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"Joel Kotkin, an urbanologist based in California, recently compiled a list for Forbes magazine of the best cities for job creation over the past decade. Among those with more than 450,000 jobs, the top five spots went to the five main Texaplex cities. A study by the Brookings Institution in June came up with very similar results. Mr Kotkin particularly admires Houston, which he calls a perfect example of an “opportunity city”—a place with lots of jobs, lots of cheap housing and a welcoming attitude to newcomers."  read more »

"One of my fav Millennial writers Morley Winograd and Michael Hais had a great Millennial Fact Sheet article come out this week that dispels some annoyingly frequent assumptions about young people - particularly ones about politics."

Morley and Mike on The Future Majority

"Its two biggest cities, Beijing and Shanghai, are poised to overtake leading global centres of today, says the magazine in a report by its columnist Joel Kotkin."

Joel Kotkin in The Malaysian Insider

"While the gulf between the extremely wealthy and destitute remains deep in Mumbai, a burgeoning middle class is helping reshape the economy, Kotkin said, adding that 'Small vehicle, motorcycle and modest-apartment sales are all on the rise.' In less than a lifetime, we have seen the rapid rise of a host of dynamic new global cities -- and the relative decline of many others. The world capitals of tomorrow may largely be not in the Western world, but in countries such as China, Russia and Australia," the report said."  read more »

"A trio of classes based upon the study of architecture – an almost invisible art in this city –begin the week of Sept.14 at Maitland Art Center for an eight-week program. There's only room for 15 students in each of the educational outreaches taught by Richard Reep, a local artist in the RS 21 collective as well as a career architect with LEED certification (which means he's an expert on efficient construction and concerns regarding energy and environmental design). "

Richard Reep on Orlando Weekly

"'Mumbai's prominence rests not just on an expanding industrial base, but also on the illustrious Bollywood, the world's largest movie industry. The bust of Mumbai's ridiculous housing-price boom has actually seemed to help the economy,'" the report by Forbes columnist and presidential fellow at Chapman University, Joel Kotkin said."

Joel Kotkin in Business Standard

"Over at Salon, Michael Lind offers a different view, pointing to some other animating issues, like resentment at the "Wall Street elites who wrecked the economy" while working-class people lost their jobs and houses."

Michael Lind on The Nation

" The most dangerous deficit that the United States faces is not the budget deficit or the trade deficit. It is the Democrats' demagogy deficit. Franklin Roosevelt, looking down from that Hyde Park in the sky, would not be surprised that conservatives are seeking to channel populist anger and anxiety, not against the Wall Street elites who wrecked the economy, but against reformers promoting healthcare reform and economic security for ordinary people.  read more »

"We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace: business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me and I welcome their hatred."  read more »

"Michael Lind has a terrific Salon column today, with the subhead, 'Why can’t Democrats mobilize the public for healthcare reform? Blame the demagogy gap.'"

Michael Lind on Climate Progress