October 7-13, 2004

the bell curve

The Bell Curve

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

In town for two performances, singer Morrissey is involved in Center City fender bender. The more you ignore objects in the rearview mirror, the closer they get.
Even

City's estimated 225,000 new and changed voter registrations are most since 1983 Goode-Rizzo mayoral showdown. And if we've learned anything from history, in elections like these, the mad bomber always wins.
Plus 7

Since it still hasn't been decided whether Nader is eligible to run in PA, some election officials wait to send out absentee ballots. Hanging chads, hanging schmads. Consider this proof of just how desperate we are to beat Florida at anything.
Minus 1

City fire and police departments still plagued by problems with their two-year old radio system. Problem number one: All Eskin. All day.
Minus 5

Convicted drug dealer's ferryboat-turned-nightclub catches fire three times over the weekend. The boat, the boat, the boat was on fire.
Minus 3

Local companies still owed millions from construction of Lincoln Financial Field. "Perhaps you recall that we got T.O.?" implore Eagles.
Minus 2

Larry Bowa fired. He will draw on his four years experience managing this bunch of crybabies and open the "best goddamn, motherfucking daycare center this piece of horseshit town has ever fucking seen."
Plus 10

Fired mayoral aide John Christmas arrested for allegedly helping Muslim cleric collect $60,000 from the city without doing any work. Talk about a double standard. Mayoral aide Juan Ramadan skates on charges of helping a similarly troubled Catholic priest.
Minus 6

Total pluses: 17
Total minuses: 17
This week's total: Even
Last week's total: -13