For wanting to ban cars – even from just dense city centers – I’ve been called an extremist. Of course, I’ve been called a number of things with little basis in fact. Studying cities going back thousands of years, it’s impossible to ignore the damage cars have done to our lives. We can go farther, faster, but at the loss of… Continue reading 36 Collision GIFs to Make the Car Lobby Cringe
Tag: Hart Noecker
Cedar Blocks and Devil Strips: Cycling the Streets of 1898
While perusing the tubes of the internet, I stumbled across a map labeled City of Detroit for Bicyclists, Showing Pavements. It was dated 1898. Visible were color-coded streets of the inner city, what today is known as Downtown, Midtown, Corktown, Eastern Market, and New Center. It’s widely known Detroit was the birth place of paved… Continue reading Cedar Blocks and Devil Strips: Cycling the Streets of 1898
Is America’s Car Capital More Bike-Friendly than Its Bike Capital?
Long championed as the cycling capital of North America, Portland (the Oregon one), has guided other cities striving to cultivate an active and educated populace yearning for two-wheeled mobility. So many words have been written about Portland’s bike culture that a mass influx of new residents has spurred soaring housing costs. This new generation shunning the suburbs is now finding… Continue reading Is America’s Car Capital More Bike-Friendly than Its Bike Capital?
A Hellscape Among the Ruins: Zug Island
Most rust-belt cities are rebranding themselves with all sorts of green/sustainable accolades lately. Modest accomplishment is trumpeted with loud fanfare. Amid this greenwashing, city councils jubilantly downplay the harm remaining heavy industries cause. Usually, they pretend they don’t exist, or that JOBS are more important so go back to bed, pollution isn’t that bad. This deception proves effective:… Continue reading A Hellscape Among the Ruins: Zug Island
Battle Royale In the Arena of Detroit’s Commons
In the Siege of Detroit, upon provocation Major General Isaac Brock’s British forces captured and held the midwest fort and city, heralding the War of 1812‘s start in July of that year. Detroit holds the unique distinction of being the only American city to fall and be occupied by a foreign military – for over a year… Continue reading Battle Royale In the Arena of Detroit’s Commons
What If ‘Mad Max’ Does for Cars what ‘Jaws’ Did for Sharks?
Let’s be honest. ‘The Fast and the Furious‘ franchise is automotive pornography. These films glorify the absolute worst driving behavior possible, making lavish sums of money in the process. By reducing conflict to its basest-level brute aggression, we see a meticulous refinement of ultra-violence mixed with muscle cars. America perfected this brand of cinema, it’s now our chief entertainment export. Once a… Continue reading What If ‘Mad Max’ Does for Cars what ‘Jaws’ Did for Sharks?
Consenting to Clean Water
Note: this article was originally published on May 10, 2013 as the fourth installment of my six part series for Mismanaging Perception on the unsuccessful campaign to fluoridate Portland’s water supply. It’s worth noting that this was my only guest submission to Blue Oregon to ever be rejected. By now you’ve likely received your special election ballot in the mail,… Continue reading Consenting to Clean Water
Combating Obama’s Climate Change Cowardice In Two Simple Steps
Another week of climate change nightmares, another week of sell-out Democrats enabling the fossil fuel industry. It was announced Planet Earth’s atmosphere held strong at 400 PPM of Co2 for an entire month, 50 points higher than climatologists say is anything short of disaster. Just days later, the president approved drilling for yet more fucking oil,… Continue reading Combating Obama’s Climate Change Cowardice In Two Simple Steps
Did Oregon Democrats Roll on GMO Labeling for Hillary Clinton?
Last week, it was reported that one Sonny Mehta of Eugene had been called upon to helm the “grassroots” organizing for Hillary Clinton’s local presidential aspirations. Mehta is a legislative aid and field director with the Democratic Party of Oregon whose previously worked for Measure 92, the failed state-wide campaign to require labeling of GMO food products. Despite Oregon’s progressive reputation, GMO labeling lost –… Continue reading Did Oregon Democrats Roll on GMO Labeling for Hillary Clinton?
Justified Rage In the Streets of Baltimore
Watching the local corporate news feeds and listening to the paid talking heads covering the protests in Baltimore on Saturday, one might be forgiven for thinking blocking traffic and smashing windows was somehow a greater act of violence than Baltimore police murdering Freddie Gray. This summer America got a much-needed wake up call about why people… Continue reading Justified Rage In the Streets of Baltimore