Monday, August 24, 2009

Fees to live...

(Photo by Jan Tik from wikipedia)
One of my favourite blog writers and an futurist (or theorist?), Geoff Manaugh, posted an interesting article about fees for public services on his famous blog, BLDGBLOG. I, as an environmentalist, have been supportive for increase of fees related to automobile ownerships, such as parking fees and taxation for gasoline and cars, to finance the urban re-planning to make cities more affordable and livable. However, his point of view is pretty interesting and made me think the different perspective of this "fee system" we have in our society.

"This would seem to cut to some of the most basic questions of what services constitute a city in the first place: what a government might provide and how it is that we will pay for what it offers." - Geoff Manaugh

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Put your hips on a hip bike!

Oh bikes are new accessory for women (and men).
It tells how fashion can change the world.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

NY, again.


(Bronx's Grand Concourse from Inhabitat)
Seriously, where has the label of sustainable SF gone? NY is on the cutting edge of sustainable and livable city making these days. Followed by pedestrian heaven in Times Square, now it is in Bronx. So grand and fantastic project that could eventually be American (eco)Shanzelize. The only concern is, where all materials and money come from...sustainable design can be unsustainable if you keep extracting materials from the ground, in other words, destroying our mother earth.

the (worst) future

Did human forget how to live?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

book to book: The Reader

I love love love this book. Yes, I picked this book influenced by the movie with Kate Winslet who is, I think, one of the most fierce and beautiful actresses. (On top of her beauty with German accent English) The story was beautiful and the theme was really interesting. It is always the case that the original book is better and deeper, so "why not" I thought. Oh my, once I took the copy of the book from the bookshelf, I was drawn into the world of Bernhard Schlink . The story itself is well constructed and strong enough to catch you, but also he can colour the story so bright. And, of course, the book was much better than the movie. I still recommend people to watch the movie and to read the book both though. Feel a little different impressions you will receive from the movie and the book, but the common thing is that both are amazingly shot and written.