16th in this List isn't Bad at all (Philadelphia, Washington: 2014, landscaping)

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

No, Sam Katz hasn't sunk into oblivion. But he hasn't remained what I would call active in setting the civic agenda either. Instead, what he does is explain to his fellow Philadelphians what this city means and why that matters through the documentary films he produces now.



But of course.

I think I will want to watch that documentary about corn Patmcpsu recommended above - we also produce tons of sugar (from beets and sugarcane) via these subsidies too, and let's not forget how much of that corn now ends up as high fructose corn syrup - but wrt things like chlorinated chicken, subsidy has less to do with the quality issue than the desire to produce lots of meat as cheaply as possible. It also affects the animals themselves: I can't imagine those chickens with those enormous breasts being able to run around the yard and forage even if they wanted to.

I'm the one who brought up Katz's city docs and how terrific they are.

Wrt to that corn documentary, there's also a terrific book about it, Fat Land. It also delves into what helped cause our run-away obesity problem.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Indiana Tony

Truth is, although we have a cool Center City, Philadelphia has very few 'nice' neighborhoods. Most are graffiti-riddled, litter-filled with horrendous parking and full of ignorant, uncivilized neighbors. The parking is particularly a problem in the 'good' neighborhoods.
Most public schools are a disaster ... and don't get me started about our political leaders and crime.


I love Philadelphia and we're here until we retire mostly because we live in a halfway decent neighborhood, we don't have kids to worry about and our bills are low, but a lot of us (myself included) here lie to ourselves on a regular basis about Philadelphia being a wonderful place to live. Some spots, yeah, but mostly, no.


I can't blame people for wanting to live in a safe, clean suburb with decent schools and private parking.

List the city neighborhoods you think are nice. I'm curious to know. And what do you love about Phila. since the rest of your post indicates the exact opposite?

Look at some really old pictures of the city, including Center City. It's shocking to see how rundown it was. Pictures from 1920s of, say, the South St neighborhood back then shows how 'ghetto' it was. Litter in gutters, etc. I hate litter, so I understand the point you are making, but it's not a new problem. It's a continuing problem.

I grew up in one of the best suburbs in the country and it was like a slow motion train for me mentally. Nothing challenging. Nothing much to care about. But, that's what a lot of people desire.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by kyb01

List the city neighborhoods you think are nice. I'm curious to know. And what do you love about Phila. since the rest of your post indicates the exact opposite?

I hadn't thought of this, but you just hit on something.

David Herbert Lipson Sr. (Herb), the man who made Philadelphia magazine what it is today, wrote (or, in his later years, had a senior staff member write for him based on his thoughts) a signed editorial that appeared on the first inside page of every issue. (Since he wasn't a Bostonian, readers of the mag's sister publication, Boston, were spared this.)

In many of those editorials, he professed his love of Philadelphia. Yet reading most of them, one - well, at least I - got the impression that he really thought it was going to Hell in a handbasket. And moreover, They - you know, the darker-hued people like you and me - were one of the main reasons it was headed there.

His son, David Herbert Jr. (Dave), is blessedly free of that baggage. And he runs the show now completely.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by DavePa

LOL But I loved the comment it had. The details Chicago adds in greens and flowers. Clean core you can't miss, Grand Parks filled with Tourist and events ..... does give the city a HUGE BOOST in Summer.

Add the Lakefront with harbors and beaches right in the core and of course .... its Skyscrapers. Tourist and those judging cities like in the OPs link. Clearly, are saying. Chicago really succeeded HUGELY for its Core that it steered to Tourism last few decades.... and clearly won in this aspect.....

Definitely(Chicago) takes on being as if a Coastal city in summer, KGB a Core right on a Great Lake looking like a ocean.

Geography works against Philly in regards to "Best of" rankings . It not only isn't a coastal city but to make matters worse it does have 100 miles of beach front an hour away which vacuums a lot of summertime activity, vibrancy,economy out of the city.

Case in point is July 4th. Philadelphia is the birthplace of America but maybe 75% or more of the region is on one of the beaches in South jersey or Delaware than celebrating in the city.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I hadn't thought of this, but you just hit on something.

David Herbert Lipson Sr. (Herb), the man who made Philadelphia magazine what it is today, wrote (or, in his later years, had a senior staff member write for him based on his thoughts) a signed editorial that appeared on the first inside page of every issue. (Since he wasn't a Bostonian, readers of the mag's sister publication, Boston, were spared this.)

In many of those editorials, he professed his love of Philadelphia. Yet reading most of them, one - well, at least I - got the impression that he really thought it was going to Hell in a handbasket. And moreover, They - you know, the darker-hued people like you and me - were one of the main reasons it was headed there.

His son, David Herbert Jr. (Dave), is blessedly free of that baggage. And he runs the show now completely.

For much of Lipson pere's tenure, wrt to those editorials, Phila. was going to hell in a handbasket. I.e that was very true during
parts of the 70s into the mid-90s with the collapse of so many companies based on manufacturing. Although there were always bright sides like the restaurant scene which began during those years. I took most of what he used to write as a kind of 'tough love' stance. As far as any hidden racism, he had to have known that there's been a black community in the region for over 200 years. And he didn't know that there are middle-class and educated blacks and have been for decades then shame on him for being that ignorant.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rainrock

Geography works against Philly in regards to "Best of" rankings . It not only isn't a coastal city but to make matters worse it does have 100 miles of beach front an hour away which vacuums a lot of summertime activity, vibrancy,economy out of the city.

Case in point is July 4th. Philadelphia is the birthplace of America but maybe 75% or more of the region is on one of the beaches in South jersey or Delaware than celebrating in the city.

In some ways our location should be seen as a huge positive because this area avoids a lot of extreme weather or other physical catastrophes. Less snow. Less hurricanes. Few damaging tornadoes. We have flooding but nothing like what can happen elsewhere. And does anyone here think about fire seasons? Well, so far we don't have fire seasons although, yes, there have been fires in NJ.

[Patmcpsu]

Originally Posted by kyb01

In some ways our location should be seen as a huge positive because this area avoids a lot of extreme weather or other physical catastrophes. Less snow. Less hurricanes. Few damaging tornadoes. We have flooding but nothing like what can happen elsewhere. And does anyone here think about fire seasons? Well, so far we don't have fire seasons although, yes, there have been fires in NJ.

Considering that people have been moving south ever since central air became ubiquitous tells me that the northeast's weather is no longer an advantage.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by kyb01

In some ways our location should be seen as a huge positive because this area avoids a lot of extreme weather or other physical catastrophes. Less snow. Less hurricanes. Few damaging tornadoes. We have flooding but nothing like what can happen elsewhere. And does anyone here think about fire seasons? Well, so far we don't have fire seasons although, yes, there have been fires in NJ.

Agree with you 100% on this^.

I was more talking from a vibrancy standpoint. Downtown Chicago has a hot reputation in the summer because all the energy is funneled downtown. You have the lake/beaches/city right there and restaurants are almost impossible to get a reservation. The lake beaches + downtown are the main magnetic force, everyone in the region is drawn to it. Makes for an exciting environment.


Center City Philly in the summer is much quieter as the locals head for the shore leaving mostly tourist who probably are wondering where is everyone and why is the city so quiet?

Philly gets the worse of two worlds. Just close enough to the beaches for it to be crippling competition and the beaches are just far enough away that you dont think of them as part of Philadelphia. Id like to see a better regional/marketing relationship between Philly + the beaches of South Jersey. But it acts more parochial. Its like North Wildwood in the summer turns into summer break for Northeast Philly+ Delco.

[rainrock]

Originally Posted by DavePa

QUOTE=Patmcpsu;

Photo posted:

https://i.imgflip.com/2w15o3.jpg

LOL But I loved the comment it had. The details Chicago adds in greens and flowers. Clean core you can't miss, Grand Parks filled with Tourist and events ..... does give the city a HUGE BOOST in Summer.

Agree. Chicago does a great job of making downtown attractive and place you want to vist + spend time.


Philly is getting a little better in this regard , Dilworth Plaza +Ben FranklinParkway are well maintained. The Center City District does a great job keeping the streets clean but Philadelphia just doesnt have that WOW factor. Its not a city thats flashy or tries to make itself look pretty. They probably need to change that mentality. The highways leading into Center City look like a snapshot from the industrial era.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by rainrock

Agree with you 100% on this^.

I was more talking from a vibrancy standpoint. Downtown Chicago has a hot reputation in the summer because all the energy is funneled downtown. You have the lake/beaches/city right there and restaurants are almost impossible to get a reservation. The lake beaches + downtown are the main magnetic force, everyone in the region is drawn to it. Makes for an exciting environment.


Center City Philly in the summer is much quieter as the locals head for the shore leaving mostly tourist who probably are wondering where is everyone and why is the city so quiet?

Philly gets the worse of two worlds. Just close enough to the beaches for it to be crippling competition and the beaches are just far enough away that you dont think of them as part of Philadelphia. Id like to see a better regional/marketing relationship between Philly + the beaches of South Jersey. But it acts more parochial. Its like North Wildwood in the summer turns into summer break for Northeast Philly+ Delco.

Center City is really not as quiet as it used to be in the summer. Tourists!