City Voice Podcast

Over the course of my life it’s become clear to me that trust is the foundation of all relationships. Trust shows up in different levels based on need and circumstances. When I go on Amazon and click on the battery powered fly swatter with the anti-fly guidance system that I’ve always wanted, I have trust that I will get it. I trust it will be as deadly accurate as advertised. If it’s not as advertised, I’m disappointed but not emotionally wounded. On the other end of the trust spectrum is...

If your life is anything like mine you think about eating healthy. To the extent that actually happens in my life, I owe it to my wife Jacqui. I am a willing participant but she makes it happen. That's probably a big part of the reason I was interested when I became aware of the new book titled Formerly Known As Food by Kristin Lawless. FYI: Jacqui is glad I'm done with the book she wants it now. The other reason was a private message I received on Linkedin but we talk about that in this...

A few minutes before I started recording my conversation with Tamara Russell I was contacted by a friend who just lost his wife. As it turned out Dr. Russell helps us through a process called the Transitional Pause Process in this episode. I didn't fully realize it when we began but it was exactly what I needed. Among many other things she discusses how we often stuff things down because we are too busy to feel or experience what just happened. I see now that's what happened to me when I...

Dinosaurs have been a fascination of mine since I was a boy. That seems to be true for many young boys and girls. I loved asking my guest on this episode of the City Voice podcast, paleontologist Steve Brusatte, for his opinion of who wins in a sprinters death race. Gold medal Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt or T-Rex. Back to my fascination with Dinos...Fast forward to the 1993 release of the original Jurassic Park movie. It seems that in the 25 years or so since the premiere of Jurassic Park we...

We have all seen the news reports of children being separated from their parents on America's Southwestern border. I think for many of us there is confusion and revulsion regarding the fact that America is doing this. We hear from the Whitehouse that this is the law. The President says he hates this law but it's the fault of the Democrats. Apparently, his claim or belief is that he is being made to do something that the United States of America has never done before. Trump's claimed deep...

Unifying stories or history, if you like, are a part of the fabric of what binds us as a race. Each country and religion has its stories of how it was founded and who the heroes and heroines are. This in many ways is the glue of me and you. Origin Story by David Christian goes well beyond national boundaries and epic tales of national pride. It's the story of everything according to science. David Christian just puts everything into a readable enjoyable format. Well done Sir. Science does...

My conversation this week on the City Voice Podcast is with Jeff Weaver, Bernies 2016 Presidential Campaign Manager. He is the author of "How Bernie Won Inside The Revolution That's Taking Back Our Country-And Where We Go From Here." People across the political spectrum have strong feelings about Senator and Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Some like to remind people that he is a Democratic Socialist and usually do so with the tagline that goes something like... we don't do socialism...

It's easy to think about how things were when you were a kid and fall into pure nostalgia. Nothing wrong with that but that's not where I'm going with my thoughts today. When I was a boy in the early/mid-1970's we knew all our neighbors. We lived in a tight-knit area where most everyone on our block knew each other. Most evenings neighbors would come out at night into their yards and have conversations. We also knew people who lived in surrounding blocks. I don't say that doesn't exist...

Chris Matthews has been both loved and hated by legions of fans on both sides of the political spectrum. Either way you view Matthews, it's hard not to believe he loves America and our history. His years as a presidential speechwriter for President Jimmy Carter, columnist and Washington D.C. Bureau Chief have informed his experience of America in a way few can match. It's from here, I believe, he wrote Bobby Kennedy, A Raging Spirit. On this week's episode of the City Voice Podcast, we...

America is a treasured tapestry of towns and cities. On this week’s City Voice Podcast I’ve enlisted the help of James and Deborah Fallows. With their help, we hear about that tapestry. What does it really look like? Is it frayed? What does it's future look like? They spent the better part of five years immersing themselves in small and medium-sized town and cities across America. They did all this traveling in their small single engine airplane. The combination of both on the ground and...

As shoppers increasingly look to virtual shopping platforms how do mainstreets remain or regain relevance? In large part, it's a technology issue and also an issue of generational sensibilities. Boomers are increasingly online. Millenials have always been online. Brick and mortar retailers work to grab their attention in ways that allow them to prosper and hope they won't have to cyclically spend big bucks resetting themselves to keep up. This week on The City Voice Podcast my conversation...

I am very much about connection and connectivity. You may already know that on the City Voice Podcast I frequently talk about urban planning and transportation issues. However, connection and connectivity comes in many forms. One of those forms is through social media. One of the great mysteries of my "social media life" has been Linkedin. The conversation in my head and with many people I have spoken to goes something like this. Yes, I have a Linkedin profile...now what? A couple of years...

Across the United States of America, there are predominately African American Communities that experience higher rates of violence, unemployment, single-parent families, school dropout, and because of those things and more… there is a hope deficit for many. The most glaring example of that in our nation is with young African American men. Also happening across America, all be it more recently, is an increasing tendency to look to Mayors for solutions and reliable partnerships. The reasons...

A streetscape reset or redesign… What is that and what does it mean? Is it purely about the way a street looks? The aesthetics of the street? Some may say when a streetscape redesign is presented that the pavement looks fine. Do we really need to go to all this trouble and expense? Why not just freshen up the stripes and plant a few trees? That’ll do the trick…right? I think the question gets to be asked when you look at a street and you think about its design what gets greater preference…...

Ever heard of an organization called Strong Towns before? At first glance, you might hear the name and think it’s an organization that comes to town and promotes fitness. Strong Towns is about Urban Planning, Place Making, and Transportation. However, it needs to be said that if you think that’s it… you are missing their bigger point. First, let’s discuss what being strong is. In my estimation, in order to be strong, you must first have a certain baseline of health. You probably wouldn’t run...

The Grandview Public Market will Open Its Doors to the Public on Tuesday, February 20. The repurposed 14,000 square foot warehouse, 14,000 square will provide dining and shopping from local and national purveyors with 15 vendors and serve as a unique event space. GPM is similar to NYC’s Chelsea Market and Krog Street Market in Atlanta. Owner, Chris Vila saw the need for a modern market hall – a gathering spot for locals and visitors – which simply did not exist in Palm Beach County. While...

No matter what your political views are, I think we are all frustrated with the ineffectiveness of the U.S. Congress and in many cases state legislatures. Bruce Katz is the Centennial Scholar at the Brookings Institution. He focuses on the challenges and opportunities of global urbanization. He along with his co-author Jeremy Nowak has just released a new book titled The New Localism. The New Localism, among other things, is a look at the potential effectiveness of a bottom-up approach to...

Today I took a ride to nowhere with a group of friends I have weekly coffee with. My group of friends has become known locally as the Friday Morning Philosophers. We are philosophers because we say we are. Does that make it true? Our trip to nowhere is not the truth except that I said it was. We took our trip on the new Brightline high-speed train. There actually is a destination. In this episode of the City Voice podcast, I describe the high-speed train ride, talk about death by train and...

My conversation is with West Palm Beach Mayor Jeri Muoio. We discuss the issue of quiet zones for high-speed rail crossings in West Palm Beach and Palm Beach County. What's the hold up on the quiet zones? When will they be finished? What power do cities have to compel action? What does she think about them not being completed? Next on the agenda, we discuss possible design changes to downtown West Palm Beach on Clematis St. There are several opportunities for input from local merchants and...

If you have ever been to downtown West Palm Beach you probably have been to or know about SubCulture Coffee. The Coffee is excellent but there is something going on there that lives and breathes outside of your coffee cup. The energy, vibe, community, whatever you want to call it. In my experience, it has a lot to do with Sean Scott. Sean seems to have mastered coffee of Clematis St. Now he expanding the personal vibe to podcasting. The Coffee Life is his new podcast. When you subscribe or...