Der Ezor, Syria

Shabab by the pond making memories that will last them a lifetime. The days in the early 1990s must now be among their most pleasant memories. By their mid-20s, the so-called Arab Spring hit Syria and was brutally repressed by the regime. What followed was a civil war involving ISIS. Let's hope this group of young men (i.e., shabab) survived. [1993]

Punda, Willemstad, Curaçao

A couple enjoys the spirit of taste on the island of Curacao. But they are not getting the full-bodied taste of the island. That comes only when you add Brion Curacao beer. (See the rondelle?) Or maybe not. It seems that Curaco's signature beer is brewed on the island of Barbados. [2017]

Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

How many uses can you think of for a lamp post? (1) Providing illumination, obviously. (2) Holding up pole banners. (3) Anchoring bike racks. But, certainly, the list does not stop there. How might you apply these concepts to a lamp post? Aesthetic enrichment, audio entertainment, advice dispensation, attention catching, aides memories. [2018]

Dublin, Ireland

Right in the heart of Dublin, on O'Connell Street, is the heart of Irish literary culture. James Joyce is Ireland's most famous author, and his novel Ulysses is regarded as one of the canon tomes of the 20th century. Its setting: Dublin, of course. [2003]

Portsmouth, England, UK

Does America have the will to learn from the rest of the world? Every restaurant and coffee shop needs a few tables outside. If the sidewalks are not wide enough, take a few feet from the motorways! In fact, take another foot so there is space for bike racks. But, you know Americans: They are hot-house tomatoes. [2011]

Bucharest, Romania

All of sudden, on this hot summer day, are you ready for "the pause that refreshes"? In the capitalist world, which has included Romania since 1989, the power of suggestion is everywhere. Even more suggestive might be the power of neon. But that would be so retro. Both the "pause" slogan and the neon sign go back to the 1920s. [2014]
 

Alexandria, Louisiana, USA

The Neon Era began in the 1920s and lasted into the 1960s. Only a few of the era's classic neon signs have survived, largely because they accentuate both a sense of place and a slice of time. Thanks Bentley Hotel for prioritizing historical accentuation. [2022]

New York, New York, USA

The countdown to Earth Day 2023 begins today. Don't shrug off the responsibility to make every day Earth Day. Otherwise, the Anthropocene will end, and a new era of Earth history will begin, an era without human inhabitants. So sayeth Atlas, the titan. [2018]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Earth Day: 364 days and counting. Let's make every day Earth Day, lest we end up on a planet looking like this. Through greenhouse gases that pollute the atmosphere you can barely see the continents. The message: "You can curb greenhouse gas by simply adjusting your thermostat." That's one Cool Globe for our planet's carbon-challenged Anthropocene. [2020]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Earth Day: one day and counting. Ocean waves have a higher energy density than any other type of renewable. Even though we currently lack the technology to fully exploit wave energy, today's dreams are tomorrow's reality, as symbolized here by a three-dash line across the Arabian Sea. That's one Cool Globe for our planet's energy-challenged Anthropocene. [2020]

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Earth Day: two days and counting. Charlotte is bound to a plan to create a circular economy that produces zero waste. How many other cities have such commitments to the planet's preservation? That's one Cool Globe for our planet's waste-challenged Anthropocene. [2020]

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA

April 19, 1995: The Oklahoma City bomber parked a van loaded with explosives next to the Murrah Federal Building, and committed mass murder. The explosion killed 168 people, including 19 children. The Murrah Building, now replaced by this memorial, looked like what we see today in Ukraine, where over 20,000 civilians have been killed by Russian forces. [2007]

Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Utah is a landlocked state. So, why is the seagull the state bird? Think about physical geography: The Great Salt Lake is really a gull-enflocked inland sea. Think about human geography: According to LDS myth, seagulls saved the early Mormon pioneers by eradicating a hoard of crickets that were devouring the spring crops. [2020]

Spearsville, Louisiana, USA

What happened on Easter? Events that were totally unexpected. In one of the great plot twists of history, three days after his crucifixion, Jesus, fully wrapped and entombed on the previous Friday, rose from the dead and appeared to the living. This is resurrection Sunday: "The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive. Happy Easter." [2018]

Boulder City, Nevada, USA

Saguaro cactuses are associated with the Sonora Desert and Arizona, but this one is in southern Nevada, at the northern-most extent of its range. Can you tell it was planted here to add a sense of place to the barrenness that envelops Lake Meade? See the water? [2022]

Half Moon Bay, California, USA

What happened on Good Friday? A dark turn of events that was totally unexpected less than a week before. Jesus, after entering Jerusalem triumphantly on Palm Sunday, was put to death on a hill outside the city walls. Today, we often symbolize death, or eternal sleep, with poppies. [2010]

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA

Answers in the pic: (1) What city is located at the head of the Mississippi River delta? (2) What city may be only a suburb of Memphis but still the 10th largest city in the state? (3) What other Memphis suburb was named after a cemetery? (4) What tiny hamlet with a post office of its own is located on the Chickahominy River? (5) What is the meaning of OBX MP8? [2021]

Poquoson, Virginia, USA

Answers in the pic: (1) What coastal Caribbean country used to be British Honduras? (2) What is the name of the second largest island in the Hawaiian chain? (3) What barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico is known for its seashells? (4) What city is located near the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula? [2017]

Bethany Beach, Delaware, USA

Answers in the pic: (1) Where is the southernmost point in the continental US? (2) Where would you go to hike in the High Atlas Mountains? (3) What is the soon-to-be most populous country in the world? (4) What is the capital of Ohio? (5) What country introduced democracy to the world? (6) Where would you go to see the Golden Gate? [2021]

York, Pennsylvania, USA

Baseball season began over the week-end. Let's hope the York Revolution is ready. Revolution? Quite apropos when you consider that York was briefly the capital of the united States of America during the Revolutionary War. And, kudos to city artists for noticing that the siamese parking meters are shaped like the Y in York. [2014]

New Bern, North Carolina, USA

What happened on Palm Sunday? Events that made the crucifixion of Jesus, less than a week away, all the more incredible. In fact, the plot twist that unfolded during Holy Week gave "the greatest story ever told" an epic turn-around that required telling and retelling for centuries. On this day, the Prince of Peace entered Jerusalem triumphantly. [2021]

Jonesborough, Tennessee, USA

Upscale boutiques, fancy awnings, brick sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, flag-draped lampposts, houses and a steeple on the ridge, plus a coffee shop across the street: Together, they form one of the classic main streets of Appalachia. [2019]

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Here is an example of acculturation without assimilation. The Amish came to America in the early 1700s. Three centuries later, they are still visually identifiable as "plain people." Yet, they have borrowed from "English" culture. See the cell phones? What unites them with the muscular dude on the end? The American flag overhead. [2021]

Providence, Rhode Island, USA

What happens to a working class neighborhood when a job-creating employer pulls out? Decline and, then, revitalization, often accompanied by a revolution in the arts. Here, an old US Rubber building is used by its new occupant, the Waterfire Arts Center, to personify a new generation of Rhode Islanders. Yes, he lives in the neighborhood. [2021]

Dolan Springs, Arizona, USA

If you don't believe in the devil, just visit the Mohave Desert. There, you have multitudes of them in the form of dust devils. Think: mini-tornadoes. Or, if you live near the Chesapeake Bay, think: waterspouts without the water. How do those xerophytes survive? [2022]

Beaumont, Texas, USA

The Lucas Spindletop gusher brought the U.S. into the oil age. Today, as a visual reminder of the past, it continues to gush, but with water pumped through for visitors. Before Spindletop, in the early years of the 20th century, oil was used for lighting and lubrication. After Spindletop, there was enough to power an ever expanding fleet of horseless carriages. [2022]

Port Royal, South Carolina, USA

Welcome to Lowcountry, the southernmost part of South Carolina. It's a region where the boundary between water and land is masked by marshes, where Spanish Moss creates one of the nation's most distinctive geographies, and where the pressure to gentrify has overcome the tendency of the natural environment to isolate. [2007]

Red Wing, Minnesota, USA

Silos like these punctuate the American wheat belt, and Red Wing early evolved as one of the centers of wheat production. Why? The Mississippi River tells the story. Not only was the land and climate ideal for cereals, but the river was ideal for getting grain to market. Then came the railroads, and the river lost some of its significance as a highway. [2021]

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Whether you consider it litter or glitter, the red plastic Solo cup has found a secure niche in celebratory culture everywhere. Yet, it comes as a shock when you see something so ordinary and unappreciated glorified in public art. Solo suggests one use, and it was originally applied to its paper predecessors. [2021]

Santa Rosa, California, USA

Charlie Brown and Snoopy have been planning April Fool's tricks all year, and this is the day they plan to use one on you! Beware! As for this memorial: It's in Charles Shultz' adopted home town, Santa Rosa. Where are Lucy and Linus, you ask. Keep looking. They're lurking around town somewhere. [2005]