by admin | May 22, 2016 | Chicago, Crime, Personal history, Public policy, Public safety
One of the more disquieting aspects of urban life is an occasional confrontation with the irrational. I have debated telling this story, but I decided that enough other people either have had or will share such experiences that sharing it may have great value. One...
by admin | May 15, 2016 | Activism, Blogging, Careers, Journalism, Personal health, Personal history, Writing
Have you ever tried to visualize yourself in a prominent, visible role other than whatever you do for a living? Can you see yourself accepting a Grammy, say, or racing across the goal line with a touchdown pass? Most of us at some point have some fantasy about...
by admin | May 1, 2016 | Climate, Disaster, Drought, Government, Public policy, Resilience, Science, Water
Drought has historically been the disaster that fails to focus our attention on its consequences until it is too late to take effective action. While other disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, and most floods have a quick onset that signals trouble, and...
by admin | Apr 22, 2016 | Disaster, Disaster policy, Government, Public safety, Resilience
In the U.S. federal system, states play a major role in what U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once called “the laboratories of democracy.” One role for state government that has unfortunately received far less attention than most others is...
by admin | Apr 18, 2016 | Activism, Careers, Disaster, Disaster policy, Environment, Public safety, Resilience, Urban Planning, Wildfire
Sometimes we find ourselves on a journey whose significance is bigger than the meaning for our own lives alone. In fact, if we are lucky, we come to realize that we can make at least some part of our lives much bigger than ourselves. Two weeks ago, while in Phoenix,...
