Category Archives: California

Roundtable Discussion on the Tech Exodus

Adam Mayer, Andrew Yang, automation, California, censorship, China, Cities, coronavirus, Corporations, Dain Fitzgerald, Donald Trump, Economics, Freedom of Speech, Globalization, Internet, Las Vegas, Mass Transit, New York, Oakland, Politics, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Social Media, Suburbia, technology, Texas, Urbanism, Zoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark, Dain Fitzgerald, and Adam Mayer discuss the tech exodus out of California. Adam Mayer is a Bay Area based architect and Dain Fitzgerald, also Bay Area based, is a blogger who works on the periphery of tech.

Topics:

Emerging tech hubs and whether we will see a decentralized tech industry
The exodus of legacy companies out of California
San Francisco’s commercial real estate crash
The impact of the exodus on the housing crisis and NIMBY vs. YIMBY debate
The mass closure of small businesses in California and record corporate profits
The implications of remote work on quality of life and privacy issues
Future tech trends in outsourcing and automation, and which  jobs will remain lucrative and secure
The global bifurcation of tech and social media

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Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

The Starkian Bay Area

Aesthetic Socialism, aesthetics, Alt Center, American Culture, Archeofuturism, Architecture, arcology, Art, Art Deco, Asia, Asian Aryanism, Asian Culture, Baby Boomers, Berkeley, California, capitalism, China, Cities, Class, coronavirus, Crime, Culture, Danville CA, demographics, Diversity, Economics, Environment, ethnopluralism, Frank Lloyd Wright, Futurism, gentrification, Hipsters, Historic Preservation, History, Immigration, income inequality, John C. Portman Jr, Lafayette CA, Liberalism, Los Angeles, Marin County, Mass Transit, Matt Pegan, Matthew Pegas, Millennials, Mount Diablo, Multiculturalism, neo-tribalism, Neoliberalism, Neon, New Urbanism, New York, Oakland, Orinda CA, overdevelopment, Pilleater, Political Correctness, Politics, Prison, Race Relations, Retro Futurism, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Skyscrapers, social capital, Suburbia, SWPL, The Gospel of Gibson, Travel, Urbanism, Utopia, Walnut Creek CA, Wealth, welfare state, Wilderness, Zoning

Robert Stark and Matt Pegas discuss their trip to the San Francisco Bay Area over the last Labor Day weekend, their past trips in 2018 (extended segment: 20 minutes in), and how the Bay Area relates to Alt-Urbanism and cultural, aesthetic, societal, and Alt-Center political themes from the show.

Topics:

Observations of the impact of the pandemic including an increase in homelessness
Why the Bay Area is the center of the Gray Tribe political sphere
The degree to which there is a unique and authentic regional culture and aesthetic
The John C. Portman designed Embarcadero Center, concept of Interior Urbanism, and how Portman was unique in that he was both an artistic visionary and a capitalist
The impact of wealth on aesthetics
The magic of travel and appreciating the tourist traps
San Francisco Neon
The Bay Area’s Geography, microclimates, and urban layout
Wilderness locations including Mount Diablo, Tilden Regional Park, Alpine and Bon Tempe Lakes in Marin, and the region’s extensive Greenbelts
Unique attributes of the Bay Area suburbs of Marin County, Lamorinda, Walnut Creek, Alamo, and Danville, Ski-Lodge Urbanism, and Retrofitting The Aesthetically Pleasing Suburb
Bay Area demographics trends
Does California need a rightest version of Multiculturalism?

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Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, and novel Journey to Vapor Island.

Death Valley Photo Album

Architecture, California, Death Valley, Mojave Desert, Photography, Travel, Wilderness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album is of Tecopa in Inyo County, California and the Oasis at Death Valley, Furnace Creek, and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park.

Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

Continue reading Death Valley Photo Album →

Robert Stark interviews Delicious Tacos

American Culture, Art, Asia, Australia, Basic Income, Bernie Sanders, California, capitalism, censorship, Class, coronavirus, Culture, Delicious Tacos, demographics, Despair, Donald Trump, Economics, Feminism, Gender, Hollywood, humor, Immigration, Incels, income inequality, Literature, Los Angeles, Matt Forney, Matt Pegan, Matthew Pegas, Mexico, Michel Houellebecq, Millennials, Morality, Nature, New York, Philippines, Philosophy, Political Correctness, Politics, relationships, Sexuality, Socialism, The Black Pill, Travel, Urbanism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and Matt Pegan talk to Delicious Tacos about his books, philosophical outlook, and life in LA. Delicious Tacos is the author of Hot Naked Kittens, Finally, Some Good News , The Pussy, and his most recent book Savage Spear of the Unicorn. You can follow him on Twitter and his books are on sale until Christmas.

Topics:

The “California Houellebecq ”
Thoughts on self-publishing and how the novel Severance is to publishing what the film Sideways is to film critics
The economics of the arts and Delicious Taco’s advice to separate one’s creative endeavors from source of income
The slave morality of work and need for a guaranteed basic income
Delicious Taco’s support for Bernie Sanders, why he’s given up hope on American politics, and advice to focus on building up one’s own wealth
Delicious Taco’s love of birdwatching
The pros and cons of living in LA
Theme of Geomaxxing in Delicious Taco’s Finally, Some Good News and Houellebecq’s Platform
Age gap hysteria and why Delicious Tacos doesn’t need to moralize his proclivities
Working in Hollywood as a development executive
Matt and Robert’s upcoming books, and Delicious Taco’s upcoming book True Love

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Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

Randsburg California Photo Album

Architecture, California, Mojave Desert, Photography, Travel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album is of Randsburg which is located in the Rand Mountains of the Mojave Desert in Kern County, California. Randsburg was founded as a gold mining camp in the 1890s, was named after the gold mining region in South Africa, and is a California Historical Landmark.

Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

Continue reading Randsburg California Photo Album →

Amboy California Photo Album

Architecture, California, Mid-Century Modern, Mojave Desert, Neon, Photography, Southbound, Travel, Wilderness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album is of Amboy in California‘s Mojave Desert and of the nearby extinct volcano, Amboy Crater. Amboy became a rest stop along U.S. Route 66 in the 1920s and Roy’s Motel and Café was founded in 1938, is now mostly defunct, and was used as the film location for the horror film Southbound.

Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

Continue reading Amboy California Photo Album →

Lamorinda Photo Album

Architecture, Art Deco, California, Lafayette CA, Mount Diablo, Neon, Orinda CA, Photography, San Francisco, Travel, Wilderness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos taken from past trips to the Lamorinda region of the San Francisco Bay Area. Album includes view of Mount Diablo from Lafayette, Lafayette Reservoir, Downtown Lafayette, Saint Mary’s College and Rheem Theatre in Moraga, The Orinda Theatre in Orinda, the San Pablo and Briones Reservoirs, and Tilden Regional Park with a view to San Francisco.

Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

Continue reading Lamorinda Photo Album →

The Golden Splendor of Mount Diablo

California, Mount Diablo, Photography, San Francisco, Travel, Wilderness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos were taken from a past trip, September of 2018. Mount Diablo is a mountain of the Diablo Range, in Contra Costa County of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area.

Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson.

Continue reading The Golden Splendor of Mount Diablo →

Robert Stark interviews Peter Nimitz about LA

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Beverly Hills, Black Lives Matter, Brno, Calexit, California, China, Cities, Class, coronavirus, Crime, Culture, Czech Republic, demographics, Diversity, Donald Trump, Economics, education, Elections, energy, Environment, gentrification, Global Warming, Hollywood, Immigration, income inequality, India, Iran, Islam, Joe Biden, Los Angeles, Mass Transit, Mexico, Middle Class, Mormonism, Moscow, Nagorno-Karabakh War, neo-tribalism, Neoliberalism, Peter Nimitz, Pilleater, Political Correctness, Politics, Religion, Republican Party, Russia, Skyscrapers, social capital, technology, Ukraine, Urbanism, Zoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark talks to San Fernando Valley based commentator, Peter Nimitz about the demographics, culture, economy and politics of the Los Angeles region from the perspective of a transplant. Check out Peter’s interview about the Russian Revolution and follow him on Twitter.

Topics:

LA’s class structure
City-Data Forum thread on demographic trends of the past decade by city
Immigrant groups in the LA region, including from Mexico, China, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Armenia, various European nations, and more recent community from Uzbekistan
Industry in LA, including entertainment, aerospace, tech, and shipping
Unique LA tropes/archetypes
Contrasting communities that have strong patronage networks with those that are more atomized
Poll on hypothetical proposal to base immigration on a local level
America’s neo-tribal future
The Double Horseshoe Theory of Class Politics and how that impacts how different demographic groups align politically
Crucial California issues of housing (YIMBYism), energy, water, and infrastructure being neglected by a one party state focused on national issues and a GOP that’s out of touch with younger voters and urban concerns
The degree to which LA’s post pandemic exodus and urban decay is overhyped
New urban development in LA (ex. futuristic complex planned in Beverly Hills) and metro expansions
The debate about education reform,

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Checkout Robert Stark’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram,  Stark Truth TV, novel Journey to Vapor Island, and in production documentary The Gospel of Gibson


Robert Stark & Matt Pegan discuss the California Ballot Initiatives

Andrew Yang, California, censorship, Conservatives, coronavirus, Corporations, Crime, democracy, demographics, Distributism, Donald Trump, Economics, education, Elections, Healthcare, income inequality, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Kanye West, Los Angeles, Matt Pegan, Matthew Pegas, Police, Political Correctness, Political Parties, Politics, Race Relations, Republican Party, Silicon Valley, Taxation, technology, Urbanism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topics:

California’s tradition of ballot propositions, the pros and cons of direct democracy, and Christopher Lasch’s The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy
Geographic breakdown of ideology in California (political ideology map)
Proposition 14 on Stem Cell research which is no longer restricted federally (No)
Proposition 15 on taxing commercial real estate at market value which would be good for urbanism (Yes)
Proposition 16 on Affirmative Action which is divisive and a form of austerity (No)
Expanding voting:  Proposition 17 which restores voter rights for felons (Robert Yes, Matt No) and Proposition 18 (No)
Proposition 19 which would exacerbate the Intergenerational Wealth Gap (No)
Proposition 20 which restricts parole (No on one size fits all crime bills)
Proposition 21: concern that rent control could limit the supply of new housing (No)
Proposition 22 on the Gig Economy (No)
Proposition 23 on requiring physicians for dialysis clinics (No)
Proposition 24 which lacks the support from key tech advocacy groups and could be a wolf in sheep’s clothing (No)
Proposition 25: replaces cash bail with risk assessment (Yes)
California congressional elections, True Con Republicans, and notable Democratic candidates including Shahid Buttar running against Pelosi and Yang Democrat David Kim
Robert’s presidential endorsement of Brian Carroll of the American Solidarity Party and Matt’s tepid backing of Trump
Trump’s missed opportunities for another stimulus and to challenge Biden on populist grounds
Why Biden’s return to normalcy is an insult to voters

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