Investing in Cities

On our recent vacation, Scandinavia gave us something of a refresher course on what makes a city attractive and inviting. Great cities have good architecture, ample and well-tended public spaces, excellent education and transportation systems. They are safe, pedestrian-friendly and well-maintained. They offer a variety of public amenities?museums, parks, art galleries, markets?as well as thriving and abundant shops and cafes. Such cities draw tourists and their dollars, but they also draw businesses and residents.
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Pride in Diversity

There is a wonderful character on Whoopi Goldberg’s new sitcom–a handyman named Naseem, who identifies himself as a Persian from the Middle East and gets furious when he is mistaken for an Arab. Much of the show’s humor comes from the fact that he sees an obvious distinction that is invisible to everyone else. A recent discussion about gay rights and the transgendered community made me think about Naseem.
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The Child Protection Dilemma

There is an old story about two businessmen who take a quarrel to the village Rabbi. He listens to the first man’s side, and says "You are right." The second man then gives his version of the argument, and again the Rabbi says "You are right." At that point, an onlooker protests "They can’t both be right!" to which the Rabbi responds "Ah yes. You also are right."
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Conservative Flavors

Personally, I’m not a fan of labels like conservative and liberal. In this era of talk radio, ‘fair and balanced’ television and other venues for political invective, the terms have become accusations rather than descriptions?a substitute for analysis used by voters too lazy to figure out whether they agree with a candidate’s positions. It’s easier just to vote for the guy wearing the appropriate label.
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