Reality-based commentary on politics.
Sorry I’ve been away … very busy with the fundraiser. I wish you very best of luck in your activities, busy getting out the vote for November.
Nonetheless, I can’t turn away from our own, homegrown banality-of-evil political scene here. The legislature and the Governor have let the eviction moratorium run out. It’s just unconscionable, barbaric, and immoral, in the middle of a pandemic, to come anywhere close to chucking people out on the streets.
Baker has made a $171 million proposal, much of which seems to involve hiring retired judges to process eviction cases. Are you kidding me?
Advocates have pointed to a report by the Massachusetts Area Planning Council that found more than 100,000 renters and homeowners will have trouble paying their housing bills as the pandemic drags on.
Baker’s proposal is “woefully insufficient to address the scale of the crisis facing Massachusetts renters,” Carlene Pavlos, executive director of the Massachusetts Public Health Association, said in a statement.
There have been demonstrations at the Governor’s house. I’m very sympathetic to security concerns, especially given that an apparently disturbed person just recently broke into his house, and the threats against Gov. Whitmer in Michigan. But Governor … what do people have to do to get your attention? The demonstrators don’t want to be there either! No one should have to go to your home.
This is a public policy scandal: Not a “scandal” like something merely illegal, just something that’s so odious to even be considered normal or OK — a shame, an affront to humanity and decency.
Map of the public access fruit trees of Toronto
http://www.mapto.ca/maps/the-fruit-trees-of-toronto
Green transformation for a railway yard in St Petersburg, Russia
https://www.orangearchitects.nl/projects/ligovsky-city/
https://inhabitat.com/former-railway-yard-to-receive-a-green-transformation-in-st-petersburg/
Self-sufficient skyscraper proposed for NYC
https://www.lissoniandpartners.com/en/architecture/competitions/americas/completed/skylines-new-york/1289
https://inhabitat.com/self-sufficient-garden-city-skyscraper-proposed-for-nyc/
Harrisburg, PA from abandoned school to urban eco-village, including indoor food production
https://www.fastcompany.com/90535345/a-former-nfl-player-is-turning-this-abandoned-building-into-an-ecovillage
hat tip Media Diet: http://tinyurl.com/joinmediadiet
SUPERVERDE – urban greening modules
https://inhabitat.com/stefano-boeri-proposes-superverde-urban-greening-modules/
The Kitchen Farming Project – unemployed line cooks (and the public) invited to garden and build a new food future
https://resourcedny.com/the-kitchen-farming-project
Everybody Eats – a food relief program in Brattleboro, VT leverages CARES Act funds to engage local restaurants in making to-go meals for anyone in Brattleboro, Guilford, Vernon, Dummerston, or Putney who has been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis due to unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, or other challenges. Over 10,000 meals will be distributed in the month of August, with nine Brattleboro restaurants providing a total of 650 meals per day for at least four weeks.
https://www.brattleboro.com/everyoneeats/
Paris encourages all citizens to become urban gardeners
https://popupcity.net/observations/paris-encourages-all-citizens-to-become-urban-gardeners/
World’s biggest rooftop greenhouse opens in Montreal
https://phys.org/news/2020-08-world-biggest-rooftop-greenhouse-montreal.html
Asia’s largest organic rooftop farm spans 236,806 square feet, can provide up to 80,000 meals (20 tons of organic food), and grows more than 40 edible species of crops, including rice, indigenous vegetables, fruit trees and herbs
https://inhabitat.com/asias-largest-organic-rooftop-farm-can-grow-20-tons-of-food-annually/
Vertical forest goes wild in Chengdu, China
https://www.curbed.com/2020/9/18/21445069/qiyi-city-forest-garden-mosquitoes-chengdu
Resourcing an Agroecological Urbanism: Political, Transformational and Territorial Dimensions by Chiara Tornaghi, Michiel Dehaene
https://www.routledge.com/Resourcing-an-Agroecological-Urbanism-Political-Transformational-and-Territorial/Tornaghi-Dehaene/p/book/9781138359680
PS: All previous editions of City Agriculture are available at http://cityag.blogspot.com
PPS: I would have a lot more respect for Extinction Rebellion, 350.org, Mothers Out Front, Fridays for the Future, Sunrise Movement… if they spent more time publicly on these kinds of activities which have immediate practical applications in reducing the effects of climate chaos, build community, and are a necessary step in speeding the transition to an ecologically logical future.
Dear BMG community: Yes, we’re doing a thing, again. I hope you can watch this Sunday on YouTube, or streaming at the Blue Mass. Group Facebook page; and contribute what you can: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/note-oriousrbg
Thanks — Charley
PS – check out Peter Tucker’s nifty poster. Beautiful.
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NOTE-ORIOUS: A musical tribute to RBG, to save the Senate (and our democracy) Please join us October 11th in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg to save our Senate!
Dear friends, The late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg called us to “fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” In that spirit, a bunch of us musicians decided to step up and use our artistic voices to pay tribute to RBG’s estimable legacy and her love of music. Her passion for justice has motivated us to raise funds for nine U.S. Senate candidates in swing states, who, if elected, will work to stop the authoritarian drive of Trump’s GOP. We’re all losing sleep over current events; but instead of endless doom-scrolling through social media, we’re going to flex some power. Sunday night, October 11, at 7pm, my colleagues and I will be performing in a webcast-concert-fundraiser entitled “NOTE-ORIOUS: A musical tribute to RBG, to save the Senate (and our democracy).” You don’t have to wait to contribute — in fact, earlier is better! The fundraising page is linked below, and you can customize your contributions toward the various candidates listed. The campaigns that we are supporting include: Sara Gideon (ME), Mike Espy (MS), Jon Ossoff (GA), Theresa Greenfield (IA), Raphael Warnock (GA), Barbara Bollier (KS), Steve Bullock (MT), MJ Hegar (TX), and Al Gross (AK). https://secure.actblue.com/donate/note-oriousrbg This event also serves as a volunteer-raiser for Democratic campaign efforts around the country at every level. Here’s the volunteering link; find an event and get cracking! The official press release for this event is attached. Please distribute widely! However you are able to join us, we are grateful for and inspired by your support and determination as we honor RBG and fight to preserve democracy. Best, -Charley and Shannon Rose Thank you for your support.
Copyright 2020 |
Official press release after the “There’s More”:
While most reorganization of state parties takes place following the election of state committee members on the presidential primary ballot, state law requires that chairpersons be elected following the November election. Presumably this is to avoid having a new chair take over in the middle of an election calendar. Incumbent Chair Gus Bickford is seeking re-election, but he has two challengers: Mike Lake, who sought our nominations for Auditor in 2010 and Lt. Governor in 2014; and Bob Massie, who was our nominee for Lt. Governor in 1994 and sought our nomination for Governor in 2018.
for its “efforts to combat hunger” and its “contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict – afflicted areas.”
Hunter Biden was Chairman of the World Food Program USA from 2013 – 2019.
While trump’s sons were slaughtering endangered species and stealing from charities, Joe Biden’s son was working to feed the hungry.
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