Apparent Horizon Archives

URBAN MISSION

The solution to UMass Boston’s woes could start with a city-run college There was an interesting conversation recently between two people who I often criticize for being… um… insufficiently public spirited. The Boston Globe’s Shirley Leung asked Boston mayor Marty Walsh a great question: “What if the city took

JASON PRAMAS May 9, 2018

BROKEN MEDIA, BROKEN POLITICS

If Mass journalists were doing their jobs, Baker would not be so popular May 1, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS It’s always funny to hear that Charlie Baker is a very popular governor… The most popular governor in the country at the moment, according to polls. Because

JASON PRAMAS May 1, 2018

THERE WILL BE NO OUTSIDE WORLD TO HELP US

Boston’s global warming plans must prepare region for worst case scenarios March 28, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS In a couple of recent columns—and several others over the years—I’ve looked at some of the specific threats that scientists expect Boston will be facing from global warming-induced climate

JASON PRAMAS March 28, 2018

TERROR AT 50 FEET

Acrimony over Seaport gondola plan speaks to need for expanded MBTA service March 13, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Much ink has been spilled in the Boston press over a plan by luxury developer Millennium Partners and its subsidiary Cargo Ventures to spend $100 million to build

JASON PRAMAS March 13, 2018

YOUR MOVE, BOSTON

Only a massive protest movement can stop government giveaways to megacorps March, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Boston politics—in both its state and local variants—seems to consist largely of backroom deals between government officials and major corporations punctuated by rituals of representative democracy that are increasingly put

JASON PRAMAS March 7, 2018

CRISIS AVERTED

MBTA bus mechanics beat back privatization… at a cost February 14, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Unionized bus mechanics represented by the International Association of Machinists Local 264 won an important victory last week when they agreed to a four-year contract with the MBTA—effectively ending a two-year

JASON PRAMAS February 14, 2018

“WON’T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!”

Moral panic hamstrings promising North Andover cannabis farm deal February 6, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Last fall, I wrote about the history of Osgood Landing—a large industrial facility in North Andover—as part of a column (“An Andover North Andover Deal?”) slamming a hasty bid to

JASON PRAMAS February 6, 2018

SEA LEVEL RISE IS JUST ONE OF BOSTON’S WORRIES

As Earth approaches several catastrophic global warming “tipping points” January 24, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Before writing more columns examining Boston city government’s emerging plans to cope with the effects of global warming, I think a quick review of what area residents are likely to face in

JASON PRAMAS January 24, 2018

THE SEAPORT FLOOD IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Unless Boston builds proper defenses against global warming-driven sea level rise January 17, 2018 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS So, Boston’s Seaport District flooded early this month during a bad snowstorm in the midst of several days of arctic temperatures. And nobody could be less surprised than me.

JASON PRAMAS January 17, 2018

ON MAKERSPACES AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Making can be cool, but conscious making is cooler December 19, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS For many of us living in and around Boston in recent years, it has become common to see lots of communications from makerspaces around holiday time. Which is totally understandable. Such

JASON PRAMAS December 19, 2017