Results tagged “homeless”

So, I'm siting in Rittenhouse Square with an out-of-town friend, and an angry middle aged dude suddenly rushes at an old homeless man. They're screaming, grabbing onto each other, shoving, and a trash can goes flying. And it seems like nobody else in the park notices.

• Despite the tanking economy, Philadelphia's homeless population has declined in the past year. But don't start celebrating yet.
• 35 state parks might need to close because of budget cutbacks.
• PECO users in the Philly suburbs will soon pay 11% less in usage charges. No word on when city residents get a similar discount.

We at Phillyist are longtime fans of local nonprofit Back On My Feet, and now the organization is poised to be a national favorite as well. Founder Anne Mahlum was selected as one of ten finalists in CNN's "Hero of the Year" search for her work with BOMF. The program focuses on giving homeless people in Philadelphia “a sense of community and accomplishment through physical fitness,” and includes daily runs, sponsorships for races, even help with job training and employment. In the short time it's been around (the inaugural morning run was in July 2007) the group has swelled to over 50 homeless members and more than 250 volunteers.

Tonight’s the night. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia returns to FX at 10 pm. You know that space between what’s funny and what’s socially inappropriate/totally taboo? Always Sunny locates that space and settles in for the long haul. It’s a guilty pleasure in the literal sense: the more we laugh, the guiltier we feel, because the heartiest laughs on this show come from subjects we’re supposed to take seriously, like homelessness, neglect, environmental concerns, etc. That’s why we like it.

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse.

What's new and/or interesting at Philly theaters this weekend.

Holy smokes! Giant fish on the MTA, Paris Hilton in jail, then out, then in again, Al Gore, goatses, blumpkins, Matt Damon, and baby art critics! It's been a busy week across the Ist-A-Verse, and here's a smattering of what's been going on.

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend.

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week.

Films: The Cats of Mirikitani, Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild Wild Women, Sweet Mud

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you.

A Quirky Column about Dog Walking Adventures in the City of Dog-Owning Love...

Philllyist is greatly saddened that, with the passing of the Big Game, there is no more pro-football to be had for quite some time (the Pro-Bowl doesn't count. It really doesn't). However, in order to tide over our thirst for a rejuvenated Eagles making it all the way next season, we will take solace in the Philadelphia Soul, our very own arena football team.

Do you like to bake? Phillyist sure does. While we admit that we sometimes do the brownies out of a box, the cookies are always homemade. Alas, though we love the process of baking, and the way the apartment smells with chocolate chips melting in the oven, those pesky New Year’s resolutions about eating better keep us from firing up the KitchenAid mixer too often. What's a baker to do?

Texas is thawing, the Northeast is freezing, and a sort of natural order seems almost restored to the Ist-A-Verse. Almost.

Surprisingly, its not the usual bouquet of aged urine, fecal matter, and assorted garbage left to ferment. The Subway actually smells nice. In the last week and a half, I've seen crews at work at 30th, 11th, and 8th street stations actually mopping. Other times I've come across a slowly drying non-urine film accompanied by yellow signs telling me "Caution Wet Floor" and something or other in Spanish. Yes, they were mopping the subway. Not quite as shocking as the time I saw a pantless homeless woman cleaning her vagina on The Union League Steps (now that would be a great photo for their website—if only I had a camera phone then) but still, it takes one off guard. Isn't it supposed to smell awful? What's next, killing off all the rats? And it's not just pine I'm smelling down there, it's some exuberant pine scent mixed with something exotic—perhaps jasmine or goddammit, maybe even eucalyptus. Did they consult Bed Bath and Beyond prior to this?!

Hey guys. How are ya? Good? Good. Like what you see here? Awesome. But here's the thing:

You've heard us mention the Philly Roller Girls before, once or twice. Well, they're having their 2006 championship game this Sunday at their regular spot: Millenium Skate World, across the bridge in Camden. Both teams - the Broad Street Butchers and the Philthy Britches - are undefeated, so it should be a good match. Get there early to see performances by Rich Hillen Jr. of The World Famous Crawlspace Brothers (who we're not sure are really all that famous, as we've never heard of them, but still) and Hola Diablo. Also consider helping the girls and the People's Emergency Center by bringing some of the supplies listed here, which are being collected for homeless families. Each item you bring with you gets you a raffle ticket which could win you prizes between periods.