UPDATE: We have heard from a number of readers in COMMENTS that the finish time numbers were incorrectly reported. There is further discussion of this over at LETSRUN.COM. Looking into this now, but if true this would amount to the ‘very good explanation’ we referred to in the post. DEVELOPING… Who, you ask, is this handsome young buck with the impressive finish time in Sunday’s Broad Street Run? Why that’s Christopher Wink, aka The Future Of Journalism. We are not kidding about the ‘Future of Journalism’ thing, those are his words not ours — he says so right HERE. And […]
Feds Probe John Edwards Hush Money Allegations
WASHINGTON POST: The news that former senator John Edwards is under federal investigation for possibly using campaign dollars as hush money for his mistress is simply the latest blow to a man who rose faster and fell harder than almost anyone in modern political history. The North Carolina Democrat acknowledged in a statement to the Raleigh News & Observer that the U.S. Attorney’s office is looking into whether any of the money donated to his campaign was used to keep film maker Rielle Hunter, with whom Edwards had admitted an affair, quiet about their relationship. “I am confident that no […]
BOOKS: Q&A With FOUND Magazine’s Davy Rothbart
BY ADAM BONANNI Davy Rothbart’s first window into the lives of others came in a note mistakenly stuck to his car from a pissed off girl to her soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend Mario. The excitement of his find sparked Davy to create FOUND magazine, which he dubs a public art project where people submit objects they found that tell a story of their owners. Notes, photographs, drawings, and other forms of personal memorabilia are collected between the covers of FOUND, forming a kind of bread crumb trail to the quiet desperation of hidden lives. Some are funny, some are inspirational, and others are […]
PANDEMIC: Is It Soup Yet?
ASSOCIATED PRESS: A World Health Organization spokesman says the agency may raise its pandemic level to its highest alert, signifying a swine flu pandemic. WHO uses a six-level scale to assess the world’s risk. Last Wednesday, the agency raised the level to 5. Level 6 means a global outbreak of swine flu is under way. WHO spokesman Dick Thompson says Monday the direction WHO will take “will be dictated by the virus.” In an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais published Monday, WHO chief Margaret Chan implies the agency might raise the level to 6, but cautions that “Level […]
FAUX NEWS: 100 Days Of ‘Fair & Balanced’
From the indispensable folks at MEDIA MATTERS.
STOP THE PRESSES: NY Times To Close Boston Globe
UPDATE: After reaching tentative agreement early Monday with several unions at The Boston Globe, The New York Times Company has postponed its threat to start the process of closing the paper in 60 days, although talks with the biggest union are continuing. In negotiations that went past the midnight deadline set by the company, deals were struck with three unions representing more than 500 mailers, drivers and press operators. More than ever, the fate of the paper appears to turn on talks with the Boston Newspaper Guild, which represents more than 600 newsroom, advertising and business office workers. The company […]
OFFICIAL: It’s Here — Now What?
ASSOCIATED PRESS: Health officials confirmed Pennsylvania’s first case of swine flu Sunday in a 31-year-old man in suburban Philadelphia’s Montgomery County. Gov. Ed Rendell told reporters at a late afternoon news conference that the man had recently arrived from Mexico but had recovered. State health officials said they are investigating seven more probable cases of the illness, including the first outside of the Philadelphia area , two cases in Philadelphia, two cases in Montgomery County and one each in Bucks County, Lycoming and Luzerne counties. Pennsylvania Health Secretary Everette James urged residents to remain calm and said officials are taking […]
LIVE REVIEW: Philadanco’s Movers & Shakers
BY AARON STELLA There are some works of art, so exquisite and unique, that they warrant a review fitted to their specific abstraction. Such was the case April 30th of my viewing of Philadanco’s 39th annual round of spring performances, “Movers and Shakers”, which consisted of three world premieres and one company premiere performance. And so, I give you something a little different: Red Envelope (World Premiere) The faded beige curtains ascended and the house lights dimmed to total blackness. I glanced at my program before all sources of light were extinguished, catching that the first dance was entitled Red […]
WEEK IN REVIEW: The Good News Flower Hour
The Good News Flower Hour #19 The week that was in just five minutes! Prepare to smile. You know you wanna.
CINEMA: Heavy Metal Blunder
ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (2009, directed by Sacha Gervasi, 90 minutes, U.S.) X-MEN ORIGINS: THE WOLVERINE (2009, directed by Gavin Hood, 107 minutes, U.S.) BY DAN BUSKIRK FILM CRITIC Audiences seem torn between laughter and admiration when introduced to the Canadian metal band Anvil, the unlikely stars of this critically acclaimed new documentary. In the early 80’s the band briefly ran with giants like Metallica and Bon Jovi. Where many bands around them climbed the highest peaks of success, Anvil has soldiered on through a couple of decades of unbroken decline, still playing regularly at sports bars and weddings, […]
CONCERT REVIEW: As Emo As They Wanna Be
BY KYLEE MESSNER & DIANCA POTTS Taking the stage of the sold out Troc, Denver trio Single File subjected early show goers to subpar pop rock comprised of catchy cliché backbeats and worn out breakdowns. Would be stand-ins for emo all-stars Saves the Day, Warminster four piece the Traded Series served up a set of energetic anthems, complete with tone deaf vocals, power chords and leftover teenage angst. Prefacing their exit with a bit of self-advertising, the Traded Series’ “Let Go” failed to wow the crowd but managed to stir up a nostalgic throwback to high school basement shows and […]
BREAKING: Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire
NPR: NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the court’s current term. The court has completed hearing oral arguments for the year and will be issuing rulings and opinions until the end of June. Souter is expected to remain on the bench until a successor has been chosen and confirmed, which may or may not be accomplished before the court reconvenes in October. At 69, Souter is nowhere near the oldest member of the court, but he has made clear to friends for some time now that he wanted to […]
HEADS UP: You Have Just One Hour Left To Talk On Your Cellphone While Mowing Down Pedestrians
INQUIRER: At 4 p.m. today Mayor Nutter is slated to sign a bill that would ban the use of hand-held cellphones while driving, as well as bicycling or skating. First-time offenders would get hit up with a $150 fine, with a $300 fine for second offenses. The law will go into effect immediately, but the city will delay enforcement while it launches an information campaign of unspecified duration, a spokeswoman said. Citing a Harvard University study, the National Safety Council estimates that drivers using cell phones are about four times more likely to get into a wreck. Five states, including […]