This week I had a great conversation with Moshe Safdie, the architect of the Habitat 67 project (shown here) and the author of "The City After the Automobile: An Architect's Vision." Obviously a natural for the show, Safdie was a great interview and I think you'll enjoy this episode. Safdie's book pre-saged the Zipcar/Flexcar movement, and I respect his belief that Americans won't give up their cars (even as I hope for a better solution).

Hi everyone. I'm in Portland this week checking out transit-oriented developments in the area, so I won't be able to get a program out until Sunday or Monday. I've got some great guests coming up, including architect Moshe Safdie, so check back later.

Looking again at energy issues, in this episode we talk with Peter Melhus. He's got an encyclopedic background dealing with issues of energy production, business and land use. He says that we're focusing on alternative energies far too exclusively, when energy efficiency is the greatest resource we've got.

Backwards in time again, to 1954 and the beginning of Eisenhower's Interstate Highway System. We'll listen to excerpts from a promotional film from General Motors, called "Give Yourself the Green Light". I think it'll surprise you. The people of 1954 were facing many of the problems we're facing today, and transportation engineers are stuck using the same logic they did then (no offense, Eduardo- you're one of the good ones).

If you actually want to watch the film, go to the Prelinger Collection, an incredibly useful archive:

http://www.archive.org/details/GiveYour1954

We're back, with author Ray Oldenburg. His book, "The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community", is a fascinating look at the importance of those places in our lives. The picture is of Cafe Abir, one of my favorite "third places" in San Francisco. Oldenburg also emailed me his definitive list of the benefits of third places to communities- email me if you'd like a copy.