Category Archives: civics

Ten favorite and least favorite state capital cities

Provided below are lists of favorite and least favorite state capital cities across the country. These are based on impressions obtained from visiting and in some cases, living in those cities (Indianapolis, Columbus, and Lansing). The list is not based … Continue reading

Posted in architecture, art, branding, business, cities, civics, civility, colleges, commerce, culture, demographics, diversity, downtown, economic development, Economy, education, entertainment, geography, government, health, historic preservation, history, Housing, humanity, inclusiveness, industry, infrastructure, land use, marketing, mountains, natural history, new urbanism, place names, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, racism, recreation, revitalization, rivers/watersheds, schools, skylines, social equity, spatial design, sprawl, States, sustainability, third places, topography, toponymy, tourism, Trade, traffic, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, visual pollution | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ten dreamy planning lessons from cruising Michigan’s Woodward Corridor

The following are ten planning lessons from the quartet of amazing Detroit area suburban cities situated along the famous Woodward Corridor, home of the annual Dream Cruise each August. Those four Southeast Michigan cities are Birmingham, Ferndale, Pontiac, and Royal … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, advertising, Alternative transportation, architecture, art, bicycling, Biking, branding, Bus transportation, business, Cars, cities, civics, commerce, Cuisine, culture, density, diversity, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, engineering, entertainment, fun, geography, government, health, highways, historic preservation, history, Housing, inclusiveness, infrastructure, land use, landscape architecture, Maps, marketing, new urbanism, parking, Passenger rail, pictures, placemaking, planning, rail, recreation, revitalization, skylines, social equity, Statistics, theaters, third places, tourism, traffic, transit, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, walking, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twelve planning lessons from the Interstate Highway System

The following are 12 planning lessons learned from America’s Interstate Highway System. Just as the network continues to expand with the addition of new routes such as I-11 in Nevada and Arizona, I-14 in Texas, I-42 and I-87 in North … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, adaptive reuse, Advocacy, Alternative transportation, bicycling, Biking, business, Cars, Cities, civics, Civil Rights, commerce, culture, downtown, economic development, ecosystems, engineering, Environment, geography, government, health, Highway displacement, highways, history, infrastructure, land use, logistics, Maps, Nature, new urbanism, Passenger rail, pictures, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, product design, racism, Railroads, revitalization, social equity, spatial design, sprawl, Statistics, technology, topography, tourism, Trade, traffic, Transportation, Travel, trucking, Uncategorized, urban design, urban planning, visual pollution, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Best TV, music & movies seen/heard in 2023 May

The following are my favorite television shows, movies, and music seen/heard for the first time in 2023, as ranked through May 22nd. TELEVISION – Comedies Ted Lasso – Season 3 (Apple TV) Reboot (Hulu) That ’90s Show (Netflix) The Ranch … Continue reading

Posted in art, civics, Communications, consumerism, culture, entertainment, film, fun, movies, music, music reviews, pictures, shopping, songs, Television, theaters, video, Women, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Being seen: Furthering pedestrian safety at crossings

When crossing a street or roadway on foot, pedestrians must make sure that drivers are aware of them. Eye contact is especially important. Otherwise, pedestrians risk being added to the sobering pedestrian traffic death statistics in the United States. Even … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, Advocacy, Alternative transportation, bicycling, bike sharing, Biking, Cars, cities, civics, civility, Communications, culture, education, fitness, geography, government, health, Health care, highways, hiking, humanity, infrastructure, land use, Maps, pictures, placemaking, planning, product design, recreation, spatial design, Statistics, technology, tourism, traffic, trails, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, walking | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Twelve planning lessons from Durango, Colorado

There are few cities in this country that can grasp your heart and soul as quickly as Durango, Colorado. From the moment of arrival, the city quickly absorbs you into its charming aura. It may be the snow-capped mountains drenched … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, adaptive reuse, Advocacy, Alternative transportation, Animal rights, Animals, archaeology, architecture, art, bicycling, bike sharing, Biking, branding, business, charities, cities, civics, civility, climate, climate change, colleges, commerce, Cuisine, culture, diversity, downtown, economic development, Economy, ecosystems, education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, environment, fitness, fun, geography, Geology, government, health, hiking, historic preservation, history, homelessness, Housing, humanity, inclusiveness, infrastructure, land use, Maps, marketing, Mining, mountains, Native Americans, natural history, nature, Passenger rail, peace, pictures, place names, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, psychology, rail, Railroads, recreation, revitalization, rivers/watersheds, schools, Science, social equity, spatial design, Stairway networks, Statistics, sustainability, third places, topography, toponymy, tourism, Trade, traffic, trails, transit, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, walking, water conservation, water trails, Wildlife, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Largest one-syllable cities in the United States and Canada

The list below identifies the largest one-syllable cities in the United States, including Puerto Rico, and Canada. A minimum population of 10,000 was required for inclusion on the list. The most common city name found on the list is “Troy” … Continue reading

Posted in branding, Canada, Cities, civics, Communications, culture, fun, geography, history, Language, place names, placemaking, States, Statistics, toponymy, tourism, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ten planning lessons from our national parks

Provided below are ten planning lessons garnered from having the honor and pleasure of visiting countless national parks, monuments, historic sites, battlefields, lakeshores, seashores, trails, and preserves across our nation. The lessons are not necessarily presented in order of importance, … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Alternative energy, Alternative transportation, Animals, archaeology, architecture, art, Astronomy, bicycling, bike sharing, Biking, branding, Bus transportation, Cars, charities, Cities, civics, climate, culture, deserts, diversity, economic development, ecosystems, education, electric vehicles, energy, entertainment, Environment, EVs and hybrids, family, fitness, geography, Geology, government, Green roofs, health, hiking, historic preservation, history, land use, mountains, natural history, Nature, parking, placemaking, planning, politics, recreation, rivers/watersheds, solar, spatial design, sprawl, sustainability, third places, topography, tourism, traffic, transit, Transportation, Travel, Uncategorized, urban planning, walking, water, water conservation, water trails, waterfalls, Wilderness, Wildlife, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A global map of active solar observatories

The map provided below identifies the currently active solar observatories on Earth. While other observatories may include some facets of research related to the Sun, this map identifies those optical and radio observatories whose primary purpose is the study and … Continue reading

Posted in aerospace, Africa, Asia, Astronomy, China, civics, Communications, digital communications, education, engineering, environment, Europe, geography, government, history, humanity, India, infrastructure, land use, Latin America, light pollution, Maps, military, mountains, nature, North America, Oceania, Outer Space, pictures, place names, planning, politics, pollution, Radio, Russia, Science, Skies, solar, South America, space, spatial design, technology, tourism, Transportation, Travel, urban planning, visual pollution, weather | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Forgotten fallout: The victims of the Trinity Site atomic bomb test

Generally, history has identified the residents of Hiroshima, Japan as being the first to die and suffer the horrific consequences of an atomic bomb. There is no doubt they were the first to die and the extent of their suffering … Continue reading

Posted in Animals, archaeology, atomic age, charities, civics, deserts, economics, environment, family, Food, geography, government, health, Health care, history, humanity, injustice, military, Native Americans, pictures, politics, pollution, poverty, racism, Science, States, Statistics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment