Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

2 Number of Philadelphia-based businesses — Comcast and Aramark — in Fortune's list of "America's Most Admired Companies." You're lucky it's Lent, Comcast. I gave up ragging on easy targets.

3 Number of flaming torches juggled by one of the participants in the modest but lively Purim parade that traversed both sides of South Street last Saturday night. Relax, South Street cops, it's Jewish Mardi Gras, not the kind that results in property damage.

7 Number of bouts — out of 39 total — that will feature Philly Roller Girls' home teams at the East Coast Roller Derby Extravaganza, March 17 and 18, at the Sportplex, just outside of Northeast Philly. Visit www.phillyrollergirls.com for info on how to see the Liberty Belles, the Broad Street Butchers, Philthy Britches, Heavy Metal Hookers and my personal favorite, the Philly Cheese Skates. Broad Street Broads would have been cleverer, no?

$26 Required fee for my driver's license renewal, as indicated in the form sent by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Apparently the DMV thinks the price is so reasonable that they included in the mailing a VisitPA brochure highlighting the best places to procure that most necessary of meals: brunch. VisitPA recommends Philadelphia's Four Seasons Hotel, where I could probably get half a creme brulee for $26. The DMV: Finding new ways to frustrate.

56 Number of responses, as of press time, to Aleigh and Laurennn's consumating.com invitation to a March 23 event involving dinner at Cedars Restaurant at 616 S. Second St. and glow-skating afterward at Millennium Skate World in Camden. Nothing like Middle Eastern cuisine followed by roller-skating. R.S.V.P. at consumating.com. Just beware of scantily clad and heavily bruised groups of girls angry at those who question their pun-based names.

Can I get your digits? I want to hear about the numerals you need to see. Let a number runner know at runningnumbers@gmail.com.