 |
exhalations |
|
|
exhalations |
|
RSS Site Feed
Currently Reading
Recently Read
Music
Artists
Archives
|
Friday, March 27, 2009
Walking school bus article in NYT
They call the walking school bus the piedibus (literally foot-bus in Italian) according to the NY Times article Students Give Up Wheels for Their Own Two Feed. To encourage use, children receive fare cards that are punched each day. The bus routes have distinctive names (the one through the graveyard is the mortobus), and compete for prizes like pizza parties for the students. Teachers have students write poems about the piedibus. Labels: SRTS, walking school bus (0) comments Wednesday, March 25, 2009
(0) comments Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Blind Pilot
Not many groups tour the country by bicycle. That's what Blind Pilot did. Blind Pilot released its album with no label support, but the duo has already won widespread national attention and made its late-night network TV debut. Still, a do-it-yourself spirit persists: Members Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski have done most of their touring by bicycle.Their SXSW concert is available on the NPR site. Update: A documentary of their bike tour is being put together and here's a clip: Labels: bicycle tour, blind pilot (0) comments Monday, March 23, 2009
Lance breaks collarbone
According to Biking Bis, Lance's return to pro racing was derailed today when he crashed during Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Castilla y León bike race and broke his collarbone. Labels: lance (0) comments Friday, March 13, 2009
How to write like an architect
I found this short film entitled How to write like an architect fascinating. I see that the Ames lettering guide used in the film is on sale for $0.85. (0) comments Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How do we fix suburbia?
Most residential developments in the U.S. today contain only houses or apartments. These developments are regulated by zoning ordinances that restrict other uses such as commercial or retail development within residential zones. In cities where all uses were co-located, goods and services are located near where people live. In suburbia that's generally not the case. As a result, people get in their cars are drive to the reach these stores, doctor's offices, schools, and just about everything else. New Urbanism is an attempt to return developments with many different kinds of uses mixed together, within easy walking distance. Suburban Infill is one aspect of New Urbanism, a way of enlivening spread out suburban sprawl by adding new, more dense uses within the existing residential development. One way to begin would be to change our zoning ordinances to allow some small-scale retail uses within suburban areas. There could be a new industry that could consist of a combined coffee shop/convenience store/community space located within existing developments. How many homes are needed to support the concept? Are people ready to reduce their driving and consider walking or biking to local shops? Or would they merely fight any change as a threat to their existing lifestyle? Solving the Suburban Zoning Crisis provides a good summary of how our current zoning developed and how New Urbanism is one way into the future. (0) comments Monday, March 09, 2009
Paris trip
 I've finally finished writing up notes and organizing photos from a recent trip to Paris. I visited many museums and rode the wonderful Vélib' bikes during a week in February. While it was cold, there was little rain and there were several mild days. It was very easy and inexpensive to get around Paris by bike. See notes on the final day about purchasing a short-term subscription and which credit card to use.(0) comments Sunday, March 01, 2009
Leipheimer injured in Tour of California
Unknown to many people at the time, Levi Leipheimer suffered a fractured sacrum, a large bone at the base of the spine, in a crash during the Tour of California: The Astana Cycling team announced Saturday that Levi Leipheimer suffered an undisplaced fracture of the sacrum in a crash during the third stage of the Amgen Tour of California. (0) comments |