Comedian Bill Cosby took to the streets of his native Philadelphia yesterday to rally residents against gun violence, and delivered a defiant challenge to those who believe the solution would be heaven-sent. “Stop waiting for Jesus to come,” he told a crowd of about 300 people from the steps of Bible Way Baptist Church at 52d and Master Streets, and urged the adults to be better parents and guides to children. “The revolution is in your neighborhood . . . in your streets . . . in your apartment . . . in your mind,” he said, telling parents to […]
COPS: ‘Boy In The Bag’ Killed By Dick In A Box
The mother of a little boy whose 1994 murder was so unremarkable that his anonymous corpse lay unclaimed in the Philadelphia morgue for more than a decade pleaded guilty today in his death and agreed to testify against her husband, who she says battered the boy to death. Alicia Willis Robinson, 34, who gave birth to the child who forever will be known as Boy in the Bag, pleaded guilty to a charge of hindering apprehension in exchange for an agreement to serve five years in prison. As part of the plea deal, she will testify against Lawrence Robinson, 38, […]
KILLADELPHIA: One More Dead Since U Went 2 Bed
Philadelphia homicide detectives are looking for a gunman in connection with a mid-afternoon homicide in Logan. It happened just before 3pm outside the Rite-Aid at Broad St. and Wyoming Ave. Police say the man was shot in the thigh and was rushed to Temple University Hospital where he died about 15 minutes later. There is no suspect and no motive in the case at this time. KYW: That Makes 169 Dead In 155 Days
GAYBO: Gee Your ‘Hair’ Smells Terrific!
BY TOMMY ZANE GAYDAR EDITOR When “Hair” debuted on Broadway in April, 1968, it changed the face of the world forever. The self-proclaimed “American tribal love-rock musical” was an ever-growing cacophony of rebellious noise representing race relations, anti-war sentiment and the sexual revolution. America was in the midst of a major cultural rift between the status quo and the non-conformist, and progressive thinking of a younger generation. “Hair” was heard loud and clear, not just on Broadway, but all over the radio with Galt MacDermot’s instantly classic compositions “Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine,” “Good Morning, Starshine” and the emotionally evocative ballad, […]
We Know It’s Only Rock N’ Roll But We Like It
SET THE CONTROLS FOR THE HEART OF THE SUN: Roger Waters On The Dark Side, Wachovia Center, Friday Night [PHOTOBUCKET] BY JONATHAN VALANIA FOR THE INQUIRER It was pretty much 40 years ago today that Sgt. Pepper taught the other bands to play like they were Picassos with guitars, and after that songs were replaced by statements — grandiose, interconnected, deeply ruminative — and albums were no longer mere collections, but high concepts. Arguably, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon is the highwater mark of rock’s evolution from low pop to high art. Some 34 years after its immaculate […]
KILLADELPHIA: One More Dead Since U Went 2 Bed
A man was killed early Saturday in a shooting a few blocks from Temple University’s campus, police said. The shooting took place just before 12:30 a.m. on the 1700 block of Sydenham Street. Police said the victim was not a Temple student, but were only describing him as being in his 20s. Police did not report any arrests. The fatal shooting was Philadelphia’s 168th homicide of 2007, a pace of more than one a day. NBC10: #168 Is A Done Deal KYW: Protesters Hold Die-In At Independence Mall DAILY NEWS: Death Of A ‘Hood Prince’
GUEST EDITORIAL: Eating Washington’s Squirrels
BY WILLIAM A. SOMMERFIELD For the past 10 years, the American Historical Theatre in Philadelphia has prided itself on the professional quality of the guides, docents and historical performers (or interpreters) we train and send out into the world to make the history of our nation come alive. Over time we have trained docents, guides and first person interpreters for important historical sites throughout the country. Philadelphia has a cadre of highly trained professionals, many of them are graduates from the American Historical Theatre program. You can tour historic Philadelphia by tour bus, trolley, double-decker bus, walking guide, horse carriage […]
HOLLA: The Tao Of Poo
BY JAMES DOOLITTLE As the wife can attest, the only thing this here Wook likes more than the 19 weeks of sex tied into the latest R. Kelly release (that’s right, one track per week) is a good, healthy, hearty dump. Alright, alright, maybe I’d place “The Wire” and a slice of “quattro formaggio” from Joe’s Pizza at the two and three positions, but we’re at least placing fourth in regards to the morning expulsion. And don’t kid yourself — you do too. Nothing says goodbye to that crappy day that was yesterday than, well, crap, which is why my […]
Cover Wars: Whose Artfag Kung-Fu Is Stronger?
In the future we will all live on the Internet, where, abetted by the micro miracles of nanotechnology, we will build vast hive-like colonies within the circuitry of microchips, convert ourselves into JPEGs and climb inside the New Frontier. It will be just like Tron, but with Kraftwerk doing the soundtrack. There will be no need for cars or oil or the wars that come with them, we’ll just attach ourselves to an email and type in the addy to wherever we wanna go; for vast distances, instead of flying, we will simply upload and download ourselves. And, most importantly, […]
GAMBLOR: Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
SLOTS CRIME STATS In the first four months of 2007, Pennsylvania State Police troopers assigned to gaming-enforcement offices at the Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack in Bensalem and the Harrah’s Chester Casino & Racetrack in Chester reported these crimes: Philadelphia Park: 29 thefts 17 forgeries or counterfeit bills 5 assaults 1 illegal firearm 11 drug investigations 1 public intoxication 2 harassments Harrah’s Chester: 34 thefts 1 robbery/purse-snatching 8 forgeries or counterfeit bills 6 harassments 1 domestic disturbance 1 indecent assault 1 criminal mischief/vandalism 1 fugitive from justice 2 outstanding warrants served DAILY NEWS: Casino Royale With Cheese Sleaze
REPORT: Global Warming Goes Downtheshore
The Shore: Inundated Boardwalks and Receding Beaches –North Wildwood could be turned into an island, separated from Wildwood Crest by shallow flooding from across New Jersey Avenue. –Cape May Beach would face accelerated erosion, and on average, Shore beaches could retreat inland between 50 and 150 meters. Camden: Water Supply at Risk –Camden could find increasing levels of salt water in its drinking water, since global warming-induced sea-level rise would push the salt front higher up the Delaware River. If the salt front reaches the Camden area, the city may have to shut its water supply wells and find an alternate […]
DAVE & BUSTED: ‘Playground For Grown-Ups’ Named In Illegal Immigrants’ Class Action Lawsuit
PHILADELPHIA — The 14 plaintiffs — most from Mexico — worked for Rosenbaum-Cunningham International Inc., a Palm Beach, Fla.-based janitorial firm. In Philadelphia, the company placed workers in Dave and Buster’s Inc., the restaurant chain that has a popular waterfront outpost in the city. Rosenbaum-Cunningham and three top executives were indicted this year in Michigan on federal charges they harbored illegal immigrants for profit and failed to pay the federal government more than $18 million in employment taxes. The charges are still pending. The immigrants say they worked as many as 110 hours a week cleaning kitchens, washing floors and scrubbing […]
THE EARLY WORD: Goldberg’s Rubes
[Photo by STEVE DUFALA] Originally presented as a workshop performance at the 2002 Philly Fringe, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines was a runaway hit with standing-room only houses and an extended run. Newly reimagined and performed by original co-creators Gabriel Quinn Bauriedel and Geoff Sobelle, of Pig Iron Theatre Company, with rainpan 43 co-founder Trey Lyford, the play is a physical and comic send-up of America’s obsession with technology and security. Through a unique blend of clowning and engineering, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines, machines reveals the claustrophobic bunker of three paranoid brothers so fixated on protecting […]