EP 43 BORDERWALL
Our podcast takes an unconventional look at whether the physical barrier that is being proposed to divide the United States from Mexico might be re-examined and found to have any aesthetic or redeeming value from an architectural standpoint. Ronald Rael an associate professor of Architecture at Berkeley lobs ‘an artistic and intellectual hand grenade’ into this debate with his book ‘Borderwall As Architecture’. Our conversation takes us on a journey along a wall that cuts through a ‘third nation’–the Divided States of America. He will have you imagine a wall that, despite the intended purpose of keeping people out, would serve to engage the imaginations of people on both sides in a common dialogue. Expect to hear things you’ve never considered.
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Dr. Mark W. Hendrickson
Out of sight, out of mind. Do you give much, if any, thought to the waste stream and how we’re doing as a society to recycle and re-use plastics, glass and other materials as the byproducts of our voracious appetite for consumption? CJ May has given lots of thought to the subject as one who has a Master’s degree from Yale University’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. He was also Yale’s recycling coordinator for twenty years and now holds the same position with the City of Waterbury, Connecticut. His opinions on where our recycling efforts are headed are his own–and are very entertaining and informed.
The concept of American exceptionalism is often associated with a patriotic sense that our country is better than the rest–and politicians on the left and right both throw the term around. Yet there are a number of other interpretations of that phrase. Some say our founding made us destined to be unique among all the world’s nations, built on freedom, justice, equality and liberty. However, there a more recent interpretations of the concept that are not as kind. Could we have great gifts, yes, but be ‘exceptional’ because we are an outlier among Western nation in terms of our approach to many issues, such as guns, mass incarceration, the death penalty and health care as a right? Stanford law professor, Mugambi Jouet, author of ‘Exceptional America’ joins us to discuss this critical examination of American values
Mob historian, Daniel Simone, a prolific author who co-write with Henry Hill ‘The Lufthansa Heist: Behind the Six-Million Dollar Cash Haul That Shook the World’ and, most recently, ‘The Pierre Hotel Affair’, describes the changes in organized crime approaches in the 21st century. They are certainly not gone and will never be forgotten in the annals of America crime history. As a bonus feature in this segment on organized crime is an interview with Joe Pistone, aka ‘Donnie Brasco’ and his time as an undercover FBI agent trying to break one of New York’s most powerful crime families.
