508 #19: Our friend, Kate Toomey

508 is a show about Worcester. This week’s co-host is Brendan Melican. This week’s guests are Jeff Barnard and Anne Lewenberg.

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The City and EPA disagree about Worcester’s water treatment; we explore the social dynamics of having a city councilor as a Facebook friend. (Here’s the Cory Doctorow essay.)

We respond to some claims by Anthony Hmura, and note that his blog is totally avant garde. Brendan updates us on the median income debate. Note that he’s now Chair of the Cultural Commission!

HBML is “expanding,” and Mike won the giant plush squid.

Attacked by a giant squid

Jeff Barnard talks about why there’s no “top story” in Worcester, and Anne Lewenberg describes the ongoing, successful Anarchist Theory and Action Skill Share Series.

Listen to the mp3 or other formats.

Update:Jeff created this fun short video using his own footage and the 508 audio:

One thought on “508 #19: Our friend, Kate Toomey”

  1. Thanks for posting the little version for those of us with slow connections!
    I’ll never get to a phone to say it, but, if you don’t feel you’ve beaten the water thing to death, I wonder what you think of the difference in the numbers between the EPA and the city. It’s all in the question over treating storm water. The city thinks it’s needed; the EPA says not. What I haven’t heard anyone say (‘though I admit I didn’t catch Tuesday’s council meeting) is that we could avoid having to treat it (either now or with a new, stricter EPA) by cutting down on the phosphates in the river, say, by cutting out the gunk we dump on our lawns. Or dealing with automobile use, though that could be trickier. Cars and lawns are the primary sources of phosphates in the river. What we don’t dump on the lawn or in the street never goes in the river.
    Just a thought!
    Keep up the great work; I look forward to hearing it every week.

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