Metropolitan Blog
The analytical and touristic blog of megalo-metropolises of the blue planet
Have you heard the latest news from the biggest metropolis ? Are you eager to find out about the new trends in the "cities that never sleep" and get some valuable insider tips before visiting such exciting cities?
Looking for a more serious blog in between thesis and diverse argumentations?
Then, you are in the right place: The Metropolitan Blog is the new "in" blog, which does not mean it is superficial. It is not just another blog that reports boring banalities on a daily basis. It doesn’t reflect its author's narcissism but rather his metamorphosis into an ultra glamour fashion icon: Ken is reinventing himself to becoming a metrosexual and this is promising.
The concept in 3 lessons :
LESSON n°1
You remember Ken and Barbie's divorce in 2004, don't you?
If not, let me refresh your memory ;-)
The beautiful doll left him for Blaine, the Austrian surfer. What does he have that Ken doesn’t? It's pretty clear though: he is young, sexy and comes from a country everybody dreams of (god, yes ! Even America is has been). But above all he is a metrosexual of the best kind: straightened hair, natural suntan, surfer with muscles. In short, Blaine has everything that gets our little ladies excited. No wonder that Mattel had coarsely dropped our old-fashioned Ken and adopted a new globalized one, much more adapted to the 21st Century's market than his predecessor.
Except that Ken has not had his last word! You were wondering where he is? After a nervous break down, a mid-life crisis, Ken got back on his feet, shaped up and is ready for a grand come back. Ken has been fashionized. Ken got a makeover. Ken goes tanning and does sit-ups every day. He watches Desperate Housewives, Greys Anatomy and Gossip Girl. In short, Ken is "in" now. Barbie's macho companion decided to reconquer his doll. He is back, more metrosexual and globalized than ever. Barbie left Ken for a second youth, why shouldn't he do the same?
How can he steal the show and attract his "belle" again ?... Well, by going to the most precious places of the world and by refining his lifestyle. That's why Ken has set himself an ambitious goal * : in six months, he hast to live in nine of the greatest metropolis in the world and come back more perfect than ever.
The
Metropolitan Blog
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Paris - London - Berlin
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Singapore - Buenos Aires - Moscow
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New York - Los Angeles - Chicago
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From the metropolis to the urban monster : between myth and reality....
* Watch out !
The fictious resemblance of charcters in this blog is completely coinicdental. Although the author of the blog surely is a fictional character, all elements and reflections about these nine metropolises are based on real investigation and serious thoughts.
Buenos Aires
LESSON n°2
This blog consists of three steps : SURF, CONCEPTUALISE AND INVESTIGATE
1st step : the superficial act
To ride the wave, take the temperature of the super metropolises, record the last trends, tips for tourists or for those enthusiastic about buil-upa areas.
2nd step : the conceptual act
Analyse the concepts of metronation, urban area and megalopolis. Deal with the present challenges of urban monsters. Suggest some answers that could make them governable and most importantly bearable. Define the role of a world-city in a society and state organisation. How far should we polarise the economy? How to reconcile the interests of tens of millions of people, spread out over thousands of kilometers around an unaffordable center and culturally as well as geographically divided.
3rd step : the "testimony" act
Portray, Photoshoot, Investigate. Meet the ones that live, work or transit in these nine cities that count.
La Défense (Paris)
LESSON n°3
Why these nine cities in particular ? And why not Tokyo which would be the best example ? Ken is too much westernized to be interested in Tokyo. Rich and ultra-americanized Western countries are the only things that matter to him. Indeed, the japanese language isn't amoug his strong points and would have made any investigation pretty problematic. To understand how these nine cities are relevant and why the choice is coherent, they have to be classified three-ways.
Three are European, three American and three lie outside the Western sphere : Singapore, the example of the ancient colonial city which has succeeded and is still succeeding thanks to globalization, Buenos Aires, the "New York of South America, another ex-colonial city and lastly Moscow, the Eurasian Giant.
Three world cities are Alpha cities : New York, London and Paris. Three can be classified as Beta cities : Chicago, Los Angeles and Singapore. As for the three lasts, they have a relatively less significant influence despite their size (Buenos Aires and Moscow) or location (Berlin, capital of the third world wide economy).
Three welcome a huge percentage of millionaires : Moscow, New York and London.
Three are at the heart of a centralized country (the European model) : Paris, London and Moscow.
Three are ancient colonial ports. Their position was very strategic during the colonial era. They should be thankful to the metropolis for their development and influence : New York, Buenos Aires et Singapore.
Three big cities dominate the continent with their monstruous urban area : New York, Buenos Aires and Moscow. Only three European cities remain pretty small compared with their influence and significance in the whole world.
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