Raise the Hammer

Where is you library at, sir?

Positions are often carved out based on poor research of topics. Time will tell that the WH fixation was ill founded.

"A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open." — Frank Zappa

What is driving the ongoing WH belief?

Is it some deep knowledge of the WH location or city rejuvination? No. It is the deep fear of waking up on Oct 26th to the realization that the previous mayor has been elected the mayor of Hamilton once again.

It is this unfounded fear that has driven some of our best minds in the community to stake out adversarial positions around the WH.

The unabated denigration of voices that choose to differ with the WH belief, is a result of this deep fear mixed with a false premise, that springs from linking the incumbent mayor’s political success to the WH location.

No discussions or truths can emerge from this dark space.

To understand how poor research can impact our positions -- read the many statements and also watch the video presentation that was made in defense of the MIP lands at the Sept 14th council meeting.

Then read this report titled: "The False Promise of the Entrepreneurial University" by Marc V. Levine, professor of history, economic development and urban studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

If the topic on Innovation Parks was well researched, could the presentation to the council in support of MIP lands have been less melodramatic?

If you do think so, please pass this report on to Neil Everson, Peter George, Patrick Deane, Mark Chamberlain, Brian McHattie and Howard Elliot. Maybe we may finally have honest inquiries instead of fixations that polarize communities and devolve progress.

Given the trauma already suffered from the WH fixation, can the soon to surface trauma arising from Entertainment zones be mitigated by some good research? For those who want a head start, here is something worth considering.

There is more to Innovation Parks than most would like to know in our city. For those that are curious to know more, try this, just to see for yourself as to how easy it is to start great discussions - when the right premise is the starting point in the search for true innovation.

Supernova of Silicon Valley: What does it mean? --- "...in June, 1995, I had lunch at the Stanford Park Hotel and while leaving, I noticed a man holding a cane and sitting on a bench as though waiting for someone. I walked on by and then stopped, turned around, and walked back. I said, "Are you Mr. Hewlett?", and he replied, "Yes". I thanked him for his kindness in verifying information for me when I was writing my paper on "Fred Terman, The Father of Silicon Valley." He said "But Fred Terman didn't start Silicon Valley; the beginning of Silicon Valley was a supernova." He asked if I knew what a supernova was and I said yes, that it was an explosion of a large star. Mr. Hewlett spoke so softly that it was difficult to catch every word, but he proceeded to explain that a supernova caused a rippling effect that set the stage for future events. He explained that Lee de Forest, who was an electronics pioneer in the Palo Alto area in the early part of the Century, and his work were the supernova". (c) Carolyn Tajnai, 1995

Comment edited by Mahesh_P_Butani on 2010-09-17 14:26:29