Seattlest: Supervillain Mossback's Slow-Density Ray Foiled By Local Bloggers

Mossback

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:11:49 -0800

You know, I recently heard that Menudo was getting back together for a reality TV show. I should have known they were after me! Hopefully they haven't learned Eric C. Barnett's waterboarding techniques. Plug-wise, let me suggest you check out the Crosscut comments sections (if you haven't already) on my article and Clark Williams-Derry's post; there's a great debate going on there.

Jeremy M. Barker

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 12:34:30 -0800

"Insteadness"...that's a great concept--and widely applicable. It would, in fact, seem to describe most of what consitutes our news these days.

!

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:54:26 -0800

Bugling like an elk beset by Menudo Is there a Pulitzer for blogs?

MvB

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:46:50 -0800

Matt, what I agree with is that emotional, gut-level response that says, "Whoa, what are we actually getting ourselves into here?" Mossback's logic, on the other hand, is not exactly rigorous. Anika, I recall some of those ewoks being pretty prickly. And they seem like a slow-density bunch, too. So there's a resemblance, although Mossback's beard is a little bushier. Jeremy nails it: "No, the issues we should be discussing are that, given high density redevelopment of Seattle is a reality we're facing, we need to discuss how to do it right. Are we developing solutions that work for families, or only for yuppies? Are we going to build schools? Are we actually going to build high-density neighborhoods with a sense of community, or is high-density only going to be a recipe for bland, street-level retail with residential above it? And finally, are we going to build intelligent infrastructure to address a higher density core with quality transit and well-zoned retail areas for groceries and other necessary sundries, or are we expecting everyone to hop on Mercer to drive down to Costco for their food?" Those are the real questions -- and the high-density vs. low-density debate is just (as I learned last night that Jonathan Lethem would say) an "insteadness" that indicates how badly we deal with change: either we deny that it should happen, or we foreclose on our ability to work with it.

Jake of 8bitjoystick.com

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:20:04 -0800

Because Ewoks are the ultimate warriors. Just think about it. The Imperial Army had heavily fortified crack troops with heavy armor on the forest moon of Endor and the Ewoks and some hippie dippie rebel scum took them out with some rocks, logs and a wookie. The Ewoks are hard core!

Anika

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:14:27 -0800

Why the ewok?

Jeremy M. Barker

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 11:12:39 -0800

The utter failure of the Mossback argument here (and Matt--for the record, Berger is the former editor of Seattle Weekly; Mossback appeared there as a regular column) is that is takes on the issue in the abstract: high density v. low density. There's an argument to be made there, I suppose, but it dodges reality to take an academic stance. The ability to build more low density housing in Seattle is virtually nil. Furthermore, lower density housing is more expensive that higher density housing--the Weekly article above is dead on, and there's a real NIMBY attitude when it comes to the prospect of making Seattle more affordable for people by building, you know, apartments or--dare I say--condos. What both the Stranger and Mossback get utterly wrong is the nature of the debate; this shouldn't be about low or high density; low density arguments are for wealthy jackasses. Simply put: where they hell are they going to build more low density houses in Seattle? They're not. It's not even an argument about the right way to develop, it's simply against new development. The Stranger likewise argues for high density development as though it needed help. Surely ECB realizes that market forces are going to keep the condos coming no matter what The Stranger or the Weekly think. No, the issues we should be dicussing are that, given high density redevelopment of Seattle is a reality we're facing, we need to discuss how to do it right. Are we developing solutions that work for families, or only for yuppies? Are we going to build schools? Are we actually going to build high-density neighborhoods with a sense of community, or is high-density only going to be a recipe for bland, street-level retail with residential above it? And finally, are we going to build intelligent infrastructure to address a higher density core with quality transit and well-zoned retail areas for groceries and other necessary sundries, or are we expecting everyone to hop on Mercer to drive down to Costco for their food? Neither the Stranger nor Mossback ever really consider these questions, and that's why we're fucked.

Matt

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 10:11:36 -0800

//calm, thoughtful debate doesn't sell page views// I haven't read Mossback long (likely because Crosscut hasn't existed long, but maybe he published elsewhere), but so far I get the impression that he's trying to be the shock-jock of blog-based news. Throw together ridiculous yet passionate statements backed by no evidence regarding a subject that effects everyone, then stand back and watch the sparks fly. I'm a little bit surprised anyone agrees with him. The choice is building out or up, and out is such a bad option that I can't imagine the logic behind it's proponents. Are they the type that wants an affordable yard? Well, you'll end up having to drive a few hours to work under this plan. Are they the type that don't want the feel of the city to change? Well, you'll just drive prices up to the point that nobody but the rich can live here - which will change the feel of the city anyway. Perhaps that's what frustrates me most about Mossback. Even in his rebuttal he's given no logical arguements behind his point of view - just emotional rationalizations.