Fire, Walk with Me

Looking forward to next Friday at Pirana Betty's 2470 Franford Ave Phila Pa for First Friday.

If the Republicans Control the House....

Congressman John Shimkus March 25th 2010. he quotes the Bible in congressional hearings to contradict global warming...


Thanks to Bluegal for this!!

Lost Cellphone Blues

Do not lose your cellphone EVEN if you bought insurance!! How about cellphone reform!!!
Call me at work 215 560 3883 until further notice!!

Here is the info I get when I go to http://www.thesignal.com/.

I am standing on my head waiting for these BOZO's

Your claim is currently in process. Please review the following sections to identify if any additional information is required to complete your claim. Continue to check back for real-time updates on the progress of your claim.
Wireless Mobile Number: (215)990-6254 Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few details about your claim
Wireless Service Provider: Credo Mobile
Claim Number: 149xxx
The date you reported the claim: 3/19/2010 11:35:48 AM
What happened to your phone: Missing or Lost
The date the problem occurred: 3/18/2010
The type of phone you claimed: SANYO 3800 KATANA LX

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Millville Update March 29th 2010

Good evening. I overslept after eating and missed 2 buses. I should never go back to take a "nap" after getting up at 4:30am. I am STILL without a cellphoneOh well. Anyway, there have been some changes going on with the Arts District. First off Isabelle's Studio moved out of the place she used as her studio for 4 years. She has moved in the Artists Consortium as of this past weekend. Next Sitar Bob will be closing Brainchurch at the end of may. Word has it he will move to Arizona in a year with family. He and the Brainchurch will be missed.
The top photo to the right is of the Arrow Tax Building. It's located at the corner of High and Pine Streets on the same side of the street as the Levoy Theatre.I saw some contractor looking over the property yesterday, and he told me there was termite damage to the building. Its looking pretty run-down now. From what I hear this building has been sited in the past for property code violations and there have been several people interested in buying it
The next photo is the property on the corner of Buck and Pine Streets. It was bought out by the city and so far the siding was removed. My opinion is that the building looks BETTER with the plain wood exterior. I think it should be a welcome center for the riverfront. I did find out that the city will be demolish the house in the near future as the redevelopment plans start to move forward. I guess the building is old and in disrepair at this time. I really can not blame the city for wanting to tear it down. Maybe some of the wood could be saved. There must be some historical items in the house since it does look pretty old. I bet alot of Millville looked like this house before siding become so popular. The economy will dictate that for sure with the current proposed cuts to UEZ and state funding in general. I suppose events like the Bikefest will NOT happen this year. Allison Corson of MDC got a job with the Housing Authority which is going to be a better job for her for sure.
My last question, is the renovation of the Levoy still a go??
Last thing. One year ago today was the TestaFest.

Visiting Greenwich NJ

After Yoga we paid a visit to Rita's house in Greenwhich on Saturday. She and her fiencee live within a marina that feels like the edge of the earth. It was pretty neat to see it. The spaceship house is being renovated by her finceee and another man to be lived in again.It was pretty mild day We saw the AJ Mearwald docked in the marina before it sailed off to Bivalve. Boy I still have funky memories of training for 4 Saturdays in March 2005 freezing my butt off in the unheated shed and trying to learn knots. It was an unforgettible experience that is for sure! Well its now time to get the bus to work on a rainy monday. I note that Isabelle has moved to the Artist Consortium and Sitar Bob will be closing Brainchurch at the end of May.

Friday March 26th

Last Friday after work I met Carolyne and we went to Local 44 a bar that used to be the old Murphy's tavern. It has a hip yet family atmosphere and we mellowed out. We then went to a friend's house and ran in to Jon and Densie and we all talked for awhile. It was a good start to the weekend after a disappointing tax session with our accountant. We took a large loss but after the fee only getting a couple hundred back from the feds.Its supposed to rain all day today.

NJ Politics: Pension Envy!

I had a chance to check out some other Jersey bloggers and found a good site about Congressman for Life Frank LoBiondo. Its about time there was someone dedicated to unearthing some of his contradictions. He was for Cap and Trade BEFORE he was against it. I will be following this site for sure. I note with interest the pension crisis hitting New Jersey. I am a state employee in good ole Pa, home to fast Eddie Rendell. Pa is going to face the same kind of crisis in the upcoming years. I predict that Pa will try to end Pensions for new employees. I am thankful I have almost 20 years in. There is a feature called "Ledger Live" in the web edition of the Newark Star Ledger. I think this is one of the better papers in this state. I noted that one of the protesters filmed in the video below make an interesting observation that is never mentioned in this debate. She said that most people do not WANT to do the jobs they do such as changing bedpans. I would agree with this. Most of my friends would not want to do my job dealing with upset welfare recipients being demanding day after day. Most would not want to be teaching smart-ass kids in urban school districts. The female reporter in this video seems to know a lot about this issue. I should go ahead and email her questions. I will encourage my fellow Millville bloggers Robert Owens and Carl Johnson to do the same. Well off to the dentist then off to work. Tomorrow I go to our accountant to figure out our Federal and State taxes. Happy Spring!!

Ledger Live: Pension envy

Camera

Riverfront Condo's In Progress

I decided that I would check to see the progress of the Riverfront Condos. The work on the condominium project started in 2008 when crews leveled the earth, installed bulkheads along the river and secured the infrastructure. I believe that the age-restricted tag had not been lifted, the project likely would not have continued. Continued construction still depends on being able to sell units, but in this market its going to be difficult. None of the units had been sold at the original asking price of about $300,000, although the project was still in its development stage. The units now are being solf for between $225,000 and $250,000. In light of the severe recession and drastic cuts in state funding it is vital that this project be allowed to finish. Let us hope it is finished soon.

Twin Peaks Art Exibit: April 2nd 2010

"The Black Dog Runs at Night" A Twin Peaks-Inspired Art Show has it opening reception for First Friday April 2nd Pictured is the art card and Carolyne's work that will be at the show. I hope see you there.

Health Care Reform Passes

The Health Care Reform bill has passed the House of Representatives late tonite. It may cost the Dems votes and Obama as well but as the New York Times reports:

In what the New York Times called "an extraordinary session," President Obama began his speech by quoting Abraham Lincoln. "I am not bound to win, but I'm bound to be true," he said. "I'm not bound to succeed, but I'm bound to live up to what light I have."

More information
Here are ten benefits which come online within six months of the President's signature on the health care bill

1.Adult children may remain as dependents on their parents’ policy until their 27th birthday
2.Children under age 19 may not be excluded for pre-existing conditions
3.No more lifetime or annual caps on coverage
4.Free preventative care for all
5.Adults with pre-existing conditions may buy into a national high-risk pool until the exchanges come online. While these will not be cheap, they’re still better than total exclusion and get some benefit from a wider pool of insureds.
6.Small businesses will be entitled to a tax credit for 2009 and 2010, which could be as much as 50% of what they pay for employees’ health insurance.
7.The “donut hole” closes for Medicare patients, making prescription medications more affordable for seniors.
8.Requirement that all insurers must post their balance sheets on the Internet and fully disclose administrative costs, executive compensation packages, and benefit payments.
9.Authorizes early funding of community health centers in all 50 states (Bernie Sanders’ amendment). Community health centers provide primary, dental and vision services to people in the community, based on a sliding scale for payment according to ability to pay.
In our community - half-rural and half-suburb -- 50 community health centers will receive funding to provide health and preventive services to people with no access right now

I suppose I was wrong on my earlier posts. I can accept that. I can only imagine the nasty reaction from the right wing.

Visiting Philadelphia

Yesterday, we paid a visit to the Northern Liberties and Frankford Sections of the city. We went up Frankford Ave near Bridge and Pratt Streets and saw this house that was a castle. It had a large turret on it and was unique in its deatails. After that we went south on Frankford Ave and went to Piranha Betty's gallery where Carolyne will have one of her works featured starting First Friday April 2nd. The dogs and us walked around a bit and enjoyed the warm sunny 70 degree weather!! The coolest part was getting a tour of a building that used to be a firehouse. The owner is selling it for about 1 million. He showed us the interior and back areas. We got ride in the elevator that he maintains on his own. This building is being rented already by artists and is HUGE.

Crisis...What Crisis???

Here is a good website. I liked this since
http://artrock2006.blogspot.com/2009/01/crisis-what-crisis.html
Here is a site that breaks down the Health Care Reforms
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/

March 18th Commute

Here is my adventure getting to work and the Dr. Office

Children by the Millions Wait for Alex Chilton

Good morning.
I will note the passing of Alex Chilton.

He is best known for being in Box Tops and Big Star. My favorate Big Star song is The Battle of El Goodo. He was very influencual to many musicians who followed such as the Replacements.

Lost Dog on High Street

I had missed my bus so I decided to take a early morning stroll. I saw this poor tan puppy wondering down High Street around 6:05am. I did call 911 shortly after these were taken.

St Patty''s Day Rant

Good morning. What is the road ahead? This recession will go on for at least 2 years if not for another 5 years. Gov Christie's cuts is just the latest example. The cuts will cause local govts to cut back AND raise taxes and reduce services. NJ transit raises fares along with SEPTA and every conceivable utility. The lucky pi ions like me might get a 3% raise but wage freezes and increased health care costs.
Meanwhile the Democrats do not know how to be a majority party and do what they were elected to do.
With less earning power folks will not be buying as much. This is important since in the good ole US of A, consumer spending is80% of the economy. People growing cynical will elect more politicians who use scapegoats such as welfare recipients, minorities and other less desirable folks who really need govt assistance.
Yup, that Tea Party, funded by Dick Armey and other right wing groups who want to see more corporate power.
If given the choice between BIG INSURANCE and big government, I take the later. You ask why. Well, govt is accountable and the public has the right to ask questions and get documents and information. Also, folks do not like when the govt makes money but they (Tea Baggers and their ilk)do not mind BIG INSURANCE paying off Congress to delay and dilute health care reform. If it does not pass this year and becomes a winning issue with our Republican Party, we will not see ANY reform for 25 years from now. I will be 73 years old. What will Medicare and Social Security look like.

Yesterday my boss at the Welfare Office suggested that I look for a job with the Federal Govt since my commute is so far. He also states he may do the same since the job is getting worse, the union PSSU sucks and takes anything from the state, and after 3 promotions he makes only 10 grand more then I. We started in training together back in 1992 when I was single.
He expressed the opinion that many folks hired by the state welfare department are not that well-educated and thing state employment is great and would not back a strike for better working conditions and pay. I have to agree with this assessment. Folks just want health benefits and job security. They will take staffing cuts and increased work loads as the price.

This is how the rich get richer, exploiting insecurities in the public and pitting one set of people against the other for their self-interest.
As a govt employee, I enjoy a pension and health benefits that were negotiated years ago. Politicians with better benefits and perks rail against the "overpaid" govt employee making 30 to 60k. On the other hand Congress and state legislators have the best health care and paid govt vehicles with free auto insurance. Oh yea, I love it that the head of NJ Transit makes more then a member of Congress or the President. This clown can propose a 25% fare increase with a straight face. No wonder Republicans and their allies can make working-class vote AGAINST THEIR OWN INTERESTS!!

I see good people that want to leave Millville and become less involved due to personal and political reasons. Meanwhile the politically connected respond with dismissive attitudes. Also this same group think this way of doing thing is just dandy cause they are "entitled" since they worked so hard. HELLO...we all work hard but not all of us can pander and get benefits and jobs from our overloads.

Will the Levoy ever get built? Does anyone care to let us know?? I live right near it and Odgren Construction has not started even though they said it would start weeks ago. Well, they got theirs.

What about the Arts District? Will the nay-sayers gloat and say, "I told you so"?? How bout the Arts Center? Will it remain viable in the face of UEZ cuts and cuts to arts funding that are sure to come. I guess the retired teachers and their sewing circle will let all of us know, right.

Does the Constitution specifically allow government funding of the arts, public assistance, UEZ. I suppose Thomas Jefferson wrote this document to say for the next 300 years the govt will ONLY fund War, roads, and public safety. I await the Constitutional scholars to educate me on that. I love it when conservators carry the Constitution like THEY OWN IT!!


Well, its now time to get to work

Christie: A Typical Republican

I read that Gov. Christie's cuts will affect the working poor much more then others. I did not vote for Mr. Christie but I was hopeful with the NJ economy and government in the crapper that funding cuts and savings would be spread out more. Maybe I was naive but that is what I thought. These words backed up my hope.

"There is not going to be an area of citizenry in our state or interests in our state who's not going to be asked to be part of shared sacrifice," he said last week

.

Well..well. These words were nice but the reality is MUCH different. Like most members of his party, Gov Christie plans to save $$ on the backs of those who can LEAST afford it.

Already, he has cut the state's mass-transit subsidy and stopped enrolling some lower-income adults in a subsidized health insurance program. He's also proposed reducing weekly unemployment checks and, even before he was sworn in, hinted that food banks could see their state aid cut and told hospitals their reimbursements for treating the indigent will be cut in June.

I suppose that is what his mandate is. I somehow think that he was elected to fix the mess that is the NJ Government. How bout less lawyers, consultants and governments in this state. How bout less perks for the well-connected. If I saw this kind of "shared sacrifice" then I could understand him with his proposed cuts to the poor.
Dig this. NJ Transit is going to raise its fares 25%!! I hear that the Executive Director of NJ Transit makes about $275,000 per year. Gee, he is really feeling the recession.
I look forward to seeing how supporters of the Gov. respond and how the Dems will accept this. I am sure they will lie down just like the Dems with President Bush and Reagen.
Its just sad really. Now lets pass this Health Care Bill Dammit!!!

The Ides of March: The UEZ in Millville

I read in today's Daily Journal this early AM that due to the delay in UEZ money, Millville will postpone 2 events and kill off the Summer Block Parties. The MDC is requesting a loan from the city.

MILLVILLE -- Glasstown Arts District officials are requesting a loan from the City Commission to offset money they've lost since the state froze Urban Enterprise Zone funds.
The Millville Development Corp.'s board, which oversees the district, also officially postponed the annual SummerFest and BikeFest events planned for this summer, due to a lack of money

In the past, Millville First has advocated canceling the block parties, so they were ahead of their time. If the UEZ is ended, the citizens will see the result if the anti-UEZ group had won a majority of the 5 Commission seats. As the Daily Journal reports in today's paper

The board postponed the annual summer events due to a lack of money to prepare and advertise the events. Ayres said the board normally would have done a lot of preparation and advertising work for the popular events by now, but couldn't because of the funding shortage.
"We know we can't pull together successful events by starting in April," she said.
The city's summer block parties also are in jeopardy. The city last year used UEZ money to pay for its three annual summer block parties. But Mayor Tim Shannon said last month he would not use UEZ money for the events this year. Shannon said he would rather use any available money for economic development

This could mean the slow end of the Arts District. Yup, there are clouds over High Street for sure. There is a good sign. One of the banks has donated $5000.00 to the MDC. Millville Savings and Loan should be congratuated. Now why can't other business help out. How bout some of the well-compensated lawyers. Its time to stand up for Millville couse there are planty who want to bring it down and say "I told you so!"

Sunday: A Mighty Oak..and 4 Acres

We Went to check a house in Bridgeton. It had this huge Oak that I think was 200 years old and 4 acres. Its quite interesting what is out there. The only thing is that the smell from the Cumberland County Utilites Authorty is kind of funky. After walking the dogs around the 4 acres we went to Densie's house and mellowed out with the dogs. Politics is due to come on this blog and will return at some point. Hey lets pass HEALTH CARE ASAP!!

March 13th.. All Wet Yet Fun

Hello there. This past Saturday, I got up and took the US Census test at 10am. I did ok not great but passed pretty easily. It was a bit stressful since 28 questions had to be answered in 30 min. More time was taken with completing paperwork and listening to instructions then the actual test. Now I must wait to hear from them.Next I took the bus to Philly to do an errand. I lost the art card I got Friday. The rain was extremely heavy with flooding all over. It was really bad between Westville and Brooklawn. I filmed our bus negotiating the flooded out roads. I then got soaked in Frankford, well my pants and feet only. I then got back on the trains to get to Camden. Man the wind was kicking and blowing at 30-50MPH and that is no lie. I waited at Camden for 30 min since the Woodbury Rt 406 bus was 20 minutes late. I then caught the Woodbury Bus to Shellenes in Westville to meet some friends I have met taking the NJ Transit 408th. We had a nice time.It was a good nite... There were alot of folks bar-hopping via the bus when we were there.
I was quite the tired soul after that.

My Trip to Frankford

Friday after work, I ventured out to the Frankford section of Philadelphia. It was a cool and rainy early evening by the time I had boarded the Market-Frankford El. I was to pick up art cards for the Twin Peaks Art Exhibit that will be opening on Friday April 2nd at Parana Betty's Art Market at the 2400 block of Frankford Avenue. I stopped by at a local watering hole called the Old Philadelphia Bar. It served up a pint for $1.50 which I thought was extinct. I next went to Atlantis The Lost Bar. It was pretty hip joint I must say. All the beer on tap was brewed by the brewery across the street. After having a beer went to pick up the cards at Parana Betty's. The gallery was very cool, like the Amethyst in Millville but even larger. The featured artists are shown in the very front of the gallery in a smaller size room. (The photo you see here is me at the front gallery) I think this is good since folks will not miss the work being shown. After getting the tour, I went on the 5 bus to a bar called Murph's bar. It's across from Johnny Brenda's at Frankford and Girard Aves. It was a normal working class bar. I had a guy try my hat on and it was pretty funny. Next but not least was Johnny Brenda's. I was last there with Carolyne about a year and a half ago. Its a pretty nice bar with a great beer selection. I had a Walt Whit and then took the 5 bus to the El then to the PATCO, then to the Cape May bus (runs 4 times a day) back to Millville.