TODAY'S RAMBLINGS
One of my many passions is urban development and transportation.  I've read a number of books on the subject (I just posted the list at my website), and I've arrived at this conclusion:

The development of our built environment around cars and not people, which began right around the end of World War II, is central to our gradual decline as a nation. 

There.  I said it and I mean it. 

I suggest you perhaps first read "Suburban Nation" before you call me crazy.  It's a great read and available in paperback.

Or you can just read this recent article from The Atlantic, which I've put into a convenient PDF file for those of you without a subscription.

More?  Here's a TED Talk by Jeff Speck (author or co-author of two of the books on my list), that brings the whole subject to, well, life.

FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
I had the pleasure of tossing a few back late last week with the Dutch fortune seeker and TEECOM operative Kevin Monza.  This is noteworthy because it took place at this Killer gem in Oakland (the site of many iced teas with both Kevin and the low-voltage wiring expert Miguel Shannon back in the day), but also because it brought Kevin to share this critical bit of information, which I now share with you.   Here is the story of Fernet-Branca and San Francisco.  And look at Kevin's new friend.

And while I'm sharing fun stuff, check out this post from my cousin, the (not kidding) famous writer Lana Heinz; I checked out a couple of the videos and they are nothing if not calming!  Recommended.

Julie and I enjoyed lunching with the renowned educator Dr. Doreen Downs on Sunday at the Textbook Original Joe's in Westlake.  Apart from the Negroni's and veal piccata, a focus was Doreen's upcoming travels.  Despite her very, very advanced age, Dr. Doreen can travel with the best of them.  Next up, she's going to go hang with Tennessee Tuxedo and Chumley on a cruise to Antarctica - wow!  There was even talk of the 3 of us hitting the trails on a horseback ride later in the summer.  Giddy-up Dr. Downs!

Lastly, the famous spotlight grabber Hunter Deuce demanded - demanded - that he be given credit for sending me that nasty Van Halen video.  Done.   

I also want to thank Hunter for sending along the cover of a charming new children's book, one he thought we could use on our next Palm Springs run. 

To the deviant Hunter I say:  Stay in school, and don't do drugs.  Just say no.  This is your brain.  And this is your brain on drugs.  And we all know that marijuana is a gateway drug.

(Can't get enough law and order?  Check out Sargent Friday weighing in on right-wing extremists.  For real.)

Thank you to any one that is reading this blog.

KLUF
Of course it's The Cars.  Here's their stunning debut album in high res.

Fun fact:  this album is meaningful to me personally because, in high school, the blond-ish cheerleader and future low-information voter Donna Hildebrand humiliated me in class because I had yet to hear of them.  Ignorance was not bliss as I slinked away in disgrace to my stash of Ted Nugent albums.

Want something without the pubescent baggage?  Ok, this also works, at least the first track.