San Jose is great because you don’t have to drive far to see or do interesting things.  I don’t feel badly saying this on a site devoted to San Jose because of two reasons:  first, our convention and visitors bureau touts it (link); and second, it’s true.

By Guest Blogger Dave Cortese

Many times on this site I have read excellent historical narratives on the history of downtown. I have my own perspective, of course, but it is not just a look back. It includes a look forward at some of the promise but also some new threats to the viability of the city’s center.

Bones Found Under Ice Thought To Be Quetzalcoatl’s

Just as the NHL and hockey fans celebrated the end of the labor dispute, committed and passionate Shark fans received a blow as severe as a Scott Parker left cross to the chin; the Sharks would not skate in 2006.  HP Pavilion workers immediately stopped work on the ice after making a curious discovery - bones frozen under Nabakov’s crease.

Forget all the chest thumping about being the tenth largest city in America, we’re the third most fun city in America.  No kidding.  This is according to Cranium, Inc. (link)  They should know.  They make board games and their CEO’s title is Grand Poobah.  No kidding.  Here’s the top ten:

Before we go too far in looking at the many problems that San Jose is suffering from, let’s look back a mere twenty years or so.  There was a downtown in the making, but it was only on paper and in studies and reports, and, of course, in the hopes and dreams of many in the neighborhoods. 

There was no battle between the suburbs and downtown – quite the contrary, people in Evergreen and Willow Glen and Berryessa wanted our city to have museums, sports venues, parks, and historical assets.  They had faith that sooner or later we might get them, and voted for downtown development time and time again – up to and including the watershed win for the Arena in 1988. Some may whine or try and rewrite history, but the facts are simple.  There was no there, here.  We were embarrassed to host the few notables and events we had at that time in the Holiday Inn. This is not an insult to that establishment, but a criticism of the leaders of San Jose, political and business, who allowed us to become a laughing stock.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the legacy that one generation leaves to another.

The Capital of Silicon Valley.  The Heart of Silicon Valley.  Silicon Valley South.  A lot of names have been used, a lot of places have claimed adoption of it, but we still have the problem of what and where is Silicon Valley.  Do we have that same problem with our city?  People definitely know the way here now, but do they know when they have arrived?  More importantly do they have a memorable feeling of “place” that will lead to a return trip?

Urge Richest Nations to Reject Debt Forgiveness Policy

After a successful pitch to Major League Baseball at Spring Training in Arizona three months ago, Mayor Ron Gonzales and County Assessor Larry Stone have traveled to Scotland in order to bring their unpopular message of “keeping debt in place to pay for a BART extension” to the leaders of the world’s richest nations.

It’s been quiet around here.  Too quiet, even by summer vacation standards.  The Mayor is apparently vacationing and too busy to attend the inauguration of the first Latino mayor in 130 years.  The City Council seems busy moving into their new offices.

The Fourth of July has passed and I have given my feelings about the “greatness” of San Jose some additional perspective.  I really like the definition of “great” that includes the mention of “skill” as well as importance.  It speaks more precisely to what matters in people as well as places.

Hey San Jose, we just became the tenth largest city in America and all we get is Scott Herhold (link) and Tom McEnery (link) telling us don’t worry, be happy.  We didn’t crack the top ten by being complacent, so let’s seize the moment and strive for something to make us bigger and better.  How about a ballpark?  We still need a site. Or BART extension? We still need federal money, lots of it.  Or new city nickname?  Now, that’s something we can do.

In the Spring of 1989, I traveled to China with San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos and a Bay Area delegation.  It was smack in the middle of historic times. No, not our junket, but the student protests at that time filling up Red Square (is that what you call it, Jack?) in Bejing.  The air was full of the feel of historic events imminent.  It was at that moment that another “epochal” event occurred: FLASH - San Jose passed San Francisco in population.

Motor City Mayor Immediately Cries Foul

As San Jose celebrated its leap onto the “Top Ten Largest Cities in America” list, Detroit decried the latest ranking and immediately cried foul.  During a noon press conference, Detroit Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick immediately discounted the results because of “miscounts and imperfect information gathering processes.”

No truth to the rumors that the tree was used to print the new Merc.

By the intensity of the attacks on me from certain quarters, I am happy to note that the cult of lobbyists and yes men and women that inhabit the political basement of our City are feeling a bit of heat.  The insiders that so enjoy the Monday Night Live frolic are scheming for ways to deflect some of the attention. Not a chance.  Imagine selling mentions in the show, from Calpine to Coyote, Divco to DeRollo, for contributions.  Perhaps next will be a sponsorship of the City Council meetings - a sad sight.

By Guest Blogger Eric Carlson

Like countless others before me, I have pondered the way to San Jose; specifically downtown San Jose where, one Sunday afternoon, tumbleweeds literally rolled over San Fernando Street as if in a dream. I saw them, and the only noise to break the dead calm was a whoop from way over at Wave’s Smokehouse and Saloon where the Oakland Raiders were temporarily winning. Downtown San Jose, on certain Sundays, can be the quietest retreat one can imagine. Good or bad?