Kazaam!! Shaq Grants Planners’ Wishes
www.walkableneighborhoods.com

Yes, that’s right. I’m writing an article about NBA Superstar and Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal. After dabbling in different career fields (including acting and police enforcement), Shaq is onto his latest venture – real estate. In fact, Shaq has formed a new company called the O’Neal Group that will focus on mixed use development projects around the country. His first development in Miami sounds slamtastic:

“The first project for The O’Neal Group is MDM Development’s Metropolitan Miami project. (The Met), a billion-dollar project which includes more than 1,100 residential units, among them the 866-foot Met 3, the tallest residential tower south of New York, an office tower, luxury hotel, entertainment complex, and the area’s first Whole Foods store. …”

The Met 3 will likely be a landmark icon in Miami’s downtown, much like Sacramento’s Towers at Capitol Mall (currently under construction). This is very good news for the smart growth and walkability world. The presence of big-name people should bring some media attention to quality design and smart growth projects. Shaq will be following the footsteps of another NBA standout, Kevin Johnson, who has taken on some redevelopment projects in his childhood neighborhood, Oak Park in Sacramento.

One flew over Hugo nest
roughstock.blogspot.com

After listening to Ahmadinejad stand history and logic on their heads to a crowd of soft minded diplomats from mostly corrupt and criminal regimes, I thought … Hugo Chavez reminded me of Jerry Lewis playing to the Iranian President’s Dean Martin.

Too bad they don’t play Vegas. Too bad it isn’t a joke.

Maybe we can hear from Kim Jong Il Thursday. He can give a presentation to the UN on the wonderful benefits of mass starvation and oppression.

In a dangerous world, you can face the threats head on, or you can vote for Democrats.

McCain's neighborhood
sacoftomatoes.blogspot.com

John McCain in New Hampshire said “Straying from the Geneva Conventions to interrogate and try “foreign detainees” would erode America’s image and could endanger U.S. operatives in the future.

I hate it when they use the word detainees. I was detained when I was high school once. I went to detention and did homework for an hour.

John they are not enemy combative they’re, say the word John terrorist.

They are the same people that shot a nun four times in the back, they are the same lovable folks that drove a bicycle into a group of children getting candy from GI’s and blew them up. These are the same people that would saw your head off as they pray to Allah. Handle the terrorist with kids gloves … Not in my neighborhood.

That’ll show them for calling us violent
nagarjuna1953.blogspot.com

This is Ray Harris’ thoughtful and informative response to my post of yesterday:
“I think the Pope’s comments need to be taken in their proper context. Waleed Aly, a director of the Victorian Islamic Council … wrote an opinion piece in the Melbourne Age (Sept. 18). He says that:

“Pope Benedict’s speech was an academic address at a German university on an esoteric theological theme that had nothing to do with affronting Muslims. The apparently offending remarks were almost a footnote to the discussion. …”

I’m still inclined to question the Pope’s judgment. Did he really need to speak out against religious violence by quoting words to the effect that Mohammed taught evil? If the Pope didn’t realize that Muslims would hear about this and that many would react with violent outrage, he seems shockingly naive. On the other hand, if he did anticipate the reaction he got, what were his motives for going ahead and saying what he did? Either way, I think he’s cast himself in a dubious light, although not nearly as dubious as have the Muslims who’ve responded with violence and even with just harsh indignation but have said nothing against the violence.

On the other hand, Harris raises an excellent point when he asks, “Now if the bloody Pope can’t make ‘esoteric’ theological points at a university then who can?” He should certainly be able to. Anyone should be able to. But “should be able to” and “can” or, rather, “should” seem pretty far removed, and I don’t know what we should do about it in the world as it is.

Know a good regional blog we should be watching? Contact John Hughes.