by admin | Mar 2, 2018 | Books, Business, Careers, Chicago, Economic development, Economics, Government, Public policy, Transportation, Urban Planning
We often hear from conservatives that the public sector is inherently inefficient, lacking the competitive pressures that drive innovation. A great deal of the evidence seems anecdotal, although it’s not hard to come by. The work of most public agencies is at least...
by admin | Feb 11, 2018 | Books, Careers, Disaster, Education, Environment, Natural Hazards, Personal history, Urban Planning
You tend to know when someone is a huge influence in his field. You can sense the gravitas when they speak, and you can find the books and articles, or major projects, that trace the impact of that person’s career. Urban planning lost such a person on January 27 when...
by admin | Feb 5, 2018 | Activism, Careers, Climate, Disaster, Drought, Government, Natural Hazards, Public policy, Resilience, Urban Planning, Weather, Wildfire
Where will we find badly needed leadership for climate adaptation? The United States, under President Trump, has withdrawn from the Paris climate accords. That does not, of course, eliminate the problem of climate change, but it does create a gaping leadership void...
by admin | Jan 31, 2018 | Careers, Education, Floodplain management, Government, Natural Hazards, Political philosophy, Politics, Public policy, Public safety, Urban Planning
Claiming to protect the public’s purse is always great politics, at least in some quarters. Actually doing so requires considerable thought and homework, but grandstanding is cheap and makes for great sound bites in an election season. And thus, it is often silly...
by admin | Jan 29, 2018 | Geography, History, Personal history, Restaurants, Transportation, Travel, Uncategorized
There is something distinct about boarding a cruise ship. An airplane, after all, no matter how big, is essentially a long, metal tube that flies. You can dress it up for international flights, but when all is said and done, you are simply spending a few hours in the...
