Humor

Friday Funny: Hangover Taxi Refreshes Recovering Londoners

We regret we weren't able to deliver this valuable information last month, but apparently a "hangover taxi" stocked with orange juice, sunglasses, and Tylenol has been offering free rides to stricken Londoners.

January 3, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

The Streets Have Spoken: 2013 Streetsies Awarded

Streetsblog has announced the winners of its annual readers' poll on the year's best in sustainable transportation and livable communities.

January 3, 2014 - DC.Streetsblog

Planetizen's Most Popular Pieces of 2013

We're looking forward to another stimulating year of news, commentary, and professional development. But before the calendar turns to 2014, we wanted to take a look back at our most popular blog posts, exclusive articles, and news items from 2013.

December 30, 2013 - Jonathan Nettler

Friday Funny: Pee Odor in Transit Elevator Got You Down?

This abbreviation may be coming to other transit elevators if it proves its snuff in Atlanta: UDD, short for Urine Detection Device. The sensors and the camera will force offenders to find appropriate places to relieve themselves, or risk arrest.

December 27, 2013 - WSB-TV - Atlanta

A Lesson in Translating Archibabble

Much of the language used by globetrotting architects and academics to describe their projects and concepts is indecipherable to those not up to speed on biomorphology or french philosophy. BD offers a helpful guide for speaking architect.

December 26, 2013 - Building Design

Protesting Snowmen

Christmas Funny: Snowmen Protest Global Warming

On this winter holiday, it's important to remind each other of the overlooked victims of global warming: the world's snowmen and snowwomen. Read this classic, but no less relevant, story from the satirical newspaper The Onion.

December 25, 2013 - The Onion

Christmas Light

Where to Find the World's Largest Christmas Light Show

Australia probably isn't the first place that comes to mind when thinking of sleigh rides, reindeer, and winter wonderlands. But according to Guinness World Records, no place can beat one couple's Canberra home for holiday revelry.

December 25, 2013 - Guinness World Records

Paris Metro Gift Wrapped

Holiday Spirit Invades Paris Metro

During the holiday season, cities go to great lengths to turn their streets, homes and businesses into festive places. But underneath the streets, subways tend to look to same day in and day out. French artists have brought the holidays underground.

December 25, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Elf House

Icelandic "Elf Lobby" Tries to Halt Highway Project

Concerned that a proposed highway from the Alftanes peninsula to the Reykjavik suburbs will disturb Icelandic elf habitat, an elf lobbying group is joining forces with environmentalists to try to stop the project.

December 25, 2013 - PBS NewsHour

An Urbanist's 12 Days of Christmas!

As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, let's remember all the "gifts" that our cities give us. Our cities deserve a Christmas Carol! Here is an Urbanist's "12 Days of Christmas."

December 24, 2013 - Brent Toderian

Friday Funny: The World's Worst Place to Raise a Child

The Mariana Trench has beaten out Mt. Everest, the cone of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano, and St. Louis to claim the title of the world's worst place to raise a child for the seventh consecutive year, reports the satirical newspaper The Onion.

December 13, 2013 - The Onion

Envisioning a Future Urban Dronescape

Jeff Bezos' proposal to deliver packages by aerial drone has the potential to upset traditional models of logistics and distribution, but it's most powerful effect may be on the urban airspace. Are blue skies ahead for Bezos' vision?

December 12, 2013 - This Big City

Honoring Architecture's Highs and Lows for 2013

They might call it the "Lunch with the Critics" award, but in my mind they're the "Archies" (is that taken?). Critics Alexandra Lange and Mark Lamster deliver their fourth annual awards for the best and worst in architecture and design of 2013.

December 8, 2013 - Observatory

Friday Funny: Pointless Diagrams

Illustrative diagrams are one of the primary tools used by architects and planners to explain existing conditions and design concepts. An art project that produces frivolous diagrams reveals the heft that well crafted drawings bring.

December 6, 2013 - WebUrbanist

Friday Funny: Join the Party Bike Revolution

Ever feel like the bar-on-wheels revolution is passing you by? Fear not, your opportunity to become a part of the party bike industry is here.

November 29, 2013 - Pedal Crawler

In Every Age....

At least one Hanukah song is easily adaptable by urbanists.

November 29, 2013 - Michael Lewyn

An Edible Urban Winter Wonderland

Now that pesky Thanksgiving Day is nearly over, we can merrily move on to the true focus of the holiday season: Christmas. And what better way to kick off the march to December 25th than to visit the world's largest gingerbread village.

November 28, 2013 - The New York Times

The Disturbing Thanksgiving Parade Balloons of Yesteryear

Predictions of strong winds and frigid temperatures may keep many people from attending this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, providing ample opportunity to explore Philip Bump's collection of creepy balloons from years past.

November 28, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

12 Bold and Bizarre Visions for Cities

There's no shortage of bold and bizarre ideas for how to make our future cities more livable, sustainable, and efficient. Whether many of these ideas are feasible is another story.

November 24, 2013 - Future Cities

Invisible Bikes

Friday Funny: Celebrities on Invisible Bikes

Exploiting America's enduring fascination with fame and growing proclivity for cycling, a group on the social news and entertainment website Reddit has melded the two with one humorous twist - they've made the bikes invisible.

November 22, 2013 - My Modern Met

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.