Humor

Friday Funny: Mooning Salute to Amtrak

A bet in the town of Laguna Nigel, CA lead to a 30-year tradition of dropping trou and letting it all hang out for passing Amtrak trains.

July 16, 2010 - BBC News

Friday Funny: Slide to Work

This video shows a slide installed on a staircase leading down to a subway station in Berlin, making it quick an easy to catch the train on time.

July 2, 2010 - Chicago Now

Are You a Narrative or Spatial Navigator?

Jarett Walker finds out how many people can recognize north in the subway. The survey is used to explain the distinction between narrative and spatial navigation, which appear to be the two predominant forms of human navigation.

June 24, 2010 - Human Transit

Addressing Our "Addiction To Oil": Have We Heard This Before?

Jon Stewart examines Obama's and his seven predecessors attempts to end this addiction, stated in various ways, showing how popular the term is, yet how ineffectual every president has been.

June 19, 2010 - The Daily Show

Friday Funny: 'Rude and Inconsiderate' Environment

This article from The Onion looks at the Environmental Protection Agency's increasing frustration with a global environment that is not playing its part in environmental protection.

May 14, 2010 - The Onion

The Urban Jungle, Expressed Literally Through Art

Los Angeles developer Barry Shy commissioned a muralist to paint an "urban jungle" in the lobby of his new residential high-rise. He got lions and waterfalls snuggled up against the downtown LA skyline.

May 11, 2010 - Curbed

The Urban Jungle, Expressed Literally Through Art

Los Angeles developer Barry Shy commissioned a muralist to paint an "urban jungle" in the lobby of his new residential high-rise. He got lions and waterfalls snuggled up against the downtown LA skyline.

May 4, 2010 - Curbed

Friday Funny: School's Out, Bar's Open

Revelations that a school cafeteria in Philadelphia is being used as a nightclub on the weekends has outraged locals and parents.

April 2, 2010 - The New York Times

How To Design Your Own Speed Bump - In German

A German homeowner is frustrated with the traffic in his neighborhood, so he designs and installs his own speed bump for his street. While there are no English subtitles, the pictures and sounds illustrate the directions and results all too well.

April 2, 2010 - YouTube

4/1 Funny: "Demographer Today" Magazine Targets Demographers

Audio advertisement from The Onion highlights how the new magazine "Demographer Today" will present data about people for people interested in data about people.

April 1, 2010 - The Onion

Maps, Apps, and Food

Yahoo has released a new iPhone app that allows users to draw a circle on a map around the area he or she wants to search.

March 24, 2010 - The Christian Science Monitor

Friday Funny: Yield to Drunks

In the face of a recent surge in accidents, a small town in Romania has installed new traffic signs warning drivers about drunk pedestrians who may be laying in roadways.

March 12, 2010 - Telegraph

The Inside Story of Sign Design

Slate continues its series on wayfinding with the little-known story of the symbolic conflicts among the U.S., the former Soviet Union and Japan over how to direct people in a time of crisis.

March 10, 2010 - Slate

O.C. Homeowners Sued for Removing Lawn

In Orange, California, city codes require that front yards be 40% landscaping. After considerately adding drought-resistant plants and bark to save water, the city sued an Orange couple.

March 3, 2010 - www.latimes.com

Friday Funny: Brazil Mayor Fights the Funk

Due to its pounding beat and often sexual themes, funk music has been banned from Carnival by the mayor of a small Brazilian town.

February 12, 2010 - Reuters

Friday Funny: Gentrification, Coming to a Neighborhood Near You

A series of mock-advertisements herald the gentrification of Brooklyn.

January 29, 2010 - Flavorpill

The Value Of Public Spaces - Spontaneous Celebration!

In this video, a seemingly spontaneous celebration of Hanukkah erupts in a normally sedate Jerusalem public space as masses of people demonstrate their dancing skills to the initial bewilderment, then delight of onlookers.

December 21, 2009 - YouTube

Friday Funny: Chicken Supports Chicken Ordinance

An unidentified person dressed in a chicken costume came out to a recent city council meeting in Durango, Colorado to support the city's recently-passed backyard hen ordinance.

November 20, 2009 - Durango Herald

Spoooooky Roads

Celebrate Halloween with this slideshow of America's creepiest roads, accompanied by the scary tales that make them part of urban (or rural) legends.

October 31, 2009 - Digital City

Friday Funny: Local Laws Gone Wild

In Huangping, China, schoolchildren are required to salute passing cars in an effort to reduce traffic accidents. This rule is just one of many bizarre local ordinances in China, where the power of local bureaucrats can sometimes get out of hand.

October 30, 2009 - The New York Times

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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.