We Want YOU to Fight Sprawl

As kind of a wrap up for my blogs for the semester, I thought I'd look into something that we can all take away from this class. In specific, I researched the ways that we as individuals can fight sprawl. A lot of Suburban Nation focused on the problems with city planners, governmental policies, and builders, but not a lot of it looked into the smaller things that Joe Everyman can do to take down Suburbia.

This article from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources gives a good list of advisable things for the individual to do to fight sprawl takeover. Things as simple as moving into a mixed use environment, living near work, and shopping downtown are not only convenient, they send a message to legislators and builders. After all, it is the choices of the individual that drive America's capitalistic society and it is therefore their choices that first created a need for sprawl. If the individual shows that he has shed his desire for sprawl, sprawl will no longer have the fuel it needs. In the same vein, we, as individuals, can speak out by sending letters to local legislators in support of building in space efficient ways, reusing existing buildings, and revising zoning. Supporting local businesses, such as local loggers and farmers can help ward off the need for franchises which breed sprawl.

Live how you want to live, and the rest will come. If the majority decides that sprawl is no longer necessary, then it will die.

Signing out,
-Andrew Van Deventer

Auntie Em! Sprawl!

This video and the blog on Wired.com which it used as its source, suggests a frightening consequence of sprawl that I had neither heard of nor considered. In doing so, it presents new considerations when planning the solution to sprawl. The beginning of the video lists very logical issues associated with sprawl, such as air and water pollution, but it then moves on to say that these side effects of sprawl could be the cause of extreme weather conditions. According to the blog, $250 million worth of damage was caused to Atlanta by an immense tornado in March. As the narrator of the video says, the storm was allowed to grow to its size due to the characteristics of urban sprawl such as drought and "urban heat pockets." This article really brought the realization of the consequences of sprawl to a new level for me. Its intensity is definitive proof of the effects that sprawl has on the environment.

With such intense consequences on the plate, we can't just worry about making roads straight and houses unique. When we look for a solution to sprawl, we may now have to pay closer attention to breaking down the heat our city gives off and the responsible use of water. It's not just a cosmetic or convenience issue anymore. This is about safety.

-Andrew Van Deventer

Best Overall Neighborhood

Of all the towns we have studied this semester, I think that the best town overall was Peachtree City. This neighborhood has qualities of both a traditional and a sprawling area, and it works extremely well here. Peachtree City is home to some of the best schools in the state of Georgia and it is growing rapidly. In this town, there are over 90 miles of golf cart roads that can be used to run, bike, or teach a young and aspiring driver good driving practices. In addition, the city is full of public spaces like golf courses and parks for kids to get out and play.

In examining the many benefits of a sprawling neighborhood, it is hard to be completely against them. For example, most people get along better with their neighbor because there are few differences between them. Most of the citizens make roughly the same amount of money which removes the awkwardness of economical discrimination. Also, because of this all around higher income, the school districts are better and the schools have more money; therefore making them more up to date with technology and education standards. In addition, being in a different environment than one's place of business is pleasant because it allows one to leave work worries at the office. Granted, with all the driving that comes with the separation of work and home, there is a great need for cars to get to and from anywhere. But in a city with as many "green practices" as Peachtree City, this is a minor trade off.

Peachtree City also has some of the aspects of a traditional neighborhood. For instance, there are plenty of public spaces to meet and greet one's neighbors and enjoy the outdoors. In a city with as many outdoor attractions as this one, the desire to stay inside is greatly reduced as most kids want to get outside and socialize. While "walkability" isn't one of Peachtree City's bigger qualities, the environmentally friendly practice of driving golf carts is a major plus for the city and the cart paths are great for walking or jogging on. The city does take up a lot of space which is the biggest problem of sprawl, it is part of the American Dream to own a big house and lots of land. This city is the best example of an attempt to please everyone's values in terms of a neighborhood and effective land use standards.

-Michael Saunders

What is America's Identity?

This entire class has been focused mainly on the notion of a "Southern Identity," but what about the North? Does the North identify with their own set of cultural norms? The answer, while not an entirely black and white one, is fairly easy to ballpark with a simple trip to Google's search engine. Type in 'southern identity' on Google and it spits out a plethora of articles about the southern United States including news articles, books, magazines, and websites dedicated entirely to the South's pride. Trying 'northern identity' however yields nothing. Not only does the term not appear at all on the drop down menu, but the articles that appear after the search button is pressed lack any sort of affiliation with the United States. After searching for at least a half an hour, I still failed to find a single article about Northern identity. It's just not a term that is used. Northerners have a certain way of life, but they don't necessarily have that emotional bond to their way of life that Southerners have.

The North's missing identity then caused me to come back to the question that I've been neglecting all semester. Is identity in the United States properly applied? This class has showed me that identity is indeed important, and that a sense of passion for one's surroundings can create comfort, community, and a better way to live. However, in a way that is similar to the subject of my previous blog about the separation of the suburban and urban environments, the United States has developed an unhealthy separation of identities within itself. Two different articles about the decline of Southern Identity, one in USA Today and one in the Seatle Pi, look at the same problem with entirely different view points. The USA Today article surprisingly seems to look upon the South favorably, but the Seatle Pi tends towards the North. However, both articles have undertones that suggest the rivalry that is ever present between the two sections of our country. The Seatle Pi provides several quotations that scorn both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line then makes a couple comments about the South such as an unnecessary study on adult toothlessness. The USA Today article seems to try to remain as neutral as possible, but nevertheless dons a slight hint of resentment toward cultures other than those considered 'southern.' The North seems capable of developing an identity but only when it is needed to bash a Southerner or fend off a Southern critic. On the other end, the South's fiery opinions and intense attachment to their way of life feed off of their resentment towards the North. Both are constantly trying to prove better than the other. To futher the tension, the North and the South are constantly addressed as separate beings despite their unification under the American flag. Both articles, as well as my blog, capitalize the words 'Northerner' and 'Southerner' as if the words indicated members of different countries as opposed to members of different sections of one nation. The very name of our country insinuates unification, and yet we are not unified

Southern identity is something that will never go away, and I'm not contending that it should. I'm suggesting that it be looked upon as something to share with the North, not to fight it with, and that it be allowed to loosen a little. Would it not make more sense to strip ourselves slightly of our Southern and Northern identities and begin working toward an American identity? When taking into consideration the opposition that still resides in our nation 150 years after the end of the Civil War, the McMansionization and franchisation of America takes on a new light. It is true that different areas must have their own unique features, but wouldn't a sense of nationwide similarity be beneficial to us as a people? Slathering sprawl all over America may not be the answer, but something must be done to put to rest the illusion of separation that our nation suffers from. If America can break down the barriers that suffocate its community, or it can create surroundings that are to an extent similar throughout all of its reaches, no American will ever feel completely like an outcast.

-Andrew Van Deventer

Big Weekend in Atlanta

I wanted to blog about a very big event coming up this weekend in Atlanta. As the entire state knows, Georgia Tech is playing the University of Georgia, if one could call it a university, at Bobby Dodd Stadium. As the fans gear up in their white and gold or red and black, the excitement can be felt everywhere in the state of Georgia. Alumni of Georgia Tech come back to re-experience the intensity of the stadium and UGA alumni come to see what an academically challenging school looks like. This event will bring a lot of people to the city of Atlanta, and in an already crowded and sprawling city, it will be extremely crowded.

Atlanta is considered sprawl,as defined by the authors of Suburban Nation, and therefore already has problems with traffic as all vehicle are funneled into wide streets that are easily congested. With all this attention being put on the city, will something be done to try to improve on the design of the city? The streets of the city are overcrowded without the addition of any other visitors and with the addition of each fan coming to see the game, the problem gets much worse.

But there is another side to Atlanta that isn't effected by sprawl which has been spreading rapidly across the nation. Outside of downtown Atlanta, the city can be considered traditional according to the views of the writers of Suburban Nation. The sidewalks are wide enough for a heavy flow of pedestrians and walking distances are very common for desired locations. According to the authors of Suburban Nation, this area should be able to handle the increase of people as fans come in for the game. Unfortunately, it can't.

Although the book says that traditional cities are more adaptable to great influx of people and traffic never gets too congested, in practice this does not seem to be the case. So is a traditional neighborhood really significantly better? In terms of ability to handle large amounts of people, the answer is definitely no. So as we all head out for the game, you should challenge yourself to think of a better design for a city that can bring together the better qualities of both traditional and sprawling areas.

--Michael Saunders

Macon, Georgis: my favorite example of traditonal neighborhood

My entire family is from Macon, Georgia, and I have always loved visiting everyone. Downtown Macon is full of history and activities such as the famous Cherry Tree Festival. I have always known that I loved Macon, but it was not until my English class that I realized that down town Macon is a perfect example of a traditional neighborhood, and that is one of the reasons I have always enjoyed spending time there.

Downtown Macon is full of historic homes that were built before the Civil War, and these homes are always my favorite to look at. I have visited homes such as the Cannonball House , a mansion that was hit with a cannonball during Stoneman’s raid but restored beautifully. Other things to do include The Cherry Tree Festival; Macon is famous for their cherry trees, and the pink blossoms add so much beauty to Macon. Not only is Macon historic, but it incorporates narrow roads with parking on all the roads with large sidewalks. Restaurants and small shops line the road. This setup provides walkability, a characteristic of traditional neighborhood according to the authors of Suburban Nation. Because of the setup of the area, there is a greater sense of community. People walk instead of drive cars around the neighborhood allowing everyone to get to know each other adding to sense of community. The public spaces such as the museums also add to the sense.

I am excited for my next visit to Macon next weekend. I will make sure to take the time to appreciate its historic value and and the setup of the area. Everyone is so friendly, and being there lets me enjoy my Southern roots and background.

Molly Waller

European Sprawl: Who's to blame?

I read an article recently called European Urban Sprawl which disputs the myth that American sprawl is the cause of sprawl in Europe. The article was aged, but it made several observations which still apply to today. Supposedly, according to the article, Europe's incline in sprawl cannot be contributed to America, but instead was birthed of its own accord. The thing that piqued my interest about the article was the claim that Europe's public transit, which is very large when compared with America's, had little affect on the incline of sprawl and the usage of the automobile. Supposedly, European automobile usage has grown at a rate of three times that of America's since the 1970's. Even though the automobile preyed on Europe after it fed on America, public transit was not use against its onslaught.



The question then arises that if the use of public transit, a constantly suggested solution to sprawl, has not had an affect on the uprise of sprawl, how can it result in sprawl's downfall? A more recent article, Myth and Reality About European Sprawl, updated me on Europe's sprawl, and revealed that, just as is the case in America, sprawl is dying. There are many conclusions that can be made from all of this information, but I choose to see the most obvious one: the death of sprawl will only come about with a rise of awareness. Public transit cannot fight sprawl by itself, though it helps. The human population must see that their true enemy is not each other, but the car. Only once sprawl's automobile henchman is stifled, can the people win against suburbia.

-Andy Van Deventer

A Slight Change of Pace

So far this semester, this class has only focussed on the different views of sprawl and towns that are good examples of sprawl or traditional neighborhoods. But there are other types of town settings that I would like to focus on for a moment. Specifically, I am talking about the living environment of big city life and its positives and negatives. For my topic of discussion, I chose New York City.

New York is well known for being overcrowded, busy, and tough for those individuals who aren't ready for the "big city" atmosphere. Given these facts, it is easy to see why some call it "the concrete jungle." As far as the eye can see are big, towering buildings that seem to reach up until they peirce the sky. These structures were deemed more important than mother nature, so the once green feilds have now been covered by dark gray asphault.

Yet somehow, this city has won over the affection of so many who have given the city affectionate nicknames such as "The Big Apple," "The City of Dreams," and "The Melting Pot" just to name a few. But the nickname I chose to focus on is "The City That Never Sleeps."

The title, "The City That Never Sleeps," can be interpreted many different ways depending on the person. For those who dislike the city, they say this name was given to describe the how overwhelmingly busy the city is and how no one has time to sleep because they have work to do. But for those who enjoy there time in the city, they say that the name states how exciting the city is and how there is always something fun to do so no one goes to sleep. No matter how much each side of the arguement is defended and supported, it is impossible to change one's view of the city. Hopefully, this blog will prevent any quick conclusions for those who have yet to experience "The City That Never Sleeps."

As far as the criteria goes for a good traditional neighborhood, New York City does have a few positives. For instance, the sidewalks are nice and wide which allows plenty of space to walk. Also, there is parallel parking which was said to be a reassuring quality for those citizens who chose to walk. In addition, public transportation is everywhere in the form of taxi cabs and the subway train. Furthermore, the city wastes no space as buildings stand side by side with little to no gap in between. Unfortunately there is a minus for every plus.

The sidewalks are built so wide because of the heavy flow of pedestrians who must use it to walk to and from work or other desired locations. the parallel parking is a nice quality but there is no chance of ever finding a spot to park in the city. Every spot is constantly occupied and as soon as someone tried to leave a spot, another car would be pulling in. Furthermore, public transportation sounds nice but it too is almost impossible to obtain and is highly undesireable. An available taxi in New York is hard to come by and the subway is extremely crowded and frightening at times. And as far as good use of space goes, the the building are built so close together to allow space for more buildings.

Personally, I enjoy the city because there are plenty of things to do at night. Clubs will be open or one could go to Madison Square Garden and see a basketball game. And if the group is big enough, it is nice to just walk around and see everything lit up at night. Whether or not you'll enjoy the city is a decision you'll have to make for yourself.

--Michael Saunders

Advertising Traditonal Neighborhoods

California: the state known for the beach and relaxation. But why does everyone think that? Constant advertisements featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger, wine, and beaches on television, magazines, and on- line. Of all states, I think California does the best job at advertising itself.

When I think of California, I think of San Francisco. San Francisco is home to wonderful weather, public transportation, and an overall unique character. San Francisco would be classified as a traditional neighborhood according to the authors of Suburban Nation. Traditional neighborhoods are classified as a much better option than sprawl in Suburban Nation, and they think that these types of neighborhood are much more appealing to everyone.

California’s tourism is a huge industry, and one reason I think everyone wants to visit is because of the success of their advertisements. Advertisers pick places in California that are classified as traditional neighborhoods to show the public. Because of this, I think of all of California as a traditional neighborhood.

Molly Waller

This cartoon, perhaps unintentionally, addresses a disadvantage of sprawl that is not typically mentioned in most articles about it. Modern society's obsession with separating things has created an enormous chasm between those in the urban environment and those in the suburbs. This separation shackles its victims on either side with unique identities; those in the city identify with the city and those in suburbia identify with their McMansions. In a natural situation, unique identities mean unique cultures and a healthy diversity, but the identities created by sprawl are unnatural. Instead of creating pride and color, the irritated seperation of people who are not so far apart causes an anxiety and resentment.

As is shown in the video, the city is represented as a place of danger to those suburbians who dare wander into it. I myself experienced this in my transition from the cookie cutter neighborhood of my home to the "dangerous" avenues of the city. Before I even arrived at Tech, my head was filled with terrifying stories and ominous warnings. On the other side, the video shows the hatred or mockery that those in the urban environment show toward their suburban neighbors. The representation of the suburban people in the cartoon is the "hiphopsterus imposterus," a weak, spoiled wannabe.

On a much higher, and possibly more presumptuous level, this video and the separation in general reveals a much deeper tension. Although, it is somewhat artificial, there is a certain status that is maintained by those who own McMansions. This pseudostatus is not bestowed upon those who reside in the city and is the cause of some of the resentment shown in this video. It creates a sort of class tension. Despite the fact that this claim to wealth is more often than not an illusion, the suburban people are marked as upper class and those in the city as a lower one. But the tensions go even deeper.

Racial tension is formed as a result of the distance between these two kinds of developments and this creates a much more serious problem. As is the case in Atlanta, suburbs are mostly populated by whites while the city is dominated by african americans. As a result, neither neighbor, despite their relative closeness feels as if they can identify with one another and in a south where racial differences are already boiling, the sprawl fed sun of injected diversity is an unwelcome guest.

First One Up on Saturday

It's Halloween morning at Georgia Tech, and everyone is still in bed. You try to go back to sleep but you just can't seem to keep your eyes closed. You decide to get out of bed and do something but what?

While most students at Ga Tech are not familiar with this situation, it happens to me quite a bit. I'm always the first one to wake up in my room but I don't I don't want to do anything to disturb my roommates. I didn't have anything to do, so I went for a run to Centennial Olympic Park and I am so happy I did.

The park was almost completely empty which was pretty unusual. It was as if I had the whole place to myself and I could do whatever I wanted. I ran all around and through the park, past the open fields, the gigantic Fountain of Rings, the Reflecting Pool, and the Water Gardens. It was so amazing and peaceful there which was i big surprise to me because I didn't expect to find a place this calm and relaxing in a big and busy city like Atlanta. It was really interesting to be there by myself because I could take the time to notice every little thing the park had to offer. Also, I knew I was running where some of the most athlectically talented individuals had once been which was very cool to think about as I went through. I highly recommend to anyone who has not yet been to Centennial Olympic Park to go as soon as possible. It is definitely something you have to see and experience for yourself.

--Michael Saunders

Grant Park: In with the new yet still historic

Grant Park... home to Zoo Atlanta and a variety of other activities offers a great place to visit.
When I went to Grant Park, I discovered that it harbors an environment for various age groups and different groups of people. Grant Park is a traditional neighborhood filled with little restaurants and stores to fill the main street. In the past, the property values had not been very high, and Grant Park's history was going to waste which was a shame considering a historic place is an amazing place to live.

However, I just read an article that was printed in the AJC about Grant Park as neighborhood of the week discussing a variety of renovations taking place in Grant Park and how they are changing it for the better. They are building new buildings, but they are not doing so in a way that will destroy the historic feel of the neighborhood. The new buildings were designed to complement the historic buildings and look like they belong with the rest of the neighborhood. In fact, in some situations, they are redoing old buildings and turning them into something else with more modern luxuries while still keeping the main frame of the buildings. Because of this process, Grant Park's real estate values are shooting up. Even with all the new renovations, Grant Park still presents a small-town feeling and a very close knit community. This community is determined to continue to make their home better and better through neighborhood associations to discuss ideas. They really care about what their neighborhood is like.

I think the commitment of its inhabitants along with the new renovations by creative architects will continue to bring Grant Park up to excellence. More people will want to move there and enjoy the close community of a traditional neighborhood along with the historic feel of all the buildings. Plus, the zoo is always an attraction for young kids and would be exciting to live near.

Molly Waller

Sprawl: the urban setting waiting to happen

Monday's edition of the Georgia Tech Daily Digest made mention of the recent Ecohome magazine article about the book Retrofitting Suburbia. It was mentioned because it was authored by Georgia Tech professor Ellen Dunham-Jones (left) and so it was just an odd coincidence that I happened across it, but I'm glad I did. Apparently Retrofitting Suburbia, as the title suggests, discusses the idea of building traditional neighborhoods around suburbia instead of over top of suburbia's debris. I realize that this is probably not a new idea, but my experience with sprawl being limited mostly to the realm of Suburban Nation, I had never considered it. Suburban Nation mostly discusses the problems with suburbia without acknowledging what is to be done about it.

The article went on to discuss the topic not as an idea, but as a proven fact. The article spoke about the transformation of the Dadeland mall into a pedestrian friendly mixed use neighborhood. The original Dadeland mall (below) was prized for its sheer size, and it kept

increasing as new sections were added on. This continuous growth caused a growth in consumer enjoyment, but also in parking space. As can be seen above, the Dadeland parking lot is more than twice the size of its mall and which it surrounds like a huge moat as if the intention were to scare off its customers. Dadeland became the perfect example of the horror of sprawl and suburbia. But then a public transit system was installed and because of the easy access it provided, Dadeland became the target of a traditionalization experiment. The builders, none other than our good friends Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company, are working toward making it a fairly large town complete with housing and work and public space adjacently oriented.

Before reading this article, I saw the fight against suburbia as a fairly bleak ordeal, but now I see how much hope there is. If suburbia can simply be transformed into traditional-esque "hybrid" neighborhoods, its end could be in the near future. I use the word "simply" lightly because according to Dunham-Jones, transforming sprawl into urbanity is not a simple task, but that does nothing to harm the hope that I now have for the traditional neighborhood.

Escapes from Sprawl

I recently read an article by Kunstler for English, and one of the topics discussed was Disney World. It offered a different perspective for the Magical Kingdom. It discussed how Disney World is an escape from the monotony of sprawl. At Disney World, its visitors leave their cars in the parking lot and enter a city with no traffic which is definitely an escape from the congestion that so often accompanies sprawl.

However, according to Kunstler, the visitors do not know what they are getting into. Once the Florida sun comes out, and the long lines that are well hidden inside pavilions are discovered, the parents of the crying kid starts to wonder why they came. Also, he finds that Disney World’s preoccupation with boozing pirates and gun show cowboys is very interesting considering that these are the entertainment acts chosen for all the children that visit.

Although, Kunstler makes good points within his analysis of Disney World, I think he was too critical of Disney World. He ignores the fact that kids actually do have a fun time at Disney world. When somebody is young, waiting in a long line is worth the amazing ride, and isn’t quality time with family always a good thing? This article expresses how sprawl is bad like many of the other articles I have read in class, but in a new light, it discussed how escaping sprawl is not always a good thing either. His take is we should keep more traditional neighborhoods in real life because an escape from it all s not all it’s cracked up to be.

This reminded me of my visit to Zoo Atlanta in Grant Park. Although the zoo and Disney World definitely are not the same thing, there are similarities. Parents leave their cars in a big parking lot to take their kids on a fun adventure. The kids feet might get tired, and they might ne hot, but in the end, it was worth it for me to go to the zoo. There are places of escape everywhere to get out of the everyday routine and traffic, but I think these places are necessary, and unforgettable memories are made at these places as well.

Molly Waller

Atlanta's Rep

When I arrived at Ga Tech mid-August this past summer, I'll admit I was overwhelmed. The city was so big and built up, I was a little intimidated. I had been told by my dad to "stay on campus, tech students have been getting robbed" but I couldn't resist my curiosity to see what made this city come to be known as Hot-lanta. Right from the start of my walk, I was amazed and i could definitely see then what Dr. Peterson was talking about in his letter.

The first thing I had to do was go to the Varsity which i had heared so much about before I made my trip to Atlanta. The first thing ever mentioned in any conversation about Atlanta was always the Varsity so that seemed like a logical starting point. When I first walked in, it was amazing how fast they took your order and how impatient some people get when you try to read a menu. The food was good, but after a greasy meal like that I has to continue my journey on foot.

Centinnial Park was my next destination because i had heared how big and beautiful it was; and I was not disappointed. As far as one could see, families were enjoying time together and the sound of laughter filled the air. The open green fields and the Olympic scenery made the park incredible. The park had an indescriable feeling that made it impossible to not smile no matter how hard you try.

It was almost impossible to leave this magical park but I was determined to make it to the CNN Center by the end of the day. And it was definitely worth the trip. The Center was so big and diverse and it completly caught me off guard. For instance, the Cartoon Network area was unexpected and was a nice little trip down "Memory Lane," as I was reminded of Saturday morning cartoons as a child. In addition, the Atlanta Braves' store was like heaven on earth to a baseball fan like me.

After getting off campus then reading Dr. Peterson's letter, I completely agree that everyone should get off campus and explore the city. This city is so new and diverse, its no wonder that rappers want to talk about it and people alwaya talk about wanting to come here.

--Michael Saunders

Sprawl as defined by Suburban Nation

Over fall break, I went back to Virginia Beach to see some friends and family that I haven’t seen since I started here at GA Tech. At first I thought I was definitely against sprawl because of how terrible the book made it sound, but when I saw the book mention my hometown as an example of sprawl, I started taking the material with a grain of salt. When I was back in Virginia Beach, I looked around to see what was so bad with my town and I really didn’t see what the big problem was. I understand that the book was written in 2000 and was published in 2001 so my hometown may have changed in eight to nine years, but the changes would have been too drastic. Maybe it’s the connection I have to the city that makes me not want to see any faults with it. All of my closest friends live there and since I hadn’t seen them for a long time, maybe I was confusing my joy for being in a familiar area with my overall feel for the city. But if sprawl is so bad, how could I have enjoyed my time in a sprawling area so much?

While I was there, I was able to drive through the streets without too much of a problem with traffic and the stores weren’t too far apart to be an inconvenience for me. Also, as one approaches the boardwalk, near the ocean front, the city starts to look more like a traditional neighborhood than sprawl, but that is where there is the most traffic. Because there are so many little streets that are narrow, all of the traffic is funneled into the two lanes and so it becomes congested. I understand that sprawl may be bad but I feel like Virginia Beach was a bad example and because it is my hometown, I’m not always receptive of the information that the book presents.

-Michael Saunders

Countryside and Sprawl

For fall break, I visited my roommate’s lake house at Lake Horton and greatly enjoyed my experience. I chowed down on frog legs, rode fore wheelers, and went skeet shooting. I loved how vast and green everything was and how animals can be seen running around everywhere. All the room I had to run around in was very liberating. Breathing in the fresh air of the rural countryside and seeing how everyone interacted were definitely rewarding as well. The whole culture there was different than in the city since people make their livings so differently and spend their free time doing different things.

During class, we mainly discuss suburban sprawl and traditional neighborhood, but we rarely discuss the more rural areas until this past Wednesday. The video in class demonstrated how sprawl destroys areas that could be left rural. Although the video was mainly just visual with music, the words written and pictures definitely portrayed that replacing rural areas with sprawl is another negative aspect of sprawl. Instead of fitting everything into walking distance like a traditional neighborhood does, sprawl spreads everything out destroying more land than necessary. After this weekend, I appreciate rural landscape even more and I would love it if it were better preserved.
Molly Waller

"All Roads Lead to DeKalb" exhibit is back
Dekalb is a fairly local county in regards to Atlanta and it is bringing back an exhibit of the county's history. In this exhibit, over 300 maps will be available forpurchase, each one depicting a different view of DeKalb as the county has been built up oveer the years.
I thought this seemed pretty interesting for people who feel a connection between themselves and their hometown because they saw some of this construction happening. Also, seeing how your town use to look compared to how it looks today seems like it wouldbe a very interesting topic to me. The maps available for purchase show the entire history of the city from when it was a typical little city with "Mom and Pop" stores on the corner, to its present present condition that has been modernized.
This article is multimodal in the sense that it uses visual aids to show the developement of the city over time, it is presented in a written text form and it is distributed via the internet. All three of these modes work to envoke the feeling of connection that a local citizen might share for the city. Once the reader feels that connection, they are persuaded to go and most likely purchase a map of the city. This whole article is really a big advertisement using persuasive techniques to get one to spend money at this exhibit. But to cover the fact that this is just an ad,the article is written in a way to make the reader feel like they would be interested in the history of their town, when most likely they will buy a poster they will never look at after the first week of it being purchased.

Michael Saunders

Carpooling in Atlanta

In Atlanta, pollution fills the air in the form of gross yellow smog, and I know I can smell the difference between Atlanta and cleaner areas. Worry fills the minds of many about the pollution problem, so these people have started forming groups to help with the environment and air quality. One such group is the Clean Air Campaign which comes up with various ways to help. One thing that they do is form carpools to decrease the number of cars on the roads. They have a blog called Ridesmart Ridin' posted to tell one of their stories when they were driving in their carpool. One day, when one of their groups was carpooling, they heard a rap song blasting from another car, and they made a joke that a rap could be made about anything. Then, they decided to write one about about the Clean Air Campaign, and post it on a blog. The video was entertaining and funny, and it was actually informational about their cause.
The blog is very multimodal which helps engage its readers. The blog had a story to read in the beginning and a video to watch, but the video was not only images, but sounds also, and not just sounds but a song. With all these different ways to learn about the Clean Air Campaign, it is hard not to get something out of reading, watching, and listening to it. Blogs are more successful in catching my attention when they have more than one way to get across their information, so I think it is a very effective way of getting their message across.
Molly

James Howard Kunstler's The suburban project and Ralph Kramden's apartment is, as the article that we read by him recently, a little over the top. It addresses the issue of blame in the matter of the rise of suburbia. Interestingly, despite all of Kunstler's radical opinions, he doesn't seem to blame anyone in particular in his blog and in fact contributes the rise to a combination of certain aspects of American culture after World War II. The blog implies that Kunstler supports the traditional neighborhood and, in particular, urban neighborhoods, but he never really takes an obvious position in the short paragraph presented here.



As far as multimodality goes, Kunstler's overexaggeration about the general public's opinion about the city is well supported by the picture he provides. He appeals to a part of American culture to which many can relate, the show the Honeymooners, and through doing so invokes a sense of comfort. The reference gives a somewhat comedic take on his serious topic and the picture, which is of the show's laughter inducing main character, further catalyzes this aspect of his blog. Kunstler's use of comedy helps to get his point across by dulling the heat of his strong opinions and makes his blog more comfortable. At the same time, the reference gives his blog a form of credibility due to the time period in which the show took place: post World War II. The picture taken in Ralph Kramden's cramped kitchen gives credibility as well by enhancing his image of a typical WWII home in the eyes of popular opinion.



Kunstler does a good job in his blog, despite its short length, of reaching the reader through its balance of light-heartedness and firey scorn and of multiple modes of relaying information.

-Andy Van Deventer

Obesity. America's calling card and one of its biggest problems. I've always been interested in the obesity pandemic because I tend to be a health nut on occasion. I'm not enough of a health nut to put down that oh so delicious piece of pepperoni pizza or the piece of pecan pie that swims in afterwards, hence the word 'occasion,' but enough of one to care about my weight and the weight of Americans in general. I always blamed obesity on fast food as a result of advertising and America's new greatest pastime: couch potatoing. I never really thought that anything contributed to lack of exercise besides laziness though.

When I started to really get into sprawl, my natural interest in health and the problem of obesity along with my sharp intake in appetite as a result of walking to my classes everyday drove me to begin considering walkability as a suspect for the death of America's physical activity. After all, if Americans can't walk anywhere and are forced instead to spend all their time driving, how can they burn off anything they've consumed? The article Childhood Obesity: are we missing the big picture?, which I found through the Georgia Tech library's search engine, helped to legitimize my suspicions. The article made claims which suggested that those people in environments which promote walkability are more prone to exercise. It also provided research which directly connected the magnitude of America's BMI (Body Mass Index) with the level of sprawl. After reading this article and skimming several others, I am convinced that sprawl, or at least some of the characteristics of it, is a major contributor to the problem of obesity. The article referenced here makes an argument against the case of sprawl as a contender by saying that research found inner city settings to have higher obesity problems in general than settings which are characterized as sprawl. This can be dealt with by simply acknowledging the level of crime which is generally associated with the inner city. Most people won't go outside if they feel unsafe, a truth which the article also addresses.

Regardless of the validity of the point for the inner city, it can't be denied that sprawl has some sort of hand in the obesity epidemic which is sweeping the nation. Once people can walk to work again, their belts will inevitably grow smaller.

Different Definitions of Suburbia

In May of 2008, an article from The Economist called “An Age of Transformation- America’s Suburbs” really interested me because it discussed the topic that we have been talking about in class except this author’s point of view was quite different than those of Suburban Nation. The main idea in this article was that suburbs are changing to be more like cities and are very different than how they used to be when the first suburb was built. Cities are losing population to the suburbs, and therefore, according to the author, the diversity of the cities is transferring to the suburbs. The old stereotype of the monotonous population of the suburbs in no more. He attributes this change in the decrease in people showing obvious racism, so people of different races and sexual orientation are more accepted and feel comfortable to live in the suburbs. The author’s of Suburban Nation make suburbia seem very dull discussing the outlay of the architecture, but they never discuss the statistics of the new population growth moving into the suburb. I really liked this article because it gave me a new outlook on the whole traditional neighborhood verses sprawl debate. To see every side is to truly understand.
Molly Waller

Little Five Points

As everyone read on Friday, I went to Little Five Points and had a great time. Little Five Points is a great neighborhood and fit all the major points on my list of qualities that make a neighborhood good.
As I walked down the sidewalk, I noticed that the sidewalks and streets were clean and free of debris. Also, the buildings gave a sense of unity to the neighborhood and I realized that this neighborhood was not very "sprawl-like" at all. I found this neighborhood to be amazing and only minorly flawed. It was a little expensive there and although there is public transportation, it is really crowded. only a minor draw back from an otherwise nice place.

-Michael Saunders

Historic Roswell.... an amazing place

I have decided to do my paper on Historic Roswell because it incorporates so many different aspects of life into one small area. Also, the history in Roswell has been spared because only the cotton mill was burned during the Civil War, but the houses and the church were left standing. These antebellum buildings now are home to restaurants and other small businesses. Originally, I said that a good neighborhood should have a sense of community, good school system, and be home to plenty of places of culture. After seeing Roswell, I have thought of some other requirements for a good neighborhood. Although, I think that it is so great to have unique stores and everything in close walking distance, I also think a town should be a short drive away from big chain stores, so that if somebody needs to go to a Kroger or a Gap, they can easily get there. Historic Roswell definitely meets this description because right on the other side of its quaint square, there is a much larger road with new, big stores right down the road. Also, before, I hadn't thought of history as a necessary component of a neighborhood, but I realized in Roswell, that its history adds so much to the homey sense of the town. Roswell offers distinct qualities that no other place can offer because no other city has shared in its past, and Roswell's history has been well preserved and is incorporated into everything. Overall, I love Roswell and everything in it from the Doggy Boutique to its historic graveyard. Everyhting is one of a kind there.
Molly Waller

All Chefs of Atlanta !

The blog, The Blissful Glutton, is mainly about the various cuisines and resturants available in Atlanta. The blogger recommends a restrauant and posts with its descriptoin and brief history. The one I read was recommending “Rolling Bones Premium Pit BBQ” that is in 377 Edgewood Ave. It is specializied with ‘Southern’ style Barbeque, and the pork dishes and smoked duck are also popular menus. The blogger also proposes a problem with the restraunt; the order takes too much time, and the limited parking lot makes the customers hard to pop in. Overall, the blogger is not only recommending a restraunt but also tries to improve Atlanta’s culinary culture.

Food is an also vital factor that can describe a city. This blog is not just describing restauraunts or their specialties. It is actually portraying Atlanta’s culinary culture. For instance, the blogger emphasizes a ‘Southern’ style in describing Rolling Bones Preimum Pit BBQ restraunt. This shows how this restaurant is different from any other restraunts in other cities. As the newcomers look at this blog and visits one restruant that is recommended, they will expereicne both of the Atlanta's food, and also its great culinary culture.

-- Geon Hui Yun

What's Good in Hot-lanta

I was fortunate enough to read a blog stating that Fabolous, a rapper, would be appearing in Greenbreir Mall. More specifically, he would be appearing in Footlocker and one ticket would be given to the first 1,000 customers who bought a pair of shoes. Unfortunately, I was unable to get to the mall the day of the event which was pretty dissapionting because the concert was for a very small crowd. I was suprised to find out that this performance actually netted Fabolous very little money. As an artist, Fabolous took part in this promotion to help stimulate business the best way he could.

It is easy to understand why this type of blog would be posted; in the given economy, anything that could be used to stimulate business is a good idea. Through the high exposure of sources like the internet, Footlocker ensured that the full one thousand tickets would be given out and that many pairs of shoes will be sold. I'm pretty sad that I couldn't make it because I really could use a new pair of shoes.

--Michael Saunders

Funny? Thoughtful? Or can it be both?

I couldn't but chuckle as I read about a mother scolding her daughter for drinking a 5-hour energy, because "they will kill you," while she, the mother, bought a pack of cigarettes. My chuckle grew louder as I read about a college kid who thought teachers taught high school because they never went to college. By the time I read about a lady complaining about there being no bottoms in a clothing store followed by the gay clerk shouting "Baby, that's Atlanta for ya!", I was laughing out loud. Overheard in Atlanta, a blog which posts funny phrases spoken and overheard by Atlantans is a very simple but interesting idea. At first I only enjoyed it for the comedy it provided, but after I sat back and looked at the whole page, I realized that it was much more than just a place to get a laugh.

The blog is advertising Atlanta's personality. It's not doing so through showing off shopping centers, or tourist attractions, or apartment buildings. Overheard in Atlanta is showing Atlanta's personality through the voice of the people. When people think of a city, they consider it for its business and its monuments, but very rarely does the average person think of a city in terms of its individual people, which is what gives this blog its purpose. The title of the website rests at the top of the page on a backdrop of the Atlanta skyline. Below the title is a little phrase which provides a summation of what Overheard in Atlanta is all about: "the sound of the city." The sound of the city isn't the clinking of its factory machinery or the ambient sound of traffic clumps, or police sirens and fleeing criminals. It's the voices people. Overheard in Atlanta gives people this new perspective on Atlanta to show that Atlanta is more than just a skyline.

Bloggers create things like this site to show the outside world what Atlanta is really about, but also to give those who live in or around Atlanta a sense of community. Posts like those on Overheard in Atlanta show the people of their city that they're not alone and that they have a voice despite the bustle of everyday life. Below each post is a button which lets the reader share the quotes that they find particularly funny with other people, which is a way to continue the word and also a way to create more communication between people. The more the people give see that they're not voiceless and alone, the more they'll grow to love the city they live in and see that they are not just a blank faced passerby on the sidewalk. They are a part of something great.

Andy Van Deventer

For the Love of Atlanta

Blogs are all about getting ideas out there for everyone to see, and the blog I read, “Dreams for Atlanta,” definitely has some compelling thoughts. This particular blog contains three items in which the author wishes Atlanta would change and invites others to explain their dreams too. It reminded me of Suburban Nation because two of the points, excellent public transportation and crime minimization, are addressed in that book. His other point related to concerts because he wants Atlanta to be included in all the big tours, but for that to happen, everyone has to want to come to Atlanta. Like the authors of Suburban Nation point out, people want to come to cities of interest and cities with qualities such as less crime and better transportation.
The author wants to make his readers think about what could be better about Atlanta hoping that with enough ideas and compassion, Atlanta might be able to change for the better in the future. The author loves his hometown of Atlanta which is why he does not intend to move to the other cities he mentions that already have his dreams accomplished. He thinks his home can become one of the great cities with a little assistance which is why he wants the ideas to flow to help Atlanta become a better place. He uses ethos to connect to his audience by using the second person, and his tone is very friendly and funny. That makes sense considering that the entire population of Atlanta might be reading this blog, so his language must be kept simple, so it is accessible to the common public. He did not use any links or visual devices to aid in his purpose, but his message still got accross well.
Molly Waller

SEOUL: Combination of Sprawl and Traditional

As an international student who has just freshly arrived in America few weeks ago, I have been to many different cities for educational purposes. The most memorable city in my opinion was Seoul, the capital city of South Korea where I had spent half of my life. Seoul is an amazing city that is smaller than Atlanta yet holds a huge population even bigger than the population of entire Canada. The atmosphere of the city is always crowded and busy, but it surely does possess a charm that can draw everybody in.

The very first impression of the Seoul is that it is like a forest instead apartments being trees, and cars being millions of creatures. The tall buildings and apartments stand almost everywhere, and the long traffic jam sometimes suffocates me just by watching it. On the very centre of Seoul, a huge statue of Lee Soon Shin general stands still. He is the most renowned navy captain that fought against Japanese navies in Japan's aggression to Korean. It is quite bewildering since there is a little park around the statue, and it is placed on the right centre of huge traffic.

Seoul is more amazing in night time. Lights of hundreds of buildings illuminate the city, and the street is still teeming with people even after midnight. Dongdaemun that is placed on the east side of Seoul is a fashion mecca of South Korea. Thousands of clothing stores are concentrated on this area, and surprisingly the peak time when most people come is after midnight. Along the street of Dongdaemun, copious of snack stalls that sell a bunch of appetizer and drinks greet people that come and go out of the stores.




According to Suburban Nation, my community can be classified as a sprawl due to its dominant separation of communication and life. However, it still holds a portion of traditional aspect as one can see in the statue at the centre of the city or the Dongdaemun that still holds its cultural tradition for more than 800 years. After all, Seoul is the combination of both sprawl and traditional aspects. The old statue has been modernized with the centre park for everyone, and Dongdaemun market has been renovated for more convenience while still grasping its tradition. I strongly disagree with the notion that sprawl is 'good', and tradition is 'bad.' It is just an stereotypical image that the sprawl city lacks communication and the old towns are more affinitive. There are still a lot of places that are rational, consistent, and comprehensive; blaming the lack of communication on social tendency is just a bad excuse.

-Geon Hui Yun

How to Describe Virginia Beach?

I moved around a lot as a child because my father was in the army, so it’s hard to describe a hometown. I “grew up” in many different cities so I don’t know a great deal about any one of them. The most recent city in which I lived was Virginia Beach, Virginia. I loved Virginia Beach because there was always something to do and curfew wasn’t enforced even when it applied to me.
I moved to Virginia Beach when I was thirteen and enjoyed being there almost every minute. From where I lived, I could walk to the ocean front along the boardwalk and see live performances by amateur bands. And if I didn’t feel like walking, I could always ride the trolley around the city and get the full experience of the ocean front. All along the beach, huge statues have been erected to depict ocean scenery and ocean related themes. For instance, there is a huge statue of Poseidon on the boardwalk where Twenty-Fifth Street meets the ocean front.
In addition, during the summer, there are sandcastle competitions that would completely shock anyone who saw the structures that can be built from sand. Also, the East Coast Surfing Championship is held in Virginia Beach and, although the waves don’t get very big, it is still fun to watch. And as far as traditions go, every February, there is an event called the Polar Plunge where anyone who wants to participate can dive into the ice cold water just for the thrill of it. I have never done the Polar Plunge because I’m not crazy.
In comparison to Molly’s hometown, VB has a few similarities and many differences. For example, to get to the parts of VB where the stores and restaurants are, a car is necessary. In fact, most of the big establishments are closer to Norfolk than VB. But, there aren’t many open fields, besides the ocean front, for golf courses or things of that sort in VB. In fact, there was only one golf course in the city that I knew of and it was located in a neighborhood for members only.
VB has a very big difference in financial status in regards to the citizens. Some families with lots of money live on the ocean front or in closed gate communities where every house is the same. In my particular neighborhood though, no two houses were the same. The smaller, one floor houses are in the front of the neighborhood and the larger houses are deeper into the neighborhood. I say no two houses are the same because a great deal of my neighbors were architects or in some way designed their own house.
Suburban Nation states that my hometown is considered sprawl but I like that it is a “sprawl-like” city. The fact that one can go to the busier parts of the city to accomplish their errands and go back home to enjoy themselves sounds perfect to me.

-- Michael Saunders

What!? My Neighborhood Was Sprawl This Whole Time!?

Nicholson, Georgia. The place that saw me mature from a cute little middle school runt to a slightly more confident cute little college runt. The place that I consider my home and the place that brought me to all of my best friends. The place that I can't wait to see again every chance I get. A place that is completely and undeniably dominated by sprawl.

When I first started reading Suburban Nation and the opinions of Duany, Plater-Zyberk, and Speck, I did not want to agree with them at all. Their words seemed unfounded and pretentious. But as I read on, I slowly realized that it wasn't the words that offended me; it was the fact that I knew deep down inside that what they were saying was true and that I was a victim of the march of suburbia. My neighborhood, King's Bridge Crossing, is a giant unsalted nightmare of repetitiveness. All the houses look almost if not entirely the same, it is miles and miles from anywhere even remotely interesting, and no outlet of community activity lies anywhere on the marvelously desolate ocean of monotony that is the King's Bridge subdivision. Middle class white people rule the neighborhood while the occasional African-American owns a home here or there, but don't ask me about their ages or incomes because I don't know many of them personally.

Do I consider the neighborhood that I grew up to have been bad growth? Of course. I visited Key West, the place where my girlfriend grew up, over the summer and it was a complete eye opener for me. Ironically, despite the wild reputation of Key West, it is as traditional a place as you can get. Everything you could ever want sits within walking distance there and therefore, pedestrians and bikers take priority over cars on the road. At one point, while waiting for my girlfriend to get out of the dentist, I had the option of walking a couple feet to spend downtime in a department store, a book store, a movie theater, or her dad's work. I loved it and up until I read Suburban Nation and watched Blueprint America, I blamed my lousy position on living in the country. Sprawl is bad growth, even if it is capable of producing a community of some sort. I have seen things from both sides and I say down with suburbia.

-Andrew (Andy) Van Deventer

My hometown... sprawl or traditional?

Marietta, Georgia is a diverse community of various setups from traditional to modern, and it is where I grew up. In 1964, a group of men decided that they wanted to build an excellent golf course and community which is how Atlanta Country Club, my neighborhood, came about. It is located next to the ruins of a confederate paper mill, Sope Creek, and the Chattahoochee River as well as surrounding Macfarlane Park. As a child, I would play in the creek and fly kites in the vast park with my friends who I would meet while swimming in the neighborhood pool, and most of our parents were friends too through involvement in the club with activities such as golfing or tennis. In Atlanta Country Club, all of the houses are of differing structures and colors, and they all have plenty of space in between them. However, as soon as I leave my neighborhood, I am on a collector road as Duany, Plater- Zyberk and Speck classify Johnson Ferry Road. New neighborhoods with homogeneous houses line this road and are very much separate from all other aspects of life like shopping. A car is necessary to go anywhere, and even my school was a fifteen minute drive in the morning. Almost every parent must commute to Atlanta in terrible traffic for work. This environment makes it only possible for middle to upper class to live there.
After reading some of Suburban Nation, I would classify my community as a sprawl due to the way it is laid out as well as the separation of every aspect of life and of social classes. However, Atlanta Country Club in particular does have character which contradicts the idea of sprawl given in Suburban Nation and Blueprint America which classifies sprawl as being filled with bland, ordinary houses. Both of these sources portray that an area is either sprawl or traditional neighborhood, and although I think that is sometimes true, many areas like Marietta have mixes of sprawl and traditional neighborhood. Marietta has historic value, and it even has the Marietta Square even though most of its roads and neighborhoods are of the sprawl description. Therefore, I disagree with the idea that an area is either a traditional neighborhood or not one. I also feel a sense of community in Marietta even when I am in the parts that are considered sprawl. This contradicts the idea presented in Suburban Nation that all sprawl tends to alienate people. I do not agree that all sprawl is bad growth because of my own experiences although it would be nice for everything to be closer so that a car would not be necessary. I have always wanted to be able to ride my bike to areas that are close also, but the traffic makes this too dangerous. In that aspect, I agree with the authors of Suburban Nation.
- Molly Waller