July 31-August 6, 2003

the bell curve

City Paper's weekly gauge of Philly's Quality of Life

The city lost 1,900 jobs in June. In July, 1,900 applications for adoption were mailed to the Street family. Minus 7

Northeast Philly state rep is gathering backers for a law prohibiting the Eagles' hoagie ban. All of his constituents are Daily News writers. Plus 2

Mayor Street praises accused drug dealers for making hand-painted T-shirts. Apparently no Street aides bothered to read the T-shirts, which bore slogans like "World's Best Drug-Dealing Grandma" and "I sold crack and all I got was this lousy T-shirt." Minus 5

Melanie Hopkins files lawsuit against Thacher Longstreth's family for custody of her former fiance's ashes. If Thach is in her possession, she argues, she can make sure he regularly rolls over in his grave. Even

Eagles fans will also have to purchase water if they get thirsty next season; Lincoln Financial Field only has water fountains in the pricey club seating sections. Fans laugh at the notion of drinking water. Minus 2

Council members Marian Tasco and Frank Rizzo add themselves to list of city officials looking into having Love Park reopened to skateboarders. "But first I have to go to the hospital," says Rizzo. "Some skaters have just informed me that I am sick." Plus 4

Pa. state schools will have to cut their budgets and raise tuition 5 percent to stay afloat. Now it costs $50 a year to choose Temple. Minus 3

Tacony woman gets West Nile virus, Pa.'s first case of the summer. Friends and family tell her to put things in perspective -- West Nile is rarely fatal, and we are facing a potential hoagie ban here. Minus 3

Total pluses: 6

Total minuses: 20

Score for the week: -14

Last week’s score: -1