Podcast appearances and mentions of Robert Moses

It's the end of summer, so Kate and Laura are looking back over their holiday reading, the books they loved, the ones that disappointed them, and the unexpected discoveries that made their reading lists longer rather than shorter.We talk about Alex E. Harrow's huge fantasy novel The Everlasting, and why it turned out to be a surprisingly divisive read. Kate reports back on her pick from the Booker longlist, The Palm House by Gwendolyn Riley. She's also recently completed The Power Broker, Robert Caro's iconic book on New York master-builder Robert Moses, but was it worth the read? She's also discussing The Silver Book, Olivia Laing's most recent work of fiction. In Pankaj Mishra's The Romantics, Laura found an interesting book club choice, while Kate's flagging up Vladimir by Julia May Jonas, and while on the campus novel theme she also read Joanna Miller's The Eights, set in 1920s Oxford. Laura wraps things up with the wonderfully atmospheric The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo.But there's more as pod-regular Phil Chaffee joins us with two of his favourite summer reads, Sue Prideaux's Wild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin and Bret Easton Ellis's The Shards.As summer comes to an end, we're also looking ahead to Booker season, with the shortlist just around the corner and plenty more reading on the horizon.PatreonCome and find the pod on Patreon at patreon.com/thebookclubreviewKeep up with the pod between shows on Instagram @bookclubreviewpodcastFor all other information and our episode archive find The Book Club Review online at thebookclubreview.co.ukComplete booklistThe Power Broker by Robert CaroGideon the Ninth by Tamsyn MuirThe Everlasting by Alex E. HarrowThe Calculation of Volume by Solvej BalleStarling House by Alex E. HarrowJonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna ClarkeThe Palm House by Gwendolyn RileyFamesick by Lena DunhamMy Phantoms by Gwendolyn RileyThe Silver Book by Olivia LaingThe Garden Against Time by Olivia LaingCrudo by Olivia LaingThe Romantics by Pankaj MishraThe Golden Mean by Annabel LyonFathers & Sons by Ivan TurgenevThe Heart of the Nhaga by Lee Young-do (Anton Hur)Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnermanLand by Maggie O'FarrellThe Chair (Netflix)Monsters by Claire DedererVladimir by Julia May JonasThe Eights by Joanna MillerThe Night Tiger and The Fox Wife by Yangsze ChooThe Digital Critic: Literary Culture Online (Houman Barekat, Robert Barry and David Winters, eds.)When We Talk About Love by Carl WilsonTimecodes for the time-poor00:00 — Welcome & summer reading02:00 — What did we actually read this summer?Holiday reading plans, library books and the perennial problem of taking too many books away with you.04:00 — The Everlasting by Alex E. HarrowTime loops, quests and a very divided reaction.15:30 — The End of the Power Broker by Robert CaroKate tackles another Booker longlist book and asks: why is this on the longlist?20:00 — The Booker longlist pickA frank discussion of Gwendolyn Riley's The Palm House and the pleasures (and pains) of reading for the Booker.22:20 — The Silver Book by Olivia LaingA surprise for Kate after her mixed reaction to Laing's Crudo.27:30 — An accidental book-club adventureLaura's brilliant idea: abandon the overheated book-club meeting and send everyone into Foyles to choose books.28:40 — The Romantics by Pankaj MishraA chance discovery — and a Hilary Mantel endorsement that seals the deal.35:50 — Vladimir by Julia May JonasSex, power, academia and the deliciously murky moral territory of a campus novel.40:00 — The Eights by Joanna MillerWomen in academia, 1920s Oxford and coming-of-age just after World War I42:40 — The Night Tiger by Yangsze ChooMystery, folklore, tigers and colonial Malaysia, Laura's perfect summer read50:45 — Phil's summer readingWild Thing: A Life of Paul Gauguin by Sue Prideaux and The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis54:20 — Booker season beginsThe shortlist is coming, and summer reading gives way to required reading.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How do vibrant New York City neighborhoods react to major changes to city life while retaining their historic character? For the next three weeks, we will present three neighborhood-history shows from the Bowery Boys podcast in a new light, exploring how these historic areas survive sudden changes in economic growth, housing needs and tourism. Picture the neighborhood of SoHo (that's right, South of Houston) in your head today, and you might get a headache. Crowded sidewalks on the weekend, filled with tourists, shoppers and vendors, could almost distract you from SoHo's unique appeal as a place of extraordinary architecture and history. In the mid 19th century this area, centered along Broadway, became the heart of retail and entertainment, department stores and hotels setting up shop in grand palaces. (It also became New York's most notorious brothel district). The streets between Houston and Canal became known as the Cast Iron District, thanks to an exciting construction innovation that transformed the Gilded Age. Today SoHo contains the world's greatest surviving collection of cast-iron architecture. But these gorgeous iron tributes to New York industry were nearly destroyed — first by rampant fires, then by Robert Moses. This show was remastered and reedted by Kieran Gannon. It origiinally ran in July 2017. Visit the website for images and more information.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sam Schwartz is the legendary former Traffic Commissioner of New York City, credited with coining the word “gridlock” during the 1980 transit strike, earning him the moniker “Gridlock Sam.” In this episode, he talks about his new novel Autokill, a thriller the New York Times describes as a “nail-biter,” about a plot to turn self-driving cars into weapons. He also discusses the claims the autonomous vehicle industry is making and why they deserve scrutiny, and how all of it fits in with a historic but ongoing struggle between the visions of Robert Moses and Jane Jacobs. Plus, he offers a piece of advice to New York's new mayor that anyone who cares about cities will want to hear.

What does it really take to experience a breakthrough? This message by Robert Moses on Sunday, August 16th 2026 digs into one of the most powerful dynamics in the life of faith: the relationship between diligence and the suddenly of God. We are reminded that the miraculous moments we celebrate rarely appear out of nowhere. Behind every suddenly is a long stretch of ordinary days filled with prayer, persistence, and faithfulness. Drawing on the stories of Joseph, Nehemiah, David, and the disciples who waited in the upper room, we see a consistent pattern woven through Scripture: those who stay the course, even through rejection, false accusation, and discouragement, are the ones who witness God move in extraordinary ways. The message challenges us to stop waiting for the feeling and start taking the next right step, because it is in those quiet, unglamorous acts of obedience that God is building something we cannot yet see. Whether we are believing for a prodigal to come home, a healing to manifest, or a community to be transformed, the call is the same: stay faithful, keep praying, and trust that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, as affirmed in Hebrews 11:6, which tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that He rewards those who earnestly pursue Him.

[REBROADCAST FROM February 6, 2026] The exhibit "Noguchi's New York" explores how Isamu Noguchi relationship with New York transformed the city even when thwarted by Robert Moses. It displays a survey of 50 of his works and animations of projects that were never realized. Noguchi Museum curator Kate Wiener & museum director Amy Hau discuss the exhibit, and the historical impact of the groundbreaking designer.  Stock photo: Manhattan, Midtown Manhattan, Rockefeller Center, 30 Rockefeller Plaza building, the sculpture "News" by Isamu Noguchi Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!A neighborhood isn't just a place to sleep. It's a memory machine, a network of elders, a parish rhythm, and a shared story that tells your kids who they are. When that breaks, everything else gets easier to break too.We start with a clip-driven conversation that spirals into a bigger question: how do narratives and propaganda reshape what a nation believes it is? Using the Darryl Cooper conversation as a jumping-off point, we talk about “myth” not as fantasy, but as the framing stories that decide what you're allowed to say, what you're allowed to defend, and what you're trained to fear. From there we connect identity to faith, especially the Catholic instinct to see ourselves in a long historical line of saints, martyrs, and Christendom.Then we get concrete about urban planning and social engineering. We discuss how suburbanization and mid-century “renewal” projects, including the Robert Moses era in New York, fractured ethnic Catholic neighborhoods and dispersed parish communities into isolated households. Once people are cut off from community, mass media and institutional pressure work far better. We also wrestle with the internet as a double-edged sword: it can reveal truth and help believers find each other, but it can also turn Christianity into content instead of lived community.We close by talking about fear and preparedness: why “collapse” may look less like a movie and more like financial leverage, digital currency, and normalized control. Along the way we touch on civil conflict, division, martyrdom, and a listener question on millennials going no contact with parents, including the difference between boundaries and unnecessary rupture. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Support the showGet 10% off an amazing Black Monk Rosary by going to https://www.blackmonkrosaries.com/?ref=AVOIDINGBABYLON and using code AVOIDINGBABYLON at checkout!Check out our sponsor, Nic Nac, at www.nicnac.com and use code "AB25%" for 25% off of your first order!Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comFull Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribeRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss

His film tells the story of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn - one of New York's most dangerous streets, expanded under city planner Robert Moses in the 1950s into a highway-like, four-lane route cutting straight through a residential neighborhood. Over 70 years, an estimated 200 people died there. The turning point came in 2021 with the death of elementary school teacher Matthew Jensen, struck by a car on his own birthday - the spark for a three-year community movement that Ben followed with his camera. He shot almost the entire film alone, with gear that fits on a bike. He told me: "I wanted to test whether it's really possible to make a documentary without using a car at all." https://player.vimeo.com/video/1115240983? Kurze Werbung in eigener Sache: Vom 26. bis 29. September nehme ich wieder eine kleine Gruppe mit auf eine Learn&Travel-Delegation, diesmal nach Graubünden. Wir schauen uns dort live an, wie Verkehrswende in der Praxis funktioniert - vom Fahrrad bis zur Bahn, von Entsiegelung bis autonomem Fahren, von Co-Working auf dem Land bis zu erfolgreichen, weil datenbasierten Infrastrukturprojekten und Frauen als vernachlässigter Kunden*innengruppe in der Mobilität. Wenn du davon etwas mitnehmen willst in deine Kommune, deine Stadt oder an deine Hochschule: Bis zum 15. August gibt es 10 Prozent Frühbucher*innenrabatt auf die Unterkunft im Story und die Fahrkarten für Montag "for free". Alle Infos inklusive Prospekt zum Download und Anmeldung: hier. We talked about the political dysfunction behind the street redesign - Ben draws parallels to Robert Caro's book "The Power Broker" about Moses and says: " Corruption is almost a defining feature of politics in New York." He described to me how opponents of the redesign worked with false claims, for instance that narrower lanes would block emergency vehicles, and we put that in historical context: the transformative era of transportation planner Janette Sadik-Khan under Mayor Bloomberg, followed by years of purely reactive "band-aid politics" - up to today, where Ben sees new hope in New York's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Again and again we came back to the core of his conviction: "Cars are anti-urban. They make public space unpleasant and destroy social interaction - they isolate you instead of bringing you together with others." And: only about 20 percent of residents along McGuinness Boulevard even own a car - reserving the street for them, he says, is "not a democratic solution." Despite all the accounts of political dysfunction, I ended the conversation feeling hopeful. Ben's central message, the one that stuck with me: if you can actually make a difference on a small, local problem, do exactly that "find something where you can actually make a real difference." His film "Changing Lanes" is currently available via Amazon and Canopy in the US, with European distribution in preparation. If you like this episode: Spread it and charge me a coffee

Why are the New York Mets the ultimate team of the working-class underworld? Author A.M. Gittlitz joins the channel to discuss his new book, Metropolitans, and pitch why leftists should actually care about sports.In this episode, we dive deep into the Mobius strip dynamic of sports, mass culture, and radical politics. Far from just a corporate monopoly, baseball has a long history as a battleground for popular power and control over our collective leisure time. We trace the lineage of the Mets from their 19th-century amateur roots through the turbulent 1960s, exploring how the team became an anti-elitist symbol coded in direct opposition to the financial elites of the New York Yankees.We also unpack the dark side of New York's urban planning. Discover how "Master Builder" Robert Moses manipulated transit infrastructure around Shea Stadium to intentionally cut off public access from marginalized communities—shaping the geography of fandom we still inherit today. Whether you're a die-hard Mets fan or a Marxist skeptic of mass sports, this conversation breaks down the beautiful contradictions of a middle-class game captured by billionairesSend us Fan Mail Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to BitterlakeSupport the showCrew:Host: C. Derick VarnIntro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.Intro Video Design: Jason MylesArt Design: Corn and C. Derick VarnLinks and Social Media:twitter: @varnvlogblue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.socialYou can find the additional streams on YoutubeCurrent Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer 

Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them. Then, legendary Democratic strategist Tad Devine — a senior adviser to Bernie Sanders' 2016 campaign and a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns — joins the Chuck Toddcast with a new book and a provocative thesis: the Democratic Party actively screwed Bernie Sanders, and in doing so screwed itself. Devine says he got angrier and angrier as he wrote the book, revisiting how Sanders couldn't get booked on the Sunday shows for years, how the nominating process was rigged in Hillary Clinton's favor by a party establishment that gave far too much weight to insiders and superdelegates, and how roughly half of Obama's 2008 supporters migrated to Bernie in 2016. Devine wrestles honestly with the central tension of Sanders' relationship to the party: Bernie would never actually register as a Democrat (unlike Zohran Mamdani, who embraced the label), begrudgingly agreeing only to put "Democrat" next to his name, describing his agenda as the "second agenda of Benjamin Franklin" and understanding perfectly well that the word "socialism" is toxic to many voters even as he refused to abandon it. The what-ifs are tantalizing: Devine argues that if Bernie had been declared the winner of Iowa on caucus night in 2016, the whole race might have unfolded differently, and that if Sanders had won the first three states, the establishment would have mobilized to stop him by any means necessary. The conversation broadens into a sweeping critique of how Democrats choose their nominees and what the party needs to reform. Devine argues the party must give voters far more control over nominations, that the primary calendar is one of the most important and underappreciated parts of the entire process, and that independents should be allowed to participate in either party's primary rather than being forced to register months in advance. He credits Sanders with hitting on the enduring insight that the system is rigged against working people — a message supercharged after the Supreme Court unleashed the flood of money into politics following Obama's election — and makes the striking counterfactual case that Bernie would have beaten Trump in 2016 because, unlike Hillary Clinton, he could credibly run as a change candidate, and the white working-class vote wouldn't have broken so heavily toward Trump. Devine muses that Sherrod Brown would have made a strong running mate for Sanders, wonders aloud whether Bernie would ever have said yes to Clinton as a running mate, and argues that electing Bernie would have been a powerful national reckoning. He's clear-eyed about the party's deeper problem — the DNC is fundamentally risk-averse, and politics is about taking risks. Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:00 The Iran war is now back on 06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again 06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage 07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises 09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much 10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity 12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult 13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears 14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years* 15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible 16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment 17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party 18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule 18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally 19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting 20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules 21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia 23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin 24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t 25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe 26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle 27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?” 28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement? 29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle 32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case 32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years 34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators * 35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner 36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters* 38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out* 39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men 40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men 41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character 42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this 44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost 46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races 47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan 48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order 49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell 50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do 51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November 52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution 53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts 54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private 56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation? 57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote 59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian 1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t 1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke” 1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits 1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology 1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology 1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias 1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts 01:16:15 Tad Devine joins the Chuck ToddCast 01:17:30 Why do you say that the Democrats screwed Bernie? 01:18:45 Got more and more upset while writing the book 01:20:15 Sanders couldn’t get booked on the Sunday shows for years 01:23:00 Half of Obama’s supporters went to Bernie 01:24:00 Obama didn’t learn the fundamental lesson of his own campaign 01:26:00 The nominating process was rigged by the Democratic party 01:27:00 Gore didn’t control the party until he became the nominee in 2000 01:29:15 Why not play favorites when Bernie wouldn’t register as a Democrat? 01:30:00 Mamdani said he was Democrat, Bernie never would 01:31:15 Bernie begrudgingly agreed to Democratic Party next to his name 01:32:45 Bernie described his agenda as “2nd agenda of Benjamin Franklin” 01:34:00 People recoil at the word socialism, not necessarily the policies 01:34:45 Bernie understands the word socialism is toxic, but doesn’t care 01:36:15 Campaign needed to embrace the tapestry of America 01:36:45 Would election go differently if declared winner of Iowa on caucus night? 01:38:00 Both campaigns essentially said they won Iowa in 2016 primary 01:39:15 Bernie didn’t want to be a back-bencher, motivated him to run 01:40:15 Best measure of support is in open primaries 01:40:45 In how many states did Trump eaten into Bernie’s support? 01:41:30 If Bernie won first three states, establishment would try to stop him 01:42:15 Why did Bernie stand down for Biden? 01:43:15 Biden took Bernie’s infrastructure proposal and turned it into law 01:44:30 Was Bernie running to win or to make a point? 01:45:15 Tried to make a point, then grassroots energy swelled 01:46:45 The party needs to give voters more control over nominations 01:48:00 Dukakis wanted to get rid of the superdelegates 01:49:15 Democratic party gave too much weight to party insiders 01:50:00 It’s not just a DNC problem, there’s issues with media coverage 01:50:45 Primary calendar is one of the most important parts of process 01:52:15 Independents should be allowed to participate in either primary 01:54:00 Had to register as Dem in fall of 2015 to vote in 2016 primary 01:56:15 Bernie hit on the idea that the system is rigged against working people 01:57:15 After Obama won, SCOTUS allowed the flood of money into politics 01:59:00 Most people want money out of politics, need legislation or amendment 02:00:30 Voters need to be empowered to solve America’s problems 02:01:30 How do we get leaders that will let the reforms happen? 02:03:00 Should we have a broader or narrower definition of Democrat? 02:04:15 It was remarkable that Bernie did so well with the youngest voters 02:05:45 Bernie would have beaten Trump, Hillary couldn’t be a change candidate 02:07:15 White working class vote wouldn’t have gone mostly to Trump 02:08:45 Sherrod Brown would have been a strong running mate for Bernie 02:09:30 Would Bernie have said yes to Clinton as a running mate? 02:10:45 Electing Bernie would have been a powerful reckoning 02:12:00 The DNC is risk averse and politics is about risk taking 02:13:15 Bernie shouldn’t run in 2028, he’s too old 02:14:00 When Bernie is with Mamdani, he seems like Bernie’s son 02:15:15 AOC - Run for senate or run for president? 02:16:15 Who will get Bernie’s affection as his successor 02:20:30 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine 02:21:00 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board 02:21:30 #1 North Carolina 02:22:00 #2 Michigan 02:25:15 #3 Ohio 02:25:45 #4 Alaska 02:26:30 #5 Iowa 02:26:45 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat 02:29:00 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together 02:30:00 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal 02:30:45 Ask Chuck 02:31:15 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true? 02:35:00 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses? 02:37:30 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers? 02:40:30 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd opens with the Iran war back on and the rug pulled out from under the world economy once again — but his central argument is that this is now the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years. He draws a crucial distinction between ordinary campaign lies and genuinely major broken promises: "build the wall" was a broken promise that didn't much hurt Trump, but "no new wars" was foundational to his appeal, and the Iran calamity is now actively damaging the economy and making everyday life harder for the voters who trusted him. He notes candidate Trump was actually right that an Iran war would be irresponsible, that securing anything would require a months- or years-long ground commitment Trump won't make, and that the president was so consumed with keeping his birthday celebration on schedule that he tried to time the war around it. Marco Rubio, as always, has vanished now that things are going badly. Todd flags the NATO meetings underway in Turkey (a complicated ally Trump only engages because he and Erdogan play by the same strongman rules), marvels that Trump remains inexplicably sympathetic to a Putin who has never been weaker, and warns that all of it is making Americans less safe. He then turns to the Maine Senate race, which has become a genuine debacle: Todd argues Graham Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators about Jenny Racicot — who has said publicly she believes Platner sexually assaulted her — and that Platner knew both what she believed and that she was talking to reporters. Todd is emphatic that the lies need to be called out, that leaning into misogyny is no way to win back working-class white men, and that progressives cannot let Trump set the bar for acceptable character. He frames the whole primary through the fighter-versus-winner divide, notes this could be the second high-profile Bernie-endorsed candidate to lose (raising the stakes for Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and underscoring how much harder it is for progressives to win statewide), and argues the progressive left urgently needs to get its house in order. Todd closes with two intriguing threads: the swirling rumors about Mitch McConnell's health and status (his seat is on the ballot in November, and Kentucky's legislature changed its vacancy-appointment law in a way that may violate the state constitution but has never been tested in court), and the escalating fight between the Trump administration and the Smithsonian — where Todd concedes the administration had a couple of fair critiques but argues that its core complaint, that the museum is "woke" for simply asking questions about history, amounts to demanding the Smithsonian swap one alleged ideology for an openly right-wing one, when the honest approach to contested history is simply to present the facts and let people interpret them. Finally, Chuck updates the ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board for Democrats post-Platner scandal and answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast From the opening whistle to the final kick. Bet on a match and get bonus bets for every goal scored at Fanduel.com Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 05:00 The Iran war is now back on 06:00 The rug has been pulled on the world economy once again 06:30 The Iranians won this conflict, they have more leverage 07:30 There’s a difference between campaign lies & major broken promises 09:30 “Build the wall” was a broken promise, but didn’t impact Trump much 10:45 Trump’s other major promise was “No new wars” & Iran is a calamity 12:30 This broken promise is damaging the economy & making life difficult 13:15 When things are going badly, Marco Rubio disappears 14:30 This will be the biggest broken campaign promise in 40 years* 15:00 Candidate Trump was right that an Iran war would be irresponsible 16:15 Ground troops would be a months… if not years commitment 17:30 Trump wanted to stop the war in time for his birthday party 18:00 Trump was more concerned with keeping celebrations on schedule 18:45 NATO meetings currently taking place in Turkey…a complicated ally 19:30 Trump likely only attends this meeting because Erdogan is hosting 20:45 Trump & Erdogan are world leaders that play by the same rules 21:30 Putin has never been this weak as the ruler of Russia 23:00 It’s still perplexing that Trump is so sympathetic to Putin 24:15 Shirking Putin would make things easier for Trump…but he still doesn’t 25:00 Trump’s actions are making us all less safe 26:00 The Maine senate race has turned into a massive debacle 27:30 The framing is “Do you want to fight, or do you want to win?” 28:15 How much leverage does Platner have in choosing his replacement? 29:30 Democratic base wants a fighter, not a uniter this primary cycle 32:00 Pragmatic Democrats should make the “winning” case 32:45 Susan Collins has overperformed “generic Republican” for 30 years 34:30 Platner was caught in a clear lie to Democratic senators * 35:45 Jenny Racicot made clear she believed she was sexually assaulted by Platner 36:45 Platner knew she what she believed and that Racicot was talking to reporters* 38:00 He clearly lied to senators and the lies need to be called out* 39:30 Leaning into misogyny isn’t the way to win back white men 40:15 Platner was the left's idea of how to appeal to working class white men 41:30 Progressives can’t let Trump set the bar for character 42:30 Democrats should be thankful there’s time to fix this 44:30 This could be two high profile races that Bernie endorsees have lost 46:30 It’s much harder for progressives to win in statewide races 47:15 This puts more pressure on Abdul El-Sayed to win in Michigan 48:00 The progressive left needs to get their house in order 49:45 Rumors are flying about the status of Mitch McConnell 50:30 If Republicans wanted to put the rumors to bed, it’d be easy to do 51:30 McConnell’s seat is on the ballot in November 52:00 KY legislature changed law on vacancy appointments, against state constitution 53:00 Law change has never been tested in the courts 54:15 Simplest explanation might be McConnell wants to keep it private 56:00 Could keeping the illusion of McConnell going help with a SCOTUS confirmation? 57:00 This wouldn’t change a confirmation vote by much since he can’t vote 59:30 Fight between Trump administration and the Smithsonian 1:00:00 Administration had a couple fair critiques, but most wasn’t 1:00:30 Administration claimed the Smithsonian is “woke” 1:02:45 Another complaint was not enough America 250 programming/exhibits 1:05:00 Simply asking questions about history isn’t proof of an ideology 1:05:45 Administration is demanding the Smithsonian adopt their own ideology 1:06:30 Report claims left-wing bias, but now insists on a right-wing bias 1:09:15 History is open to interpretation, it’s best to present the facts 01:14:45 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Tad Devine 01:15:15 ToddCast Top 5 most likely senate flips if Maine is off the board 01:15:45 #1 North Carolina 01:16:15 #2 Michigan 01:19:30 #3 Ohio 01:20:00 #4 Alaska 01:20:45 #5 Iowa 01:21:00 If all these flip, Dems need to find one more seat 01:23:15 Susan Collins still unlikely to win, but Dems have to get it together 01:24:15 Democrats have to nominate a woman after Platner scandal 01:25:00 Ask Chuck 01:25:30 What’s one widely believed political myth that isn’t true? 01:29:15 Comparison of Trump’s impact on Atlantic City to Robert Moses? 01:31:45 Are Republicans not aware a future Dem could use expanded presidential powers? 01:34:45 USMNT loses to Belgium, whatever Trump touches dies See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Systemizing Growth: Austin's franchise is building a "Company Operating System" to codify the business knowledge held by only ~5 of 35 staff. The goal is to create a scalable blueprint that reduces key-person dependency and mental load.Balancing Structure & Autonomy: The team debated how to avoid bureaucracy. The solution is a hybrid model: rigid systems for administrative tasks (e.g., accounting) and flexible frameworks for creative roles (e.g., sales), where the system is a tool, not a script.Hiring for Innate Traits: Amer's sales hiring strategy prioritizes innate traits like assertiveness and coachability over teachable skills. This is because the company cannot afford top-tier closers, so it promotes internally from setters and must hire for core character.Idealism vs. Effectiveness: John's reading of The Power Broker prompted a discussion on the tension between idealism and practical effectiveness. The book illustrates how Robert Moses achieved massive public works by ruthlessly navigating the world as it is, not as it should be.Austin's franchise is growing 30–50% annually, but business knowledge is concentrated in ~5 of 35 staff.This creates a key-person dependency and high mental load for leadership.The solution is a "Company Operating System" (or "Operational Blueprint") to document all roles, processes, and systems.John questioned if over-systemization leads to bureaucracy and stifles autonomy.The group agreed on a hybrid model:Rigid Systems: For administrative tasks with predictable inputs (e.g., accounting, job booking).Flexible Frameworks: For creative roles (e.g., sales, leadership).The goal is for the system to be a tool that enhances performance, not a rigid script.Amer's sales hiring strategy focuses on innate traits because top-tier closers are unaffordable on a 100% commission structure.Deal Breakers:Side business (demanding role requires full focus).Inconsistent resume (job hopping).Typo-ridden resume (lack of attention to detail).Complaining about past management without taking action.Key Traits (The "Three-Hit Combo"):Assertiveness: Willingness to ask hard questions and be open to conflict.Curiosity: Genuine interest in understanding the customer.Empathy: Ability to understand and connect with the customer's perspective.Hiring Mental Models (from John's experience):The role must be an upgrade (pay, quality of life).It must be the candidate's main gig.The candidate should have a stable, frugal lifestyle.John's reading of The Power Broker by Robert Caro framed the discussion on idealism vs. effectiveness.Robert Moses: A New York official who built massive public works (parks, bridges) but used ruthless, manipulative tactics.Method: He would start 10 projects with 10% funding each. This activated the sunk cost fallacy, forcing the government to provide the remaining 90% to avoid admitting incompetence.Warren Buffett: Achieved similar power through ethical means, but also masterfully controlled the public narrative.Conclusion: The book highlights life's complexity, showing that effectiveness can exist independently of ethics, and that simplistic explanations often fail to capture the full picture.

Driven through the heart of New York by Robert Moses in the 1940s & 50s, the BQE carries heavy traffic in a narrow slice through dense residential and commercial places. Today, at 75, the BQE needs major reconstruction, particularly the tri-level section through Brooklyn Heights, where the top level is the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, much

***This is a preview of a Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. For complete access to this and all of our bonus content, plus ad-free versions of regular episodes, merch discounts, presale tickets to live shows, and more, become a Patreon supporter of The War on Cars.*** The musical artist known as Pondless, who as a civilian goes by the name of Aaron Oliver, writes and performs pop songs about urban planning. If that sounds kind of out there, well, so is he, in the best way possible. We talked with him about why this country is divided into Houstons and New York Cities, why Boston does not exist, and how he came to write a love song to Robert Moses.  Pondless is @itspondless on Instagram and TikTok.  Our bestselling new book, Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile, published by Thesis, an imprint of Penguin Random House, is available wherever books are sold. www.thewaroncars.org  

A.M. Gittlitz is an organizer and writer whose work focuses on the counterculture and radical politics. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller "Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle, and the People's Team," a love letter to the New York Mets and a sweeping study of New York City through the electric and often calamitous history of the franchise. Gittlitz joined NY1 political anchor Errol Louis and political director Bob Hardt to discuss the book, which traces the Mets' origins back to the 1880 Metropolitans and the class-coded nature of early baseball leagues. The conversation also explored the franchise's modern founding through Robert Moses' vision for Flushing Meadows–Corona Park and the deliberate branding of the Mets that later became associated with the New Left.

The Voice of God - Robert Moses - Sunday Morning 05-03-26

The world's largest housing co-op—built to save New York City's middle class—became the unlikely site of a resident revolt Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How is governance dysfunction linked to declining ‘middle-ring' community ties?  Marc J. Dunkelman is a fellow at Brown University and a fellow at the Searchlight Institute in Washington, D.C. Marc is also the author of two books, Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—and How to Bring It Back and The Vanishing Neighbor: The Transformation of American Community. Greg and Marc discuss how U.S. progressivism has long been split between a Jeffersonian impulse to decentralize power and curb “bigness” and a Hamiltonian impulse to centralize authority in expert institutions. Marc explains how figures like Robert Moses could push projects through, while today expanded rights, litigation, and procedural checks—driven by 1960s–70s distrust of authority (Vietnam, civil rights failures, environmental and consumer scandals, Watergate-era culture)—have reduced discretion so much that even widely supported projects stall.  *unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.* Episode Quotes: Why is it so hard to build things? 44:34: You're awarding rights to classes of individuals who have long been stepped on by powerful people. And, like, award these new standing. Exactly. To your point, in order to reduce the discretion of the would-be Robert Moses, who would make that choice on their own without ever really thinking through, alright, now that all these people have, like, a voice, how are we going to resolve that? And to this day, I don't think the progressives have actually answered that question. I don't think that we have in our minds even a system by which you would make trade-offs between those groups. And it's one of the reasons, to your point, it's so hard to build things, like, if everyone wants that new road to be built, but each individual constituency has enough power to say, not through this particular route, you're fundamentally stuck. What motivated Marc to write “Why Nothing Works.” 05:07: The motivation here was to understand what had changed between the fifties and the 2010s, to make it so that it used to be that bad projects couldn't be stopped, and now good projects couldn't go. That prompted a whole series of questions that eventually would lead to this book, Why Nothing Works. On tension within progressivism 36:28: There is sort of a notion that centralized power itself is up to no good, and that, in order for America to restore its promise and luster, we need to restore the power, the individual agency that people once had. And, I want to make this clear: that shift is remarkably profound within progressivism, but it is not that the old effort to centralize power wasn't progressive. And it's not that this new impulse to restore power to the woman who wants to control her own body, to the black family that wants to be able to rent a room in any hotel of their choosing, to the ordinary person who doesn't want to be the victim of discrimination, to the neighborhood that doesn't wanna be clobbered by, like—these are both ultimately progressive impulses. Show Links: Recommended Resources: The Power Broker Robert Moses Progressivism Louis Brandeis Sacco and Vanzetti Felix Frankfurter Cadillac Desert Bowling Alone Abundance Guest Profile: Faculty Profile at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs Searchlight Institute LinkedIn Profile Social Profile on X Guest Work: Amazon Author Page Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—and How to Bring It Back The Vanishing Neighbor: The Transformation of American Community Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why is the West Village both historically important and incredibly expensive? In the final part of our West Village mini-series, we look at the elements that define the modern neighborhood — from battles with Robert Moses to the protests that galvanized the gay-rights movement. The 19th-century charms of the old Village seem timeless, but they survive thanks to the 1969 Greenwich Village Historic District. The fight to save the neighborhood, however, began two decades earlier, and those early conflicts even popularized the name “West Village.” Jane Jacobs, fresh off the publication of her landmark book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, would become the leading voice in protecting this uniquely New York enclave. That same year, clashes between police and patrons at the Stonewall Inn united the area's LGBT residents, culminating in the first Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade (today's NYC Pride March). A vibrant, radical queer culture flourished — from leather bars to the Christopher Street Piers. In the 1980s, thousands of New Yorkers died of AIDS, and St. Vincent's Hospital became known for its pioneering care. Today, long-running establishments like the Monster and Julius' form a kind of “legacy cultural district,” linking present-day nightlife to those transformative years. In the 1990s, pop-cultural phenomena Friends and Sex and the City (which made one Perry Street brownstone famous) brought international attention to the neighborhood. By the 21st century, the West Village had become a luxury enclave, even as its history was further elevated with Stonewall's designation as a U.S. National Monument. This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Siddhartha Sánchez, executive director of the Bronx River Alliance, and CP, local resident and member of the group Mothers on the Move, talk about why they are against state-led plans to repair and widen the Cross Bronx Expressway, the Robert Moses-designed highway that has harmed residents' health for decades, and what they propose the state does instead. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images: Cars and trucks move to enter the Cross Bronx Expressway, a notorious stretch of highway in New York City that is often choked with traffic and contributes to pollution and poor air quality on November 16, 2021 in New York City.

The Power Broker by Robert Caro is one of the defining New York books. Comedian Sam Rogal, who claims he read the book "before it was cool," has created a show that finds the humor in Robert Moses and urban planning. Every month, Rogal puts on "The Power Joker" at Caveat on the Lower East Side, a variety show in which Rogal plays Robert Moses and imagines what would happen if Moses lost his power and ended up as a late night talk show host, with special guests that have in the past included Zohran Mamdani as he was running for Mayor. Sam Rogal discusses his inspiration for The Power Joker and previews the next show on March 22 at 5pm. Photo credit Dmitry Shein

Why 95% of planners get it wrong, how monetary policy killed Main Street, and why Chuck Marohn is optimistic about Gen Z. This wide-ranging conversation, first featured on the Yeoman podcast with Geoff Graham, explores the difference between Jane Jacobs's humble incrementalism and Robert Moses's technocratic master plans—and which approach is winning in 300+ communities.   Additional Show Notes Chuck Marohn (Substack) Geoff's Podcast https://yeomanpodcast.com/

The exhibit "Noguchi's New York" explores how Isamu Noguchi relationship with New York transformed the city even when thwarted by Robert Moses. It displays a survey of 50 of his works and animations of projects that were never realized. Noguchi Museum curator Kate Wiener & museum director Amy Hau discuss the exhibit, and the historical impact of the groundbreaking designer.

Why is it so hard for America to build things? Bridges take years to construct. Housing costs are soaring. Transit systems are crumbling. And we're struggling to update our infrastructure to prepare for the climate crisis. Even when there's broad agreement that something needs to be done, collective action feels impossible. Why is that? Today's guest is Marc Dunkelman, author of Why Nothing Works, a book about the modern American experience of watching government fail. He argues that by giving too many people the power to say “no,” we've stymied our collective progress. Marc and Sean discuss an inherent tension in American politics: the need for effective, centralized power and a deep fear of its abuse. They trace how that tension has played out across American history, from the clashes between Jefferson and Hamilton, through the New Deal's Tennessee Valley Authority, to the backlash against figures like Robert Moses. Marc argues that our current system — born out of a reaction to too much top-down authority during the late 20th century — has produced paralysis, dysfunction, and a deep distrust of government. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Guest: Marc Dunkelman (@MarcDunkelman), author of Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress — and How to Bring It Back. We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube.Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members This episode was supported by a grant from Arnold Ventures. Vox had full discretion over the content of this reporting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textRobert Moses is a renowned expert in yoga philosophy and Advaita Vedanta. With over five decades of experience in studying and teaching Vedanta, Robert has become a respected figure in the field. He has been closely associated with influential teachers such as Eddie Stern and is the founder of the website Namarupa.org. Robert's extensive travels and his appreciation of luminaries like Ramana Maharishi have enriched his understanding and teachings in yoga, Vedanta, and pranayama practices.Visit Robert here: https://namarupa.org/Key Takeaways:Advaita Vedanta Philosophy: Advaita Vedanta posits that all perceived separation is an illusion; there is only one supreme consciousness.Impact of Vedanta: Robert Moses illustrates how the teachings of Vedanta have profoundly transformed his understanding of identity and consciousness.Yoga Practices: The discussion highlights how pranayama and meditation are tools to maintain balance, calm, and awareness in everyday life.On Suffering and Empathy: Advaita Vedanta acknowledges suffering but encourages empathy while recognizing it as part of the illusory world.Personal Growth: Regular practice, combined with understanding karma, faith, and consciousness, leads to profound self-awareness and peace.Thanks for listening to this episode. Check out:

【聊了什么】 一座占地仅三分之一街区的小花园，为何能让纽约的政客们冲突、登上纽约时报、还惊动马丁·斯科塞斯和罗伯特·德尼罗等名流亲自站台？ 2025年11月，刚刚当选纽约市长的马姆达尼还没上任，即将离任的Eric Adams就抢先签署行政令，将伊丽莎白街花园永久划为公园用地——这被外界解读为一枚"政治毒丸"。这座花园的命运，折射出纽约乃至美国城市治理中的一个核心的矛盾：我们到底应该建更多房子，还是保护现有社区？谁有权决定一个街区的未来？ 本期节目，我们邀请到纽约城市规划师罗雨翔老师，从一座社区花园的十年争议出发，聊聊纽约政治中那些看不见的博弈。罗雨翔此前也做过两期纽约相关的节目《纽约的房价到底为什么这么高》和《纽约地铁为什么这么破》，两期播客都发布在我们的友台《选修课》上，也欢迎大家前去收听，并关注这档播客。如果你对这期节目内容感兴趣，欢迎购买罗雨翔的新书《创造大都会——纽约空间与制度观察》，国内各大平台均有销售，海外用户请使用此链接购买。 【支持我们】 如果喜欢这期节目并希望支持我们将节目继续做下去： 也欢迎加入我们的会员计划： https://theamericanroulette.com/paid-membership/ 会员可以收到每周2-5封newsletter，可以加入会员社群，参加会员活动，并享受更多福利。 合作投稿邮箱：american.roulette.pod@gmail.com 【时间轴】 03:45 马姆达尼当选与Eric Adams的"政治毒丸" 05:40 伊丽莎白街花园的前世今生 09:40 社区的阶层分化：SOHO富人区vs唐人街低收入社区 12:57 花园之争背后的市议会选战 16:01 公园异化法：为什么正式公园用地几乎无法改变 21:17 Adams给马姆达尼的台阶？ 23:41 社区规划与NIMBY现象 30:24 政府的复杂角色：豪华公寓与保障房的平衡术 35:04 Eric Adams的另一面：区划法改革与垃圾革命 42:31 纽约的小政府传统 51:14 Robert Moses vs Jane Jacobs 54:25 为Robert Moses翻案？丰裕议程与当代回响 【我们是谁】 美轮美换是一档深入探讨当今美国政治的中文播客。 我们的主播和嘉宾： 小华：媒体人 罗雨翔：美国注册城市规划师，哈佛大学与伦敦政治经济学院建筑与经济双硕士。现居纽约，参与以及主持北美20余地区的地产开发、区域经济政策与公共领域投资项目。 【 What We Talked About】 How can a tiny garden—barely a third of a city block—spark political battles in New York, make headlines in the New York Times, and rally celebrities like Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro to its defense? In November 2025, just days after Zohran Mamdani won the New York City mayoral race but before he could take office, outgoing Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order permanently designating Elizabeth Street Garden as parkland—a move widely seen as a "political poison pill." The fate of this garden reflects a core tension in urban governance, not just in New York but across America: Should we build more housing, or protect existing communities? And who gets to decide the future of a neighborhood? In this episode, we're joined by Yuxiang Luo, an urban planner based in New York, to explore ten years of controversy surrounding a single community garden—and the invisible power struggles that shape New York City politics. Yuxiang has previously appeared on two episodes about New York: "Why Is Housing in New York So Expensive?" and "Why Is the New York Subway So Run-Down?", both available on our sister podcast Mo Electives (选修课). We encourage you to check them out and follow that show. If you're interested in this episode's topics, consider picking up Yuxiang's new book, Creating the Metropolis: Observations on Space and Institutions in New York, available on major platforms in China. Overseas readers can purchase it here. 【Support Us】 If you like our show and want to support us, please consider the following: Join our membership program: https://theamericanroulette.com/paid-membership/ Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/americanroulette Business Inquiries and fan mail: american.roulette.pod@gmail.com 【Timeline】 03:45 Mamdani's Election and Eric Adams' "Political Poison Pill" 05:40 The History of Elizabeth Street Garden 09:40 Class Divide: Wealthy SoHo vs. Low-Income Chinatown 12:57 The City Council Race Behind the Garden Battle 16:01 Parkland Alienation Law: Why Official Parkland Is Nearly Untouchable 21:17 An Off-Ramp for Mamdani? 23:41 Community Planning and NIMBYism 30:24 The Government's Balancing Act: Luxury Condos vs. Affordable Housing 35:04 The Other Side of Eric Adams: Zoning Reform and the Trash Revolution 42:31 New York's Small-Government Tradition 51:14 Robert Moses vs. Jane Jacobs 54:25 Rehabilitating Robert Moses? The Abundance Agenda and Its Echoes Today 【Who We Are】 The American Roulette is a podcast dedicated to helping the Chinese-speaking community understand fast-changing U.S. politics. Our Hosts and Guests: 小华 (Xiao Hua): Journalist, political observer Luo Yuxiang: U.S. Registered Urban Planner, holding dual master's degrees in Architecture and Economics from Harvard University and the London School of Economics. Currently residing in New York, he has participated in and led over 20 real estate development, regional economic policy, and public domain investment projects across North America.

Julia and Eliza are back in the stu for a deep dive into hostile architecture, unpacking the spikes, slopes, bars, and billion-dollar "design choices" that quietly shape our cities and public spaces. In analyzing bisected benches, shadeless streets, and the Evil of Robert Moses, the girlies consider what it means to live in a world built to restrict movement and community. Digressions include the sacred magic of knitting tutorials, NYC's food poisoning themed Erewhon, and Eliza staying bricked up. This episode was produced by Julia Hava and Kylie Finnigan and edited by Livi Burdette. To support the podcast on Patreon and access 50+ bonus episodes, mediasodes, and more, visit patreon.com/binchtopia and become a patron today. SOURCES Behavioral designs defined: how to understand and why it is important to differentiate between "defensive,"  "hostile," "disciplinary", and other designs in the urban landscape' Cities Are Spending More to Brutalize Homeless People Than It Would Cost to House Them  City Beautiful Movement  Defending Suburbia Examining Anti-Homeless Architecture  Fortress LA by Mike Davis (excerpt from City of Quartz)  Hostile Architecture: Behind the Buzzword  Hostile Architecture in the United States: Productive or Harmful?  Hostile urban architecture: A critical discussion of the seemingly offensive art of keeping people away How Valuable Is Public Space? Priceless, Argues a New Book by Setha Low  Jane Jacobs, a Rebel with a Cause Setha Low | Why Public Space Matters | Fast Forward 2022  The Economic Value of Health Benefits Associated with Urban Park Investment?  The Highway That Sparked the Demise of an Iconic Black Street in New Orleans  The Inescapable Robert Moses  The Right to the City The Power Broker by Robert Caro Understanding Hostile Architecture: The Cause and Effect of Restricting Public Space  Understanding Urban Renewal  

Help us keep the conversations going in 2026. Donate to Conversations with Tyler today. Gaurav Kapadia has deliberately avoided publicity throughout his career in investing, which makes this conversation a rare window into how he thinks. He now runs XN, a firm built around concentrated bets on a small number of companies with long holding periods. However, his education in judgment began much earlier, in a two-family house in Flushing that his parents converted into a four-family house. It was there where a young Gaurav served as de facto landlord, collecting rent and negotiating late payments at age 10. That grounding now expresses itself across an unusual range of domains: Tyler invited him on the show not just as an investor, but as someone with a rare ability to judge quality in cities, talent, art, and more with equal fluency.  Tyler and Gaurav discuss how Queens has thrived without new infrastructure, what he'd change as "dictator" of Flushing, whether Robert Moses should rise or fall in status, who's the most underrated NYC mayor, what's needed to attract better mayoral candidates, the weirdest place in NYC, why he initially turned down opportunities in investment banking for consulting, bonding with Rishi Sunak over railroads, XN's investment philosophy, maintaining founder energy in investment firms and how he hires to prevent complacency, AI's impact on investing, the differences between New York and London finance, the most common fundraising mistake art museums make, why he collects only American artists within 20 years of his own age, what makes Kara Walker and Rashid Johnson and Salman Toor special, whether buying art makes you a better investor, his new magazine Totei celebrating craft and craftsmanship, and much more. Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video on the new dedicated Conversations with Tyler channel. Recorded October 8th, 2025. Other ways to connect Follow us on X and Instagram Follow Tyler on X Follow Gaurav on X Sign up for our newsletter Join our Discord Email us: cowenconvos@mercatus.gmu.edu Learn more about Conversations with Tyler and other Mercatus Center podcasts here. Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:32 - Queens and NYC's geography 00:08:36 - New York City mayors and electoral politics 00:13:22 - Building a career in investing 00:18:50 - XN's investment philosophy 00:24:35 - Maintaining founder energy in investment firms 00:30:45 - The sociology of finance in NYC, London, and UAE  00:32:21 - How AI is reshaping investing 00:36:53 - Museum operations 00:42:21 - Favorite artists 00:50:39 - Tastes in art and how the canon will evolve 00:57:22 - Totei, a new venture

Dan Wang, author of Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, talks about the US-China global competition from his unique perspective,the "engineering state versus the lawyer state," Trump's trade policy and the impact of tariffs, why the US needs more manufacturing, the lessons of Robert Moses in rebuilding our infrastructure, and what thetwo countries can learn about each other.

We ran an analysis on some of the biggest Private Equity assets and acquisitions. Is the explosion of this space a bubble, or is there something deeper happening here? 3 CEOs debate!   Chapters: 00:00 – Private Equity's Reach 05:00 – The Broader Impact of Private Equity 10:00 – Toll Roads, Robert Moses, and Infrastructure Power 15:00 – What It's Like to Work for Private Equity 23:50 – Inside Vista and the Private Equity Playbook 27:50 – Preparing for a Private Equity Acquisition 30:50 – Founder Perspectives on Being Acquired 38:10 – The Role of AI in Private Equity 40:00 – OpenAI's Product Velocity & Sora 2 44:30 – Art, Compute, and Culture 48:00 – Technology, Purpose, and Human Play 51:20 – The Optimistic Lens 54:00 – OpenAI's Velocity and Strategic Position 56:00 – Market Reactions & Acquisitions 58:30 – Microsoft's Response 1:00:50 – Culture, Standards, and Leadership Lessons 1:04:50 – Closing Reflections   Thanks for tuning in! Catch new episodes every Sunday Subscribe to Topline Newsletter. Tune into Topline Podcast, the #1 podcast for founders, operators, and investors in B2B tech. Join the free Topline Slack channel to connect with 600+ revenue leaders to keep the conversation going beyond the podcast!  

From the publisher: As the US struggles to provide affordable housing, millions of Americans live in deteriorating public housing projects, enduring the mistakes of past housing policy. In The Projects, Howard A. Husock explains how we got here, detailing the tragic rise and fall of public housing and the pitfalls of other subsidy programs. He takes us inside a progressive movement led by a group of New York City philanthropists, politicians, and business magnates who first championed public housing as a solution to urban blight. From First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to the controversial city planner Robert Moses, many well-known historical figures made a convincing case for affordable housing in America.Despite the movement's lofty ideals, the creation of the Projects led to the destruction of low-income communities across the country. From the Hill District in Pittsburgh to Black Bottom in Detroit, predominantly Black neighborhoods were judged only by the quality of their housing. Husock looks beyond these neighborhoods' physical conditions to their uncounted riches, from local artists like August Wilson to vital community institutions. As he shares residents' stories, he honors what they crafted through their own plans, rather than those of city planners.Husock traces the history of public housing to contemporary debates on the government's role in the housing market. Through interviews with residents, he reveals how public housing transformed the lives of Americans and the physical faces of cities and towns. He ultimately critiques "repair and reform" efforts, making policy recommendations that address the core failings of public housing for the people it was once designed to help. Mapping out a better path for policy-makers, he lays a new foundation for upward mobility in America.For information on his book from NYU Press, check out: https://nyupress.org/9781479828432/the-projects/Support our show and Reach out and Read of Tampa Bay at https://patreon.com/axelbankhistoryAxelbankHistory.com is designed by https://www.ellieclairedesigns.com/Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at https://twitter.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://instagram.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://facebook.com/axelbankhistory

Like a shadow epilogue to The Power Broker, this story plunges into the chaos of 1970s New York where debt, unions, and one brutal headline nearly broke the city.Drop Dead City is now playing in select cities, and available on VOD on November 14. You can watch the trailer here.The Power Broker #13: Drop Dead City Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 1930s, New Deal-era technocrats devised a solution to homelessness and poverty itself. They believed that providing free or low-cost urban housing projects could completely eliminate housing scarcity. Planners envisioned urban communities that would propel their residents into the middle class, creating a flywheel of abundance where poverty was eradicated. However, once construction began after World War II, these projects quickly became dangerous, poorly maintained slums, serving as breeding grounds for crime and decay. By the 1970s, crime rates were so high that levels of violence rivaled those of war zones in Sub-Saharan Africa. What happened? Why did so many of the best and brightest who promoted housing projects—like First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt or city planner Robert Moses—create one of the worst government debacles of the 20th century? Why didn’t they foresee that housing projects would become hotbeds of crime, completely destroying the social fabric of the neighborhoods they aimed to help? Today’s guest is Howard Husock, author of “The Projects: A New History of Public Housing.” He explains how we got here, detailing the tragic rise and fall of public housing and the pitfalls of other subsidy programs. He takes us inside a progressive movement led by a group of New York City philanthropists, politicians, and business magnates who first championed public housing as a solution to urban blight. We explore everything that went wrong and what can be done to avoid these same mistakes in the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For just over a decade, from 1956 to 1967, a collection of dilapidated former sail-making warehouses clustered at the lower tip of Manhattan became the quiet epicenter of the art world. Coenties Slip, a dead-end street near the water, was home to a circle of wildly talented and varied artists that included Robert Indiana, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, James Rosenquist, Delphine Seyrig, Lenore Tawney, and Jack Youngerman. As friends and inspirations to one another, they created a unique community for unbridled creative expression and experimentation, and the works they made at the Slip would go on to change the course of American art. Now, for the first time, in The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever (Harper, 2023) Dr. Prudence Peiffer pays homage to these artists and the unsung impact their work had on the direction of late twentieth-century art and film. This remarkable biography, as transformative as the artists it illuminates, questions the very concept of a “group” or “movement,” as it spotlights the Slip's eclectic mix of gender and sexual orientation, abstraction and Pop, experimental film, painting, and sculpture, assemblage and textile works. Brought together not by the tenets of composition or technique, nor by philosophy or politics, the artists cultivated a scene at the Slip defined by a singular spirit of community and place. They drew lasting inspiration from one another, but perhaps even more from where they called home, and the need to preserve the solitude its geography fostered. Despite Coenties Slip's obscurity, the entire history of Manhattan was inscribed into its cobblestones—one of the first streets and central markets of the new colony, built by enslaved people, with revolutionary meetings at the tavern just down Pearl Street; named by Herman Melville in Moby Dick and site of the boom and bust of the city's maritime industry; and, in the artists's own time, a development battleground for Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses. The Slip's history is entwined with that of the artists and their art—eclectic and varied work that was made from the wreckage of the city's many former lives. An ambitious and singular account of a time, a place, and a group of extraordinary people, The Slip investigates the importance of community, and makes an argument for how we are shaped by it, and how it in turns shapes our work. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Audiences at the latest production of the Public Theater's Free Shakespeare in the Park this summer have been treated to a Delacorte Theater with an 85 million dollar makeover. The renovations mark the end of an era of the original Delacorte Theater, graced by both famous actors and raccoons over the years. Greg Young, co-host of the Bowery Boys podcast, discusses the history of the Delacorte Theater, and how the Free Shakespeare in the Park program first began with an unlikely friendship between founder Joe Papp and New York power broker Robert Moses. Plus, listeners share their memories of seeing shows at the old Delacorte.

Is the history of New York City the heart of the American story? Or does it exist in parallel, perhaps even independently, from the main American narrative. As with everything about the Big Apple (so good they named it twice), the answer is both. Or everything. At least according to Jonathan Mahler, author of The Gods of New York, a new history of the egoists and opportunists who remade the city in the 1980s. It's the story of Donald Trump, of course, as well as Rudi Guiliani, Ed Koch, Spike Lee, Larry Kramer, Al Sharpton and an astonishingly entertaining cast of characters that only New York could create. But it's also the broader American story of the victory of neo-liberal economics and ever-deepening chasm between Wall Street wealth and main street poverty. Mahler argues that the transformation from the "Mean Streets" dystopia of the 1970s to the finance-dominated metropolis of the 1980s didn't just save New York City —it created the troubling template for modern America, complete with all our current economic inequalities, political absurdities and tabloid cultural realities. 1. The 1980s Created Modern America's Template The transformation of New York from 1986-1990 wasn't just urban renewal—it was the birth of neoliberal America. The city's embrace of Wall Street, real estate development, and deregulation became the blueprint for how America would operate for the next four decades.2. Power Shifted from Public to Private The era marked a fundamental transfer of urban power from public officials like Robert Moses and labor unions to private developers like Trump. Instead of government-led projects, cities began relying on private industry to drive development—often with devastating consequences for working-class communities.3. Trump's Origin Story Explains His Political Magic Trick Trump went from being the 1980s symbol of greed and excess to becoming the voice of America's disaffected in 2016. This transformation from tabloid character to populist leader represents one of the most remarkable political reinventions in American history.4. The American Dream Became Less Accessible New York's evolution into what Bloomberg called "a luxury product" reflects a broader national trend. The same forces that saved the city from 1970s decline also priced out working and middle-class families, making economic mobility increasingly difficult.5. Tabloid Culture Became Political Culture The larger-than-life personalities who dominated 1980s New York—the "Gods" of Mahler's title—pioneered a celebrity-driven, spectacle-based approach to public life that eventually consumed American politics, from Trump's rise to our current media-saturated political landscape.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

For just over a decade, from 1956 to 1967, a collection of dilapidated former sail-making warehouses clustered at the lower tip of Manhattan became the quiet epicenter of the art world. Coenties Slip, a dead-end street near the water, was home to a circle of wildly talented and varied artists that included Robert Indiana, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, James Rosenquist, Delphine Seyrig, Lenore Tawney, and Jack Youngerman. As friends and inspirations to one another, they created a unique community for unbridled creative expression and experimentation, and the works they made at the Slip would go on to change the course of American art. Now, for the first time, in The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever (Harper, 2023) Dr. Prudence Peiffer pays homage to these artists and the unsung impact their work had on the direction of late twentieth-century art and film. This remarkable biography, as transformative as the artists it illuminates, questions the very concept of a “group” or “movement,” as it spotlights the Slip's eclectic mix of gender and sexual orientation, abstraction and Pop, experimental film, painting, and sculpture, assemblage and textile works. Brought together not by the tenets of composition or technique, nor by philosophy or politics, the artists cultivated a scene at the Slip defined by a singular spirit of community and place. They drew lasting inspiration from one another, but perhaps even more from where they called home, and the need to preserve the solitude its geography fostered. Despite Coenties Slip's obscurity, the entire history of Manhattan was inscribed into its cobblestones—one of the first streets and central markets of the new colony, built by enslaved people, with revolutionary meetings at the tavern just down Pearl Street; named by Herman Melville in Moby Dick and site of the boom and bust of the city's maritime industry; and, in the artists's own time, a development battleground for Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses. The Slip's history is entwined with that of the artists and their art—eclectic and varied work that was made from the wreckage of the city's many former lives. An ambitious and singular account of a time, a place, and a group of extraordinary people, The Slip investigates the importance of community, and makes an argument for how we are shaped by it, and how it in turns shapes our work. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

For just over a decade, from 1956 to 1967, a collection of dilapidated former sail-making warehouses clustered at the lower tip of Manhattan became the quiet epicenter of the art world. Coenties Slip, a dead-end street near the water, was home to a circle of wildly talented and varied artists that included Robert Indiana, Ellsworth Kelly, Agnes Martin, James Rosenquist, Delphine Seyrig, Lenore Tawney, and Jack Youngerman. As friends and inspirations to one another, they created a unique community for unbridled creative expression and experimentation, and the works they made at the Slip would go on to change the course of American art. Now, for the first time, in The Slip: The New York City Street That Changed American Art Forever (Harper, 2023) Dr. Prudence Peiffer pays homage to these artists and the unsung impact their work had on the direction of late twentieth-century art and film. This remarkable biography, as transformative as the artists it illuminates, questions the very concept of a “group” or “movement,” as it spotlights the Slip's eclectic mix of gender and sexual orientation, abstraction and Pop, experimental film, painting, and sculpture, assemblage and textile works. Brought together not by the tenets of composition or technique, nor by philosophy or politics, the artists cultivated a scene at the Slip defined by a singular spirit of community and place. They drew lasting inspiration from one another, but perhaps even more from where they called home, and the need to preserve the solitude its geography fostered. Despite Coenties Slip's obscurity, the entire history of Manhattan was inscribed into its cobblestones—one of the first streets and central markets of the new colony, built by enslaved people, with revolutionary meetings at the tavern just down Pearl Street; named by Herman Melville in Moby Dick and site of the boom and bust of the city's maritime industry; and, in the artists's own time, a development battleground for Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses. The Slip's history is entwined with that of the artists and their art—eclectic and varied work that was made from the wreckage of the city's many former lives. An ambitious and singular account of a time, a place, and a group of extraordinary people, The Slip investigates the importance of community, and makes an argument for how we are shaped by it, and how it in turns shapes our work. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/film

Our French correspondent joins us to talk about the SLAP heard 'round the world. We also get some updates on Melanchon's US tour, discuss Hasan Piker's detainment, death with dignity, the abundance agenda, Zohran, Robert Moses vs. Tammany Hall, the 5 year anniversary of the George Floyd Uprising.Subscribe at http://patreon.com/theantifada for the fun half, in which we listen to some clips from Jordan Peterson's debate with 20 Reddit Athiests, and talk about what the "radical left" means.Check out https://newintermag.com/ and subscribe for updates.articles mentioned: https://newintermag.com/assisted-suicide-or-social-murder/https://newintermag.com/the-defeat-of-biopolitics/https://newintermag.com/abundance-big-techs-bid-for-the-democratic-party/song: Ludacris - Slap

With Republicans in power across all branches of the federal government, Democrats are looking for ways to regain trust and learn how to build things. One book they're looking toward is Marc Dunkelman's: ⁠⁠Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back⁠⁠.  In this episode, Marc joins Mosheh to discuss how the Democratic distrust of power since the 1960s has led to stagnation and public distrust, paving the way for Donald Trump's election as someone who promises to make things actually happen. He explains how we got from the era of Robert Moses reshaping New York and FDR's New Deal, to a modern day with infrastructure in disrepair nationwide. Plus, some broader historical context: how the dueling mindsets at the heart of progressivism—a need for strong executive action and a mistrust of power— reflects a broader American conflict that goes all the way back to the days of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠⁠@mosheh⁠⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News, where he was the executive producer of the CBS Evening News and launched the network's 24 hour news channel. He founded the @mosheh Instagram news account in 2020 and the Mo News podcast and newsletter in 2022.

With Republicans in power across all branches of the federal government, Democrats are looking for ways to regain trust and learn how to build things. One book they're looking toward is Marc Dunkelman's: ⁠Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back⁠.  In this episode, Marc joins Mosheh to discuss how the Democratic distrust of power since the 1960s has led to stagnation and public distrust, paving the way for Donald Trump's election as someone who promises to make things actually happen. He explains how we got from the era of Robert Moses reshaping New York and FDR's New Deal, to a modern day with infrastructure in disrepair nationwide. Plus, some broader historical context: how the dueling mindsets at the heart of progressivism—a need for strong executive action and a mistrust of power— reflects a broader American conflict that goes all the way back to the days of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton. Mosheh Oinounou (⁠@mosheh⁠) is an Emmy and Murrow award-winning journalist. He has 20 years of experience at networks including Fox News, Bloomberg Television and CBS News, where he was the executive producer of the CBS Evening News and launched the network's 24 hour news channel. He founded the @mosheh Instagram news account in 2020 and the Mo News podcast and newsletter in 2022.

In 1939, Robert Moses sprung his latest project upon the world -- the Brooklyn-Battery Bridge, connecting the tip of Manhattan to the Brooklyn waterfront, slicing through New York Harbor just to the north of Governor's Island.To build it, Moses dictated that the historic Battery Park would need to be redesigned. And its star attraction the New York Aquarium would have to be demolished.The aquarium was housed in the former military fort Castle Clinton which had seen so much of New York City's history pass through its walls under the name Castle Garden -- first as an early 19th century entertainment venue and later as the Emigrant Landing Depot, which processed millions of newly arriving immigrants.This valuable link to American history would surely have been lost if not for activists like Albert S. Bard, a revolutionary landmarking advocate who countered and disrupted Moses every step of the way.In this episode, Greg interviews another landmarking superstar -- author and civic activist Anthony C. Wood -- on the occasion of his new biography of Bard titled Servant of Beauty: Landmarks, Secret Love, and the Unimagined Life of an Unsung New York Hero.In his research,  Wood discovered a personality far more interesting than his public persona and a man with far more at stake than just his beliefs in preservation.Visit the website for more information and images of things discussed on this show. This episode was edited by Kieran Gannon. 

This is the twelfth and final episode breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro.We've waited until the evening to see how splendid the day has been, and for this final installment, there was only one guest truly worthy of the last slot: Robert Caro. This time, he discusses the book's lasting legacy, parallels to today, and how he decided on the last line of the book.This week, Elliott and Roman also cover Chapters 47 through 50, discussing the major story beats and themes.To those of you who turned every page with us: thank you.If you finished The Power Broker with us (or know someone who did), get the 99PI Power Broker challenge coin to commemorate your achievement! Visit 99pi.org/store to get the challenge coin and other 99PI merch.The Power Broker #12: Robert CaroJoin the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

What makes The Power Broker endure 50 years on? Roman Mars and Elliott Kalan sit down with legendary author Robert Caro to explore the humanity, drama, and untold stories behind his iconic book. Recorded live from the New York Historical Society.Roman, Elliott, and Robert Caro: Live in Conversation Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

This is the eleventh official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman Mars and Elliott Kalan sit down with Brennan Lee Mulligan, a comedian and host with Dropout TV, where he's the creator of Dimension 20 — a Dungeons & Dragons show that features incredibly complex and campaigns, with improv actors and special effects. And as the Dungeon Master, Brennan leads these stories. Season three of Dimension 20 takes place in a magical New York City, where the main villain is a fictionalized, undead Robert Moses, who shares the real Robert Moses's passion for building roads and destroying lives through bureaucracy.Elliott and Roman also cover the second section of Part 7 (Chapter 42 through Chapter 46), discussing the major story beats and themes.The Power Broker #11: Brennan Lee MulliganJoin the discussion on Discord and Reddit. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

You KNEW this episode was coming, and we got to it as soon as we could! We discuss Francis Ford Coppola's defiantly personal, defiantly incomprehensible, personal-fortune-destroying Megalopolis! And for such a megaflopolis episode we enlisted the help of Roman Mars, a man who knows a thing or two about architecture and design, and who's currently co-hosting a podcast series with Elliott about The Power Broker, a book about Robert Moses (clearly an inspiration for Adam Driver's "what if Robert Moses but not totally evil" character)!We're in season 2 of FlopTV! Pop in for individual episodes, or get a price break with a season pass! Peruse the full line-up and/or get tickets here! And hey, while you're clicking on stuff, why not subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets?!”Wikipedia page for MegalopolisRecommended in this episode:Dan: Lost Highway (1997)Stu: Anora (2024)Elliott: You and Me (1938)Roman: Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)For a limited time, visit AuraFrames.com and get $45 off Aura's best-selling Carver Mat frames by using promo code FLOP at checkout.Stay energized with America's #1 Ready-to-Eat Meal Delivery Service.Head to factormeals.com/flop50 and use code flop50 to get 50% off your first box and 20% off your next month

This is the tenth official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott sit down with Clara Jeffery, the editor-in-chief of Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting. She's had a long and storied career editing works of investigative journalism that speaks truth to power and afflicts the comfortable, including so she brings that perspective to her understanding of The Power Broker. Clara hadn't read The Power Broker before and this podcast inspired her to pick it up and read along with us.On today's show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover the last section of Part 6 and the first section of Part 7 (Chapter 39 through Chapter 41), discussing the major story beats and themes.The Power Broker #10: Clara JefferyJoin the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

Robert Caro's 1974 biography “The Power Broker” is a book befitting its subject, Robert Moses — the unelected parochial technocrat who used a series of appointed positions to entirely reshape New York City and its surrounding environment for generations to come. Like Moses, Caro's book has exerted an enduring and outsize influence. Caro recently joined The Times's Book Review Podcast to discuss his experience writing the seminal book, and how he accounts for its continuing legacy.You can find more information about that episode here.

This is the ninth official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott also sit down with Majora Carter, an urban revitalization strategist and real estate developer from the South Bronx. Growing up, she always viewed the neighborhood as a place she had to leave in order to find success. But as she got older, she began to undo some of Robert Moses' legacy, like building Hunt's Point Riverside Park along the Bronx River. She is a champion for bettering neighborhoods like the South Bronx, so that they are places where people want to remain—even when they have been ruined by a tyrant.On today's show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover the third section of Part 6 (Chapter 35 through Chapter 38), discussing the major story beats and themes. The Power Broker #09: Majora CarterJoin the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

This is the eighth official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott sit down with Shiloh Frederick. Born and raised in New York City, Shiloh is a writer and influencer who shares her love of the city's history and architecture on Instagram and TikTok. Last year, she chronicled her rather ambitious plan to read The Power Broker in 30 days, and her viral videos about her endeavor ended up making some real change in the city.On today's show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover the second section of Part 6 (Chapter 33 through Chapter 34), discussing the major story beats and themes.The Power Broker #08: Shiloh FrederickJoin the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to ad-free new episodes and get exclusive access to bonus content.

NEWS: We've got 99PI Power Broker Breakdown merch! Visit 99pi.org/store.This is the seventh official episode, breaking down the 1974 Pulitzer Prize winning book, The Power Broker by our hero Robert Caro. This week, Roman and Elliott sit down with Pete Buttigieg, the US Secretary of Transportation. One of his major responsibilities as Secretary is overseeing the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which has contributed billions of dollars to infrastructure projects around the country.Secretary Buttigieg was also responsible for several major infrastructure projects when he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana. And he's talked about the importance of acknowledging and dismantling the racism built into transportation systems around the country — somewhat paraphrasing The Power Broker — and has gotten a lot of pushback for it.On today's show, Elliott Kalan and Roman Mars will cover the second half of Part 5 and the first section of Part 6 (Chapters 27 through Chapter 32), discussing the major story beats and themes.The Power Broker #07: Sec. Pete ButtigiegJoin the discussion on Discord and our Subreddit.