Old People

Apologies to those of you who have seen this list in past years, but this is the first time I’ve seen Slate’s 80 over 80 list. First off, it’s a pretty hilarious spin on the standard 40 Under 40 that we see in places like our own Puget Sound Business Journal. Second: Barbara Walters is 80! (Clint Eastwood is 79!) Third: man, there are a lot of elected officials holding really important offices on this list, and that does not make me feel super comfortable. Fourth, and actually relevant, is that #12 on this list is Bill Gates, Sr. Which gets me to thinking: are we taking enough advantage of Bill Gates, Sr. in Washington state?

Why Don’t We Have a Kauffman Foundation?

I was reading this article on Xconomy about their new partnership with the Kauffman Foundation, and the titular question immediately struck me: Why Don’t We Have a Kauffman Foundation?

Think about it: we are a center of innovation, but one of the most difficult places in the country to start and sustain a new business (see Indicator 13). And what do they focus on? Improving the success of entrepreneurship and commercialization!

Innovation

Wow, it must be Back to Basics Week at the ol’ Prosperity Blog. First “Regionalism,” then “Taxes” and now “Innovation.” I’m going to have to start my posts from now on with the old cheesy book report line, “Webster’s Dictionary defines innovation as…”

Here’s the thing about innovation. Innovation is like coolness. Everyone wants it, and the harder you try to get it, the more it slips through your fingers.

Celebrating Taxes and Economic Development

OK, I’m going to continue my modest proposal/rant from yesterday about getting everyone on board if we want to truly achieve our vision for a prosperous metropolitan region. I was at the Leadership Tomorrow Economy Day today, where the 80 young leaders spend a day learning about our region’s economy, and it was fascinating to listen in on the conversation.

Regionalism

I went to a really great discussion today at the University of Washington: remarks and a panel featuring Bruce Katz, the vice president and founding director of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C.  Katz was in town to give a lecture on Tuesday night as part of the UW’s Danz Lecture Series, and he hung around Wednesday morning to do a more intimate session with a bunch of local bigwigs and leading regional thinkers (note: I am neither, but I got to go anyway).

Anyway, the discussion was really fascinating, centering on how the central Puget Sound can more successfully act as a region, and be an economic and policy leader for the country’s recovery and beyond. But, as Gene Duvernoy of the Cascade Land Conservancy – one of the panelists – pointed out, there was one big problem with the conversation.

Bring Back Griffey- and not for the reasons you think!

The brand, “Seattle” is a very strong global brand today, yet the brand, “Puget Sound” means little to anyone outside of the Vancouver to Portland corridor. When I talk to visiting delegations or travel (rarely) on business outside of the aforementioned corridor, I have to refer our region as the Metropolitan Seattle Region or risk blank stares and a constant drone of, “so, where are you from?” However, here at home I am very careful to refer to us as the Central Puget Sound Region for reasons primarily related to political correctness and job security.

It is worth remembering (and yes I’m ready for the hate mail from Everett and Redmond) that most people in the world think that Boeing and Microsoft are headquartered in Seattle.

The Rise and Rise of Nyhus Communications

I want to make it clear that there are a lot of talented communications/public affairs firms in the Metropolitan Seattle region with whom we work.  That said the recent 2009 Mayor’s Small Business Award given to Nyhus Communications caused me to reflect on why I am seeing these folks grow quickly despite a tough economy.

Obesity: It’s Not Your Fault…Somewhat

We here at the Prosperity Blog have been trying to stay out of the health care reform debate for the most part, except to beat the drum somewhat for personal responsibility in taking care of yourself, so as to reduce the need for health services. But we carved out an exception on the obesity issue for lower income people “who tend to be heavier because of lack of access to healthy food.”

Consumption

And I’m not talking about the old timey name for tuberculosis. I’m using it in the “spending money to buy stuff” sense, although – at this point in our country’s economic history – we’re certainly coughing up jobs like a consumptive. A big part of all that job loss and economic contraction is that the average consumer isn’t spending anymore. Unless you are an average consumer with a low-gas mileage car, in which case, “Let’s spend like it’s 1999!” (Seriously, that was a big year for spending.)

The Next Five Years of Our Economy

So, when the Prosperity Partnership first formed and developed the Regional Economic Strategy, it was always meant as a five year plan. Or rather, not a five year plan in the control/command economy sense, but a five year strategy. We wanted to see what short-term, tangible things we could do to move the needle on increasing economic prosperity and job creation.

Great Recession aside, there have been some good successes, and we’re coming up on 2010 faster than I’d like to admit. I’ve been thinking for a while now about what’s next, and I’d love to get all those great economic development minds out there thinking about it. I’ve got three thoughts:

I Miss CTED

So, I never thought I would say this, but I’m sort of sad that the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development officially has changed its name to the Washington State Department of Commerce. CTED (pronounced “Sea Ted”) was a pretty useful acronym. And now you can’t just say Commerce, because there’s a U.S. Department of Commerce, and you can’t say DoC, because that’s also the Department of Corrections.

I’m leaning toward “State Comm”, which sounds sort of fly, or “Wash Comm”, which is sort of dirty sounding… But I’m open to better suggestions!

The Importance of Op-Eds

I’m no media philosopher, but one of the interesting things about the much heralded “death of print journalism” is that it hasn’t seemed to change the newspaper op-ed as one of the go-to tools for trying to affect public opinion.  Certainly, we’ve seen quite a bit of that approach with regard to aerospace these days: this, this, and this, just to name a few.

And if there are lots of op-eds trying to convince people of something, then there’s at least a perception that people aren’t currently convinced. Which, when you think about it, is crazy!

Happy Anniversary, Prosperity Blog

Hard to believe that we’ve been at this Prosperity Blog thing for a year now.  That’s right, folks, the first post was on July 28, 2008.  The topic? 

Salt in the Wound, which has been re-opened just so you could put salt into it

Leilani Lanes was the world’s best karaoke bar with a great bowling alley attached to it. Then it got sold to a developer and it closed. It was going to be made into condos. It was a shot to the heart…love progress of course, just so sad to see a great place go.

Leilani then

Now (a few weeks ago actually) word comes that the developer is bankrupt and the property has been taken back by the bank.

Why? Why do I have to die this death over and over? Is it not enough that this icon of all things cool is gone, surrounded by a chain link fence?

Can’t it just become condos and be done.   I mean, highest and best use is great. Progress is great. But closing the old girl down and replacing her with nothing? It’s a crying shame. Literally. I am crying. And it’s a shame.

Leilani now

Curse you, economy. When times are good you take away pleasure, when times are bad you take away lack of pain.  Have you no soul?  No compassion?

Can you at least put a karaoke mic in the parking lot, just for old time’s sake?

Regional Elected Official Casting Contest

Publicola has a great story about the casting of a new movie in which the role of Seattle City Councilmember Richard McIver might be played by Samuel L. Jackson. (Insert about 100 “I hate motherf*#ing snakes” jokes here.)

Open comment thread. Suggest your favorite casting of regional elected officials in the movie version of the Prosperity Partnership. I’ll start things off: the role of Bob Drewel will be played by a younger version of Robert Loggia. Everybody loves Robert Loggia.

Winner of the contest gets a free ticket to the Prosperity Partnership Fall Luncheon.