Aaron Naparstek

August 2002 NASA images showing urban “heat island” effect. Note how cool the parks are (NASA EO). Hot Enough For You? (Compass) At 102, it’s too hot to handle (Daily News) Heat Wave Satellite Imagery for North America and Western Europe (NASA) Study Focuses on NY Region Climate Change Impacts (MEC) Global warming is our … Continued

Mayor Bloomberg offered a depressing-yet-enlightening dose of complacency about the city's traffic crunch this morning. Speaking at Museum of the City of New York's construction kickoff, Bloomberg explained that he'd arrived late because he'd been "huddled with Con Ed" to monitor power usage during the heatwave. After carping a bit about residents turning up their air conditioners at night, he turned to traffic. Normally he blames traffic for his tardiness, he noted, adding:

City Conserves As Heat Moves To Triple Digits (NY Sun) Demand Global Warming Leadership Now! (LCV) Momentum Grows to Turn the Sheridan Expressway into a Park (TSTC)  Brooklyn groups blast Mayor over traffic mess (Courier-Life)  Chicago Tribune Story on Oil (Oil Drum) MTA chairman Kalikow ready to ride his newest Ferrari (AMNY) July Critical Mass … Continued

Reuters reports, Bicycle and oil deals cement Chavez's ties to Iran:

Streestblog foreign correspondent Geoff Zink sends in this snapshot from Paris, France, where every summer since 2002 an expressway running along the River Seine has been transformed into a beach and linear park. More from Geoff on Flickr.

Saturday, July 29, 2:00 p.m.GREENPOINT AND WILLIAMBSURG WATERFRONT: THE FAREWELL TOUR

Above: A message from Allstate, the company that recently stopped renewing New York City home insurance policies due to the increasing risk of global warming-induced hurricanes. Spotted on Broadway near 9th Street.

Your federal Homeland Security dollars hard at work (Photo: Untitledname from Flickr)

A rendering of the Sands Street bike path on the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge

Last week, columnist Steve Dunleavy used his 400-word rant-space in the New York Post to urge the city's cab riders and motorists to throw open their car doors in front of "pedal punks" riding their "maiming machines," and, "take back the streets" from bike-commuting "kamikaze jerks."