Year End Toblog Ramble

I just got back from Philly, and I am thinking about all kinds of things my trip to my friend Trip's has made clear.

First, the decline of the Philly part of traditional urban America is over. Good 'ole Trip from Texas by way of Greensboro, lives in a part of Philly, where people like me would have gone to commit suicide not too many years ago. Beautiful row homes rise among the ruins and empty lots around Thompson and North 7th. In fact, a majority of the homes for blocks around are either new or renovated. Now, these aren't "evil gentrifiers" taking over to dispossess the urban poor. The whole host of the tapestry that makes America was to be seen in all of this wonderful development. Did I say "development"? Well yes, the hand of government both local and federal is quite evident here. From actual incentives to builders, to significant help to buyers, government has definitely been more than a midwife to this Renaissance. Face it, if both Democrats and Republicans are locomotives for big government, we the consumers of political BS need to be more selective as to which type of big government we want lording over us -- sorry Ron Paul, it's too late.

FACEBOOK! I love it! It has brought me back in touch with so many people, who I have actually now seen again after many years. Projects long ago abandoned that should have been continued, in music, or friendship, have come back to life. Those who say they don't have time for FB, should think again. In our uber mobile lifestyle, this cyber reunion is a great vehicle to restore community.

Good 'ole Ridgely did some house cleaning. P.T. Barnum was right that a "sucker is born every minute". From the look of what was governing our fair town, one was born every second. Well, Mumford and Co. have done some house cleaning, and the clowns were sent packing. Now, everything isn't perfect, but is anything in this world? The "house cleaning" does leave me with a problem, though. The foolishness that used to go on in town hall provided foil for many a Toblog article--nearly killed the Toblog bullmeter. Now that the circus has left town, I don't have nearly as much to write about. I'm sure, however, that something will surface and the comedy will continue. Happy New Year!

Bona Saturnalia

Back in the day (753 B.C. to 390 A.D.),this year end celebration started on the 17th. The yearly celebration continued until public displays of pagan worship were banned by the emperor Theodosius. The date of the birth of Christ isn't clear, but the choice of December 25th was most likely seen as a way of co-opting this popular holiday into the Christian tradition. Anyhow, no harm in a little anachronistic merriment--bona Saturnalia!