I'm Back--and just in time.

So it took me several months to import my blog to the new URL (ideallysocial.blogspot.com) from the old one (indyluboff.blogspot.com). This is for the better, of course.

I'll be doing some news-sharing, getting my habit off of Facebook and onto a platform more suited for comment. So look to that.

Just a few things to share for today, October 11th, 2011:

How State Banks Bring the Money Home from the wonderful and on-point Yes Magazine (@yesmagazine)
"Big banks freeze out small business, but North Dakota’s state bank supports local jobs. The idea is catching on."
-No, I'm not shedding my apartment and joining the Occupy movement, but it talks about the importance of local banking to local economies. I'm for a mix of both big and small. That seems optimal.


Asset Building for Today’s Stability and Tomorrow’s Security from the great folks at the Urban Institute (@urbaninstitute)
"Savings and assets can play an important role in low-income families’ short-term needs and long-term development. In the short term, savings can help families weather unexpected employment gaps or pay unexpected medical and car repair bills. In the long term, families can realize goals such as owning a home or financing a secure retirement."
-Once again, about how asset-building may be the key to eradicating poverty. I'm all for Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) being the primary motor for fighting poverty from a policy perspective--because it's about building up, not handing out.

Can Urban Design Influence Driving Habits? from of my favorite new sites, CityFix.
"If we built cities differently, would people travel differently?"
-After reading about Robert Moses and the 'mixed reviews' of his work in NYC in the early 20th century, especially in Da Bronx, I have been getting more and more interested in urban design's influence on equity and opportunity. Transportation is a huge element. The video is below:



I'll be mainly posting and commenting on daily stories, occasionally jumping "back in the vault" of other stories. Let's start a conversation about anything you want in the comments!