Re: [UC] Check out The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Q&A: Penn author evaluates university ci

[missthin]

Hi Al and everyone

I read the article.  Without reading the book (which I doubt I will to be
honest), it seems rather self-congratulating and almost condescending to
me.  The University works with local and minority businesses?  Only if by
raising rents so high that only "name brand" type stores can afford to be
in the area and driving locals out can be considered "working with".  I see
it as working against local, let alone minority businesses personally.

Not even all the businesses the University works with contribute to the
community as a whole.  One example would be the computer shop that's inside
the B&N at 36th and Walnut.  You can't walk in there and buy a computer or
even certain accessories unless you are affiliated with UofP.  How does
that help the community as a whole?

The 40th street debacle is a very big example of how the community is not
taken seriously and not being worked with.  I did read about the hearing, I
read about Mr. Laren taking the time to testify and his testimony,
apparently not being appreciated, being downgraded from expert to more or
less "opinion", even though he has done a number of renovations and
maintains a good amount of housing and cares about the neighborhood.  I
would imagine that most of our local landlords who are interested in
renovating, maintaining and keeping safe, clean, affordable housing, not
just for students who they can overcharge, but for local residents, would
have gotten the same treatment.  If it doesn't jibe with what Penn wants,
then it's less than.  If it means Penn can't charge $1,000+ for a tiny
studio and make even more money, then it's less than - the community as a
whole doesn't matter.

If Penn was truly serious about helping the community, about doing
something about the poor and the school situation, they would have come
forward already.  I mean beyond Sadie, I'm talking schools like Lea, the
closed West Philly High (to be turned into luxury apts. or condos - don't
remember which).  That helps the can't afford these high rents/ridiculous
amount of money to buy a house/condo; it doesn't help the teachers or
students in the area who've lost a school.

/rant

Wendy

On Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 8:57 AM,  wrote:

> **
> Click here: The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Q&A: Penn author evaluates
> university civic 
> engagement
>
> Does anybody on this on-line forum agree with what Ms Hodges has to say?
> Maybe none of the Penn people who provided all the pap about "partnership
> with the community" forgot to mention 400 S 40th St.
>
> Al Krigman
>

Re: [UC] Check out The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Q&A: Penn author evaluates university ci

[Richard Conrad]

Very well said.  Helping one another should be more our goal!  Thank you indeed 
On Dec 6, 2012, at 11:30 AM, missthin wrote:

> Hi Al and everyone
> 
> I read the article.  Without reading the book (which I doubt I will to be 
> honest), it seems rather self-congratulating and almost condescending to me.  
> The University works with local and minority businesses?  Only if by raising 
> rents so high that only "name brand" type stores can afford to be in the area 
> and driving locals out can be considered "working with".  I see it as working 
> against local, let alone minority businesses personally.
> 
> Not even all the businesses the University works with contribute to the 
> community as a whole.  One example would be the computer shop that's inside 
> the B&N at 36th and Walnut.  You can't walk in there and buy a computer or 
> even certain accessories unless you are affiliated with UofP.  How does that 
> help the community as a whole?  
> 
> The 40th street debacle is a very big example of how the community is not 
> taken seriously and not being worked with.  I did read about the hearing, I 
> read about Mr. Laren taking the time to testify and his testimony, apparently 
> not being appreciated, being downgraded from expert to more or less 
> "opinion", even though he has done a number of renovations and maintains a 
> good amount of housing and cares about the neighborhood.  I would imagine 
> that most of our local landlords who are interested in renovating, 
> maintaining and keeping safe, clean, affordable housing, not just for 
> students who they can overcharge, but for local residents, would have gotten 
> the same treatment.  If it doesn't jibe with what Penn wants, then it's less 
> than.  If it means Penn can't charge $1,000+ for a tiny studio and make even 
> more money, then it's less than - the community as a whole doesn't matter.
> 
> If Penn was truly serious about helping the community, about doing something 
> about the poor and the school situation, they would have come forward 
> already.  I mean beyond Sadie, I'm talking schools like Lea, the closed West 
> Philly High (to be turned into luxury apts. or condos - don't remember 
> which).  That helps the can't afford these high rents/ridiculous amount of 
> money to buy a house/condo; it doesn't help the teachers or students in the 
> area who've lost a school.
> 
> /rant
> 
> Wendy
> 
> On Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 8:57 AM,  wrote:
> Click here: The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Q&A: Penn author evaluates university 
> civic engagement
>  
> Does anybody on this on-line forum agree with what Ms Hodges has to say? 
> Maybe none of the Penn people who provided all the pap about "partnership 
> with the community" forgot to mention 400 S 40th St.
>  
> Al Krigman
> 

Re: [UC] Check out The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Q&A: Penn author evaluates university ci

[Glenn moyer]

Wendy,
 
Thanks for speaking up.  Your valuable observations were not a rant, but exactly what citizens in a democracy are expected to do as part of their duty as citizens!  And thanks to Al for alerting us to this propaganda. 
 
Denigrating appropriate reasoned arguments of citizens is so ubiquitous now, that we've come to expect these to be called rants and people often wait voyeuristically for the speakers to be personally attacked. 

This tactic is a huge component of what Rick, Karen, and I have recently commented about; neoliberalism.  It's a tactic to silence the people with fear, so that a massive machine of lies and propaganda goes unchallenged!  As part of quietly converting everything into a commodity and the good of the community into a business plan only, those serving the plutocracy insist that all comments must be like marketing sound bites (ie. "put your money where your mouth is").  They pretend that intelligent comments and opinions are inefficient, unstylish, craziness only worthy of contempt.  (Note: Censorship completes the same neoliberal agenda of keeping propaganda unexamined).
 
 
In fact, after 9th grade composition, citizens know that sound bites and the fake democracy of "visioning forums" actually infantilizes us with silliness, while reasoned arguments and opinions are the methods of responsible citizens in a democracy or republic.
 
 
 
Most of our neighbors now recognize that these civic engagement and mutual benefit claims by this young subordinate are lies and propaganda!
 
But there is a reason to read without buying the book, and that is to study both neoliberal propaganda techniques and the nature of the specific corporate assaults on neighborhoods.  While we are already familiar with the local lies, this Penn propaganda machine is marketing a benign, charitable, corporate rule to the entire world!  As the people of the globe struggle against neoliberalism, this community could rise up and join that struggle and fight for a civil and just society, rather than capitulate helplessly and silently to what is ultimately an enslavement and end of citizen rights .  We've seen what silence will bring us here at a global center of the neoliberal attack, and at the same time, their bull... will fall like a house of cards when we expose the truth and band together!
 
(Wendy, fyi, I recently heard from a neighbor confronting a Penn forum that Penn is charging other area schools a $500 per pupil "management fee." I haven't fully searched, but these management fees seem to be hidden, while the entire world hears about Sadie Alexander. Usually, these types of fees mean that we are actually paying for the sabotage of our schools.)
 
Once again, thank you for the courage to speak out and do your duty as a citizen! 
 
 
Power to the pen and power to the people,
Glenn
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 
 
-Original Message- From: missthin Sent: Dec 6, 2012 11:30 AM To: krf...@aol.com Cc: UnivCity@list.purple.com Subject: Re: [UC] Check out The Daily Pennsylvanian :: Q&A: Penn author evaluates university ci Hi Al and everyoneI read the article.  Without reading the book (which I doubt I will to be honest), it seems rather self-congratulating and almost condescending to me.  The University works with local and minority businesses?  Only if by raising rents so high that only "name brand" type stores can afford to be in the area and driving locals out can be considered "working with".  I see it as working against local, let alone minority businesses personally.Not even all the businesses the University works with contribute to the community as a whole.  One example would be the computer shop that's inside the B&N at 36th and Walnut.  You can't walk in there and buy a computer or even certain accessories unless you are affiliated with UofP.  How does that help the community as a whole?  The 40th street debacle is a very big example of how the community is not taken seriously and not being worked with.  I did read about the hearing, I read about Mr. Laren taking the time to testify and his testimony, apparently not being appreciated, being downgraded from expert to more or less "opinion", even though he has done a number of renovations and maintains a good amount of housing and cares about the neighborhood.  I would imagine that most of our local landlords who are interested in renovating, maintaining and keeping safe, clean, affordable housing, not just for students who they can overcharge, but for local residents, would have gotten the same treatment.  If it doesn't jibe with what Penn wants, then it's less than.  If it means Penn can't charge $1,000+ for a tiny studio and make even more money, then it's less than - the community as a whole doesn't matter.If Penn was truly serious about helping the community, about doing something about the poor and the school situa