Tag Archives: Philadelphia

Romney lies faster than I can type

Posted on October 28, 2011 by oddmanout215

Yesterday I wrote, “The pious Mr. Mitt has been telling a new lie each day concerning where he stands on workers’ bargaining rights.” This was in response to a story out of Ohio. I filed my blog entry and went … Continue reading →

Posted in climate change, economic collapse, environmentalism, Great Recession, humor, mainstream media, Philadelphia, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Don’t go near the wood-er, quack quack

Posted on October 23, 2011 by oddmanout215

One of those bizarre amphibious “duck boats,” jammed with tourists, cruised past me on South Street today. The tour guide, using a mic and amp system, was shouting, “Pay attention, I’ll tell you how to speak Philadelphian. One, two, three… … Continue reading →

Posted in Philadelphia | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

These protesters are ‘angry at the right people’

Posted on October 8, 2011 by oddmanout215

Who would have thought a few weeks ago that hundreds of protestors from something called Occupy Philly would set up camp in Center City? The idea is almost as far-fetched as a tent city next to Wall Street. But there … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, economic collapse, Goldman Sachs, Great Recession, mainstream media, Philadelphia, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s the end of the world…! Well, not quite

Posted on August 28, 2011 by oddmanout215

Disaster stories are crowd pleasers, partly because oblivion can seem an appealing alternative to everyday problems that have no solution. At the very least, such stories disrupt the monotony of our insulated, digitized environments and force us to imagine other … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, humor, livable cities, movies, Philadelphia | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

‘Drug corners’ story makes a sobering point

Posted on August 25, 2011 by oddmanout215

I know a talk radio host who has a passion for esoteric list-making — best NFL defensive linemen who are also convicted felons, best rockabilly guitarists who married their first cousins — that sort of thing. He invites listeners to … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Recession, humor, livable cities, mainstream media, Philadelphia, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Philly schools chief gets $905K to drop out

Posted on August 23, 2011 by oddmanout215

Here’s how not to begin an editorial about the departure of an arrogant and divisive “public servant” who hung on until the school district and anonymous donors gave her $905,000 to go away: It’s a shame that it had to … Continue reading →

Posted in City Hall, livable cities, Philadelphia, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Did the Earth move for you, too, baby?

Posted on August 23, 2011 by oddmanout215

At Front and Lombard, a woman with a British accent approached me and said “Did you feel the earth shake?” or “Did you feel an earthquake?” There was passion in her voice. I wondered if she’d mistaken me for someone … Continue reading →

Posted in livable cities, Philadelphia, The New Depression | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Some ‘Rain’ to keep us sane in Philly

Posted on August 20, 2011 by oddmanout215

At last the rain god intervened to clean the stinking streets — am I paraphrasing Travis Bickle? — after the hottest July on record in Philly. And now there’s a chance this will be the city’s wettest August on record. … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, humor, livable cities, Philadelphia, pop music | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

More songs about buildings and bikes

Posted on August 17, 2011 by oddmanout215

I was watching a sunburned woman with red hair in a thick braid. In the corner of my eye, a bike rider zoomed past and disappeared behind a bus. I stepped into the street for another look, but the rider … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, enviromentalism, Great Recession, humor, livable cities, Philadelphia, pop music, The New Depression | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Philly’s tax mess — no wonder we’re going broke

Posted on August 15, 2011 by oddmanout215

I write from Philadelphia, one of the most stupidly governed major cities in the nation. If you doubt that, take a look at the Inquirer story about our delinquent-property-tax-collection system. For years our various mayors and City Council members have … Continue reading →

Posted in casinos, City Hall, economic collapse, enviromentalism, Great Recession, mainstream media, Philadelphia, Politics, taxes | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments