smart parking in san francisco
San Francisco has outfitted 6,000 parking spots with wireless sensors that determine if a parking space is occupied.
Drivers can access SFPark’s up-to-date information via their cell phone, but to keep everyone safe on the road, the city also plans to install battery-operated street signs that display the number of empty spots available in nearby streets.
Apparently, these 4-inch-by- 4-inch plastic sensors not only determine when vehicles are parked, but also when they depart, and a when a new one replaces it, which has city officials thinking of ways drivers could feed the parking meter without returning to their car.
Don’t Fuck With the Little Guy
- A network administrator has locked up a multimillion dollar computer system for San Francisco that handles sensitive data and is refusing to give police the password, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday.
The employee, 43-year-old Terry Childs, was arrested Sunday. He gave some passwords to police, which did not work, and refused to reveal the real code, the paper reported.
I think this guy saw Live Free or Die Hard. Hope they don’t shoot him in the leg to get the code! See story here.
Urban Adventure
For the past six years I have been fascinated by the idea of ecological footprints. So, in advance of the three URBAN EARTH walks this summer I decided to walk the radius of one city’s ecofootprint.
More (via Russell Davies)
Graffiti Ad Hacking
07032008480, originally uploaded by jennylc.
I’m always impressed by these artists that can come into a station and cut and paste new meanings into ubiquitous ads. Usually I’m just happy to see something like a gum moustache on Britney Spears. This one takes the craft to new heights. An amazing find. Thanks, Jenny.
the google sari
(thanks, Dave)
Destruction Therapy
Castejon, in northern Spain, sponsored an anti-stress session for locals in which they supplied sledgehammers and appliances and let everyone go to town.
city of shadows
Alexey Titarenko uses simple long exposures to create slightly creepy, blurred human masses, using the movements of the inhabitants of St. Petersburg. See his City of Shadows project for more.
Houston
NASCAR Truck Series
Is it possible drivers in Houston are more aggressive than in Dallas?
The Unforeseen — Recommended
Cindy and I saw this documentary at the Angelica in Dallas yesterday. It’s great for those who have an Austin connection–and great for those who don’t. If it’s not showing in your area you might want to add it to your Netflix list.
One of the things I like best about this documentary is the inspiration it offers for those who want to confront the economically powerful. It very clearly makes the point that everything that stimulates the economy is not therefore positive in nature: a train wreck generates the need for clean-up hires and for orders for new train cars to be built. Here you will see the problems that result when short term ambitions collide with trans-generational values. And the film is very well edited: it shows a vast range of desires and the human weaknesses–and courage– that attend the fight to realize them.
Dehydration (Lidos of London)
From the Summer 2008 issue of Polar Inertia: Gigi Cifali’s photographs of drained, abandoned pools, via Pruned.
LMCC Open Studios last Thursday
Here’s an image from the LMCC Swing Space Open Studios last Friday. Francisca Caporali and I were awarded a Swing Space back in March and just finished up our project for the wine and snacks event. Pictured here was our interactive explosions on the windows at 120 Broadway. Viewers were invited to place explosions on the windows in order to make it look like NYC was being destroyed. We also created 3 videos where painted images of destruction were superimposed on video shot in the city. I will have links to those videos one day.
self explanatory
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Booed at Stanley Cup Parade
If you’ve been following the travails of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick for any length of time, you know by now he’s a giant asshole and absolute embarrassment to the city of Detroit — which is an accomplishment in and of itself given the fact Detroit hasn’t ranked in anyone’s top cities list in, like, forever. So it’s anybody’s guess as to (a) why he accepted an invitation to speak at last Friday’s Stanley Cup parade in Detroit, and (b) why he actually showed up. The thug should have sent one of his many bodyguards or stripper-murderers.
Let’s keep in mind that the demographic for the Stanley Cup parade is essentially white suburbanites who like violent contact sports played with swords on players’ feet and that allow players to brandish a composite weapon with which they are encouraged to accost other players. Not exactly Kwame’s hometome posse.
From Peter Shapiro
Al Sharpton rides bike during Critical Mass NYC June 2008. Thanks Peter, for the share.
Cheneyhenge
Best. Gothamist post. Ever. By John Del Signore:
Dick Cheney Visit to Neutralize Tonight’s Manhattanhenge
Manhattanhenge, the visually stunning phenomenon that occurs twice a year when the sun sets in perfect alignment with Manhattan’s street grid, is happening tonight. It’s just too bad that Vice President Dick Cheney has arranged to be in town at the exact moment of the sunset, to speak at the New York Republican State Committee Dinner and simultaneously smother the golden light under his all-encompassing shroud of darkness.
Of course it’s no coincidence that the famously secretive Cheney would time his visit to Manhattan to coincide with Manhattanhenge – he’s long been devoted to ensuring the triumph of darkness over light; as he once told Tim Russert, “We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will.” So don’t be alarmed when tonight’s sunset is suddenly eclipsed by a frigid black miasma – that’s just Cheney taking the podium . . .
The hour approacheth. I’m scared.
Internets Celebrities present Checkmate
The latest video is up! Thank you to Internets Celebrities, CHEA!
A woman watches a short movie.
“A woman watches a short movie about Jack the Ripper at the Museum in Docklands, London,” read the caption accompanying this photo from the Telegraph’s Week in Pictures feature. Quite naturally, I thought of Our India and wondered how she is getting on.
Dos personas en el centro de Sevilla
Andalucian mystery courtesy of Alexander Trevi’s Pruned.
Interchanges in Japan
Gorgeous photos of an interchange in Japan via mefi.
bird
Liberty Avenue, in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
India! Oh, India! How about this?
. . . in the event you find yourself wandering aimlessly about London’s Docklands . . .
take me to the river from pau ros on Vimeo.
Read more
Dear Clusterflock,
In defiance of the shocking exchange rate and all common sense, I am going to visit friends in London and Paris later this month. Both my hostesses have day jobs, so I’ll be at my own disposal much of the time. What should I do, see, or eat while I’m there?
Bonus points for activities that are free, cheap, or involve cake.
palimpsest
Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh. A telephone pole near the university carries traces of signs, stapled over, bleached blank in the weather, half-removed, and punctured by still more rusting staples.