Brent Toderian

Smart cities know that, as hot as they already are, they’re just going to keep getting hotter. Greening the city not only cools it down, it cleans the air, quiets the noise, improves mental health & happiness, saves public money, & more. Strand Aldwych, London. 2021 vs. 2025. Via @modacitylife.com

Colourful and HEAVY bollards shaped like sheep in central Christchurch, NZ

Remember these? Still probably my favourite bollards/barriers I’ve seen anywhere in the world. They aren’t just cute and fun (and extra seating) — they’re REALLY heavy. Cars should NOT try messing with these sheep! I took this pic while working for Christchurch NZ years ago. #CityOfSmiles

Smart, successful public policy of any kind is apparently “liberal overreach” now in a lot of the United States.

A race to failure for these places, and a real competitive advantage for those places that remain rational and don’t deliberately shoot themselves in the foot.

Video: The Urban Design of Sesame Street In the 1960s, the children’s television show Sesame Street was being conceived at the same time that the urban design book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs was exploding in...

“In the 1960s, the children’s television show Sesame Street was being conceived at the same time that the urban design book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs was exploding in popularity.“

The [pretty damn good] Urban Design of Sesame Street, in the @nytimes.com

Hi, former Foreign Service Officer here

The Secretary of State might be interested to learn that visa requirements and terms are generally reciprocal. We do it to them, they do it to us.

Smart cities know that, as hot as they already are, they’re just going to keep getting hotter. Greening the city not only cools it down, it cleans the air, quiets the noise, improves mental health & happiness, saves public money, & more. Strand Aldwych, London. 2021 vs. 2025. Via @modacitylife.com

Graphic: Manager Community Plans & Policy, City of Coquitlam, BC, Canada

Awesome city planning job alert! MANAGER, COMMUNITY PLANS & POLICY. One week to go to apply. Join my great team — I’m looking for a smart, creative, strategic leader to help shape the city. A very important role in a dynamic, transforming B.C. city! #Coquitlam www.coquitlam.ca/414/Career-O...

Sharing this again with all of you, as I did with another reporter today asking for my thoughts on electric vehicles.

New non-profit law firm in DC aims to challenge Trump’s executive power | CNN Politics A group of well-known Washington lawyers is opening a law firm focused on challenging President Donald Trump’s executive orders and agency actions as he strives to dramatically reshape the federal gov...

A group of well-known Washington lawyers is opening a law firm focused on challenging President Donald Trump’s executive orders and agency actions as he strives to dramatically reshape the federal government during his second term.

Exclusive | Staten Island Democrats embrace Zohran Mamdani, turn on Andrew Cuomo: ‘Voters have spoken’ Staten Island Democratic officials in the city’s most conservative borough are jumping on the Zohran Mamdani for mayor bandwagon in what critics are calling the political equivalent of a &#82…

“While Zohran builds real support across all five boroughs, Cuomo’s campaign is withering as New Yorkers learn he stands for absolutely nothing but his own ambition, dogged by scandal, corruption, and a record of sexual harassment and humiliation,” @DoraPekec said. nypost.com/2025/08/03/u...

I don't say this lightly: The New York Times should fire the reporter and editor who chose to present a leak from the white house as if it was a leak from Harvard.

Don't print lies in the newspaper

Sharing this again with all of you, as I did with another reporter today asking for my thoughts on electric vehicles.

CNBC Lora Kolodny article: Tesla must pay portion of $329 million in damages after fatal Autopilot crash, jury says Key Points A jury in Florida determined that Tesla should be held partly liable for a fatal 2019 Autopilot crash. The company must pay a portion of $329 million in damages to victims and a survivor, including compensatory and punitive damages. Tesla had argued that the driver’s behavior was to blame for the fatal crash, while plaintiffs claimed Tesla’s Autopilot technology was flawed and deceptively marketed.

Elon tweet: "Teslas can drive themselves!"

Two days ago: Tesla has to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for deceptively marketing Autopilot in a way that falsely made people think it could drive the car by itself.

Today: Elon Musk "Teslas can drive themselves!"

I’ve come to believe that those elected officials who say “cities should be run like a business” are often the most ideological and uninterested in using data at all any urban planning decision making

Anytime you see “Save [insert place name],” you can be 99% sure that the supposed danger is either rental housing or sustainable transportation.

In the case of “Save Glenoaks,” it’s both!

saveglenoaks.com

If you, regular person, did anything like this after a fatal car accident, you would be prosecuted for a variety of crimes, including insurance fraud.

If you then repeatedly lied to the courts about it, like Tesla did, you'd get prosecuted for that too, plus stiff monetary sanctions.

The winners and losers in the never-ending competition between cities will increasingly be determined by whether decision-making is based on real evidence, or based on evidence-free ideology.

Hundreds of books pulled from Florida school libraries — including novels by Kurt Vonnegut, John Green and Toni Morrison A 35-page list outlines the hundreds of books removed from library shelves in Florida's 73 school districts.

Been going on a while

www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/flo...

This is awful. And could so easily be a story about Trump’s United States now.

Smart, successful public policy of any kind is apparently “liberal overreach” now in a lot of the United States.

A race to failure for these places, and a real competitive advantage for those places that remain rational and don’t deliberately shoot themselves in the foot.

'Something beyond normal': Local candidates in Arizona embrace Trump playbook While local governments had largely been spared from partisan politics, MAGA-inspired City Council members are changing the norm in the Phoenix area.

I'm glad to see this issue get some press. One thing noted in this story is Scottsdale cancelled their sustainability plan, as reducing land fill waste and minimizing water use were viewed as liberal overreach that infringes on people's lifestyles. There is partisan way to take out the trash now.

New version of the same graphic showing how gerrymandering is unrepresentative and cheating.

Gerrymandering isn’t “free and fair elections,” any more than voter suppression is.

It’s cheating. It’s stealing elections.

“It’s when the politicians choose the voters instead of voters choosing the politicians.”

Call it out.

(new version of the graphic)

What’s happening in Texas isn’t democracy.
It’s straight up fascism in a flag.

They’re trying to jail lawmakers and rig the maps.
This is how democracy dies unless we fight back. Polite outrage won’t save us.

#MessWithTexas

Trump is going to fire the people who put bar codes and price tags on groceries

This is good, watch the video if you haven’t already. And wait for the cameo from years back by shady developer “Ronald Grump” played by Joe Pesci. #SesameStreet

Video: The Urban Design of Sesame Street In the 1960s, the children’s television show Sesame Street was being conceived at the same time that the urban design book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs was exploding in...

“In the 1960s, the children’s television show Sesame Street was being conceived at the same time that the urban design book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs was exploding in popularity.“

The [pretty damn good] Urban Design of Sesame Street, in the @nytimes.com

New York becomes first state to commit to all-electric new buildings The state finalized rules ensuring most new edifices will install electric heat pumps and stoves instead of gas appliances, lowering costs and improving…

“New York becomes the first state to commit to all-electric new buildings. The state finalized rules ensuring most new edifices will install electric heat pumps and stoves instead of gas appliances, lowering costs and improving air quality.”

Good move.

Via @grist.org

Netanyahu gov. moves to fire attorney general prosecuting him for corruption Netanyahu is standing trial, and his aides are under investigation.

BREAKING: Netanyahu's government unanimously votes to fire the attorney general who is prosecuting him for corruption

The looming Trumpcession Orange man bad (for the economy).

“The president usually has limited control over the economy, with downturns being caused by events beyond their control. In this case, however, Trump’s policies are directly responsible for job losses, rising prices, wavering confidence, and a speedrun toward what looks like stagflation.”

Horrible decision. Will result in less ridership, lower revenues, more driving and worse vehicle congestion (with all the corresponding costs and consequences). Either they don’t understand that, or they’re ok with all that.