QuantumPX

[miami305]

Originally Posted by URBANITY REPORTS

Chinese cities are literally seas of skyscrapers; only Sao Paolo can compare to China. Not even New York has the potential to be in the level of those cities, and what's more surprising is that NY is the only city in North America we can look up to - NY is no more...

I always wonder, how all these buildings get built in Asia....where do they get the money to do so....these are for sure seas of skyscrapers...China being the dominant country...and yeah you are right we only have NYC in N. America to look up to...Is it cheap labor? Cheap materials? not just skyscrapers but public transportation is way ahead of us...in regards to being new and massive.

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by miami305

I always wonder, how all these buildings get built in Asia....where do they get the money to do so....these are for sure seas of skyscrapers...China being the dominant country...and yeah you are right we only have NYC in N. America to look up to...Is it cheap labor? Cheap materials? not just skyscrapers but public transportation is way ahead of us...in regards to being new and massive.

I think a lot of it does have to do with cheap labor and Chinese people sacrificing for the good of the new China.

[URBANITY REPORTS]

They have lots of money, more money than America, so building in masses just comes with the territory.

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by miami305

I always wonder, how all these buildings get built in Asia....where do they get the money to do so....these are for sure seas of skyscrapers...China being the dominant country...and yeah you are right we only have NYC in N. America to look up to...Is it cheap labor? Cheap materials? not just skyscrapers but public transportation is way ahead of us...in regards to being new and massive.

As others have mentioned, cheap labor goes right at the the top of the list. In the simplest terms, things like giant transit initiatives in China happen because a) the government orders it and b) it can be done quickly and cheaply in contrast to Western standards.

Any urbanist would rightfully be jealous of that speed and efficiency, but it comes at a trade-off that I find nauseating.

China does all this by treating workers like disposable cogs. Wages that are not commesurate with the skill and danger involved, unconscionable safety standards, and an overall culture (and economy) that calls itself "communist" for historical reasons but is actually the most overheated, unregulated capitalist society on Earth.

It would be ludicrous to ask any skilled American worker to do the same job under that kind of indentured servitude. We may as well return to 1910 and put children to work in factories to keep up.

The answer here would be a GOVERNMENT that was fully invested in infrastructure modernization, but so as "no new taxes" rules the day politically (along with all the coward politicians who don't have the guts to tell people the truth) we will continue along this path of cheap politics in lieu of sound policy.

If Americans decide they don't want to pay for things like modern transit, efficient public schools, clean water and 1000 other things that make society more civil then they simply won't have them.

But I'm sure the extra 300 bucks in their pocket at tax time will make up for all of that.

[QuantumX]

This I posted earlier, but never touched it up the way I have here.

image hosted on flickr

DSC_0496 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

[QuantumX]

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DSC_0843 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0844 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0851 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0852 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0848 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0864 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

[QuantumX]

image hosted on flickr

DSC_0849 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0842 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0841 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0840 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0834 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

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DSC_0858 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

[skyscraperhighrise]

Miami is still the hottest city in florida and in america.

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by skyscraperhighrise

Miami is still the hottest city in florida and in america.

Imagine that some of those scenes with these people fishing and kayaking are only a few minutes away from the city. And crossing the Rickenbacker Causeway, our new, colorful, tropical-looking skyline kicks serious ass. Just driving along I-95 through downtown Miami, it looks absolutely spectacular.

[miami305]

Nice pics Q

[skyscraperhighrise]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

Imagine that some of those scenes with these people fishing and kayaking are only a few minutes away from the city. And crossing the Rickenbacker Causeway, our new, colorful, tropical-looking skyline kicks serious ass. Just driving along I-95 through downtown Miami, it looks absolutely spectacular.

God they need more office and high rise condo buliding booms, light rail and even more, we need supertall stuff next, Miami needs to surpass NY soon.

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by skyscraperhighrise

Miami needs to surpass NY soon.

And why is there a need for that in your mind? Development is development, and Miami will become whatever it is to become, but I don't see any other American city surpassing New York or Chicago. Those cities are too well-established with a long skyscraper history, and they are not going to suddenly stop their development. I find it amazing enough that there are statisticians who now count the Miami skyline as third in the country and one of the top 20 in the world.

[QuantumX]

This week's Urban Photo Contest entries

The Great Escape!
image hosted on flickr

DSCN1796 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

Espionage!
image hosted on flickr

DSC_0605 by Quantum2010, on Flickr

[URBANITY REPORTS]

LOL @ titles

The Great Escape is one of my favorite movies ever. And yes, it looks like the guy is escaping from Miami

epic!!

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by URBANITY REPORTS

LOL @ titles

The Great Escape is one of my favorite movies ever. And yes, it looks like the guy is escaping from Miami

epic!!

Thanks! This photo is not doing well in the contest even though it is one of my best artistic efforts. I brightened it so that it's not too dark, and I enhanced the color to bring out the blue in the sky and the colors in our tropical-looking skyline. It should be getting 10s straight across the board. It's dramatic, artistic and near-perfect. What isn't perfect about the photo is exactly what I want to convey with the gloom closing in all around this guy. They can't stand me in that Urban Photo Contest because I've got balls and attitude and it shows up in my photography in a way that they can't match. I have powerful aerials that they down vote I'm sure because they can't do it. Instead, they say anybody can do that. Yeah, right!

[URBANITY REPORTS]

Those guys don't care much about content but composition. That's why it's tough to be in their good side

Too bad not many people want to give feedback, "anybody can do that" is not a productive response - they might as well keep their mouth shut.

[Aceventura]

The place with the red umbrella is C-Lounge, a cigar bar open super late. This is in Eastern Shores, across the water from Sunny Isles.

[skyscraperhighrise]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

And why is there a need for that in your mind? Development is development, and Miami will become whatever it is to become, but I don't see any other American city surpassing New York or Chicago. Those cities are too well-established with a long skyscraper history, and they are not going to suddenly stop their development. I find it amazing enough that there are statisticians who now count the Miami skyline as third in the country and one of the top 20 in the world.

But they need more than that.

[spellbound]

Originally Posted by skyscraperhighrise

But they need more than that.

I'm not sure I follow here, friend. New York is the biggest city in the country and the media and financial capitol of the world. Home to the United Nations, Wall Street, and some of the finest cultural institutions on the planet.

Miami isn't going to "surpass" that. Neither is any other American city. You may as well be asking for a ski resort to open in Sunny Isles.

But Miami is a marvelous city in its OWN right, with all sorts of unique and interesting qualities that make it an exciting place.

I wouldn't worry so much about surpassing things that can't be surpassed and just learn to enjoy what you DO have, y'know?

[miami305]

It is so embarrasing to read about people wanting Miami to surpass NYC...