Down here at the pawn shop

[Sundae]

Well given the spellings I've received on letters, Awl-uh-knee isn't so bad.
I know it's not as run of the mill as Smith or Jones, but personally, if I'm taking an unfamiliar name over the phone I ask for the spelling/.

Mail marked Sherry Allnow goes straight in the shredder.

Sad to know I'm ghettoised though...

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I do not work in Norristown. I would love to work in Norristown. I have never mentioned Norristown in this thread.

Never mind.

[Undertoad]

I mean, not to say the rest of what you said isn't true.



I lived on the border of Norristown for five years... I got punched out in Norristown in the early 90s...

[tw]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

If half the people had their account with Bank of America (or it's ilk), there would be less, not more, and certainly not the same amount left, after all the monthly service fees and cashier charges were deducted.

When a bank hates innovation, then costs increase. So a business school graduate invents charges and service fees to cover those costs ... that do not exist when a bank innovates.

Classic example. A teller transaction costs about $1.25. An ATM transaction costs $0.50. A bank that was patriotic (innovative) would have installed ATMs. But American banks refused to do so until ten years after they were throughout Europe. So their costs were higher.

Later, banks charged an ATM fee rather than a teller fee. If a teller service is free, then why not an ATM? A responsible banker would have charged for the expensive teller. Encourage customers to use a less expensive ATM. But his purpose is profits; not better services.

The poor are denied proper banking services because bankers are classic MBAs. Believe their purpose is only to maximize profits - like a mafia family. When WalMart tried to cut into their racket, the banks united together in fear. Because WalMart has a long history of harming corrupt competition by providing the customer with better services.

Poor Americans are stuck with the most expensive banking services because many banks (ie Bank of America) are about harming American to maximize their profits. BoA has numerous banking fee, in part, because BoA management should be paid like a utility company employee. But MBAs claim they actually do something productive - just like a mafia family.

Easy to identify companies that are or will be corrupt. They fear innovation. When did Bank of America implement smart cards that are routine in Europe? But profits are significantly higher on credit cards. Implement the more expensive and more profitable credit and debit cards. Don't innovate. Because, on a spread sheet, innovation appears only as an expense.

In America, 12% of all adults and 25% of poor Americans have no formal banking services. Must rely on pay-day loans, money orders, and pawn shops. In Britain, those numbers are 4% and 4%. In Canada, those numbers are 5% and 8%. In Estonia, the numbers are 4% and 6%. In Sweden, 1% and 1%.

Bank of America and other 'too big to fail' institutions are the problem due to bankers who want profits rather than earn their profits. They fear innovation. Therefore have higher costs. Then the poor get screwed. Americans who have no formal banking services must rely on pay-day loans, money orders, and pawn shops. In Britain, those numbers are 4% and 4%. In Canada, those numbers are 5% and 8%. In Estonia, the numbers are 4% and 6%. In Sweden, 1% and 1%.

Bank of America and other 'too big to fail' institutions are the problem due to bankers who want profits rather than earn their profits. They fear innovation. Therefore have higher costs. Then the poor get screwed.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I mean, not to say the rest of what you said isn't true.

Been to some parts of Philadelphia that leaves me asking, "How do they live this way?" One example is an extended family of maybe ten adults and infants. With at least two cats and a dog. Living in a two (or three) story house that is only ten feet wide. And maybe 50 feet deep. Most of the infants are mothered by unmarried 'near twenty' teenagers.

However. Curious is how happy they all are. One was excited to show me his new cycle. It looks like a scooter. But runs on rechargeable batteries. (He claims it cuts off at 80 MPH.) He no longer had to ride a bicycle to work.

[slang]

Here are some images of the area in 2008-9

Looks kinda nice during the day.

[bluecuracao]

That's just a block north of the Olney Transportation Center...I used to transfer there between the subway and the bus for my work commute.

Not my favorite part of the city! Very run down, but it's a high traffic area at least. I felt like it was about as safe as Center City.

Not to say that CC is completely safe...

[footfootfoot]

what would be really funny would be if someone were to photoshop a stripped google camera vehicle in the background of one of these images.

To me, at any rate.

[Undertoad]

A block south of that that last view was the homicide that happened at 730pm a few weeks ago... and also where the lost kid was noticed by us

[slang]

East or west side? Was it a firearm homocide? Knife? Pop-rocks?

And...is this the chicken place that black people like that was closed?

[Sundae]

Slang!
Good to see you, chap!

[slang]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Slang!
Good to see you, chap!

Hi Sundae, thanks. And you! This is where I hang out nowdays, the pawn shop thread.

[Undertoad]

The Church's Chicken that closed is directly across the street from the shop.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

I describe the Logan/Olney section of Philadelphia as the ghetto.

Hmm. My brother and sis-in-law lived in Olney (she grew up there) and now live in Lawncrest. It's bad, but in my mind Olney is nowhere near as bad as Tioga or North Philly.

[Undertoad]

It isn't. Logan's pretty sucky but Olney is not the worst ghettoish section. This is because people get richer as you get further north, until you get to East Oak Lane which is practically middle-class. We are in the lower-class section though.