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ISSUE . February 15th, 2007
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Cover Story


Boy Missing
It's been 50 years. We still don't know his name.
by Sarah Weinman
He was only a little boy. Somewhere between 4 and 6 years old, with blue eyes, fair complexion and medium to light brown hair, crudely cut. His nude, severely malnourished body was wrapped in a cheap cotton flannel blanket, placed inside a cardboard box that originally housed a white bassinet. Deep bruises covered much of the boy's frame and face, a telltale indication of prolonged abuse. Tossed aside like trash off an isolated rural road, lying there for days, perhaps weeks, before anyone found him.


Opinion


Slant:
The Cost of Dying
The drug war claims more lives than drugs themselves.
by David Faris
Now that we have the official 2006 Philadelphia murder tally — 406 killings — we can start talking about ways to lower it. But wringing our hands and singing songs isn't going to cut it.

Editor's Letter:
Car 1215
I knew there was going to be trouble when I heard the singing.
by Duane Swierczynski
The guy wasn't on the attack. He was stripping. After his jacket came off, and then his sweatshirt, he staggered back to where I was standing. I held out my hand, palm up, to brace him in case he knocked into me. Which he did.

Loose Canon:
Pricks of Conscience
There's more to do than count carbon units and shake our heads.
by Bruce Schimmel
My wife and I were groaning our way through this new cheesy novella — known to some as Vince Fumo's federal indictment — when, somewhere between his vision for an alpaca farm and his obsession with Oreck vacuum cleaners, my spousal unit offered an observation about the apparent state of our state senator's soul.

Feedback:
Letters to the Editor
What You Say
Questionable Answer: With all due respect to Mr. [Dwight] Evans, I think his response exemplifies what is wrong with Philadelphia.


Naked City


Naked City :: Pride vs. PrejudicePride vs. Prejudice
Nicetown swim coach James Ellis inspired Terrence Howard's Pride. But his sights are still cast elsewhere.
by J.F. Pirro
"I always told our swimmers that if no one knew what [PDR] stood for, we'd make it stand for something," Ellis says. "We wanted [the competition] to hear PDR and think, 'Oh shit, here they come!'"

Running Numbers
A scholarly look at the digits that matter.
by Nick Norlen
 $1,000,000,000 approximate value; $390,000,000 net fourth-quarter profit; 128 points; 50 percent of 327 votes; 8th place sustainability ranking.

Stalling out at the Auto Show
Looking for new and innovative? You'd have been better off in Chicago.
by Char Vandermeer
Although Philly may feel like the Windy City these days, it certainly took a back seat to Chicago at the Philadelphia Auto Show. What was

Fine Print:
Dali Parts
Putting Salvador back together... with DNA.
by Francesca Heintz
"It was very geeky." That's how scientist Dr. Michael Rieders explained months of hard work to collect, identify and preserve the DNA of Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dali.

Icepack
Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.
by A.D. Amorosi
Try as I might — and you can throw dozens-a-new Dungen records 'n' Diplo remixes into le mix — it's getting harder to love the musica.


News


News :: Their Vinnie Amour
Underworld:
Their Vinnie Amour
Federal indictments make for strange bedfellows.
by Brendan McGarvey
"Never liked Fumo," one mob associate told City Paper during a recent interview, "until now."

Zoned Out
In May, voters will have a chance to change development oversight.
by Daniel Campo
Travel to almost any Philadelphia neighborhood these days, where residents are none too happy with recent or proposed development projects, and you'll hear plenty about zoning and the people involved with it.

The Insider:
How to Lasso a Voter
There are three main components to running a successful field campaign.
Get Out the Vote (GOTV) is literally the last thing a campaign does, but it is something all good campaigns begin to plan for months, if not years, in advance.

Cocktails With...:
Michael Nutter
Former 4th District Councilman, mayoral candidate, Democrat
by Brian Hickey
The good folks in City Paper's accounting department were none too pleased with the receipt from a recent Friday evening interview. But when you're the first of three mayoral candidates to 1) roll up on a "Cocktails With" interview sans handlers and 2) offer a toast to start the talk, a trio of $12 chardonnays is the least we can do.

Ask A Candidate
Joan Sage has a question for Chaka Fattah. Fattah has an answer.
The mayoral candidates speak of needing more police to roam the streets, but how about "policing" those politicians in business suits (and in City Council) who, for a decade, have flouted the contract ignored by Comcast?

Philly Blunt:
City Hall Enables Genocide
Could Mayor Street do more to help people in Darfur?
by Brian Hickey
This week, we turn our sights to Mayor John Street's Philadelphia, which, if you believe what you read on the municipal Web site, "celebrates African-American history 365 days a year."

Political Notebook:
Eyes on Those Eyeing the Election Prize
Putting Fattah under the lens.
by Mary F. Patel
it is crucial to this city that the next leader have the passion and political gravitas to take on all the pressing issues of the day.

The Bell Curve
City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter
When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.


Arts


Arts :: The Plush Life
Art:
The Plush Life
Stuffed-toy artist Heidi Kenney assembles a cuddly army for her first solo show.
by Amanda McKenna
Her foray into the world of stuffed toys began when Kenney started making hand-sewn felt toys of food for her eldest son. Soon after, she constructed her first true plush: a piece of toast with a face.

Culture Shock:
Things That Matter To People Who Matter
Don Quixote; Playing Chess on My Cell Phone While Riding SEPTA; NewsRadio; Korean Pickled Products
The computer on my Samsung cellie is not that bright. I almost always win or stalemate in every game. It always makes the same moves, so I always know what moves to counter with.

Book Review:
Dexter's Library
Paper Trails, by Pete Dexter
by Justin Bauer
The short piece Pete Dexter includes about the Mummers' celebration in his collection of columns, Paper Trails, is immediately recognizable more than 20 years after it was written.

Opera Review:
Split Decision
Porgy and Bess was conceived as an opera, but Gershwin's broadway roots are never far from the surface.
by Peter Burwasser
The current Opera Company of Philadelphia production does not clarify the issue.

Theater Review:
The Lost Waltz
La Ronde starts with a waltz, of course. How better to begin Arthur Schnitzler's fin-de-siècle Viennese play about coupling?
by David Anthony Fox
No play is more corrosively unromantic than La Ronde. It proved so shocking that it took a quarter-century (till 1921) for a full public production — and that was followed by riots and an obscenity charge.

Wizards of OS
Nerds://A Musical Software Satire explores the bloody battle between Gates and Jobs.
by David Anthony Fox
Welcome to the West's third gold rush (after mining, and movies, of course), where the new frontiers are hardware and software.

Like New
This assured production of Three Sisters sizzles with immediacy and defies all Chekhov cliches and misconceptions.
by Mark Cofta
In the midst of the Philadelphia New Play Festival, Villanova Theatre's revival of Anton Chekhov's not-so-new Three Sisters (1901) is particularly instructive.

Arts Picks:
Art After A Fashion
Thu., Feb. 15, 6-9 p.m., Conspiracy Showroom, 910 N. Second St.
by Kelly White
R.A. Friedman doesn't consider himself a fashion photographer, so how did he end up shooting live models wearing designs from Rose Green of design co-op Conspiracy Showroom? "Craigslist."

Andrew Jeffrey Wright and Skullphone
Runs through March 6, Maze Gallery, 1726 Chestnut St.
by Kelly White
The identity of Skullphone may remain unknown for now, but the L.A. street artist who marks urban areas with his signature skull-on-a-cell-phone posters is gaining a reputation.

Carlota Santana
Fri., Feb. 16, 8 p.m., $5-$18, Goodhart Hall, Bryn Mawr College, 101 N. Merion Ave.
by Janet Anderson
What does "contemporary" mean with an art form as old as flamenco? For Carlota Santana, it's the unlikely union of T-shirts and tango.


Arts Agenda


Arts Agenda :: Last ChanceLast Chance
Catch It or Regret It
by Lydia Navatsyk
"Empathetic" tells us taht empathy is the only human superpower; In "Winter Faction," the carnivalesque reigns; "Cityscapes"' focus on urban landscapes captures irony in images.

Arts Agenda Picks:
Just Do It
After Dark in the 18th Century
by Salihah James
Fri., Feb. 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m., free, Harriton House, 500 Harriton Rd., Bryn Mawr

On The DL
Drexel Chamber Singers Madrigal Dinner
by Mickey Jou
Fri.-Sat., Feb. 23-24, 7:30 p.m., $21.95, Great Court (Main Building), Drexel University, 32nd and Chestnut sts.

Day Tripper
Black Expressions Hip-Hop Festival
by Mary Wilson
Sat., Feb. 17, 8 p.m., Sun., Feb. 18, 4 p.m., $7-$20, Dance Place, 3225 Eighth St. N.E., Washington, D.C.

Galleries
Galleries are usually open Tuesdays through Saturdays; please call the gallery for exact days and hours. Receptions are denoted by a E . 201 GALLERY

Museums/Exhibits
Museums and exhibits have varying schedules; please call for exact days, hours and prices. ABINGTON ART CENTER , 515 Meetinghouse Rd., Jenkintown, 215-887-4882. JOSEPHINE ALCOOT:

Performing Arts
Please call the phone number listed with the venue for specific dates, times and ticket information. dance CHARADE Merce Cunningham Company dancer Jonah Bokaer will

Readings/Book Signings
ANNE KAIER AND MARION D. COHEN Poet Kaier is known for her bluntly erotic, violently lyrical poetry; poet/mathematician Cohen will present her latest collection, "Crossing


Movies


Movies :: Same Old SongSame Old Song
Drew Barrymore hits the high notes in an underwritten ditty.
by Sam Adams
Sometimes it takes a lousy movie to prove an actor's greatness. Anyone can look good in a masterpiece, but it takes real skill to single-handedly pull a movie out of the breach.

Under the Covers
Breach smothers under its own restraint.
by Cindy Fuchs
When he learns he has been "tasked to headquarters," FBI agent Eric O'Neill (Ryan Phillippe) is almost disappointed.

Feasting on Scraps
Hannibal Rising picks the character's bones dry.
by Shaun Brady
Authors can't always be trusted as the best caretakers of their own inventions.

Know Your Product
Factory Girl rolls off the assembly line.
by Shaun Brady
It's a tragic, all-too-common story: the starry-eyed quest for glory sabotaged by sordid reality; a pampered child of wealth unable to separate artistry from fame.

Screen Picks
Adams on Film
by Sam Adams
What Is It?; Man Push Cart; Precious Places; Nuggets: Celluloid Artyfacts of Sixties Rock

Repertory Film
repertory film Send repertory film listings to tami.fertig@citypaper.net. AMBLER THEATER 108 E. Butler Ave., Ambler, 215-345-7855, www.amblertheater.org. Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004,


Music


Music :: The Roof Is on FireThe Roof Is on Fire
A hip-hop hoodoo whodunit.
by M.F. DiBella
The Five Spot burns to the ground the night after a successful hip-hop show. Donovan McNabb pukes in the huddle. An impossible 62-yard field goal splits the uprights. The Roots album fails to go gold again. It's been said before but: "Hello, Higher Power, yeah, Tony from Oregon Avenue again. Can we get a fucking break down here?"

Aid or Invade:
Italy
Rodney Anonymous vs. The World
by Rodney Anonymous
If your name is Patrizio Buanne and you have olive skin and dark, wavy hair, you probably don't lose a lot of sleep worrying about being mistaken for a Swede.

One Track Mind:
Musiq Soulchild
"Buddy"
by Drew Lazor
Now that the nostalgic vapors of Black Lily have evaporated amid the Five Spot rubble, Philly has placed an ad for a modern soul savior.

Soundadvice
Six great reasons to get out of the house.
A Sunny Day in Glasgow; Brown Sugar Party; Aquarius Fest '07; David Bromberg; Marnie Stern; Jon Anderson/Paul Green All-Stars

Music Picks:
Suphala
Sat., Feb. 17, 8 p.m., Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St.
by Deni Kasrel
Masters of the Indian tabla hand drum frequently hail from a family of musicians where tricks of the trade are handed down from generation to generation.

Akron/Family
Thu., Feb. 15, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave.
by A.D. Amorosi
Akron/Family make acidic field hollers that ripple with steel guitar waves and old, wheezing Moogs, their squeaky, harmony-filled gospel tunes complete with bridges and creaky like old rocking chairs.

Dr. Dog
Fri., Feb. 16, 9:30 p.m., Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave.
by A.D. Amorosi
Despite its canine name, Dr. Dog is more like a roach.

The Apples in Stereo
Fri., Feb. 16, 9 p.m., North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St.
by A.D. Amorosi
One day, your kid will look at you with bright eyes and ask: "Was life really as simple as The Apples in Stereo made it seem?"


Food


Food :: Sum Kind of WonderfulSum Kind of Wonderful
Hits and misses on the local dim sum scene.
by Elisa Ludwig
The Chinese New Year begins Feb. 18, which means it's time to indulge in lucky treats like turnip cake, jiaozi (dumplings) and all the fried dough you can get your hands on. Surveying the scenes at Imperial Inn, Lakeside Chinese Deli, Saigon Maxim, Ocean City and Great Tea International.

Small Bites:
El Zarape
Mexican joints have been popping up in Philadelphia like clovers after a monsoon, and not even South Philly has reached its saturation point.
by Trey Popp
El Zarape is not going to rewrite the rules of the Philadelphia taqueria but as long as you don't import your expectations from California, it's got solid chops in two departments: pork and milk fat.

Feeding Frenzy
Restaurants opening, closing and pending
by Drew Lazor
NOW SEATING: Academia del Caffé; WAITING LIST: Pumpking Market; Rum Bar; Savory Off South 

What's Cooking:
The Week In Eats
Sweet Kellianne's Whip It! A One-Woman Cookin' Show, Jamaican Me Crazy and more.
by Elisabeth Holm
Sweet Kellianne's Whip It! A One-Woman Cookin' Show; Slow Cooker Recipes and Techniques; Jamaican Me Crazy; Young Professionals Chilean Wine Tasting; American Roots Festival

Top 5:
Garlic Dishes
Breath of Life
by Margaret Battistelli
1) Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Flatbread, Derek's Restaurant 2) Roasted Organic Poussin with Sweet Garlic Bread Pudding, Restaurant M 3) Cazuela de Calamar al Ajillo, Xochitl 4) Olive Oil Gelato with Candied Garlic, London Grill 5) Tostones, Cuba Libre

Watering Hole:
Abby's Desert Lounge
It's Where We Drink
by Will Dean
Photos on the wall of boxing matches, Negro League games and Eagles players brand University City's Abby's Desert Lounge as a ports bar, but there's more going on inside.


Agenda


Agenda :: Building A Fortress
Agenda Lead:
Building A Fortress
Meetup.com artists finally meet up
by Amanda McKenna
On Saturday, members of Kat Reilly's 22 Meetup.com groups will converge a the grand opening of the Fortress for the Arts.

Agenda Picks:
Gettin' Some
The Prom Date
by Monica Weymouth
Maybe prom didn't go so well the first time around. The acne, the hormones, the hideously awkward pictures — it wasn't your fault. Here's your chance to do it all over again ... this time, in style.

Justify Your Existence
GPS Basics for Navigation and Geocaching
by Lisa Tauber
"We try to get people familiar with the unit and make it fun, and just encourage them to get outside and use their GPS to enhance their activities."

Just Do It
Can We Fix Health Care Before It Kills Us?
by Will Dean
If you're one of the millions of Americans living without health insurance, you've probably dreamt about Walter Tsou's system for universal health care.

Kids, etc.
Big Fun for Little Ones
by Linnay Trail
Sixth Annual Chinese New Year Celebration; President for a Day; Art Attack Family Scavenger Hunt; The Toilet Bowl; Mardi Gras Masks

What We Heart
Vintage Lucite Chairs
by Elisabeth Holm
While Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell probably weren't singing about furniture, their motto still applies: "Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby."


 
 
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