City Moves Against Shopping Center Holdout

Suburban Journal- Southside Journal ^ | june 1, 2005 | Jim Merkel

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

A holdout in a developer's bid to acquire property for a shopping center is having her day in court.

A hearing on whether the city has the right to take the home of June Thompson by eminent domain was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon before St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Timothy Wilson.

[steve8714]

Economic blight is actually more correct than "urban blight". If an area is a discontinuity in the bid rent curve, it is blighted. By this definition, the entire city of St. Louis is blighted.

[bobhoskins]

Uh, anti-business diatribes are a staple of Leftists and of universities, and have been for decades. What's new about this one?

Did I state somewhere that I was sure this was NOT a leftist class? It's just not like many of the classes I had to take that were blatantly extreme in their leftism.

I liked the idea that a class would actually critically view the media, and someone actually mentions that the media, being a company, does have to try to make a profit ... and that effects the decisions the media makes for programming.

And I said:

This class sounds a lot better than the typical left-bent college course.

... because there didn't seem to be any "and it's the Republicans fault!" spin to it. Sure, maybe this would turn out to be a typical leftist "media's in bed will all corporations, it's the Republicans fault, they cover for Bush" type thing ... but it might also be a slightly overzealous statement of the simple idea: "Point a critical idea at where you information is coming from." I mean, do you disagree with all four statement that were made? Sure, you could ATTRIBUTE leftist meaning behind them, but:

1) corporate media is a corporation, and needs to make money to survive;

2) higher-ups and famous people in the media have the ability to drive what media covers;

3) #3 I DO somewhat disagree with, as I don't think the media was CREATED as a distraction, but the media does want to keep its viewers happy/interested enough to keep viewing;

4) "puppet strings" seems a bit strong (and may be where your leftism concern comes from), but ANY successful business wants to build and maintain a customer base, and pay its bigger earners more money.

So, unless they start ranting that corporations are evil, media should be state-run or individual-run only, or blasts a party for this situation, I'll consider it better than some of the courses I had to take.

And I'm all for corporations, but a corporation can tend to put profits over ethics or morals unless someone is minding the ship.

[steve8714]

They should have blighted those Cupples buildings and dynamited them years ago. This poor lady's only hope is to have her home declared a landmark (first lesbian muslim bed and breakfast) or find an endangered slug on her property.

[expatpat]

he should find a couple of slugs and paint a red band around their necks. Hey presto, new species!

[expatpat]

She should find a couple of slugs and paint a red band around their necks. Hey presto, new species!

[zeugma]

I'm going to try to get back to you. I have a few thoughts about this rolling around inside my head, echoing off the walls as they bounce around. It needs to cogitate a while, as I've been thinking quite a bit about some of the recent court rulings, and tying it all together.

I wish I had Mark Steyn's gift with the written word. :-)

[RogueIsland]

I believe the old terminology that applies again is "subjects".

We're more like the tenant farmers of the feudal period. If your liege lord decides one day he'd make more money grazing sheep on the land he deigned to let you farm, your gone.