University City has received excellent marks in all subjects on its 2008 District Report Card.

According to the report, in the last 10 years UCD has seen a 20-percent decrease in crime , a 16.5-percent increase in employment, improvements in pedestrian lighting and numerous green initiatives. Additionally, it has $4.5 billion invested in development.

“University City remains an economic engine for the area,” said Lewis Wendell, UCD executive director. Wendell cited new developments such as the Radian and the Science Center as examples of “mixed-use” buildings - buildings that combine retail and residential or office buildings. 

Wendell said that Penn is leading an “enormous number” of new real estate development projects, including the Penn Connects plan, the Annenberg Public Policy Center, the Roberts Proton Therapy Center, Penn Park Phase I and the Radian.

“Penn is the largest contributor to UCD,” he said.

Wendell added that new green initiatives in the district include a 34,000 square-foot green roof on the Science Center building, a 12,000 square-foot green roof on the Radian and 17,000 square feet of porous pavement on 32nd and Powelton.

“There was a time when the local neighborhood was marked with high crime, vacant store fronts and few people on the street, day or night,” wrote Vice President of Facilities Anne Papageorge in an e-mail.

First up, this Obama lollipop from Kai’s Candy Company [Serious Eats]:

Next up, etsy.com. Etsy is a place where people who make things can create their own mini-stores and sell them online. Like these Obama earrings, which are $15 from DIYorDIE:

Or how about this recycled T-shirt skirt, $29 from Saralynnmo:

And since you’ve got a skirt and earrings, why not complete the outfit with a shirt…

Shirt, $22.00, WeHeartObama

…and a pin?

Pin, $38, silvercocoon.

McCain is represented, albeit through smaller items that are also offered in the Democratic nominee flavor:

Bib, $5, ccbgknikolich.

Keychain, $5, TheTaffyBox.

And for the priciest item on the front page, a clock:

McCain clock, $20, finalscore.

[TrendHunter]

Asking the questions the world wants to know…

Another particularly eloquent Tony Snow tribute.

In Obama’s United States of America, there are 57 states. There also apparently isn’t a two-term limit for the presidency, since Obama thinks he’ll be president for the next “8-10 years.” While we’re in this little fantasy world, let’s all imagine if it were President Bush, Senator McCain or any other prominent Republican. Unbelievable. [NewsBusters, Instapundit, Moonbattery]

Image courtesy of the Economist.

This reminds me of when cars sporting Bush campaign stickers were keyed or had their tires slashed. I bet it’s the same people, with a new axe to grind. [Moonbattery]

Philadelphia is a fantastic place to attend college. With dozens of colleges and universities within or just outside the city limits, Philadelphia is literally full of thousands of young people. But, not surprisingly, most of these students flee the city shortly after graduation, even if it’s just to live in a neighboring suburb and do business in Center City.

I know how you can get graduates to stay in Philadelphia. Ready?

Get rid of the bums. Cut down on crime. Staff transit police on the El, trolleys and buses. Put more police on street patrol. When people’s homes aren’t broken into and cars aren’t ravaged or stolen, they’ll want to live there. When creepy people aren’t following women through the subway station or down the street, when 9PM at 10th and Market or 41st and Chestnut isn’t scary, then let’s talk. It’s a big city, yes, but it’s a small enough city that these changes will have an immediate effect. 

College kids love Philly when they’re ensconced in their safe campus enclaves. Once we all move off campus, however, everything changes. 

News flash, people: Electing someone solely on the basis of their race doesn’t prove that you’re not racist. All it does is prove that you’re insecure enough to look for proof that you’re not racist. If Obama is elected, nothing changes. Racist people will still be racist, perhaps even more so.

And if people were in the business of voting for a candidate simply because he is or isn’t black, wouldn’t they already have made up their minds by now?

From the Ithaca Journal:

ALBANY — Gov. David Paterson this morning challenged America to reject its discriminatory history toward African-Americans and elect Barack Obama as the country’s first black president.

Paterson, New York’s first black governor and former supporter of Hillary Rodham Clinton for president, told the national NAACP conference in Cincinnati that looking past race in the presidential election will be a test for U.S. voters.

“Can America reject the crucible of race that has dictated and pervaded all of our history to embrace an African American man who has the right policies for the next decade in our country?” Paterson asked the crowd, to several applause, during his 36-minute keynote address.

More, please. [The Astute Bloggers]

Let me make it crystal clear that speaking Spanish is not and should never be a requirement for running for the president of the United States. However, if you seem hell-bent on everyone else’s kids learning and understanding Spanish, shouldn’t you at least have a working knowledge of the language?

Not surprised. 

[Gateway Pundit]

There have been a number of stirring tributes to Tony Snow’s unfortunate passing. Here’s one I read today from Right Wing News. I’m discovering that there are hundreds of similarly fond memories of this man. How honorable it is to have inspired such respect from both sides of the aisle. Every politician, no matter their affiliation, would do well to follow Tony Snow’s example of class. May he rest in peace.

I say let them moon. What else is there to do in Orange County anyway?

Just kidding. I know there’s tons of fun to be had in the O.C.

Even suggesting that ICE is a band of terrorists is anti-government. I get that both candidates will pander to the Latino vote, but doing so at the expense of the United States government is ill-advised. [Hot Air]