Schwarz
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in support of the people of london
on keeping your town weird
moody report:
Just found this article by Morgan Reynolds, a Texas A&M professor and economist in the first Bush administration, arguing that the World Trade Center towers collapsed from a controlled demolition (i.e., explosives planted in the building) rather than jet fuel melting the steel beams. Reynolds asks: why was the steel rapidly shipped to China and melted before engineers had had a chance to do "forensics" on it? (This January 2002 article from Fire Engineering magazine suggests it was because the Port Authority didn't want lingering evidence of shoddy construction or fireproofing--also, maybe they just wanted Silverstein, the owner, to get some fast $$$.) Why was all the concrete in the buildings pulverized into fine dust by the force of the collapse? (Reynolds says that only happens when explosive charges are used.) Can jet fuel really melt steel? (A German engineer says burning kerosene isn't hot enough.) And:
this will be where i will post some reflections on my visit to the most bodacious town of portland oregon.
it may be a paraphrase but i think our hosts steve and erin quoted dave hickey speaking of their home town : "i hate portland --it feels like it was made for eight year olds." perhaps they can correct the record if thats too far off, but what i think he was getting after is just how utterly inner-child friendly and nurturing the topography is. light rails, bike lanes, flowerbeds, container plantings, terrible but climbable public sculpture, waterfronts, public water parks, skateboard parks. no litter. no fucking liter at all. even the entrance ramps to the highways are filled in with all sorts of flowering plants and well groomed green lawn. ...but i suspect hickeys quote goes even deeper.