The difference between Bruges and New Albany? It depends on Jeff Gahan's definitions of "ruining", "quality of life" and municipal impotence.

Think of Bruges, Belgium this way:

photo credit

Then there's New Albany:

Finally, this quote from a story about "quality of life" in a place where the words actually have meaning.

Tired of delivery trucks rumbling near its mythic canals, Belgium's medieval town of Bruges has approved the construction of a beer pipeline to link a five-century-old brewery to a bottling factory nearby.

The two-mile underground pipeline will link the De Halve Maan brewery in the heart of the "Venice of the North" to an industrial park where the beer will be bottled and shipped to drinkers worldwide, company director Xavier Vanneste said.

"The idea is born of environmental and quality of life concerns, and not economic ones," he said.

Bruges to build beer pipeline to stop traffic ruining locals' lives; The pipeline will link a five-century-old brewery to a bottling factory nearby (The Telegraph)