We've already seen the trends of Suburban Sprawl and Big City Gentrification. At the same time we have seen the near extinction of
My prediction for the near future is quite different: the mass exodus away from smaller communities around
Three significant changes in our society have made this possible:
1) Technology innovation: the ubiquitous availability and affordability of new Internet technologies (Web, Blogs, Email, IM, VOIP, Virtual Conferencing, E-Commerce, etc.) are making it possible for more and more knowledge and service workers to be able to work virtually from anywhere.
2) New distribution models: a new distribution system makes it possible to easily move products anywhere, anytime. In addition to the Wal-Marts and Home Depots that have popped up to bring stuff to rural America, companies like FedEx, Amazon.com and Ebay have made it possible for the average American to have access to an efficient and cost-effective means to send, receive, and market goods from anywhere.
3) Space: quite simply, rural
While technology, distribution and space make this new shift possible, there are several trends that I believe will make it likely that a new boom occurs in the countryside near you:
1) The economy: it is way more expensive to live in or near a major metropolitan center or big city and consumers are demanding more for their shrinking incomes.
2) Corporate incentives: more and more companies are seeing that they can reduce operational expenses and increase productivity by having more of their employees work from home.
3) Family values: more families will want to move back near home to take care of their aging parents, or they will want to live in an environment more conducive to spending time raising children (just think – no commuting).
4) Education: depending on the particular community, many rural areas have stellar educational systems and can provide parents with a greater voice because there are simply less students.
5) Crime: there is less crime in rural
So that’s my prediction. I’m already looking for buildings and land back near the farm where I grew up. You should too while the getting’s good…
Who would have thunk that something once as mundane as the T-shirt would become one of the most innovative and creative forms of fashion this millennium...?
The T-shirt market has been booming as its own category of fashion for a few years now. Trendy stores that sell nothing but T-shirts have been popping up everywhere including the American Apparel franchise which sells blank shirts, often to artists who slap their own designs on the shirts for resale. And according to an article this week in the Wall Street Journal ("By Accident or design, selling Tshirts ont he Web is big business"), many Web sites are generating hefty profits from selling T-shirts emblazoned with logos and humorous one-liners.
From hipsters and skate punks, to mall rats and college kids, today's Youth are crazy for T-shirts. We've all seen the shirts that chains like Urban Outfitters continue to pump out. But what are more fascinating to me are the artists and designers who are using T-shirts as an entirely new medium to display their work. Once confined by painting, photography or other more traditional media, more and more artists are creating Wearable Art. And more and more fashion designers are creating nothing but shirts. Legends such as Shepard Fairey (Obey Giant) have been doing this for years, and thousands of newcomers are now making a living selling their art via T-shirt distribution. Just this week I met the co-founder of Thank Theory who has an amazing line viewable at www.tanktheory.com. And yesterday I met David La Cross of Yes Laboratories in
Do yourself a favor and check out what these innovators are up to and support your local artist: buy a T-shirt!
My Grandmother passed away this morning at
Charlotte Stoakes, who would be 94 this August, lived a rich life. Like most things of quality and substance and style, she was paradoxically complex and simple at the same time. Born and raised in the center of
I have no way to prove it, and it doesn't really matter, except that it represents her character well, but it is very likely that Grandma never uttered a single swear word in her 93 years. There was no need - even when times got tough. Grandma was all about Gee Whiz, and For Heaven’s Sake. She was good to the core.
No stranger to adversity and challenge (like many from the “Greatest Generation”) she lived through many tough times: the depression, World War 1 and 2,
My Grandma memories are endless. But mostly they all tell the same story: she was a good woman who sparkled with soul. To me, Grandma represents all that is good about
The photo above is representative of her - always interested and eager to help, always smiling, always there, always glowing. Here you see her proudly watching mom make her Holiday Gravy recipe at my parents
We miss you Grandma and thank you for all of the joy and life you have shared over the years.
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