The City of Philadelphia Wants $300 For ME To Express Myself

Philadelphia City Council sure tends to get creative and innovative sometimes, right? Especially when it comes to raising money AND suppressing rights!

Today's latest example? Forcing bloggers to pay the $300 Business Privilege License (BPL).

The idea is actually simple; some bloggers are making cash, and the city sees it as a way to make some quick cash! Originally, I blamed two City Council Members, Bill Green and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez, for this idea. I was wrong, and I do apologize.

No, the fault lies in the fact that the city Department of Revenue decided to make this move, which really doesn't make a lot of sense.

Case in point? In one case, the city demanded a fee from someone for making... $11 from his blog. $11?!

Let me get something straight: The city, despite the fact that they KNOW for a fact that they are owed downright millions from a few people in the city allow them amnesty to pay, knowing they've done it for years. Meanwhile, a few bloggers who make a few dollars off their blogs are forced to pay what can amount to 300 times more than they make, plus penalties and fees... ON $11?!

But, wait, no, here comes out heroes with a plan!!!

In June, City Council members Bill Green and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez unveiled a proposal to reform the city's business privilege tax in an effort to make Philly a more attractive place for small businesses. If their bill passes, bloggers will still have to get a privilege license if their sites are designed to make money, but they would no longer have to pay taxes on their first $100,000 in profit. (If bloggers don't want to fork over $300 for a lifetime license, Green suggests they take the city's $50-a-year plan.)

Yeah.... no.

Here's the thing: Yes, without a doubt, there are blogs out there made SPECIFICALLY to make money. In my case, this is not one of those blogs. Not even close. Never made a damn cent off this thing! Ever! In fact, that's the case of 99% of the blogs out there.

So the bill doesn't make any real sense.

OK, let's go on that law, shall we? If you make ANY money, you MUST file for a Business Privilege Tax for $300, pay the City Wage Tax, a business Privilege Tax, AND a Net Profits Tax. Damn. Well, tell that to any kid that opens a lemonade stand. Looks like they need to pay $300 for making $15 off selling lemonade! Oh, what's this! Yes, its a homeless guy on the street and it looks like he just made $10 today to eat! Well, he better have his business license! Can't let the homeless guys get off, can we?

The heart of the bill says that if you make any cash off your blog, you're now stuck paying the BPL. The problem comes in where do you draw the line? What about people who use eBay? Or Etsy? Or Craigslist? It is, really, a slippery-slope because there is no end in sight for where this bullshit can go!

So the other part of this argument is that it limits free speech. Does it?

Let's get this part straight: IT DOES LIMIT FREE EXPRESSION.

What person would want to start a blog who lives in Philly knowing they are now stuck paying a tax if they ever try to make a cent off of it, even if its nothing more than a donate button so they can get food from time to time? You already have outcry from countless bloggers decrying this act!

So you know? To the people who decided it would be a good idea to charge me $300 to EXPRESS MYSELF?

GO FUCK YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!

Photo courtesy of The Penn Group

FIGHT HATE! - We Need To Fight Back Against These Racist Bastards!

Over the past week, we've seen two acts of terrorism in America. the first was the assassination of George Tiller, a doctor who preformed late-term abortions on women who needed them. His murder was a pro-life believer who is not sorry for what he has done and is rallying others to support him. He is making calls from prison.

Today, we saw an 85-year-old White Supremacist walk into the Holocaust Museum. A man who stormed the building on the same day a play was to open about Anne Frank. A man who was in jail for 11 years because of his hate.

We have seen the face of hate, and today I am telling you that we need to fight back.

In Philadelphia, there seems to be a feeling that racist groups do not exist, nor could, in this city. Those who think that are wrong. Very, very wrong.

For the past few years, a group of men have gathered on the street corners of Philadelphia spewing hatred in every bitter sense of it. They have stood on soap boxes and platforms. They have taken Market Street as a method to preach hatred and racism to any and all who walk by. I have been appalled time and time again to see them attract minds of like-minded people who those that they speak out against do not decry their actions, lest they seem like racists themselves. They spew hatred, taking the Christian Holy Bible and twisting it into their own form.

I speak of a group of Black Supremacists that are called The Israelite School of U.P.K. The group is also known as "The Twelve Tribes of Israel".

The group is no different in terms of objectives than the Ku Klux Klan or the Creativity Movement, formerly the "World Church of the Creator".

It is nothing short of amazing to me that people give these bastards the dignity of respect. In this country, if we like it or not, we are allowed to let others speak and say what they want. To that end, to the means, I will forever hold that close to my heart. But there are lines, there are limits, and even more importantly, there is the right to protest and decry what you hate.

Seeing many black men stand around and listen, as if these idiots are speaking the truth, scares me. It scares me to think that these men are gullible enough to fall for the lies and discrimination these men put forth.

To that end, we as a society need to make a decision. To simply stand idly by why they spew hatred and grow their numbers, to simply stand by and let their hatred breed. If, for nothing else, than to stand back and watch them possibly create domestic terrorists who are inspired by their hatred of non-blacks.... We are saying, as a society, that we are permitting hatred to go forth and rise unopposed.


Two months ago, a memo was released by the department of Homeland Security that stated that there was a "rise in right-wing radical extremists that could be potentially dangerous." That their rhetoric would fall short of telling people to commit acts of violence. It is up to us, right now, to stand up and shout "ENOUGH!"

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Racism is, to me, the biggest evil a society can ignore in this day and age. We ignore it, only to hope that it goes away, hoping that by not giving it negative attention, the type of attention we know it craves, it will simply burnout and die. As a so-called "Attention whore", I can tell you for a fact that that is never the case. Ignoring them makes them try harder and once they find an audience, they will not let go. They will continue to grow if they are not opposed.

In the end, not opposing hatred racists simply lets them breed and grow like mildew.

To that end, I am asking you to do something. These men tend to arrive on Market Street on Saturday's . The spots are in front of the Pennsylvania Convention Center around 12th and Market, The Gallery at 9th and Market, and the CVS at 11th and Market around 2PM to 6PM. I want anyone and everyone who reads this to do one simple thing: Protest.

Protest.

PROTEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go out there and TELL THEM they are hateful! TELL THEM they are racits! If you see them, tell them that you don't want their brand of hatred in Philadelphia, in your community! TELL THEM! Yell at them, scream at them, hold up signs, chant, sing protests songs... DON'T do anything violent, but just use your First Amendment Right to go out there and PEACEFULLY PROTEST THEM!

Saturday at 3PM, I'll be there at 12th and Market . I'll have a sign that says "Fight Hate". I'll scream at them, call them the slimy racist bastards they are, and I'll stand until they leave! I'll protest the other racists I see! I'll scream until I lose my voice!

And I'll do it again and again and AGAIN! I WILL NOT let them stand and preach their racism unopposed! I WILL NOT stand idly by why they simply brainwash others to their side!

I have chosen to stay and fight. I hope you will, too.

Obama Agrees With Bush: Warantless Wiretapping Americans is Good!

When Keith Olbermann criticizes Obama, you KNOW it must be big!

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Keith, thank you for reminding me yet again why I watch you show!

The Obama administration is actually trying to expand immunity. For more, please read this article from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Shepard Fairey, You Can't Own the Word "OBEY"

I'll be blunt: Shepard Fairey is a hypocrite.

He is suing a Pittsburgh man named Werner for an image called "Obey Steelerbaby". Fairey's attorney states that they are "trying to protect our trademark."

The problem, though, is that the two images aren't even close and it's a heavily-flawed argument. The word "Obey" has been in existence forever and Fairey didn't invent it. Pepsi, Coca-Cola, FYE, Metallica... these are brands that can demand attention and payment over the use of their name. On the flip side, yes, there are companies with generic names: Gap, Monk, Capitol Records, Spawn, Iron Maiden. The list goes on.

In the end, you can't complain about having claim to a trademark unless you actually have someone literally ripping you off. For example, I could draw a picture of a hot chick dressed in all metal and call her an Iron Maiden, and the band couldn't sue. Why? Because I'm not using their logo, I'm not using any of their icons: It's a completely independent piece I did on my own. If someone thinks it belongs to the band, then they don't know Maiden. If I draw a Monk, NBC Universal couldn't sue me because it isn't their same Adrian Monk from the his show MONK.

In this case, the entire "OBEY" trademark hinges on one thing: The font. The font used for the OBEY image seems to be (educated guess) Futura Xlb Italic. If they used that font, or something incredibly similar, then yes, you have trademark infringement. If it was a closeup of the baby's face with the word "OBEY", maybe, MAYBE he has a case. The reason it's maybe is because it could be taken as a parody.

It's just insane, and I feel sorry for the guy for stopping, and I'm glad this story is getting some legs.

Gas and Electric Shutoff's During Winter: The Unreported Threat

It was the winter of my discontent, a winter of brutal cold and destroyed dreams. I had lost my job, I was turned down for unemployment since my last job didn't last long enough, trying to apply for welfare, and was about to lose my house. At the same time, I was almost broke and hadn't paid my utilities in months. It was March and I knew that it was only a matter of time and, sure enough, I had until April to pay them. It was nothing short of a miracle that I made it through. In the end, I was thankful that PGW and PECO were not allowed to turn off their services during the winter as it would lead to costly repairs to my house and me possibly freezing to death.

Enter 2009.

My friend has had a hard time getting by; as a freelancer, that happens. You have your great months and your bad months. Despite some large projects keeping him busy, it's been a devastatingly slow few months. Then came the "pay now" letters from PGW and PECO, but this time with a twist: A shut off notice. In February.

We had discussed a few times before that they wouldn't turn off service during the winter for a list of reasons: First, the human reason. Not being able to pay the bill aside, turning off the gas or electric meant freezing the person inside, possibly to death, which is... well, wrong. Then the toll on the house itself. Without either or both on, the pipes could freeze, causing them to burst, and require even more money to fix. In the end, a bill of $1000 could wind up costing the homeowner $2000 and more after paying restoration fees and fixing anything that may have broken or been damaged in the meantime.

What is astounding to me are two things: Why is this legal in Philadelphia and why isn't this being reported?

The reason it shouldn't be legal is actually very obvious since, as I mentioned already, the toll on the person is astounding and the toll on the house or property can be incredibly costly. During the summer months it's not quite as bad, but winter is understood to be the worst time possible to carry out a shut off in this city.

At the same time, this effects the poorest of our friends and neighbors, and it's a devastating thing to happen to a persons emotional toll. I had my power turned off once and aside from the feeling of disappointment you feel in it happening, your angry and sad at yourself for falling so far from society. You feel like an outcast and a pariah.

The toll on the neighbors properties is debatable, but it is likely that a house that is flooding due to bad pipes in a row home will effect the neighbors.

There are 6200 residents without heat in Philadelphia because of PGW, and number due to rising unemployment and steeper fees and declining budgets will most likely make it rise even more. At this moment, we need our lawmakers to take a stand and demand that they take quick and immediate action in order to make sure no one is forced to freeze to death this winter. This is a city on the brink, and this is a public health concern. More people getting sick due to poor heating? Is that what we need?

All the while, we need reform in the CRP and how it's funded. We need to make PGW an agent for change and get it back on it's toe to make a profit for the city. PECO, at the same time, is sending shut off notices and I can only hope that the death of the man in Bay City, Michigan teaches them something about this horrible and inhumane practice.

Photo thanks to PhillyIMC.