May 22, 2008

Main Liner Shockingly Annoyed

Today's question for Salon advice columnist Cary Tennis comes from some snooty rich person on the Main Line (I guess), and is as follows: My neighbor's son is playing basketball from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., and I can't stand the bouncing. Also, I will point out that he sucks at hoops.

Gawd, how bad is it that a kid wants to get out and get some exercise and attempt to better himself at something he clearly enjoys doing! The nerve of that stupid little punk.

The real question is, of course: How close could houses in a "lawned and leafy, neo-bucolic suburb of Philadelphia" be? And how loud could a basketball being dribbled be, especially when it's at 3:30 in the afternoon? And how could you live that close to Narberth and be annoyed by basketball?

Anyway, if you're an adult with a kid who loves basketball and plays a lot, I suggest you start teaching him some new skills: Like shotput throwing, drumming or possibly screaming contests.

He dribbles! He shoots! He drives me insane! [Salon]
Thanks, Emily G.

Posted by D-Mac at 11:30 AM | Comments (2)

May 14, 2007

Barack Obama Attempting New Campaign Tactic

Barack Obama is mixing the old and the new in this area today. One, he's frolicking around New Jersey trying to get the AFL/CIO to support him and chillin' with Newark's mayor.

Two, he's renaming a local Jewish school after himself:

Akiba Hebrew Academy has received a $5 million gift from the Barrack Foundation. That will result in a change in name from Akiba to the Barrack Hebrew Academy.

Oh, watch out, St. Hillary's.

Obama To Visit New Jersey [CBS 3]
Mainline Hebrew School Will Change Its Name [KYW 1060]

Posted by D-Mac at 10:41 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

January 29, 2007

Breaking: Businesses Cater To The Rich

Yesterday's Inquirer contained an article detailing the recentish launches of both LifeStyle Main Line (in September) and Mainline, which had its launch party a week ago. These compete for the all important eyeballs of rich people, along with Main Line Today and Phillymag (which is the "snarkier" publication, according to the article) and Philly Style and probably like 45 other magazines, too. (Isn't there something like Real Philly, too?)

Aside from the groundbreaking thesis that entrepreneurs want to make money, can get it most easily from the rich and copy successful ideas, such as a magazine, the article goes on to let the various publishers of the companies snipe at each other in the press:

Cantor is feeling the pressure enough to snipe a little at LifeStyle, a glossy, colorful publication that he deems "a step above a clipper."

"We'll see who survives," snapped LifeStyle's president and chief executive officer, Peter Graeffe.

LifeStyle's current cover features a cruise ship, but Graeffe said the article about the University of Pennsylvania's expansion was more serious than anything Mainline would take on.

Meanwhile, he said, Mainline's cover - a matte black-and-white close-up of Bradley Whitford - is of a "TV star who hasn't lived here since he was 13." (For the record, the article says the 47-year-old actor left Wayne in high school.) [...]

Larry Platt, editor of 99-year-old Philadelphia Magazine, called the Main Line publications "pretty picture magazines" and said he didn't see them as a threat. Though they compete for the same demographic, Philadelphia Magazine sees itself in a different category. The others wouldn't put a handgun on the cover.

"We're much more about narrative journalism and reflecting the zeitgeist of the city and not much about style," Platt said.

"I don't really look at them, because our readership is so loyal and so huge that I don't consider them competition."

I wonder what kind of narrative journalism Platt was referring to. Was it "Who's our sexiest single?" Or perhaps it was Bon Jovi, or maybe the 20 best high schools or maybe even Pets of Philly. No, wait, I got it: The Ultimate Beauty Guide. That shit's fuckin' better than In Cold Blood.

Posted by D-Mac at 02:11 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

November 04, 2005

Day 5: Breakin' (down) the strike

Five days in and we're still nowhere closer to a settlement. Pack it in for the long haul, people. Some recent developments:

• Downed power lines caused delays of up to two hours on all Regional Rail lines during the evening rush hour yesterday. Reportedly, the lines were backed up all the way from the station to the Gallery. From 30th Street Station to the Gallery. [KYW1060]

• Philly School District wants students to be able to get on Regional Rail with a token. Yeah. Over my cold, dead body (that's clutching $3.75 for the ride to a Zone 3 station). [KYW1060]

• Fast Eddie looks to enter the ring, provided the negotiations have a buffet. [DN]

• The NBC10 SEPTA strike blogger has been idenfitied -- online editor Teresa Masterson -- and she can't find a cab: "So I did the only thing I could do. In the words of Forest Gump, 'I...WAS...RUNNING!' I may have actually looked like Forest Gump, too." [NBC10]

• And when things are tough, it's best to think of the little people: the strike is hurting Main Line commuters. [Main Line Life]

Posted by D-Mac at 11:05 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)