Tony Judt, a vocal proponent of social democracy at a time when such proponents are increasingly rare, died today, after a long struggle with ALS. It was the inevitable result, and everyone, […]
Free speech erodes as economic power shifts away from Europe and America
“A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy…. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution so that it can protect our rights as citizens. It is only […]
The nation's 120,000 dams: Much more inspection, repair needed
As Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin sang solo in the nearby Dodge Theatre, 750 million gallons of water from the 16-foot-deep Tempe Town Lake near Phoenix roared through a burst dam at […]
Nota Bene #113: Seth's Near-Death
“Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff.” Who said it?
Drive with care over those 151,394 obsolete, unsafe bridges
Each day that I drive the 11 miles from my house to the university, I cross nine of America’s 601,396 bridges (as of 2008). Those nine are not likely to collapse. I […]
WordsDay: Merchants of Doubt
What do the following things all have in common: tobacco safety and the dangers of secondhand smoke, the Strategic Defense Initiative, acid rain, the ozone hole, global warming, and the recent attacks […]
"Teabagger Paradise" revisited: Colorado Springs begs for mercy
Back in February I authored a look at the implications of Colorado’s infamous Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) on the state, and in particular on the city of Colorado Springs, which has […]
Nota Bene #112: GOOOLLLLLLLL
“Freedom of any kind is the worst for creativity.” Who said it?
Fixing what isn’t broken, redux—The Future of Libraries, Part 1
A while back we discussed some of the incoherent thinking, if that’s actually the appropriate word, surrounding the Borough of Camden’s approach to fixing what they saw as a problem with the […]
You chose it, your politicians arranged it and businesses delivered it. Who's responsible again?
On 31 May 2005, the US Supreme Court overturned accounting firm Arthur Andersen’s conviction for obstruction of justice. It would be a pyrrhic victory as, by then, a company which once employed […]
Progressive Culture | Scholars & Rogues 