The April 22 Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia
Oh, today is the much hyped Pennsylvania primary.
If you’re registered in Philadelphia and need to know where you’re voting, using the Committee of Seventy’s Citizen Access Center. Oh, and if you’re an Independent or Republican and feeling bummed out ’cause everyone is talking Obama/Hillary, fear not, in Philadelphia, there are also two ballot questions that mean a whole lot to some people. Want a real explanation of what to do?
Continue reading The April 22 Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia
The unveiling of my Philadelphia Republican Party honors thesis Web site
I have been busy.
Because I didn’t have the grades to get into the honors school initially, in order to graduate with honors on May 22 – my day of commencement from Temple University – I have to complete an undergraduate thesis project.
I have been steadily working on my paper, due the first week of May, but, in addition to a public presentation and defense of my initial findings at a research forum held two weeks ago, I have nearly put all the final touches on the framework of a blog that chronicles my year-long research on Philadelphia’s Republican Party, the focus of my thesis.
Finally, a home for all of you dying to learn everything there was to know about partisan politics in Philadelphia.
The paper will eventually go up there too, all of my research and notes, as a means for giving the project a permanent, more visible home. For now, I am happy to have a place to organize all of my work, interviews and research.
Give it a look. I’ll keep you posted on its progress.
Ed Rendell + Barack Obama = Hillary Clinton
Tomorrow Pennsylvania may decide whether the Democratic candidate for President will be Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., or former Philadelphia mayor and current Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s choice, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.
Rendell has said he’ll support whoever the Democratic candidate is, but it is interesting to see how Rendell has supported Clinton, whose husband was a staunch ally of his during his mayoralty from 1992 to nearly 2000. This a Salon article from earlier this month:
Continue reading Ed Rendell + Barack Obama = Hillary Clinton
Baracky: the next Internet video sensation
Monday, Monday
Mass transit makes us warm, development assures it won't matter
A handful of suburban communities are working on offering more dependence on mass transit, as SEPTA Watch first reported back in February.
But, despite grumbling about the cost of gasoline, there isn’t any real conversation about reversing suburban development, which, as anyone can see with a drive through one of these communities, are horribly inefficient lifestyle.
We must be decades away from a different form of development, which means this country will have built that many more developments, private drives and shopping malls that offer no solution for people other than to drive.
Continue reading Mass transit makes us warm, development assures it won't matter
Barack Obama: from untouchable deity to struggling politician
I’ll say it.
I read a really on-point, interesting column in, seriously, the New York Times. ..I have joined semi-literate whites everywhere.
David Brooks took on Sen. Barack Obama, how the man had been raised on high as the messiah of U.S. politics and is now struggling with those unfair expectations.
See, Republicans are more known for quick primaries and getting behind a unified candidate, as has played out with Sen. John McCain. Now, McCain is sitting back, raising money and preparing for a general election, though some think it leaves the candidate less competitive.
On the other hand, big tent Democrat politics are more open to larger, longer and more competitive primaries. The thought is it sharpens the candidate, but, as Brooks wrote, this may be an exception.
Continue reading Barack Obama: from untouchable deity to struggling politician
Pennsylvania: a review of racial politics displayed in Rendell and Swann battle of 2006
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For those most interested in the seeming hesitance for black voters, particularly, to resist voting for the Republican Party, one of the most interesting thoughts is if a black candidate outside the Democratic Party ran. I was asked one question after my TURF presentation and defense of this thesis project and that was just it.
Do you think a black Republican candidate could sway black voters towards the GOP?
“No,” I said.
I have written on the dilemma of black hesitance to go Republican here before. It is a lot trickier than we often think.
Philadelphia has never seen a black candidate run for a citywide office without the “D” after his name, so I answered the question using the most recent, most local example.
Dan Soskin of Pinot: wine and dogs, 'the good things in life'
As filed – without editing – last week for yesterday’s edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Dan Soskin, the owner of Pinot, a wine and accessories store in Old City, wants you to give a home to needy animals.
“I have four pets of my own,” he said. “With the exception of the iguana, they were all adoptees.”
Using the visibility of First Friday on April 4, Soskin, who also has a dog and two cats, partnered with the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society to promote pet adoptions.
“Some say ‘What does wine have to do with that?” Soskin said. “Well, people who appreciate wine and good wine accessories have a heart… They appreciate the good things in life. I think pets are good things in life.”
Pinot pledged 10 percent of the night’s sales, as much as $500, to PAWS, which also found homes for a handful of animals on the night.
“I think at least one kitten,” he said. “It is kitten season now, you know.”
“We have been here a year and a half, so we wanted to do something good,” he said. “I know about the homeless population of animals in Philadelphia. It is a serious problem.”
More than 200 people came through Pinot, and at least as many visited PAWS, Soskin said.
Dogs were mingling with passersby on the sidewalk.
“They had ‘Adopt Me’ vests right in front of the store. It was a magnet.” he said. “Come in, we can talk about wine, we can talk about pets, we can talk about wine accessories.”
It was a success that may happen again, Soskin said.
“The volunteers at PAWS are great, Their whole operation, they get a lot of homes for animals,” he said. “We’re already talking about doing the same thing… It was very exciting to have the partnership go so well at the get go. I look forward for future projects.”
Photo courtesy of Pinot. Dan Soskin, owner of Pinot, and Tara Derby, CEO of PAWS, raise a glass to Snowy and some of the other dogs available for adoption at “Wines, Canines, and Felines” April 4 at PINOT’s 227 Market Street location and PAWS’ adoption center at 100 N. 2nd Street. Also pictured are PAWS volunteers Carla Schultes and Garrett Elwood, with pooches Mackey and Vegas.
See other examples of my reporting here.