Feb. 10 (Bloomberg) — Illinois Senator Barack Obama, standing in front of the building where Abraham Lincoln gave his “House Divided” speech in 1858 opposing slavery, told Americans he will embrace a new kind of politics as he made his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination official. “We can build a more hopeful America,” Obama, 45, told supporters today in Springfield, Illinois. “And that is why, in the shadow of the Old State Capitol, where Lincoln once called on a divided house to stand together, where common hopes and common dreams still live, I stand before you today to announce […]
POLL: ONLY 13% OF CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS BELIEVE IN MAN-MADE GLOBAL WARMING
National Journal has released a new ?Congressional Insiders Poll,? which surveyed 113 members of Congress ? 10 Senate Democrats, 48 House Democrats, 10 Senate Republicans, and 45 House Republicans ? about their positions on global warming. The results were startling. Only 13 percent of congressional Republicans say they believe that human activity is causing global warming, compared to 95 percent of congressional Democrats. Moreover, the number of Republicans who believe in human-induced global warming has actually dropped since April 2006, when the number was 23 percent. Question: Do you think it’s been proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the Earth […]
HOT DOC: Inky Pulls Big Toe Out Of The Blog Pond
From: Brumfield, John Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 5:18 PM To: Inquirer Subject: From Anne Gordon Annette John-Hall and Dan Rubin to try out as Metro columnists over four weeks. The first to appear will be Dan, who will begin his column the week of Feb. 18. He will write one column a week that will appear on the Metro front. He will report directly to Tom McNamara during that time. Tom will work with Dan to craft a column that takes into account the news of the day and recognizes Dan?s strong voice. Dan will no longer write Blinq. […]
MOTHER OF INVENTION: Local Chick To Be Named FIRST WOMAN President Of Harvard In Like Ever
Drew Gilpin Faust is expected to be named Harvard?s 28th president this weekend, according to three sources familiar with the situation. The Board of Overseers, the alumni governing body that must approve the appointment, has scheduled a special meeting for Sunday, two sources said. The meeting had not been on the board?s regular schedule. If she is approved at that meeting, Faust, 59, will become the first woman to lead Harvard in the University?s 371-year history. Faust is set to succeed Lawrence H. Summers, who stepped down one year ago amid tensions with faculty. Derek C. Bok has served as […]
HIZZONER ’07: Dem Machine Gives CHAIRMAN BOB Lock On Nomination; GOP Preps For Agony Of Defeat
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – February 9, 2007 – The 69 ward leaders of Philadelphia’s Democratic Party are set to endorse a mayoral candidate today, something they haven’t done for an open primary in more than 35 years. The candidate is widely expected to be Congressman Bob Brady, the party’s chairman for the last 21 years. He was the only one of the five declared Democratic hopefuls to get a 20-thousand-dollar campaign donation from a political committee run by the party. And, until Wednesday, signs touting his name were the only ones hanging in the party’s headquarters downtown.The endorsement is considered such […]
NPR FOR THE DEAF: We Hear It Even When You Can’t
FRESH AIR Former Vice President Al Gore has been on the forefront of warning against global warming for many years. His critically acclaimed documentary on the subject, An Inconvenient Truth, is up for Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature and Music Written for a Motion Picture. PLUS, Joe Hunter, who died last week at the age of 79, was one of the Funk Brothers, the session musicians who helped create the Motown Sound. He could be heard on such hits as “Money” by Barrett Strong, “Shop Around” by The Miracles and “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas. AND David […]
REVIEW: Inland Empire (Dir. by DAVID LYNCH, 2006)
BY MATT PRIGGE FILM CRITIC Inland Empire looks like ass. It is also one of the best films released last year — and yet, for reasons that continue to elude me, this film has yet to be booked into an area theater. Maybe it’s the three hour running time, incomprehensible plot or the fact that it’s shot on video and, again, looks like ass. You could almost hear one of Malcolm Gladwell’s fabled Tipping Points make a thud when David Lynch — one of celluloid’s all-time bestest friends — declared a few months ago that not only was his latest […]
Cover Wars: Whose Artfag Kung-Fu Is Stronger?
As if we needed further proof that the winter doldrums are officially upon us, here comes two alt-weekly covers that scream at the top of their lungs: Low tide at idea beach. If you guys aren’t gonna try, why should we? WINNER: City Paper
EARLY WORD: I Am An American Aquarium Drinker
An evening of incendiary duos with Wilco’s Nels Cline and some of Philadelphia’s most idiosyncratic performers. Featuring percussionist Toshi Makihara (Eugene Chadbourne, Thurston Moore), Stinking Lizaveta guitarist Yanni Papadopoulos, and two of Philadelphia’s most accomplished jazz musicians, trumpeter John Swana and guitarist Rick Iannacone. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 NELS CLINE + TOSHI MAKIHARA CHARLES COHEN + YANNI PAPADOPOULOS RICK IANNACONE + JOHN SWANA 9PM | $5 ADMISSION AVANT GENTLEMEN’S LODGE 4028 FILBERT STREET
City Council Passes Historic Ban, Could Change Ratio Of Fat Kids To Skinny Kids, Even Kids With Chicken Pox
The bill, which passed unanimously, is a ban on restaurants using trans fats like partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that have been linked to heart attacks and death. While conceding that some restaurant chains have eliminated or are in the process of banning trans fats from their kitchens, Ramos said the new law will spur the industry to action and save at least 200 lives in the city each year. Assuming the mayor signs it, the bill, starting Sept. 1, will prohibit oils, shortenings and margarines that have trans fats and are used in frying or for spreads. In September 2008, […]
EXCLUSIVE: JOEY VENTO IN BED WITH SOUTHERN AGENTS OF INTOLERANCE & INDECENCY? OH MY!
So, as you may well have already heard, the running sore on the city that is THE JOEY VENTO AFFAIR was picked open again today: (AP) PHILADELPHIA ? The battle over an English-only ordering policy at one of the city?s signature cheesesteak joints is apparently far from over. The city?s human relations commission found evidence that the owner of Geno?s Steaks may have discriminated against immigrants by posting a sign telling customers, ?This is AMERICA: WHEN ORDERING ?PLEASE SPEAK ENGLISH,?? according to a letter sent to owner Joe Vento [pictured, left] last week. Vento?s attorneys had hoped the matter would […]