High explosives would be more fun!

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...don't forget Biden, too!

Oh, yeah, living in a blistering-hot concrete and asphalt jungle all summer long is way preferable to having trees.

South Philly learned that one the hard way. The burroughs are generally cooler than the city center. When I lived down there, on average it seemed to be at least 10 degrees hotter than Center City.

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The idealistic are no longer concerned with influencing public opinion and creating a free world of responsible and ethical social choices, but rather imposing opinion through legislation, mandating these ethics, and outlawing choice in what the loudest sample finds offensive.

Ban the Bans. It's a slippery slope between Idealism and Fascism.

There is also a correlation between trees and wealth in urban neighborhoods. Not sure where I read it, but it definitely applies to Philly.

The more trees that exist in the neighborhood (think Society Hill, Rittenhouse Square, Wash West, Queen Village, Mt Airy, Chestnut Hill), the wealthier on average, the neighborhood.

Philadelphians have an odd relationship with trees. This is the only place that I've ever heard people call trees "dirty" (South Philly). Odd.

Even on my parent's block in the burbs, I feel like there is a correlation between the green-ness of the yards the background of the folks. The families with ties to South Philly have no trees in their yards and only the token bush here or there. Everyone else has pretty lush yards.

If your first inclination when you move to the burbs is to take down all of the trees on your property, you probably shouldn't be living in the burbs.

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NUTTER 2007

A friend bought a house in South Philly with a pretty good size back yard. He tore up the concrete slab and replaced it with brick and built-in planters for trees and shrubs. His neighbor thought he was insane, as if replacing a concrete slab with a small landscaped garden would decrese the entire neighborhood's property value.

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The idealistic are no longer concerned with influencing public opinion and creating a free world of responsible and ethical social choices, but rather imposing opinion through legislation, mandating these ethics, and outlawing choice in what the loudest sample finds offensive.

Ban the Bans. It's a slippery slope between Idealism and Fascism.

I recall reading a letter to the editor of Philadelphia Weekly about 10 years ago or more where someone complained of the "arboreal impediments". I had to laugh at that one.

If memory serves me right, they were complaining about the trees & narrow sidewalks coupled with the bumpy terrain of the actual street on Quince Street between Locust and Spruce (In my opinion, happens to be one of the most charming blocks in the city).

So, every time I cut through that block, my internal dialog says "these arboreal inpediments!" and I smile.