Bill,

nice work on the exhibits at the Sunsphere. but an edit needed. there are more historic neighborhoods than just Fourth and Gill as one gazes northward. Perhaps mention of Old North, Parkridge, etc, might be in order? George Barber/Parkridge?

"Michael's post was a nice metaphor for what a lot of academic discourse is about, especially in some parts of McClung Tower."

Thirty years ago, that "part" was up on the 12th floor. I used to head up there before, after, and sometimes *during* class to hang out. Your posts like this one make me smile to recall those visits.

The $1.82 million dollars are "real dollars" from the sale of the Candy Factory and the Victorians. A check was written and cashed. The "party line" is that entire World's Fair Park project, writ large, including the sale and restoration of the historic structures, the renovation of public assets, and the creation of new public assets to replace the major elements of what was lost in the sale all took place at a net wash to the taxpayers.

As for the cost, the cost of the structural steel, the weeks long rental of three large cranes, engineering fees on a complicated undertaking. etc. is just part of the cost. Hard for me to evaluation, being a fake rather than real scientist/engineer. The rest is major cleanup, landscaping, electrical, etc. that we hope will come in short of the budgeted amount but will probably approach it.

Sorry for the edit... the original was too long, off topic, and not really appropriate in tone.

and the facility will not be used for formal entertainment purposes.

Ok...seems kind of an odd concept.

Interesting. Should one draw the conclusions that the respective “half-full” and “half-empty” characterizations of the glass of water (empirically verified reality through a prism?) merely extensions of the ongoing narratives that go on independent of the characteristics of the glass and/or the water? And what is the narrative a product of: ideology, some other kind of belief system, group identity, class, race, or something else? The rationalist conclusion is in itself a narrative, IMHO.

That leads to the question.. If the glass of water is just a prop for a predictable ongoing discussion, why bother? It leads to a follow-up question – does the ongoing narrative, or clash of narratives, have any impact? A lot of my fellow Social Scientist and Humanities friends (and some others across all disciplines) think the narrative really is all that matters (factual basis comes and goes, but is basically inconsequential… eg Duke rape trial) and that the terms of the narrative need to change. I don’t subscribe to that view myself, but do understand it and think it contains elements of truth. Most of the academic discussion is at the national and international level. But what of local discourse? Any nominations for the terms of the local narratives? I have to think these terms extend well beyond supporters and opponents of whoever holds office.

Great visual, by the way, Michael. And speaking of local narratives we are having the opening of the new dance and public meeting space at the Emporium tomorrow. This build out, paid for by Kinsey Probasco Hays in re: agreement with the city, replaces space formally at the Candy Factory.

A last thought of great interest to me.. What of the role of the internet / blogosphere, etc. relative to ongoing narratives at all levels of government and politics?