What Is A Boltzmann Brain?

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Brian Greene


Further Clarifcation

Ah, just as I thought.
You all just a figment of my imagination.
Good to know :-)


YEAH..KINDA LIKE THAT :-)

Underground Beneath Philadelphia Streets

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When the wife worked for the Wanamaker department stores she occasionally had meetings in Philadelphia. We always used an underground parking deck about a block away. From it you could directly enter a bank lobby (always unlocked) which had direct access to a subway walkway. From there we walked directly to the basement retail floor entrance of the Wanamaker building. No snow, rain nor cold weather problems whatsoever. I'm sure there a number more Philadelphia residents might be familiar with.

Comment from one viewer-

"Many tunnels were simply filled with utility lines and the walkways were moved to parallel tunnels, most of the concourses are still in use, and one can walk from 7th to 19th now, and from near arch street down to spruce...same as for past 90 years. the walkways connect two major regional commuter stations, a dozen commuter lines, 5 trolley lines, and 4 subways including one to NJ, many fantastic office towers, shops, department stores, government buildings, and restaurants. The arch street portion was cleverly and responsibly converted to a beautiful facility for homeless to shower and rest...

Some Really Great Drumming

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Joe Nocella

Allentown We Don't Do That No More

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Time Flies

Allentown once thrived.


Here a few of the large businesses once exclusive to Allentown that have since disappeared from the city (other then retail and eateries).



Furniture Stores: (Berman & Glazier, Harold Furniture Co., Stern & Co., Miller Furniture Co. and J.B. VanSciver). Dry Cleaners: (Kohlers, Allen Laundry, Tidy-Didy Diaper Service). Men's & Women's hat, clothiers and tailoring shops. Grocery stores: (Mohican market, A&P, Food Fair). Dozens of knitting and sewing mills: (Franklin knitting, Charis, Phoenix, Levin's). These along with A&B meats, Mack Trucks two huge locations (S. 10 Street & 12th & Lehigh), Breweries: (Neuweiler, Horlacher & Daeufer-Lieberman). Shoe manufacturers: (Quaker), several city founded banks, Appliance/electronic sales and repair: (Eastern Light, Laubach & Johnson, Peters, Lafeytte),.... I could go on and on.

The Point IsWe can't make Allentown thrive once again hosting only offices, retailers and eateries. Yes It's true most of these older jobs I mentioned either went overseas, relocated to industrial parks outside of the city or are no longer in demand. But what we still need are neighborhood jobs if we're going to improve. Years ago businesses were scattered throughout town. These days concentrated industrial/warehouse areas are the way to go. So how could we have found better ways in trying to revive the city?

One way we can't do it is by trying to make us a bedroom community for blue collar jobs residing outside the city. Offices and eateries can only take us so far. One of the things Bethlehem has done well is to set up a large industrial area close to I-78 and rail service. We've gone in the opposite direction. For example rather then encourage development along Lehigh Street near I-78 it's filled with car dealerships and retailers. It started off well enough (near the rail tracks to the South) but we never fully exploited the opportunity when we had it. We also dropped the ball in the Basin Street and 7th & Lehigh Street areas which houses older buildings. Each having close access to the Allentown rail yards.

Don't get me wrong I like Coca-Cola baseball park as much as anybody, but wouldn't it been better located on what currently is Allentown's non profitable golf course? There's just as easy an access off of 309 (I-78) or down Cedar Crest from Route 22 much like it is now. The area where the ball park is currently located would have been a perfect location for industrial warehouses seeking easy access for both trucks leaving and to the airport bringing in shipments.

Besides Industrial Parks?HOUSING:
Allentown doesn't need more housing. What we need is the "right" kind of housing. I understand it can take a long time but the city needs to be more aggressive with it's boarded up housing problem. Instead of incentivizing new construction--dilapidated current structures should be brought up to standard or torn down. Why not offer someone who is willing to buy and fix them up--with the contingency they have to live in them--the opportunity to live tax free for a few years? After all most of these boarded up properties aren't generating taxes now anyway. What we're seeing instead is a handful of individuals from outside the city sitting on these properties. Small individual homeowners will always have a greater stake in what happens within our neighborhoods when they have to live in them.

SMALL BUSINESS STARTUPS:
One or two years tax free dependent on them owning the building. It's important for them to own the building. Otherwise some will stiff the landlord--take the money and run. Some may argue they could do the same with taxes. Not if they agree the city holds a "deed of trust" for the first one or two years if they should skip town after bagging the profits.

SCHOOLS:
Let's not kid ourselves Allentown schools are a mess. We've had several neighbors move here. When they started to have children--or when their kids were old enough to go to school--they sold their homes and moved out. One of the reasons ours schools are such a mess is because of administration not the educators. Check out this story in The Morning Call on April 14, 2017-- Report finds 'waste, abuse' of money in Allentown School Distriact's business office-- "The Morning Call had filed a Right-to-Know request for the report, but the district denied the request. The request was also denied at the state level on appeal." Unless/until we straighten our Allentown schools things aren't going to improve the situation either.


In SummaryWe may not be able to turn back the hands of time, but there's better ways of going about then the way we have. 

I do think Allentown stands a chance to improve. What we all need to understand is the situation isn't hopeless--but without a clear understanding of the past mistakes made and taking future course corrections these hopes grow dimmer It's my wish--with the upcoming elections looming on the horizon--whoever leads the city and the school district forward in the next few years manages to do better jobs.

A Nation Of Renters

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We're becoming a nation of renters. I don't see this as a good thing. Car and home ownership is becoming out of reach. It's always better to own rather then be subjugated to the terms and conditions set by others who have their own best interest in mind. It's almost like being beholden to a master.

New vehicles have become so expensive many are opting to lease instead. There's a few problems as I see it. (1) In two or three years lessees are forced out of their much needed transportation. Sometimes costing them more at the end for things they haven't factored in such as exceeding mileage or vehicle wear. (2) If one purchases a vehicle they can determine when they can best afford another one. Who knows in two or three years what one's financial situation might be. Maybe hanging on to a vehicle for a few years longer would be someone's best option to avoid financial difficulties. (3) Scheduled maintenance is not an option for a lessee. I'll give you one bad example. My son leased a van. The dealer forced him in for an oil change. They overfilled it causing the engine to blow out the crankshaft oil gasket. They demanded he pay $300 for the repair.

Housing rentals are a terrible option.(1) Some charge extra or won't allow pets. (2) Nuisance complaints are handled by the property owner rather then police. Police can't evict people for noise complaints, outside decorations and the all so many restrictions apartment owners come up with. (3) Mortgages payments are spelled out contractually. Apartment owners can raise them to most anything they desire. (4) Twenty or thirty years after paying rent you are entitled to nothing. Owning something on the other hand means you have a tangible asset of value. (5) Even crazier yet is to "buy" a property and still be obligated to pay condo fees. In most cases it's a hellva lot cheaper to pay contractors for repairs and maintenance only when necessary

Don't think for a moment government isn't encouraging this. Some cities have relaxed their single housing zoning requirements. Here in Pennsylvania there have been a number of multimillion government grants to help developers convert so-called historic structures into rental units (including right here in the Lehigh Valley).

While I'm on the subject-- why become a rental employee? I'm talking about being hired by a firm subcontracted to employ workers for a company. Companies are required by law to follow certain rules for their employees. Companies are able to skirt many of these protections by the use of a subcontracted third party jobber. In other words legally speaking, temp agencies. Others hire their labor as independent contractors. Both which means such a worker is being rented out to them on a day-to-day or hourly basis under whatever terms of their choosing.

Seems to me...
We should never buy a new car we can't afford. Buy a used one instead. Hang on to it till you can afford a better one. Rather then rent try to find a mortgage that would be in line with what you now pay in rent. For a long time people bought a "starter home. After a few years flipped it for something better as their earnings grew along with the value of their home. As far as jobs are concerned-- no one should ever settle for less then being actually hired by a firm itself. Perhaps at the same time seeking to make themselves more attractive by acquiring greater skills. It wouldn't hurt to start up a little side business on your own either.

The point is all too many of us are allowing ourselves to become enslaved by making wrong choices. Anytime we allow ourselves to be indebted we become beholden. In order to free ourselves as much as possible we need to release those ties which allow others to control us by financial means whenever possible.

How Many Remember Mr. Six?

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HINT: He was a hellva lot younger then the character he portrayed.

 

Mr. Six (Danny Teeson) was an advertising character used from 2004 to 2010 for the American theme park chain Six Flags when he was in his 30's.


Danny Teeson (born May 27, 1975) is a British dancer and choreographer.