Four Reasons Philadelphia Isn’t Detroit

The Philly Post ^ | 07/22/2013 | Joel Mathis

[blackdog]

North Philly is America’s Mogadishu.

That's why I left in 1994. The irony is that I ended up in Memphis, which is only about half as bad as Philly.

[EEGator]

It could use a MOAB right about now.

[EEGator]

Memphis isn’t much better is it?

Just less people to murder?

[Jimmy Valentine]

"Bandstand vs Motown...I’d call it a push"

Ah, BUT! The kids of Bristol are still sharp as crystal when they do the Bristol Stomp!

[blackdog]

Memphis is much better, despite it's national recognition. Remember, anything in the south is at a media biased disadvantage.

I live in the midtown area of Memphis, equivalent to Chestnut Hill in Philly. A series of a few three and four bedroom homes, one with a gunnite pool. I rent them out to rich trust fund kids who attend a very high priced university within walking distance. I live in the one in the middle.

[EEGator]

Okay. It sounds like you have it pretty good down there. Make some decent cash, and you get to keep an eye on your places.

Rhodes College?

[blueunicorn6]

5. They aren’t spelled the same way. I was our fifth grade spelling bee champ.

[keving]

Phillys just a little smarter as their wage tax is higher. The magic bullet wage tax ya know.

[Donnafrflorida]

too funny.try going UP green ave.
lost my master cylinder on shawmont ave. age 16.
just got my DL. OMG

[blackdog]

Yep!

[expat2]

The fact that the author is bragging about an abysmal A- bond rating is indicative of how low they have sunk.

[x]

I guess not. Philadelphia's Detroit is spelled "C-A-M-D-E-N" and is in another state. Philly does manage to have a more balanced economy, a livelier downtown, and some big-time colleges. Detroit was lacking all those things (sorry, Wayne State).

But even if Mathis is right, he's wrong. Getting into a flame war with an anonymous commenter -- not being able to avoid settling petty personal scores -- is a sign that a media person has no taste and no class.

[outpostinmass2]

These writers are delusional. Almost every city in America has a government pension time bomb ticking down. Yes, Detroit has suffered abandonment by manufacturers but so has every city. It is the governments that refused to change and adapt. Not only that, those governments were elected by the government unions who campaigned, voted and financed their elections. Boston suffered race riots, had burned out abandoned sections of the city and huge manufacturing losses as well. I grew up in Boston and trust me, Boston of the 70’s is long gone. The government did not rebuild Boston, the people did. Boston's government pension system is in about the same shape as Detroit's. We will even add a casino just like Detroit did. No, we don't have abandoned factories rusting out like we use to but our city government looks the same as theirs. Those unions voted for those elected officials, they created their own mess.

[TurboZamboni]

The First 10 City Pensions That Will Run Out Of Money

#10 Fort Worth...Unfunded liability: $2 billion Unfunded liability per household: $7,212 Solvency horizon: 2023
#9 Detroit...(already Obamasized)

#8 Baltimore...Unfunded liability: $3.7 billion Unfunded liability per household: $15,420 Solvency horizon: 2022

#7 New York City...Unfunded liability: $122.2 billion Unfunded liability per household: $38,886 Solvency horizon: 2021

#6 Jacksonville...Unfunded liability: $4 billion Unfunded liability per household: $12,994 Solvency horizon: 2020

#5 St. Paul...Unfunded liability: $1.4 billion Unfunded liability per household: $13,686 Solvency horizon: 2020

#4 Cincinnati...Unfunded liability: $2 billion Unfunded liability per household: $15,681 Solvency horizon: 2020

#3 Boston...Unfunded liability: $7.5 billion Unfunded liability per household: $30,901 Solvency horizon: 2019

#2 Chicago...Unfunded liability: $44.8 billion Unfunded liability per household: $41,966 Solvency horizon: 2019

#1 Philadelphia..Unfunded liability: $9 billion Unfunded liability per household: $16,690 Solvency horizon: 2015

http://www.businessinsider.com/first-city-pensions-insolvent-2010-12?slop=1#slideshow-start

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

I hate it when you young-uns get the lyrics wrong. Just like "Nuke" LaLoosh in Bull Durham singing "She may be wooly"

Bristol Stomp refrain goes:
"The kids in Bristol are sharp as a pistol
When they do the Bristol Stomp
Really somethin' when the joint is jumpin'
When they do the Bristol Stomp"

Just Remember what The Orlons claimed:
South Street is the hippest street in town

[P.O.E.]

Yet.

[Jimmy Valentine]

I need to see what “The Geeter with the Heater” Gerry Blavit has to say about that.

[Clemenza]

Without further immigration, ethnic neighborhoods cannot survive. There hasn't been sizable Italian immigration since right after WWII, hence no more "Italian" neighborhoods.

South Philly today is an amalgam of Vietnamese, Chinese, Mexicans, white trash, black trash, and a handful of elderly folks of Italian heritage.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

I think you mean Jerry Blavat - the Geator with the Heator; the Boss with the Hot Sauce; the King of Philly Rock & Roll.

You kids.