Brian Hosey’s Posts

• China, eco-cities, Arup. Er, Arup? 1

  Posted 4 years agoSo it's Sunday night and I'm browsing through Slashdot, when this Guardian article caught my eye: British to help China build 'eco-cities'

  The eco-cities are intended to be self-sufficient in energy, water and most food products, with the aim of zero emissions of greenhouse gases in transport systems.

  Sounds fairly encouraging. Oh, and as is always the case with these type of deals, there is a press release from Arup, the company hired for the job. Check for an Arup office near you!

• Wanted: Dirty little secrets

  Authors seeking tips for new book on toxics and children's illness. 0

  Posted 4 years, 6 months agoOver at Sheldon Rampton's blog on PRWatch, there's a plea from former New York Times reporter Philip Shabecoff and community development advocate Alice Shabecoff for leads for their upcoming book on "the links between environmental toxicants and the epidemic of children's chronic illnesses in the United States today."

  In an effort to follow the money trail, they've got a list of questions regarding who's paying whom and who's fronting for whom, so send them an e-mail if you know what's what.

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Brian Hosey’s Recent Comments

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  Special vs. General interest

  Morano's repetitive use of the "special interest" label for the work of environmental organizations should not have gone unchallenged. Granted he was throwing so much other stuff out there, I'm sure it wasn't possible to refute everything. He's like a Gatlin gun of deceit.

  When a group of people work to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and currently to keep the life-support system of our globe from becoming a slow-roast rotisserie, it is called working for the "general" interest. It's in the interest of the general population to have clean air, clean water, and a livable planet.

  When any for-profit group on the other hand lobbies, wines, dines and contributes to the coffers of politicians, then it is in fact working towards a special interest. Namely, it is working to boost its profits, a cause which despite how important an industry may think it is, is not in the interest of the general population.
  On Liveblogging it, only two days later posted 3 years ago 7 Responses

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  Brown's Qualifications

  The man is literally ankle-deep in qualifications. In addition to his years leading a horse club (a job from which he was fired), he evidently was also college roommate of Joseph Allbaugh, his predecessor as head of FEMA. Clearly he must have been involved with some heavy-duty campus rumpus to hone his chops for leading the national emergency preparedness agency.

  With that powerhouse resume I'm sure his family still wonders that he hasn't ended up as President (yet).On Quote of the day posted 4 years, 2 months ago 3 Responses

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  Preposterous--

  We all know they are being punished for speaking French. (I've had beignets. I assure you they are the Devil's handiwork.)On Gays destroy New Orleans posted 4 years, 2 months ago 9 Responses

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  This Just In

  "There is no solid scientific case tying current hurricane frequency or severity to global warming."

  David Roberts, I refute thee:

  "Global warming is fueling nastier storms, expert says"

  Landsea and Trenberth are mulling this over and possibly backing off previous claims regarding severity and duration of tropical storms being strongly affected by global warming.

  From the USA Today article:

  "I think that this is very good science and a very important paper, but I don't think it settles every question," says National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hurricane expert Chris Landsea. He wants researchers to delve further back into past hurricane records to verify the trend.

  Uhuh, I feel the same way sometimes.On Where's the line between scientific accuracy and effective advocacy? posted 4 years, 2 months ago 11 Responses

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  Public Interest

  We should support municipal wi-fi for the same reason we support municipal parks, schools and health systems: it's in the general public interest.

  Easily accessible, easily affordable internet access is increasingly a necessity for growing competitive communities and not merely a badge of hipness.

  When all members of a community have access to the wealth of information, the job tools and the community building tools of the web then all members of the community benefit.  Community members benefit, employers benefit (from a better informed workpool) and municipalities directly benefit from efficient delivery of services and information. If everyone is benefitting, then everyone should pay in for it. Hence internet access should be treated just like any other public utility: supplemented with taxes and affordable user fees.

  Internet access is too important to communities to be left to the vagaries of the profit-driven market where, as the debacle of privatizing power utilities in California and elsewhere has demonstrated, community health and growth is not even an incidental concern.On Coaxing residents to urban cores posted 4 years, 3 months ago 13 Responses