Discrimination by Planning Law

Consulting the Zoning Glossary of the City of New York (which to remind you consists of the five boroughs of Kings “aka: Brooklyn”, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and The Bronx) only one borough was tied to a definition: Manhattan, not in its entirety too. Read and go figure;

"Manhattan Core*
The Manhattan Core extends from the southern tip of Manhattan at Battery Park to West 110th Street on the West Side and East 96th Street on the East Side. It is the area covered by Manhattan Community Districts 1 through 8."

Laid-back Boston, Hectic New York

The Boston Turnstile

The New York Turnstile

The tale of the differences of these two cities in a nutshell can be told through the turnstiles at subway stations. Urban life is conveyed in the detail. Yes, turnstiles: just look at them and you will tell the difference. Boston’s are made of two pieces of glass that open automatically once you scan your card (Yes New Yorkers GLASS). I found this as such a horrifying idea since New York turnstiles are meant to handle the large volumes of people successively passing through them at the fastest speed and most aggressive way a commuter could get too. Not to mention other subjects that hit these turnstiles such as small luggage bags, laundry trolleys, guitars, and kids crawling in the clearance between the lowest bar and the (dirty) floor. 10 minutes: that’s what I’d give one of the Boston turnstiles to survive at 42nd Street-Bryant Park station during rush hour.

(Images snatched from Google Images)

The New Yorker Strikes

In a true judgmental, stereotypical, uninformed mentality, and un-NY fashion, New Yorker published a satirical cartoon on its front cover of the Obama couple running the White House in a radical militant islamist (the small caps "i" is intended) manner. While they were at it, why didn't they veil Michelle, put a few Quranic verses on the wall in recognizable Arabic calligraphy, and put a gun beside a Clinton cigar on the desk? Screwed as it is, it wasn't visually Arab-related. Actually, the ethnic and religious dilemma of linking Islam to Arabs is dropped here. At least they got something right.

Ironical enough, this cartoon is titled "The Politics of Fear". Well at least let's give them credit; there is one thing about this piece that triggers laughter.