The times (and places) they are a-changing- August 12, 2008 Parts of Ross Avenue have shown the influence of Hispanic residents and culture for years, including this used car lot which displays both the U.S. and Mexican flags. Guy Reynolds, Dallas Morning News.There is a lot of discussion about the change in African-American politics and post-racial politics due to the Barack Obama candidacy.I had a spirited e-discussion with the author of this piece, "The last gasps of black victimology" which appeared in the Baltimore Sun. (He disagrees with me about.http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/times-and-places-they-are-changing.html Don't take your politicians at face value- August 12, 2008 Don't take your politicians at face valueOriginally uploaded by rllaymanfrom an online ad.http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/don-take-your-politicians-at-face-value.h... DC biking and today's Kojo Nnamdi radio show- August 12, 2008 Via Washcycle:13:32 Defensive Biking With high gas prices, record numbers of people are leaving their cars at home and commuting by bike. But urban biking is quite different than most serene neighborhood rides. Learn surprising defensive biking skills and get insight on how cities locally and nationwide are redesigning urban areas with bicycles in mind. GuestsEric Gilliland, Executive Director, Washington Area Bicyclist Association John Pucher, Professor, Rutgers University webpage link herehttp://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/dc-biking-and-todays-kojo-nnamdi-radio.ht... More news from Detroit about suburban outmigration...- August 12, 2008 From the Detroit News, "Flight of the dead: Suburban families move loved ones from Detroit cemeteries."(I want to be cremated myself.) A gravedigger exhumes the remains of Francesco Imbrunone at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Detroit to relocate him to Clinton Township. Mount Olivet Cemetery, located on Detroit's east side, sees about 100 disinterments a year, as people are moved to other gravesites (Max Ortiz The Detroit News)http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/more-news-from-detroit-about-suburban.htm... Electronic tether or learning about technology from the antics of elected officials- August 12, 2008 Electronic tetherOriginally uploaded by rllaymanA sorry tale in the continuum of "personalization" and aggrandizement of the authority and responsibilities of elected office comes from the debacle in Detroit. This graphic ran in the Detroit Free Press in an article about the recently jailed Mayor.http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/electronic-tether-or-learning-about.html The real issue with oil and U.S. policy (and the impact on cities)- August 12, 2008 An extract from an email by Lee on the EnvisionBaltimore googlegroup:In fact, I'll say again that our energy policies should focus on one thing first and foremost: demand reduction. Any reduction in demand that we manage in excess of what market forces would (precisely) force us to do will get prices down, and will save us a lot of money - and the smartest demand destruction is the permanent kind, that brings savings every month and every year rather than one-offs like giving up a trip.We have..http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/real-issue-with-oil-and-us-policy-and.htm... Bikes and walking- August 11, 2008 1. Will calls our attention to this article, "A lane of one's own, an argument for bike lanes," from Momentum Magazine. A data analysis within the article makes the point that bicyclists subsidize drivers quite heavily.I used to follow the John Forrester line that separated lanes are a bad thing. But I am now convinced otherwise, both by John Pucher and his paper, "Making Cycling Irresistible," see "John Pucher the Bicycle Scholar" also from Momentum, as well as my pondering more seriously..http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/bikes-and-walking.html ACT meeting tomorrow: Purple Line Basics- August 11, 2008 I see this bike in Takoma a lot. Although in many instances I would prefer bicycling...From email:Please join us on Tuesday August 12 for "Purple Line Basics". The meeting begins at 7:30pm at the Silver Spring Center, 8818 Georgia Ave. The Center is a ten minute walk north from the Silver Spring Metro Station. Ride On 5 stops two blocks west of the Center at Spring & 1st. Metrobus "Q" and "Y" routes stop in front of the CenterYesterday's Bethesda - Chevy Chase Gazette carried a...http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/act-meeting-tomorrow-purple-line-basics.h... MARC railroad expansion delayed + presentation this Friday...- August 11, 2008 See "MTA growth plan stalls: Chief called for added MARC service this year," from today's Baltimore Sun. From the article:In a setback to its ambitious effort to expand the MARC commuter train service, the Maryland Transit Administration has dropped plans to add weekend service to its Penn Line or midday runs to its Camden Line this summer.MTA Administrator Paul J. Wiedefeld said last week that the agency has so far been unable to reach agreements with Amtrak or CSX, which own the two lines,...http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/marc-railroad-expansion-delayed.html Chauvinism, mediocrity and robust systems- August 11, 2008 About 4 or 5 years ago, I evinced interest in creating a "Jane Jacobs book group," which I never got around to getting off the ground. But I got some indications of interest and one person commented that by comparison to NYC, DC is an "immature" city, without the kind of built environment that typified Manhattan, the place that Jane Jacobs wrote about in Death and Life of Great American Cities.I replied frostily, stating that DC, especially downtown, had that kind of building stock at one time,.http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2008/08/chauvinism-mediocrity-and-robust.html |