Man Holds Wacky Presser

It had been a while since City Controller Alan Butkovitz had had some ridiculous press conference where he came up with some wacky idea, and so Get rid of the student TransPass program! Hell yeah! Wait, what?

Ahh, he says that the TransPass program allows truant kids “to roam the system from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.” Umm, probably? Oh, right, and one person was attacked and died on SEPTA, and if he could exploit that death a bit, he would be able to sleep well at night. (I think that was the gist of it.)

SEPTA says it has no evidence of crime by students with TransPasses. More specifically, to quote the Inquirer: “In a written response to Butkovitz, he said crime statistics, which show a spike in crime after school dismissal times, have not changed much in recent years.”

But whatever, let’s get to the most awesomest idea in the history of awesome press conferences:

And he urged that SEPTA police turn over the responsibility for rousting homeless people from the concourses to civilian officials, to free up more police to deal with violent crime.

Civilian officials? Who, Center City District? Once Upon a Nation? City Tavern employees? Society Hill Civic Association? The A-Team? An Army of Robocops?

Either way, I can’t wait ’til a team of private employees get to harass the homeless downtown so the homeless don’t harass rich people. Sometimes I’m so proud to live in this city it almost makes me cry.

Should SEPTA end student TransPass program? [From The Source]

One-Man Street Bands To Be Regulated?

Earlier this week, a street musician settled with the city for $27,500. Felix Wilkins, 66, was arrested for playing his flute last March, and, whoops, music is legal. As the Associated Press puts it: “The agreement requires the city to inform police that playing, singing, and soliciting money in a public place are protected by the First Amendment.”

Yesterday, the Inquirer asked: Well, should we regulate street musicians? People tend to like street musicians in downtown areas, even if they suck, Lea Sitton Stanley reported, so the answer’s no, right?

The Center City District’s Paul Levy, who we last saw suing another state’s Restaurant Week, says the new mayor should regulate street musicians for quality. It happens in Paris and New York!

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Restaurant Weak

On the left, the advertisement for Center City Restaurant Week. At right, the ad for South Jersey Restaurant Week (apparently featuring hot chefs). The Restaurant Week on the left was started in 2003. The one on the right, in 2005.

And now the people behind the one on the lefthave sued the people behind the one on the right.

The Center City District’s lawsuit, filed Nov. 1, asserts the ads of South Jersey Restaurant Week — held at a different time than Center City Restaurant Week — are “confusingly similar” to the CCD’s Restaurant Week ads. And “column list of restaurants with red background” is trademarked by CCD, watch out. But as a commenter on the Food and Drinq (har) blog comments, “Philly’s is 3 courses for $30, SJ’s is 4 courses for 30 - that’s a major difference.” That might be enough to turn the case.

Blogicized: Poetic Philadelphia

• Sometimes, you just need a sestina about Philadelphia. [The Trouble With Spikol]

• What really gets the Inquirer excited is definitely new bus maps from the Center City District. Now Philadelphia’s transportation system is perfect! [Blinq]

• Comcast will allow its flagship sports network on satellite if you simply sign this online petition. Or not. When you’re done that, though, be sure to vote if you’ve seen a UFO. [Welcome to Phillyville]