Each week we will be focusing on blogs from around the world dealing specifically with urban environments. We’ll be on the lookout for websites outside the country that approach themes related to urban experiences and issues. - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - - • The hull of ship from the 1700s was found last week at the World Trade Centre site in Manhattan, reports CNN. Archaeologists suspect that the ship was sunk to retain and add precious land area to the island. • Looking for a recession proof industry? The Globe and Mail reports that parking lots continue to pull in record earnings in Canadian cities. With supply limited by increasing real estate development in our downtown cores, the price of parking has increased 233 per cent in Calgary and 130 per cent in Toronto over the past ten years. While some bemoan the dent this has made in their pocket book, Spacing's Shawn Micallef calls this the "universal price of great urbanism" . • As New York City cracks down on illegal advertisements, Treehugger reports that some of the city's guerilla gardeners are "turning billboard blight into pop-up planters".

HALIFAX - Who knew a plywood Oompa-loopma could cause such a stir? Since the City adopted the Temporary Sign By-law [PDF] in 2006, which placed strict regulation on street signage, sandwich boards have been an unprecedented source of contention in Halifax. Dedicated fans have rallied behind Freak Lunchbox, whose hand-painted signs are a beacon of creativity (and candy) on Barrington St — there was even a Facebook group created in defense of the candy store's then Oompa-loompa-themed sign. But beyond the Oompa-loompa hoopla lies a real debate about the control of public space in the city. Perhaps in response to this public objection, for the last three years enforcement has been purely complaint driven. But with the By-law now under review, small businesses are nervous about the impacts if the policy were to tighten up. Amendments proposed to Regional Council in November, would crank up enforcement of the By-law's complex licensing requirements for temporary signs, imposing strict — in some cases inhibiting — limitations to the size, style, and placement of the all important sandwich board.

HALIFAX - Dear Bell Aliant, I know you well. Not only do we meet whenever I do anything with phones and internet, but your massive, oddly-oriented building is impossible to ignore. I see it every day, and I'm not alone. I know you're big, I know you advertise and I know those ads have gone hand-in-hand with your domination of all things telecommunication out here. But — and it's a big BUT — that doesn't mean you should be allowed to dominate Barrington Street with your obnoxious projector ad. Walking along Halifax's main drag, I shouldn't ...