The Sixers are still motoring along, posting a win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night (101-89), and fueling… playoff fever? We’ve felt this before, haven’t we Philly? Breathe through it. It’s not worth the morning after remorse. They’re not home again until March 7; hopefully they’ll keep up the winning away against Golden State (tonight 10:30PM), Phoenix (tomorrow 9PM), and the LA Clippers (Monday at 10:30PM); you can catch all on SportsNet. The Flyers......

The Sixers lost on the road to the Celtics on Friday, but finally beat the Toronto Raptors, the first time this season, 99-95 Saturday. They’re playing the Pacers today at 2PM (watch or get tickets) and the Pistons on Wednesday night at 7PM (watch or get tickets) at the Wachovia Center. After winning on the road Friday night against the Islanders (5-3), the Flyers gave a “thorough shellacking” to the Ottawa Senators at home on......

After snapping their losing streak, the Sixers face off against the Toronto Raptors tomorrow night at 7PM at the Wachovia Center (get tickets or watch); Monday they’ll host the Indiana Pacers at 2PM at the Wach. (get tickets or watch) Coming off a win against the Panthers yesterday, the Flyers get political with the Ottawa Senators Sunday at 7PM at the Wachovia Center. (get tickets or watch) Oh, and congrats to the All-Stars. The Kixx......

The Liberty Bell Forever stamp was released, complete with a speech next to the actual Liberty Bell, yesterday morning. A North Jersey business immediately bought 24,000 of them for a direct-mail program. Two state Senators held their third hearing Wednesday on the possibility of convening a constitutional convention for the reform of state government, and they did it at U. Penn Law School. There were three speakers: "an area lawyer and author, a Rutgers......

Senators Arlen Specter and Robert Casey Jr. held a joint hearing on Mentoring and Community Based Solutions to Delinquency and Youth Violence in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center on Monday. The Inquirer article talks about the hearing in general and how the community leaders there decided mentoring is indeed a good short-term solution for preventing crime. Meanwhile, the Daily News article focuses on what school district head Paul Vallas had to say at......

Our beloved state Senators, apparently in reaction to the uproar caused by their infamous increase of their own salaries (since repealed), and further inflamed by the information that then came out about their other perks and benefits, have chosen to begin paying part of their own health care premiums, and paying for the leases on their own cars. Well, how sporting of them! Yesterday, good old Governor Ed Rendell signed into law a $2 increase......

- Senator Arlen Specter is taking the federal administration to task for leaving Congress out of the loop - and suggesting that a "constitutional confrontation" is on the horizon. (Hey, who needs both checks and balances anyway?) In a letter to Dick Cheney, Specter allegedly makes note of recent domestic spying activity and a congressional raid by the FBI. Phillyist finds it refreshing that our elected officials are protecting our rights in the battle......

Time magazine has put together lists of the ten best and five worst US Senators, and there are Philly connections for folks on both lists! Our own Arlen Specter made the best list, getting cited for his "principled contrarianism," which is a great phrase, and is really what we look for in our public figures. Meanwhile, Phillies Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning of Kentucky got a spot on the worst list. How about......

Oops. After a talk with Rendell, Hoeffel's decided not to run for lieutenant governor after all. So...never mind! Even though 11 of Philadelphia's incumbents will face challengers in the May 16th primary (which is the most intraparty opposition since 1988), the general opinion is that Philly escaped the "anti-incumbent fervor" sweeping the rest of the state. For instance, none of the city's incumbent members of Congress, and only one of its senators, will face challengers.......

Our former mayor, now Reverend, W. Wilson Goode is trying to bring to Philly the faith-based sexual abstinence program called "The Silver Ring Thing." The lovely title of the program comes from the fact that teens who vow to avoid sex until marriage in the first three-hour session get a silver ring to recognize the fact (hopefully to put on their fingers, and not...elsewhere). The program includes music and video; Phillyist can only imagine......

It would appear that Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter is trying to get the best Supreme Court nominee possible. Oh, he's not doing his best for his constituents -- it's for his fellow Senators. The Senate Judiciary Committee chairman sent Supreme Court nominee John Roberts a letter yesterday complaining that "lawmakers are irate about the court's 'disrespectful statements about Congress' competence' and by its interference with congressional power." Phillyist isn't aware of Supreme Court Justices being......

The gargantuan pay raise Pennsylvania lawmakers voted for themselves is controversial at every turn. Who knew giving yourself a raise of $11K in the dead of night could cause such a hullabaloo? First, 15 House Democrats who voted against the pay raise were stripped of subcommittee posts and vice chairmanship jobs. House leaders deny they are retaliating against those who voted 'no', but only rewarding the 61 who voted for the raise. That makes the......

Leave it to Governor Ed Rendell to make history! Big Ed has gotten all crafty to fight the closure of a Philadelphia-area naval base. Specifically, Rendell (who is being joined by Pennsylvania Senators Arlen Specter and Rick Santorum) is suing Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, citing the "militia clause" of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit is said to be the first of its kind. Oh Ed, you give us the vapors!......

So, Live 8 is over and we're all sufficiently motivated to learn about the upcoming G8 Summit, what President Bush is or isn't doing for Africa, and find the addresses for your local representatives, Congresspeople, Senators, and the President, intent on writing regular letters about the issues that concern us, right? And here's a free hint, kids -- the 2006 mid-term elections are fast approaching. May we suggest you register to vote now? No......