Economy Troubles
New York Times Profiles Germantown, MLK High Merger Through Football
In what has been dubbed “An Involuntary Union of Football Rivals for Philadelphia High Schools,” the New York Times has profiled the closing of Germantown […]
Former Chink’s Steaks Losing Money Since Name Change
Back in April, Joe Groh was forced to change the name of his beloved Wisssinoming cheesesteak shop, Chink’s, because, well … you know. Rechristened Joe’s […]
Happy Payday: How Banks Drive the Poor to “Alternative Financial Services”
A story on the front page of Wednesday’s New York Times details the precarious situation many low-income and working-class consumers are finding themselves in when they […]
“There Are No Urban Pioneers, Just Checkbooks With a Christopher Columbus Complex.”
A year ago, my best friend came into town for a conference and met me at my job for lunch. At the time, I was […]
Why Can’t Philly Strippers Get The Comcast Treatment?
Let’s call Philadelphia’s tax on lap dances what it really is: A tax on work. Now, you can argue that the work is gross, and […]
9 Reasons To Move To Detroit
Poor Detroit. The city’s been getting a ton of abuse over the past week or so ever since it was announced that they were filing […]
Why Does College — and Everything Else — Cost So Much?
Congress will predictably pat itself on the back once it’s able to put the student loan interest rate Humpty Dumpty back together again. The White […]
PA Is Adding Jobs: Can That Save Tom Corbett?
Philadelphia Business Journal: Pennsylvania added 191,00 [SIC: It’s actually 19,100 jobs] jobs in June and the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 7.5 percent according […]
Four Lessons for Philly from the Detroit Bankruptcy Filing
As you read this, a judge in Michigan may force Detroit to withdraw its Chapter 9 bankruptcy petition. But it will be back, and you […]
Want to Live the American Dream? Move to Scranton.
The Office was set in Scranton because Scranton seemed like a really good embodiment of the sort of drab, milquetoast existence the characters on that […]
Pitt, Penn State Are Nation’s Most Expensive Public Universities
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports: In the battle for first place, there’s one competition neither University of Pittsburgh nor Penn State University is eager to win: […]
Hey Look Everybody! Good Economic News For Philadelphia! (Except for the Obamacare Part)
Bloomberg reports: Manufacturing in the Philadelphia region expanded more than forecast in July, the latest sign of an improving outlook for the industry after a […]
Mayor Nutter’s Shared Prosperity Plan Is Big, Bold and Possible
Just imagine: 25,000 more jobs in the city two years hence. One hundred new jobs for low-skill Philadelphians each year. And much lower unemployment, with […]
The Mayor’s Anti-Poverty Plan Is a Failure Out of the Gate
Last week, Mayor Nutter announced his plan to fight poverty in the city called “Shared Prosperity Philadelphia.” It’s a broad plan with lofty goals: “strengthening […]
Expert: Philadelphia Is a Model City
Philadelphia’s had a bad rap for so long (crummy sports teams, loutish fans, corrupt politicians and so much litter), many who live here have turned […]