In the conclusion to Reinventing Collapse, Dmitry Orlov says, “I have worked very hard to write a book on an important but seriously depressing subject that’s nevertheless fun to read.” Thanks to a lively inductive faculty, a fast-paced narrative structure, and a Saharan sense of humor, he has succeeded in the extreme. On the other… Continue Reading

Question: If a parking spot spends most of its time occupied by an empty motor vehicle, does that make it a vacant lot? Brooklyn-based 596 Acres has created a gorgeous large-format map showing precisely that amount of land lying vacant in the Better Borough: Their purpose is to encourage aspiring hayseeds to turn this land… Continue Reading

As anyone who frequents the Brooklyn Bridge promenade knows, it’s a war zone between pedestrians and cyclists. Usually, it seems that the pedestrians – by dint of sheer numbers and pervasive obliviousness – are winning. But last Saturday morning, as Gregg and I pedaled over the river to experience Summer Streets, the tide had temporarily… Continue Reading

Where are you from originally? Baltimore, Maryland. How long have you lived in NYC? I arrived here for good in 1994. I came here originally in 1975 for one year of acting school and to have the shit scared out of me. When did you start riding a pedicab? June 2009. What got you started?… Continue Reading