April Fool's Day

Don't Tell Me What Happens in The Death and Life of Great American Cities

I am trying to get caught up on The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs. I'm a chapter behind, so don't tell me what happens.

April 1, 2014 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Ballot Initiative Would Split California into Fractals

It’s a surreal response to a surreal proposal: How many different ways can California be divided?

April 1, 2014 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Don Draper

Ray LaHood to Guest Star on Final Season of Mad Men

The former Secretary of Transportation will join the popular AMC show Mad Men to play a moderate Republican who works across the aisle to deliver badly needed improvements to the nation’s transportation infrastructure.

April 1, 2014 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Hollywood

Study: Hollywood Endings Most Likely in Los Angeles

A new study sheds light on why it seems that the sun shines 366.25 days a year in Los Angeles but falls short of solving one of life's great mysteries.

April 1, 2014 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Study Examines the Evolution of the New York Minute

A new study examines the widely reported effect of the “New York Minute,” claiming that the new multi-modal nature of New York City’s streets has harkened the obsolescence of previously stated definitions of the non-standard measure of time.

April 1, 2014 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Not in my back yard

NIMBY Added to the Oxford English Dictionary

The definitive dictionary of the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary, will add the term NIMBY to its latest edition, citing the widespread use and worldwide political relevance of the term as reasons for its inclusion.

April 1, 2014 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Transportation Secretary on Spending Binge Before Leaving Office

Bus rapid transit projects, separated bike lanes and a collection of streetcar systems are being unexpectedly funded by outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who's relishing his final days in office with an unprecedented spending spree.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Broken Traffic Light

IBM Toughs Destroy Cleveland's Traffic Lights After City Pirates Smart City Technology

The tech giant discovered an illegally obtained version of its smart city application running in the beleaguered Ohio city, optimizing traffic signals. IBM's Enforcement Division responded immediately.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Crumbled Skyscrapers Found Floating in Chinese River

Just days after the carcasses of thousands of dead pigs were found floating down two different rivers in China, residents along the banks of the Pearl River are reporting huge chunks of crumbled skyscrapers floating downstream.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Traffic Jam in Bangkok

New Study Finds Asthmatic Children Cause Inner City Traffic Congestion

In the face of countless scientific studies showing that areas with large amounts of car congestion can lead to higher rates of asthma in children, a new study finds the correlation to be flipped: asthmatic kids are creating congestion in cities.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Hoping to Lure Natural Gas Industry Money, Pennsylvania Town Creates 'Fracking Zones'

Officials in the small town of Plainton, Pennsylvania are hoping that a new zoning designation and loosened permitting rules will convince energy companies to come search beneath their town for the new black gold: natural gas.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

SimCity Imposes Congestion Pricing

Game developer Electronics Arts has implemented congestion pricing for playing the newly-released version of its popular city-building game SimCity.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Urban Issues Prioritized as Politicians' Children Come Out as City-Dwellers

In a week when the children of three separate members of congress revealed publicly that they are living in cities, lawmakers are shifting their ideologies about where federal resources should go and how to effectively target new policies.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

APA Launches New Citizen Certification Program

Following the success of it's professional certification program called American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the American Planning Association (APA) has announced a certification program for selected citizens as well.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Pope Bus

Transit-Riding Pope Mothballs Popemobile, Opts for Pope Bus

Eschewing the opulence and excess of more recent pontiffs, the newly elected Pope Francis has decided to decommission the bullet-proof single-passenger Popemobile in favor of a Pope Bus.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Florida Concedes to Kotkin: 'You Were Right'

In a stunning turnaround, longtime advocate of the importance of urban economies Richard Florida has reversed his stance on the suburbs, finding them as economically essential and appealing as urban theorist Joel Kotkin always said they were.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Kotkin Concedes to Florida: 'You Were Right'

In a stunning turnaround, longtime sprawl apologist Joel Kotkin has reversed his stance on Richard Florida's "Creative Class" theory, finding it to be a true example of the way clusters of creative people can synergize and catalyze a vibrant economy.

April 1, 2013 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Romney Addresses Mayor’s Conference, Praises Building Heights

“I love being in cities,” said GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, at a recent Conference of Mayors gathering in Miami. “All of your buildings are just the right height.”

April 1, 2012 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

Desperate Dems Invite Japanese Station Master Cat to Lobby for Transportation Bill

Committee Member, Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) said she was encouraged by reports that Tama's popularity back home in Japan has generated an economic impact estimated at ¥1.1 billion for the area surrounding Kishi Train Station.

April 1, 2012 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

California Redevelopment Officials Suffering Redevelopment Withdrawal

Since the dissolution of California's redevelopment agencies earlier this year, at least 20 former redevelopment officials have been admitted to a special facility to treat their "redevelopment withdrawal."

April 1, 2012 - Planetizen April 1st Edition

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