KunstlerCast - Suburban Sprawl: A Tragic Comedy
James Howard Kunstler, author of The Geography of Nowhere, The Long Emergency, and World Made By Hand, takes on the converging catastrophes of the 21st century. Features a new guest each month. (Note: Episodes 1 - 214 featured conversations between Duncan Crary and JHK during the years 2008 through 2012 and focused on the topics of suburban sprawl, disposable architecture and the end of the cheap oil era.)
KunstlerCast #178: CNU Fireside Chat with JHK

James Howard Kunstler and Duncan Crary join Congress for the New Urbanism CEO & President John Norquist for a "fireside chat" about new urbanism, the future of cities and other topics. This is a 25 minute excerpt from a one hour conversation that was original broadcast live over the Internet as part of the CNU membership drive. An archive recording of the full conversation is availble for listening for CNU City Builder members. For information, visit: CNU.org/membership.

Direct download: KunstlerCast_178.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:30pm EDT

KunstlerCast #177: JHK Addresses Preservationists

Jim and Duncan talk about Historic Preservation on their return drive from the annual conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, held in Buffalo this week. This show includes an excerpt from the keynote address Jim gave to kick off the conference. During the talk JHK explained to preservationists that not all buildings are worth saving -- particularly the modernist architectural abortions of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Direct download: KunstlerCast_177.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

JHK and Duncan get caught up on listener calls. Question topics include: Phoenix vs. Georgia; repealing the gas tax, The Long Descent, Landscape Urbanism and why aren't there any African-American characters in Jim's World Made By Hand novels? One listener also shares a bizarre and raunchy conspiracy theory.

Direct download: KunstlerCast_176.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT

There's a crazy Christian cult on the rise in the US and JHK believes Americans needs to watch out. The New Apostolic Reformation is a dangerous movement exerting its influence on the American political sphere during a time when this country is so fraught with problems that we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to being pushed around by crazy people like this, Kunstler says. The group -- which has connections to presidential candidates Rick Perry and Michele Bachman -- not only believes in literal devils but that certain American politicians are afflicted by these demons. More concerning is their belief in dominionism over all aspects of American culture, politics and business. The "apostles" claim to speak directly to God and feel they have a mission to convert all Jews to Christianity. Kunstler sees this group, and others like it, becoming more troublesome as The Long Emergency unfolds. He can imagine that the country may find itself in a new Civil War in the years ahead. During the conversation JHK also describes his experiences reporting on religious cults, his own thoughts on religion as an agnostic, and explains how the story of the New Apostolic Reformation may resemble some of the aspects in his fictional World Made By Hand novels.

Direct download: KunstlerCast_175.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT