[Illustration by Alex Fine] BY JEFF DEENEY “Today I saw…” is a series of nonfiction shorts based on my experiences as a caseworker serving formerly homeless families now living in North and West Philadelphia. I decided not long after starting the job that I was seeing so many fascinating and disturbing things in the city?s poorest neighborhoods that I needed to start cataloging them. I hope this bi-weekly column serves as a record of a side of the city that many Philadelphians don’t come in contact with on a daily basis. I want to capture moments not frequently covered by […]
THE EARLY WORD: New World Order
THE ORDER OF THINGS FEBRUARY 24 + 25, 2007 Wagner Free Institute of Science THE ORDER OF THINGS invites visitors into an ethereal and seductive sound-scape that explores our relentless quest for order, from the private sphere to the vast domains of the natural world. This world premiere piece by British sound artist Scanner (a.k.a. Robin Rimbaud) will feature an electro-acoustic installation and 45-minute performance inspired by and created for the breathtaking space of The Wagner Free Institute of Science. Scanner’s work will celebrate the tercentenary of Swedish biologist Carolus Linnaeus, who was the father of modern taxonomy. The Wagner […]
GAYBO: I Know Who Knocked Up Anna Nicole
BY TOMMY ZANE Here’s what I want to know about Anna Nicole: How can someone have so much money and be so unhappy? I mean, I just love hearing the sob stories of the rich. Daddy’s Little Girl can’t afford her Mercedes anymore because of her coke habit, or Biff can only go to Bermuda this summer instead of Italy, because Daddy lost some money in the stock market when Zimbabwe expelled the white farmers. Of course, Anna Nicole came from nothing, but please don’t confuse her story with the American Dream. She fucked, sucked and schemed her way to […]
THE EARLY WORD: Girls Can Tell
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HIZZONER ’07: Is Milton Street The Black Moses?
T. Milton Street, who hopes to replace his younger brother as mayor, offered an interesting political wager yesterday. Street promised to drop out of the mayoral race if he fails to draw a minimum of 5,000 supporters to a noon rally at City Hall on March 1. “If they don’t show up, then I’m out,” Street said. “That’s the end of it. You don’t have to worry about me again. All right? OK?” As Street called upon the city masses to rise up and join him, another mayoral candidate beseeched voters and television- news crews to ignore Street’s clown-like antics. […]
GUNCRAZY: The Cos In Town To Diss Thug Life
(CBS 3) PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia native Bill Cosby is expected to discuss gun violence when he returns to the city Wednesday.Cosby will speak at a forum at the Community College of Philadelphia in an event sponsored by Men United for a Better Philadelphia.He is expected to addresses the topics of mentoring young people and violence during the discussion. KYW: Fold Your Hands, Child, You Walk Like A Peasant
CRIME: Gunless Crooks Use Hot Java As A Weapon
Authorities across the Delaware Valley are asking for the public’s help for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the so-called “splash and grab” robbers who have been targeting 7-Elevens, Wawas, and other businesses over the past few weeks. Philadelphia police captain Benjamin Naish says the robbers have hit three times in Philadelphia and at least 16 times in the region, mostly at convenience stores. He says the weapon used is a hot drink: “One of the males is obtaining hot, steaming hot liquid — coffee or hot chocolate. They bring it to the counter, and when the cashier […]
HIZZONER ’07: Something ‘Funny’ About Brady’s Money?
In early summer 2003, at least 27 city judicial candidates, among others up for election that November, wrote checks to a political action committee called the Appreciation Fund.They gave $200, $500, $1,000 at most. Nearly half the money raised paid for a July banquet honoring U.S. Rep. Bob Brady [pictured, left, with Johnny Doc] , then celebrating his 18th year as chairman of Philadelphia’s Democratic Party, as well as the retiring 60th Ward leader, Isadore Shrager. The rest of the money sat unspent – until two months ago. That’s when the Appreciation Fund was almost depleted, with more than half the […]
HIZZONER ’07: Milton Out On Bail, Campaign Sets Sail
T. Milton Street Sr., who last week announced his candidacy for mayor of Philadelphia, was handcuffed and jailed for five hours Monday on charges that he ignored traffic tickets in two South Jersey towns. Street, 67, who is facing trial on federal corruption and tax evasion charges, said he was “totally shocked” by Monday’s events, which began when a Moorestown patrolman who knew that his township had a warrant for Street’s arrest recognized the former Pennsylvania state representative and hot dog vendor buying a newspaper in a 7-Eleven store. After posting $3,250 bail, Street was freed from the Burlington County […]
WE KNOW IT’S ONLY ROCK N’ ROLL BUT WE LIKE IT
THE SHINING: Divided Like A Saints, Aquarius Fest, Friday Night [FLICKR] EVA SAYS: Maybe it was the two tabs of Robitussin. Or the flu. Or the first 40. But probably it was all of the above plus the second 40, and the packed to the gills and the tripping balls atmosphere around Danger Danger on Friday night. But anyway, long story short, I got a little out of my head. I get there before midnight yet and already the place is rammed. I hear Normal Love playing upstairs, and I’m excited, but I’m only able to catch the tail end […]
INTERVIEW: How Devil Girl Became Mrs. Natural
BY JONATHAN VALANIA Almost everyone knows R. Crumb‘s work whether they realize it or not. Keep On Truckin‘? You’re soaking in it. Cheap Thrills? You betcha. Big butts? He invented them. Devil doll glamazons offering piggyback rides to nebbishy four-eyed horn dogs? Sweet Jesus! Giddyup! (If none of this rings a bell, you would do well by renting Terry Zwigoff’s 1994 documentary, Crumb.) Aline Kominsky-Crumb, his wife of 35 years, is not quite the household word her husband is, but that may well change, depending on how hip the household. Aline has been cartooning as long as her husband has, […]
OBIT: Local Gay Rights Pioneer Dead At 75
Pioneer Gay rights activist Barbara Gittings at the first homosexual rights demonstration, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, July 4, 1965. Feb. 19 (Bloomberg) — Barbara Gittings, one of the earliest activists to push the U.S. government to provide homosexuals with equal rights, has died. She was 75. Gittings died yesterday at 7:25 p.m. in Kennet Square, Pennsylvania, after a lengthy battle with breast cancer, said friend Mark Segal, publisher of Philadelphia Gay News. She is survived by her partner of 46 years, Kay Lahusen, and sister Eleanor Gittings Taylor. In 1965, Gittings and several gay men and lesbians were the first to […]
NY Times Spotlights Philly DJ Crew Raided By RIAA
The Aphilliates’ inner circle, in their Atlanta studio, from left: Willie the Kid, DJ Drama, Jay Stevenson (the studio engineer), DJ Sense, DJ Don Cannon. By SAMANTHA M. SHAPIRO In 1996, Sense and Drama, then both freshmen majoring in mass communications, met in Brawley Hall, their dorm at Clark Atlanta University. C.A.U. is part of the country’s largest consortium of historically black colleges, directly abutting Morehouse and Spelman. Drama and Sense were both aspiring D.J.s, and they were both from Philadelphia. After they met, they competed in a local D.J. battle and became friends. The following year they met Cannon, […]