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DRAWING LINES TO LIVE BY?

April 25, 2022 by

Who is drawing lines to live by? Picasso did. Unfortunately, you’re no Picasso, I’m no Picasso, so why bother? We bother with lines and borders for a sense of control like, “Don’t go there, girlfriend.” The big Question Of The Day: Who draws borders when they’re on the same side of the line you’re on?

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HOLDING GRUDGES TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF STRENGTH

August 7, 2021 by

Holding grudges is a time honored tradition between races, religions, nations, and families. “We don’t like them.” “Why don’t we like them?” “Why would we?” This exchange gets played out between young and old, men and women, brothers and sisters. Eventually holding grudges turns into something completely different than how it started because no one […]

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HOW STRONG PEOPLE PREVAIL OVER TOUGH TIMES

July 5, 2020 by

Strong people come from every corner of the globe. Based on what I call research, wandering around to flatten my learning curve, I met a bunch of strong folks between Philadelphia and Eugene, New York, and Portland. My interpretation of what strong means comes from where I was raised. It’s probably not much different than […]

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SOUTH PORTLAND PEOPLE CHANNEL PROUD MARY

June 17, 2020 by

Old painting of a rower An early morning walk by the Willamette showed the sort of Portland people see before they move here. A calm scene, placid water, with sun breaking through scattered clouds for a blinking reflection. With the Ross Island Bridge on the left, and the actual Ross Island in front, dog walkers […]

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PANHANDLING THE PANHANDLERS IN PHILADELPHIA

April 29, 2020 by

Panhandling is an urban characteristic that brings diverse emotions. For some, the response it, “Don’t talk to me.” Followed by, “Don’t make your problem my problem.” The reverse: “I don’t have change, but please take this ten dollar bill.” The response is different with the roles reversed.

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All American Moment Of Serendipitous Patriotism

September 7, 2018 by

    One fine summer day in Philadelphia I found myself walking east on Market Street in the company of friends and family toward Independence Hall.   The Liberty Bell was still in residence.   I remember aunts and uncles and cousins and roommates all hiking toward the July 4th, 1976 Bicentennial speech given by […]

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SHUT UP AND EAT: SOUTH PHILLY VIA SE PORTLAND

July 10, 2017 by

Geno’s or Pat’s? Or Shut Up And Eat? This cheesesteak. Or that cheesesteak. My readers know the value of cheesesteak. If I hear about a place from a reliable source, I’m there. Same for an unreliable source.

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GENTRIFY PORTLAND RENT

July 18, 2016 by

What else goes up with gentrify Portland rent? Your blood pressure. Once upon a time the chase for the lowest rent led to some pretty sketchy dwellings. It was a contest to find the worst place for the lowest rent. A young single man seeking low rent in college is one thing. A single man […]

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CHIP KELLY TIME SHOWS A SILVER LINING

December 30, 2015 by

Do you know what time it is? Chip Kelly time. Football coaches and m0torcylce riders share this in common: They’ve either been fired or crashed, or they’re about to. With Chip Kelly time finished in Philadelphia, you can expect to hear variations of the following: He should have played it safe and stayed in New […]

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AN AMERICAN MEMOIR FOR THE POPE

September 30, 2015 by

When The Pope Visited Philadelphia In The Shadow Of Rocky. Picture yourself in the land of our forefathers, walking on ground won by American blood. It’s the same American blood flowing through every American. That’s Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War and every war since. Two hundred years later Philadelphia was the site of President Ford’s […]

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