Divergence in Neighbouring Cities – Buffalo

As a resident of Toronto, I am a little bit curious about what is happening in cities bordering Lake Ontario – cities that share a common history, but whose destiny seems to be diverging.  Buffalo has seen an outflow of residents for the past generation and the city is being taken on a different path.   One can learn something vital about different possibilities of community that can exist in our neighbouring cities.  The Daily Dish has a post of some of the directions Buffalo is heading.

Lisa Rochon & Enrique Peñalosa Q & A

Lisa Rochon’s Q & A with Enrique Peñalosa’s following his keynote address, entitled “What Makes A Good City?” at the 2009 IIDEXNeoCon Canada Exposition and Conference and Green Building Festival in September of 2009.

Enrique Peñalosa in Toronto

Enrique Peñalosa’s “What Makes A Good City” at the 2009 IIDEXNeoCon Canada Exposition and Conference and Green Building Festival in September of 2009.

Did Christianity cause the sub-prime crash?

The recent global financial crisis was caused by irresponsible lending practices in the US.  This interesting article by Hanna Rosin in the Atlantic magazine asks whether the type of popular American Christianity, sometimes referred to as the ”prosperity gospel”, was responsible for creating the mindset that allowed the situation to build.

Food in Movies

When we talk about developing a sense of community in the urban setting, one of the keys to this is the element of common meals.  Matt Zoller Seitz has compiled a smorgasbord of feasting in movies.

City not bad and hopeless, but full of potential

Nice to see the message of Citypositive getting out there.

New Art Parks Enliven Urban Centres

Some cities are developing the concept of a park to include art.  Parks are great, but what if they could have this artistic, “built”, dimension to them as well as a natural dimension.  How much more fun would they be?  We could have fountains and wading pools side by side with art installations, or a how about a wading pool that’s also an art installation at the same time.