philly

Hoeffel Blogger Conference Call

So Joe Hoeffel, who ran for Senate against Specter in 2004 is now starting a new website and PAC

This site will be a sounding board and rallying point for Pennsylvania progressives. It will be equipped with organizing tools, calendars of events and, of course, a blog.

That's what Hoeffel's email said.

He's having a conference call with Pennsylvania's bloggers, all are invited. It is scheduled for Thursday June 2^nd at 8.30p. The cutoff to be a part of it will be 4p Thursday. To RSVP, contact Hilary at hilaryATadvocacytoday.com.

And let me add that I am incredibly disheartened that Hoeffel is not backing Chuck Pennacchio in his run for U.S. Senate against Sanitorium. Instead, he's backing Bob Casey Jr. who has barely made a blip of any sort except to say that he already has the backing of basically the entire Democratic establishment of Pennsylvania. I hope that he will address this to some extent.

Class Matters: Social Class and Health Care

I just finally got around to starting the NY Times' special section Class Matters. I just read Life at the Top in America Isn't Just Better, It's Longer, about three people who had heart attacks. One an upper class, white, architect. One a middle class, black, Con-Ed office worker. One a working class, Polish, housekeeper.

You can probably think of what happened, how each one came about their heart attacks, which hospitals they went to, the treatment they received, the manner in which their employers handled it and the changes they themselves made as a result of the heart attacks. But to read it and see it all come true is another thing. Janny Scott does a wonderful job taking us through a slice of each of their lives. I'm gonna try to read at least one of these a day.

Class is a potent force in health and longevity in the United States. The more education and income people have, the less likely they are to have and die of heart disease, strokes, diabetes and many types of cancer. Upper-middle-class Americans live longer and in better health than middle-class Americans, who live longer and better than those at the bottom. And the gaps are widening, say people who have researched social factors in health.

As advances in medicine and disease prevention have increased life expectancy in the United States, the benefits have disproportionately gone to people with education, money, good jobs and connections. They are almost invariably in the best position to learn new information early, modify their behavior, take advantage of the latest treatments and have the cost covered by insurance.

I'm thankful for the tireless work my parents put in to afford me a great education and pushing me towards having physical and mental fitness. I have a good education. I'm not poor [but I don't have coverage]. I have great friends and I may be able to pull a string here and there if things get bad for me one way or another, but I'm no Senator or anything. But I gotta keep working to make sure all of this is for naught. I gotta stay healthy; eat right, exercise and be happy.

It's also been two weeks since I last went to the gym. Ugh. But I've been playing soccer and ultimate o the weekends and taking long walks all over town throughout the week taking photos, but that's no excuse. I started out great, going three or four times a week. I'm not sure what happened. But this week, I'm making a commitment to go. My health is too important.

Another Friend Abroad

I just found out on Sunday that one of my best friends is taking off to travel the world for an entire year. First Austin left for South America for about six months in between quitting his corporate IT gig and the start of law school. Now, my buddy Glenna is off, first to Australia.

She sent me a short email saying that she'd be leaving from JFK on September 20^th, a one way ticket. I spoke to her beifly yesterday about the trip. She said she was going to travel through Australia and New Zeland and then make her way through South East Asia, Thailand for Christmas for sure. Other than that, it's pretty open ended.

I'm rediculously happy for her. She's been planning this trip for ages now. She originally planned this several years ago. She's been saving forever. I wish I had that kind of discipline. I don't think I could save that much for that long. It's not like she's been making tons of money either. I don't know how she did it, but I'm proud and happy for her.

It's gonna be weird not being able to press a couple of buttons and talk to her whenever I feel like it or take a ride down to D.C. to crash on her couch. But I look forward to all the postcards.

NiMH in the SB-600

I think I got somewhere around 500 shots with my SB-600 flash using Energizer 2200 mAh NiMH rechargable batteries. I got the fifteen minute charger to go along with the batteries. 500+ is pretty remarkable. Nikon rates them at 220 flashes with NiMH batteries.

I bought a spare set of 2200 mAh batteries too, so I should get even more shots with this set of batteries.

I figure I took about 200 shots, mostly using the flash at the wedding and another 200 at my first photo gig and about 100 or so just playing around and on my nightly walks.

Washington Square Monument

Last night I took a stroll. Originally, I set out for Old City and to take some night shots of drunken bar goers. But for some reason, I changed my course and headed to Washington Square. As I got closer, I think my mind subconsciously wanted me to head there to pay my respects to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for this country on this Memorial Day at a time of war. For reasons that I agree with or not, it doesn't matter.

I lived in DC for three years, but never made it to Arlington National Cemetary. I'm not very fond of cemetaries. I'm not very fond of death. I avoid cemetaries if I can.

I stood before the statue of Washington and wondered what it was like 200+ years ago. I wonder now what it was like with no dependence on foreign oil... But let me stop myself before I go on a political rant, today is not the day for that.

I feel for the families who have lost. I feel for the soldiers who survived. I feel for the families of those whom these soldiers killed.

It's a nice monument. I'm told that there are thousands of soldiers buried underneath that square. One thing that I've never figured out is why that eternal flams is never lit. If you're in the neighborhood of Spruce/7^th Sts, take a sec and walk through this gorgeous, quiet park.

Foodery

Foodery. Oh how I love thee. Let me count the ways... from left to right that is:

1. Guinness Draught - long one of my favoritest beers in the land
2. Coopers Brewery Dark Ale - new to me
3. Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale - I've had their oatmeal stout and it was decent, I have a feeling about this one though
4. Bell's Special Double Cream Stout - new to me and it's special!
5. The One and Only Newcastle Brown Ale - my favoritest beer in the whole wide world
6. Brooklyn Lager - another old favorite
7. Beamish Irish Stout - I'm still not sure if I like this one better than Guinness, hard call

I'm gonna crack one of these before bedtime Monday night.

Foodery: Pine/10^th Sts, 215.928.1111, open until midnight, every night.

Upcoming Library Events

The Rittenhouse Review reminds us of a great upcoming event at the Free Library. Thomas Frank is coming to town. He wrote What's the Matter with Kansas?

Molly Ivins has called Thomas Frank's New York Times bestseller What's the Matter with Kansas? "hilariously funny . . . the only way to understand why so many Americans have decided to vote against their own economic and political interests." Frank is the author of One Market Under God and The Conquest of Cool. He writes frequently for Harpers, The Nation, and Le Monde Diplomatique.

He'll be speaking Thursday night, June 2^nd at 7p at the Free Library at 1901 Vine St.

And on the following Tuesday, the 7^th Newt Gingrich will speak at the Free Library at 3p. That's free as well. If you're not working, I'd love to hear what you thought of his talk. He'll be promoting his new book Never Call Retreat, but I'm sure that he'll stick some politics in there, it is inevitable. If anything the Q&A session will have some politically charged questions from this über Liberal Democratic city of ours.

And here's the author events page for future events.

Sometimes You Just Feel Like This...

If I Had by Eminem

Life.. by Marshall Mathers
What is life?
Life is like a big obstacle
put in front of your optical to slow you down
And everytime you think you gotten past it
it's gonna come back around and tackle you to the damn ground
What are friends?
Friends are people that you think are your friends
But they really your enemies, with secret indentities
and disguises, to hide they true colors
So just when you think you close enough to be brothers
they wanna come back and cut your throat when you ain't lookin
What is money?
Money is what makes a man act funny
Money is the root of all evil
Money'll make them same friends come back around
swearing that they was always down
What is life?
I'm tired of life
I'm tired of backstabbing ass snakes with friendly grins
I'm tired of committing so many sins
Tired of always giving in when this bottle of Henny wins
Tired of never having any ends
Tired of having skinny friends hooked on crack and mini-thins
I'm tired of this DJ playing YOUR shit when he spins
Tired of not having a deal
Tired of having to deal with the bullshit without grabbing the steel
Tired of drowning in my sorrow
Tired of having to borrow a dollar for gas to start my Monte Carlo
I'm tired of motherfuckers spraying shit and dartin off
I'm tired of jobs startin off at five fifty an hour
then this boss wanders why I'm smartin off
I'm tired of being fired everytime I fart and cough
Tired of having to work as a gas station clerk
for this jerk breathing down my neck driving me bezerk
I'm tired of using plastic silverware
Tired of working in Building Square
Tired of not being a millionaire

But if I had a million dollars
I'd buy a damn brewery, and turn the planet into alcoholics
If I had a magic wand, I'd make the world suck my dick
without a condom on, while I'm on the john
If I had a million bucks
it wouldn't be enough, because I'd still be out
robbing armored trucks
If I had one wish
I would ask for a big enough ass for the whole world to kiss
I'm tired of being white trash, broke and always poor
Tired of taking pop bottles back to the party store
I'm tired of not having a phone
Tired of not having a home to have one in if I did have it on
Tired of not driving a BM
Tired of not working at GM, tired of wanting to be him
Tired of not sleeping without a Tylenol PM
Tired of not performing in a packed coliseum
Tired of not being on tour
Tired of fucking the same blonde whore after work
in the back of a Contour
I'm tired of faking knots with a stack of ones
Having a lack of funds and resorting back to guns
Tired of being stared at
I'm tired of wearing the same damn Nike Air hat
Tired of stepping in clubs wearing the same pair of Lugz
Tired of people saying they're tired of hearing me rap about drugs
Tired of other rappers who ain't bringin half the skill as me
saying they wasn't feeling me on "Nobody's As Ill As Me"
I'm tired of radio stations telling fibs
Tired of J-L-B saying "Where Hip-Hop Lives"

But if I had a million dollars
I'd buy a damn brewery, and turn the planet into alcoholics
If I had a magic wand, I'd make the world suck my dick
without a condom on, while I'm on the john
If I had a million bucks
it wouldn't be enough, because I'd still be out
robbing armored trucks
If I had one wish
I would ask for a big enough ass for the whole world to kiss

You know what I'm saying?
I'm tired of all of this bullshit
Telling me to be positive
How'm I 'sposed to be positive when I don't see shit positive?
Know what I'm sayin?
I rap about shit around me, shit I see
Know what I'm sayin? Right now I'm tired of everything
Tired of all this player hating that's going on in my own city
Can't get no airplay, you know what I'm sayin?
But ey, it's cool though, you know what I'm sayin?
Just fed up
That's my word

But today is not like that. It's gorgeous outside and I'm headed out to do some errands and take photos. And after that, if the weather holds up, play some soccer. Today is not a day for me to wallow in sorrows and be bitter.

Oliver Stone's Next Film?

Oliver Stone was arrested in Beverly Hills on Friday night for allegedly driving while intoxicated and drug possession. He posted his own bail and was released Saturday morning.

Will this be the plot for his next conspiracy theory film? How everyone is out to get him?

Live 8 in Philly

If you've come here for Live 8 coverage, please head on over to Philly Future where I will be covering the event live complete with photos.

Just in case you missed my post over at Philly Future, I thought I'd repost it here. Live Aid will be coming to Philly! Awesome. I may have to take my laptop out into the field with me to d/l all of the photos I'm sure to take that weekend.

Performers: [as of 6.29.05]
Will Smith, Bon Jovi, 50 Cent, Maroon 5, P. Diddy, Stevie Wonder, Jay-Z, The Dave Matthews Band, Sarah McLachlan, Il Divo, Rob Thomas, Keith Urban, Kaiser Chiefs , Linkin Park, Destiny's Child , Black Eyed Peas, Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Josh Groban, Ludacris, Def Leppard, Jars of Clay, Toby Keith, Kanye West, Rita, Ziggy and Stephen Marley.

And celebrity presenters: Salma Hayek, Natalie Portman, Chris Tucker, Jennifer Connolly, Jimmy Smits, Kami, the HIV-Positive Muppet, Brad Pitt, Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Naomi Watts, Rev. Al Sharpton, Ashley Judd, Jack Nicholson.

It was previously rumored that Philadelphia would not host one of the Live Aid concerts celebrating the 20^th anniversary of the 1985 concert that raised $80M in African famine relief. Now, this Inky story says otherwise.

Twenty years after Philadelphia hosted one of two Live Aid concerts that dramatized the plight of starving Africans, a second big-name benefit is in the works.

It will be July 2 on Ben Franklin Parkway, in the middle of the city's jam-packed Fourth of July festivities, according to Deborah Bolling, Mayor's Street spokeswoman.

A news conference is set for Tuesday at City Hall to announce "Live 8," which would coincide with a show in London, said Laura Perez, the publicist who is handling the news conference.

This concert will be called Live 8 to go with the annual G8 Summit to be held in Scotland in early July.

This concert will only add to the amazing spectacle that is Philly's Fourth of July celebration.

Live 8 in Philly will start off at 9a on the Parkway with nine big big big screen TVs broadcasting the events going on in Europe through Noon. The Philly portion of Live 8 starts at Noon and goes on officially until 6p. It would be great to see the concert go on afterwards, but we'll see how it all happens.

See you there.

***UPDATE[s]***
Philly Future will have plenty of up to date information on Live 8 from the people and by the people of Philadelphia. I urge all of you who have found this post to head on over there and bookmark the site. I'll surely have more info here, but I am only one person, we have just under 200 people signed up over at Philly Future who are all very interested in Live 8 who all have their own take.

Live 8 Wireless info.
Live 8 Traffic info.

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