Only In New York City....

Via The Daily Politics

I have to say, this idea has crossed my mind once or twice whenever I have to walk through Midtown, Times Square, SoHo or any street within a quarter mile of WTC. To the tourists' credit, they are here to spend money in the city. They're also generally from areas of the country and the world where walking as a mode of transit is discouraged by a widespread sprawl mentality. Nevertheless, 8.3 million of us live and do business here, and practically speaking, drawing lanes might not be such a bad move. Of course, the tourists are too busy looking up to see how big the buildings are, so it probably wouldn't even matter.

An NYC Silver Lining To The Weak Dollar

If you follow any kind of financial news, you've noticed that gold and oil are off the charts, the Taj Mahal is no longer accepting our dollar and Bush continues to say things are just peachy. Well, there may be some truth in that, for New York City. For every action there is some sort of reaction in economics, and for the sake of the dollar and it plunging against other countries, that is good news for the Big Apple.

From WCBS-TV:

NEW YORK (CBS/AP) ― With a falling dollar sweetening the deal, a rising number of international travelers chose the city as their destination in 2007, spurring a record-setting year that saw visitors spend an estimated $28 billion in the metropolis, tourism officials said.

With a final count still pending, the city's tourism office said Sunday that an estimated 46 million people had visited the city in 2007 -- up 5 percent from the year before. The jump was largely due to visitors from other countries, who numbered an estimated 8.5 million -- a growth of 17 percent.

George Fertitta, chief executive of city tourism office NYC & Company, said the visitors were drawn by more than a favorable exchange rate and the city's international marketing efforts.

Sure, marketing efforts are nice, but it really comes down to the deals to be had for foreign tourists that flock to the city. Prices in London are more than double for much of the same stuff that you find in stores here. Basically just scratch out the dollar sign and replace it with the sign for the pound on the tags.

So Americans are getting screwed nationwide and their money is increasingly worth less and less and George keeps telling us how great things are, despite the recession that is beginning to hit us. At least New York gets a little extra revenue, though in the end $28 billion is a drop in the national bucket.

We Like Tourists.....But

Bloomberg and pals put on quite a show to show America and the world that NYC is tourist friendly. A whole spread of local celebs went on camera to show off our hospitable nature for the millions that make their way to Manhattan (and occasionally the other boroughs) to see our world-famous sites. Though I have to admit, I do not try to throw rose petals on the sidewalk for our guests. In fact, many New Yorkers including myself have a certain amount of trepidation and even disdain for these travelers.

Whenever I see one of those open-air double-decker buses going through the city I feel as if I am some sort of spectacle to be viewed as one would in a wild animal park (is this just me?). People, we work and live in this city of eight-plus million. We are busy and although happy to provide directions for the lost and confused in a perfectly gridded metropolis (above 14th St. that is), there are certain things that bother us.

If you are coming to NYC for the summer, the Macy's Day parade, Christmas-time or whenever, there are certain things you should be aware of. When you walk around town, be mindful of how you use the sidewalks. They are for walking (shocking I know) and not gawking. If you want to admire the famous buildings and whatnot, step to the side. You might be knocked over by a local that has some place to be. We are a walking city and sidewalks are a sort of highway for us.

There are also the subways you should be aware of. Do not stand in front of the doors when they are about to open. Again, you will be knocked over for not using common sense. I'm not trying to scare you, just making you aware of certain realities. I have seen people barreled over before and I have a feeling it can happen again.

Basically, please use common sense here. We welcome you with open arms....but be courteous of us and we will do the same for you.

Bush's Popularity Is Drying Up Crawford Tourism

George Bush made Crawford the place to see, both for his supporters and anti-war activists. Since Cindy sold her nearby land and Bush's numbers have dropped into frigid territory, bad times have fallen over the little town in the middle of Texas. Stores and restaurants were used to brisk business, now the activity has dwindled and shuttered businesses are easier to see than tourists.

From The Houston Chronicle:

A for-sale sign is the only thing in the smudged window of the turn-of-the-century, two-story brick building that once housed the Crawford Country Style store. "The numbers just weren't working," said Norma Nelson Crow, who closed the shop at the beginning of the year.

Traffic and sales of shirts, caps, refrigerator magnets and other presidential curios began slowing in 2005, she said. By the summer of 2006, Crow said, her hopes for a turnaround in the business faded. "It was my baby and I loved that little store, but I had to face the facts," she said.

Retail sales figures kept by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts document the slide. In 2004, gross retail sales in Crawford totaled $2.6 million. They fell to $2 million in 2006, down by more than 20 percent.

The situation is even bleaker this year according to residents. They lay at least part of the blame on Bush's popularity plunge. On top of that, residents were disappointed George chose Dallas for his library instead of nearby Waco. Even when Bush is long gone, the tourists looking for GWB memorabilia will be far north of the little ranch town.

Nothing against the residents of Crawford, but if they thought they could capitalize on this monster's Presidency for long, they were going to be inevitably disappointed. Crawfordites should be glad for what they got in the last few years.