Product Description
State rail programming and planning have matured greatlyin the past three decades.State and local governments responded towidespread rail line abandonment in the 1970s by attempting topreserve local rail services and corridors through the adoption ofrail freight assistance programs.States also sought to preserveexisting passenger rail services by subscribing to Amtrak’s 403(b)program.This program allows states to negotiate and contract withAmtrak to supplement existing service and build inter-city railservice along vital transportation corridors.

Prosperity in the mid-1980s changed the nature of state rail programs.States ventured into a variety of activities involving freight andpassenger rail programs, grade-crossing safety, right-of-wayacquisition and rail banking, high speed rail planning, and intermodalconnectivity at seaports, river ports, and truck-rail terminals.Moreover, some states appropriated new financing to establish stablefunding sources for the rail mode.The salient features of the 1990shave been the virtual disappearance of federal rail assistance and thetailoring of state rail programs to states’ individual needs.

The purpose of this report is to provide an in-depth look at fourdiverse, yet exemplary, state rail programs: California, Florida,North Carolina, and Washington State.The report examines theevolution, characteristics, management, costs, funding sources andbenefits of each program in detail.It also discusses lessons fromthese state rail programs that might benefit the State of Texas in theevent that Texas considers more active participation in state railprogramming.Detailed appendixes contain considerable documentationof state statutes, funding histories, program descriptions,feasibility studies, Amtrak 403(b) contracts, and similar sourcematerial. ... Read more

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Pleasant City, a neighborhood of West Palm Beach, Florida, is the oldest African-American community in Palm Beach County. The first black settlers came to a place called the Styx—later owned by white millionaires who then rented their backyards to black workers—to work on the railroad and Henry Flagler’s hotel and mansion. Forced out when the land became valuable, the blacks purchased land and settled Pleasant City. Pleasant City was marketed as a “High Class Colored Subdivision” in 1913, and many of the pioneers still have descendants in the area today. ... Read more

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"The authors reveal how the Cuban success story has transformed the character of Miami while delineating more sharply the identity of other ethnic communities." --New York Times Book Review
"Makes a case for the importance of political capital . . . in building ethnic solidarity."--Contemporary Sociology ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good socioeconomics, but dated
City on the Edge is one of the finest books written on the socioeconomic dynamics of Miami and Dade County.The overall history of the city is only lightly treated (and unfortunately, there are few works on the history of South Florida) as the book instead focuses mostly on developments in Miami's recent history, namely from the 1960's forward, as it began its Anglo to Latino "transformation."Be warned, however, that the book is somewhat dated (published in '93 originally, hence 4 stars instead of 5); Miami is a booming, complicated, rapidly evolving city and has changed fairly significantly since then, but the underlying city culture (and it's quirky, problematic socioeconomics) are still there, as analysed by this book.The analysis and overview of the various black groups in Miami in the book was also very revealing. ... Read more

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As sprawl threatens ever-larger chunks of the American landscape, planners and public officials nationwide are talking about the potential benefits of smart growth. Several states are on the verge of legislating new programs that mandate growth management planning at the regional and local levels. A few states already have a long history of state sponsored land-use programs, but until now their experiences have not been analyzed or documented.Just in time, Jerry Weitz has written this thorough review of three decades of growth management efforts in the pioneering states of Florida, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon. Their experiences teach valuable lessons on how to craft legislation, set up administrative structures, and encourage local and regional governments to participate in mandated land-use planning.Weitz identifies three principal components of state sponsored land-use planning: intergovernmental (local, regional, and state) structures; state requirements for local planning; and state support functions (for example, grants, technical assistance, and data). He documents and analyzes the various programsi minimum standards for local land-use plans. Because he compares the structure of programs independent of politics and policy processes, his analyses and observations are applicable elsewhere. Exhaustively researched and well-illustrated with maps, charts, and tables, this book will be an invaluable resource for planning historians, students, and especially for planners and elected officials who devise and carry out state programs to guide growth in the next century. ... Read more

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Drawing heavily on contributing cultural and ethnic factors, this book analyzes Miami's fiscal insolvency since 1996 and describes what led to the financial crisis, the explanations for the crisis, and the reasons for a slow recovery. Comparing Miami's insolvency with the earlier fiscal crises in Philadelphia, New York City, and Orange County, CA, the authors investigate Miami's economic climate. In conclusion, the authors consider Miami's outlook for the future in both political and economic terms. ... Read more

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The Accused: 13-year-old Derek King and his 12-year-old brother, Alex, Sunday school students with choirboy looks.

After midnight on November 26, 2001, someone bludgeoned Terry King to death while he slept, and set his Florida home afire. By the time the firefighters extinguished the blaze, King's sons, Alex, 12, and Derek, 13, were at the home of their forty-year-old friend, Ricky Chavis, a convicted child-molester. By the next afternoon, following confessions, both boys were charged as adults in their father's slaying. Chavis was tried separately for the same crime-incredibly by the same attorney who would prosecute Alex and Derek, and argue two contradictory theories.

The Victim:Their own father.

When Alex divulged his sexual relationship with Chavis, the trial took a sensational turn. So did Alex and Derek, who recanted their confession and blamed Chavis to no avail. A jury convicted the boys of second-degree murder, but the judge threw the verdict out. Chavis was acquitted. But the case wasn't over. As more disturbing revelations came to light, as criminal motives became more complex, and as the line between guilt and innocence was crossed, a stunned nation watched in disbelief to learn the ultimate fate of the...Angels of Death.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very Good
I am a big fan of Gary C King.I have read all of his books this one was a sad and disturbing account of 2 boys who led a pretty bad life and the father who did the best he could but ended up paying for it with his life..I dont feel that justice was fully served in this case..You'll have to read the book to understand.I look forward to more books by Mr.King this wasnt one of my alltime favorites by Mr King Those would be Driven to Kill, Bloodlust and Web of Deceit. But I recommend it to all True Crime readers!

Not a good read
I am an avid true crime reader and I must say, this is one of the worst books I have read in a long time.

Spellbounding Read!
Best book i have read all year!Mr King puts it all together in a book i could not put down till i was finished!What a horrible tragedy all the way around for this family!Mr. King is a fantastic author! Thank you, kenojude ... Read more

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"Newcomers in the Workplace" documents and dramatizes the changing face of the American workplace, transformed in the 1980s by immigrant workers in all sectors. This collection of excellent ethnographies captures the stench of meatpacking plants, the clatter of sewing machines, the sweat of construction sites, and the strain of management-employee relations in hotels and grocery stores as immigrant workers carve out crucial roles in a struggling economy. Case studies focus on three geographical regions Philadelphia, Miami, and Garden City, Kansas where the active workforce includes increasing numbers of Cubans, Haitians, Koreans, Puerto Ricans, Laotians, Vietnamese, and other new immigrants. The portraits show these newcomers reaching across ethnic boundaries in their determination to retain individualism and to insure their economic survival. Louise Lamphere teaches in the Department of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico. Alex Stepick is Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Florida International University.Guillermo Grenier is Director of the Center for Labor Research and Studies, and Chairman of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Florida International University. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Socialist propaganda
I was a vegetarian for 10 years, the meat packing industry is no place for a career, however it may be a place for entry level employment especially for non English speaking immigrants. This book is quite simply socialist propaganda. If meat packers were paid more, then meat would cost more. If meat cost more, people would complain about the high cost of meat. The free market is the only way to find a fair balance of what people are willing to pay and what wage people are willing to work. "Capitalism and Freedom" by Milton Friedman should set this straight. If you need more info about this topic, please visit free-market.net or mises.org . peace out ... Read more

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Joined together in an extraordinarily close relationship, Walt Disney World and Orlando, Florida, have become the world’s most popular tourist destination. This intriguing book traces the history of the ups and downs of this "marriage" and tells the inside story of Disney’s use and abuse of unparalleled governmental powers. The tale raises important questions about cities and the economic development choices they confront. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A surprisingly good read
Although I am an intense Disney theme park fan, I avoided this book for years because on the surface it sounded like a dry history of Disney's political dealings in Florida.When I received it as a gift this year, I gave it a chance and devoured it in only a few days. Once I got past the first chapter, which was indeed somewhat dry and technical, I could barely put down the book.

The author did a fantastic job of compiling credible source material and weaving an easy-to-follow, strangely exciting narrative about the unbelievable, awkward, and permanent relationship between Disney and Florida, specifically the two counties that border WDW property. I have never been interested in local politics, under the table dealings, population studies, or things of that nature, but they all come together in "Married to the Mouse" to tell a much larger story about a multinational corporation and the many ways that it has openly and subtly abused the state. That said, Disney fans who refuse to read anything that might tarnish the reputation of the all-powerful company may want to avoid this book, which is largely negative in accurately describing Disney's Florida dealings.However, those Disney fans like me who want the whole story, warts and all, will probably love it, just as I did.

One final comment -- while the author goes out of his way to carefully document his sources and appears extremely knowledgeable about the subject matter, when it comes to the actual theme parks, he could use a Disney-saavy assistant to avoid hilariously obvious errors such as "Spacestation Earth," the "web-way peoplemover," and stating that Disneyland opened in 1956 (instead of 1955).

Intriguing
What is the politics/relationship between the Disney Co. and the Orlando community?

Find out how community leaders in Orlando persuade the Disney Corp. with city projects so that they will thrive their business there. It's interesting how the Disney Corp. was protected from government regulation and more.

Zzzzzzzzz......
I'll admit, I'm only half way through the book. However, to this point, I barely understood what I've been reading. I applaud the author for his obvious intense research, but seriously, how many names can one person possibly remember? There is so much trivial and confusing jargon in here, it's making for a very long 200 page read.

A Fair and Exposing Look at the Walt Disney World Company
I bought this book a number of months ago and really enjoyed reading it.Although the person who recommended it to me said it was very anti-Disney, I found that Foglesong had a good balance between the views of the different stakeholders.It is certainly an educational book, and would recommend for anyone interested in Walt Disney World history.This is not a book about how wonderful Disney is or how to plan your Walt Disney World vacation...so be prepared for a bit more than Pixie Dust.

Muckraking journalism... by an academic
Richard Foglesong is one hell of an investigative reporter. I know, I know - he's not a journalist, he's a college professor. But he writes like a journalist and reports like a journalist, and "Married To The Mouse" is a terrifically entertaining and penetrating look at the relationship between Disney and Orlando.

Unfortunately - and this only a minor point, really - Foglesong is also an academic. I say "unfortunately" because the academic portions of this book are far-and-away the least interesting. They are filled with urban planning buzzwords and jargon. They try to tie together in neat academic theories what were really power struggles between a big business and a comparatively small county government.

Foglesong is at his best when he tells us how things happened. How did Orlando build those roads that lured Disney to town? How did Disney get that crazy charter that makes the company an autonomous government? How did they abuse that charter to get perks that no other private business could dream of? How did Orlando and Orange County and Osceola County shirk their responsibilities to their taxpayers in failing to more forcefully confront Disney's abuses? These stories are told through detailed interviews and narrative-style writing that makes the tales engaging reads. It is in the best tradition of muckraking journalism.

Understand one thing: I like Disney World. I've been there many times. It's a fun place. I like Disney movies. I generally root for the Mouse. But I also despise abuses by large corporations. Disney is guilty of more than its share, and "Married To The Mouse" is the best account I've read of how and why that happened. ... Read more

Product Description
"Planned with impeccably correct intentions, built withimproperly low-wage labor, and sold on the basis of improbably lavishguarantees, Celebration would be put to the test time and timeagain. . . . True to the ethos of the blockbuster box-office hit,would this town deliver on the promise of its business plan or itscommunity plan? Or would it sidestep all expectations and play by adifferent script?"

Scholar and iconoclast Andrew Ross set out to answer these questionsby spending a year living in the much scrutinized, and oftendemonized, Celebration--the picture-perfect town that Disney isbuilding for 20,000 people in the swamp and scrub of centralFlorida. Lavishly planned with a downtown center and newly-mintedantique homes, and front-loaded with an ultra-progressive school,hospital, and high-tech infrastructure, Celebration would be yetanother fresh start in a word gone wrong. Yet behind the picketfences, gleaming facades, and Kodak moment streetscapes, Rossdiscovered genuine, complex, and often surprising truths.

In this compelling, eye-opening account, based on his personalencounters and on several hundred hours of interviews with residents,employees, and county locals, Ross records what went right and whatwent wrong in this latest version of the American Dream. Diverse inbackground, Celebration's pioneers were united by a desire to escapethe cheerless isolation of suburbia and reconnect with theneighbors. They were also dazzled by the Disney brand name andexpected much more than they got. The Celebration Chronicles recountstheir often unruly struggles to build a community in the face ofadversity: shoddy construction, typecasting by the media, Disney'sskittishness about negative publicity, and friction with theworking-class county of Osceola. An acute observer in thecontroversial school, Ross takes us to the front lines of asuperheated battle of wills between educators and townspeople.

What does Celebration reveal about the state of contemporary culture?Is this model town a cause for celebration or alarm? Can we entrustthe public interest to giant beneficiaries of the marketplace likeDisney? One of our shrewdest social commentators, Ross brilliantlyplaces this planned community within the context of the New Urbanistmovement to combat suburban sprawl and restore public life to thenation's increasingly privatized landscape. Powerful, wide-ranging inits analysis, The Celebration Chronicles is a provocative account ofthe inner life of a new American town.Amazon.com Review
In The Celebration Chronicles, Andrew Ross has written a moving and subtle account of his yearlong stay at Disney's glistening suburban development in Celebration, Florida. Readers might expect that Ross, the director of American studies at New York University and a devoted urbanite, would contribute to both the fashionable sport of Disney bashing and the tired genre of suburban reproof. But, like an anthropologist gone native, Ross immersed himself in the community, interviewing dozens of the 20,000 residents, volunteering at the local school, and finding himself pleasantly surprised when his subjects had christened him an honorary Celebrationite.

Celebration, Ross argues, is the latest in a long line of utopian communities built to realize the American dream. Many wealthy and eager romantics flocked to the town with a faith that Disney magic would fulfill their hopes for a perfect community (and increase their property values). When the majority of these people found their dreams dashed against the corporation's bottom line, however, they engaged in grass roots activism that did more to bring their community together than any of the schemes from Disney "imagineers." Moving from a cogent analysis of the town to a multifaceted consideration of the environmental implications of American liberty, The Celebration Chronicles is a masterpiece of American studies scholarship. As astute as it is readable, Ross's book shows how Celebration's high-octane pursuit of happiness resulted in a limited civic culture and contributed to an overall ecological catastrophe that continues to worsen with each new drive toward the American dream. --James Highfill ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

an engaging discussion on the American dream
Andrew Ross's, The Celebration Chronicles, is a scholarly interpretation of the neo-traditional ideal and how it manifests itself with the development of a Florida community.From the onset of the book, it appears as if Celebration is everything that the Disney executives had envisioned and everything that the residents had hoped ---- but is it?

Ross, however, delays peeling back the town's veneer and instead takes us on a sight seeing tour of Celebration ---- along the way we can see palm-lined promenades, a beautiful lake, neo-traditional homes and stately designed commercial/residential buildings. The author, respectfully, gives deference to the key architectural styles ---- Anglo-Caribbean, Low Country and St Augustine. Ultimately, our travels along Market St take us to the town square and we feel somehow that Disney has delivered.

Then the serious questions begin and the reader becomes privy to a host of controversies ---- shoddy home construction, the prohibitive cost to live in Celebration, conflicts over the educational agenda of the K-12 school and a questionable commitment to social and ethnic diversity.

Ross's observations may reflect an intellectual detachment. But the reader will discover that the book has its share of levity and amusing anecdotes. He notes, for example, the following ---- rumors of gypsies taking up residence and a resident heard to say, "What we need are a few drunks around this town."

This book is a serious study. Forewarned ---- you won't find the vanity-fair critiques so pervasive in glossy journals and travel tabloids. What you will find, though, are the author's lengthy observationsthat attempt to explain all the factors ---- both positive and negative ---- that impact life in the community of Celebration. Eventually the book evolves into a valuable lesson on urban history and social science. I, as a reader, found the process of getting to this eventuality fulfilling and I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in these topics.

Boring Read about an elitist community
Reading this book was like watching paint dry....I moved to Celebration in 1998. At first I was charmed by the Disney connection, distinctive house designs (for florida anyway), the nice, well kept streets.

Fast forward several years....

Celebration now has a -- TERRIBLE -- reputation in the central florida area for being snotty and elitist. It's is a shame what has become of Celebration. Someone should write a book about that.

Intersting
I had the chance to visit Celebration this spring on a trip to WDW. I found the book interesting and inciteful in learning more about this community. I believe readers will get a very well written account of life in this community at its inception as well as Ross's take on this community. A good read.

Celebration Resident
What a piece of liberal trash!My five year old found it useful to press flowers.

Save the money!
I read this book after reading Celebration, USA by Douglas Franz and Catherine Collins.The Celebration Chronicles is not worth the money.Mr. Ross has written a "scholarly" work which manages to examine Celebration at arm's length.Mr. Ross obtaining an apartment in Celebration, a community he clearly has no vested interest in, does not qualify as being a truly involved resident of a newly created, struggling community.Franz and Collins givemuch better insight, mostly because they have invested in a home and are truly involved in the growth of the community.

For a historical, sanitary view, choose Ross' account. ... Read more

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