Did You Know There is a Song About Cheese Curds?

Because there is! According to Wikipedia, “The New York Times in 1911 reported on an ancient Celtic song, dating from the 12th century, that mentioned cheese curd, perhaps the first musical reference to the most musical of cheeses:”

Philadelphia, I Love You

 

If you know anything about Philadelphia, then you know that outside of touristy/commercial Center City and Old City, the gentrified areas of West and South Philly, and the more residential areas of Chestnut Hill and Mannyunk, there’s a huge urban blight problem;  abandoned, or simply run-down buildings are almost as prevalent as Eagles jerseys and Phillies hats.  So when I read about former street artist (I know there’s controversy about this term, but bear with me) Stephen Powers’ A Love Letter For You wall mural campaign, several months ago, I was intrigued. 

 

Live: From the Midwest, It’s Conservatism and Apple Pie

Usually I only go back to Wisconsin for the big holidays, Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, but this weekend I returned to the land of cheese because my friends Emily and Luke got married after about 8 years of dating. I was there when they started dating and at almost every step along the way, so it was really exciting to see them finally get hitched.  I’ve never been home in the fall so I also got my fill of apples, comfort food and a hefty amount of conservative talk–because nothing says Autumn like denouncing gay marriage and mashed potatoes. Hand in hand, really.

Way to Go, My Hometown. You Asshole

Maybe you’ve heard about that Swim Club in Pennsylvania that’s in serious hot water (oh! Look, I made a punny!) over the fact that they’re revoking a summer pass they gave to a local summer camp? The summer camp is made up of mostly black and Latino kids, while the the country club is decidedly, um, not.  From The Huffington Post:

“The Creative Steps camp had arranged for 65 mostly black and Hispanic children to swim each Monday afternoon at the gated Huntingdon Valley club, which is on a leafy hillside in a village straddling two overwhelmingly white townships. But after the group arrived June 29, camp director Alethea Wright said, several children reported hearing racial comments and some swim club members pulled their children out of the pool.”

A few days later, Creative Steps recieved a refund in the mail, revoking their membership, for “safety considerations”.

This story bums me out, because yadda yadda it’s 2009, we have a black president, but also, this is my hometown! I grew up down the street in one of those “overwhelmingly white townships,” and yeah, it’s not a totally diverse place, but this sort of surprises me.  I say “sort of”, because, I actually can kind of remember that this particular country club had a pretty racist and anti-Semitic rep.  It’s just weird to see your big fat stupid, car dependent hometown receive national press for something so awful.

So now, our claims to fame:

Bob Saget (graduated from the local high school — what, what!)

Joey Lawrence (went to my school, saw him at Blockbuster once)

Me (awesome)

Bradley Cooper (went to my rival high school, major babe)

Matthew Fox (well, born there.  Former major babe)

and now this.  Nice. Slow clap, hometown, slo-ow. Clap.

Pennsylvania Swim Club Accused of Racism to Ask Minority Children Back [The Huffington Post]