In Bruce Stutz’s article “Battered New York City Looks For Ways to Hold Back the Sea,” he gives readers a peek at the protection NYC would have had against Hurricane Sandy, had the proper sea barriers been in place.  The storm would had hit regardless and crept inward, but Stutz imagines floodgates closing “across the Verrazano Narrows entry to New York Harbor, across the upper East River, [and] across the entrance to Jamaica Bay” (Stutz).  New York City scientists, economists, and risk management specialists are still finding and researching for the best possible way to protect NYC against any other future Sandys.  However, could it be that the answer is already in front of them?  Are you aware of any technology that cities in other countries are using to protect against the rising sea level that you believe could be implemented in New York City?

I once overheard a man on the train talking about the MTA system and how it was putting an endless amount of money into a system that couldn’t support itself. The foundation of the MTA system itself is very poor. Bruce Stutz talks about the disruptions of hurricane Sandy and how Mayor Bloomberg, the city, state and federal agencies, all saw it coming, but not for another twenty years from now. “It wasn’t as if they’d been derelict in starting to plan.” But the problem is that from the very beginning, the MTA failed to create a strong foundation for itself and that’s why it needs so much planning now. How do you feel about the Sustainibility report for the MTA? Do you feel that this will help with the renewal of the system and rebuild the foundation, or do you think the system is getting ahead of itself, considering “green” factors without strengthening its structure? Alongside, do you think that artificial intelligence is a good idea? In Intelligence Explosion: Evidence and Import, it was pointed out that an uncontrolled intelligence explosion could result disastrous. Similarly to the MTA system, when creating something so significant, do you think that people try to jump ahead to the good things, (ex: the MTA to provide transportation to all of New York City,) but fail to consider structure and risks (the MTA foundation and protection in face of things like weather impact)? Should AI be created and expanded?