I don’t agree with everything J.H. Kunstler says, but he is entertaining and gives us a great reverse perspective on America. This is a short montage of some of the podcasts to come in 2010.
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Tagged with “kunstlercast”
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Upcoming in 2010 For the Kunstlercast
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KunstlerCast #86: The High Line
James Howard Kunstler discusses two major projects that have recently turned 19th century railroad structures into parks: the High Line in lower Manhattan and the Walkway Over the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The High Line is a unique park in New York City, built upon a former elevated rail line that used to bring trains through buildings. Although the High Line gives reprieve to New Yorkers, Kunstler finds it to be an accidental freak of urban nature. We would benefit more from the deliberate creation of beautifully designed streets and boulevards at grade level. The Walkway Over the Hudson is an extremely long railroad bridge that now serves as a pedestrian park. On the plus side, Kunstler believes this type of project might protect the bridge so that it doesn’t completely fall apart. But he finds it tragic that America has discarded the major investments it once made in a rail system. A listener caller who is an urban planner in Vancouver shares his thoughts on adaptive reuse of buildings.This week’s sponsor is Revolution Hall in Troy N.Y., inviting listeners to see Deer Tick, the band that sings the KunstlerCast theme song, this Nov. 4. www.RevolutionHall.com
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KunstlerCast #78: Litter & Pollution
James Howard Kunstler says one reason why American cities are so dirty is because we do not have a firm agreement about how to treat the public realm in this country. He believes that people will literally trash a place that they don’t like or respect. And a lot of American space is difficult to respect. While suburbia contains meticulously groomed private yards, the public highways are often lined with impressive amounts of trash on the shoulder. On a larger scale, many corporations treat the American landscape with a similar disregard. While Kunstler believes that large scale pollution from mega corporations may taper off with the cheap oil supply, he thinks local manufacturing in the future might reintroduce forms of pollution that haven’t been seen in the U.S. for a while.
Note: The voice of Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk appears in this episode, courtesy of Planetizen, publisher of The Story of Sprawl DVD. KunstlerCast listeners receive a $5 discount when purchasing this DVD by using the discount code FIESTA: http://www.planetizen.com/DVD
SPONSOR: This week’s sponsor is New Society Publishers, the leading publisher of Peak Oil thinkers such as Dmitry Orlov, Richard Heinberg, Sharon Astyk and Michael Ruppert. NewSociety.com
Tagged with kunstlercast james howard kunstler ecology
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KunstlerCast #76: Man Caves
A "man cave" discovered in a government complex made national news earlier this month. Eminent new urbanist planner Andrés Duany was prompted to speak out in defense of the man cave and "male space" in general, which he sees as a disappearing habitat in modern America. James Howard Kunstler and host Duncan Crary listen to a recording of Duany’s "The Dilemma of Male Space" and further explore the concept of male space. Not only does Kunstler believe that male space is disappearing in suburbia, but he thinks adult space in general is endangered.
Tagged with kunstlercast james howard kunstler man caves
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KunstlerCast #75: Jet Skis in the Wilderness
Even during a recession, Americans are pouring into our nation’s "wilderness areas" with jet skis and cigarette boats in tow. After returning home from a visit to the Adirondack Mountains of New York, James Howard Kunstler serves up some thoughts on the gas guzzling toys we use to get off on in nature. Although we have a residual memory of what the American wilderness used to be like before World War II, the reality of our "nature areas" today is much different. Plastic weenie stands, ice cream emporiums and gift shops have invaded the woods. But Kunstler believes the days of traffic jams in Yosemite are numbered. This week’s sponsor: www.PostPeakLiving.com
Tagged with kunstlercast james howard kunstler ecology
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KunstlerCast #73: The Horse Latitudes of Our Economy
James Howard Kunstler believes that the consumer credit economy is over and that we are now moving on to the next phase of the U.S. economy. Kunstler provides some historical context on our current global economy and muses on the relationship between over-complexity and diminishing returns, which he believes is the "hallmark of all civilizations that come to grief."
Tagged with kunstlercast james howard kunstler economy