[EastSideHBG]

Well I know I am just as guilty as the rest in regards to sometimes taking Philly VI off of its intended course, so here is a thread where we can discuss all things Philadelphia! The food, the crime, the taxes, the neighborhoods, the sports...are you coming to town and need some ideas about things to see and do? Then this is the thread for you! Everything is fair game here, again, except for construction-related items; they still belong in Philly VI.

Have fun and keep it civil! ;)

[volguus zildrohar]

San Francisco rocks and your city doesn't deserve The Olympics.

[EastSideHBG]

San Francisco rocks and your city doesn't deserve The Olympics.
Well my city has more murders than yours...so there! :twoguns:

[donybrx]

how about taking it to skybar......or city discussions....? sometimes too much is more than enough.........

[EastSideHBG]

how about taking it to skybar......or city discussions....? sometimes too much is more than enough.........
Nah, I think it is just fine here.

[donybrx]

okey doke. I was insensitive. Guess you miss your old Harrisburg gig herein....I understand.....

[EastSideHBG]

okey doke. I was insensitive. Guess you miss your old Harrisburg gig herein....I understand.....
What exactly is your problem, donybrx?!? There is no need for yet another Philly thread to be taking up space in the general forums IMO, and hence why it is here. You were even one of the ones to make a comment in the Philly VI thread about the topics veering off course, and I created a thread for us so that doesn't continue to happen. Yet you still aren't happy and decide to take a jab at me on top of that. Real classy, man, real classy...

:rolleyes: :slob:

[donybrx]

I'm not actually having a problem. Sorry you feel that way, slobbering and all.......maybe you need to start your day over...?
....the only consideration might be that somebody actually help keep an unstructured thread within reasonable boundaries so it doesn't become a posting fest with too much really tedious, repetitious stuff.....and things that veer too far from SSP orientation. So wold be good to not just be shifting 'cluttering' things from one arena to another. Is that reasonable?

[Swinefeld]

Have fun and keep it civil! ;)
Ahem, words to live by. Anyway, I think this is a good idea. We can talk about small developments, sports and other fun stuff.

In retail news, Club Monaco is set to open on August 26th at 1503 Walnut Street.

The Philly Fanatic

(NEW YORK) The next time clothes hounds in the City of Brotherly Love feel the need for a Club Monaco fix, they won’t have to travel south to D.C. or north to Jersey. The company will open its first Philadelphia store on August 26. Located at 1503 Walnut Street, in a central location surrounded by the University of Pennsylvania, not to mention the city’s top restaurants and boutiques, the 4,200-sq. ft. store will stock Club Monaco’s full collection for men’s and women’s. This brings the total number of Club Monaco stores in the U.S. and Canada to 65.

http://www.fashionweekdaily.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsID=331603&itype=8486

[EastSideHBG]

I've never heard of that store, Swinefeld, but I am sure it will be a welcome addition!

So since it was a hot topic in the other thread, what exactly should be done about the crime? And are you for or against the surveillance cameras? I think the city definitely needs more police, but I also think it could benefit from a very hard-nosed approach too. The courts in Philly definitely need reform too, though...come to think of it I think the whole system needs an overhaul! :no:

As for the cameras I think they are a good idea. Yes, they basically just move the crime from one area to another. But IMO something is definitely better than nothing, and I'd like to see a few more pop up across the city. We must make sure that we are very careful and don't blur the public/private lines even further, though...

Also, I get the feeling that Fishtown is really going to boom. With the paving of Girard, some of the rehabs going on there, these cameras, etc., etc., it is ripe for an explosion! I've seen the neighborhood transform dramtically over the years and I am sure it will be happening even faster now...

[frank_pentangeli]

THANK GOD FOR THIS THREAD

the construction thread was becoming unbearable having to sift through crime discussion

I can excuse Olympics discussion because it WOULD bring construction, but even that.


Oh, Phils down 9-1

[The Cheat]

The cameras will help on the court date when they need evidence. They still need more cops on the streets, but what's the use of arrests if they can't get a conviction because of insufficient evidence?

It's time to recap the other issues in this city:

- Taxes. The wage and business taxes are too high. Property tax rates are low enough, and combined with the cheaper real estate within the city and the 10 year tax abatement, most people pay very little real estate tax. But the wage tax and the various complicated business taxes make running a business in the city much more expensive than it should be.

- Schools: I hear things are getting better, but there's still a long way to go.

- Transportation: SEPTA and the roads. Red light cameras are here. State troopers are going to be patrolling the expressways. Roosevelt Blvd subway is still shelved. Schuylkill Expressway is still slow. The PHL airport runway extension is underway. SEPTA still has many problems.

[Lincolndrive]

Dissecting the 'code of the street'By Elijah Anderson
Professor of Sociology
University of Pennsylvania
Of all the problems besetting the poor inner-city black community, none is more pressing than that of interpersonal violence and aggression. It wreaks havoc daily with the lives of community residents and increasingly spills over into downtown and residential middle-class areas.

Muggings, burglaries, carjackings, and drug-related shootings, all of which may leave their victims or innocent bystanders dead, are now common enough to concern all urban and many suburban residents. The inclination to violence springs from the circumstances of life among the ghetto poor - the lack of jobs that pay a living wage, the stigma of race, the fallout from rampant drug use and drug-trafficking, and the resulting alienation and lack of hope for the future.

As the Philadelphia region deindustrializes and globalizes, great numbers of inner city poor people fail to cope with these changes. The result is concentrated and racialized urban poverty with a structural cast. A certain lawlessness prevails in these neighborhoods, but when residents summon the police, they often arrive late or are felt to abuse the very people who called them.

The community feels unprotected and alienated from the police and the justice system, their faith in the civil law undermined by the lawlessness they witness in their communties daily. Out of self-defense, the community adopts the principles of "street justice" - "an eye for and eye, a tooth for a tooth" - and a retaliation dynamic becomes common. In these circumstances, reputation, or "street credibility," becomes ever more coveted - if not for deterrence, then for self-respect - and becomes a precious coin traded for a sense of security in the 'hood.

Simply living in such an environment places young people at special risk of falling victim to aggressive behavior. Although there are often forces in the community which can counteract the negative influences - by far the most powerful being a strong, loving, "decent" (as inner-city residents put it) family committed to middle-class values - the despair is pervasive enough to have spawned an oppositional culture. It is the culture of "the streets," whose norms are often consciously opposed to those of mainstream society.

These two orientations - decent and street - socially organize the community, and their co-existence has important consequences for residents, particularly children growing up in the inner city. Above all, this environment means that even youngsters whose home lives reflect mainstream values - and the majority of homes in the community do - must be able to handle themselves in a street-oriented environment.

This is because the street culture has evolved what may be called a code of the streets, which amounts to a set of informal rules governing interpersonal public behavior, including violence. The rules prescribe both a proper comportment and a proper way to respond if challenged. They regulate the use of violence and so allow those who are inclined to aggression to precipitate violent encounters in an approved way.

The rules have been established and are enforced mainly by the street-oriented, but on the streets the distinction between street and decent is often irrelevant; everybody knows that if the rules are violated, there are penalties. Knowledge of the code is thus largely defensive; it is literally necessary for operating in public. Therefore, even though families with a decency orientation are usually opposed to the rules of the code, they often reluctantly encourage their children's familiarity with it to enable them to negotiate the inner-city environment.

At the heart of the code is the issue of respect - loosely defined as being treated "right," or granted the deference one deserves. However, in the troublesome public environment of the inner city, as people increasingly feel buffeted by forces beyond their control, what one deserves in the way of respect becomes more and more problematic and uncertain. This in turn further opens the issue of respect to sometimes intense interpersonal negotiation.

In the street culture, especially among young people, respect is viewed as almost an external entity that is hard-won but easily lost, and so must constantly be guarded. The rules of the code, in fact, provide a framework for negotiating respect.

The person whose very appearance - including his clothing, demeanor and way of moving - deters transgressions feels that he possesses, and may be considered by others to possess, a measure of respect. With the right amount of respect, for instance, he can avoid "being bothered" in public. If he is bothered, not only may he be in physical danger but he has been disgraced or "dissed" (disrespected). Many of the forms that dissing can take might seem petty to middle-class people (maintaining eye contact for too long, for example), but to those invested in the street code, these actions become serious indications of the other person's intentions.

Consequently, such people become very sensitive to advances and slights, which could well serve as warnings of imminent physical confrontation.

This hard reality can be traced to the profound sense of alienation from mainstream society and institutions felt by many poor inner-city black people, particularly the young. The code of the street is actually a cultural adaptation to a profound lack of faith in the police and the judicial system. The police are most often seen as representing the dominant white society and not caring to protect inner-city residents. When called they may not respond, which is one reason many residents feel they must be prepared to take extraordinary measures to defend themselves and their loved ones against those who are inclined to aggression.

Lack of police accountability has in fact been incorporated into the status system: the person who is believed capable of "taking care of himself" is accorded a certain deference, which translates into a sense of physical and psychological control. The street code emerges where the influence of the police ends and personal responsibility for one's safety is felt to begin. Exacerbated by the proliferation of drugs and easy access to guns, this volatile situation results in the ability of the street-oriented minority (or those who effectively "go for bad") to dominate the public spaces.

Especially among young people, this reality encourages a relentless campaign for "street cred" that ironically is undermined by success in school and the accumulation of other conventional forms of human capital. Additionally, this campaign for street cred, based on a reputation for so many victorious fights to one's credit, results in a proliferation of police contacts and records for too many young males that virtually renders too many of them unemployable.

The inner-city economy at "ground zero" depends on three interrelated sources: low-wage jobs, welfare payments and the idiosyncratic, irregular underground economy. Capital circulates between and among these elements, and when any one of which proves unproductive, people are encouraged to rely on the remaining ones. Hence, despite a real scarcity of economic resources in the inner-city poor community, to make ends meet, many people often engage in numerous everyday exchanges – bartering, lending, as well as illegal enterprises such as the drug trade – that are carried on without the benefit of civil law, with a "street justice" filling the void.

Rhe drug trade is stratified by "top dogs," "middle dogs," and "low dogs." But to work in the drug trade, one must have a firearm, often obtained illegally, in order to deter "stick up" boys and others with whom beefs develop. Because of the relentless campaign for street credibility, beefs quickly result in gun play.

As this cycle plays itself out, employers are encouraged to further discriminate against black males, further exacerbating their employability while fueling the cycle of joblessness, alienation, violence, and early death.

[Swinefeld]

THANK GOD FOR THIS THREAD

the construction thread was becoming unbearable having to sift through crime discussion

I can excuse Olympics discussion because it WOULD bring construction, but even that.


Oh, Phils down 9-1
The Phils got pounded 15-2. :( Come back, Bobbie!

Chase Utley's hitting streak is at 32! :tup:

[volguus zildrohar]

1503 Walnut is surrounded by UPenn? Did UPenn buy all of Center City, too?

[Wheelingman04]

This is a cool thread.:tup:

[Swinefeld]

VZ, I got a chuckle out of that too. Those Noo Yawkuhs don't know us like they think they do.

If you can bear the 102º heat, Macy's (http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/business/15167561.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp) is opening tomorrow at the Wannamaker Building.

[xzmattzx]

This will be a good place to talk Philly sports.

I'll probably be at training camp tomorrow, look for pictues on here or SSC tomorrow night.

[xzmattzx]

Someone help this guy out:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=112053

[The Cheat]

Anyone get hit with a power outage today? I'm having to run on battery power for now.

[PhillyRising]

Anyone get hit with a power outage today? I'm having to run on battery power for now.

Nope...but I had another 9 hour outtage last Thursday Night/Friday Morning....

[FlyersFan118]

http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pressbox/archive/2668.asp

SWEEEEEEEEET!!!

http://images.comcast-spectacor.com/flyers/story//17315.JPG
Wachovia Center to Add New High-Tech Scoreboard

Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm, is adding a spectacular new high-tech center-hung scoreboard to give fans at the Wachovia Center a one-of-a-kind experience. The new state-of-the-art scoreboard and light emitting diode (LED) signage system will create incredible visual displays for all sporting events and attractions at the 10-year-old, 21,000-seat multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility.

“Our fans are absolutely going to love watching replays and live game action on our beautiful new scoreboard,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “We felt it was time after 10 years of playing at Wachovia Center, to take advantage of our anniversary year to work with ANC and create a spectacular new game experience for our fans.”

Comcast-Spectacor hired ANC Sports Enterprises to extensively renovate the visual displays at the Wachovia Center. The new signage system includes a new center-hung scoreboard, an additional level of LED fascia and two outdoor LED screens that will deliver vibrant in-game visuals, such as team animations, real-time statistics, advertisements, live action and replays.

“We really enjoy working with ANC Sports Enterprises,” added Luukko. “They are the industry leaders in providing the latest technology in arena entertainment. We believe the company’s latest technology and services will assist us reach our goal of being the most visually impressive and exciting arena in professional sports.”

ANC is spearheading the design, construction, installation and event operation of the new signage system, highlighted by the center-hung structure which features 12 LED video displays in between two circular LED ribbons. The center-hung will feature over 3200 square feet of active LED signage. Through a multi-year agreement, ANC will create captivating sponsor and team content for the entire signage system while controlling event visuals through its VisionSOFT operating system.

The center-hung structure will energize the arena by displaying crystal clear video through 1.07 billion colors on four 11' x 21' 10mm displays, four 8' x 16' 16.5mm virtual scoring/advertising matrix and four smaller 8' x 7' 16.5mm displays. The virtually flat LED screens will provide unobstructed views from all 21,000 seats in the arena. The center-hung will appear in full motion when all the video screens are animated in conjunction with two SMARTVISION® 20mm LED “rings” that will highlight the top and bottom of the structure.

In addition to the new center-hung scoreboard, ANC is installing an additional 1,000 linear feet of SMARTVISION® 20mm LED ribbon around the second level facade to compliment the company's existing fascia system at the arena. The two levels of fascia will bring alive the arena with advertisements and crowd prompts such as “get loud” and “defense.” Two new outdoor SMARTVISION® 25mm displays will also welcome fans on Pattison Avenue.

"This partnership demonstrates ANC's capabilities as a complete signage solution partner of the Wachovia Center, where we are excited to enhance sponsorship opportunities and the fan experience through our courtside rotational, concourse displays and LED signage," said Jerry Cifarelli, president and chief executive officer of ANC Sports Enterprises. "The new center-hung scoreboard and additional level of fascia in the arena bowl will help create an energetic and emotional atmosphere that matches the well-known Philadelphia fans' intensity."

Driven by ANC's software, the LED signage system can exhibit separate game prompts, sponsorships and statistics or dissolve into a single animation such as a Philadelphia 76ers logo appearing throughout all the displays. Additionally, ANC's VisionSOFT will interface with all the relevant sports information providers to display real-time statistics separate from or in conjunction with advertisements, creating additional sponsorship opportunities for the Wachovia Center.





I wonder if there's any way they can put Wacho Center's old scoreboard in the Spectrum, since the Spectrum's scoreboard is a mess.

[EastSideHBG]

Well I know I may take some heat for this but so be it:

My job has been taking me to a lot of areas in the city I have never been to before. Overall, I would have to say that Philly is in bad shape. There are some areas I love and would live in of course but there are more (WAY more) I don't like and would rather not live in. It pains me to say this but it is just how I feel. Also, I am finding that the talk about Philly is not good these days from both residents and non-residents alike and the city M U S T fix the tax and violence issues.

I would have to say that Philly really is a bigger Harrisburg (HBG was modeled after Philly for those that don't know; maybe I should say, "Harrisburg really is a smaller Philly," instead ;)) and the similarities are amazing. Overall, Philly is just like every other city in the U.S. from what I can tell. A thriving DT and a few other hotspots that are still climbing but the rest of the city still needs LOTS of help and probably won't go anywhere in my lifetime. Baltimore, DC, Harrisburg and now Philly are all exactly the same to me. You may laugh at me for saying this but I really did have the impression before all of this exploration that Philly was in a category of its own.

I sure hope you don't take my comments as a jab at the city because that is not my intentions at all. Rather, I am saying that I don't really see any city-wide renaissance going on and I don't feel we will; too many things need to change. But again, many other cities are in the exact same boat and this is an American problem vs. strictly a Philly one; the middle-class is being squeezed out and it bugs me to no end!

Also, please keep in mind that I am still an outsider looking in. I'm sure many of you that have been here for some time can argue with what I say because you saw and know the changes first hand. Areas that look like they are not the best to me could've looked even worse at one time...

[Palms]

I think the thing that sets Philadelphia apart from Baltimore and Harrisburg is areas like Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy ,East Falls, and Overbrook. NE Philly and extreme South Philly are also solid and clean. I've always thought Philadlephia was 1/3 elite including neighborhoods listed above above plus center city/ University city. 1/3 solid middle class e.g. Manayunk/Roxborough Packer Park and NE Philly. 1/3 bombed out.

I'm not as down on Philly as you are eastside. There is entirely too much blight but maybe if you are around long enough you'll see some of Philadelphia's hidden gems.

[EastSideHBG]

I think the thing that sets Philadelphia apart from Baltimore and Harrisburg is areas like Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy ,East Falls, and Overbrook. NE Philly and extreme South Philly are also solid and clean. I've always thought Philadlephia was 1/3 elite including neighborhoods listed above above plus center city/ University city. 1/3 solid middle class e.g. Manayunk/Roxborough Packer Park and NE Philly. 1/3 bombed out.

I'm not as down on Philly as you are eastside. There is entirely too much blight but maybe if you are around long enough you'll see some of Philadelphia's hidden gems.
Well it's probably not a fair comparison on my part anyway because Philly is much, much bigger than the other cities mentioned.

[The Cheat]

If there are diamonds in the rough, you'll find acres of diamonds.

[The Cheat]

All cities across Pennsylvania generally suffer from the same problems of low job growth. Without jobs, people won't move here and fix up those houses. Without well-paying jobs, people can't pay to fix up the houses they live in. The business aren't expanding in PA, and I think one reason is the Corporate Net Income tax of 9.99%. There are other reasons, but the tax issue is the easiest one to put a number to.

[FlyersFan118]

I'm not sure how much Philly you've seen. My guess is you've seen Center City, North Philly, Northwest Philly and West Philly?

Manayunk and Roxborough are beautiful areas to start with. A good portion of South Philly is keeping it together, as well as the vast majority of the Northeast. Our inner city really isn't any different than the inner cities of other cities (except perhaps less cops on the streets :yuck: ), but many other areas here are in a whole other league from other cities.

Much of the city troubles me. There are quite a few neighborhoods that are going down the drain, if they're not long gone down the drain as it is. Other portions of the city are growing leaps and bounds and improving overall. The population in the Northeast is BOOMING, as compared to the flight from the more "not nice" parts of the city (a lot of the people from other parts of the city are moving up here and calling the northeast home, too).

Eastside, I totally understand where you're coming from, and for a lot of the city you're dead on, but there is MUCH more than just what you've seen. From parks to all the assorted neighborhoods across the city, Philly's really looking a lot better in maybe 1/3 of the city, like Palms said.

The 1/3 of the city that's downward spiralling fast obviously casts a shadow on the rest of the city, understandably. But don't think that Philly's 135.5 square miles of garbage, because that couldn't be FARTHER from the truth. :)

[EastSideHBG]

The Cheat: I agree!

I'm not sure how much Philly you've seen. My guess is you've seen Center City, North Philly, Northwest Philly and West Philly?
All of these areas plus I've seen Manayunk, Roxborough (almost moved to these two in fact and spend a lot of time in Manayunk; LOVE IT!) and Northeast.

Manayunk and Roxborough are beautiful areas to start with. A good portion of South Philly is keeping it together, as well as the vast majority of the Northeast. Our inner city really isn't any different than the inner cities of other cities (except perhaps less cops on the streets :yuck: ), but many other areas here are in a whole other league from other cities.
I agree with the first part for sure.

Much of the city troubles me. There are quite a few neighborhoods that are going down the drain, if they're not long gone down the drain as it is.
EXACTLY what I was getting at in my original post!

Other portions of the city are growing leaps and bounds and improving overall. The population in the Northeast is BOOMING, as compared to the flight from the more "not nice" parts of the city (a lot of the people from other parts of the city are moving up here and calling the northeast home, too).
But it seems to me that parts of Northeast are and is becoming very suburban-styled. One could argue that the reason why this area is doing so well is because the room is there to grow (e.g. the Byberry site) and also for the general feel for the area. Yes I may be splitting hairs here, but my point is if other cities had these areas within their city limits they would probably be thriving also.

Eastside, I totally understand where you're coming from, and for a lot of the city you're dead on, but there is MUCH more than just what you've seen. From parks to all the assorted neighborhoods across the city, Philly's really looking a lot better in maybe 1/3 of the city, like Palms said.
Oh definitely, and I readily admit that I am nothing close to an expert on Philadelphia. During my travels I am sure I will find some really great things too. :)

The 1/3 of the city that's downward spiralling fast obviously casts a shadow on the rest of the city, understandably. But don't think that Philly's 135.5 square miles of garbage, because that couldn't be FARTHER from the truth. :)
Very true. And again, because of the size of Philly, it is probably not a fair comparison on my part.

[Swinefeld]

Just what exactly do you do, Eastside? Maybe your job takes you to the worst parts of the city and if that's all you see, than of course your overall opinion will be bad.

On a related topic, here's an opinion piece in the Inky that's worth a look.

Let's stop being a world-class secret

Philadelphia's entire committee should be congratulated for its effort to have our city host the 2016 Olympic Games. As disappointing as the outcome is, I hope that we will use the energy and spirit of cooperation that was harnessed for this effort to address both infrastructure and perceptual obstacles to putting Philadelphia on the list of cities considered to be "world class."

The issue cited by committee cochairman David L. Cohen - that Philadelphia lacks an international reputation - is one that we as a city should not take lightly. That shortcoming hinders our efforts to attract new business, to bring in international students and tourists, who glide by our wonderful city as they shuttle between New York and Washington.

As the president of International House (where 1,500 international students live each year), all too often I will hear residents comment on how surprised they were to find that Philadelphia is such a cosmopolitan city, with arts, culture, music, dance and food on par with cities with much more positive global reputations.

There are many organizations in this city that extend a warm welcome to those visitors who do make it to Philadelphia; organizations that go largely unnoticed by the public at large. International House, for example, has been welcoming students and scholars from around the world for nearly 100 years. These "I House" alumni, now close to 40,000, are some of the best good-will ambassadors for the city. I invite every reader of The Inquirer to visit us at University City and experience what a true success story in creating a global community looks like.

There are many fronts to wage a campaign to internationalize Philadelphia, and I hope that the spirit that was tapped for our Olympic bid can be re-channeled to create an image for Philadelphia that reflects the world-class nature of our people and institutions.

Oliver Franklin

President
International House Philadelphia

[EastSideHBG]

Just what exactly do you do, Eastside? Maybe your job takes you to the worst parts of the city and if that's all you see, than of course your overall opinion will be bad.
I design security systems for residential and small business customers. Okay, I know what you are thinking, "Well the bad 'hoods need this the most!" LOL But the customers must meet certain criteria before I am even sent out, and hence why I sometimes still end up in businesses in bad neighborhoods; the people who own them rarely live there. I enjoy it thus far because I get to see the good AND the bad of Philly, and I hear a lot of chatter from locals; I learned more in the last few weeks than I ever did on my countless visits to Philly in the past.

Again, my overall opinion of Phily is not bad, rather, it is no longer in the league of its own I once thought it was. Bigger? Sure, but pretty much the same when you get right down to it...

On a related topic, here's an opinion piece in the Inky that's worth a look.

Let's stop being a world-class secret

Philadelphia's entire committee should be congratulated for its effort to have our city host the 2016 Olympic Games. As disappointing as the outcome is, I hope that we will use the energy and spirit of cooperation that was harnessed for this effort to address both infrastructure and perceptual obstacles to putting Philadelphia on the list of cities considered to be "world class."

The issue cited by committee cochairman David L. Cohen - that Philadelphia lacks an international reputation - is one that we as a city should not take lightly. That shortcoming hinders our efforts to attract new business, to bring in international students and tourists, who glide by our wonderful city as they shuttle between New York and Washington.

As the president of International House (where 1,500 international students live each year), all too often I will hear residents comment on how surprised they were to find that Philadelphia is such a cosmopolitan city, with arts, culture, music, dance and food on par with cities with much more positive global reputations.

There are many organizations in this city that extend a warm welcome to those visitors who do make it to Philadelphia; organizations that go largely unnoticed by the public at large. International House, for example, has been welcoming students and scholars from around the world for nearly 100 years. These "I House" alumni, now close to 40,000, are some of the best good-will ambassadors for the city. I invite every reader of The Inquirer to visit us at University City and experience what a true success story in creating a global community looks like.

There are many fronts to wage a campaign to internationalize Philadelphia, and I hope that the spirit that was tapped for our Olympic bid can be re-channeled to create an image for Philadelphia that reflects the world-class nature of our people and institutions.

Oliver Franklin

President
International House Philadelphia
Great article! I have always felt that even if Philly didn't get the Olympics, it was still an honor to even be considered!

[volguus zildrohar]

Yeah, we're most certainly among DA REALEST, aren't we?

EastSide, I like to think that us Philly folk don't give too glowing an impression of Philadelphia. Like everyone else, I'm very happy to trumpet the great things going on here (geographically confined as those things may be) but I've personally always made it a point never to sugarcoat the reality that there is a lot wrong with Philadelphia. I mean...a lot. The problem is trying to give outsiders (really more people outside the general region) an accurate view of what Philadelphia is/is becoming (often beyond their expectations of a brick covered, trash filled permafrosted wasteland of loud mouthed overweight football fans and acres of mountain bandits lying in wait) and "still is" (horribly racist/classist, poor schools, taxes, the whole 9) - like every other city in the country except people already approach us looking down. We're in a unique situation compared to other cities. Our size alone puts us in a different league from the St. Louises and Detroits of America (casting no aspersions on those cities at all).

Even in areas the average American is loathe to tread, the trouble they see is only as deep as what they see. Center City is a polished jewel but it sits in the center of an entire city that gets little credit and comparitively little attention.

You, myself and some of the rest of us need to take a day and traverse what I really do endearingly call "this fuckin' city" just to see this place with these eyes of ours. And count exactly how many diagonal streets you'll find in Philadelphia...it may surprise you:)

[xzmattzx]

Training Camp photos:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=112272

[JMancuso]

as an outsider looking at philly, i never had any negative impressions of the city. that fuckin' city is alright.

[EastSideHBG]

Yeah, we're most certainly among DA REALEST, aren't we?

EastSide, I like to think that us Philly folk don't give too glowing an impression of Philadelphia. Like everyone else, I'm very happy to trumpet the great things going on here (geographically confined as those things may be) but I've personally always made it a point never to sugarcoat the reality that there is a lot wrong with Philadelphia. I mean...a lot. The problem is trying to give outsiders (really more people outside the general region) an accurate view of what Philadelphia is/is becoming (often beyond their expectations of a brick covered, trash filled permafrosted wasteland of loud mouthed overweight football fans and acres of mountain bandits lying in wait) and "still is" (horribly racist/classist, poor schools, taxes, the whole 9) - like every other city in the country except people already approach us looking down. We're in a unique situation compared to other cities. Our size alone puts us in a different league from the St. Louises and Detroits of America (casting no aspersions on those cities at all).

Even in areas the average American is loathe to tread, the trouble they see is only as deep as what they see. Center City is a polished jewel but it sits in the center of an entire city that gets little credit and comparitively little attention.
Nice post, VZ! :)

You, myself and some of the rest of us need to take a day and traverse what I really do endearingly call "this fuckin' city" just to see this place with these eyes of ours. And count exactly how many diagonal streets you'll find in Philadelphia...it may surprise you:)
I would definitely be down for that! :yes:

[Swinefeld]

If anybody is going to be in Center City for lunch today, Five Guys Burgers and Fries is officially open for business. I popped in to check it out. Looks nice and very reasonably priced.

1527 Chestnut St. 10:00-10:00, 7 days a week!

[PhillyRising]

http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/pressbox/archive/2668.asp

SWEEEEEEEEET!!!

http://images.comcast-spectacor.com/flyers/story//17315.JPG
Wachovia Center to Add New High-Tech Scoreboard

Comcast-Spectacor, the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm, is adding a spectacular new high-tech center-hung scoreboard to give fans at the Wachovia Center a one-of-a-kind experience. The new state-of-the-art scoreboard and light emitting diode (LED) signage system will create incredible visual displays for all sporting events and attractions at the 10-year-old, 21,000-seat multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility.

“Our fans are absolutely going to love watching replays and live game action on our beautiful new scoreboard,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “We felt it was time after 10 years of playing at Wachovia Center, to take advantage of our anniversary year to work with ANC and create a spectacular new game experience for our fans.”

Comcast-Spectacor hired ANC Sports Enterprises to extensively renovate the visual displays at the Wachovia Center. The new signage system includes a new center-hung scoreboard, an additional level of LED fascia and two outdoor LED screens that will deliver vibrant in-game visuals, such as team animations, real-time statistics, advertisements, live action and replays.

“We really enjoy working with ANC Sports Enterprises,” added Luukko. “They are the industry leaders in providing the latest technology in arena entertainment. We believe the company’s latest technology and services will assist us reach our goal of being the most visually impressive and exciting arena in professional sports.”

ANC is spearheading the design, construction, installation and event operation of the new signage system, highlighted by the center-hung structure which features 12 LED video displays in between two circular LED ribbons. The center-hung will feature over 3200 square feet of active LED signage. Through a multi-year agreement, ANC will create captivating sponsor and team content for the entire signage system while controlling event visuals through its VisionSOFT operating system.

The center-hung structure will energize the arena by displaying crystal clear video through 1.07 billion colors on four 11' x 21' 10mm displays, four 8' x 16' 16.5mm virtual scoring/advertising matrix and four smaller 8' x 7' 16.5mm displays. The virtually flat LED screens will provide unobstructed views from all 21,000 seats in the arena. The center-hung will appear in full motion when all the video screens are animated in conjunction with two SMARTVISION® 20mm LED “rings” that will highlight the top and bottom of the structure.

In addition to the new center-hung scoreboard, ANC is installing an additional 1,000 linear feet of SMARTVISION® 20mm LED ribbon around the second level facade to compliment the company's existing fascia system at the arena. The two levels of fascia will bring alive the arena with advertisements and crowd prompts such as “get loud” and “defense.” Two new outdoor SMARTVISION® 25mm displays will also welcome fans on Pattison Avenue.

"This partnership demonstrates ANC's capabilities as a complete signage solution partner of the Wachovia Center, where we are excited to enhance sponsorship opportunities and the fan experience through our courtside rotational, concourse displays and LED signage," said Jerry Cifarelli, president and chief executive officer of ANC Sports Enterprises. "The new center-hung scoreboard and additional level of fascia in the arena bowl will help create an energetic and emotional atmosphere that matches the well-known Philadelphia fans' intensity."

Driven by ANC's software, the LED signage system can exhibit separate game prompts, sponsorships and statistics or dissolve into a single animation such as a Philadelphia 76ers logo appearing throughout all the displays. Additionally, ANC's VisionSOFT will interface with all the relevant sports information providers to display real-time statistics separate from or in conjunction with advertisements, creating additional sponsorship opportunities for the Wachovia Center.





I wonder if there's any way they can put Wacho Center's old scoreboard in the Spectrum, since the Spectrum's scoreboard is a mess.

Wow...that looks pretty sharp. I would be a cooler pic if the sign said "Rangers Suck" and "Jagr Is A Big Woman". :haha:

[FlyersFan118]

^^Something i noticed about the scoreboard is they have a picture from a Penguins game on it, but the board says Flyers 4 Rangers 0.

I'll have to check out the Burgers and Fries place. Sounds different. Is it reasonably priced and any good? Maybe I can give it a try this weekend.

[EastSideHBG]

I heard this story and all I have to say is, man, you have got to be a pretty disgusting person to steal from a cause like this! I hope they catch these people...and maybe they will resist when found and the cops can throw them a good beatin'! :yes:


Burglars steal funds from Alex’s Lemonade

By Mari A. Schaefer
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Sometime between Friday night and Sunday morning, burglars broke into the headquarters of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation in Ardmore and stole money, wristbands - and bottles of lemonade.

"You can't get more despicable than that," said Haverford Township Detective George Christake.

A security camera captured the dark, grainy image of four juveniles as they climbed onto a van parked at a loading dock behind the building, hopped onto the roof, tore off the window screens, and broke into the office of the organization.

The foundation was named for Alex Scott, the 8-year-old who died of neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, on Aug. 1, 2004, but launched a national fund-raising campaign for cancer research.

Once the burglars were inside, they pried open locked file cabinets looking for money. What they found was a jar of coins and a small amount of cash that children had dropped off Friday night from a lemonade stand fund-raiser.

When the burglars left, they also took bottles of lemonade and rubber wristbands that read, "One cup at a time."

[FlyersFan118]

Why does god put scumbags like that on earth? That's fucked up. I can't put it any nicer.

Fucking assholes.

[The Cheat]

That's pretty bad.

[PhillyRising]

The Phillies traded away Abreu....then go into St. Louis and sweep the Cardinals.

I wasn't much of an Abreu fan...I thought he was part of the lazy attitude that infected the clubhouse.

[Swinefeld]

IBurglars steal funds from Alex’s Lemonade

By Mari A. Schaefer
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Sometime between Friday night and Sunday morning, burglars broke into the headquarters of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation in Ardmore and stole money, wristbands - and bottles of lemonade.
There's a special place in hell for pricks like this.

Chase Utely's hitting streak is now at 35 games. :banana:

Phils, 2-1/2 games out of the wildcard.

[volguus zildrohar]

Thanks, Swine. Because this city really does have a dearth of decent places for burgers and fries:)

[PhillyRising]

There's a special place in hell for pricks like this.

Chase Utely's hitting streak is now at 35 games. :banana:

Phils, 2-1/2 games out of the wildcard.

The Phillies have 7 games with the New York Mutts over the next two weeks.....they could even get back into stiking distance in the division race if they can inflict some damage on them and at least win 6 of them. It's a tall task.....but not totally impossible. The 1980 Phillies were 6 games out in August and came back.....

[Swinefeld]

Thanks, Swine. Because this city really does have a dearth of decent places for burgers and fries:)
It'll be a cold day in hell when there are too many burger and fries places.

:eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat:

[FlyersFan118]

It'll be a cold day in hell when there are too many burger and fries places.

:eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat: :eat:
Not to be an asshole, but it'll be equally as cold if the Phillies manage to make the playoffs. ;)



Okay...my intention was being an asshole.

[EastSideHBG]

An interesting article in The Patriot this morning...


The governor of Philly?

Saturday, August 05, 2006
BY SHARON SMITH
Of The Patriot-News

Republicans are fond of referring to Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell as the "governor of Philadelphia."

It's a moniker the former Philadelphia mayor has lived with since taking office in 2003.

With an election coming in November that pits Rendell against Lynn Swann, an ex-Pittsburgh Steeler, Republicans have had no qualms claiming Rendell favors Philly over the rest of the state.

Whether the nickname fits depends on who you talk to, where you live and how many times you think the governor ought to visit your county.

It's even up in the air how generous the governor has been with funneling money to the midstate. For instance, his campaign claims the state invested more than $330 million in places such as Snyder and Union counties. Commissioners in both counties say that's not entirely accurate.

"That's a stretch of the imagination," said Steve Bilger, a Snyder County commissioner.

Rendell, on his campaign Web site, lists among his accomplishments that the state has invested $9.6 billion in the 67 counties during his time in office. That's about $783 per person.

In sheer dollars, Allegheny and Philadelphia counties made out the best. The state has invested $1.1 billion in Allegheny County and $825 million in Philadelphia during Rendell's tenure.

But when the dollars are weighted against population, it appears Snyder, Union, Juniata and Somerset counties made out better.

For example, the state invested $330 million in Union County, which has a population of 41,624 people, Rendell's site says. That's about $7,928 per person.

William Haas, chairman of the Union County Board of Commissioners, finds that hard to believe.

"That must be a misprint," Haas said.

It's more a matter of how you count those investments. John Showers, Union County's Democratic commissioner, said that $314 million of that $330 million is earmarked for the multicounty Susquehanna Valley Throughway project.

"It's a bypass project," Showers said. "Construction has not yet begun. The money has not been spent yet. It's what PennDOT and the governor hope the ultimate investment will be."

Therefore, the state's investment in Union County since Rendell took office is more like $17.5 million, Showers said.

The numbers differ because Rendell's campaign counted the full amount of such multicounty road projects the same way for each county. For example, the $314 million dollars for the throughway would be included in the amounts for all counties benefiting from the project, according to the campaign.

"We tag them as overall benefits to the region," said Dan Fee, Rendell's campaign spokesman.

Overall, though, Showers said Rendell has treated Union County well.

"We feel very good about the Rendell administration's support of Union County," he said.

"He does hand out checks everywhere," said Steve Miskin, spokesman for House Majority Leader Sam Smith, R-Jefferson.

Investment is one barometer of how Rendell represents the 66 counties besides Philadelphia, but his visits are another.

Philadelphia County has seen more of the governor during his first term than the rest of the state.

The governor visited Philadelphia 584 times between January 2003 and March 2006, according to the governor's office. His visits to Allegheny County, the state's second most populous county, came in a distant second, with 146 visits during that time.

But that might not be unusual for a governor, Fee said.

"How many times did Tom Ridge come to Philadelphia?" Fee asked. "For all we know, he came 500 times. I just don't know."

Rendell has offices across the state and works 24 hours a day no matter where he is, Fee said.

"The southeast is not only a regional center. Sometimes he likes to visit his wife," Fee said.

Rendell's wife is a federal judge in Philadelphia, where the couple have a home.

The governor's mansion is in Dauphin County. Visits there were not listed in the spreadsheet his office provided. But Rendell has visited Cumberland County 37 times, Lebanon County 12 times, Perry County three times and York 29 times between January 2003 and March 2006.

Although Rendell has visited every county since he's been in office, Mifflin, Potter, Pike and Susquehanna counties are on the bottom of the list, with one visit each.

[Swinefeld]

Not to be an asshole, but it'll be equally as cold if the Phillies manage to make the playoffs. ;)



Okay...my intention was being an asshole.
Mission accomplished. The Phils are just 2-1/2 games out of the wildcard with 1/3 of the season left. Sorry for all the fractions, but stranger things have happened.

Oh, who am I kidding? You just know they'll collapse in the last week. When's football season starting? :D

Edit: Chase Utley's magnificent run came to a halt at 35 games. Congrats, and all you Met fans are a bunch of classless sub-humans.

[volguus zildrohar]

Eastside, there are people in Philadelphia that would have us believe Rendell used us as a springboard to Harrisburg and cares not what happens to us now. There are people in 62 other counties of this commonwealth who'd have us believe that the rest of Pennsylvania would burn in hell as long as Philadelphia and its area get every tax dollar generated by the rest of the state. Both accounts are, of course, wrong.

Rendell's responsibility is the entire commonwealth now and, while ideally the best he could do is watch out for us and not do anything intentionally to cause this area distress, he has 12 million people's jobs and security to be concerned with as opposed to 1.5 million and I hope more people realize that than not.

[EastSideHBG]

Eastside, there are people in Philadelphia that would have us believe Rendell used us as a springboard to Harrisburg and cares not what happens to us now. There are people in 62 other counties of this commonwealth who'd have us believe that the rest of Pennsylvania would burn in hell as long as Philadelphia and its area get every tax dollar generated by the rest of the state. Both accounts are, of course, wrong.

Rendell's responsibility is the entire commonwealth now and, while ideally the best he could do is watch out for us and not do anything intentionally to cause this area distress, he has 12 million people's jobs and security to be concerned with as opposed to 1.5 million and I hope more people realize that than not.
I agree, VZ. I never pay attention to the political rhetoric, as it is all hogwash IMO. EVERYBODY has their own agenda and I find that, especially in PA, the people and their concerns come in dead last (e.g. the pay raises, the (lack of) property tax reform, etc.).

I think Rendell has done some great things for PA but I am leaning towards Casey for the next time around.

[FlyersFan118]

People are gonna say what they want. The facts could point to one thing, but some people will totally ignore the facts and keep pressing their arguments.

You can't be reasonable with unreasonable people. They won't hear things anoy other way than how they see it, and if you show them facts that point towards something else, they'll tell you you're wrong, dumb or uneducated.

Like an explicitly large number of southern (or mid-Pennsylvanian) conservative republicans. :yuck:


I'm going downtown today and I plan on checking out the Five Guys on Chestnut St. Has anyone been there yet?

[Swinefeld]

I had a great time in Center City today, as usual, and I got down to the newly revamped Franklin Square. Very nice job. From a place for drunks to flop to a fun family destination. Just goes to show, do something right and people will flock to it. Check it out.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Franklin%20Square/FranklinSq1.jpg

FF, give us a review of Five Guys.

[FlyersFan118]

I had a great time in Center City today, as usual, and I got down to the newly revamped Franklin Square. Very nice job. From a place for drunks to flop to a fun family destination. Just goes to show, do something right and people will flock to it. Check it out.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Franklin%20Square/FranklinSq1.jpg

FF, give us a review of Five Guys.
I'm sorry to disappoint you guys. Every single one of my plans lately has gotten screwed up in some way. I managed to check out the Schuylkill River Park for a while, but never made my way over to Five Guys. I ASSURE YOU I will get there soon enough, as in within the next month.

However, if you want a review, I made it to Applebees later in the night, and that was very good. :tup:

Trying to figure out if I have enough relevant pictures to put together for some kind of thread. I don't think I do, sadly.

[48th and Osage]

Hey guys, I'm kinda new to SSP. I have been a lurker for a while, but I have also had two different user names that I just couldn't activate because I was using Yahoo! e-mail addresses.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself more or less, tell you all that I live in West Mt. Airy and have previously lived in West Philly right near University City at 48th and Osage (hence my user name).

I love Philly to an insane degree. Beyond bias. I have had arguments with people many times in fact saying that Philly is a "better" city than NYC, no matter how much I knew I was pretty much wrong. I just love Philly and would pretty much go into battle for it. But ofcourse that's somewhat of an exaggeration.

Anyway, I don't wanna keep blabbing about nothing here. I decided to put this here since the other major Philly thread is "construction only".

Lastly, I just want to inform everybody up front that I am 15 years old, which means I might say stupid things sometimes, so forgive me because I am young and ignorant. I really love this form and respect all you Philly reps.

I donno how to end this except--uh--- Hi! :)

[FlyersFan118]

Hey guys, I'm kinda new to SSP. I have been a lurker for a while, but I have also had two different user names that I just couldn't activate because I was using Yahoo! e-mail addresses.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself more or less, tell you all that I live in West Mt. Airy and have previously lived in West Philly right near University City at 48th and Osage (hence my user name).

I love Philly to an insane degree. Beyond bias. I have had arguments with people many times in fact saying that Philly is a "better" city than NYC, no matter how much I knew I was pretty much wrong. I just love Philly and would pretty much go into battle for it. But ofcourse that's somewhat of an exaggeration.

Anyway, I don't wanna keep blabbing about nothing here. I decided to put this here since the other major Philly thread is "construction only".

Lastly, I just want to inform everybody up front that I am 15 years old, which means I might say stupid things sometimes, so forgive me because I am young and ignorant. I really love this form and respect all you Philly reps.

I donno how to end this except--uh--- Hi! :)
Welcome aboard, bro. :banana:

[FlyersFan118]

So here's what I saw today.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/224/1000983largepu9.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5646/1000991largelw3.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/2492/1000999largepk1.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/1623/1001001largevt7.jpg

btw, the Schuylkill River Park officially RULES.

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8829/1001005largeho5.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/5905/1001006largese3.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8347/1001008largetg8.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9633/1001010largefb0.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/7299/1001021largemj1.jpg

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/4020/1001035largekz2.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5346/1001023largebn5.jpg

[PhillyRising]

Edit: Chase Utley's magnificent run came to a halt at 35 games. Congrats, and all you Met fans are a bunch of classless sub-humans.

When have they not ever been that?

[PhillyRising]

I think Rendell has done some great things for PA but I am leaning towards Casey for the next time around.

Casey is running for the US Senate. I hope you don't mean you are going to vote for Swann. I wonder how many people in California are sorry they voted for the Governator? I would rather vote for a political lifer who has worked his way up from a local legislator than some celebrity with a lot of rhetoric that rarely ever pans out.

[EastSideHBG]

Welcome aboard, 48th & Osage! :)

Great pics, FF! I really like the Schuylkill River Park because it reminds me of Harrisburg's Riverfront Park in a lot of ways. I must admit that is one of the things I miss about HBG BIG TIME!

PhillyNation: You are right and I guess I was a little unclear there in my rush to get through the post. What I meant to say was Casey def. has my vote and I am on the fence for Rendell; the Dem. ticket is not a sure thing for me. But seeing as Swann will NOT have my vote any way you slice it either, I will probably vote for Rendell anyway...

[48th and Osage]

Hey, thanks guys.

[phillyskyline]

Great Pics Swiney & FF! Great to see Franklin Sq back in business & that last shot FF is effin postcard worthy!

[EastSideHBG]

Can anyone please share with me some cheap(er) places to park on the weekends, specifically in the Old Ciity area? Every place I know of that is reasonable during the week really jacks up their rates on the weekends. Oh and I don't like parking in those shady-ass lots and handing my keys over so if I can avoid those...maybe a garage or a do-it-yourself lot or something?

If you have a secret place and don't want to blow it by posting for all to see you are more than welcome to PM me. ;)

[JMancuso]

how much is parking in philly? i saw cars with parking permits all over CC. they expensive?

@ eastside, just find a meter in a less active area (more residences than businesses) nearby and just walk in. that's what i did when i was there last spring.

[Wheelingman04]

When I parked at Penns Landing last year it cost 10 dollars.

[PhillyRising]

Can anyone please share with me some cheap(er) places to park on the weekends, specifically in the Old Ciity area? Every place I know of that is reasonable during the week really jacks up their rates on the weekends. Oh and I don't like parking in those shady-ass lots and handing my keys over so if I can avoid those...maybe a garage or a do-it-yourself lot or something?

If you have a secret place and don't want to blow it by posting for all to see you are more than welcome to PM me. ;)

They always jack the price up on the weekends because they can. The garage at 12th and Walnut...where I usually park when heading to the gayborhood....jacks it's price up when a show is at the Forrest Theater down the street.

It's just now much cheaper to take SEPTA and if I have to stay in town all night and wait for the first train out in the morning...so be it.

[EastSideHBG]

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

how much is parking in philly? i saw cars with parking permits all over CC. they expensive?
You need to prove you are a resident for the 'hood you are purchasing a permit for. I have no idea how much they cost, though.

@ eastside, just find a meter in a less active area (more residences than businesses) nearby and just walk in. that's what i did when i was there last spring.
I have yet to see an open meter, even in the less active areas and we drove around for a long, long time. Plus I think you need to feed them until 8 p.m. so if you are there before then...

The only open meters I have ever found without any problem were in the west end of Market, way up near Cira Centre; way too far of a walk for Old City, though.

They always jack the price up on the weekends because they can. The garage at 12th and Walnut...where I usually park when heading to the gayborhood....jacks it's price up when a show is at the Forrest Theater down the street.

It's just now much cheaper to take SEPTA and if I have to stay in town all night and wait for the first train out in the morning...so be it.
Yeah we thought about doing this, PhillyNation, but we only like to go out for a few hours* and don't want to wait around for the train. Plus, I found the Norristown stops to be pretty shady during the off-hours. I don't mind going to them when I am by myself but when I have my girl with me...

Yes we could always drive to a better stop somewhere but if I am going to do that, I am just going to drive into town.

Wheelingman04: I am sure I know which lot you are talking about b/c I parked there once before during the week. That lot is $10 but we drove by it two weekends ago and they had a sign saying $20 on the weekends. LOL yeah right...


*This is why we don't like spending $15+ for parking. When you are only out for a few hours it is hardly worth it.

[volguus zildrohar]

You wanna park in Center City? On a weekend?

DON'T

Sundays, of course, are free but on a Friday/Saturday you'd do much better to park outside Center City and take SEPTA in - if you're near a Regional Rail station with parking you've lucked out. The perimeter neighborhoods downtown often have free street parking but you're competing with neighbors and visitors often and if you're coming in at night - lots of luck.

48th & Osage, wilkommen. Don't spill juice on the couch;)

[frank_pentangeli]

You know what's weird? I've always parked on the streets the times I've had to drive into CC and I've never had problems getting a spot. The farthest I ever was was 2 blocks south of South, which was near where I wanted to go anyways.

[k2wilde]

First, I awoke from a nap to find that the NBC show Treasure Hunters was based in Philly this week. They used the Land Title Building for the first part. The contestants had to climb out on to the 22nd floor ledge and scoot their way around half of the building (meaning thy ahd to navigate a corner_ on a ledge less than 1 foot. They had to lean over that ledge and read a plaque for the next clue, which led them to Founder's Hall at Girard College. After looking for new clues they found the 6th of 7 artifacts needed to win the game. Some good shots of Philly from numerous locations. Good publicity I would hope.

As to parking in the city: If you are by yourself it is much cheaper to use SEPTA. If there are 2 or more people it can be as cheap or less if you park at a lot/garage.
During the week is when parking prices are higher. On weekends there are many lots that have a flat fee. For free parking near Old City look north of Callowhill, or if you don't mind a walk, park under I95 down near Washington Ave- (Riverview Plaza?). There are many other tricks to save money, and finding free parking spots, but it would take to long to elaborate on that.

Cheers, Rob

BTW-Volguus Thanks for that heads up - I had thought I hadn't seen that before - I guess that I have that in my old computer.

[EastSideHBG]

You wanna park in Center City? On a weekend?

DON'T

Sundays, of course, are free but on a Friday/Saturday you'd do much better to park outside Center City and take SEPTA in - if you're near a Regional Rail station with parking you've lucked out. The perimeter neighborhoods downtown often have free street parking but you're competing with neighbors and visitors often and if you're coming in at night - lots of luck.
Thanks, VZ! But I just took a quick glance at the schedules and it appears as if the trains stop running shortly after 1 a.m. We normally like to go out really late and stay until closing...

I'm not trying to be a pain here but neither of us are big drinkers (many nights when we go out we don't even drink anything; we just go to places to enjoy the music/atmosphere) and we like to go out later in the night, and only for a few hours. Oh well you do what you gotta do when you are picky I guess. It just boggles my mind at how difficult and expensive parking can be in Philly; I have been to comparable cities (and bigger even) and it was never a concern.

Thanks for the info, Rob!

[LostInTheZone]

Eastside: just try for street parking south of south street. I think it's free after 6pm or something. Or else there's always the big lots down at Penn's Landing- aren't most of those free?

48th and Osage: were your parents gentrifier/pioneer types, or old school residents? I love the area you grew up.

I can't believe that's Franklin Square. I'll have to check it out when I'm there.

Has anyone seen "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia"? I'm curious if it's a good show, and how it portrays the city. I usually like Danny Devito.

[LostInTheZone]

Dp

[EastSideHBG]

Eastside: just try for street parking south of south street. I think it's free after 6pm or something. Or else there's always the big lots down at Penn's Landing- aren't most of those free?
Thanks! All the lots I have seen down there, you need to pay.

The parts I have seen of IASIP are pretty funny, but I have yet to actually sit down and watch a whole episode. The one coming up looks pretty funny, though, so maybe I will make an effort to catch it.

[iamrobk]

I've seen about 6 episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. For me, about half the episodes are HILARIOUS, but the other half just kinda suck...

Franklin Square is looking amazing! Is it very hard to get to, though, or did they make the red lights longer so people can cross easily?

[EastSideHBG]

There is a fire raging in Old City at 10 Latetia Way right now! :eek:

UPDATE: Philly FD got it under control! That could've been pretty ugly! :tup:

[PhillyRising]

I found these links on You Tube. Action News has been Philly's top News Program since the early 70's. Their theme on their opening has been the same and the graphics change as the year goes along. Here are some links to the opening montage for Action News from the 80's & 90's.....and notice how the same people are still with Action News! I can't believe I found these online!

From 1981:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLADbG071As

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfomDdg0x_U

From 1985

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClG1EXJiwb8

From 1986...with a younger looking Jim Gardner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXLt-SUPl3A

From 1989

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9VsWJhXdGg

From 1993

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GUBLuj6St0

And as an added bonus...here's one from Channel 3's Eyewitness News when they had Jerry Penacoli!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIxDXiKA0_g

[FlyersFan118]

The best part is I don't remember ANY of them. :tup:

[EastSideHBG]

So I got stuck in the Taxi cab protest today around 30th St. Station. But I did make my way onto the news (if they choose to use that footage of course). Keep an eye out for a crazy white guy in an older black Honda beeping and giving the peace sign. :D

[EastSideHBG]

Mexicans boost local population:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15274492.htm

I'm not surprised they mentioned Norristown, as I am shocked at how many more seem to be here in the mere 2+ months I have been here. There was a Mexican celebration fest this past Sat., and it was PACKED!

In Montgomery County, the Mexican population grew by a startling 600 percent between 2002 and 2005 to about 7,800 - more than a third of the county's roughly 20,000 Latinos, compared to just 7 percent in 2002. Bucks County's Mexican population increased by 133 percent to more than 6,000.

The Mexican population increased at a lesser rate in Camden and Burlington Counties. In Delaware and Gloucester Counties and Philadelphia, the change was within the survey's margin of error.

[PhillyRising]

Mexicans boost local population:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15274492.htm

I'm not surprised they mentioned Norristown, as I am shocked at how many more seem to be here in the mere 2+ months I have been here. There was a Mexican celebration fest this past Sat., and it was PACKED!

They started coming to Norristown around 2000. I remember right before I moved from Norristown that I was driving through town and thought to myself..."Where the hell did all these Mexicans come from?" It was like it happened overnight. Historically...the only hispanics in town were Puerto Ricans. While there have been numerous problems of them being overcrowded in rental housing...for the most part...the Mexican community has had a positive effect on Norristown IMO.

[xzmattzx]

Mexicans boost local population:

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/15274492.htm

I'm not surprised they mentioned Norristown, as I am shocked at how many more seem to be here in the mere 2+ months I have been here. There was a Mexican celebration fest this past Sat., and it was PACKED!

Did they count Chester County? All of the Mexicans live in Kennett Square.

[PhillyRising]

Did they count Chester County? All of the Mexicans live in Kennett Square.

They don't just live there these days....there is a sizable Mexican community all over Chester County...and they are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

[SHiRO]

Hi Philadelphians! I'm visiting your lovely city with some friends for a couple of days around Friday September 1st (it's a roadtrip, so an exact date and time are hard to give) and some of you have expressed interest in a mini meet up in the thread I started about our trip in the Skybar. Me and my friends think this would be cool too and I hope something can be arranged.

I already tried to PM volguus zildrohar, because he was the first to suggest such a thing but his inbox is full :(

So I'm giving it a shot in this thread as suggested by iamrobk.

So who's up for a couple of beers and a little show around perhaps?:)
Post in my thread plz:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=112984

:cheers:

[volguus zildrohar]

Inbox is clear now, SHiRO. Give me a holler when you can.

[SHiRO]

PM send!
:cheers:

[Swinefeld]

How long will you be in town that day?

[SHiRO]

We probably will be in Philly for a good two days.

[iamrobk]

For what it's worth, theres a Phillies baseball game on September 1st at 7 PM against the Braves (so it should be good). Maybe you guys could check out that?

[SHiRO]

Hmmm, possible, but we already looked at the Braves-Cubs game for when we are in Atlanta.
We think we need more time for other things in Philly then we need in Atlanta...:D

[PhillyRising]

Hmmm, possible, but we already looked at the Braves-Cubs game for when we are in Atlanta.
We think we need more time for other things in Philly then we need in Atlanta...:D

Then plan an extra day for Philly and go to the game. Philly fans are the entertainment! Citizens Bank Park could be buzzing if the Phillies come home from their 10 game road trip they start tonight still in contention for a playoff spot.

[phillyskyline]

I don't know if any of you are aware of this but there are plans to build a Rhytm & Blues Hall of Fame in Philly led by Philly native Kenny Gamble. Here's an associated press article on an update on this proposed project...

'Philly Sound' songwriter trumpets Philly as the "Home for R&B"
By KATHY MATHESON
The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - It is known as "The City of Brotherly Love" and, less notably, as "The Place that Loves You Back." Now, Grammy-winning songwriter Kenneth Gamble is pushing to give Philadelphia a new nickname: "The Home for Rhythm and Blues."

It shouldn't come as a surprise in a city where Gamble helped originate the "Philly soul" sound and where artists including Chubby Checker, Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass and Boyz II Men got their starts. But somehow, Philadelphia's rich musical history has been largely unheralded, overshadowed by the historical legacy left by the Founding Fathers.

Gamble is out to change that. Through his development company, Gamble envisions creating a music-themed entertainment district similar to ones along Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn., and Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

The district would be anchored by a $50 million National Center for Rhythm and Blues, featuring a concert hall, music academy, museum and Hall of Fame. The center would celebrate Philadelphia's contributions as well as those of R&B pioneers and hitmakers from all over the country.

"It's about everybody ... from bebop to doo-wop to hip-hop, and even a little ragtime," Gamble said. "It's going to market (R&B), promote it and preserve it as an American art form."

The art form is one that Gamble, with songwriting partner Leon Huff, helped to create. They wrote some of the world's most enduring R&B songs, including "Me and Mrs. Jones," "Love Train" and "If You Don't Know Me By Now," for which they won a Grammy.

Their company, Philadelphia International Records, created dozens of hits in the 1960s and '70s with trademark lush acoustics that became known as "The Sound of Philadelphia." But in recent years, Gamble has put music-making aside to focus on development projects through his Universal Companies. City officials recently gave the firm a $100,000 grant for feasibility studies on the entertainment district proposal.

Philadelphia-based Econsult Corp. released a report in June that endorsed Gamble's plan, which would include construction of a residential/retail development, renovation of a long-closed theater and the creation of an annual R&B Festival weekend.

The project would create about 475 permanent jobs and thousands of temporary ones during construction, according to the study. Once the district is established, the study expects it to generate $53 million annually for the city.

Gamble already has lured the New York-based Rhythm & Blues Foundation - on whose board he serves - to Philadelphia. The struggling organization staged its signature event, the Pioneer Awards, for the first time in three years this summer in Philly.

Gamble said his next step is acquiring a site for the R&B center, which he expects to do within the next year. Then he'll try to line up financial support, since he is looking to build the district through a public-private partnership. City Commerce Director Stephanie Naidoff said while officials are enthusiastic about the idea, "there's still a lot of work that needs to be done."

Branding a city through music has proved successful elsewhere. Detroit is known for Motown; Nashville, Tenn., is called "Music City" and boasts the Country Music Hall of Fame; and Austin, Texas, bills itself as "Live Music Capital of the World."

"Philadelphia is already branded as far as I'm concerned," Smith said. "I'm sort of wondering why no one thought of it sooner."

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-08212006-700297.html

[phillyskyline]

Drexel's campus voted ugliest in Nation....

IMO, there not that far away from being dead last.

http://www.nbc10.com/news/9717788/detail.html?rss=phi&psp=news

I found this website where's one of their students ranted on about how ugly their campus is:

5) Ugly Campus. You guys should just give up. You have two major streets (Market & Walnut) running through the campus, there is no way in hell you will have a nice looking campus. Many have said that it's ugly because there is not enough green on the campus, so what is Drexel's answer to that? Take the one area that has some green (31st street, between main and the quad), destroy it, pave it over, and put more concrete! Yes! Nothing says green like the softness of concrete.

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~hdy22/rants/drexel.html

[EastSideHBG]

Here's a really funny email I saw today:


Eagles Win Super Bowl

The Eagles Win the Superbowl

Team owner Jeffery Lauri and Coach Reid had put together the perfect team for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The only thing missing was a good quarterback. He had scouted all the
colleges and even the Canadian and European Leagues, but he couldn't find a ringer who could ensure a Super Bowl victory.

One night while watching CNN, he saw a war-zone scene in
Afghanistan.

In one corner of the background, he spotted a young Afghani soldier with a
truly i ncredible arm. He threw a hand-grenade straight into a window from 80
yards away. He then threw another from 50 yards down a chimney, and finally hit a passing car going 80 miles per hour. "I've got to get this guy!" coach said to himself. "He has the perfect arm!"

He brings the young Afghan t o the States and teaches him the
great game of football ....sure enough the Eagles go on to win
the Super Bowl.

The young Afghan is hailed as a hero of football, and when the
coach asks him what he wants, all the young man wants to do is call his
mother. "Mom," he says into the phone, "I just won the Super Bowl!"
"I don't want to talk to you," the old Muslim woman says. "You deserted
us. You are not my son."

"Mother, I don't think you understand," pleads the son, "I've just won
the greatest sporting event in the world!"

"No! Let me tell you," his mother retorts, "At this very moment there are
gunshots all around us. The neighborhood is a pile of rubble. Your two
brothers were beaten within an inch of their lives last week, and I have
to keep your sist er in the house so she doesn't get raped!"

The old lady pauses then tearfully says, " I will never forgive you for
making us move to Philadelphia!"

:laugh:

[FlyersFan118]

Lmao.

[Swinefeld]

I don't know if any of you are aware of this but there are plans to build a Rhytm & Blues Hall of Fame in Philly led by Philly native Kenny Gamble. Here's an associated press article on an update on this proposed project...http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-08212006-700297.html
There was talk of an R&B HOF about a year and a half ago. Until there is actual construction, it's just talk.

[FlyersFan118]

Saw Invincible tonight. Anyone else seen it? I liked it a lot. Very good movie.


Now I just gotta see Snakes on a Plane. ;)

[Joey D]

Question.

How much "Philly" is in Invincible? The only scene I've seen from the trailor on TV has been a clip of Marky Mark with "The Vet" in the background.

I'm glad Philly is getting more play lately with It's Always Sunny and Invincible.

[blorkishdork]

:previous: My understanding is that the vet shots were not shot in philadelphia, but that the rest of the movie is infact shot here. The vet shots i believe were shot in dallas since apparently texas stadium looks similar to the vet so they then superimposed the vet over texas stadium.

[xzmattzx]

:previous: My understanding is that the vet shots were not shot in philadelphia, but that the rest of the movie is infact shot here. The vet shots i believe were shot in dallas since apparently texas stadium looks similar to the vet so they then superimposed the vet over texas stadium.

I'm pretty sure they used Franklin Field.