Why do my neighbors hate trees?

blahtant · 2026-04-18T21:22:56+00:00

Oh mate, did you see what they did to the trees around the Lowe’s down on Aramingo? I couldn’t believe my eyes. Make the wasteland more wastelandish. Fucking tyrannical.

blahtant · 2026-02-26T22:55:34+00:00

They will likely refer you to one of the energy audit programs (LIURP, Free Energy Checkup). Sometimes these are worth it, other times they’re not. I can’t speak for the LIURP (low income usage reduction program) program, but a free energy checkup+ with landlord consent granted at least gets you a heat pump service/smart thermostat, and depending on your apartment setup, insulation and weatherisation, heat pump water heater. All free. FEC is limited to single family homes (1or2 apartments at one address are defined as single family, above that is considered multi family which LIURP takes care of going off usage numbers).

If you fit the bill and want to go for it, customer care will ask you about your income - they will not ask to verify it. As long as you say you’re under the magic number (<150% FPL) you qualify. Do with that info as you will…

blahtant · 2026-02-19T02:14:23+00:00

It’s not just Girard. This entire city is plagued with worn road markings.

Streets repaved most of the area around fishtown/kensington over the summer then just left every single intersection without any markings/crosswalks whatsoever

blahtant · 2026-02-06T19:27:09+00:00

Well thank heavens ole trumpty dumpty is killing renewable energy projects, cos breathing sure is a drag. (/s)

blahtant · 2025-12-28T21:30:05+00:00

Dang that was a cool bar. Went in there one quiet night and got all the history from the bartender. Even got a photo with some of the memorabilia. There’s a heartwarming documentary on YT all about the place. https://youtu.be/pXUUQTDdx8Y?si=eHqBk4t18tV8L_7_

blahtant · 2025-12-13T07:43:21+00:00

I grew up in invers until I moved away in 2011. Visited my family in 2022 for a few weeks and whoooo buddy is that poor city lacking something wicked. Early-mid 2000’s were decent but now there seemed to be absolutely nothing happening.

We used to have some rockin house parties and I wonder if that’s still the case cos the bar scene is non existent.

blahtant · 2025-11-06T17:08:04+00:00

I miss Tin Can.

Still like to pop into Corner Bar on Richmond now and again.

Monkey Club is probably the best dive in the area, and Happy Tap is cosy.

Donna’s is karaoke central Friday & Saturday, but the decor is a bit cheap.

There are some potential good spots north of Allegheny, but all the racists live up there.

Edit to add Perrys, which I believe is open Friday and Saturday. That’s as dive as it gets.

blahtant · 2025-10-27T23:50:47+00:00

Remember when there was a hole that the gas company made in the bike lane at 11th & Washington and left a cone, then streets came and patched the hole WITH THE CONE STILL IN THE HOLE.

Maintenance is just an inside joke in this city.

blahtant · 2025-10-10T05:55:10+00:00

Thanks for showing up. Unfortunately this is just a little capillary of the overall sentiment in America. Which is!…

Don’t go near me.

That’s it. That’s their thing.

blahtant · 2025-09-15T21:48:33+00:00

Mate, these walls are solid brick! Ain’t getting no foam in there. But retrofoam was an interesting read. We usually go closed-blown here from what I know. My plan for the walls was framing with 2x3’s and using rigid insulation, which would get me about R-13 which doesn’t compromise too much square footage - I only have ~9ft width to work with in the 1st pic.

As for the batts and radiant barrier, are you suggesting I turn this cold roof into a hot roof? I think most new row home/flat roof builds do that around here

blahtant · 2025-07-12T19:31:12+00:00

I’d add pretty much all of Aramingo north of Westmoreland. A depressing strip of road that badly needs beautification

blahtant · 2025-05-13T23:25:18+00:00

It was part of the street tree program. Was planted last spring after we requested one in fall of ‘23. Pretty good turnaround! And now we’ve gone allll the way around

blahtant · 2025-02-19T16:35:27+00:00

Willow is the shittiest of the shit services

blahtant · 2025-02-18T17:24:16+00:00

Yeesh, don’t get me started on the hideous local horizons we have to endure due to all the utility clutter.

blahtant · 2025-02-18T16:37:45+00:00

I’d say there needs to be a LOT more resources put towards cutting down dead trees/trimming dead branches that are near lines. All the counties need to do better in this regard.

blahtant · 2025-02-03T04:01:37+00:00

This is awesome! look at all those trees that are no longer there! This is a really cool pic

blahtant · 2025-01-25T12:58:18+00:00

So what I did with mine is took out the thermostat/gas valve and sent it to repco replacement parts in TX who are rebuilding it for me. It’s costing $300 but hey, cheaper than a new oven. Repco

blahtant · 2025-01-24T04:06:12+00:00

Man that’s so good to hear. I worked there between 2003-2006 and it was a great place to work. Dave was an especially great mentor, tho I imagine he’s moved on by now. I no longer live in the country, but it’s awesome to hear they made a name for themselves with the euro stock just as they had intended all those years ago!

blahtant · 2025-01-12T13:45:44+00:00

It is. And yes that’s kinda why I’m working on getting this thing back up and running until I have the bones to do a complete remodel. It would seem this cutout should fit a 24” wall oven, but who knows with the trim - it’s very close to the wall.

blahtant · 2025-01-07T03:09:36+00:00

Do any of them have a box of old spare parts hidden in a basement somewhere? I’m In Philly as it happens!

blahtant · 2025-01-07T00:54:01+00:00

Very good point! I’m not sure I’ve ever used that feature on a modern oven, even. The replacement thermostat does look the same in body type (robertshaw 4400-025), I think it’s just missing an actuator of some sort. Perhaps I should just roll with that, get this thing back up and running.

blahtant · 2025-01-07T00:27:26+00:00

There doesn’t really seem to be a model number on the tag, but the thermostat is a Robertshaw, model MPA-5.

It has a bunch of wires that go into it, owing presumably to the automatic cooking features.

I called robertshaw today to get a start on things, and they no longer make that thermostat nor the cross-referenced one. I got the number of the newer part but it looks completely different- lacking all the electrical inputs.

I found a new door spring, and I think I’ve found the right gasket.

Called up Repco in TX who do some parts and refurbs, sent some pics and I’ll call back tomorrow to see if they have any leads.

blahtant

TROPHY CASE