BLDGBLOG has a two-part interview with Los Angeles' apocalyptic poster boy, Mike Davis, on his newest book, Planet of Slums. Davis moves past LA's inevitable collapse - from earthquakes, race riots, and police brutality, natch - to figure out what's next for global cities. Hint: it includes Ridley Scott, mediatations on urban warfare, and Che Guevara.
Interview with Mike Davis: Part 1 [BLDGBLOG]
LA Times' architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne gives a big, fat thumbs down on the Alvaro Siza exhibit at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. His beef? Its not the size of the Siza exhibit, its the selection. Yeah, we never heard of Siza either, but the man won the Pritzker, and Hawthorne expects, nay - demands - the man gets the respect he deserves.
It looks simple — too much so [LA Times]
The LA Times apparently took Bike to Work Day really seriously, with a Special Report on commuters who have ditched their cars for two-wheeled transportation. The reasons are varied - political, financial, and personal - and so are the dangers:
Converts do acknowledge that bike commuting has hazards beyond the obvious ones of potholes and sometimes scary traffic. Among the indignities they've endured: being attacked with eggs, slapped on the butt and knocked down by an elderly man.
There are also tales of road rage, killer dogs and total fucking assholes getting in their way. Happy cycling!
Shifting Gears [LA Times]
This one is a little far north for our editorial focus but we just love it too much not to mention it: the prophetically named town of Hercules is taking on Wal-mart. And they're using a somewhat unique approach. While some cities (ours included) have rejected proposed Wal-marts outright, Hercules is voting on whether or not to invoke eminent domain to wrest back 17 acres. Perhaps a more apt name for the town would have been David.
Hercules raises stakes in Wal-Mart standoff. City may try eminent domain to take land [SF Gate]