Blog

  • February 25th, 2014 9:43pm

    climateadaptation:

    Huffington Post (yes, HuffPo) published an excellent article on how U.S. cities are not even closely prepared for hurricanes, sea-level rise, or strong storms.

    They point out that these vulnerabilities are our own doing. NYC’s Mayor Bloomberg admits to assisting businesses and people build in harms way.

    Bloomberg has in general been skeptical about actually limiting development on the water. “People like to live in low-lying areas, on the beach; it’s attractive,” he told a reporter after Sandy. “People pay more, generally, to be closer to the water, even though you could argue they should pay less because it’s more dangerous. But people are willing to run the risk.”

    The city’s progress on adapting to storm surge risk has so far consisted mainly of smaller steps, like working with private and public players to harden the electrical grid and seal off the subway system against the threat of flooding.

    In other words, city officials are too scared, too weak, or just too ignorant to warn citizens that their lives, investments, or families are at high risk from obliteration. This is not an exaggeration. Even local officials shrug their shoulders when it comes to developing along risky ocean fronts:

    Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the state’s Department of Environmental Protection, argued that development along the Jersey Shore has been ongoing for decades, even before there was a coastal permitting program. He said it is not the state’s role to dictate how redevelopment should occur.

    “People who live along the shore always live with a risk, and they know that. That’s understood,” he said. “We at the state are not going to tell these towns you can or cannot rebuild, but we will work with them to make sure that whatever comes back will be done in as smart or protective a fashion as possible.”

    Telling.

    What’s worse is that these cities and towns claim they are “vital” pieces of the U.S. economy. Yet, they’re not willing (or capable) to pay for clean up and rebuilding after a storm hits – that’s forced upon the American tax payer…

    A rare, great read at HuffPo: Hurricane Sandy Damage Amplified By Breakneck Development Of Coast

  • February 25th, 2014 9:29pm

    Dick Grayson, in fact, is largely Batman’s salvation,

    —

    as Bruce Wayne emulates and becomes a version of the good father that
    he himself lost: his thoughts and feelings about parenthood and the nurturing relationship between parent and child now have a positive vehicle for expression.”

    ~Rethinking Superhero and Weapon Play by Steven Popper, page 120

    (via thoughtsaboutdickgrayson)

     #people who think robin is stupid and pointless have a fundamental misunderstanding of bruce wayne’s character #so they can gtfo

    (via arminearlelt)

  • February 24th, 2014 7:46pm

    keirakknightley:

    “Jesus, if I know one thing about the industry, it’s that it’s a moment. A flash in the pan. That’s what’s lovely about it. But it’s hard, because one moment you’re the hot thing, and the next moment — you’re not. And there’s no rhyme or reason for it.”