Philadelphia 2035 (York, Jefferson, Penn: retiree, pension, undergrad)

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I don't share kyb01's disdain for critics, though it's reminiscent of a quip of George Bernard Shaw's about another profession whose members offer guidance ("Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach.") But I think they perform a useful function in that they get people thinking about the subjects they write about and not simply accepting what the various publicity machines tell them they should be thinking. (You think developers don't have publicity machines? If you don't, want to trade your email inbox for mine?)

Inga deserved her Pulitzer (the Inky's 20th). And as far as knowledge of the subject is concerned, we're both self-taught. (Okay, I did take two Visual and Environmental Studies courses on the man-made environment of the United States at Harvard that have greatly influenced my thinking. But I'm still not a "doer" who studied the nuts and bolts of the subject I cover.) I just do more reporting and less criticism, and she, vice versa, but we both do both. Without the reporting, the criticism would be less informed.

I'm decidedly in the minority about this. All I'm saying is I don't need their input about what books to read, what movies to see, what music to listen to, what art I should see, what restaurant to visit, or structures/building to like or not. I can make those decisions on my own. What they do isn't useful for me. And, I said, " for me".

I used to read reviews when I was much younger but over time, my views or reactions to something were oftentimes wildly different from whatever a review said. So for me reading them became futile. I also deeply disliked the cocky air of self-importance so many critics, I did read back then, seemed to have. Pauline Kael, the film critic at the New Yorker for many years, was a "prime suspect" of that kind of thing.

[thedirtypirate]

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...464115753.html

The big news of the day. Probably my favorite part of this story is the fact that the cow was raised in Roxborough lol..

[MarketStEl]

To get this topic back on track, Jake Blumgart over at Plan Philly wrote a great piece yesterday about the fly in the ointment of the whole Philadelphia2035 planning effort:

As it fills in final missing bits, Philly's nearly complete city plan exposes gap between neighborhood hopes and political realities | Plan Philly

(Plan Philly headlines run longer than some stories I've read. But they are very clear.)

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

On the bus I took home this evening, SEPTA had a test run of free public wifi available (announced on the scrolling display on the bus). And it was working just fine.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

To get this topic back on track, Jake Blumgart over at Plan Philly wrote a great piece yesterday about the fly in the ointment of the whole Philadelphia2035 planning effort:

As it fills in final missing bits, Philly's nearly complete city plan exposes gap between neighborhood hopes and political realities | Plan Philly

(Plan Philly headlines run longer than some stories I've read. But they are very clear.)

There’s much more than a fly in the ointment. The ointment has basically been thrown in the trash. I’ve lived in or near a number of cities and never have I seen any sort of governing model that approximates our council member’s (ahem) prerogative. I find this line from the well-written article to offer great insight into our council members’ arrogance, and perhaps their ignorance:

”The argument from Council is that they know how to get things done so they are in a better position to produce outcome . . . “

Huh? How the hell are our rcouncil members, who were born and raised in Philly, who have never lived anywhere else, to have the vision for what our city might become, when all they’ve ever known is Philly? And how are the residents of this city, who have never known anything else, to know that we are governed by people whose vision for the future of our city extends little beyond the placement of a bike lane?

[cpomp]

Blatstein's Wawa proposal ignores pedestrian-friendly goals along Delaware waterfront

Speaking of Inga, I agree with her on this topic. Basically everything we want in a waterfront Bart does the opposite. The Delaware waterfront has some great features, but I think the Schuylkill can easily become Philadelphia's premier waterfront.

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

There’s much more than a fly in the ointment. The ointment has basically been thrown in the trash. I’ve lived in or near a number of cities and never have I seen any sort of governing model that approximates our council member’s (ahem) prerogative. I find this line from the well-written article to offer great insight into our council members’ arrogance, and perhaps their ignorance:

”The argument from Council is that they know how to get things done so they are in a better position to produce outcome . . . “

Huh? How the hell are our rcouncil members, who were born and raised in Philly, who have never lived anywhere else, to have the vision for what our city might become, when all they’ve ever known is Philly? And how are the residents of this city, who have never known anything else, to know that we are governed by people whose vision for the future of our city extends little beyond the placement of a bike lane?

The reality is that many of Philly's residents and politicians are still living in the 1980s. The #1 most important topic in the city is parking. Bar none.

[cpomp]

https://philly.curbed.com/2017/12/14...groundbreaking

Does anyone know why there is a delay? I am hoping for Equinox to make their Philadelphia debut in this building.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by Pine to Vine

There’s much more than a fly in the ointment. The ointment has basically been thrown in the trash. I’ve lived in or near a number of cities and never have I seen any sort of governing model that approximates our council member’s (ahem) prerogative. I find this line from the well-written article to offer great insight into our council members’ arrogance, and perhaps their ignorance:

”The argument from Council is that they know how to get things done so they are in a better position to produce outcome . . . “

Huh? How the hell are our rcouncil members, who were born and raised in Philly, who have never lived anywhere else, to have the vision for what our city might become, when all they’ve ever known is Philly? And how are the residents of this city, who have never known anything else, to know that we are governed by people whose vision for the future of our city extends little beyond the placement of a bike lane?

Spot on. Has Jannie Blackwell ever left West Philadelphia aside from Council meetings in CC? Philadelphia's biggest problem is not poverty or crime, its the leadership. And I don't think people fully develop until they travel! Especially is a position of leadership in a huge city like Philadelphia.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

The reality is that many of Philly's residents and politicians are still living in the 1980s. The #1 most important topic in the city is parking. Bar none.

I agree with this view. It is largely aging baby boomers around my age who have been managing public and private institutions since the 1980s. We bring those values with us as we’ve move through our careers and now hold most leadership roles today. It’s human nature to resist new ideas because we humans, for the most part, don’t like change. Ask anyone who has weathered repeated updates of their technology tools in the workplace.

I’m looking forward to the time that people my age step aside and the next generation naturally assumes the responsibility of running the world. I won’t yell at individuals on CD who aren’t inclined to do so at this time, however.