In which I ponder the current state of society and our built environment, how we got here, and a little of what we need to do at the local level in order to respond constructively to changing times.
James Howard Kunstler (and, for those who may be interested, I just found that the Kindle edition of JHK’s The Long Emergency is on sale right now for $1.99)
Information on the methodology behind measuring GDP, inflation, the Consumer Price Index, etc.:
If you want to dig deeper into the geekery behind some of the above, see John Williams’ Shadow Government Statistics.
“Think Twice” airs Wednesdays at 6:00pm. Tune in to KYMN 1080 AM, or listen to their live stream by clicking the “Listen Live” link on the KYMN website.
“Think Twice” airs Wednesdays at 6:00pm. Tune in to KYMN 1080 AM, or listen to their live stream by clicking the “Listen Live” link on the KYMN website.
I start by asking Dixon to tell a little of his history in and with Northfield, and then we dive into a discussion of a variety of topics. I hope you find it as interesting and entertaining as I did.
Or, “Sidewalks and Bike Paths: Not Just Recreation Anymore”
Urban design consultant Hazel Borys has compiled a bunch of studies and statistics to demonstrate “Places That Pay”, meaning that ways in which cities and towns choose to build and develop have quantifiable fiscal (and other) outcomes.
This is why it matters ~
whether lots are wide or deep;
whether a network of sidewalks connects streets and neighborhoods;
whether there’s a town center or a highway strip;
whether a place prioritizes the movement of cars over the movement of people not in cars;
After missing last week, I was all primed to do a great show this week, complete with special guest. However, technology did not cooperate; after a terrific conversation, I found that the recording cut off after the first six minutes. I was still dealing with that when I found that the Twins game would be broadcast during my regular time slot.
When serendipity and karma team up and go ka-POW, there’s no fighting it (them?), so I’ve scheduled my guest for next week, and will be approaching it all with fresh vigor then.
Facing an economic downturn and an uncertain future, cities and towns need to make smart decisions about land policy and investments in infrastructure (among other things). In this episode, I look at Northfield’s tax capacity along with possibilities for increasing the productivity of taxable land and improving the value capture of existing infrastructure. I also compare various commercial properties and discuss their contributions to the tax base.
I apologize for the substandard quality of the audio. I recorded it outside the studio and messed up at least one setting on my equipment, but didn’t realize it until later. [ more… ]
I was unexpectedly tickled last week when I attended a Strong Towns event at Gluek’s in Minneapolis, and Chuck Marohn interviewed Betsey Buckheit and me, along with a few others, for the Strong Towns podcast. Sorry about the gloomy photo, but my phone camera doesn’t do well in low light. As you know, I’m a [...]
I’ve rearranged the blog furniture a bit. Entries specific to Northfield and local issues have been moved to the sidebar, and will not appear in the main post stream. (They will, however, display in the archives and RSS feed.)
I have a new page of reading recommendations. The impetus behind the update was the recent publication of Chuck Marohn’s Thoughts on Building Small Towns, which I reviewed here on Amazon.com. Check it out!
Prolonged exposure to this blog may cause dizziness, headaches, and general malaise. Side effects may include increased blood pressure, nausea, or an irresistible desire for a nap.
![[logo]](http://www.citycommons.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/TT-drop-shadow-1351.png "Think Twice")
