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ZONED

                                                        June 26, 2006

  The zoning regulations push out distances
  between destinations, making public transit
  difficult and foot traffic impossible, so
  you have to drive, don't you?  And
  the only "real places" left are the ones
  grandfathered in before those zoning regs,
  so there's a shortage of places like
  that, so prices get bid up, and people feel
  like the only "affordable" place to be is
  out in the diffuse swirl of the zoned
  outlands...

    There was at least a touch of
    racism in that first push                     post-war:
    outwards post-war / post-car,                 meaning after WWII.

    Xenophobia flourishes                         post-car:
    amid the isolation.                           meaning after the
                                                  introduction of the
        They dwell in fear                        car.
        of the cities, the
        diverse range of                               I bet you knew
        people: it must be                             that.  You know
        so dangerous!                                  how many people
                                                       don't?
        And it's so dirty
        and smelly!                                    I have learned
                                                       much from the
           Better to live in                           net.
           boxes and cages...

               The lack of exercise
               creates health problems;
               lifespans are measurably
               shorter out in suburbia;
               but still the reputation
               of the "dangerous cities"
               persists.



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