Humor
Godzilla Named Tokyo Planning Director, Announces Broad Urban Renewal Plan
Legendary gigantic lizard monster Godzilla has been named planning director for the city of Tokyo. Shortly after his appointment, Mr. Zilla revealed his urban renewal program by smashing through buildings and stomping across entire city blocks.
Resident Demands 'Everything in My Back Yard'
The public comment period at a recent planning commission meeting in Wheaton, Illinois was commandeered by resident Joann Davies, who aggressively demanded that a variety of land uses be approved in her neighborhood.
Friday Funny: Historic, or Just Plain Lewd?
Hoare Road, East Breast, and North Piddle are actual place names that get a chuckle out of most people. But when it comes to the more "aesthetically unsuitable" names, feelings are divided.
Friday Funny: Traffic Engineers Accommodate Cell Phone Users
In a new twist of "managed lanes", this comic looks at ways to accommodate cell phone users so as not to affect those not using their cells.
One Woman's Confession: "I Hate Suburbia"
Turning the page back to 1965, a woman confesses in Ladys Circle Magazine that she hates the suburbs. 'It isn't just monotony; it's stagnation!', she exclaims.
Miami's Highway Shoe Mystery Remains Unsolved
Was it a walkability protest, political demonstration, or just an accident? Regardless, the thousands of used shoes that covered Miami's Palmetto Expressway last week, delaying traffic for hours, are now on their way to Haiti.
Friday Funny: Living with Parents as a Housing Strategy
The Onion reports on an "area man" whose decision to live in his parents' basement looks like a wise move.
What's In A Name Anyway?
A lot, according to columnist Linda Robertson who makes the case for renaming the nation's most prized stadia. After all, she argues, many of them bear the name of the economy's most troubled corporations bailed out by Terry taxpayer.
The Future Isn't What It Used To Be
P.J. O'Rourke tours Walt Disney's 'Innoventions Dream Home', and concludes that we've descended into a deeply unimaginative period in history. The dream home is the successor to 1957's House of the Future, built entirely of plastic.
City Tackles Coyotes
Austin officials are wrestling with how to confront coyotes encroaching on suburban and urban neighborhoods.
Friday Funny: Mistranslation Ends Up on Road Sign
In Swansea, U.K., planners requested a translation via email of a road sign into Welsh. What they got back was not quite what they expected.
Spooky Friday: Top 10 Scary Places
The Bermuda Triangle tops this list of spooky places, but the compendium also includes the Pirate House of Savannah and Colorado's Stanley Hotel, the inspiration for The Shining.
Friday Funny: Cat Key to Town's Economic Development
A stray cat born and raised at a Japanese train station has been named its official stationmaster -- and become a tourist attraction that's successfully boosted the local economy by more than $10 million.
The Humble Beginnings of Mega Chain Stores
Where did today's biggest chain stores got their start? Roger Wade offers background and photos from fifteen mega-chains original locations, from from WalMart to Taco Bell.
Five Funny Planning YouTube Videos
As the summer winds down, here are a list of the five funniest urban planning videos I've found on YouTube over the years, covering news for Planetizen.
Friday Funny: Masking the Smells of Public Transit
Stinky trains may become a thing of the past in Berlin, where officials are sniff-testing new fragrances to mask the odors of public transit.
Friday Funny: Mayor Urges Ugly Women to Move to Town
Facing what he sees as an extreme gender imbalance, the mayor of an Australian town has urged ugly women to move into town, assuring them they'll be able to find a man.
Yellowstone National Park, 2011
This editorial cartoon from Mother Jones offers a look at a possible future for Yellowstone National Park.
Small Town Apocalyptic Values
Josh Stephens reviews James Howard Kunstler's novel of post-peak oil existence, World Made By Hand.
Friday Funny: 'He's a Real Transit Freak'
A young Florida man apparently infatuated with public transit has managed -- on multiple occasions -- to steal buses and drive their routes picking up passengers.
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.
Ascent Environmental
Borough of Carlisle
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
