The Younger Generation is the Key!!!

With the Real Estate Depression that has been happening in the United States, we have seen many issues that have arisen. And Hickory is at the forefront of the issues that we face as a nation. I just hope that I am getting through to people.

I had lunch today at 1859 Cafe. It sits directly on 2nd Avenue SW and perpendicular to 5th street SW. As I have told you, my Aunt owns that restaurant. There were five of us who sat in the Parlor against the wall, in front of the mirror. I enjoyed a nice lunch with a few people who really care about Hickory. Two of the people were Young Professionals, who are up and comers, who read this blog and through e-mail correspondence expressed to me their concerns about the direction this city is headed in. The two others individuals who joined us are already involved in the political dynamics of our city's current political landscape.

Right now I'm not going to name names, because it is irrelevant to the message I am conveying. I wouldn't say that any of us march in lockstep on ideals, but we all agree that our city is on the wrong path. We all agreed on one conclusion that has been discussed in this very blog. Hickory can no longer afford to abandon or take for granted the Younger Demographic. We must do everything we can to stem the mass exodus of the 20 and 30-somethings who have decided that there is no reason to call Hickory their home.

No one can legitimately state that I want younger people in here, because I am young. I am 43 years old and I'm not getting any younger. Why not go along with those who want to encourage more and more retirees to locate here?

Because empirical evidence shows that our area's demographics are way out of kilter and my own anecdotal experiences constantly reinforce that opinion. Below are Population Pyramids of the United States that show the age distributions in 1990 and 2000, as well as the projection for 2025:

What you will notice is the bulge that is filtering its way through the years. The population is projected to become more evenly distributed by 2025. The population of our area will naturally become older no matter what we do, but we can't afford to exacerbate the numbers and make that bulge even larger, because it will have profound negative effects on our real estate prices.

South Florida Real Estate: Boom & Bust - Dowell Myers has taken a look at the aging baby boomers and warns of this trend creating a generational housing bubble. He looks at the point at which people at certain ages shift from becoming net buyers to net sellers of homes, and you can see in this chart (SLIDE 7) that happens right about at age 60 or so. Myers is saying that the future buying and selling actions of this big group of people, the baby boom cohort, has major implications for housing markets.

This is an issue of simple supply and demand. As that bulge ages, those people have similar needs when it comes to housing, healthcare, and lifestyle. At the point, when that bulge reaches 75+ years old, a number of those people are going to want to sell their house or townhome and move to an Assisted Living Center or Senior Community. As this happens, real estate market values will be completely dependent on the buyer's market. The fewer younger people there are to buy these houses; the harder it's going to be to sell a house and subsequently the lower the selling price will be. That also means our tax rates are going to rise.

If we focus on retirees, then we are going to have to focus more of the community's resources and energy to cater to the elder demographic. Can we afford to do that at the expense of the mobile populace, especially when we see the path that the Federal Government wants to take us down on healthcare? Healthcare dollars look like they are going to be placed in check in some manner. That means that there isn't going to be a plethora of money in taking care of the aged. Heck, I have seen first hand that services for the aged are already lacking.

I'm just asking that we try to restore some balance into the equation. Why would 20 and 30-somethings stick around just to be ignored and/or relegated to being subservient to the elderly.The vast majority of the elderly are on fixed incomes, do you really want to base an economy on people living on fixed incomes. Do you want to live in a Big Lots and J&S Cafeteria World?

The younger generation are the workers and thus the money generators. While the older generation is winding it down, the younger generation is cranking it up. Malaise, lethargy, and "Run Down" are adjectives that I have heard when it comes to describing this area over the last eight years. Folks, that is where the pessimism has settled in.

As I sat having lunch today, I was faced with the graffiti that has been plastered all over the abandoned building two blocks over. I was struck by the vacant building where Details used to reside. I witnessed that there was hardly any traffic going down 1st or 2nd Avenue. These were not the memories I had of that area, even just a few short years ago. I remember when that area thrived. My mind could not settle the paradox of those sites versus the backdrop of the tasteful and artistically designed decoration of 1859 Cafe. Something is amiss and it's not 1859. Have we given up? Are we going to let parts of town turn to rubble? Are we supposed to let whole sections of our community die without even a whimper?

We need to do more to attract the energy that comes with the younger demographic. I certainly haven't been inspired by the status quo that has infected this community. I have witnessed first hand the energy that these young people are willing to bring to the table. This younger generation gives me hope that we can turn things around. When these young guys step forward, let's encourage them and work with them. Let's help these guys get some of their projects off the ground, so that we can revitalize our economy and restore optimism into the equation of the future.

In Spite of the Government

Crazy Unemployment; Retirement Savings Lost; Home Values Plummeting, if you are even able to sell the house; and no end to this tumult in sight. During these times that we must endure, our lives are changing drastically and it's easy to get lost in the chaos.

Maybe some haven't had to suffer from all that has gone on, so they're wondering what all the fuss is about and think they see a lot of foolishness amongst us. These people seem to not realize that the foundation that they are standing on is slowly, but surely being whittled away under their feet. I wonder whether they are relying on some inexplicable hope or are they so insulated from the working class that they can't see what it happening all around us. Most people who are dealing in direct Economic Commerce are coming to the realization that the government is cooking the books.

One of the more relevant issues that proves this point, is that people are starting to realize that the government's reported unemployment numbers are wrong and slowly but surely they will be brought to an understanding that the government's inflation numbers have no bearing on reality. I have spoken about this before.

As for the unemployment numbers we hear reported on the news, what is reported does not include discouraged workers or those seeking full time work, but only able to find part time employment. How many of us know people who have been unemployed for a long time? How many of us know people whose Unemployment benefits have run out? How many of us know people who received severance agreements and must exhaust those before they can file for unemployment? How many of us know of people who are working 30 hours a week at reduced pay, because they have lost their full-time occupation? Do you understand that none of these people are considered to be officially unemployed?

From Shadowstats.com - "GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC REPORTS: THINGS YOU'VE SUSPECTED BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!" - "Series Master Introduction" (Part One in a Series of Five)
* During the Kennedy administration, unemployment was redefined with the concept of discouraged workers" so as to reduce the popularly followed unemployment rate.

* Up until the Clinton administration, a discouraged worker was one who was willing, able and ready to work but had given up looking because there were no jobs to be had. The Clinton administration dismissed to the non-reporting netherworld about five million discouraged workers who had been so categorized for more than a year. As of July 2004, the less-than-a-year discouraged workers total 504,000. Adding in the netherworld takes the unemployment rate up to about 12.5%.

Then there is the issue of inflation and its effect on our incomes. Personally, I have recognized the cost of Goods and Services have increased a lot over the last decade and especially the last 5 years. Instead of having useful statistics to help us assess where we stand economically, we have allowed government to convolute our statistical measures to the point of uselessness and they are spending billions of dollars to arrive at these garbage in/garbage out numbers.

"GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC REPORTS: THINGS YOU'VE SUSPECTED BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK!" -"The Consumer Price Index" (Part Four in a Series of Five) - This article also addresses the issue of how the government had cooked the books when it comes to the reporting of Inflation.

As John Williams states: Inflation, as reported by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is understated by roughly 7% per year. This is due to recent redefinitions of the series as well as to flawed methodologies, particularly adjustments to price measures for quality changes. The CPI was designed to help businesses, individuals and the government adjust their financial planning and considerations for the impact of inflation.

* In particular, changes made in CPI methodology during the Clinton Administration understated inflation significantly, and, through a cumulative effect with earlier changes that began in the late-Carter and early Reagan Administrations have reduced current social security payments by roughly half from where they would have been otherwise. That means Social Security checks today would be about double had the various changes not been made. In like manner, anyone involved in commerce, who relies on receiving payments adjusted for the CPI, has been similarly damaged. On the other side, if you are making payments based on the CPI (i.e., the federal government), you are making out like a bandit.

... The Boskin/Greenspan argument was that when steak got too expensive, the consumer would substitute hamburger for the steak, and that the inflation measure should reflect the costs tied to buying hamburger versus steak, instead of steak versus steak. Of course, replacing hamburger for steak in the calculations would reduce the inflation rate, but it represented the rate of inflation in terms of maintaining a declining standard of living. Cost of living was being replaced by the cost of survival. The old system told you how much you had to increase your income in order to keep buying steak. The new system promised you hamburger, and then dog food, perhaps, after that.

The Hound believes we are not going to be able to resolve the issues that this country faces, if we don't realistically assess where we stand with reliable numbers. The Media, with the exception of the Business Media, doesn't even question any of this or seem to have a clue. Is this because they are ignorant or in the tank? Why are we spending billions of dollars to have government agencies calculating these numbers, if we are going to allow them to be doctored to arrive at politically acceptable outcomes. Garbage in always leads to Garbage out.

I look at our area as an example. We have been sold down the river by this very process of Convoluted statistical measures. That is the reason why I always look under the surface , when it comes to Economic numbers reported by any agency associated with the government. Business, Industry, and Citizens expect these numbers to be reliable so that they can make better decisions. Our Political and Economic system is being crushed by the weight of Government Bologna.

I know that in this area that our incomes are not growing, the Milken Institute and Forbes reports show that we are in the bottom 5% when it comes to wage growth in this nation. The lack of quality jobs has permeated from the bottom to the top of our economy. If the workers don't have money, then they can't buy the products of business owners. Our community has adapted down in many ways, because of our ever shrinking economy, and accepted a lower standard of living, but how much further can we allow ourselves to fall before this community completely implodes. As the Cost of Living continues to escalate, we are going to see more and more people put into a greater bind. The tipping point is going to come sooner than most people even realize.

The way I see it, the survival of this community is at stake. This is not a time to be meek. It is a time for boldness and taking chances, because we have nothing to lose. If we stand idly by, take no action, and accept the status quo, then we will surely lose everything. What else do these cooked books show, but that we have been lied to time and time again and built our entire structure on those lies. We have been betrayed and it is time that this community becomes proactive and does what needs to be done. This community will not grow because of government help, it is going to have to grow in spite of the government. What choice do we have, when our backs are against the wall?

Houndvision: Let's take a Drive through Southwest Downtown

We will start out on the Northwest side of Downtown right at Union Square and drive through the Union Square parking area, which is dead at 5pm. I can understand closing at night on Sundays, but it is my opinion that this is a lost opportunity to make thousands of dollars. Small businesses cannot afford to throw away such opportunities, especially when Valley Hills mall is conveniently open a few miles away.

It is the right of these business owners to be closed, but it hurts the entire area. I saw that Josh's was open and the Tap Room was open. Those restaurants would do more business with those stores open on Sunday and those businesses could feed off of those restaurants being open after Church and early in the evening on Sunday.

Does it make sense that these businesses are open when most people are working and closed when most of the people are off of work?



The second video follows the trek back from 10th st pl SW between First Ave and Main Ave SW where one can see the blight in full. One can see the Piedmont Wagon wasting away in the foreground on the Northwest side of the tracks. What we see currently is a concrete canyon of blighted warehouses wasting away. We end up back on 5th st SW. To the left is a little garage that used to be a gas station, to the immediate right is Scott Matthews Law Office and I believe he has upgraded that property, at the 2 o'clock position you will see what was Hair USA and later Details, and in the foreground you will see 1859 Cafe.

I decided to take a right and go to the former parking lot of Ego's and Page One, where we now see graffiti, rubble, and dilapidation. Here we also see the 2nd Harvest Food Bank. 2nd harvest serves an excellent mission, but does it belong in a building so close to the heart of the city and are any of these buildings Economic Generators? If you ask me, we have seen negative momentum and Economic Degeneration created on this side of town!!!



The third video is, in my opinion, a metaphor of what this city has been all about. Everyone talks about appearances, but people need to look under the surface and see what is going on under that facade of green grass. This type of symbolism over substance has led this city to where it is today. Look under the surface people and you'll find out what is really going on. You need to embrace the level of discomfort that these sights bring. That is what will help us get these vital areas back on track. This property is next to 1859 Cafe. 1859 is my Aunt Jane Moore's business, but this property belongs to Alex Lee. I have mentioned this to city officials several times over the years, but it never gets taken care of. My Aunt has had this area cleaned up several times over the years, but indigents keep coming back and piling up refuse again and again and again. Look at the film and tell me what you think.



The Hound doesn't want to tell Property Owners what to do with their property. In years past, when business was thriving in those areas, no one understood the implications of the chemicals that were being used. Now we do understand and it is time to find out just what kinds of chemical contamination are on these sites and are any of these warehouses still storing toxic chemicals. I understand that Brownfield studies will help do some of this, but it isn't going to come into play until the building is on the market. Don't we need to understand the extent of this issue now?

I also want people to see where the arbitrary judgment of the issues comes into play. We hear all of the hoopla about the Buffalo's sinkhole, but what about what is shown in these little short films as far as the blight in Southwest Hickory? When are we going to see a sense of urgency come into play about these dilapidated buildings in the heart of our city? These short videos don't even scrape the tip of the iceberg.

I understand that these are tough economic times. Credit is hard to come by. But, in my opinion, we are not going to turn this city around until we start addressing the issues of blight in Southwest, Southeast, and the Industrial corridors of Hickory. Sorry I haven't perfected my video skills. I will get better, but anyway, I don't want you to take what I am saying for granted. One day, when you have time, please go check this out for yourself.


I thought it might be a good idea to add a map to show the route that was taken. I started out in front of the Embarq building (1) and drove through the Union Square Parking Lot. From there I crossed the tracks and proceeded west traveling down Main Ave until I got to 4th st SW. I took a left until I hit 1st ave SW. I took the right and drove to 9th st SW took a right and then a left back onto Main ave SW. I went to 10th st pl SW (2), before doubling back down Main St. I took a right on 5th st SW and then headed down 1st Ave to the Ego's - 2nd Harvest parking lot (3). From there I doubled back down main to 5th st and pulled across into the Alex Lee parking lot (4).

The driving distance from Union Square to 10th st Pl SW turns out to be .8 miles. Would you agree that this area should encompass what is referred to as Downtown?

The relationship between Precious Metals, Inflation, and Government Spending

It is terrible that schools across this nation do such a terrible job of explaining the most basic fundamentals of Economics (and I am not talking about capitalism, I am talking about Hedo-Economics). The money that the United States Treasury has printed in conjunction with the Federal Reserve leads to no other possible result other than inflation. The government has been telling us that there is no inflation. Do your Common Sense and instincts lead you to this conclusion?



If I am able to convey one message to you about economics, it is that we are living in a Fundamentally Unsound and Unsustainable Economic System. Yes, I know that many of you will argue "What does this have to do with the local scene?"

Let me ask you. When you purchase everything that you purchase, what are you using? You are using Dollars. Destroying our currency will reek just as much havoc as any war ever could. We cannot and should not accept the current path we are on when it comes to the way that the Federal and State government are spending our money.

The Federal Reserve was designed and supposed to be a separate entity from the Federal Government, but now we see the Federal Reserve constantly feeding the beast. The President and Congress want more money for the Ponzi economy they have instituted. The Federal Reserve Policy of keeping interest rates so artificially low and encouraging the Federal government to print more and more money, has led us to the precipice of disaster where we stand today.

The only way that we are going to be able to get the economy back under control, is for people to understand that we have to reverse this course. that means that we are going to have to hold the people accountable who instituted these actions. That means anyone who wants to keep printing money and spending it on frivolities is going to have to go.

Yes, we do need investments in this country, but at this time it needs to be only priorities. Common Sense economics must rule the day. We hear the government telling us that the economy is getting better. Ask yourself, Does it look like the Economy is getting better?

September 4, 2009 - The Introduction of HoundVision