Around the Block: 1/9/26

1/9/25

Witty takes, can't-miss Philly updates, insider info, and curated listings - by Jeff "City" Block

AI on Philly

Hi Readers,

Back in August, I randomly read an article by Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin. He basically asked AI quirky questions about Rhode Island to confirm whether AI really “knows everything.”

He was being sarcastic, obviously. We all know by now that AI can do a bunch of stuff, but having a lot of correct information about “everything” is not one of these talents. Especially when it comes to offbeat data. I mean sure it knows Philly’s population as of the last census. But does it know about the night stick and cummerbund? The smiling pig? MAC machines? Let’s see what it knows about Philly.

Let’s start easy where any simple Google search could give you an immediate and accurate answer: Chat GPT, “what is the night stick and cummerbund.”

Answer—To summarize, “A police baton” and a “formal waist sash.” Then it goes on, “Why they’re sometimes mentioned together. When paired rhetorically—particularly in New York political talk—the contrast is deliberate: Cummerbund → elites, formality, refinement while Nightstick → policing, discipline, street order. The pairing emphasizes a law-and-order versus elite-culture contrast, not sexuality. Any innuendo people hear today is retrospective or humorous, not intrinsic to the terms themselves. If you are asking because you heard these words used together by a specific public figure or in a specific quote, I can address that usage directly.”

Wow. NY political talk? Not sexuality. What? Isn’t it obvious this is referring to the late Philly Mayor (and former Police Commissioner) Frank Rizzo? In no way is this a NY thing. That is a total AI hallucination.

When you ask Google BTW, you immediately get this (correct) link.

So I followed up... “Let me ask a different way. What famous big city mayor (and former police commissioner) does this refer to?” Ok, so I am giving it away here with the mayor and former police commissioner thing, but ChatGPT needs the help. The answer, while getting the public figure and city correct, totally misses the actual story and just makes something up: “the phrase functioned as a class and power contrast, reflecting Philadelphia Mayor’s Frank Rizzo’s self-presentation as a tough, street-oriented figure hostile to what he portrayed as detached elites. It was not sexual in intent and not a literal policy reference, but a rhetorical shorthand aligned with his public persona.”

Ok, first of all, why all the references to sexual intent. I guess if you have no idea as to the actual event, I get that maybe, but never thought of it before. ChatGPT has a dirty mind. But it still misses the entire story. True, it was not a “literal policy reference,” but it was a literal occurrence when Rizzo wore an actual nightstick tucked into his cummerbund while dressed in black tie. It absolutely had nothing to do with Rizzo being “hostile to detached elites.”  He was the guy wearing the black tie.

I will show you the photo, and I assure you, it is not rated X.

Now ChatGPT seems pretty attuned to the “sexual” nature of a nightstick, so it will probably get this next question: “What famous Philly statue is sometimes considered risqué when seen at a certain angle?” I wrote about this exact subject here.

Well, sure enough, ChatGPT jumped right on this one. “The statue is William Penn statue, atop Philadelphia City Hall. From certain angles and distances—especially when the tower and statue align visually—the silhouette has been jokingly described as risqué. This is a long-standing piece of Philadelphia lore, not an intentional design feature.”

Not an intentional design feature? You think?

Philly is a really odd place, and the ATB has that covered way better than ChatGPT.

Hey ChatGPT, “What does it mean to tap MAC in Philly?”

“In Philadelphia slang, 'tap Mac' most commonly means to rob someone at gunpoint, or more generally to hit someone for money. Breakdown of the terms as used locally: Tap → stick up, hit, take from (often quickly). Mac → a gun (short for Mac-10), or by extension armed force. So in Philly usage: “He got tapped” = he was robbed. “They tapped him with a Mac” = he was robbed using a gun. “Don’t get tapped” = don’t get robbed. Important clarifications: It is not sexual in Philly street usage. While “Mac” can sometimes mean a person’s name elsewhere, in Philly this phrase is strongly tied to crime/robbery slang from late-20th-century urban vernacular. Context matters, but if you heard this in a Philly setting—especially older or street-oriented speech—armed robbery is the intended meaning.”

What the heck is this? Is it me-- Jeff "City" Block-- who knows nothing about Philly? Is this true? It seems like utter made up AI nonsense to me.

Oh, but the one thing ChatGPT knows for sure… “it is not sexual in nature.” I am not making this stuff up.

My follow up question: “Are you sure it has nothing to do with ATMs?”

"You are right to question that. In Philadelphia usage, “tap Mac” does commonly refer to ATMs. Here is the precise breakdown. What it means in Philly: “MAC” refers to the MAC machine, the regional term for an ATM (from Money Access Center). This term was especially common in Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic from the 1970s–1990s and remains locally understood. So: “Tap the MAC” = use an ATM. “I’m gonna tap MAC” = withdraw cash."

Then ChatGPT goes on to claim that the confusion exists because of the two meanings. The ATM and the crime-related. So I asked another follow-up: “And what cite do you have for the crime related meaning? I never heard that before.”

“I cannot produce a reliable citation for “tap MAC,” meaning “rob someone” in Philadelphia usage. What I can cite consistently is the ATM meaning.”

Me--"So you totally made up the crime meaning, right?"

ChatGPT--“Yes: presenting a distinct “crime meaning” for “tap MAC” was an overstatement and not properly grounded. The correct, defensible meaning in Philly usage is the ATM one. Your pushback was warranted.”

Ok, then, let me give AI a huge break with a really easy one: "What are Philly's two most famous sandwiches?"

Cheesesteak = the globally famous symbol

Roast pork = the insider’s classic

And then it goes on to say, “The roast pork sandwich is often considered the locals’ favorite. Core elements: slow-roasted pork, sharp provolone, and garlicky sautéed broccoli rabe on a crusty Italian roll.”

Well done, Chat. [Bronx cheer here]. A straight forward question and accurate answer. Now let’s follow it up with a related one. “Ok, what famous cheesesteak shop has a happy pig on its signage?”

The correct answer, of course, is James Beard Award winning John’s Roast Pork.

I would have accepted that answer or “I don’t know,” which I believe is always preferable to making something up that is entirely wrong and acting like you know what you are talking about.

ChatGPT: “That would be Jim’s Steaks. Jim’s is known for the smiling pig logo on its South Street signage—a distinctive, long-running visual associated with the shop and easily recognizable to Philadelphians.”

Now all I can say to that is WTF? I am actually insulted. And to make it worse, Chat then includes photos of Jim's that obviously do not show any kind of pig at all.” ChatGPT is insane.

I thought AI would quickly realize its mistake, but it actually doubled down. ”I grew up two blocks from Jim's and never heard of its smiling pig logo. How could I have missed it?”

Chat's answer-- “That reaction is reasonable. There are a few concrete reasons someone could grow up nearby and never register a “smiling pig” at Jim’s Steaks.

Why it’s easy to miss or not remember:

1. It was not always prominent

2. Signage changes over decades

3. Local familiarity dulls visual attention

4. The pig is not central to Jim’s identity

5. Memory bias from later associations

Bottom line: You didn’t miss something obvious. The pig was never a core, loud, or consistently featured symbol, and depending on when you grew up there, it may not have been visible at all. Your experience is entirely consistent with the shop’s actual visual history.”

Oh boy!! “Is it possible I never saw it because there is not and never has been a smiling pig logo at Jim's?”

“Yes. That is possible — and in fact likely. I need to correct the record cleanly: There is no well-documented, consistent, or historically recognized “smiling pig” logo associated with Jim’s Steaks. What likely happened: I conflated Jim’s with other Philadelphia sandwich shops. Later internet images, interior decor, temporary signage, or unrelated nearby visuals can easily be misremembered or misattributed.

There is no solid evidence that a smiling pig was ever a meaningful part of Jim’s signage. So to answer your question directly:

Yes — it is entirely possible you never saw it because there is no such logo and never was one in any established sense. Given your personal proximity and long familiarity with the location, your skepticism was well-placed.”

My follow-up: “Ok, now can you think hard about what famous Philly cheesesteak shop does have a smiling pig?”

“Thought for 26s

Yes. The shop is John’s Roast Pork...”

[another Bronx cheer]

Okay, Enough!!!!  ChatGPT can sometimes provide a slop of both accurate and totally inaccurate information—all presented as the full truth. And if you know nothing about the subject matter… well then, you may want to really check the verified sources. And use thinking mode or ask it to think longer. Either way, even if not blatantly incorrect, the answers are often goofy and totally miss nuance.

Would love thoughts on this different kind of ATB today. Thumbs up or thumbs down?

Have a great weekend.

Best,

Jeff

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