Homelessness

I thought I'd share this movie about homelessness my brother created and filmed for the Fight On-Take Back the Mic Competition. If you like it, please vote here. Thanks for your help + I enjoy the video!

Contemporary Winery

I caught this winery in the "Daily Dose of Architecture" blog.

Novelty Hill-Januik Winery

It's located just outside Seattle between two railroad tracks and surrounded by industrial buildings (processing), but you wouldn't know that from the photos. I just thought it offered a more contemporary typology compared to the traditional winery.

I found a lot of the comments from Friday very helpful in directing my thoughts. Especially in regards to incorporating the vineyard function more directly into the program of the institution. I think as I explore each entity and how they relate I can look at how they can function together in a dynamic method.

Education Success Story

I've heard of this school before and I came across this story about how it continues to be successful with it's program which completely defies most peoples' expectations of students who attend.

Story Here

Tokyo is a shrinking city as demand for living in the downtown area is increasing for many reasons. People, mostly the senior citizens who will make one-third of the population of Japan in the next fifty years, are moving from suburbs towards the center for being closer to their work.

“Fiber city 2050 focuses on the use of urban fibers to develop an alternative model of metropolis in an era of shrinking cities.” – Ohno Laboratory/University of Tokyo

Not College-Ready

Most New York Students Are Not College-Ready

N.Y. / Region / Published: February 7, 2011

In light of new data, the state may have schools report the graduation rate and the college-ready rate.

The First Bus Rapid Transit System

Curitiba’s BRT: Inspired Bus Rapid Transit Around the World from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Streetfilms.org, Documenting Livable Streets Worldwide, has more videos concerning public space, transit, and more.

Jeepneys

Thought I would add to the colorful bus collection. Begun as a way to recycle U.S. military jeeps left over from WWII, the jeepney has become the most widely used method of public transportation in the Philippines.

"Princess Irene", the jeepney parked in front of my grandparents' home (belongs to a family friend).

MANDA BALA (SEND A BULLET) This is related to the lecture from las Friday

MANDA BALA
During Friday's lecture we saw the boundaries between the rich that have a swiming pools in each condo in Sao Paulo Brasil and the very poor next door. Well this boundary is creating a dangerous condition in which corrupt politicians are taking the money from the people. The poor are marginalize and some gangs in the favelas are kidnapping the rich to get some money back (I do not agree in any way with the violence or kidnapping but I understand the reason behind it). One character said in the documentary "I steal with a gun and politicians steals with a pen". BTW most of these weapons from both sides of the fight come from the U.S. and the 5 countries that are part of the UN War counsel. You can find this documentary on NEXTFLICKS.

GM is the problem!

This is one of the reasons why there are problems in Detroit, as you will see it in this article.

If Bogota did it...... Detroit can do it as well

This is a video by e2 PBS called BOGOTA: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE CITY. It shows how bikes took the city back from the automobile. It is a video which shows in detail what a developing country did to save society. This is what Detroit can do to save her self from chaos.

Decorated buses in Pakistan!

Cycling Friendly Cities-from Europe to Colombia

This is a video made about cycling friendly cities around the world and the benefits that society gets from a place like Bogota, Colombia where crime, traffic, and pollution has been reduce since bicycles took over the city. Disfrutalo (enjoy) ;)

Panamanian Buses

As requested, here's a youtube video Panamian Buses that shows some buses in Panama. Sorry about the music on it, but it does show a decent variety and there's plenty more videos on the Suggestions panel - or you can just google search "Panama buses". Some of the modifications are a question in taste, but it does make public transportation more colorful and fun. Enjoy!

*UPDATE* I found some more videos if you want to see more (with better music)
Slideshow
Live Videos
Night Time Video

I have a lot of family in Panama, and the buses are something I clearly remember even though I was about 11 years old when I was there last. I don't know all the dynamics, but I'm pretty sure all the buses are privately owned and don't operate on any type of mandated schedule - it's more like the bus operators are there to help move the community and get payed directly for their services. It's definitely a cultural attraction and as you can see, there is a sense of pride in their vehicles and there is usually no shortage of passengers. Could this be something to learn from... can artists make public transportation more attractive to people?

Interventionist Practices

More on DIY Urbanism and 'what you can do with the city', in Mimi Zeiger's piece, The Interventionist's Toolkit.

The spirit of Ant Farm is orbiting back towards us, with Chip Lord currently on the lecture circuit. Interventionist spirit is gaining momentum, a current that is tightly followed by aggressive institutionalization -- via publications, via exhibitions in cultural centers, in museums, via curated public events, and inevitably via corporate sponsorship... Discuss.