💡 Get Philly smart 💡
with BP’s free daily newsletter
Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes — not that we’re counting.
This week marked the last time anyone could register to vote for the mayoral primaries, but nobody still has any idea who’s winning. All we pretty much know is that the candidates are campaigning all over the place. Also, Tebow. Philadelphia got Tebow. As always, Billy Penn recaps those stories and more, combining them with music, in the #BillyPennPlaylist (click here for the Spotify playlist).
“Sweet Surrender,” Sarah McLachlan
With the FCC and the U.S. Department of Justice closing in, Comcast gave up in its attempt to merge with Time Warner.
“No One,” Alicia Keys
No one can reasonably say ANY mayoral candidate is the front-runner at this point. Why? Because no unbiased group has commissioned a poll. And that’s not normal. By the end of April in 2007, at least 10 unbiased polls has been commissioned.
“You’re Not Sorry,” Taylor Swift
Drexel mailed out 495 acceptance letters by mistake, telling kids it didn’t want to accept that they could go to Drexel. And the university isn’t going to honor the acceptance letters.
“Ain’t It Fun,” Paramore
Life is really just not going that well for Kathleen Kane, volume 273. In addition to all the possible criminal charges and her staff leaving her, the Inquirer reported she’s now getting sued by an undercover agent who was involved in that sting operation she shut down.
“I Get Around,” 2Pac
Mayoral candidates really get around. Check out their schedules. These last couple weeks — not including Anthony Williams’ Harrisburg travel — they’ve traveled about 100 miles around the city.
“Grow Old With You” Adam Sandler in “The Wedding Singer”
SEPTA Key has already launched — if you’re old enough. People age 65 and older can use the newly installed turnstiles by swiping their driver’s licenses. About 11,000 have done it so far. Good on you, Philly seniors. The rest of us will have to keep buying tokens. Also, this 94-year-old main trained for the Penn Relays. Seniors were just doing it all this week.
“Only the Good Die Young,” Billy Joel
A conservative Catholic group has a problem with St. Joseph’s University letting Mayor Michael Nutter give this year’s commencement speech. The group is pretty much pissed that a Catholic university would let a pro-LGBT person like Nutter talk.
“Shine,” Collective Soul
City Council President Darrell Clarke has long spoken out against dark money from PACs. And on Thursday he introduced a bill that would shine some more light on them, forcing PACs to disclose who their donors are earlier and more frequently. They currently don’t have to disclose until May 8.
“The Show,” Lenka
After months of anticipation, Ride Indego, Philly’s version of bike share, is finally here. It launched on Thursday around lunchtime with a celebration in Eakins Oval, and if you go to any of their 60-plus stations, you should be able to find a bicycle to use.
“Everybody Hurts,” R.E.M.
The entire city entered a period of mourning on Monday when the Eagles officially signed Tim Tebow. Good luck, Timmy! I’m sure the Eagles fans will be really nice.
