An upper middle-class neighborhood in Baghdad is using the opportunity of the recent 'breakdown of law and order' to demolish their homes, which are protected by stringent historic preservation laws.
"With the breakdown of law and order and the wholesale destruction of government ministries that once held meticulously maintained property records, entrepreneurial Baghdad residents, whose valuable homes had been nearly untouchable under the city's former historic preservation act, have begun to demolish them so they can build income-generating commercial or retail buildings in their place....The trend in many of the city's older districts is alarming to architects and historic preservationists who watch as Baghdad's cultural patrimony disintegrates into urban blight. Unlike other historic cities in the Arab world...Baghdad's original architectural heritage was destroyed by the Mongols in the 12th Century, and the city never fully recovered. Baghdad's urban core now is largely a collection of uninspiring concrete buildings that were constructed in the mid-20th Century, which makes the city's remaining historic houses even more significant."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: Baghdad beauties being razed
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Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.
California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.
HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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