Category Archives: California

Robert Stark talks to Richard Register about Resilient Design in the San Francisco Bay

Architecture, arcology, California, Cities, Eco-Cities, energy, Environment, Galápagos Islands, Global Warming, History, Mass Transit, New Orleans, Richard Register, San Francisco, Science, Suburbia, Urbanism, Wilderness, Yosemite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Register is a theorist in ecology and urban design, the author of several books on the topic of ecologically sustainable cities, and founder and President of Ecocity World.

Topics:

The Bigger Bay Ecotropolis
The degree to which sea level rise is inevitable
Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming
How people in Ancient Mesopotamia adapted to flooding with artificial mounds
How that concept can be incorporated in the San Francisco Bay Area and Mississippi River Delta
How that concept is not adaptable in spread out suburbia
Building on elevated terrain in compact pedestrian developments
The All Bay Collective Proposals
Why damming the Golden Gate is not viable
The long term goal of living car free
Underground highways
Retrofitting suburbs into compact villages surrounded by open space
How that model is more sustainable to natural disasters such as wild fires
Yv 88: An Eco-Fiction of Tomorrow and its depiction of a car free Yosemite Valley

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Aristocratic Aesthetic Socialism

Aesthetic Socialism, aesthetics, Aleister Crowley, Alt Center, American Culture, Archeofuturism, Architecture, Aristocratic Individualism, Art, Art Deco, California, capitalism, Cinema, Cities, Class, Communism, conformity, Consumerism, Corporations, Culture, David Lynch, demographics, Disneyland, Eugenics, Europe, Film, Germany, Giovanni Dannato, History, Immigration, income inequality, John C. Portman Jr, Journey to Vapor Island, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Malls, Marxism, materialism, Matthew Pegas, Michel Houellebecq, Mid-Century Modern, Neoliberalism, Nudism, Philosophy, Psychology, Ray Sawhill, Religion, Retro Futurism, Roman Empire, San Francisco, Sexuality, Skyscrapers, social status, social trust, Socialism, Urbanism, Utopia, Wealth

By Robert Stark: Originally Published on Alt of Center

The concept of beauty throughout history has been a force for creation, inspiring mankind to reach the pinnacle of civilization. From men accomplishing great things to win over a lover, the beautiful female as a muse for the artist, religions building great temples and cathedrals to attract worshipers, kings and emperors building monuments to demonstrate their greatness, and businesses using aesthetics in architecture and advertisements to attract more consumers.

In today’s society aesthetics serves primarily as a force to manipulate people to keep them striving and conforming to the liberal capitalist system. Advertisements use aesthetics to create a vision of a product to consume; not just the product itself but an overall aesthetically pleasing scene involving beautiful women, luxurious furnishings, great architecture, natural scenery, and music to create the mood.

Continue reading Aristocratic Aesthetic Socialism →

Robert Stark talks to Joshua Zeidner about Social Nationalism & Israeli Internal Affairs

aesthetics, Alt Center, Alternative Right, Arabs, Architecture, Baby Boomers, Bauhaus, Bernie Sanders, Bibi Netanyahu, Brutalism, California, capitalism, Class, Conservatives, Corporations, Culture, demographics, Economics, Germany, History, Immigration, income inequality, Israel, Italian Futurism, Joshua Zeidner, Le Corbusier, Leftism, Liberalism, Libertarianism, Matthew Pegas, Millennials, Nationalism, Neoliberalism, Oligarchy, Police State, Politics, Retro Futurism, Russia, Silicon Valley, Skyscrapers, Socialism, technology, Urbanism, War, Wealth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark and co-host Matthew Pegas talk to Joshua Zeidner about Israeli Politics and Social Nationalism.

Topics:

Israel’s Social Nationalist origins
The book Perfidy by Ben Hecht about the Kastner trial
The rise of the far right in Israel
The corruption of Bibi Netanyahu and the Likud Party
Likud’s suppression of civil liberties and political dissidents
Israel’s shift to neoliberal economics
The influence of American elites on Israel’s political and economic affairs
The book Start-up Nation and Joshua’s experience working in Israel’s tech industry
How the state is responsible for more innovation in tech than the free market(ex. DARPA)
Joshua’s observations on Germany’s labor environment
Real Estate: investors buying up unoccupied apartments, NIMBYism, and renters rights
The need for an economic outlook based on socialism and the national good
The need for a fusion of the dissident left and right under the banner of social nationalism
The divide between capitalist boomers and socialist millennials in both Israel and the West
Bauhaus architecture, White City (Tel Aviv), Italian Futurism, Brutalism, and Le Corbusier’s Architecture and Politics
Why are Israel’s top models blonde and European looking?
Shlomo Sand

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings, Stark Truth TV, and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Alt-Urbanism: Building a Based Urban Middle Class SWPL Utopia

1950's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, aesthetics, Alt Center, American Culture, Architecture, Asia, Asian Culture, Baby Boomers, California, Cities, Class, Conservatives, Culture, demographics, Economics, Environment, Falling Down, gentrification, Giovanni Dannato, Immigration, income inequality, Korea, Le Corbusier, Los Angeles, Middle Class, New Urbanism, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Skyscrapers, Suburbia, SWPL, Urbanism, Utopia, Wealth, Zoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Robert Stark: Originally Published on Alt of Center

Prior to the 1950’s, the urban core of LA, centered around Downtown, was relatively small. It was also much more compact and vibrant, however, than it became in the second half of the 20th Century. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in urbanism and walkable communities, and LA’s downtown, historic core is now revitalized and booming with new highrise construction.

While LA is just in the early stages of creating an integrated metro system, the region once had a vibrant street car system connecting the urban core with extensions to street car suburbs such as Santa Monica and Pasadena.

According to Curbed LA : “in 1945, a sinister corporation called National City Lines took over the thriving Los Angeles Railway, which served most of the sprawling region. Then, over the course of the next two decades, LA’s extensive streetcar network was eliminated and the iconic Red Cars that Judge Doom mentions were replaced with shiny new buses.

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Alt Urbanism: Retrofitting The Aesthetically Pleasing Suburb

aesthetics, Architecture, California, Cities, Class, Culture, Danville CA, Eco-Cities, Environment, Historic Preservation, Lafayette CA, Mount Diablo, New Urbanism, Orinda CA, Richard Register, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Sonja Trauss, Suburbia, Urbanism, Utopia, Walnut Creek CA, Wealth, Wilderness, Zoning

By Robert Stark: Originally Published on Alt of Center

There has been a growing movement within the New Urbanist scene to retrofit car-oriented suburbs. There is even an excellent book on the subject titled Retrofitting Suburbia by Ellen Dunham-Jones. The book focuses primarily on retrofitting aesthetically unappealing, car-oriented suburbs that were built in the 2nd half of the 20th Century.

Despite opposition from suburban NIMBYs this idea makes practical and aesthetic sense. Your typical American suburban commercial thoroughfare is lined with ugly strip malls with massive parking lots that are aesthetically unappealing, ecologically unsustainable, and unfriendly to pedestrians. The safety of pedestrians is rarely secured. It really should come as no surprise that law firms like lamber goodnow are often required to assist pedestrians who have been struck by cars in these areas.
Continue reading Alt Urbanism: Retrofitting The Aesthetically Pleasing Suburb →

Robert Stark interviews Matthew Pegas about The Alt Center & Neon Nationalism

1980's, 80's music, aesthetics, Alicia Silverstone, Alt Center, Alternative Left, Alternative Right, American Culture, Archeofuturism, Architecture, Aristocratic Individualism, Art, Asian Aryanism, Asian Culture, Blast From The Past, Brandon Adamson, California, capitalism, Cinema, Cities, Class, Clueless, Conservatives, counterculture, Culture, demographics, Economics, Erotica, Europe, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Film, Francis Nally, Futurism, Globalization, History, Homosexuality, Identitarianism, Immigration, income inequality, James O'Meara, Jamie Stewart, Journey to Vapor Island, Lasse Nielsen, Leftism, Liberalism, Los Angeles, Marquis de Sade, Matthew Pegas, Mid-Century Modern, Middle Class, Mishima A Life in Four Chapters, Morality, Music, Nationalism, Neon, Nietzsche, Nudism, Oligarchy, Philosophy, Photography, Pilleater, Politics, Postmodernism, Radical Center, Retro Futurism, Sexuality, Social Isolation, Suburbia, SWPL, Synthwave, Urbanism, Utopia, Will McBride, Xiu Xiu, Yukio Mishima

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Pegas blogs at Alt of Center | Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit of Beauty

Topics:

How Matthew discovered the Stark Truth via the interview with Jamie Stewart from Xiu Xiu
Matthew’s political transformation from a Leftist to a “Starkian” Alt-Centrist
The connection between politics, sexuality, and aesthetics
Beyond Liberalism: A Political New Wave
Neonationalism; nationalism and politics based on aesthetics
Creating an Archeo-Futuristic sub-culture that is so aesthetically pleasing that it can out-compete Liberal-Universalism and Global Capitalism
Architecture as a form of erotica
The Alt-Of-Center Guide To Aesthetic Warfare
The phenomenon of progressive cultural interests gaining an identitarian consciousness
The scene as the inevitable result of urban, middle to upper class “SWPL’s” becoming “Red Pilled”
The Idea of Homonationalism
San Fernando Valley Photo Essay and Neon Signage on Ventura Blvd
Income inequality and the demographic transformation of The Valley and LA

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark interviews Richard Register about Ecocities

aesthetics, Architecture, arcology, Art, Asia, Berkeley, California, China, Cities, Culture, Eco-Cities, energy, Environment, Futurism, Galápagos Islands, Global Warming, Historic Preservation, History, John C. Portman Jr, Lafayette CA, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Nature, New Urbanism, New York, Oakland, Orinda CA, Phoenix, Richard Register, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Skyscrapers, Suburbia, Urbanism, Utopia, Wilderness, Zoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Register is a theorist in ecology and urban design, the author of several books on the topic of ecologically sustainable cities, and founder and President of Ecocity World.

Topics:

Richard’s concept of an Ecocity
Paolo Soleri’s concept of an Arcology and his project Arcosanti in Arizona
The Ecosa Institute which is doing what Soleri intended on a smaller scale
Ancient examples of the Arcology go back to Ur in Mesopotamia and Çatalhöyük in Turkey
The city as a complex living organism
Horizontal vs. three dimensional cities
Implementing an ecocity on a large scale as an Ecotropolis
Why density is more ecologically sustainable
Ecocity Zoning
The goal of creating a car free city
The use of bridges between structures
John C. Portman’s Embarcadero Center in San Francisco which has aspects of an Arcology
Exterior glass elevators
Richard’s book Ecocity Berkeley and NIMBY imposed barriers to change in Berkeley
Opening up the creek systems in urban areas
Creating Ecocity village cores in the suburbs and how to retrofit aesthetically pleasing suburbs(ex. Santa Barbara, Marin County, and wealthy East Bay suburbs)
Reducing the foot print of cities and suburbs and opening up new land to agriculture and wilderness
Richard’s illustrations and the importance of aesthetics in urbanism
New Urbanism as a step in the right direction but too rigid in height and density
Richard’s trip to the Galapagos Islands and observations of how architecture coexists with nature
Ecocities in China
Robert’s observation that Las Vegas despite being an ecological catastrophe has many aspects of the Arcology

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark talks about his Podcasting History

Adam Parfrey, aesthetics, Alex von Goldstein, alienation, Alt Center, Alternative Right, Architecture, Art, Beverly Hills, Brandon Adamson, California, Class, conformity, Conservatives, Conspiracy Theories, Corporations, counterculture, Culture, demographics, Disneyland, Economics, Emotions, Francis Nally, Futurism, George Bush, Greg Johnson, income inequality, Internet, journalism, Journey to Vapor Island, Las Vegas, Liberalism, Libertarianism, Literature, Los Angeles, Media, Politics, Retro Futurism, Sexuality, social status, Urbanism

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Francis Nally and Brandon Adamson join Robert Stark to discuss his podcasting history, political and cultural evolution, and where he is at now.

Topics:

The new book The Stark Truth With Robert Stark: A Legacy 2009-2018
How for a long time Robert was known as the guy who randomly interviews people
How The Stark Truth doesn’t get the credit it deserves
The lack of substance of firebrand alt-podcasters and Youtube political celebrities
How Robert has now established his own unique “Starkian” ideology and cultural vision
New “Starkian” blog Alt of Center | Life. Liberty. And the Pursuit of Beauty
How Robert’s novel Journey to Vapor Island helped brand the Starkian Identity
Robert’s adolescent traumas which provided inspiration for Journey to Vapor Island
How Robert’s experience growing up in LA and observations on society as a teen shaped his basic cultural and political outlook
How Robert always had many of the same core principles but felt the need to belong and conform to a political tribe
Robert’s political phases including Libertarianism, Paleoconservatism, and Third Positionism
How ironically both Robert and Brandon started out on the right economically and moved closer to the left
How Robert is now at a point where he is entirely independent both politically and culturally
Robert’s podcasting history starting at Voice of Reason Radio, Counter-Currents Radio, and establishing his own podcast
Robert’s past interviews with political dissidents
Robert’s decision to focus the show on culture rather than politics
Brandon’s reference in the book to his trip to Las Vegas with Robert and the inspiration for Vapor Island
Is the future of the dissident sphere a Starkian, Alt-Center, Retro-Futurism?

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings and his novel Journey to Vapor Island




Robert Stark talks about The YIMBY Movement & The Alt-Center

aesthetics, Alt Center, Alternative Left, Alternative Right, American Culture, Architecture, Black Culture, California, Cartrell Payne, Cities, Class, Conservatives, Crime, Culture, decentralization, demographics, Donald Trump, Dystopia, Economics, Environment, Falling Down, Film, gentrification, Historic Preservation, Huey Long, Immigration, income inequality, John C. Portman Jr, Las Vegas, Leftism, Liberalism, Libertarianism, Los Angeles, Malibu, Market Urbanism, Mass Transit, Middle Class, New Urbanism, New York, Norman Mailer, Oligarchy, Police, Police Brutality, Police Corruption, Police State, Political Parties, Politics, Pornography, Portland, Race Relations, Radical Center, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Skyscrapers, Suburbia, SWPL, The Adventure Kid, The American South, Third Way Economics, Twin Peaks, Urbanism, Wealth, Zoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Stark joined with Cartrell Payne(aka The Adventure Kid) to discuss the YIMBY movement, the Alt-Center, and how those issues relate.

Topics:

California Senator Scott Wiener’s housing-transit measure Derailed
Factions of the YIMBY movement including left leaning housing advocates, real estate developers, and the Market Urbanist
Left Wing anti-gentrification activists and their alliance with NIMBY’s
Cartrell’s observations on gentrification in Memphis, Tennessee
The hypocrisy of pro-immigration Limousine Liberal NIMBY’s, and how that combination exacerbates the housing crisis
How the YIMBY movement is also very pro immigration
Income Inequality in California and the mass exodus of the middle class
The film Falling Down which is set in LA in the early 90’s and a warning of a dystopian future
What makes California great and can it be saved?
The New Great Migration of Black Americans back to The South
White Middle Class Conservative NIMBY’s, their motivations, and how they are sabotaging their own self interest
Why YIMBYism and immigration restriction are compatible, and why the Alt-Center should take up those causes
Why YIMBYs need to address aesthetic concerns
Why YIMBYism is compatible with environmental and historic preservation
Citylab and City Journal; their writings on urbanism and political agendas
Why mass transit is inefficient in LA and other Sun Belt cities
The political and cultural flaws of both Blue and Red States
A vision of an Alt Center which include alternative economics, pro middle class policies, New Urbanism, environmentalism, SWPL culture, and socially centrist
Cartrell’s political orientation as an Old School Southern Democrat minus the racism
Cartrell’s critique of both the Black Liberal Establishment and Black Conservatives
Conservative views on the poor and police issues and Conservative Class Cucks
The early 20th Century Populist movement
Norman Mailer’s plan for breaking up New York City which addressed both the concerns of the Left and the Right

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This show is brought to you by Robert Stark’s Paintings and his novel Journey to Vapor Island