Academic

JIM GERAGHTY: Economic Recovery? The Signs Aren?t There in My Neck of the Woods. Geraghty adds?

By Glenn Reynolds

JIM GERAGHTY: Economic Recovery? The Signs Aren?t There in My Neck of the Woods.

Geraghty adds via email that he shot the video with one of the pocket digital camcorders I’ve been plugging, though he didn’t say which one. Plus this observation: “Might be kind of interesting if everyone started posting pictures and videos of the businesses that have closed down and that are still empty, along with the empty Saturn dealerships, etc., the more we get ‘things are getting better!’ rhetoric from the Obama administration….”

UPDATE: Reader Ted Nolan writes:

You’ve posted comments from me a time or two, but you might be interested in my blog, Columbia Closings, which sort of does what Geraghty suggests for Columbia South Carolina, though I have plenty of
historic closings as well as recent ones. . . . As a further sucking-up, I should mention all the pictures are taken with a Lumix LX3

That’s a hell of a good camera. And reader Carolyn Nelson writes:

Drive Palmetto Park in Boca Raton between 5th Avenue SE and Federal Highway. It?s a ghost town ? condos, office space and retail. Boca Raton has had a tougher time ? 8.7% unemployment in December ? but not as bad as the country average. I live there and people comment on the vacancy problem constantly. On the other hand, restaurants came back in 2010 and the Boca Raton Hotel seemed to have had better occupancy. But the situation is a long ways away from the golden days.

I was in Boca about a year ago for a speaking gig — I stayed at the Boca Raton Hotel, which was lovely — and was struck by all the closed storefronts and “For Lease” signs. And reader Melissa McClave writes:

Loved Jim Gerhaty’s spot. Couldn’t help but notice that he seems to be using a tripod. The bulk and akwardness of larger tripods can nullify the benefits of smaller cameras. I use the Flip with a ZipShot tripod….www.zipshottripod.com. It combines auto-deploying tent poles for legs with a head that can hold up to 3 lbs. Better yet, it weighs less than a pound and folds down small enough to fit into a back pocket or attach to a backpack. They say the best tripod is the one you take with you. Totally recommended for citizen reporters!

Looks cool, and fairly cheap. Also handy is the Gorillapod, which I own.

MORE: Reader Eric Soskin cautions against “talking down the economy.” Well, nobody was worried about that in 2008 — or, for that matter, 2007 and 2006, when the media were telling us that every American was Tom Joad. But, yeah.

Full post as published by Instapundit.com on April 27, 2010 (boomark / email).