Wow, how about this weather, huh?

In most cities this time of year, if you have a news story which contains a graf starting-

“With warm spring weather, ‘more people are out…’”

The next part will likely be about folks using parks, going outside and dining more, heavier traffic at the beach, that sort of thing.

Here in Philadelphia, this is the whole paragraph-

With warm spring weather, “more people are out,” Philadelphia homicide detective Ron McClane said late yesterday afternoon. The weekend “is getting out of control,” he said.

Because, you see, we had five killings in 24 hours, bringing our total for the year up to a stunning 121.

But the weekend isn’t quite over yet.

And it’s supposed to be another beautiful day today.

 

Strangers on a train

***On the train this morning***

1) A high school kid tried to sell a laptop computer to me.

2) As I was waiting to disembark, I heard the following conversation-

Lady On the Train 1: He’s gotten me so addicted to scrambled eggs. I eat them for breakfast, dinner, lunch. We eat them all the time. God, we must be eating scrambled eggs 5, 6 times a week now. We’re eating scrambled eggs like… like…

Lady On the Train 2: Like they’re going out of style.

I totally should have submitted that to Overheard. Ah, well.

 

We win!

On MSNBC just now- the mayor of Boston was talking about his city’s homicide problem, having racked up a troubling sixteen so far this year and his need to reassure the citizens that they are doing all they can to work on the problem.

Sixteen?

Over the weekend, our fair city (Philadelphia) hit 104.

 

Buildings, tall

Really, really- you should check out Brad Maule’s photos from the very top of the still-in-progress Comcast Center. Just incredible stuff.

 

Health food

This morning, I stopped into the local convenience store chain to grab something for breakfast. A quick breakfast sandwich- turkey sausage, cheese and some sort of bread on either end.

While I waited for my sandwich, I saw another guy there waiting. He was one of those folks where you worry about their health, easily over three and a half bills. When he walked away for a second, it was a true physical effort, where going a few steps seemed as though it would do him in with the labored breathing. He’d gone to get a beverage to drink while waiting for his two sausage-egg-and-cheese sandwiches.

What was the refreshing early morning beverage?

Why, one of WaWa’s make-them-yourself chocolate milkshakes, of course.

Which he finished before his sandwiches came.

I still ate my sandwich, though. It was tasty.

 

Uncle Miltie

The deadline for petition signatures was yesterday and Milton took the opportunity to announce that he was no longer running for mayor, but rather for one of the At-Large City Council seats up for grabs this year.

Now, the twist to that- The mayor’s son, Sharif Street, is also running for one of those seats. From the Inquirer article comes this section, which allows you to visualize very well the emotions that likely passed across the young man’s face as he processed this information:

“Thank God,” Sharif Street whispered as his uncle told reporters that he wouldn’t run for mayor. “Thank God. This is a good thing he’s doing.”

But as his uncle’s new plan emerged, Sharif Street – who had just turned in 5,600 signatures – froze.

“I’m still gathering my thoughts,” he said, appearing stunned. Eventually, though, he rallied. “We’re going to figure things out,” he said. “Every individual has a right to run for office. In life you face the obstacles in front of you.”

That is going to be an uncomfortable Easter dinner for the Street family this year.

 

Eagles fan against Eagles fan

BREAKING NEWS: Rush Limbaugh has declared civil war in Philadelphia

Let’s get a little proportion and let’s talk about the fact that it is not safe to walk in parts of our own American cities. Democrat [sic]-run cities, liberal politicians. The contrast in big media coverage, especially the TV networks, is sickening. If we were to follow the way Democrats want to deal with Iraq and apply it to how we should deal with Philadelphia and other crime-ridden big cities, we should do the following: Cut off all federal funding for Philadelphia. Withdraw all federal agencies and FBI offices, any federal law enforcement, get them the hell out of there by 2008 so Hillary Clinton doesn’t have to deal with it when she’s inaugurated in January of 2009. It sounds to me like there’s a civil war going on in Philadelphia and in other major American cities, and we ought not be in the middle of it.

 

Barbaro died for your sins

@ Philadelphia Will Do – Field Guide To Barbaro Messageboard Factions

• Children of Barbaro: These people believe Barbaro was put here on this earth “for a reason.” Some go even far enough to say he’s a prophet from Jesus himself, or he is a human being — or an “old soul” — reincarnated in a horse’s body. There has been little talk of Barbaro rising on the third day, but wait until tomorrow. Example:

I do think that on some level Barbaro did know, in his animal way, what he was about. I think he is an old soul who came here for a reason to help other animals especially horses. He did his job and now he’s off to other matters. An evolved soul in a horse’s body. We responded to that, we “got” it, that this wasn’t just a horse. We joined him in his mission, now he’s gone and we can carry it through to finality.

And many, frighteningly, many more.

 

Of course, [then, gravely] of course.

In case you haven’t heard, Barbaro the wonder horse has been put down.

Philadelphia Will Do points in the direction of the mighty steed’s owner’s site, where the comments thread on the announcement is interesting, to say the least.

- Thank you God for Barbaro’s right and perfect healing, and for his complete recovery. Thank you God that miracle follows miracle, and wonders never cease.

- Breathe…breathe…breathe…

- I read this news on thoroughbredtimes.com I feel they shouldnt have printed this news and gave team barbaro the dignity to tell us this news. I pray for them and i thank them for everything they had to do for bobby. They are amazing people and my heart goes out to them. OMG how am i going to get through this, i hurt so bad… I LOVE YOU BARBARO

- You are running in the heavens now, no more casts, braces or surgeries, you are free!

Actually, I heard that they specifically put horses to work in heaven.

EDIT: Scroll down near the bottom for the fanfic about the euthanization, posted by ‘Harriette’ at 5:58 PM (board time). My god.