Clusterfuck Nation by James Howard Kunstler

New Urbanists from all over the land — and as far away as Australia — converged in Philadelphia this past weekend to sort out their gains and losses for the year against the background of a nation punch drunk on “liquidity” and free-floating dread. The city of Philadelphia looked perkier than anyone could remember — at least the square mile emanating in a quadrant roughly southeast from William Penn’s statue atop city hall to the burnished alleys of 18th century Society Hill. At lunch hour Rittenhouse Square was full of young cubicle critters seeking air and light, and six hours later the bars were doing a brisk business in twelve-dollar martinis.

Kunstler