Category Archives: psychology

Living amid an “Ecology of Fear”

I recently read Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster by the late Mike Davis. It is an intriguing book that switches from whimsical to dark and foreboding at the turn of a page. In fact, the … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Africa, Animals, archaeology, art, Asia, book reviews, books, branding, business, Canada, Cars, cities, civics, Civil Rights, civility, climate, climate change, commerce, Communications, culture, demographics, density, diversity, economic development, economics, ecosystems, education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, environment, film, fun, futurism, geography, Geology, government, Guns, Handguns, health, highways, hiking, historic preservation, history, homelessness, Housing, human rights, humanity, immigration, inclusiveness, India, industry, infrastructure, injustice, land use, Latin America, literature, marketing, money, movies, music, natural history, nature, opinion, planning, politics, pollution, poverty, psychology, racism, reading, Religion, revitalization, schools, Science, Science fiction, Sexism, Small business, social equity, Social media, spatial design, Statistics, sustainability, technology, Television, theaters, topography, tourism, Trade, traffic, transportation, Travel, unemployment, urban design, urban planning, visual pollution, weather, Wilderness, Wildlife, Women, writing, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Celebrity bridges of the United States in pop culture

The following images and information identify 12 of the most well-known and recognizable “celebrity” bridges in the United States . These impressive structures have starred in a variety of pop culture media, including movies, documentaries, television and radio shows, books, … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, advertising, archaeology, architecture, art, bicycling, books, branding, bridges, business, Cars, cartoons, cities, civics, commerce, Communications, culture, economic development, engineering, entertainment, film, fitness, fun, geography, highways, hiking, historic preservation, history, infrastructure, land use, movies, music, pictures, place names, placemaking, planning, product design, psychology, recreation, scenic byways, Science fiction, skylines, songs, spatial design, Statistics, technology, Television, topography, tourism, Trade, traffic, trails, transit, transportation, Travel, urban design, urban planning, video, walking, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The world’s most resilient city is… Hiroshima

… a remarkable place that has not only turned its seemingly desperate circumstances completely around in the past 75 years, but its entire focus and purpose as a member of the world community. The timeline expressed above probably gives away … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, Asia, branding, cities, civics, commerce, culture, economic development, economic gardening, environment, geography, government, health, Health care, historic preservation, history, humanity, infrastructure, land use, Maps, military, new urbanism, peace, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, psychology, revitalization, Science, spatial design, Statistics, sustainability, topography, tourism, traffic, transportation, Travel, urban planning | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ten Best and Worst City/Town Slogans

Here’s a fun list of the ten (10) best and ten (10) worst city or town slogans from across the United States. If you think there are better or worse ones, please send them along and we will judge them … Continue reading

Posted in branding, business, cities, civics, Communications, fun, history, marketing, place names, placemaking, psychology, Social media, tourism, Travel, Welcome | Tagged | 1 Comment

Who will be today’s counterculture heroes?

We live in a very tumultuous world. Both similar to and different from the dangers faced by the Beat Generation at the dawn of the Cold War or by the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements of the 1960s. Activists of … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, ageism, art, books, civics, civility, Communications, culture, diversity, education, globalization, history, human rights, humanity, inclusiveness, internet, literature, Love, military, music, peace, politics, poverty, psychology, racism, Religion, Sexism, social equity, Social media, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Small, Gritty, and Green” just misses the mark

While quite an interesting read, the book Small, Gritty, and Green: The Promise of America’s Smaller Industrial Cities in a Low-Carbon World, by Catherine Tumber raised only a few new ideas to this urban planner. Perhaps that was because it … Continue reading

Posted in adaptive reuse, Alternative energy, art, book reviews, books, branding, cities, civics, climate change, colleges, commerce, culture, diversity, downtown, economic development, economic gardening, Economy, education, energy, entrepreneurship, environment, Food, geography, globalization, government, health, historic preservation, history, Housing, inclusiveness, infrastructure, Labor, land use, literature, marketing, new urbanism, North America, placemaking, planning, politics, pollution, poverty, psychology, recreation, Renewable Energy, revitalization, schools, Science, Small business, spatial design, sprawl, States, Statistics, sustainability, technology, third places, tourism, Trade, transit, transportation, Travel, unemployment, urban planning, weather, writing, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Urban planning and the ten principles of yoga

My wife and I started practicing flow yoga about 10 months ago. We have found yoga to be very rewarding towards our physical, mental, and spiritual health in our daily lives. As an urban planner, I believe the ten principles … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, architecture, cities, civics, civility, Communications, culture, diversity, environment, fitness, health, history, humanity, land use, minimalism, nature, new urbanism, peace, planning, psychology, revitalization, spatial design, sustainability, third places, urban planning, zoning | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Why not a midwinter Smart Commute?

I cannot think of a better way to demonstrate the powerful benefits of Smart Commute, than to highlight its potential during the winter months as well as during fair weather. Most, if not all Smart Commute events seem to be … Continue reading

Posted in Active transportation, advertising, Advocacy, bicycling, bike sharing, Biking, branding, Bus transportation, Cars, cities, civics, commerce, culture, environment, fitness, fun, geography, health, Health care, hiking, humanity, infrastructure, logistics, new urbanism, Passenger rail, planning, pollution, psychology, rail, recreation, seasons, spatial design, sustainability, trails, transit, transportation, urban planning, volunteerism, walking, weather, writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A serious downer of a movie

I will preface this post with the fact that I do not like Woody Allen at all.  That being said, based on the accolades that Cate Blanchett has been receiving for her acting in his latest film at the various … Continue reading

Posted in art, civility, Communications, entertainment, film, humanity, movies, music, pictures, psychology, theaters, video, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Which city is best for you?

Just a little lighthearted Saturday fun today. Below is a link to a fun city compatibility test on Buzzfeed that identifies what city would be most compatible with you lifestyle and beliefs. My answer was Portland, Oregon. Enjoy! What City Should … Continue reading

Posted in cities, Communications, Cuisine, culture, entertainment, fitness, Food, fun, geography, globalization, health, hiking, humanity, music, placemaking, psychology, Social media, sports, tourism, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments