October 25th, 2009 09:00am

Watchdog journalism can never be free

by PeteGolis

A much-anticipated report on the state of American journalism was published on Monday, and I would like to say that its recommendations provide a road map for a new golden age of journalism. I would like to say that. But as I read “The Reconstruction of American Journalism” – which is nothing if not long – I kept thinking to myself: All this blah-blah-blah is giving me a headache. At “Silicon Alley Insider,” … Read More »
October 20th, 2009 11:37am

The grass is (suddenly) greener

by PeteGolis

In April, we stopped watering our small front lawn, and now the results are in: Over the past six months we reduced our water consumption, year over year, by more than a third – 4,000 gallons of water saved each and every month. Meanwhile, a funny thing happened this past week: It rained, and the lawn that wouldn’t die turned green again. I wouldn’t say it is pristine – there are … Read More »
October 15th, 2009 07:14am

Tech stuff: Daddy, what’s a map?

by PeteGolis

For the past two weeks, I’ve been using Zagat to Go, the iPhone version of the popular restaurant review network. Wherever I am in the U.S., one tap of the screen will give me a list of the nearest restaurants, their ratings for food, decor and service, and the average cost of a meal. A second tap will lead me to a page with a photo, the address and phone … Read More »
October 13th, 2009 07:47am

The importance of public spaces

by PeteGolis

I’m a student of what cities are doing to bring new energy to old neighborhoods – which is how I came to walk the length of a unique urban park on Thursday. Built on what was once an elevated railway, the High Line In New York City now stretches 22 blocks from the West Village to Chelsea. Thirty-feet in the air, locals (and visitors, too) stroll through what were once old … Read More »
October 11th, 2009 07:40am

What will happen to California?

by PeteGolis

“Will California become America’s first failed state?” - Headline last Sunday in Britain’s Guardian. NEW YORK Friends here ask whether California will be OK. They have read the news about a state that seems to be spiraling downward, and they worry. In the American mythology, the Golden State has always been the place that promises new possibilities, which means that even New Yorkers want the best for their West Coast rival. It is not … Read More »
October 1st, 2009 10:14am

Will aging baby boomers transform downtowns?

by PeteGolis

In August, I wrote about the need for downtowns to prepare for an influx of aging baby boomers – who “now want to exchange the hassles of suburban life for the smaller scale and convenient amenities available in pedestrian-friendly cities.” Now comes the Wall Street Journal with a Sept. 19 special report on suburban towns’ rush to become more accommodating to an aging population. “That sense of urgency is understandable,” said … Read More »