CBS NEWS: During the 2008 elections, Joe Lieberman attended the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. and pulled a Zell Miller, delivering a rousing speech — for Lieberman, that is — supporting supporting John McCain over Barack Obama for president. Back in the old days, such an act of party disloyalty would have been automatic justification for banishment to political Siberia. But after their election victory in November, the Democratic leadership held its collective nose and cut a pragmatic deal: Lieberman, now a self-styled “independent minded Democrat” got to keep his chairmanship in the caucus, his chairmanship of the […]
THE EARLY WORD: Walk The Line
PREVIOUSLY: The crowd, all demonstrably fans of thick frames and cardigans, swayed and lost themselves in what felt like a new New Wave manifesto for the ears. Politely thanking their fans for showing up and being “awesome,” Berman took the time to gush about his affections for Philly’s one and only R-5, recalling all the shows he attended as a teen prior to his days of indie stardom. “Young Adult Friction,” recently released as the band’s second video via music blogs and myspace, got showgoers rocking out like Ian Curtis rose from the dead. Lyrically alluring and audibly contagious, the […]
WORLD SERIES: Bensalem Woman Arrested For Offering To Trade Sex For Series Tickets
INQUIRER: Bensalem police said they arrested a Philadelphia woman Tuesday after she offered to perform various sex acts to an undercover officer in exchange for tickets. According to police, Susan Finkelstein, 43, posted an ad on Craigslist that read: “DESPERATE BLONDE NEEDS WS TIX (Philadelphia) “Diehard Phillies fan—gorgeous tall buxom blonde—in desperate need of two World Series Tickets. Price negotiable— I’m the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!” An undercover officer responded to the ad, police said, and arrested Finkelstein after she made her offer. MORE PHAWKER: This is the best use of severely limited police resources? Really? […]
BOOKS: Atlas Mugged
BY SAINT JOHN BARNED-SMITH FOR OBIT.COM During her life, Ayn Rand created a shrouded, larger-than-life myth about herself. She credited only Aristotle as an inspiration for her beliefs and insisted that her philosophy, Objectivism – which conceived of man “as a heroic being with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity and reason as his only absolute” – was a wholly original system. (Never mind that she read Nietzsche along with other philosophers and political theorists.) Ayn Rand changed her name (Alisa Rosenbaum) and home. The novelist and philosopher had […]
WORLD SERIES: When Frank Rizzo Met Joe DiMaggio
From To Every Thing a Season: Shibe Park and Urban Philadelphia, 1909-1976 By Bruce Kuklick:
DOPE: Finding A New Thrill On Pill Hill
BY JEFF DEENEY FOR THE DAILY BEAST If you want to know which prescription drugs are trading on the black market, take a ride up to 17th and Jefferson in North Philadelphia, aka “Pill Hill,” a corner dedicated to the sale of diverted pharmaceuticals. These days on Pill Hill, there’s a good chance you’ll get sold some Seroquels, also known on the street as ’Quells or Suzie-Qs. A powerful antipsychotic intended to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, Seroquel can have serious side effects including diabetes, a permanent Parkinson’s-like palsy called tardive dyskinesia, and sudden cardiac death. Despite this, it’s increasingly […]
RANT: A Pox Upon The House Of Yankees!
BY HEWHOCANNOTBENAMED Be it hereby announced. A pox upon all of your houses for your Yankee fandom. While I am ordinarily a Yankee-hater, John has fueled a new level of hate and vitriol in me because he called me last night and said “Man, it’s been soooo long since the Yankees have been in the World Series.” To me. A Cubs fan. And didn’t see a hint of irony in it. I hope A-Rod’s arm falls off and Cashman quits to be replaced by Steve Phillips. I hope senile old George Steinbrenner breaks out of the nursing home bed he’s […]
State Department Official/Ex-Marine Resigns Over Afghanistan Policy, Says War Is Over If You Want It
[Artwork by SHEPARD FAIREY] WASHINGTON POST: Hoh’s journey — from Marine, reconstruction expert and diplomat to war protester — was not an easy one. Over the weeks he spent thinking about and drafting his resignation letter, he said, “I felt physically nauseous at times.” His first ambition in life was to become a firefighter, like his father. Instead, after graduation from Tufts University and a desk job at a publishing firm, he joined the Marines in 1998. After five years in Japan and at the Pentagon — and at a point early in the Iraq war when it appeared to […]
AUDIT BUREAU: Newspaper Circulations In Free Fall
EDITOR & PUBLISHER: Circulation at many of the country’s largest newspapers continued a steep slide as the Audit Bureau of Circulations Monday morning released the latest figures for the six months ending September 2009 — proving yet again that the industry can’t shake the dramatic declines that have taken hold over the past several years. On a comparable basis, ABC reported that for the 379 newspapers filing with the organization, average daily circulation plunged 10.6% to 30,395,652 — one of the most severe drops in overall circulation. The Philadelphia Inquirer currently ranks 10th nationwide with a daily circulation of 361,480. […]
EARLY WORD: Making Time Thriller 3000
Saturday night with Simian Mobile Disco. Details HERE.
IT’S IN THERE: Public Option Added To Senate Bill
LOS ANGELES TIMES: Fueling momentum behind the push for a new government insurance plan, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Monday that his healthcare bill will include a compromise that would create a nationwide “public option,” while giving states the option to “opt out” of such a plan. “The public option is not a silver bullet, (but) I believe it’s an important way to ensure competition and to level the playing field for patients with the insurance industry,” Reid told reporters. “Under this concept, states will be able to decide what works for them.” Reid sent the proposal to […]
STYLE COUNCIL: Michelle Ma Belle
[Photos by ASHLEY MYERS] Michelle Garrett, 23, Temple University Student, works at Bella Boutique On her personal style: “I mostly shop at thrift stores — Super Thrift (Port Richmond Shopping Center on Aramingo Ave.), Circle Thrift, Madewell, and Zara — but I like mixing new accent pieces into my wardrobe.” Favorite Accessories: Necklace from Anthropologie. Chloé Bag, bought second hand at Bella Boutique, 4th and South Current Look She’s Likin’: Oversized blazers with boyfriend jeans and neon accents you can find them at J. Crew and Madewell
TONIGHT: Phillies Lose, Eagles Win!
BY MIKE WOLVERTON SPORTS GUY Phils Lose! Sort of. It would have been nice for the Phillies if the Angels could have found a way to beat the Yankees in Game 6 last night. This would have set up a Game 7 tonight in which each team would have turned to their ace pitcher. Then C.C.Sabathia (or John Lackey, had the Angels won) would get one less turn against the Phillies in the World Series. As it is, Sabathia may start against the Phils in Games 1, 4 and 7 (if necessary). Tough task against one of the most dominant […]