30 September 2017

Flood Resiliency ~ Dutch Lessons for World Cities

Rising sea levels generally and ocean storm surges, river floodwaters, and intense rainfalls particularly inspire new kinds of thinking about water management, going beyond higher dikes and barriers towards more defense-in-depth, including flood-friendly construction, making room for the rivers, and building absorbent greener cities. Here are some good surveys of this movement...

29 September 2017

Get Out ~ Silveria on Racism, Sexism, Stupidism

USAF Lt Gen Jay Silveria speaks vigorously against racist slurs...
"If you can't treat someone with dignity & respect then get out"
P.S. As of 8 November 2017, BBC reports that it was a hoax -- Black US Air Force cadet 'wrote race slurs' on dorm doors. I wonder if they'll kick him or her out ASAP?

18 September 2017

R.I.P. Paul E Gray ~ MIT President Emeritus...

Sad to hear MIT President Emeritus Paul Edward Gray has passed away at age 85. He was the Institute's iconic leader during my undergrad days, himself an alumnus and an exemplar of actual MIT Values. I got to know him much more through our Technology Breakfast entrepreneurship events, his work with MIT Planning Director Emeritus Bob Simha on Kendall Square residences for university affiliates, and his dozen-plus guest appearances in our Understanding MIT seminar.