Widespread tree planting in China has slowed the rate at which the earth's forested area is dwindling, but the clearing of tropical forests, much of it in areas never previously cut, continues to grow, according to a new United Nations report. View full entry
"Officials in California worry about the collapse of aging levees in the delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, which might allow surging seawater to contaminate much of the state's drinking water supply." As American infrastructure continues to decay nationwide, future catastrophes... View full entry
If the Swedish retailer has its way, you too will live in a BoKlok home and sleep in a Leksvik bed under a Brunskära quilt. (Beds are named for Norwegian cities; bedding after flowers and plants. One disaster: a child's bed called Gutvik, which sounds like "good f***" in German.)... View full entry
... is a city of roughly 15,000 where historically Comanche Native Americans and white settlers have spilled blood over sacred land now carelessly boarded up and abandoned. Hence, after the Comanche's defeat it was named, literally, "White Settlement." But even though most of the local economy... View full entry
On Mon 11/14, the National Building Museum in DC will be hosting the first in a series of panels on the challenges of rebuilding hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. more The session will focus on the current state of New Orleans and what needs to be done to preserve, restore, and, where necessary... View full entry
"urban streetscape." "a traveling gallery of badly transgressive public art." formal tradition in the makes? "Jungian archetype"? Urban Beasts of some sort... strapped to a Chevy grill [NYT]. Thanks Kaz. View full entry
SFSU is hosting an all-day conference this coming Tuesday November 15th to discuss post-Katrina "Rebuilding on a new foundation of justice". The event will feature New Orleans music + Cajun foods. Curtis Muhammed and Malik Rahim will be the keynote speakers. Check out the Flyer (PDF) View full entry
Just last year, a bloated Maradona disappeared not only from the limelight but nearly from life, as he battled against drug addiction. But a few months ago, he returned very much alive, slimmer and more intelligible. This remarkable turnaround began in 2004, when he went to a rehabilitation... View full entry
Architecture for Humanity has a major initiative to help bring families home for the holidays in East Biloxi and surrounding areas in Mississippi. We are looking for a small team of architects to do on the ground assessments. Additionally we are looking for a structural engineer to give advice on... View full entry
"With GeoDrawing, a GPS-based mobile drawing game, """""teams go into the city where they compete on who (geo)draws the most beautiful Figure 8 by walking with a GPS and a mobile phone."""""" Via eyebeam, which was via turbulence, which was via paste&vinager, which was via the Locomotive... View full entry
Why is Britain lagging behind neighboring EU nations in integrating new energy alternatives for the future? BBC View full entry
'A mammoth installation comprising 14,000 white polyethylene boxes has gone on display at Tate Modern gallery.'BBC View full entry
'A monumental steel sculpture by the American artist David Smith became the most expensive work of contemporary art ever sold at auction last night when Larry Gagosian, the Manhattan dealer, fought off five aggressive bidders and paid $23.8 million at Sotheby's.'NYT / BBCyesterday's post war... View full entry
They are two trophy buildings in Manhattan, familiar if not instantly nameable by anyone who knows the city: 230 Park Avenue, the gold-crowned, 34-story tower that sits astride the avenue between 45th and 46th Streets, and the Essex House, one of the grand Art Deco hotels on Central Park South... View full entry
Here is Judge Alito's senior thesis on the Italian Constitutional Court. Sentencing Law & Policy has this post on "New insights on Alito and the post-Booker world." On a lighter note, Underneath Their Robes has this post on recent sightings of Judge Alito. Crescent Scentia has a series of... View full entry