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Newsletter for Oct. 3, 2014
CAR DEALERS WARM UP PHILLY KIDS
Philly public elementary schoolers show off new coats donated by the Auto Dealers CARing for Kids Foundation. The foundation donated about 6,000 new coats this year. Photo courtesy Auto Dealers CARing for Kids.
PORNY EMAILS CLAIM FIRST TWO CAREERS
The head of the state Department of Environmental Protection and his top aide resigned Thursday, the first two victims of a pornographic email scandal sweeping Pennsylvania government. Christopher E. Abruzzo and his aide Glenn Parno stepped down — though Abruzzo said in his resignation letter that he wasn’t sure how many dirty PowerPoints he clicked through or forwarded, it was apparently enough for him to quit. Also Thursday, The Morning Call of Allentown broke the story that the state’s top judge, Seamus McCaffery, had been forwarding porny emails from his personal email account. Sounds like some required HR training in email etiquette is coming to Harrisburg in short order.
MEET THE POT ADVOCATE WHO PLANS A BLAZE OF GLORY OUTSIDE CITY HALL
Ex-Marine Michael Whiter wants to get the city’s first-ever ticket for smoking marijuana in public, so he’s told police and the press that he’s lighting up in front of City Hall on Oct. 20. That’s when the new marijuana measure signed Wednesday by Mayor Nutter goes into effect, turning possession of a small amount of the drug from an automatic arrest into a $25 fine — or a $100 fine if the smoker is firing up in public. Which most definitely includes City Hall. “I’ve been fighting for two years — hard — to get marijuana legalized and this is a huge step,” Whiter told the Metro. “So being the first ticket, it’s pretty symbolic.”
PHILLY’S INBOX ZERO PROBLEM: THE CITY DELETES EMAILS SUPER FAST
Fifty days. That’s as long as the city of Philadelphia holds officials’ emails, WHYY’s Holly Otterbein has found. Why? “Storage costs,” said a public official who apparently has never used Gmail. Even Pittsburgh is on Google Apps for Government, which provides a round ton of storage space (all figures approx.). So why the purging? Good government officials warn that it could be a problem, but none see any pressing reason to change a policy drafted in 1999 (and revised by Mayor Nutter in 2009).
GAWKER USERS: PHILLY’S ACCENT IS WORSE THAN MEMPHIS’
It’s a Web poll, so it’s not exactly scientific. But Gawker has pitted our fair city against the drawl of Tennessee, and, well, we know how this one ends. Interestingly, Pittsburgh spanked Atlanta in the same division. So it’s ‘jawn’ vs. ‘yinz’ in the next group, right?
TO DO: FREE MACBETH, NEW ORLEANS-STYLE
WHAT: Revolution Shakespeare’s production of the Scottish Play (did you know it’s bad luck to say the play’s name? Seriously, twice in one email would doom this). Bonus: The production includes a brass band. Sounds nifty.
WHERE: Hawthorne Park, 12th & Catherine streets
WHEN: 7 PM
HOW MUCH: Free
DETAILS HERE
BILLY PENN LIKES
WATCH THE PHILADELPHIA GEEK AWARDS IN 2 AND A HALF MINUTES
Giant insects, LED facemasks and a strolling accordion player set the scene for this quick video recapping the 2014 Philadelphia Geek Awards. The event, now in its fourth year, was held before a sold-out audience at the Academy of Natural Sciences on August 16.
COLLEGE REPUBLICANS MASH UP AN ELECTION AD WITH ‘SAY YES TO THE DRESS’
Because nothing screams “vote for me” like grafting a reality show onto a wonky contest between two guys named Tom… This exceedingly strange video produced by the College Republican National Committee shows a young lady choosing between two dresses: The “Tom Corbett,” which (this being a GOP production) is better for her budget, or the “Tom Wolf,” which is totes hideous. So the moral of the story is vote for the candidate that is cuter?
