Good For Your Tastebuds Even Better For The Community 

It’s obvious that we all have a number of favorite restaurants, weather they are local or a food chain, they all make our tastebuds go crazy. People may argue that having franchises is bad for the city because they give nothing back to the community, and only take from locals. Besides from providing jobs and attracting people, franchises like Applebee’s International, Inc. changes the local’s attitude towards franchises in their cities. 

Original slogan "eating good in the neighborhood."

The famous Applebee’s chain began in 1980 in Decatur, Georgia, by Bill and T. J. Palmer. The name was changed to Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar in 1986 to reflect the original idea of making people feel like it was their friendly neighborhood bar and grill. For all their success, Applebee’s began to say “thank you” to all its customers by making a difference in the communities in which they operated. Last year alone, Applebee’s employees donated more than 54,000 hours of community hours. The franchisees host fundraisers world wide like Alex's Lemonade Stand, Make-A-Wish Foundation and The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Not only do they help big causes but they help with local causes as well. Such as, at Eisenhower Middle School 5th graders were unable to get a yearbook but Applebee’s reacted quickly and gave the school money for yearbooks. Applebee’s has many programs to help school’s and non-profit organizations raise money for the community.

Giving back to the community and raising money for causes is just the tip of the iceberg for Applebee’s. Not only do they care about their neighborhoods, but about being environmentally friendly. As an example to become environmentally friendly, Applebee’s support center in Kansas is a LEED certified building that in the last 2 years has recycled over 49 tons of waste paper, which is equal to 342,000 gallons of water saved and 831 trees. In 2010, the franchise launched the “green Initiatives”  which required all its stores world wide to update in order to save energy and resources. They changed water faucets that reduce water usage, solar reflective windows, and much more. 

Every time someone eats at Applebee’s not only are they having a good meal but they are doing good for the community. Restaurants like Applebee’s are a great example of what a franchise should do to help out the community. Even though it takes away culture from the city, it gives back more to locals in the community and the environment. Franchises should follow Applebee’s example of community in order to not only become popular but to be wanted by the community. Applebee's makes a better city by giving jobs, helping the environment and the community. 

The Cause Behind Colorful Criminals

   The city is full of light, and darkness. It's full of justice, and injustice. There is a frown behind every grin. There is failure behind every success. For every win, there is a loss. This is simply how it is, and always will be. However, the victims of these incongruities are often seemingly consistent in race. In books such as The Intuitionist, and Lush Life, reasons and examples behind the cities
crimes are existent. One of the most potent reasons behind criminal racial consistency is segregation in cities. As simple as it may seem, segregation acts as the cloud of crime that causes criminal rain to fall each and every passing day. Often times, Latino and African-American families find themselves at halt in the race for economic superiority for different reasons. However, this is not only the case between races, but instead, between all "foreign"/less established peoples.
                                
 The quality of life seen in these less prosperous regions of cities portrays the true duality of the city. Areas such as the "Lower East Side" in Lush Life are hotspots for crime because they leave people unsatisfied with their lives, and desperate for prosperity. Eric refers to the Lower East side as "haunted", and "claustrophobic". Areas such as these, and other "dark sides" of cities are also often overpopulated, creating yet another disabling factor for it's inhabitants. While the wealthy may sit back on their 20 acres of land, the poor may be forced to reside in tenements. The lack of opportunity in these areas has a frustrating effect on those living there. All this dissatisfaction ultimately leads to desperation, which I believe is what causes crime. In the novel The Intuitionist, there exists segregation and ideas of the "chocolate city", the Great Migration, and "Black Metropolis". As the African-American community spread across the nation and inhabited cities, opportunity rose for change, and lower crime rates. This only reassures me of my belief that for there to be a city with minimal crime in the US, there must be a racial, foreign, and economic blend of peoples. There must be no racial judgment, no segregation, and equal opportunity, because if these three elements do not exist, the city will continue to be a mass productive criminal factory.    

                                                                                                  

 

                                                                          
                    

The Detective

Hey Mr. Dean this is Noah again coming at you from the O-Dog's account!

In the books The Big Sleep, Lush Life, and the movie Blade Runner, the very existence of the private detective poses an argument about the city and what it does to justice systems. Each of them express the idea that there is an undercurrent of corruption in the city that police, which exist in a system, can not deal with. The bureaucratic nature of the police department allows for corruption to exist in a "red light district" or a "chinatown" in order to promote the "common good" in other places. One could argue that the we have these districts of degradation at the choosing of the police. Which calls into question whether race is a factor in decision making process. Are chinatowns or red light districts neglected because the police can not handle how much crime goes on in them, or can police not handle the crime because they choose not to? This is where the private detective stems from. The private represents justice for the disenfranchised. Those who have been forgotten by the system can find their retribution in the private detective. In The Big Sleep Chandler creates of the image of the knight who lazily attempts to free the damsel in distress. Chandler's character Marlowe is the antithesis of the lazy knight. He quickly brings justice to not just the pretty damsels in distress but to all those who ask. Similarly in Lush Life Matty makes it his obsession to figure out a murder in the still bad part of New York. He craves justice for a part of the city that is often overlooked. Matty's quest turns him against the system he works in, he takes on the mentality "You know what man? I'm so sick of this bullshit. What, I'm supposed to APOLOGIZE for my family leaving me money? All I EVER wanted to be was a cop. I go out there and take it to the max everyday. I'm the first guy through the door and I'm always the last one to leave the crime scene. So you know what? Fuck you, and fuck them, and fuck EVERYBODY that's got a problem with Mike Lowrey." (Will Smith, Bad Boys)

  Richard Price does a fantastic job of exposing the hypocrisy inside the bureaucracy of the police system. He depicts the confrontations that occur between the boots on the ground and the big cats in the office chairs, now essentially politicians. Those officers on the ground sign up to make a difference in their communities but find it continually harder as they must work through the police system set up by the big wigs to make cases look orderly to the public. The paraffin test Matty orders is a prime example of how bureaucracy slows down the true quest for justice and highlights why police officers overlook certain districts within a city.  Harrison Ford in Blade Runner is another prime example of the cop who has become fed up with the system and disassociated himself with it. He however is brought back into the fold forcefully and finds that the corruption within it is just as he remembers. He finds himself disgusted with the idea of killing intelligent life even if they are not truly "human". The detective is a physical representation of justice. He is similar to Batman in that he will go beyond the confinements of law to achieve what he considers to be "true justice". A detective is not bogged down with the restraints of bureaucracy that limit a city cop. This allows a detective to go into the parts of a city that have been purposefully overlooked by the police department and attempt to make his mark on a cycle that his been going on for a long time. The private eye is in fact a white knight because his mission is to distribute justice to the forgotten.

Harlem Riot Stirs up the City

In The Intuitionist, Whitehead explores the Harlem Riots as a way to characterize the city. The Harlem Riot of 1964 is an example of police brutality in the Harlem, New York. Police ideally are expected to maintain the safety of a city; however, in this riot they killed an innocent teenager. This is a prime example of policemen taking their job too far, which affects the character of a city. On July 16, 1964, James Powell was shot and killed by a New York police Department (NYPD) lieutenant. Powell was playing around outside of an apartment building with other boys. The superintendent sprayed the boys with a hose, and Lieutenant Gilligan shot Powell because Gilligan claimed Powell lunged at him with knife. In response to this, on July 18, people marched down the street protesting the brutality of the police, who eventually tried to stop the protest, only inciting more violence. People were injured and arrested. This incident only ignited more rebellion against the police officers in Harlem. Instead of wanting to follow the law and work with officials, the brutality only led to more violence and unrest.

In the Intuitionist, Whitehead references this riot in talking about New York. While the elevator inspectors sit at the local bar, O’Connor’s, “Everyone thinks, as they must, of last summer’s riots, of how strange it was to live in a metropolis such as this (magnificent elevated trains, five daily newspapers, two baseball stadiums) and yet be too afraid to leave the house. How quickly things fall into medieval disorder” (23). Whitehead explores the reaction to the Harlem Riot. He shows that the police brutality involved frightened the people living in the city, even though the city is developed and does not seem to present a reason to feel unsafe.

The Harlem Riot of 1964 created a lack of comfort in the people who live there, and created a distance between the law and those living under the law. 

God Save the Taxi

          

  Ever since Francois Isaac de Rivaz of Switzerland invented the first combustion engine in 1807,   the rise of the automobile has paved the way for the iconic city taxi. From London’s classy and efficient carriages to New York’s clumsy and sluggish Crown Victorias, taxis epitomize what each and every city is all about. We can’t run away from them and our wallets provide the evidence. No human can resist the temptation to pass up a ride in a foreign taxi because we all crave the story that it will tell us.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things

when I traveled to visit my family in England was stepping onto the hectic taxi way outside London Heathrow. I can still remember the smell of the musty car exhaust trapped beneath the rumbling overpass. Then as I tightened my grip around my mother's hand, our family would step into the chaos of the city. The moment I saw the glimpse of a British cab, my jet lag suddenly levitated and a huge smile would come over my face. I felt extreme happiness because I knew I had made it home. 

Taxis never seem to fail slapping people in the face with a cultural experience. When we look a little closer to home, our culture seems to embrace taxis as symbols of national pride. Hell, Americans make movies about taxis. For instance, "Taxi, "a recent American motion picture, depicts a New York taxi as a pinnacle of NYC pride and as a savior of a failing cop. 

                                             

Another extreme view of national pride can be seen with Thailand's infamous Tuk Tuks. Thailand embraces its rustic culture and emulates it through their unique taxis. Even in somewhat rural communities, transportation like buses found in Bolivia portrays stories of fiestas and fun.

Taxis not only represent a city's image, they also carry the drivers. The magical thing about it is that the drivers portray the history of the city. New York taxi drivers certainly give outsiders a glimpse of America's equality and prosperity by demonstrating to passengers that every ethnic group can succeed in a America. However, sometimes taxi drivers foster expressions of craziness. 

Not matter how we see it, taxis have enveloped all aspects of urban life. They have molded to human evolution and have cemented themselves in history. Cities wouldn't be the same without these people carriers. They will always and forevermore be engraved in our hearts.                                                                        

Austin: On the fast track to an economic boom or the destruction of a culture?

Formula 1 racing is returning to the United States and it's crash landing right here, in Austin, Texas. Circuit of the Americas is the first Grand Prix racing facility build in the US, and it will host many prestigious racing events year-round, including the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix. This massive structure is located in southeast Austin, close to the airport. The effects of this new Austin addition may be incredibly beneficial or incredibly catastrophic. From an economic standpoint, the track is a welcome sight. But if you take into account Austin's one-of-a-kind culture and unique population, you may very well see the downside of Austin's latest attraction.

Only 15 miles from downtown Austin, it's bound to have a huge impact, whether positive or negative. CoTA is predicted to draw hundreds of thousands of fans from all over the world. Hello, traffic.  300,000 people are expected to flood into Austin every Grand Prix weekend. The massive influx of out-of-towners is going to alter Austin's makeup, making it a more international city and possibly threaten to diminish Austin's beloved counterculture. The design itself doesn't reflect Austin, but the European tradition of sculpting the architecture to the contours of the land. Austin will be tested to see if it's able to hold its own against the invading European cultures. I hope that the wonderful and quirky Austin personality isn't at stake. Although they designed this building with sustainability in mind, the environmental effects cannot be overlooked. It will require huge amounts of water and resources, will increase cars on our roads and planes in our skies, and will cause massive increases in pollution to our beautiful, green, environmentally-minded city. Austin prides itself on being an outdoor city. We have the rare gift of getting to live in a city, while being surrounded by nature. Try to name other cities that can say the same thing, your list won't be very long. This circuit threatens to cityify our beautiful, green Austin. Austin might morph from forest green to sidewalk gray as new establishments are built to accommodate the influx of people. 

Am I the only one who thinks it looks like this little race car just comes in and destroys everything? (And stereotype much?)

Watch this video to see international F1 drivers' positive feedback on the track being built in Austin.

However, the track is expected to make $400 million to $500 million annually, which is $4 billion to $5 billion over 10 years. It will also be a huge employer, making a point to hire locally. Not only is is an economic asset to Austin, it is also bringing world-class entertainment to our backyard. The first Formula 1 United States Grand Prix is set for November 16-18. Austin Fan Fest Powered by Mobil 1 will also take place at the same time, featuring three big concerts. After reading a lot about this new track, it's also apparent that Circuit of the Americas is being very careful to keep the track in line with Austin's values. There are plenty of positives, but I just hope Austin will be able to remain as charmingly odd as it's always been.