Your ideas for a better Memphis. (Sparta, Charlotte: crime rate, public schools, living)

[TheKernel91]

Originally Posted by BlackChemist

I grew up in Memphis. I'm in my early 20's so I may not know as much as everyone else here. I think Memphis should invest in green technology (solar, wind, fuel cells, etc). These jobs seem to be the future. I believe we need more manufacturing jobs for chemists, engineers, etc. Science is the way to go. This might get the attention of a few companies and persuade them to move their resources to Memphis.

^^ Agree totally. I always felt that Memphis needed to go after the next big thing that'll set the city's growth for years . Those jobs of the future will be need and in demand in the coming years. Having these jobs here will attract other non-direct jobs who will rely on these companies for their growth.

[Carlito Brigante]

Originally Posted by Longtimelistener

Memphis' biggest problem is the inability to vote for decent candidates. If your best choice is Janice Fullilove or Joe Brown you'd be better off voting for a tree stump.
Every city has a whack job on their council but our's seems overloaded.
The county commission isn't much better.

That's so true, but when you look at all the candidates who run, MOST of them are unqualified and/or nutjobs. Not much to choose from at all, which speaks volumes about the overall quality of people in Memphis if those are the "leaders" the people have to choose from.

Still, Memphians do tend to vote for the absolute worst of the worst, though. Janice Fullilove is an unprofessional, drunk, drug addicted clown who should have been kicked off the City Council a long time ago. The only reason she even got on there anyway is because people recognized her name from the radio.

[Carlito Brigante]

Originally Posted by BlackChemist

I grew up in Memphis. I'm in my early 20's so I may not know as much as everyone else here. I think Memphis should invest in green technology (solar, wind, fuel cells, etc). These jobs seem to be the future. I believe we need more manufacturing jobs for chemists, engineers, etc. Science is the way to go. This might get the attention of a few companies and persuade them to move their resources to Memphis.

This is very true indeed, but the leadership and local power brokers in Memphis have shown that they don't really want to diversify the economy and grow the city by adding more high paying, white collar, economy boosting jobs here. Memphis is a blue collar, backwoods, warehouse town. That's why FedEx is king in Memphis. Also, look at all the jobs and companies they try to attract to Memphis: Steamboat porters, Electrolux, Bass Pro, etc. All low paying retail, warehouse, and manual labor type jobs. I have nothing against blue collar work, but a city that doesn't also value and promote education and an equal amount of white collar jobs and businesses is asking for certain doom. Just look what happened to Detroit. It's no coincidence that people call Memphis the "Detroit of the South" these days. That is NOT a compliment, people.

[bigman123]

Im really curious to know if there has ever been any talk about improving the landscape of the areas where you enter the city. The entries via HWY 51 to the south coming from MS, and I-55 S from Arkansas. First impressions are critical, and when you enter Memphis from these 2 areas it does not make a good first impression. If it were up to me, addressing these 2 areas would be high, if not first, on my priority list.

[characterRef]

Originally Posted by bigman123

Im really curious to know if there has ever been any talk about improving the landscape of the areas where you enter the city. The entries via HWY 51 to the south coming from MS, and I-55 S from Arkansas. First impressions are critical, and when you enter Memphis from these 2 areas it does not make a good first impression. If it were up to me, addressing these 2 areas would be high, if not first, on my priority list.

LOL.....I have been making the identical observation for absolutely YEARS.......and most people thought I was just "picking on Memphis", or just didn't like Memphis ! Hell, no I didn't LIKE the wasy it appeared coming into the City it was horrible, and STILL is - but they don't have a clue - first impression of Memphis is really pretty bad coming in, but they don't get it, not one bit

The same thing I said about the lousy looking/functioning Airport and the whole area around coming into the airport - the structure itself looks like a Federal facility (jail) it's just bad, really bad

But these people are asleep at the switch even on this basic idea of progressivism. Memphis should be ashamed how it appears coming in from the south and west hell, it's not that great coming in from the east I40 either - bush league

[knucklehead_vol]

Originally Posted by characterRef

LOL.....I have been making the identical observation for absolutely YEARS.......and most people thought I was just "picking on Memphis", or just didn't like Memphis ! Hell, no I didn't LIKE the wasy it appeared coming into the City it was horrible, and STILL is - but they don't have a clue - first impression of Memphis is really pretty bad coming in, but they don't get it, not one bit

The same thing I said about the lousy looking/functioning Airport and the whole area around coming into the airport - the structure itself looks like a Federal facility (jail) it's just bad, really bad

But these people are asleep at the switch even on this basic idea of progressivism. Memphis should be ashamed how it appears coming in from the south and west hell, it's not that great coming in from the east I40 either - bush league

Whooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....

We agree on something. But at least I can articulate without name calling. You should try it.

But I do think the city gets 'it'.

[009811]

The most important thing is picking a quailified, hard working politicans work for Memphis.It is very nasty that Memphis region have so many corrupt politicans like Greg Davis and Richard Hodges.There is someone like Herenton who usually incline himself as the victim of racism (On the other side, he usually reject to attend any Asian or Hispanic community meetings/events). In the next few decades, the Memphis should be in charge of minority politicans. However, I believe that a hard working, high moral standard, and innovative leader is needed. Mr Wharton set a benchmark for future Memphis politicans. The future guys must be better than Wharton.

[bigman123]

Originally Posted by characterRef

LOL.....I have been making the identical observation for absolutely YEARS.......and most people thought I was just "picking on Memphis", or just didn't like Memphis ! Hell, no I didn't LIKE the wasy it appeared coming into the City it was horrible, and STILL is - but they don't have a clue - first impression of Memphis is really pretty bad coming in, but they don't get it, not one bit

The same thing I said about the lousy looking/functioning Airport and the whole area around coming into the airport - the structure itself looks like a Federal facility (jail) it's just bad, really bad

But these people are asleep at the switch even on this basic idea of progressivism. Memphis should be ashamed how it appears coming in from the south and west hell, it's not that great coming in from the east I40 either - bush league

Up until about a little over a year ago, I flew in & out of MEM every week. I've always thought MEM was a pretty good airport. Not the best but far from the worst, IMO. Its definitely one of the fastest. Its no ATL, but for this sized city, I think its on point. Last week I flew to FLL. MEM has made some recent upgrades to the exterior of the airport. Pretty nice. However, the area around the airport is a different story.

Its kinda like the powers at be dont know the 'tricks' of the trade. No need to reinvent the wheel. Make your entrances to the city pop; make your downtown and the areas close to downtown as flawless as possible; treat the areas around your airport as if it were entrance to your city and make it pop; arrange it so that 2 or 3 more of the schools rate well, and whala, you've got the foundation for a great city. This is the formula for most citites. In my experience, there are very few cities where more than 30% of the city can be considered 'nice'. You just have to make sure the right places, with-in your city, make your city shine.

[Carlito Brigante]

Originally Posted by 009811

The most important thing is picking a quailified, hard working politicans work for Memphis.It is very nasty that Memphis region have so many corrupt politicans like Greg Davis and Richard Hodges.There is someone like Herenton who usually incline himself as the victim of racism (On the other side, he usually reject to attend any Asian or Hispanic community meetings/events). In the next few decades, the Memphis should be in charge of minority politicans. However, I believe that a hard working, high moral standard, and innovative leader is needed. Mr Wharton set a benchmark for future Memphis politicans. The future guys must be better than Wharton.

That shouldn't be hard.

[REPBOY]

Originally Posted by nashvols

I'd just like to point out to the people with a very negative outlook on Memphis...Memphis will continue to have that outlook if residents hold onto those views. That isn't to say Memphis doesn't have it's problems. It has many. Every city has many.

The steps to make a positive change with Memphis start with having a positive can-do outlook. I'm not saying people need to be jaded and ignore the problems that the city has -- but to have the mindset that problems can be changed, that the city can be made better. One distinction I would make on here is there is a difference to being jaded and resilient. Jaded people don't recognize problems, while resilient people don't let problems affect them. I think a lot of posters on here accused of being jaded Memphis boosters are really more of the resilient type, who have a love for their city, but they are still rooted in reality.

The best bit of news for Memphis is that the leadership has taken a positive direction with the change from the Herenton administration to Wharton. I am encouraged with what I have seen out of Wharton...rather than worry about race politics and fighting the surrounding communities, he is working together to make a stronger relationship with the surrounding communities, which I think will be vital for Memphis' success. You can't compete with other regions if you're infighting with your own suburbs.

There is still a ton of work to be done, but it's not a hopeless battle unless you don't try. Memphis has a lot going for it. What needs to change are the attitudes of the people holding the city back.

Yet again I find myself agreeing with almost all of what our distinguished blogger from Nashville says.
The clear plan of action must be that positive attitude must come first, then the vision, the set goals, then quality leadership for the implementation. Many Memphians have been onboard up to some point in this progressive formula over the years, only to see one step, such as quality leadership, fail and become the weak link. Nowhere in this formula does self flagelation enter the picture. There's no necessity for a continual recognition of basic weaknesses in the city's fabric without a plan to strengthen it, but regular recognition of positive acheivement gives others the motivation to create more acheivement. Optimism is better than pesimism. There seems to be a misperception by a few apparently that we have a large group of homers who close their eyes to obvious insufficiencies. It's just that for the most part most are far beyond that point and are now optimistically pointing out current forward movement.
Yes I have lived in enough other cities, larger and smaller to make the comparison, and they all had their problems along with proponents and detractors. Proponents helped to make solutions occur, detractors without solutions (aka Haters) were part of the problem.