Paved Paradise

This week, two stories about the strange power of the 1-800 number. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, ... Show More

In 1888, Willard Bundy created the first employee "time clock" — essentially a souped-up grandfather clock that could, for the first time, produce an accurate record of when workers arrived and left. Though Bundy’s aim was simple, his invention soon sparked a change in American l ... Show More

Spolia, from a Liverpool neighborhood to ancient Rome. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz co ... Show More

In our quest to accommodate parked cars, we’ve paved over downtowns, polluted the planet, and made it near impossible to get anywhere without driving. Slate’s Henry Grabar explains Big Parking — and how electric cars might offer an opportunity to finally try something new. This e ... Show More

In our quest to accommodate parked cars, we’ve paved over downtowns, polluted the planet, and made it damn near impossible to get anywhere without driving. In May we talked to Slate’s Henry Grabar, who explained Big Parking — and how electric cars might offer an opportunity to fi ... Show More

<p>Make no mistake: the United States is a car culture, and the extreme sprawl of the country means the vast majority of citizens can’t realistically live without their cars. This has inevitably led to enormous amounts of pollution and (some would argue) wars over the resources n ... Show More

<p>Virtually every apartment project is going to be constrained by parking. That one factor will determine the density that is going to be possible. </p> <p>In rental apartments, charging for parking is going to very from one area to another. </p> <p>For example in a dense urban ... Show More

Living in Los Angeles can be... interesting. Most people outside the city think of beautiful beaches and lavish celebrity mansions in the hills. And they do exist. But for those that live in the city, your view of it can be a bit different. Emma's lived in LA for a few years now, ... Show More

The city of angels. Either you love it or you hate it. Sometimes, both. Emma opens up about the pros and cons of the city - from living there, to the people you meet, to all of the things going on. Is everyone really obsessed with their appearance? Does LA really live up to the h ... Show More

<p>The challenge of finding the perfect partner is matched only by the challenge of finding the perfect parking space in New York City. Jason Alexander (&quot;Seinfeld&quot;) reads Andy Raskin's essay, about the search for love and parking in Chinatown.</p> <p><p>Subscribe today ... Show More

The parking lot called LA requires something comfortable to commute in, but Christian also wants his choice to be a sports car. Then, Thomas in Dallas is as large as an NFL football player and a pickup truck owner, but has discovered the joys of small fun cars and wants one for h ... Show More