News & commentary on sustainability, activism, urban planning, politics, and our world.
We’ve written on China’s world-record-setting high-speed trains in the past, but I recently ran across these videos and thought they were worth a share. The first one walks you through a ride on one of the country’s bullet trains. Here’s a quote from the YouTube page: Why fly when you can travel the 1000km between [...]
Almost 50 years ago, streetcars in Washington, D.C. stopped running and most of their tracks were removed. Now they’re back and ready for a revival, with parts of the first two lines slated to open next spring. In this post, we talk to Dan Tangherlini, the former DDOT director under Mayor Anthony Williams, who committed to building one of [...]
The cover of the Seattle based magazine, The Stranger, is especially excellent this week. The illustration was created by Dan Savage and Aaron Huffman. Its map’s cross hairs mark different assassinations and acts of gun violence in the United States; the graphic includes everyone from Gabrielle Giffords to George Tiller. Printed faintly in grey on [...]
The state of Arizona has some of the most permissive weapons laws in our nation. There are no background checks to buy guns, and permits are not required to carry any concealed weapon. Concealed weapons are also allowed in bars and places where alcohol is sold. The state even allows the sale of ammunition and [...]
This week, the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives adopted a new set of rules for the way the House runs – rules which threaten to undermine funding for our nation’s critical infrastructure needs. Under these rules, the new Republican majority will enact a draconian budget without a single hearing, without any input [...]
