", there is this line-

some liberal theologies reject the traditional conception of the Last Judgment as inconsistent with an all-just and loving God, in favor of some form of universal salvation. They teach that all beings of the human evolution will ultimately be saved in a distant future as they acquire a superior grade of consciousness and altruism.

Obama thinks that he is more evolved than us, that he is superior in consciousness and altruism than us, and that he is the second coming of Jesus, and that the election of him will bring universal salvation to all- everyone, no matter if they are good or bad, will be saved by him, and he will provide everything to everyone.

Here is another line I like:

This plan will save or create 3.5 million jobs. More than 90% of these jobs will be in the private sector - jobs rebuilding our roads and bridges; constructing wind turbines and solar panels; laying broadband and expanding mass transit.

Let's see if I understand the logic- 1 trillion dollars in taxpayer money, government money, sent to government agencies and bureaucracies, and 90% of the jobs are private sector? Building roads and bridges, wind turbines, solar panels, broadband, mass transit- I guess by private sector he means private sector in the sense that favored businesses will get government money, much like the Nazi's ran their economy under their fascist systems in Germany and Italy.

Next, let's look at how Mr. Bipartisanship really works:

Given these realities, everyone in this chamber - Democrats and Republicans - will have to sacrifice some worthy priorities for which there are no dollars. And that includes me. But that does not mean we can afford to ignore our long-term challenges. I reject the view that says our problems will simply take care of themselves; that says government has no role in laying the foundation for our common prosperity.

In other words, everyone in Congress- except Democrats- will have to sacrifice their priorities- but Democrats totally reject the worldview of libertarians and fiscal conservatives. Totally reject- entirely reject- everything that you believe in, if you are a fiscal conservative or libertarian. If you voted for this guy, you elected someone who rejects your views in the name of 'bipartisanship'.

Oh, his speech is getting better- now that he is past the flowery language, we get to the heart of the matter. He is going to cut our energy supplies, especially oil. He is going to drive our domestic auto industry out of business. He is going to put in place a Soviet health care system. He is going to give everyone free college education, especially if you volunteer for Democrat causes. He is going to lose militarily around the world and sit down and give in to all of our enemies.

Incidentally, I'm shocked by how scripted this guy is- not a single variation in anything he says. I was reading this entire speech as he was saying it- he didn't vary a single word in the entire speech. Is this really how Lincoln and Reagan did it? Is this really how FDR and JFK did it? Read a speech word for word that others had written? I don't think so.

UPDATE: I was curious about what Obama knew about Greensburg, Kansas- apparently when a tornado ripped through this city last May, Obama said that 10,000 people were killed because the entire Kansas national guard was in Iraq- in reality, only 12 people died, and very little of Kansas's national guard was gone. Opps! All this guy knows are the places he saw during his campaign- all of his education about the world has been gained in campaigning for office.

How about Dillon, South Carolina, and Obama's visit there? Well, Obama was there for a campaign stop too. Apparently it is part of the 'Corridor of Shame'? Anyways, since everyone in this school is poor and African-American, and the people in this area supported Obama, he wants to now give kick-backs to this school. Interesting. See this information here.

Via The Western Right comes this post called Rick Snyder's Ten Platitudes. It is an analysis of Republican-hopeful for Governor Rick Snyder's 10 Point Plan for Michigan:

Rick Snyder, the stealth candidate in the Republican race for governor, has a list of 'ten principles' on his website. But most of them are platitudes, not principles. Can you imagine any candidate running opposed to "Create More and Better Jobs"? Where are the specific details of how he would do this? How would the reform the tax system, reform government, restore cities?Still, there are some interesting tidbits here. Does "control urban sprawl" mean restricting people's right to control their own land? What is a proper "mass transit backbone"? People hate mass transit, and for good reasons. Discouraging the use of cars is just what Detroit needs."Invest in the arts?" Take money from taxpayers and buy 'art' that nobody would pay for with their own money? This is a Republican?Alternative energy? Alternative energy is a scam. That's why it's alternative; nobody wants to buy it in the free market because it costs too much. Shouldn't a businessman understand that? Would Snyder invest his own money in alternative energy?"Rick believes that a child’s progress from pre-kindergarten through college and advanced degrees is the cycle on which the state’s efforts should be focused and coordinated." Huh? What does this mean?"Rick believes that the cornerstone to successful health care reform must include prevention, wellness and personal responsibility." Isn't a cornerstone one thing? Did anyone edit this?"Rick also believes in the importance of embracing our racial, social and geographic diversity to reach common goals for the state." Any person or institution that celebrates diversity is bad news. When Rick moves to Detroit, I'll believe he's serious about this.

The Republicans have a bunch of great candidates for Governor- Cox and Hoekstra are my favorites- but Rick Snyder is not one of them. I'm already on record opposing him- see my posts Rick Snyder- Do Not Support and Exclusive: Rick Synder Blackmailed Young Supporters for Votes in Straw Poll on Mackinac Island.

UPDATE: Although I did not support Snyder in the primary and feel he is not a solid conservative Republican, he will make a considerably better Governor than Granholm and a way way way better Governor than the communist angry special-interest controlled Virg 'Job Killer' Bernero. So, consider everything I have said in the correct light- as bad as Rick is, Virg is a thousand times worse.

In a post last month called States Have Demonstrated That ObamaCare will Fail I wrote about how one benefit of having a federal system is that the states can experiment with public policies and find out whether they make society better or worse. Another benefit of the federal system that I teach about in my classes is that federal systems of government spread political power out and prevent one national government from having too much power and being tempted into tyranny. Well, tyranny is knocking at the door in this state, and today via the Washington Post comes this story about how the Obama administration is making yet another power grab and trying to take over powers that formerly belonged to the states.

Federal oversight of subways proposed details the latest attempts by the Obama administration to seize control of the nation's subway and light-rail systems in every state. What bothers Obama is that he is not controlling these systems and that they are being controlled at the local or state level- what they call "haphazard and ineffective" control.

Under the proposal, the U.S. Department of Transportation would do for transit what it does for airlines and Amtrak, which means run a vast inefficient bureaucracy with a poor safety record at the cost of many millions. If you thought public transportation was bad now, wait until the Democrats get their hands on it!

"We were all sitting around here scratching our heads, saying, 'Hey, we've got to do something about this,' " Obama Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in an interview. "And we discovered that there's not much we could do, because the law wouldn't allow us to do it." And so, they went about changing the law, because power is only good if you can wield it. Checks and balances, federalism, separation of powers- relics of an older age when those things mattered. Now the administration is all about the exact opposite of those fundamental values of our society- centralization of power, control over everything, and doing it because they want to do it, whether or not they have the authority or not.

Kitty Higgins, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said "I applaud the secretary and his team for recognizing the gap in oversight in the current law. I hope that Congress will act on it swiftly." Estimates are that millions in federal funding will flow to the NTSB and other safety boards as a result of this federal power grab, further enriching the government officials who live off the sweat of taxpayers brows.

Every day that Democrats are in power, they grab for more and more control over your life, snatching up powers once reserved for states and localities and private businesses, claiming that their legitimate and just reach of power goes into every aspect of your life. Tyranny, thy name is Democrat.

The 4th Lagos Economic Summit:

Will present a forum for government to identify and engage with prospective solution providers and investors who can assist the government in its goals to make Lagos Africa's model city.”With two years to the 20 million-population mark as projected by the UN-Habitat the state must begin to consider the various strategies that others have successfully adopted make Lagos a world-class livable state. The new challenge before the state is to continue to act positively and attract investors and solution providers.

Speakers include:
-Hernando De Soto author of the Mystery of Capital
-Pat Utomi
-Bharat Singal of New Delhi's Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System

Art insurance is a must if expensive oil paintings are to yield compensation should damage or theft occur. Peace of mind is priceless whilst a valuable painting is in transit, hung in an exhibition or in storage. But what is the best way to get an oil painting insured?

Art Insurance for Artists

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Insuring an oil painting could be a wise choice for various reasons, namely:

• Becoming an art collector and/or dealer makes art insurance crucial.
• An oil painting that has been in the family for years may not only have sentimental value, but monetary value. The rule often holds that the older an oil painting, the more valuable it is likely to become, particularly if the artist is of some note.
• An oil painting that has taken hours of painstaking work to achieve from the artist’s point may have personal value.
• An oil painting that has won prizes, received critical acclaim from official sources, and has been widely published, reviewed or recognised.
• An old oil painting may have been acquired from a house clearance, an auction or even (as in my case) from a car boot may have monetary value.

Insuring an Oil Painting

In the case of an old oil painting, a certificate of authenticity from an official antique dealer (a service that may also offered by a fine art insurance company) is vital. Specialised art insurance companies such as Loveart Insurance or Axa Art Insurance Limited might be the best option.

An oil painting that is not listed within Christie’s, Millers’ or Phillips’ books and schedules may only be worth the cost of the art materials to produce (the canvas, oil paint and the varnish). Thirty or forty pounds or so does not reflect the hours of labour to produce the painting. In such cases, a realistic appraisal of the oil painting’s value and itemising the artwork within the house contents schedule might be a better option.

Insuring Valuable Art

For costly art, extra diligence may be required. Photograph the artwork and keep copies within the insurance package. Record vital information about the painting, such as the dimensions, medium, style and the artist etc. Keep receipts, certificate of authenticity and any other paperwork pertaining to dealings with the artwork.

Very valuable oil paintings deserve as much insurance as possible. If the worst happens, and the painting is stolen, as least there is monetary compensation. Some is better than nothing, and the oil painting collector may use the cash to eek a little revenue from publicity, installing a security system or even offering a ransom for the painting’s return.

Cheap Art Insurance

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Read, read and read the insurance schedule. Ask questions and ensure that everything is covered. For instance, the schedule may insure the painting against theft, accidental damage, fire and flood, but what about the painting’s frame, which may also be valuable? Similarly, does the location of the painting have any bearing on the cover, such as damage in a public place? Omissions of the obvious can easily happen.

Adding valuable oil paintings to house insurance will often work out cheaper, particularly if the house has a good security system. Otherwise, using specialised antique insurance is worth paying out for if the oil painting is priceless, such as an old master.

Useful Links on Paintings

• Books on oil painting
• Oil painting materials
• Oil painting demonstrations
• Advice on using art materials

Today's Detroit News carried a good article by Daniel Howes on the loans for the auto companies, and focused on what I think is the larger implication for the industry and the nature of government in our country. Here are some highlights:

This is what you get, Detroit, when the government becomes your lender of last resort -- a business plan designed to score political points, which means no bonuses for the top execs and no corporate aircraft (leased or owned) for as long as Detroit's beleaguered automakers owe the public money, which could be three years but probably more.

Also required is compliance with federal and state fuel efficiency requirements to develop alternative technology vehicles, no dividends for shareholders, restructured balance sheets, and no legal challenges to strict state greenhouse gas emissions rules. And, my personal favorite, agreement to assess the viability of converting SUV plants to the production of buses and rail cars for use by public transit agencies.

No wonder Ford Motor Co. doesn't want any part of the $15 billion morass taking shape in Washington. It gives new meaning to the term "loan shark," however predictable it all is, considering the political agendas inside Congress and, second, the abject financial weakness of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.

I'm not sure which is worse: A federal government presumptuous enough to think it can transform one of the country's most complex industries in a little more than three months. Or one readily prepared to use its emergency financial power to shape an industry and steer it toward political ends that may or may not reflect market demand.

Each step in this process feels more strange than the last -- a first round of congressional hearings that gave new meaning to the term "clueless Detroit," a second round long on detail and even longer on groveling, stunning ignorance in Washington of an industry that accounts for millions of jobs, an uninterested White House and, now, a bailout bill that reads as if is was drafted by Greenpeace and Soviet central planning.

The congressional committees that wrote a $700 billion financial bailout package, lent $150 billion to AIG and pumped $20 billion into Citigroup demand detailed plans from the automakers and four days of hearings for what's shaping up to be $15 billion in loans.

Or the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Chris Dodd, D-Conn., suggests Sunday that GM Chairman Rick Wagoner should "go" and make way for new leadership because the current one led GM off a cliff.

This from the senator who blocked reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac three years ago, was their top recipient of campaign cash, pocketed more than $300,000 in contributions from PACs and executives tied to Citigroup and then spearheaded the legislative effort to craft the financial rescue package.

Yet in the world where Detroit's future lies, such irony doesn't matter. Perception, politics and calculated remarks masquerading as offhanded ones do.

There are some really good points in here. My person favorite piece of analysis was on how the loan bill that Congress is writing looks more like it was produced by a combination of Greenpeace and the Soviet Union. There is actually a lot in there. Think about what Congress is bribing companies to do with taxpayer money- submit the the watermellons of state control. Our government is using our money to put in place a regulatory structure that would make the Nazi's or Soviet's envious, and what is even more sad is that citizens are clammoring for it to be done. When Congress passes this deal with the devil bill, everyone will clap, and the Republicans and people who voted no will look like the bad guys. Bizarro world strikes again!

The only thing that provides me any comfort is that I am not the only one totally pissed off by this whole process. Over at this blog, the blogger is so upset he has basically shut down posting in the face of this relentless environmental-fascist legislation. Is anyone else out there as pissed as me? Email me and let me know that I'm not alone!

In Prospect, Stewart Brand on what we can learn from Shadow Cities

There are plenty more ideas to be discovered in the squatter cities of the developing world, the conurbations made up of people who do not legally occupy the land they live on—more commonly known as slums. One billion people live in these cities and, according to the UN, this number will double in the next 25 years. There are thousands of them and their mainly young populations test out new ideas unfettered by law or tradition. Alleyways in squatter cities, for example, are a dense interplay of retail and services—one-chair barbershops and three-seat bars interspersed with the clothes racks and fruit tables. One proposal is to use these as a model for shopping areas. “Allow the informal sector to take over downtown areas after 6pm,” suggests Jaime Lerner, the former mayor of Curitiba, Brazil. “That will inject life into the city.”

More here
Image courtesy of Prospect Magazine

A native of Lagos, Nigeria, Nkiru Mokwe returned to her home city to study a form of urbanism in which the marketplace and transit system are codependent...she said. “And it has opened my mind to new kinds of interactions between people and the material environments they inhabit.” In her thesis project she contends:

Lagos is a modern third world megacity in a rapidly urbanizing world. Seventy per cent of its economy is grounded on unregulated markets. In anticipation of the future densification of the megalopolis, its transportation infrastructure will be atomized to facilitate an unprecedented magnitude of collective inhabitation

via IP