I think that borders are actually sometimes more evanescent and impermanent factors than people believe, and usually governments represent them as.

On another note, speaking as an ex-Montrealer, if you’re looking for that missing hybrid Canuck-Yankee border fusion culture, try parts of Florida in winter where all “‘dem sno-birds” go. I speak as someone who has never been there, but is curious about what had emerged.

The big one you didn’t mention is the border around Israel. Whatever your view on that conflict, one has to realize how tough it is to politically draw a boundary around a place without the slow historical process of culture-making in place. At least that’s my opinion.

I edited the original post that Dan and Alexa responded to. In that post I was a little more grumpy/reactionary to what the suburbs represent. I clarified the post to say what I truly do appreciate about Dan’s post. The points that I took out were to the effect that suburbs should be open to mass transit and more density because restricting growth will lead to transportation and sprawl nightmares. I don’t think quality of life has to suffer in the suburbs if more housing is built in an appropriate way.

I personally have a beef with how the current system incentivizes suburban governments to restrict growth in their town so that manageable traffic, less “undesirable” people, and more vistas will cause property values to rise. This denies middle class residents (like me) the chance to own a home within reasonable distance to the city. If a suburb did otherwise, I would have no problem living there. But suburbs have no practical reason to help the larger metro area become more sustainable in regards to transportation and income stratification. Instead, it’s the cities who get stuck with this task. But that is beside the point to Dan’s post about the suburban experience.

Although urbanites may not realize it, people actually LIKE living in the suburbs. I really get irritated at all of the looking down that goes on at people who live in the suburbs (or in the country like my parents).

While sure, sustainability is important, I feel like city/planning people need to respect that people enjoy different lifestyles and that there are good aspects of the suburban experience too (maybe neighborlyness or community) that could be learned from.

I am not too surprised that Seth quickly took my post as a trigger for debate. Many who work in transit or who choose to live in cities feel that they are on a mission to convert and educate others. While the actions of these people are on the whole positive, the tactics are sometimes a bit abrasive.

All in all, I agree with Seth’s points and I am a big fan of mass transit. One thing that I want is to improve the crappy bus system in the Tri Valley. I also agree that making SF, Oakland, Berkeley and other local cities livable for families is important and something that makes this area great.

Seth is a good guy, and I know that he meant no harm. Perhaps the dialog he’s starting will actually bear fruit. Know, however, that I was simply having a good day (really, a good few weeks) and wanted to just express a bit of joy by describing my hometown.

Once a corporate house offered to support such a camp. We, supporters of arts, crafts & architecture in india, were quite fascinated with the idea. The camp is yet to happen…

we had so many questions as we planned… It had to be a 2 week artists’ camp and the artists would work here as burial processions came in every day…

WHO WOULD SEE THESE MURAL PAINTINGS WHEN COMPLETED? People come to the burial ground only when someone is no more… In India, women do not go to a hindu burial ground, so, i had never seen one.

We thought this would be an event that would offer artists and the public a great experience and it would be good to know how it would make this burial ground different from others as months and years passed by…

The Victorians had it right…death shouldn’t be something feared, loathed, and then tucked away when it befalls loved ones. Cemeteries are in fact gardens and places of community for the living as well.

They are a lovely compromise in an urban setting–where the needs for greenspace and community are both served effectively.

Otherwise, we have to “urn” our greenspace elsewhere.

I think of places of worship as community spaces, and to the extent that they can offer valuable public uses outside of traditional worship I say go for it!

There were homeless people camped out around the fringes of the park and on the benches. It was filled with trash, and the homeless people would yell at me early in the morning when my dog barked and woke them up. Not so pleasant. But it was the only place my dog could run around off the leash.

About 10 years ago, the city cleaned it up, moved the homeless people out (where?), and fenced in the middle to make a dog run. Should have been idyllic and the perfect solution, but I actually missed it the way it was. I felt almost guilty taking my dog there after it was cleaned up.

All of us prospering yuppies with our great dogs chatting about clubs and our jobs with the ghosts of those struggling people swirling around us…