— ARTICLE: The true story behind Shriners' statues

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 21:46)

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100907/FEATURES/309070017/1010/The+true+story+behind+Shriners++statues HIGHLIGHTS: ---Quote--- But few who see the monuments ... at Masonic centers across the country, know they depict a Shriner's kindness 40 years ago to an Evansville, Ind., girl named Bobbi Jo Wright, who was struggling to walk on crutches. ---End Quote--- Nice to know the back story.

— Detroit: Program Evaluation (Homeless Action Network)

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 20:21)

Homeless Action Network of Detroit Is seeking a Program Evaluation Specialist – Full-Time Contractual (Temporary). This position is responsible for developing and beginning the implementation of a robust program monitoring and evaluation system for programs receiving Federal and State funds to serve people who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless. The purpose of this program evaluation system will be to ensure these programs: 1) Produce positive outcomes 2) Are based upon identified needs in the community and informed by local data on homelessness 3) Meet the funders’ performance expectations 4) Align with Detroit’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness Additionally, the purpose of this program evaluation...

— JNA joins Teh Clubbbbbbbbbbbbe

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 18:39)

Congrats. 12K, that's something to add to your resume.

— new to the forum...and to urban planning

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 14:48)

i have enjoyed reading some of the threads posted. I am a recent recipient of a bachelor's degree in Architectural Studies at the U of Utah. As much as I enjoyed the major, there were a number of things that i didn't get too excited about. I am very interested in the well-being of communities and cities. I strongly believe that the interrelationship between environments-humans is reciprocal and often tenuous. Architecture is often "in the clouds" and doesn't address the larger scope of our cities. I was very turned off with the perceived arrogance...

— Ann Arbor: energy coordinator

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 14:40)

The Clean Energy Coalition, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Washtenaw County, Michigan, seeks a Community Energy Coordinator to assist the City of Ann Arbor in the research, development, and administration of the City’s community-based energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and programs. ... will work with City businesses, residents, and organizations to coordinate projects that increase energy efficiency/renewable energy use and help the City of Ann Arbor achieve its ambitious energy goals. ... works in consultation with CEC Building Technical Services staff and under the direct supervision of the City of Ann Arbor Energy Programs Manager. Minimum Qualifications: ...

— Best small towns?

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 14:37)

Good article on some great small towns. Personally, I have only been to Brevard, NC but found it to be a wonderful place. Anyone else have any experiences at these places? http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-35617390

— PTP exam study resources

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 13:29)

I am seriously thinking about taking the PTP exam. I can either take it this October or next March (I am leaning towards October). ITE's application process is much simpler than AICP. Does anyone recommend any study resources? I spent an intense 3 months for AICP. If I take it this October I would only have a month to study. I am swamped with work this month and heavily involved in a state APA conference in early October. For those of you who took the exam, what are your thoughts regarding level of difficulty....

— Reminder: Thursday Game Week 1

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 10:47)

NFL 2010 Full Team Schedule (http://www.nfl.com/schedules?seasonType=REG&season=2010) I know everybody's been paying attention, but just a friendly reminder to set your starting team up prior to kick off for any players involved in the early game.:)

— Helicopter parenting

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 10:01)

---Quote (Originally by WSU MUP Student)--- School started up for most here in metro Detroit and I noticed that about 99% of the folks in my office who have grade-school age children took today off of work. Is this common among the parents of Cyburbia? This sounds like a hidden perk of having a kid - a built-in excuse for a day off of celebratory fun? Or maybe it's a day off to deal with the pain of sending the little ones away for those few hours for the day. ---End Quote--- I've never taken the day off from work for the...

— Campaign finance reform

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 09:47)

Back in January the Supreme Court reversed some earlier decisions and decided to allow corporations (and unions) to hand out unlimited campaign money as a form of free 'speech'. I personally think this was an extremely wise thing to do as companies like BP (that's British Petroleum) don't seem to exert enough influence on the American political process. This November will be the first election cycle we really get to see some of the effects of this decision played out. We caught an early glimpse when Target and Best Buy donated money to anti-gay candidates/organizations (http://abcnews.go.com/Business/target-best-buy-fire-campaign-contributions-minnesota-candidate/story?id=11270194) in Minnesota and found itself...

— Ironic news headlines you haven't actually seen (but wouldn't mind seeing)

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 08:50)

"New 400 acre gravel mine facility opens next door to local developer's home"

— Advice on how to enter the industry in Australia.

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 08:09)

I recently graduated with a Distinction in my Masters in Environmental Planning while back at home in Belfast. At the time the job situation was dire so I have decided to move to Melbourne to try here instead. I have emailed my CV to a large amount of firms and applied for numerous posts with limited success. Does anyone have advice on how to get into the industry considering I have 1 and a half years planning experience back in the UK? Also, what legislation/ rules/ regulations should I know inside out? Seems difficult to enter the industry as everyone wants local experience which...

— Should I be a transportation planner?

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 06:13)

I've been thinking really hard about becoming a public transit planner in the future. I think it's right for me, but I wanted to get an opinion from someone who has possibly been in that business. I live in Toronto and I’m attending Centennial College for Journalism. I’ve completed my 2nd year of the program and have 1 more year left. My end goal is to get a Masters degree in urban planning, so I’ll need to attend university at the undergraduate level before I can do that. To say the least, I'm a transit geek. I love public transit. I always...

— Fall '11 Admissions for 2nd Masters in Urban Planning in CA

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 00:26)

Hello Planners, I’ve been thinking about going back to graduate school for Urban Planning for quite some time now. However, this will be my second masters and I am not sure how admissions would feel about that. I want to go back to school in planning after developing a strong interest during graduate work in public policy and my work experience at an urban economics firm. I am interested in learning more about the theory of physical planning and design. What are my chances of getting into the following schools and what do I need...

— Removing an outlying property from an HOA

   (Monday, 06 September 2010 23:57)

Anyone ever seen this accomplished?I'm guessing its a pain and will involve attorneys.Property will be joined to a parcel out of the HOA to create senior housing and will have appropriate zoning and uses allowed to accomplish. Thanks in advance.

Special guest Phil Clay, Bitch of the Week, Narcissistic Tweets, 27b/6, The war on Islam, Police Beatings, some great videos, and a little tech talk.

Monsanto Beats, Dogs eating toes, 4Chan Trial Transcript, Marijuana in Canada & Hypervisor Mode.

Seth tells us about his mom, the oil spill and BP, mystery candidate, Jesus statue, and the iPhone

— Urban Coffee Episode 138b

   (Tuesday, 08 June 2010 20:10)

iPhone 4 run down, Cost of Google Pacman, Miranda Rights, Wheel of Fortune Fails, Moot at TED, Swine Flu, and aliens vs. humans

— Urban Coffee Episode 138a

   (Tuesday, 08 June 2010 20:10)

Live iPhone 4 coverage

— Urban Coffee Episode 137

   (Monday, 24 May 2010 19:07)

Goldman Sachs and other banks hit it big, Illegal Immigration, iPhone 4.0, Kenny the Yo Yo man, After Posting SS# In Ads, Lifelock CEO's Identity Stolen 13 Times, Weezer Perform "Can't Stop Partying" on Lopez Tonight (In the Morning,) and what's New In iPhone OS 4.0 Beta 4

— Urban Coffee Episode 136

   (Sunday, 16 May 2010 16:48)

Losing your citizenship and other rights, Stephen Hawking says Watch Out for Aliens, Bailing out European Banks, Pregnancy by 3D Film, Great articles to read, Apollo 11 Saturn Launch in HD, & Square for iPad.

— Urban Coffee Episode 135

   (Tuesday, 27 April 2010 10:46)

Energy Star gets punk'd, Temporal Illusions, The leaked iPhone, Everyone Draw Mohammed, The iPad, Pinball Number Count, & Polish Plane Crash Gunshots.

— Urban Coffee Episode 134

   (Wednesday, 14 April 2010 12:09)

The iPad, X7 Host update, Narcissistic Tweets, Seth's Music Cafe, OMG Facts, Reel Roulette, Trololo Cat, No Agenda TV, and & Remembering Henry Edward Roberts

— Urban Coffee Episode 133

   (Tuesday, 30 March 2010 12:52)

The health care bill, virtual concerts, Moot, Eduard Hill, Chatroulette, & SXSW.

— Urban Coffee Episode 132

   (Friday, 19 March 2010 23:36)

Seth via Skype, Dave gets threatened, Pedobear in the olympics, Internet body scale, High Fructose Corn Syrup Propaganda, Hambone Brothers, Internet Freedom, Tra lololo, OK GO Rube Goldberg machine

— Urban Coffee Episode 131

   (Wednesday, 24 February 2010 18:53)

Dave's new baby, Google Fiber, Schools Spying on Students, Facebook uploader sucks, narcissistic Tweets, Iran blocks Gmail, Camera Mapping, Youtube Doubler, Chatroulolz, and Rapture Pet Care.

— Urban Coffee Episode 130

   (Monday, 08 February 2010 16:24)

Guest Host - Patrick Eaton, Brief iPad talk, Text Scams, Narcissistic Tweets, Seth's Music Cafe, Verizon Blocking 4Chan, Climate Gate Explained, McCain's Flip-Flop, & Siri.

— Urban Coffee Episode 129

   (Wednesday, 27 January 2010 02:54)

The internet in numbers, Bitch of the Week, Seth's Music Cafe, The iSlate, Science project prompts counseling, Haiti, Pat Robertson, and Ron Paul.

— Urban Coffee Episode 128

   (Monday, 11 January 2010 21:09)

Caspian and the Good Times, Twenty Ten, Dirty Little Mouth Exclusive, The Crotch Bomber, History Channel HD, New TSA Rules, Best XKCD ever, Ben Stein, and a CES Review

— Urban Coffee Episode 127

   (Monday, 28 December 2009 22:07)

Christmas Recap, Texas Winter Drivers, Narcissistic Tweets, Seth's Music Cafe, Bill of Rights Day, You are not a person, Dave's Videos, AT&T suckage, & the Apple Tablet

— Urban Coffee Episode 126

   (Wednesday, 16 December 2009 10:44)

Dave explains his article about the American Airlines Orange Juice, and the craziness that followed. Seth talks about his music video shoot.

— Urban Coffee Episode 125

   (Monday, 30 November 2009 20:50)

Special guest Pat Kondelis, Climate Gate, Shiny Suds, Narcissistic Tweets, Taweet, Popcorn is terrible for you, The Video Professor, MN Tea Party, and AT&T revenge ads.

— Urban Coffee Episode 124

   (Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:29)

Mike Yarbrough, X7 Hosting sucks, Brand New - Bought a Bride, Top 10 Weirdest CIA Programs, A/N1N1 Pandemic Toxic strain, Fort Hood, Glenn Beck still alive, & AT&T Sucks.

— Urban Coffee Episode 123

   (Monday, 02 November 2009 20:18)

John McCain is trying to block net neutrality, Narcissistic Tweets, Hadron Collider begin sabotaged from the future?, Swine Flu, 650,000 jobs saved or created, Gary Vaynerchuk, The Beginners Guide To L. Ron Hubbard, & Woopra

— Urban Coffee Episode 122

   (Wednesday, 21 October 2009 18:06)

Bomb Scare, Social Media Games, Narcissistic Tweets, Rewriting the Bible, Lisbon Treaty, Copenhagen Treaty, Balloon Boy, More Microsoft Failures

— Urban Coffee Episode 121

   (Wednesday, 07 October 2009 14:32)

Narcissistic Tweets, AT&T Suckage, Massachusetts OK’s Police Breaking into Suspects Vehicle, Planting Tracking Device, Judge rules against Monsanto’s GM sugar beets, Massachusetts bill allows police to break in and vaccinate without warrant, How to throw a Windows Over9000 Party, Swine Flu, Has the Federal Reserve Ever Tried to Manipulate the Stock Market?, & I am T-Pain

— Urban Coffee Episode 120

   (Monday, 21 September 2009 18:32)

Government Hypocrisy, People in Philly, Narcissistic Tweets, 3D Flight Tracking, Ridiculous Complaints, Kanyelicious, Totalylookslike.com, Franken Talks Down Angry Mob, Steve Jobs back in the game, Mint.com, & Words with Friends

— Urban Coffee Episode 119

   (Saturday, 05 September 2009 16:44)

Doesn't feel like fall, but it is, Cause the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back! DAS PONS PONS, Airline "Schedules", People of Walmart.com, Pandemic bill allows health authorities to enter homes, detain without warrant. THERE WILL BE ABUSES OF POWER!, MJ Still Alive?, IT AIN'T AMERICA NO MO'!, An Update on iPhone MMS.

— Urban Coffee Episode 118

   (Wednesday, 26 August 2009 22:56)

Neighbors car broken into, H.R. 3200, Swine flu: 'Tamiflu harm outweighs benefits for children', US government sent confidential letters to neurologists warning them that the swine flu vaccine can cause Guillain-Barre, Mercury: High-Fructose Corn Syrup's Secret Ingredient?, 3 Keyboard Cat Moon T-Shirt Day at Digg, Bacolicio.us, Play Auditorium, The Funniest Signs From Town Hall Protests, Kids in the Hall return, Drugs legalized in Mexico, Special Report: Is US Chief Information Officer (CIO) Vivek Kundra a Phony?, Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear, Superjail - Superbar, Government Web-Tracking, Twelve Year Old Catches Two Foul Balls in a singel bat, Megaslide, Pics: The...

— Update

   (Wednesday, 23 June 2010 13:31)

I am moving my site over to Drupal, but the process is not without its difficulties. For new content, follow the link here.

— The Limitations of Digital History

   (Monday, 17 May 2010 11:33)

Earnest digital historian Adam Crymble offers a defense of the recent decision that LAC will replace a student visitation program with digitized documents. [Image]Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is cutting an on-site World War I workshop intended for high school history classes, and took some heat in the Globe and Mail for the decision (the [...]

— A Beginner’s Guide to Research at Archives II (part 1)

   (Saturday, 15 May 2010 08:31)

Ruby Button If you’re reading this, you’re probably quite excited at the prospect of research at what is likely the greatest archival repository in the country, and one of the best in the world, but somewhat bewildered about what the experience will be like. Here is a basic guide. Archives II, or The Deuce, as [...]

— Juris Luzins

   (Monday, 03 May 2010 01:04)

While I’m preparing a killer power point presentation, I thought I would provide you all with another transcript of my Florida Track Club interviews from way back in undergrad. This is Juris Luzins, a William and Mary alumnus with at 3:58.1 for the mile and 1:45.2 for the 800. Luzins also ran for the professional [...]

— Timothy O’Sullivan

   (Thursday, 29 April 2010 00:59)

Recently I went to a Smithsonian American Art Museum exhibit on Timothy O’Sullivan, a photographer with several geological surveys of the west in the 1860s and 1870s. I was pretty excited about this because I have read about O’Sullivan’s work in Alan Trachtenberg’s Reading American Photographs (badly reproduced in the paperback) and the Oxford History [...]

— Good News

   (Sunday, 25 April 2010 20:06)

I’m happy to announce I have accepted a position as a visiting assistant professor at Temple University. I’ll be moving to Philadelphia in the middle of the summer and teaching in the history department and the public history program. I’m looking forward to drawing on the rich historical resources of the city and a really [...]

— University of Chicago Sit-In, 1962

   (Tuesday, 13 April 2010 20:07)

I thought it worth re-visiting this find from a while back at the request of Angus Johnston. In my dissertation, “Building the Ivory Tower: Campus Planning, University Development, and the Politics of Urban Space,” I research the development of American universities over the course of the 20th century, using the built environment as a lens [...]

— The Return of Content

   (Sunday, 14 March 2010 16:16)

In the midst of a furious drive to finish my dissertation I thought it might be nice to revive this moribund blog. Way back in the day my top priority used to be distance running and all things athletics. True story: when it was time to go to grad school, I applied to masters programs [...]

— Google Spreadsheets Gadget

   (Friday, 30 October 2009 19:43)

Sort of like you find at GapMinder. Need to find some income data going farther back, if possible; it is the limiting factor. This is state population, inflation-adjusted median family income, and % of 25yr-old+ population with a bachelor’s degree. Play around with this a little bit (the “play” button is in the lower left) [...]

— Another Robert Caro Interview

   (Sunday, 25 October 2009 22:08)

Longer (an hour), over some similar material, but really great.

— Housing and Ann Arbor Student Radicals

   (Tuesday, 20 May 2008 12:30)

The housing market in Ann Arbor in the 1960s helped turn student radicals to local issues and launch the Human Rights Party in the 1970s.

— Annexation in Detroit 1915-1926

   (Saturday, 28 October 2006 12:30)

A series of annexation measures over the period of roughly a decade left a physical legacy Detroit struggles with today as the city struggles to revitalize.

— GE Nucleus: Home Energy Manager

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 23:57)

Earlier this summer, GE launched the first product in its Brillion suite of home energy management solutions, the Nucleus. This is a data storage device that collects household electricity cost and use data and gives it to homeowners via computer and smart phones. Nucleus is expected to be available for consumer purchase in early 2011 for the price of $149-199. Nucleus connects with the your home's smart meter to provide real-time cost and use information for up to three years....

— SSIPs SunShower House in New Orleans

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 01:52)

This award-winning design will be constructed in downtown New Orleans with steel structural insulated panels, high performance windows, and rooftop solar panels. It was designed by Judith Kinnard, professor of architecture at Tulane University, and Tiffany Lin, assistant professor of architecture, who took first place in a competition involving steel SIPs from OceanSafe. OceanSafe SSIPs are made with an EPS core and galvalume panels. The panels snap together and are extremely strong -- withstanding winds of up to 225 mph...

— Eco Modern Outdoor Furniture on Sale

   (Monday, 06 September 2010 11:01)

It's that time of year when exterior furniture is discounted and available for a song. Loll Designs, maker of beautiful, recycled, modern outdoor furniture, is offering free shipping on all products, 15% off of black furniture, and 10% off of all color furniture. Loll furniture is made with 100% recycled HDPE and shipped in recycled and recyclable packaging. Check out some of these deals: Topo Table - from $170.00 Coco Chair - from $297.50 Cabrio Lounge Chair - from $335.75...

— Register for West Coast Green 2010!

   (Monday, 06 September 2010 02:32)

For the fourth year, Jetson Green has teamed up with West Coast Green as a media partner. We're excited to invite you to West Coast Green 2010 – the world’s leading event on green innovation for the built environment. As a friend of Jetson Green, you are invited to attend this conference with a special access pass here or click the image above. You’ll hear breaking announcements from Smart Grid innovators, such as Intel, IBM and PG&E, unveiling products and...

— Electrical Leaks, Greenest Buildings, Going Mainstream, + Using More SIPs

   (Saturday, 04 September 2010 13:45)

The $300 house. Green building goes mainstream. Why don't more builders use SIPs. Family apartments could help smart growth. Objectively looking for the greenest buildings. Devices that help plug electrical leaks. Creating a green kitchen. The eco-economy. Also, subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates, article summaries, newsworthy links, and other site news.

— Lakeside Container Retreat in Sri Lanka

   (Friday, 03 September 2010 18:59)

This lakeside retreat was put together with used shipping containers and timber from weapon boxes in the Maduru Oya area of Sri Lanka, according to Dezeen. Located on an army training camp, this simple container solution was designed by Damith Premathilake and built by soldiers with materials found in the area. It's now become "the ideal destination for the traveler seeking a relaxing and rustic vacation." What do you think about it? [+] Read about this Container Cabana by Damith...

— Custom Modular Green Home in St. Paul

   (Friday, 03 September 2010 08:50)

Hive Modular, a prefab company out of Minneapolis, recently completed this custom modular home on a sloping corner lot in St. Paul. Sandwiched between mid-century modern neighbors, the 1,864 square foot prefab features contemporary oak finishes and landscaping from none other than Rosenlof/Lucas. Check it out below from a few different perspectives. This is the X-Line 012 model with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Hive aims for airtight construction and uses 2x6 exterior wall framing, R19 insulation, and R44 engineered...

— Modern Eco Dwelling Unit in Beacon Hill

   (Friday, 03 September 2010 00:10)

Seattle allows backyard cottages -- legally referred to as detached accessory dwelling units (DADU) -- in certain single-family situations. These structures aren't without controversy but can helpful when taking on a renter or housing extra family. BjarkoSerra Architects designed this DADU for a family in Beacon Hill, and it will be built in the next year or so to a Built Green 5-Star rating. As shown in the rendering above, Beacon Hill DADU will have abundant windows for natural lighting,...

— On the Urban Water Crisis [Giveaway]

   (Thursday, 02 September 2010 02:22)

Leave a comment below through the end of Friday, September 3, 2010, to be considered for this random book giveaway.* Jerry Yudelson is a green building leader, but he's also a professional engineer with a master's degree in water resource development. Relying on this background, Yudelson authored a new book called Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis. The truth is, as he explains, the global human population is expected to quadruple from 1950 to 2050, placing more and...

— Eco Shore Homes for Long Beach Island

   (Wednesday, 01 September 2010 17:04)

Recently I had the opportunity to talk with Kevin Romano of SquallCo Development about his new website and modern green homes offered on Long Beach Island. The development company has two home plans, the smaller called Akamai and the other called Ohana, which have been designed in a joint venture with Steve Midouhas. With these, SquallCo hopes to make warm, modern, sustainable homes more approachable to folks in the area. Akamai, pictured in the first three renderings, is a 1,250...

— Indy’s “Son of Chicago” Parking Meter Lease to Be a Disaster for City

   (Tuesday, 07 September 2010 10:08)

The next couple of generations will pay the price…It’s despicable, the way it went down…I don’t think the aldermen understood the long-term consequences of what they did. – Chicago Ald. Scott Waguespack These deals are rarely done under the bright light of public scrutiny. Often the facts come out long after the deal is done. – [...]

— Labor Day Open Thread: What Do Successful Lower Income Neighborhoods Look Like?

   (Thursday, 02 September 2010 11:02)

It’s Labor Day weekend in the United States, and I’ll be taking it off, returning next week. In the meantime, I’ll leave this open thread for your discussions on what successful low income and working class neighborhoods would look like in our cities. This was a topic that came up during conversation over Asian food with [...]

— Richard Layman: Richard’s Rules for Restaurant Driven Development

   (Tuesday, 31 August 2010 13:50)

[ I've linked to Richard Layman's wonderful Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space blog many times. He writes on a variety of topics in an always insightful way, but I'm particularly impressed with his knowledge of urban commercial district revitalization. I was privileged to get to tour Logan Square with him during one of [...]

— Urban Universities Done Right: Chicago’s “Loop U”

   (Sunday, 29 August 2010 22:15)

Many American cities have focused on university based development as a catalyst for their downtowns and urban spaces. Louisville has promoted the growth of its university affiliated hospital complex on the east side of downtown. Indianapolis and Chicago both built major urban renewal type campuses – IUPUI and UIC respectively. The University of Wisconsin anchors [...]

— Urbanoscope

   (Friday, 27 August 2010 14:52)

The emphasis on little neighbourhoods, the stoop, local shops and walking distances, the ‘human scale’ only tells part of the story of the city – after all, these things can be found in villages and small towns. All cities need sublimity, a touch of holy terror, a defiance of human scale that asserts connection to [...]

— The Physical Evolution of Infrastructure

   (Thursday, 26 August 2010 11:00)

Thinking about recent posts on the Metra bridge project and long term parking meter leases, I was reminded of a conversation I had with Professor David Solzman at UIC. He made an interesting comment that we need to find a way to create infrastructure that can physically evolve over time at reasonable cost. Our fundamental approaches [...]

— The Index: Michigan and Ohio

   (Tuesday, 24 August 2010 14:37)

Here’s another installment of my periodic postings with archive summaries on various topics. Today, looking at posts about Michigan and Ohio. Detroit I’ve done quite a few piece on Detroit that have proven extremely popular for whatever reason. I’d love to claim it’s because they’re brilliant, but there’s just something about Detroit that resonates with people. The Other [...]

— Parking Meters and the Perils of Privatization

   (Sunday, 22 August 2010 17:58)

Last week I taped a segment for a film project on privatization. For some reason, people keep seeking me out to be the guy that will take an anti-privatization point of view. That always puzzles me because I’m generally favorable to it. I’m a big fan of the Chicago Skyway and Indiana Toll [...]

— Replay: Fantasy Transit Maps

   (Friday, 20 August 2010 12:05)

There’s a sort of genre of urbanist creativity out there of fantasy transit maps. These are maps of transit systems that don’t exist and usually aren’t even proposed yet, but rather just express some dream of the creator, often quite epic in scope. What I find interesting is how much better these often are than [...]

— What Is the Real Function of an Arts Organization?

   (Thursday, 19 August 2010 10:37)

According to an article in D Magazine, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is in financial trouble: There’s no doubt that the symphony, like many nonprofit groups in North Texas, is struggling to make ends meet in the teeth of a still-sputtering economy. The DSO’s plight is especially vexing to many Dallas businesspeople, however, because of the symphony’s [...]