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Green Streets Are 'Naked' Streets
By Philip Booth, Resurgence
When thinking of 'traffic control' one typically envisions road signs, barricades, speed bumps, and one-ways, all primarily directed at cars. But some European cities and towns are finding that when it comes to car, bike, and pedestrian traffic, less is often more. In an approach sometimes called 'naked' streets, these cities are removing directional signs, lines, and lights and integrating all types of traffic, and finding that their streets are safer and less congested. Behavioral psychologists explain that by removing distracting signage, drivers begin to focus on a more important element of the road: humans. -- Elizabeth Oliver
http://www.resurgence.org/selection/booth0306.htm

Street Use
By Kevin Kelly, kk.org
Street Use is a blog-homage to clever amateur designers edited by Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired. The site displays an array of materials being used for purposes other than intended. Posts range from the very simple shovel-turned-frying pan and a toy dump truck made from sticks, to the more complex fan-and-copper-piping air conditioner and fryer basket antenna. Taken together, they're an inspiration to resourceful do-it-yourself types. -- Suzanne Lindgren
http://www.kk.org/streetuse/

Pleasure Politics Surround Sex-Skill Courses
By Malena Amusa, Women's e-News
Thanks to classes offering instruction in striptease, lap-dancing, and oral sex, many metropolitan women are discovering a new sexual confidence. However, says Malena Amusa, these pleasure-giving courses end up 'focusing women on the provision of a service rather than a mutually pleasurable relationship.' Women of all ages and backgrounds worry about being unskilled at sex, and while many laud them for breaking through taboos to increase their sexual knowledge, others can't help but point out the lack of men seeking similar classes for pleasing women. -- Rachel Anderson
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2825

It Was a Very False Year: The 2005 Falsies Awards
By Diane Farsetta, PR Watch
It's kind of like the Olympics of Spin: The second annual Center for Media and Democracy Falsies Awards have passed out their medals for the worst three offenders of journalistic integrity. Taking home the gold is the video news release industry. The brainchild of public relations firms, these 'advertisements' are disguised enough in their sheep's clothing to end up on local news stations nationwide. The Bush administration's 'Not Counting the Dead' and the US military's 'Spinning Wars and PsyOps' win silver and bronze, respectively. Also check out lay-skeptics' picks for last year's finest spin artists in the Readers' Choice Falsies, and, for a boost of optimism, read about the work of the counter-spin agents in the 'Win Against Spin' category. -- Rachel Anderson
http://www.prwatch.org/node/4335

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