Category Archives: Philadelphia

In Philly, taxed extra for paying taxes

Posted on June 14, 2012 by oddmanout215

Just what a struggling major city needs — more property tax hikes for tax-paying property owners, in order to make up for the huge amounts owed by deadbeat property owners, many of whom don’t even live in Philly: From Patrick … Continue reading →

Posted in economic collapse, livable cities, Philadelphia, taxes | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

‘Yes He Can,’ but will he?

Posted on January 19, 2012 by oddmanout215

Has Barack Obama ever acknowledged Robert Reich’s steady stream of criticism regarding Obama’s apparent lack of interest in putting the real economy back on track? He seems to have shunned the former Secretary of Labor, and to have ignored anyone … Continue reading →

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, Obama, Philadelphia, The New Depression, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Phrase of the month: stealth recall

Posted on January 6, 2012 by oddmanout215

From Huffington Post: A Washington state couple is suing Johnson & Johnson, alleging their toddler son was killed after taking defective Children’s Tylenol from a batch that had been recalled – part of the company’s continuing string of recalls of … Continue reading →

Posted in health care, Philadelphia, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Beset by wenches at S. Philly parade

Posted on January 2, 2012 by oddmanout215

I forgot about the Mummers Parade yesterday, as I do every New Year’s, until I literally ran into it while jogging at midday. A dense crowd on the sidewalks at Broad and Washington was cheering, sort of, for a string … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, livable cities, Philadelphia | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

‘Australia’ (Happy Boxing Day)

Posted on December 26, 2011 by oddmanout215

We’ll surf like they do in the USA We’ll fly down to Sydney for a holiday On sunny Christmas Day… I’m standing in line yesterday at a drugstore, one of those chain stores that turn wall-to-wall red a month before … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, economic collapse, Great Recession, humor, Obama, Philadelphia, Politics, pop music, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Happy Third Day After the Solstice

Posted on December 25, 2011 by oddmanout215

Bernini’s St. Theresa in Ecstasy is in the Cornaro Chapel (Santa Maria Vittoria). Which means nothing to me, but the act of writing down the address for future reference seems constructive, especially with all the thinking I’m doing about Rome, … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, history, humor, Philadelphia | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

PA’s frackin’ Scrooge of the Year

Posted on December 21, 2011 by oddmanout215

James Carville noted years ago that, from the standpoint of political strategists, “Pennsylvania is Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and Alabama in between,” or words to that effect. He has been pilloried by critics on the left and right for his remark, … Continue reading →

Posted in environmentalism, Great Recession, history, mainstream media, Philadelphia, Politics, The New Depression | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A Christmas blessing

Posted on December 17, 2011 by oddmanout215

So I’m biking to pick up medicine in South Philly a few nights ago, and I find myself behind a slow-moving flatbed truck, tall and wide and crammed with Christmas trees, and spewing vile fumes. And there are cars parked … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, livable cities, movies, Philadelphia | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Happy Xmas — or is it Groundhog Day?

Posted on December 11, 2011 by oddmanout215

I run past Dan’s store on Passyunk Avenue, I see his Christmas trees for sale at curbside, breathe the scent of pine and hear “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” skipping from the speakers above his storefront. Each time … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, fiction, humor, Philadelphia, pop music | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Over there is where the Occupy camp used to be

Posted on December 1, 2011 by oddmanout215

Robert Scheer links the Occupy movement to the fight against the sort of corruption embodied by the SEC: … As Judge [Jed] Rakoff stated, the Securities and Exchange Commission has charged Citigroup with “a substantial securities fraud” in the sale … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, economic collapse, Great Recession, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Philadelphia, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , | 1 Comment