Along Commonwealth Avenue...
Boston, Massachusetts
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
9.25.2009
Americans STILL Suffering from Polluted Drinking Water?
BOSTON, Mass. (9/17/1009) -- Americans are drinking polluted water…In recent years, violations of the Clean Water Act have risen across the United States, The New York Times reported on September 12, 2009. Family health is now compromised in areas of the country where clean water used to be the status quo. No, people are forced to “think before they drink.”
Jennifer Hall-Massey’s family lives outside of Charleston, West Virginia, where the bath water that she bathes her two young boys in is contaminated with lead, nickel, and other heavy metals that cause rashes, burns, and eats away at tooth enamel.
Although many of the chemical factories and manufacturing plants have admitted to causing the contamination, very few of these violators have been held accountable for their actions. In fact, most have completely escaped punishment.
The new EPA administrator, Lisa P. Jackson, told the NYT that the Clean Water Act of 1972 is no longer sufficient legislation and strengthening water protections is one of her top priorities.
Original NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1253287007-WUIC0JgT4Kcd662pGzQs4g
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
9.15.2009
Boston: 9 am Along the Charles River
BOSTON, Mass. (9/15/2009) -- Early morning runs along the Charles River are a simple Boston pleasure. As the old adage goes, you don't realize what you're missing until you force 
yourself out from under the warm covers. This is the city of Boston at its best. The people I see and the scenes I witness, remind me of the diverse character surrounding me.
The esplanade pedestrian path takes its traveler right along the water's edge, giving him or her a breathtaking view of downtown; silver skyscrapers rising out of shimmering water into a pale blue sky.
As I come to the final bridge before the Museum of Science, I cross over the bridge and pass a
filming crew for Ben Affleck's new movie. A group of five to ten men dressed in black shirts that read "Massachusetts Film Crew" load and unload a large truck, camera equipment blocks my way, but I use this as an excuse to pull out my point and shoot and click a few pics.
Up ahead, I almost trip over a homeless man on my way down the bridge steps to reach the Storrow Drive overpass. The gentleman apologizes and, uncharacteristically (I assume) for a runner, I stop and extend my hand in greeting. "I'm Catherine," I say, asking if I can take a picture of him. He shakes his head and puts up a cigarette-laden hand, to block his face. I would rather you didn't, says the man named Husar. "I'm in several books, you see..." He tells me to look him up in Street Soldier, a book written by Edward MacKenzie, jr., Phyllis Karas, and Ross A. Muscato. He says that they allege he is connected to the Irish Mofia and to the infamous Boston gangster, Whitey Bulger. Okay, Nice to meet you sir, gotta keep running!
I pass multiple more street dwellers (6 to be precise) alongside the river, whose presence seems much more peaceful in the serene setting than it would in the middle of Government Center, surrounded by concrete and steel. The men and women I find have built themselves a nest for the night and are snuggled under old blankets or bags of retrieved garbage, asleep and at ease.
My last stop is the stop I have been anticipating all morning. But, the two Russian fishermen who set up camp on a small embankment along the river are no where to be found this morning. I am devastated. Sure that it was me who scared them
Oh well, another morning, another time, another place. Perhaps.
yourself out from under the warm covers. This is the city of Boston at its best. The people I see and the scenes I witness, remind me of the diverse character surrounding me.At 8:30 am, I head down Commonwealth Avenue, dodging the occasional sleepy student and trying, unsuccessfully, to listen for the ring of a bicycle bell. If I hear the tinkle of the chimes, I might just be able to jump out of the way, before a bike whizzes past, so close that it skims the skin on my left thigh.
Crossing over the BU bridge to the Cambridge side of the river, I pass the Boston University boathouse. Proud of its fine look and gold-edged trim, this morning I hear and see the crew boys pulling up to the dock, after a solid 2 hours out on the water.
The esplanade pedestrian path takes its traveler right along the water's edge, giving him or her a breathtaking view of downtown; silver skyscrapers rising out of shimmering water into a pale blue sky.
As I come to the final bridge before the Museum of Science, I cross over the bridge and pass a
filming crew for Ben Affleck's new movie. A group of five to ten men dressed in black shirts that read "Massachusetts Film Crew" load and unload a large truck, camera equipment blocks my way, but I use this as an excuse to pull out my point and shoot and click a few pics.Up ahead, I almost trip over a homeless man on my way down the bridge steps to reach the Storrow Drive overpass. The gentleman apologizes and, uncharacteristically (I assume) for a runner, I stop and extend my hand in greeting. "I'm Catherine," I say, asking if I can take a picture of him. He shakes his head and puts up a cigarette-laden hand, to block his face. I would rather you didn't, says the man named Husar. "I'm in several books, you see..." He tells me to look him up in Street Soldier, a book written by Edward MacKenzie, jr., Phyllis Karas, and Ross A. Muscato. He says that they allege he is connected to the Irish Mofia and to the infamous Boston gangster, Whitey Bulger. Okay, Nice to meet you sir, gotta keep running!
I pass multiple more street dwellers (6 to be precise) alongside the river, whose presence seems much more peaceful in the serene setting than it would in the middle of Government Center, surrounded by concrete and steel. The men and women I find have built themselves a nest for the night and are snuggled under old blankets or bags of retrieved garbage, asleep and at ease.When I reach the Boston Sailing School, there are already two folding chairs set out on one of the wooden docks. Up at 7 am, Ryan and David have staked their claim on tanning territory. They are determined to get every last ray of September sun, before "it's too late." Good ole New England advice.
My last stop is the stop I have been anticipating all morning. But, the two Russian fishermen who set up camp on a small embankment along the river are no where to be found this morning. I am devastated. Sure that it was me who scared them
away, I check two other spots for signs of their misshapen fishing hats and red and white striped chairs, but to no avail. I knew when I spoke to them yesterday, I should never have used the only phrase of Russian I know ("I love you").
Oh well, another morning, another time, another place. Perhaps.
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
9.14.2009
"Obama-Care"
BOSTON, MA (9/14/2009) -- Is health care a question of legality or morality? Are we, as American citizens, entitled to health care that allows us to live worry-free, knowing that we will never leave a hospital untreated due to the price of the medical treatment? I think almost every American would agree that this is the case. But Why?
Because health care is a necessity in life- it is one of the key components in ensuring the American dream of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Therefore, it is not simply a question of policy and legislation that Washington finds itself carving out of the oak tree of history, it is a moral standard that lawmakers are choosing to either adhere to or disregard.
When Obama presented his health care plan to the American people on September 9, 2009, he was might have thought he was delivering a marketing speech to a panel of the toughest critics in the world. He was, in a way. But his audience was not the elite businessmen who were sitting in their Brooks Brothers' suit coats standing and sitting in agreement as the president spoke before their very eyes. The REAL audience assessing Obama's plan was driving home from work on I-95, setting the table for dinner in Waltham, MA, and sifting through bills at their desks as they contemplated taking out a second mortgage on their homes, in order to pay their outstanding medical bills. These were the men and women that listened to Obama's words, careful to take every statement with a grain of salt.
Here, I am going to take a liberty that, as a journalist, I am told never to take. It may feel a bit naughty (in truth, it DOES, why else would I be apologizing?), but I am going to switch into first-person narrative. Because, in reality, I can speak for these people I have described- the real audience for Obama's health care argument- because I am an average American citizen and this topic concerns me. It is my health at stake.
As a college senior in my final year of undergraduate work, I often think about the future and the possibility that in one year, I may be paying my own medical bills. So when Obama spoke, I listened, sitting in my sweats on the couch in my boyfriend's college apartment.
President Barack Obama is one of the most ideological presidents that I have seen in my mere 21 years of existence. He always has his chin up, his eyes twinkling, and his head held high. I don't believe half of what he says, even though most of the time, I want to. I really do!
Obama's plan deals with three brackets of people: the insured, the uninsured, and the irresponsibly uninsured.
For the insured, Obama plans to make insurance better; there will be more stability for job insurance, people will have the freedom to choose the doctor they desire, routine/preventative check-ups will be covered, and you will not be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Bravo! Obama also condemned insurance companies that force people to pay for prescriptions "out-of-pocket," saying "No One should go broke because they got sick."
For the uninsured, Obama is determined to provide insurance through an Insurance Exchange that allows insurance companies to compete for clients on a level playing field. Despite accusations from right-wing Republicans, Obama says that a new government insurance option will only be added to the pool of other insurers, one of many fish in the sea. The cheap, government option will be totally self-sufficient and non-profit, entirely independent of tax payer dollars. The exchange would not go into effect for four years, however, tax credits and a low cost plan would be offered in the meantime.
And for the irresponsible American citizen, Obama has a message, "No gaming the system!" The president spoke directly to the minority of Americans who can afford health care, but choose not to pay for it. These are the people who think they will never get sick and then, inevitably, end up being rushed to the emergency room and the rest of us end up paying their bills. These are the people that rack up health care costs and these are the people that are going to prevent reform plans from successfully coming to fruition. But no longer. From now on, Obama wants to make it mandatory to carry health care insurance- just as it is mandatory for every driver to carry some sort of auto-insurance. End of story.
First, let me tell you what I did like about his plan. He acknowledged, as the late Ted Kennedy said, that this is not a bi-partisan issue. The matter of health care is one of "large heartedness" and the moral character of our country. Obama also said that he will protect Medicare and the future of the elderly population, he will offer the American people a choice in affordable health coverage- a choice that does not have to be government funded, and he "will not accept the status quo as a solution."
Along with this optimistic attitude, Obama made several compromises. He is willing to use ideas from across the aisle- including elements of health care reform proposed by former President Bush and Obama's political opponent in the 2008 elections, Senator John McCain.
The problem is that the health care plan is going to cost a grand total of $900 billion over a ten year period. Where is all of this money coming from? Obama says that it is coming from within the health care system, from harvesting all of the expenditure that is wasted on executive bonuses and elsewhere. Obama says that by making the system more efficient and by holding people accountable, we can fund the new subsidized health care plans without "adding one dime to the deficit." Any additional costs will be paid for by the added money entering the system by way of the newly insured (formerly uninsured).
Ok, this is all fine and good, but I am not convinced. I want to see the numbers. I agree, (admitting to my own ignorance of the health care field) retrieved wasted money could provide the system with a significant figure, however, can it really fund all $900 billion? Break it down for me...where exactly is each sum coming from? Show me the numbers.
Obama showed some true backbone towards the end of his speech, however, after getting dubbed a "liar" by Rep. Wilson in reference to illegal immigrants' exclusion from the health care plan. Obama said that he will not waste time listening to people who want to try to kill his plan. He will only listen to those who are willing to work to improve it. The use of fear and antistatic values to hinder progress will not be tolerated. That being said, Obama would not let a few sour grapes ruin the monumental moment in US history.
Promising to "pull this economy back from the brink," Obama told Americans, "I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last."
See: Obama's Health Care Speech to Congress
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
Because health care is a necessity in life- it is one of the key components in ensuring the American dream of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Therefore, it is not simply a question of policy and legislation that Washington finds itself carving out of the oak tree of history, it is a moral standard that lawmakers are choosing to either adhere to or disregard.
When Obama presented his health care plan to the American people on September 9, 2009, he was might have thought he was delivering a marketing speech to a panel of the toughest critics in the world. He was, in a way. But his audience was not the elite businessmen who were sitting in their Brooks Brothers' suit coats standing and sitting in agreement as the president spoke before their very eyes. The REAL audience assessing Obama's plan was driving home from work on I-95, setting the table for dinner in Waltham, MA, and sifting through bills at their desks as they contemplated taking out a second mortgage on their homes, in order to pay their outstanding medical bills. These were the men and women that listened to Obama's words, careful to take every statement with a grain of salt.
Here, I am going to take a liberty that, as a journalist, I am told never to take. It may feel a bit naughty (in truth, it DOES, why else would I be apologizing?), but I am going to switch into first-person narrative. Because, in reality, I can speak for these people I have described- the real audience for Obama's health care argument- because I am an average American citizen and this topic concerns me. It is my health at stake.
As a college senior in my final year of undergraduate work, I often think about the future and the possibility that in one year, I may be paying my own medical bills. So when Obama spoke, I listened, sitting in my sweats on the couch in my boyfriend's college apartment.
President Barack Obama is one of the most ideological presidents that I have seen in my mere 21 years of existence. He always has his chin up, his eyes twinkling, and his head held high. I don't believe half of what he says, even though most of the time, I want to. I really do!
Obama's plan deals with three brackets of people: the insured, the uninsured, and the irresponsibly uninsured.
For the insured, Obama plans to make insurance better; there will be more stability for job insurance, people will have the freedom to choose the doctor they desire, routine/preventative check-ups will be covered, and you will not be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Bravo! Obama also condemned insurance companies that force people to pay for prescriptions "out-of-pocket," saying "No One should go broke because they got sick."
For the uninsured, Obama is determined to provide insurance through an Insurance Exchange that allows insurance companies to compete for clients on a level playing field. Despite accusations from right-wing Republicans, Obama says that a new government insurance option will only be added to the pool of other insurers, one of many fish in the sea. The cheap, government option will be totally self-sufficient and non-profit, entirely independent of tax payer dollars. The exchange would not go into effect for four years, however, tax credits and a low cost plan would be offered in the meantime.
And for the irresponsible American citizen, Obama has a message, "No gaming the system!" The president spoke directly to the minority of Americans who can afford health care, but choose not to pay for it. These are the people who think they will never get sick and then, inevitably, end up being rushed to the emergency room and the rest of us end up paying their bills. These are the people that rack up health care costs and these are the people that are going to prevent reform plans from successfully coming to fruition. But no longer. From now on, Obama wants to make it mandatory to carry health care insurance- just as it is mandatory for every driver to carry some sort of auto-insurance. End of story.
First, let me tell you what I did like about his plan. He acknowledged, as the late Ted Kennedy said, that this is not a bi-partisan issue. The matter of health care is one of "large heartedness" and the moral character of our country. Obama also said that he will protect Medicare and the future of the elderly population, he will offer the American people a choice in affordable health coverage- a choice that does not have to be government funded, and he "will not accept the status quo as a solution."
Along with this optimistic attitude, Obama made several compromises. He is willing to use ideas from across the aisle- including elements of health care reform proposed by former President Bush and Obama's political opponent in the 2008 elections, Senator John McCain.
The problem is that the health care plan is going to cost a grand total of $900 billion over a ten year period. Where is all of this money coming from? Obama says that it is coming from within the health care system, from harvesting all of the expenditure that is wasted on executive bonuses and elsewhere. Obama says that by making the system more efficient and by holding people accountable, we can fund the new subsidized health care plans without "adding one dime to the deficit." Any additional costs will be paid for by the added money entering the system by way of the newly insured (formerly uninsured).
Ok, this is all fine and good, but I am not convinced. I want to see the numbers. I agree, (admitting to my own ignorance of the health care field) retrieved wasted money could provide the system with a significant figure, however, can it really fund all $900 billion? Break it down for me...where exactly is each sum coming from? Show me the numbers.
Obama showed some true backbone towards the end of his speech, however, after getting dubbed a "liar" by Rep. Wilson in reference to illegal immigrants' exclusion from the health care plan. Obama said that he will not waste time listening to people who want to try to kill his plan. He will only listen to those who are willing to work to improve it. The use of fear and antistatic values to hinder progress will not be tolerated. That being said, Obama would not let a few sour grapes ruin the monumental moment in US history.
Promising to "pull this economy back from the brink," Obama told Americans, "I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last."
See: Obama's Health Care Speech to Congress
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
MIT Lays the Foundation
Boston, (9/5/09) 1229 EST -- "It's an exquisite animal that sits on four dainty toes," said John Ochsendorf, describing the thin shell structure that is being assembled this week at the MIT Museum outdoor courtyard.
Ochsendorf, a professor of architecture and civil engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, lead his graduate students in breaking ground, Monday, on their full scale model of an adobe brick structure. The piece of art is a "trial run" for the actual structure that the students will assemble in New York City at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum this spring.
Inspired by the works of Antoni Gaudi,the students at MIT were asked to create a vaulted sculpture in the traditional Guastavino vaulting style, using thin tiles. The structure boasts self-supporting arches, built in the customary fashion as the original Valencian structures, yet it incorporates several modern day phenomena.
By using only a single layer of adobe brick, the 15 foot-high structure has an extremely low carbon footprint. Yet, unlike older brick and mortar vaults, this vault is designed with much more elaborate arches and angles--meaning that the students had to crunch a lot of numbers in the planning process.
The architecture students used new, high-tech structural design software to design the project, which they plan to show to the public on Friday with a celebratory gathering at the Museum's location at 265 Mass. Avenue.
There are over 75 structures and buildings throughout Boston built with the Guastavino tile arch system. These works include Boston University's Marsh Plaza archways and sections of the Boston Public Library.
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
9.11.2009
9.08.2009
Patrolling the Pentagon (More like Getting Lost in the Maze)
Washington, D.C. (9/8/2009) -- Pentagon mornings start early.
At five AM, the quiet Virginia neighborhood-where I resided with my aunt and uncle over the summer months- is completely dead, void of any live movement. The sun has not yet appeared in the hazy gray sky, although it will show itself within the hour. The darkness envelops every traditional colonial home, hugging the perfectly manicured lawns and trimmed shrubbery. This is one of the only parts of the day that you could honestly call "cool." The air is not yet heavy with humidity and the sun has not had the chance to fry the world with its burning rays.
Washington, D.C. is a busy place. I learned from my first month and a half working downtown on 14th Street that almost without exception every man or woman walking beside you on the street, or getting onto the Metro has a plan and a purpose for his or her life. Career minded and driven by the desire to achieve success, it is every Washingtonian's goal to move up in the world...by whatever means they can.
This attitude is appealing to the young, politically minded intern like myself. As a student, you are naturally at the bottom of the pile, so an environment that promotes upward mobility is ideal. However, it is also exhausting and a bit disheartening when you are one of thousands of young (and not so young) people, trying to make your stamp in an economic recession.
Thus, I found myself (after several months of informative and very beneficial freelancing/networking) lucky enough to be offered a position working for the United States Navy Public Affairs Office (called CHINFO) at the Pentagon.
Talk about high profile! Walking into work that first day in my smart, new, gray Banana Republic suit, I felt on top of the world; even my lowly status in an unpaid, no-name position could not get my spirits down when I walked past security with my U.S. Navy badge. I was on the inside, now.
The summer was a flourish of tasks, working side by side with my mentor and the other Public Affairs Officers in the N3 and N5 sectors of CHINFO. I immediately was faced with an extensive military vocabulary, completely foreign to the average American civilian, forcing me to learn standard acronyms with astonishing speed. I think I dreamt about PSASDs, QRs, CENTCOM, and pet names that the Navy gave to political figures (such as calling President Obama the POTUS, "President of the United States"). I was fortunate to have an extremely wonderful LCDR as a mentor who not only took the time to teach me how to complete tasks properly, but then had enough faith in my work ethic to begin to hand tasks over to me for completion. It was an exhilarating feeling to be considered worthy of helping with high profile tasks. The level of respect that I witnessed within CHINFO and the U.S. Navy far exceeded my expectations.
By the end of the summer, my life had been consumed by my job at the Pentagon and I was deeply involved in planning a film premiere of a Discovery Military Channel's "At Sea" film on land, sea, and sub-surface warfare within the Navy. The premiere was a huge success, an event that marked the excellent technological advances and achievements of the U.S. Navy and was attended by top U.S. politicians, as well as U.S. Navy officials, such as the Under Secretary of the Navy the Honorable Robert Work.
I must admit that since my time at CHINFO ended in the second week in August, I have refrained from wearing any form of business attire. I have put away my Navy badge and my fake black leather briefcase remains on its hook back home in Vermont. However, a large plaque with a photo best wishes from all of my summer colleagues hangs above my head in my student apartment in Boston. It is a continual reminder of the work that diligent people continue to do in our nation's Capitol. It is work that I hope to return to someday very soon.
By Catherine Moore, camoore@bu.edu
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