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CENTRAL DISTRICT: Surprizingly, more homes, fewer jobs Philadelphia’s Central District has cemented its stature as a residential destination of choice over the past ten years. Its ability to attract new residents has transformed not only the neighborhoods within the district boundaries, but also Philadelphia’s entire population outlook. Population forecasts show that the trend will continue, with the Central District attracting 20,000 new residents over the next few decades. + The Central District grew by approximately 17,000 residents since 2000 + Center City and University City contain 51% of all jobs in Philadelphia + $500+ million in recently completed cultural projects + Average Class A office space in NYC is 2.5 times more expensive than Center City + 335,000 jobs located in the Metropolitan Center District + is within a 5-hour drive of 25% of US population + $300+ million in hotel development since 2008 Almost 50% of non-native college students stay in Philly after graduating + 30% of all Central District residents walk to work + The Central District covers 5.67 (6.4 with water) square miles and has a total population of 117,132, According to the 2010 census. The Central District —also commonly referred to as Center City—is a part of the region’s metropolitan center, which also includes a portion of University City. Center City is a highly dense, compact, mixed-use area that is the primary hub of the region’s economic, educational, and cultural activities. Center City is the home of Philadelphia’s historic core, as well as a dynamic area of growth that is attracting new residents, businesses, and visitors to the city. The nexus of the city and region’s transportation system sits within the Central District with all modes moving through or connecting within parts of the district. The 17th- century street grid, as first designed by William Penn and Thomas Holme, creates an environment perfectly scaled for pedestrians. Layered onto this grid are two major highways (I-95 and I-676), a growing network of bike lanes, and a public transit system that includes trains, subways, trolleys, and buses. The Central District’s economic profile bears little resemblance to the positive story of residential growth over the last ten years. Despite the growth of the Metropolitan Center as a whole, over the last few decades the Central District has seen a decline in the number of office jobs as companies have moved to the suburbs or other parts of the city. ====== Unifying and Energizing City Hall Square > Create a cohesive network of public spaces > Build on recent successes and investments: Lenfest Plaza, Dilworth Plaza, Sister Cities Park > Provide spaces and programs that appeal to every user group > Create safe environ ments that are active throughout the day and into the night Transforming West Callowhill’s Connections > Leverage transit access provided by the proposed Cultural Corridor Line to guide new development > Establish a consistent urban scale in the area > Modify key intersections to improve pedestrian access > Modify key intersections to improve pedestrian access > Prioritize the Callowhill Street-Pennsylvania Avenue corridor for local commercial and retail development CENTRAL DISTRICT / Focus Area Goals > Create a cohesive network of public spaces > Build on recent successes and investments: Lenfest Plaza, Dilworth Plaza, Sister Cities Park > Provide spaces and programs that appeal to every user group > Create safe environ ments that are active throughout the day and into the night Revitalizing Ridge Avenue and North Broad Street > Improve the public realm - Enhance the quality of the streetscape, - Green the Ridge Avenue corridor, - Build distinctive identity, > Reinforce and leverage existing assets - Encourage density around transit stations - Position Ridge Avenue as a viable commercial corridor - Adaptively reuse existing buildings - Define connections to existing anchors Connecting Chinatown to Franklin Square > Restore pedestrian connections - Reintroduce streets, - Narrow crossings, - Improve crossings > Encourage appropriately scaled urban infill - Introduce a variety of parcel sizes and frontages - Introduce shared parking - Restore street walls and urban enclosures - Encourage street-activating ground floor use

Interested in TOD Basics? There's a class for that With the Philadelphia 2035 district plans rolling out, and with transit-oriented development (TOD) overlay districts now being implemented across some parts of the city for the first time, perhaps it's a good time to brush up on some TOD basics so you know what to expect. Reconnecting America − in partnership with Enterprise Community Partners, Move LA and Strategic Actions for a Just Economy − has created an innovative TOD University curriculum to help interested parties who are engaging in community revitalization and transit planning initiatives. The target audience is residents and community members who are engaging in transit-oriented development (TOD) discussions for the first time, and might not even… > more: http://www.phillyliving.com/blog/tags/tod/

The 2035 Plan is using Bike trails etc to get rid of Car journeys (Here's an excerpt from the plan) The HIA’s primary data collection tool was a new survey of Navy Yard employees, which received over 1400 responses. Survey responses showed that new infrastructure in this district could have transformative effects on people’s transportation behavior, and by extension, their health and well-being. The Navy Yard's ongoing success as a major employment node within our Metropolitan Subcenter means steadily increasing levels of car traffic to and from The Navy Yard. Transportation alternatives could simultaneously reduce congestion (to levels lower than current day), improve air quality, and encourage active commuting via rail, bike, and foot.. Read the HIA Summary Report. > http://phila2035.org/home-page/communities/

AGENDA 2015 Three reasons why walkability is essential to Philadelphia’s future Wed., APRIL 22, 2015 / 1 COMMENT In this week’s Agenda 2015 op-ed University City District’s Daniel Wolf argues that Philly deserves a more walkable future... WALKABILITY HELPS EVERYONE Philadelphia’s most disadvantaged would benefit most from making walking safer and more convenient. In the Philadelphia area, neighborhoods with poverty rates higher than the national average have about 30% more pedestrian deaths per capita. The costs of car ownership also place the highest financial burden on the poor; in Philadelphia, it costs an average of $5,181 per car annually to own a car (not including fuel, maintenance, and repair costs). In Walkable City, Jeff Speck writes: “With rare exceptions, every transit trip begins and ends with a walk.” While only 9% of Philadelphia residents get to work primarily by walking, another 26% take public transportation to work; thus, 35% depend on walking. It should also be noted that commuting only accounts for about 16% of all trips in the US, and walking tends to be more prevalent in non-commuting trips. Philadelphians with lower incomes are even more likely to walk or use public transportation and less likely to drive alone (see Figure 1). For instance, 47% in the lowest earnings category walk or take public transportation to work, and 41% in the lowest three earnings categories (making less than $25,000 a year) do so. Means of transportation to work by income (note: there's a jump back UP in walking among the highest income group) PEDESTRIANS ARE PHILADELPHIA’S MOST VULNERABLE STREET USERS Pedestrians are the most likely of all street users to die from a traffic collision. In 2013, 4 of every 10 traffic deaths in Philadelphia were pedestrians – a total of 37 that year, up from 32 in 2009. Furthermore, the likelihood of a pedestrian fatality depends on vehicle speeds. For instance, if a vehicle moving at 40 MPH hits a pedestrian, the pedestrian has an 85% chance of dying (or even higher for children and the elderly). If the speed were reduced to 30 mph, the fatality rate drops to 45%; and at 20 mph, the rate is just 5% (see Figure 2). Through implementing traffic calming measures, targeted to the most dangerous locations in the city for pedestrians, we can significantly improve pedestrian safety. For instance, University City District (UCD) has been experimenting with low-cost measures to increase the safety and comfort of key pedestrian corridors. Baltimore Crossing is a prime example: the five-way intersection of 48th St. and Baltimore Ave. had been a perilous and expansive intersection for pedestrians, where a frequent threat of colliding with cars loomed. In partnership with the city, UCD installed large painted bump-outs at three corners and added a new crosswalk, which cut pedestrian crossing distances roughly in half and made the intersection much less intimidating. Vehicle impact speed and pedestrian injury severity Incidentally, the Planning Commission’s 2012 Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan identifies both sections of Delaware Avenue and North Broad Street, where each of the recent pedestrian crashes occurred, as 2 of 48 “pedestrian network focus areas.” In these two locations, issues such as speeding, frequent running of red lights, low rates of cars yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk, and narrow sidewalks warrant pedestrian safety improvements. == > http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2015/04/22/three-reasons-why-walkability-is-essential-to-philadelphia-s-future 2 / How the Next Mayor Can Save Lives and Money Wednesday, February 4, 2015 / 15 Comments This week the Bicycle Coalition's Sarah Clark Stuart kicks off our election themed op-ed series arguing why Philly should become the next city to adopt Vision Zero policies to make our streets safer for all users. It's part of the Better Mobility 2015 platform. Traffic violence is not inevitable. And it’s not an “accident.” Every year in Philadelphia, nearly 100 people—pedestrians, motor vehicle drivers and bicyclists—are murdered in traffic. In addition to poor decisions and lack of compliance with traffic rules, outdated road designs and a lack of resources and funding to fix them contribute to these deaths. Based on the data from 2009-2013, 94 people, on average, died in motor vehicle crashes. Of them, 33 were pedestrians. . . . The scale of Philadelphia’s traffic deaths is important to put into context. In 2013, 89 people died in motor vehicle crashes in Philadelphia. Homicides claimed 247 lives and fire claimed 23. So, motor vehicle crashes are claiming three times as many women, men and children as fires and is one-third the number of people who are murdered. But, what is the level of resources being devoted to these three types of fatalities? The City currently budgets at least 30 times as many resources into the departments that address murders and fires as compared to the department that needs to be retrofitting city streets to make them safer. It’s gotten so bad, we at the Bicycle Coalition reported recently that the Streets Department has a paving backlog of more than 900 miles—more than a quarter of all the city’s streets. Philadelphia is taking some steps to reduce the sort of traffic violence that results in $1 billion in avoidable economic loss to the city each year. Early in the Nutter Administration, buffered bike lanes were installed on Spruce and Pine. According to the Mayor's Office of Transportation & Utilities, reportable crashes between 2010-2012 declined 26% after the installation of the Spruce/Pine buffered bike lanes, as compared to the number of crashes that occured between 2006-2008. The City has identified the ten most dangerous pedestrian corridors for pedestrian crashes, and recently received a national highway safety grant to address three corridors in particular. Philadelphia has been using red-light enforcement funding to change signal timing, improve street lighting, signage and bump-outs and plans to also modify intersections and install traffic-calming roundabouts. But, more is necessary...> http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/2015/02/04/how-the-next-mayor-can-save-lives-and-money They are both Good ! Chuck Marohn's latest podcast talks about the importance of SLOWING DOWN cars: Gross Negligence Charles Marohn published on Jun 11, 2015 5:00AM Chuck reviews three different incidents involving children killed by automobiles and asks: Who are really the ones showing casual indifference here? > http://shoutengine.com/StrongTownsPodcast/gross-negligence-10265

TWO KEY DEVELOPMENT AREAS USW District Plan: 40th Street Focus Area April 3, 2013 | Tagged: Spotlight on the Districts, University Southwest District Orange buildings indicate possible development sites. Lighter and dashed orange represent existing proposals, with dashed buildings already under construction. Let’s start with 40th Street. This Focus Area has two significant growth opportunities: 1) The large parcels near 38th and Lancaster, including the University City HS campus 2) The MFL Station area itself In both cases, we have parcels of significant size and zoning that would permit a wide variety of potential build-outs. Our plan does not intend to overly prescribe; rather, we present a vision of how new development can strengthen the surrounding areas. With the 38th and Lancaster area, a big idea is the re-introduction of a north-south street through the superblock created by the school campus. Cutting this superblock into smaller chunks can not only make it more marketable, but it brings down the scale of development to something more familiarly Philadelphian. > http://philadelphiaplaneto.com/usw-district-plan-40th-street-focus-area/ 2 / 51st and Baltimore Redevelopment Area Plan - City of ...www.phila.gov/.../51standBaltimoreRedevPlan%20-%20Fina... Philadelphia The 51st and Baltimore Avenue Redevelopment Area Plan includes the area in ... Street on the north, the Septa Regional Rail right of way and Willows Avenue on ... within the study area are located south of Baltimore Avenue and along... The 51st and Baltimore Avenue Redevelopment Area Plan ... includes the area in Philadelphia bounded by Catharine Street on the north, the Septa Regional Rail right of way and Willows Avenue on the south, 50th Street on the east, and 53rd Street on the west. This area lies along the Baltimore Avenue commercial corridor. Nearby points of interest include: Cedar and Malcolm X Parks, Cobbs Creek Shopping Center, and the 52nd Street Commercial Corridor. This plan has been created to guide redevelopment and rehabilitation of a deteriorated section of Baltimore Avenue between 50th and 53rd Streets and the primarily residential blocks that surround it. The major impetus for this plan is the adoption of the University Southwest District Plan by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission on June 11th 2013. In this district plan are several goals and objectives for the study area. The majority of implementable improvements focus on continuing the revitalization of Baltimore Avenue west past 50th Street, eliminating excess road space to provide a better pedestrian experience, and changes in zoning to reflect the current community’s needs and vision for its future. A planning staff survey of the neighborhood surrounding 51st and Baltimore Avenue reveals a legacy* industrial and residential neighborhood. While much of the area’s architecturally significant structures have deteriorated or been demolished, there still exist a number of architecturally significant homes, specifically near Cedar Park on the eastern boundary . . . Objectives The overall goal of the 51st and Baltimore Avenue Redevelopment Plan is to provide a framework for current and future redevelopment proposals. Clear planning policies for land use, zoning, and capital program investment will permit the full commercial and institutional development potential of the study area to be realized. The plan has three specific objectives: - to eliminate the blighting influences of vacancy and undesirable land use along Baltimore Avenue and the surrounding residential blocks by encouraging reinvestment and redevelopment. - to support the rezoning of legacy industrial and commercial parcels along Baltimore Avenue, and the surrounding blocks to uses better suited to the changing needs of the community. - to improve the pedestrian experience along Baltimore Avenue by beautifying and enhancing the public realm.

The Amtrac / 30th Street Investment Strategy Measuring Times and distances from 30th St./Amtrac will make more and more sense, as train usage increases. Especially as express trains to other cities (like NYC) run faster & more frequently Philly's Cost advantage is Big: Average Class A office space in NYC is 2.5 TIMES more expensive that Philly's Center City (+ there's been $300Mn+ in Hotel development since 2008) (+ half of the residents of SW Distr. do not own cars) (+ Walking is 50-75% of journeys, bicycling is 7%+) Trains every 4-12 mins for much of each weekday Starting from 5:02am to 12:32am Journey : 30th St. > 34thSt : 40thSt : 46thSt : 52ndSt : 56thSt 08:01am > +1min. : +2min. : +2min. : +1min. : + 1min. (08:08am) 07:01pm > +1min. : +2min. : +2min. : +1min. : + 1min. (07:08pm) ==> http://www.septa.org/schedules/transit/w/MFL_1.htm USW PLAN HIGHLIGHTS: ==== THRIVE + Create transit-oriented development overlays along Market Street and in the vicinity of stations at 30th Street, 40th Street, and 46th Street to enable higher density, mixed-use development. + Preserve single-family housing stock in portions of West Powelton, Saunders Park, Powelton Village, Walnut Hill, Garden Court, Cedar Park, Spruce Hill, and Kingsessing by rezoning these areas to single or two-family zoning classifications and directing multifamily growth to commercial corridors and transit nodes. + Create a Request For Proposal and subsidize the development of scattered site affordable housing in a section of Kingsessing bounded by Chester Avenue, Woodland Avenue, 58th Street, and 57th Street. + Re-certify for blighted conditions and update the Redevelopment Area Plans for the following redevelopment areas: • South 51st Street and Baltimore Avenue • 4800 block of Woodland Avenue + Rezone the Lower Schuylkill Industrial properties to better attract research and development, advanced and artisanal manufacturing, and institutional uses as put forth in the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan. Baltimore Crossing at 48th Street and Baltimore Ave By reducing the amount of roadway pedestrians must cross, the project reduces the amount of time pedestrians are in the crosswalk and exposed to vehicles. The bumpouts cut the distance between the Gold Standard corner and the Calvary Center corner by roughly 41%, the distance across 48th Street by 42% and the distance across Florence Ave by 51%. The bumpouts are also intended to slow cars as they turn onto now narrower streets. CONNECT Reorganize bus routes through University City to accommodate current and new riders within the district: • Improve connections between activity centers in Center City and University City • Provide better service to growing employment centers Remove a travel lane on Chestnut Street west of 34th Street and replace it with a buffered bike lane or cycle track. This would create an eastbound bike route to work in conjunction with the existing westbound route on Walnut Street, and would also make pedestrian crossings safer. RENEW (the Environment) Complete the extension and creation of the following trails as prioritized by the Philadelphia Trail Master Plan: • Bartram’s Mile—the “Bartram’s North” section is highest priority • Schuylkill River swing-bridge connection from Bartram’s Mile to Grays Ferry Crescent • West Bank Greenway Construct stormwater management and passive open space along the north side of Market Street from 46th Street to 48th Street. == > see USW-2035plan-summary: http://phila2035.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/USW-Executive-Summary_web.pdf

Phila2035 Update: University/Southwest District : Update, Jan. 30, 2013 / Adopted, June 2013 : Plan-Exec.Summary As the Philadelphia2035 process progresses and a second round of public meetings ensues, themes and target areas identified in earlier meetings will be shared and developed. : http://phila2035.org/ For the University/Southwest District Plan, which includes neighborhoods from University City, to Mantua, Walnut and Spruce Hills, Kingsessing and more, that means a focused discussion on transit and housing options, according to Andrew Meloney of the Planning Commission, the project manager for this plan, and a West Philadelphia Planner. -> Note the brown "will change" areas Map of the district The first round of meetings this fall were well attended, according to Meloney. Comments and insights generated by attendees at those meetings have since been reviewed and consolidated by Planning Commission staff design professionals. The beginning stages of design ideas have started to formulate. That’s what was presented and discussed at the second round of meetings, which began last week. Photo from last week's packed meeting “We’re sort of tossing around a few different major themes and seeing how the community and neighborhood feels about these ideas,” said Meloney. They’ve also identified five target areas to discuss: the 40th and 46th Street Market El Stations, Baltimore Avenue between 49th and 53rd Streets, the area north of Bartram’s Garden (Bartram’s North), and the area around Kingsessing Rec Center, located at 49th and Chester. One element of the plan will be how to connect the vast university population with more local businesses. At Bartram’s North, planners will seek to engage the community about how to increase waterfront access. At meetings, planners will gauge community response by hanging Venn-diagram-like graphs where attendees can post colored stickers indicating their opinions for or against a concept, or whether their feelings lie somewhere in the middle. Kingsessing Rec Center With the recent Elena’s fire that ultimately toppled three 49th and Baltimore Avenue businesses, the discussion about Baltimore Ave. between 49th and 53rd Streets has taken on new meaning and timeliness. Cedar Park Neighbors conducted a survey about how to improve their neighborhood before the meetings started and well before the fire. As the meetings progress, we’ll continue to share the news. == > http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/university-city/phila2035-update-universitysouthwest-district

2-year closure of Buendia Ave. to spark condo rental market in Makati MANILA – Here’s a happy problem for property developers, particularly those with condominium projects in Makati and nearby areas. Gil Puyat Avenue, one of the major roads that cuts across the Makati central business district (CBD) will be closed for two years to give way for the construction of an underpass. According to Jones Lang LaSalle country head David Leechiu, this seeming disruption to the wheels of commerce at the country’s main financial district presents an opportunity for property companies. During a forum organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Leechiu said rentals in the middle market would soften in the short-term, owing to the small glut in the condominium market. But this would be good for Metro Manila workers who would drive demand for half-way houses to save them travel time going to and from their workplaces. "People coming from Ortigas to Makati will see longer travel time. Many people may take an apartment in Makati instead of spending four hours inside a car," Leechiu said. Ranging from executives to call center agents, the apartment rental market could help stabilize prices, he said. > more: http://www.interaksyon.com/business/105355/2-year-closure-of-buendia-ave--to-spark-condo-rental-market-in-makati

Yes, That would be good. But there can be false signals So breaking the lower channel line might prove a better confirmation

Henderson Land, and important bellwether for HK property, may be coming off a major high HK-12 / Henderson Land ... update Since year-end: Week : CCLI : CMMI : RobinPl: Tregun : Dynast : Clovell/ IslHarb: ParkAv: Waterf : Sorrent : ThArch : C'ribC : TaikSh. Numb.: ( #1) ( #2,4): (---- #6) : (--- #7) : (--- #8) : (-- #9) / (--- #7) (--- #8): (- #12) : (-- #13): (-#14) (--#-3) : (---#21) ==== . . 06/07: 143.31 144.54: 15,493 : 20,014 : 25,251 : 22,894 /12,820: 12,965 : 16,454 : 17,515 : 22,361 : 6,500 : 14,315 : >2014 12/28: 132.45 133.50: 15,491 : 19,434 : 24,750 : 22,230 /11,083: 12,582 : 13,947 : 15,883 : 21,760 : 6,141 : 13,301 :

Pope Francis will disclose Existence of Extraterrestrial Life Published on Jun 7, 2015 The Pope, Pope Francis will disclose Existence of Extraterrestrial Life. The Vatican will conclude the disclosure of extraterrestrial life or Aliens and for the dismantling of the power structures destroying our civilization. What do you think about Pope's story? I want to read your thoughts in the comment section. +++++ The Lions Ground Entertainment Group Shared on Google+ · 3 days ago An update by the Vatican News Service, says the Encyclical will be now released on Thursday, June 18 !! Article: http://lionsgroundnews.com/pope-francis-will-disclose-existence-of-extraterrestrial-life/#disqus_thread Whoops! It seems it is pure Disinfo, as Michael Salla discovered: " I contacted Sheehan on Tuesday morning for confirmation of his remarks. He explained that the Yournewswire report was mixing up different talks and topics. Indeed, Sheehan was making a prediction for June 5. It was that Pope Francis would release an encyclical about “global climate change” and how “transnational corporate capitalism” is a major factor. The Pope’s predicted encyclical will be critiquing global capitalism. Sheehan also confirmed that he had discussed Vatican astronomers who had raised the societal and theological implications of extraterrestrial life. Sheehan pointed, however, that he was not predicting the Pope making any kind of statement about the discovery or disclosure of extraterrestrial life on Friday. Yournewswire had got it wrong. Was it just a mistake by an overzealous reporter or part of a disinformation campaign against future disclosures concerning UFOs or extraterrestrial life?" > http://exopolitics.org/disinfo-games-pope-to-disclose-truth-about-alien-contact-this-friday/

Daniel Sheehan UFO Disclosure Attorney for the world on Dr J Radio LIVE 5/19/15 Dr J Andy Ilias interviewed attorney Daniel Sheehan on May 19 2015

Point Breeze / Gray's Ferry/ ?? narrows, Brewerytown, Mantua, ... Port Richmond/ fishtown (Suggested by banker, JH ) There seem to be many new housing projects under construction in Point Breeze 1936-1934 Reed Street, single family homes / see: http://www.ocfrealty.com/development-projects/1936-1934-reed-street Location: http://mt0.googleapis.com/vt?x=19082&y=24826&z=16 Back in December of 2011, OCF proposed two four-story triplex condo buildings at 1820-1822 South St. to replace a dilapidated building and a vacant lot. At the time, the South of South Neighborhood Association and South Street West Business Association were concerned about the height and use. Working hand in hand with both neighborhood groups, several changes were made to the project. One of the changes was to bring the first floor to grade so that if a commercial use ever became viable a conversion from residential to commercial could be done more easily. A second change was the sloping of the 4th floor, creating a mansard roof and a less imposing facade from South street. > http://www.ocfrealty.com/development-projects/1820-22-south-street Foxbry townhomes & condos http://www.2400south.com/

Exxon may buy a rival Exxon's crude choice: Drift along, or buy a rival - FT, pg 17 XOM / Exxon Mobil ... All : 10yr : 5yr : 3yr : 12mos "The decline in the number of shares outstanding (from 7bn to 4bn) ... may make it look like a company that is slowly winding itself up." On the contrary: + Exxon's resource base is 92bn barrels of oil and gas + Dividends have been increased aggressively for years + The falling share base has made that easier + Some say: "The guy who owns the last share of Exxon is going to be the richest guy in the world" However: + Production is now less than when Exxon took over Mobil + It has cutback on capital spending from $38.5bn in 2014, to an estimated $34bn in 2015, and that is less than "smaller" rival Chevron, who plans $35bn Rex Tillerson has to make a decision: except the fate of declining production, or buy a rival. BP is seen as the most likely target. Others talk of Pioneer Natural Resources, Hess, Occidental Petroleum and even Conoco Phillips, a large company. BP / British Petroleum ... All : 10yr : 5yr : 3yr : 12mos CVX / Chevron ... All : 10yr : 5yr : 3yr : 12mos

Oil : Too much optimism? Oil producers hoping OPEC will cut output Friday to boost sagging prices are likely to be disappointed: The cartel's Gulf powers aren't about to surrender. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are leading a fierce battle to protect OPEC's global market share by forcing others, like U.S. shale producers and Russia's state energy giants, to live with lower prices. Years of $100 a barrel oil allowed the four exporters to amass reserves of $2.4 trillion, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute, a huge war chest for countries with a combined population of fewer than 50 million people. They also used the windfall revenues to invest in infrastructure that gives them new weapons in the oil market fight. . . . Saudi Arabia's veteran oil minister Ali al-Naimi led the charge at the OPEC meeting back in November to keep pumping in the face of falling prices. That decision accelerated the price collapse, as it became clear the Saudis were playing a long game. "We're not going to cut production, certainly Saudi Arabia is not going to cut," Ali al-Naimi told CNN in December. Asked if that position would hold for the first half of 2015, he bluntly stated, "No, it's the position that will hold forever." Related: Smart money is buying energy stocks Forever is a long time, but after discovering oil nearly eight decades ago, many believe Saudi Arabia is out to protect its legacy. > http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/03/investing/opec-gulf-producers/index.html

(I posted this on AX - Let's see if there is any response .. here or there): A Buying Trip to the Philippines Four of us from HK have just returned from a trip to Manila. The intention was to look at some targetted properties, consider some new opportunities, and to buy, if we liked what we saw. The result is: we will likely be purchasing 4-5 properties between us. Several are still under construction, and 1-2 are "RFO" (ready for occupancy) or will be soon after purchase. Compared with HK, we are seeing: + Much lower prices, with some of the properties purchased near PHP 100,000 per Sq M (= about HKD 1,700 psf), and one was even a bit below that level + Much higher yields than HK, like 8-10% gross I am hoping that we will see more people, with real experience of the Philippines market posting here in the future

Today's article in WSJ - best place to retire in world is in Philippines. Guy retired in Philippines and bought condo in Manila. http://www.wsj.com/articles/best-places-to-retire-abroad-the-philippines-1432827258 If you are considering retiring in another country, I am no doubt biased, but I believe it’s hard to beat the Philippines. I first visited this island nation (about 7,000 islands in all) 24 years ago when I was 52 years old. At that time I was a college professor doing research, and friends introduced me to a lovely young lady who over time became my wife. I am now 76 and retired, and my wife and I plan on spending much of the rest of our lives in the Philippines. The benefits are numerous: a warm climate year round (average low temperatures are in the mid-70s); endless beaches and water activities; easy access to destinations across Asia; excellent medical care; a relatively low cost of living; and abundant opportunities to help those less fortunate. . . . Let me repeat: The Philippines isn’t paradise. (The rainy season starts in June and lasts for about six months.) But then…paradise, I believe, is primarily a state of mind. If you are adaptive, if you have a positive attitude toward change and challenges, then you should do well as an expat. On the other hand, if you are irritated by things not being like they are in the “good ol’ U.S. of A,” you shouldn’t bother packing your bags. For me, the Philippines has proved to be a destination filled with natural wonders, a vibrant culture and ample opportunities to enjoy later life. It has been a very interesting 24 years, to say the least, and I look forward to the next 24. The age 100 has a nice ring to it.

Is oversupply developing? (Condo rentals) There were 57,710 condominium units in Metro Manila in 2013. Colliers anticipates 8,180 new units will come onto the market each year over the next four years. Newbuilds will push the stock of condominiums in Makati CBD, Rockwell, Fort Bonifacio, Ortigas, and Eastwood up to 90,436 condominium units by 2017. . Will demand be able to keep up? The condominium vacancy rate in Makati CBD was 10.9% in Q1 2014, up from 9.8% in Q3 2013. Arguably however this vacancy rate increase is artificial. Colliers attributes the increase to turnover of new units. Premium three-bedroom units, it says, are still experiencing virtually full occupancy, with only a 4.6% vacancy rate. JLL (formerly Jones Lang Salle), sees a small oversupply in the short term. This “little oversupply” of homes involves property projects launched six years ago and now coming online, pulling rental rates temporarily downwards. JLL sees 2014 as the year when supply will peak; however, they see no signs of a property bubble brewing. Manila’s segmented market . Lower down the income scale there is cause to worry. There are three identifiable segments in Manila’s housing market: The high end. This is the segment discussed by JLL. Local high-earners and expatriates occupy this segment. The middle tier. The mid-end condominium sector, with monthly amortization of around PHP 10,500 (US$ 235), presently requiring a dispensable income greater than PHP 34,962 (US$ 783), to obtain a housing loan of PHP 2 million (US$ 44,801). This segment has been targeted by many developers, and is attractive to overseas foreign workers (OFWs). The low end. This is where the mass of the population live. We believe that the middle tier is over-supplied. Many of these lower middle-class condominium developments are ghost cities. (by email): That 10.9% vacancy rate (from Q1-2014) came down: Concerns of a possible oversupply in the condominium market led developers to delay completions of their projects. Still, a total of 30,935 residential units are to be delivered in the next three years with nearly 40% of the figure expected by 2016. The majority of these units are studio and . Residential vacancy for Makati CBD slightly declined in the first quarter 2015 amidst continued strong take up for condominium units. Likewise, the limited number of new completions for the period helped pull down vacancy figures; the business district’s vacancy lowered by 16 basis points to 7.9% largely from the take up of Grade A buildings, still the preferred property by unit buyers. However, the delivery of new units in the coming 12 months is expected to push overall vacancy to 11%. . Meanwhile, the larger units, from 3 to 5 bedroom units, account for 7.0% of the new supply with unit cuts of between 100 and 500 square meters. As such, the influx of these smaller sized units is expected to create pressure on rental rates and prices > The Knowledge, Q1-2015

Hanging out in Makati, this dishy creature sat next to me at a coffee shop. She is known as "the blonde Filipina", since she speaks tagalog. But she is actually from Australia She was discussing a future film project with a documentary filmmaker. All true - I found these videos on Youtube afterwards + AGT audition (the TV version was deleted)

Project Camelot news While healing from this scalar attack I have been gathering further info from various sources... Here's a laundry list of items worth knowing:
 ===== 1. SOHO — SHOOTING LASERS AT SUN TO CREATE SUN SPOTS AND CME…PHOTON BURSTS RESULT IN GRID SHUTDOWN OR JUST INTERFERENCE WITH SATELLITE TECH ETC. 2. AIR FORCE — 6000 MISSING NUKES REPORTED A WHILE AGO.. 3. CHEMTRAILS : NANO TUBES BEING PUT INTO POPULATION TO TRACK USING DNA SIGNATURE… 
 4. KEY HEALTH TIP : USE MAGNETS AND CRYSTALS TO CHANGE YOUR DNA SIGNATURE AND FIGHT BACK AGAINS SCALAR ATTACKS
 5. SEPTEMBER — THEY WILL CAUSE RIOTS, RACIAL TARGETING TO STIR THINGS UP AND THEN DO THE FINANCIAL RESET
MANY IN CONGRESS STARTING TO REALIZE WHAT’S HAPPENING 6. NIBIRU/ PLANET X : THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PLANET'S PRESENCE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM UNTIL IT IS FULLY VISIBLE AND WITHIN DAYS OF THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT THERE WILL BE WORLDWIDE PANIC.
 7. AS YOU HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF ISIS KEEP IN MIND THEY ARE FUNDED THROUGH SWISS BANKS BY CIA, SAUDIA ARABIA AND ISRAEL. 
 IMPORTANT NOTE: ANYTIME MY SITE IS DOWN GO TO THE CAMELOT YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO WATCH EVERYTHING!!
 https://www.youtube.com/user/jagbodhi

Avida San Lorenzo / "San Lo" Latest SSC news : http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=702832&page=39 I have been looking closely at a Buying opportunity ("below market") at Avida San Lorenzo : It seems attractive, because it is walking distance from Greenbelt ("just 500m") - see map below PNR / LRT / MRT : map : Studio Rental Ads, as listed on Rentpad 22.5 SM 12,000 : bb : 20th 16,000 : ff-: 19th* 17,000 : ff-: 17th 18,000 : ff-: 28th** 24.0 SM 15,000 : bb : 2nd ======= *photos: http://rentpad.com.ph/long-term-rentals/makati/studio-condo-at-avida-towers-san-lorenzo-makati/77b17d1329 ** http://rentpad.com.ph/long-term-rentals/makati/studio-condo-at-avida-towers-san-lorenzo-fully-furnished/1d0934e74 Old dated info on Tower 1 / Price list (dated 2012-13?) Location Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City Available for Sale Tower 1 (total of 2 towers) Unit Sizes 22 – 66.3sqm Price Range Php 1.75 – 5.1M / that's : Turn Over 1st Quarter 2013 : Studios in both towers were stated to be sold out back in 2012-13 +++ There also seem to be some others for sale +++ Avida Towers San Lorenzo Tower 1 - 9th Floor Corner Unit With Balcony 39 sqm : Asking PHP 3.7 million, that's PHP 94.8k per SM (this looks cheap, even for the 9th fl. Is it an "old" ad?) (From 2008): source Avida Towers San Lorenzo along Pasong Tamo extension, the condominium boasts of 1,132 units in two towers. Units cost anywhere from P1.8 million to P4.5 million, the company said. (another price source): UNIT PRICES Tower 2 Size of units/Price range: Studio: 22.08 – 28.48 sqm (1.8-1.9M) 1-BR : 33.81 – 47.64 sqm (3.0-3.8M) 2-BR : 52.50 – 66.30 sqm (4.7-5.4M) Tower 1 Size of units/Price range: Studio: 22.08 -- 24.98 sqm (1.8-1.9M) 1-BR : 34.44 -- 47.86 sqm (3.1-3.8M) 2-BR : 52.50 -- 58.66 sqm (4.9-5.3M) ===== > source approximate pricelist: (2008 prices) (8 units/flr) Studio (~22.5 sq m) - around Php1.8M : starts at Php 80k psm (12 units/flr) 1 BR (~35.17 - 36.63 sq m) - Php2.81 - 2.93M (2 units/flr) 2 BR (~52 sq m) - Php4.16mMThe first tower’s construction, which has 30 floors, will begin in the third quarter of this year. It will be turned over to its owners starting 2013. The project is a joint venture with Makati Greenbelt Palms Land Inc., owned by Chinese nationals. The 8,070 square meter property, where the project is situated, was contributed by MGPLI. Avida Land officials refused to divulge details about the partnership but said MGPLI will get the “equivalent units" for their property. According to Dez Cruz, head of residential buildings of Avida, Avida Towers San Lorenzo is a haven for Gen Y-ers or young executives and professionals in their 20s and 30s who want to live in the most vibrant and dynamic community in the country. For these confident and tech-savvy individuals, purchasing a unit in this project along Pasong Tamo Extension will mean being just “a dash away from the corporate headquarters of most of the Philippines’ top corporations, major business establishments and support services.” After hours, Avida Towers San Lorenzo’s superior location will allow these individuals who work hard and play hard to freely enjoy the leisure options available at the Greenbelt and Glorietta malls without the hassle of a long commute home.

(An email for Project Camelot): WELCOME TO THE PROJECT CAMELOT NEWSLETTER While healing from this scalar attack I have been gathering further info from various sources... Here's a laundry list of items worth knowing:
 1. SOHO — SHOOTING LASERS AT SUN TO CREATE SUN SPOTS AND CME…PHOTON BURSTS RESULT IN GRID SHUTDOWN OR JUST INTERFERENCE WITH SATELLITE TECH ETC. 2. AIR FORCE — 6000 MISSING NUKES REPORTED A WHILE AGO.. 3. CHEMTRAILS : NANO TUBES BEING PUT INTO POPULATION TO TRACK USING DNA SIGNATURE… 
 4. KEY HEALTH TIP : USE MAGNETS AND CRYSTALS TO CHANGE YOUR DNA SIGNATURE AND FIGHT BACK AGAINS SCALAR ATTACKS
 5. SEPTEMBER — THEY WILL CAUSE RIOTS, RACIAL TARGETING TO STIR THINGS UP AND THEN DO THE FINANCIAL RESET. 
MANY IN CONGRESS STARTING TO REALIZE WHAT’S HAPPENING 6. NIBIRU/ PLANET X : THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PLANET'S PRESENCE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM UNTIL IT IS FULLY VISIBLE AND WITHIN DAYS OF THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT THERE WILL BE WORLDWIDE PANIC.
 7. AS YOU HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF ISIS KEEP IN MIND THEY ARE FUNDED THROUGH SWISS BANKS BY CIA, SAUDIA ARABIA AND ISRAEL. 
 IMPORTANT NOTE: ANYTIME MY SITE IS DOWN GO TO THE CAMELOT YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO WATCH EVERYTHING!!
 https://www.youtube.com/user/jagbodhi CAMELOT YOUTUBE CHANNEL: jagbodhi ALSO, FIND ME ON FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/kerrylynncassidy
 AND TWITTER: https://twitter.com/projectcamelot
 FOR UPDATES AND....

> from Project Camelot: WELCOME TO THE PROJECT CAMELOT NEWSLETTER While healing from this scalar attack I have been gathering further info from various sources... Here's a laundry list of items worth knowing:
 1. SOHO — SHOOTING LASERS AT SUN TO CREATE SUN SPOTS AND CME…PHOTON BURSTS RESULT IN GRID SHUTDOWN OR JUST INTERFERENCE WITH SATELLITE TECH ETC. 2. AIR FORCE — 6000 MISSING NUKES REPORTED A WHILE AGO.. 3. CHEMTRAILS : NANO TUBES BEING PUT INTO POPULATION TO TRACK USING DNA SIGNATURE… 
 4. KEY HEALTH TIP : USE MAGNETS AND CRYSTALS TO CHANGE YOUR DNA SIGNATURE AND FIGHT BACK AGAINS SCALAR ATTACKS
 5. SEPTEMBER — THEY WILL CAUSE RIOTS, RACIAL TARGETING TO STIR THINGS UP AND THEN DO THE FINANCIAL RESET
MANY IN CONGRESS STARTING TO REALIZE WHAT’S HAPPENING 6. NIBIRU/ PLANET X : THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PLANET'S PRESENCE IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM UNTIL IT IS FULLY VISIBLE AND WITHIN DAYS OF THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT THERE WILL BE WORLDWIDE PANIC. 
 7. AS YOU HEAR ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF ISIS KEEP IN MIND THEY ARE FUNDED THROUGH SWISS BANKS BY CIA, SAUDIA ARABIA AND ISRAEL. 
 IMPORTANT NOTE: ANYTIME MY SITE IS DOWN GO TO THE CAMELOT YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO WATCH EVERYTHING!!
 https://www.youtube.com/user/jagbodhi CAMELOT YOUTUBE CHANNEL: jagbodhi ALSO, FIND ME ON FACEBOOK : https://www.facebook.com/kerrylynncassidy
 AND TWITTER: https://twitter.com/projectcamelot
 FOR UPDATES AND....

The End ? / Rense has a appetite for Apocalyptic predictions If you think DrRAM is impossibly negative, here's one who is more-so Published on May 21, 2015 Dr. Joseph Chiappalone, MD.... Speaks With Jeff Rense & Reveals .....( The Final Termination Of Life On Earth Has Arrived He says he has been predicting for 30 years (!) a disaster for next week (may 28th) Here;s Dr.Ch. from over year ago: Joseph Chiappalone: UFOs and End of Ages - Part 1 He was talking about moving 6 million "beings of light" off the planet. The rest are "like zombies" with "robotic consciousness" And here he is on Rense ... back in 2012 "I went up on a craft from another dimension, and saw our future... My mission is to give the message about End of times... We are running very short on Times... The end was going to be 2055, and (as of 2012) is now expected to be 2023... The planet is getting worse and worse..." Rense here.. talks over his guest ("Terry"*) - to get the word out on: WHAT AMERICA has become Jeff Rense - Wonderful Speech / Actually, it is a rant ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEYf8CoCobg "It's not our government... This country is in the hands of Evil." (there was recently an apparent attempt on the life of Mr Rense... which may explain his anger, and the energy powering his rant.) ===== *Terrell Arnold of Plover WI. Arnold is a retired diplomat who spent over 30 years in the foreign service, in Egypt, India, Brazil, Sri Lanka, and other countries. He argues here for sound money as a prerequisite for "sound relationships between economies." He supports the reforms in the American Monetary Act.

Cross Currents continue in the Philippines property market... Is there a Bubble or not? == The sizable price rises, and growing supply suggest there might be. (Though HK has been talking about its own property bubble for years, with greater price increases. But the so-called "bubble" has gone on and on, in HK.) And the Philippines has some special factors - strong demand from the very bouyant OFW segment, and a very conservative financing structure - end users usually hold and hold when prices weaken (think: China), when they do not have excessive bank debt, and foreclosure pressure from bankers / 1 / > http://nomadcapitalist.com/2014/07/14/overheating-philippines-condo-market/ The overheating Philippines condo market / July 2014 it’s hard to see how such a bubble isn’t forming today. Quite simply, everyone in the Philippines is going ga-ga over real estate, both to buy and to rent. For instance, I recently looked at several apartments for rent in Manila’s expat-friendly Makati City. In Vietnam, a few people have made a small business (emphasis on “small”) out of “apartment arbitrage”: renting apartments through local Vietnamese tenants, then sub-leasing the properties to western expats at the inflated prices such expats typically pay. I was curious to see if there was an opportunity to replicate this strategy in the Philippines for someone who wanted a “side hustle” to support a lifestyle in the Philippines. I was also investigating whether there was an opportunity to engage in short-term sub-leasing on tourist websites like Airbnb. (Note: I’m not a fan of using Airbnb as a traveler, but do find it intriguing as a place to lease an apartment, especially since prices there tend to be somewhat aggressive.) The answer to both of those questions was “no”. Quite simply, everyone in the Philippines is in the “real estate always goes up, never down” mindset and property owners are buying the arrogant sales pitches been flung at them, only to fling at back at prospective tenants when they go to lease out their overpriced apartments. First, let’s set the stage. Most of the building is going on in Manila. Foreigners tend areas like Makati and Fort Bonifacio, but there are plenty of lower-priced developments in areas like Quezon City and even further outlying areas like Cavite. . . . / 2 / > http://www.nuwireinvestor.com/articles/philippines-property-prices-up-61116.aspx Philippines Property Prices Up / Sept. 2013 OFWs buy affordable properties, BPOs expand local demand Overseas Filipinos’ remittances are powering the low-end to mid-range residential property market. They are snapping up housing projects and mid-scale subdivisions in regions near Metro Manila such as Cavite, Batangas and Laguna Provinces, while the expansion of the upper residential market, including the luxury market, is due to increased housing demand from BPO employees and expatriates, according to the World Bank. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW).account for around 17% to 18% of residential sales of Ayala Land, one of the country’s major developers. In the next five years Ayala Land President Antonio Aquino expects to double this, by branching out to the affordable and low-end market segment. Ayala Land is a late entrant to this market, previously dominated by companies such as Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc. Around 55% of Vista Land’s reservation sales currently go to OFWs in Asia, Europe and Middle East, while US-based OFWs account for another 5% to 10% of sales. There are approximately 9 million Overseas Filipinos (OF) worldwide, or around 10% of the Philippine population. Of all OFs, 46.8% are permanent. Among the permanent OFs, 65.2% reside in the US, followed by Canada (13.1%), Europe (7.1%), Australia (6.8%), and Japan (3.4%), according to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Employment in the Philippine Information Technology and Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) industry grew by 22% to 638,000 people in 2011, according to the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP) President and Chief Executive Benedict Hernandez. . . . It’s happening despite a problematic mortgage market Most houses in the Philippines are sold for cash or pre-sold, due to an underdeveloped mortgage market. Property buyers also face high transaction costs, corruption and red tape, fake land titles and substandard building practices. These are real problems. Few major banks offer housing loans. Different banks’ loans have strangely similar terms and conditions, and approval of loan applications takes a long time. Land titling and registration problems are prevalent, as are delays in the foreclosure process. Because of these factors, the ratio of housing loans to GDP remains small, at around 2.3% in 2011. . . . No housing glut The accumulated supply of high-end and mid-end residential condominiums from 1999 to 2011 was 118,230 units, according to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) research. 97% of these are mid-end range (priced PHP 1.5 million to PHP 10 million with an average unit size of 150 sq. m., or PHP 50,000 to PHP 110,000 per sq. m.), 3% (around 3,690) are high-end units (priced PHP 10 million above with an average size of 160 sq. m. up, or PHP 120,000 above per sq. m.). A sharp increase in new supply began in 2005. Since then, supply growth has averaged more than 30% annually.