Letters to the Editor

What You Say

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Published: Dec 22, 2009

Sorry, Stew

Oh, you were so close, so very, very close ["The Bell Curve," Dec. 17].

Yes, all life on Earth is descended from me. Well, not "descended." I created life, but I don't expect you kids to comprehend, because your juvenile brains have not yet fully matured, as has mine (and Dave Roberts', nice cheap parting shot).

So, thebellcurve was thisclose to getting an "A" for effort (which ought to be an "E" if you think about it) but you got a proper noun wrong (in the second mention, which counts as much as the first), which reduces you to your customary "F." (Proper noun? That's my name, silly boys.)

Keep trying. Maybe as you age and mature and gain experience, you will stop being so sloppy.

But I'm probably wrong about that. After all, I'm not God.

During times of economic crisis, it's easy to forget how vital development and redevelopment is to a city and its people ["The Future is Now," Nathaniel Popkin, Dec. 17]. The expansions of Parkway Central (the main branch of the Free Library) and the Convention Center are perfect examples of civic projects that could easily be put on hold or widely criticized as an irresponsible way to spend money; but, the creation and improvement of public spaces are essential to an increased quality of life for the city as a whole.

In these bleak times, it is encouraging to see City Council following through with PennPraxis plans to develop the waterfront and I look forward to the American Commerce Center getting underway. We might never see the day when we can say the sum of Philadelphia is greater than its parts, as Mr. Popkin suggests, and there will always be detractors to any blueprint for development, but as long as we keep planning, as long as city officials and developers and involved citizens continue to look to the future, then Ed Bacon's vision for Philadelphia has already been realized.

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