Kyoto’s famed Kinkakuji was burned to the ground by a young Buddhist acolyte 75 years ago this month, shocking Japanese society and inspiring Yukio Mishima’s novel “The Temple of the Golden Pavilion.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/05/japan/history/kinkakuji-destroyed-okinawa-expo-1925-1950-1975-2000/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #history #hakone #infrastructure #kyoto #kinkakuji #arson #okinawa #europe #europeanunion

A great example of how people power can overturn bad political decisions.

The Melbourne City Council has abandoned proposed cuts to its cycling budget, following public outcry: https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2025/07/03/town-hall-abandons-bike-budget-cuts/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=Mastodon

"In a dramatic change of tune, the City of Melbourne last week abandoned proposals in its draft 2025 budget to cut funding from its bike infrastructure program.

"The council restored much, but not all, of the funding that as recently as last year had been officially earmarked for expanding and upgrading the city's bike lanes over the next four years.

"The 2025 budget and council plan formally adopted by councillors this week folded $6 million back into the program, up to a total of $15 million over the next four years.

"The change of course followed a powerful community outcry over the breach of the council's former commitments on bike infrastructure delivery.

"Almost 1500 people made submissions to the council on the proposed bike underspend, an unprecedented number."

#auspol #vicpol #cycling #infrastructure #planning #Urbanism

Gardens, not roads! In my latest blog post, I talk about the limits of the digital infrastructure metaphor and how to design mechanisms to maintain open source that are based on a more accurate understanding of how FOSS is produced.

https://tarakiyee.com/gardens-not-roads-cultivating-open-source-communities/

#opensource #sustainability #infrastructure