With the proliferation of new media planning practitioners have new ways to find out about the continuing work of planning faculty members who have retired. Not all of them blog of course, but the list below demonstrates some of the variety of these efforts.
Technology
Apartment Prices Controlled by Computers
Landowners with fewer apartments units are starting to use software similar for pricing airline tickets and hotel vacancies to determine rental rates for their properties, reports Matt Hudgins for The New York Times.
The New York Times
Using Technology to Advance Sustainability in Cities
Providing wifi on public transit and encouraging people to Check In with their smart phones are two of the three examples cities could implement to bring people closer together.
Mashable
Digital Democracy in the Big Apple
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NY's "Chief Digital Officer" Rachel Sterne presented plans to use enhance technology that connects citizens with their government.
SeeClickFix Blog
»
The McMansions of the Future
Livejournal has posted a series of paintings that ran as part of a 1961 Motorola advertising campaign that depict a futuristic lifestyle and featuring cavernous modern living spaces.
Livejournal
»
More Techno-Travelers on Transit - Unless It's Crowded
The Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development made over 16,000 observations of portable tech usage on airplains, trains, and buses. Their findings show that there is a increase of tech use on transit, but usage is reliant on users having space.
TransportationNation.Org
Homeland Security Frequency Jam?!? What to do When Public Participation Goes Terribly Wrong
Sat, 03/19/2011 - 22:57
In 2009 we worked with Ron Thomas,
Mary Means, and Goody Clancy to help plan and run a large 500+ person visioning
event in the town of Shreveport. We set
up the event the night before with computers at every table for brainstorming
and a keypad polling system providing each participant with a handheld device
for voting and prioritizing strategies in the region. We had a tech table set up next to the
audio/filming crew, a group that was very helpful in getting us what we need to
set up. We tested everything, including making sure
the keypads registered in the far corners of the convention space.
Building Permits To Enter 21st Century in NYC
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that the city will begin to utilize QR (quick response) codes on all building permits, providing more access to information for New York residents.
TechCrunch
Let's Be Smart About Intelligent Cities
"Intelligent cities" is picking up steam as the new buzzword in planning and a potentially game-changing way of using data to drive decisions. But we need to be sure we don't lose the human intelligence in planning.
Next American City
New Tool Adds Transportation to the Green Building Equation
A new free online tool, developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology for the US Green Building Council, adds the effect of transportation and indirect emissions to the sustainable building equation.
Chicago Tribune
The Smoggy Side of Cleveland
A new government-sponsored 'HazeCam' provides a running feed of downtown air pollution, with the aim of prompting local residents to reconsider their commuting habits.
Cleveland Plain-Dealer
Roosevelt Island Parking Sensors Will Point the Way to Smart Parking
By providing real-time data about what actually happens in on-street spaces, the sensors can help enforce parking laws, move toward smart and flexible curbside pricing, and prevent cruising and traffic congestion.
Streetsblog
Can "Webinars" Make Planning Workshops Obsolete?
Fri, 08/06/2010 - 17:53
Can planners effectively use on-line meeting technology to host public participation workshops? The City of Los Angeles' Department of City Planning recently decided to find out for itself by experimenting with a "webinar" format for two kickoff workshops highlighting the City's 2010 draft citywide Bicycle Plan.
A webinar is a web conference, where participants can access a virtual meeting using a computer and Internet connection. Participants access a website to see the presente's computer screen and also listen to the presenter through the computer's speakers or using a telephone.
LA Planning Department's First Public Participation Webinar
Tue, 07/20/2010 - 22:39
The City of Los Angeles Department of Planning and Department of Transportation held a first-ever public online participation webinar Thursday, July 20, 2010. The city used the opportunity to experiment with web conferencing technology, and will survey participants after the event to evaluate the success of the experiment.
A webinar is a web conference, where participants can access a virtual meeting using a computer, and Internet connection. Participants access a website to see the presenter's computer screen, and also listen to the presenter through the computer's speakers, or using a telephone.
In Memoriam: William Mitchell
Sun, 06/13/2010 - 10:34
I learned with great sadness about the loss of William Mitchell, 65, this past friday after a long battle with cancer. Bill was the chair of my Ph.D. committee, a mentor and a friend.
