Electric Cars to Park for Free?

City Councilman Jim Kenney is introducing a bill that would allow the Philadelphia Parking Authority to create electric car parking spaces in neighborhoods. Therefore, owners of electric cars would have spaces in front of their homes reserved for parking and charging their vehicles. The owner would be responsible for installing the electrical outlet at the curb. I like it.

"Opportunity NYC" Expansion

From the Harvard Government Innovators website: "Hoping to contribute to the success of Opportunity NYC, a program by which poor families get financial incentives to act in their and society's long-term interests, the City of New York is collaborating with eight banks and credit unions to offer a special Opportunity NYC savings account. These flexible "starter" accounts do not require a minimum opening balance and do not charge monthly fees. There is a $50 incentive for Opportunity NYC participants to open an account, which provides easy and safe access to the bi-monthly allowances paid to Opportunity NYC families. The goal of the accounts is to encourage savings and budgeting and help beneficiaries establish and maintain good credit."

Philadelphia Zoo Gets a New Website

America's First Zoo has a new website.

Plastic Bag Ban for Philadelphia?

According to the Daily News, Councilmen DiCicco and Kenney will introduce a bill to ban "regular" plastic bags at supermarkets and pharmacies in favor of non-plastic, compostable bags. Kenney also plans to introduce a companion bill that would ban Styrofoam.

"‘Fall For Your Park" Cleanup Day

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is seeking volunteers for the 9th annual Fall for Your Park cleanup event on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cobbs Creek Park and Laura Sims Skatehouse (nearby), as well as the Cobbs Creek Recreation Center in West Philadelphia.

More than 300 volunteers from 80 neighborhood park groups will meet to plant trees, garden, paint, restore woodland and more. Volunteers will receive free T-shirts and lunch, while supplies last. Have a hand in the transformation that will occur as neighborhood residents and park advocates from across the city work to improve the site for all to enjoy. For more information, call (215) 988-1611 or parks@pennhort.org

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. at the Laura Sims Skatehouse, 63rd & Walnut streets. Fall for Your Park is sponsored by Philadelphia Green’s Parks Revitalization Project, the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, Fairmount Park and the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative, with support from the William Penn Foundation, Aveeno, the American Parks Network and the Philadelphia Committee of the Garden Club of America.

Friday Agricultural Factoid: A Fungus Among Us

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, our state is the "Mushroom Capital of the World," producing almost 60 percent of the total mushroom sales in America. Chester County is home to 65 of Pennsylvania’s 76 mushroom growers and produces more than 40 percent of America's mushrooms.

Quote of the Day

"Good government is good politics". - J. Allen Friedman (2007)

Mike Nutter's Webchat

A recent Michael Nutter webchat can be found here.

Friday Agricultural Factoid

The York Fair is the first and oldest fair in the nation. It was was established in 1765, 11 years before America's formation. The Fair will be held from September 7-16.

Metropolitan Moms Launches in Philadelphia

Metropolitan Moms has launched in Philadelphia. What is it? According to their website:

"Spending quality time with your baby can be fun for baby AND you. Metropolitan Moms will take you and your baby on private museum tours, to the latest gallery exhibitions, on historical neighborhood walks, and on visits to the studios of emerging artists. Metropolitan Moms is your chance to explore the world beyond babies- and here’s the best part- you don’t have to leave your baby at home! All excursions are stroller friendly and limited to small, private groups led by seasoned experts. A Mother’s Helper also attends to ensure moms get the most of each moment of the class and that all needs are quickly attended to."

Al Gore In?

A post on Daily Kos floats a few theories as to why the time might be right for Al Gore to get into the Presidential race. The post also notes that a US Representative from Florida is saying there's a very good chance that the former VP and popular vote winner in the 2000 election may get in the race.

Smart Cars

Smart Cars are just cool.

Why Mike Nutter Won the Democratic Primary

Conventional wisdom about Philadelphia politics died on May 16th, 2007. It was on this day that myths about Michael Nutter came crashing down along with the canards about whose get-out-the-vote machine was most effective and the importance of union support. The election debunked all of the “Myths about Michael”. Apparently the guy who didn’t have a base and couldn’t raise money, did have a base (Brady, Evans, and Fattah only received a few thousand more votes - combined – than Michael) and could raise money (Michael raised more money from more people than anybody else).

But I think there are two basic reasons why Nutter won (1) He was more committed, focused and disciplined than the other candidates. He quit his job ten months out and focused on nothing else; (2) The second reason has two components: (a) Nutter was simply the most qualified candidate in terms of charisma, character, intelligence, progressivism and vision; and (b) the high visibility of candidates during this election cycle (i.e., myriad public forums, audio and video podcasts, etc.) made Nutter’s superior qualifications self-evident to a broad cross-section of Philadelphians.

Michael Bloomberg: Flexibility is Overrated

From the Inquirer, Michael Nutter met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg who told Michael Nutter that "the key to running a big city is establishing your priorities, sticking to them, and not letting anyone, including the press, force you off them". I know that Mike Nutter will be that kind of leader.

Al Gore & New Orleans

Here’s an interesting post from Dailykos about Al Gore’s actions after the Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

Green Fest Philly

Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007, 11am-6pm
South Street, between 7th & 11th

Philadelphia is going green - come find out which organizations and businesses are improving the environmental quality of life in our City. This street festival will feature music, food, art and more than 100 exhibitors. It's called Greenfest Philly.

Grand Central Station for Al Gore News

Here's the place to go for the latest on erstwhile - and possibly future - presidential candidate. GoreHub.com.

Pennsylvania for Gore

The Pennsylvania for Gore website is here.

Current TV

My new favorite TV channel is Current TV, Current TV is an independent media company led by some guy named Al Gore. Much of the content is "viewer created" and the format is fast-paced and information-rich. It's channel 107 on Comcast, at least in Northwest Philadelphia where I'm watching it.

Al Gore for President?

Al Gore for President. I have been a supporter of Al's since the 1980's. I have a signed copy of Earth in the Balance. When he won the election in 2000, I was excited because this country was going to have the most environmentally conscious leader in our history. Alas, due to Republican chicanery, it was not to be. If you're interested in the "Draft Al Gore" movement, here's one place you can sign an on-line petition.