Bonus

MAKING HER MOVE Brittany Lincicome bombs her way to a bogey-free 64, 2 shots out of lead.

SUPERINTENDENT Arlene Ackerman and SRC Chairman Robert Archie are refusing to release the criteria for her $65,000 bonus. The following were probably not among them: Getting along with Hispanic females on the SRC. Getting the school district's money's worth from a Florida employment agency. Knowing what your executive staff is doing when you are out of town. Hiring of principals for South Philly High. Mayer Krain Philadelphia

Talk about multitasking. Blankid Buddy is a children's backpack, blanket, pillow, and, oh, yes, stuffed-animal companion. Think of a stuffed panda, monkey, or ladybug (OK, so it's an insect, but a cute one) without the stuffing, add a zipper and backstraps shaped like the creature's "arms" and "legs," and it's a roomy backpack for hauling stuff around. The whole thing converts into a cuddly plush blanket. The Blankid Buddy also functions as a travel pillow, and is available as just a buddy.

CheapOstay is offering deals to Orlando for all those wizards and muggles looking to get a taste of Universal's new Harry Potter World. For example, stay at the Radisson Worldgate Resort for as little as $40 per night and get a booking bonus of $15. Inquirer readers will get an additional bonus of up to $20 with the Philly20 code, valid for any stay of four nights or longer booked by Sept 1. The Inquirer bonus will range from $10...

If Gov. Casey signs a bill encouraging senior teachers and school administrators to retire, the Haverford School District wants staff to declare their retirement earlier than mandated by the state and plans to reward them with a cash bonus. Last Thursday the school board unanimously approved a policy that would provide a $1,000 bonus for early notification of retirement for those who qualify under the so-called Mellow Bill. The bill, which has already been passed by the state legislature and is expected to be signed by Casey, is designed to save school districts money by inducing highly paid employees to retire early.

I WAS APPALLED to see that School Superintendent Arlene Ackerman got a $65,000 bonus on top of her exorbitantly high salary. Why is a city whose financial situation is dire giving such a generous bonus to someone who's well paid to do the job anyway? It's more of the same that we had with Mayor Street's "friends & family" plan. Why should people who are about to be taxed for beverages, and who knows what else, have to read about a bonus in the paper? I drive around in South Philly on streets that are riddled with potholes and the city is giving out 65K bonuses?

John Thain took over Merrill Lynch & Co. just 12 months ago. Since then, the investment banking firm has lost more than $10 billion. Its stock has dropped about 75 percent. In September, Thain struck a deal to sell the firm at a steep discount. For that, he wanted a $10 million bonus. It's hard to imagine the value Thain would have placed on his brief tenure if Merrill had made a profit. A bonus is supposed to be a reward for stellar work above and beyond your daily job requirements.

Michael Phelps will put his $1 million bonus to good use. He plans to start a foundation promoting water safety and youth swimming. Joe Gromek, president and CEO of Warnaco, Speedo's U.S. parent company, yesterday presented a check to Phelps on NBC's "Today" show. The company, which has sponsored Phelps since he was 16, promised him a $1 million bonus if he tied or broke Mark Spitz' record for gold medals at a single Olympics. The swimmer eclipsed the mark by winning eight golds at the Beijing Games - seven of them with world-record times.

Sixers center Theo Ratliff earned some extra cash yesterday, but that was hardly his primary focus when he learned he had been one of the seven reserves selected by the Eastern Conference coaches for the Feb. 11 All-Star Game in Washington. It is believed that Ratliff's contract includes a $1 million bonus for making the All-Star team, and that he can earn another $1 million based on the Sixers' final victory total. Commissioner David Stern will name replacements for East starters Grant Hill, of Orlando, and Alonzo Mourning, of Miami, but Sixers coach Larry Brown - as the East coach - will select the replacement starters.

WASHINGTON - Uncle Sam may not want you after all. In sharp contrast to the peak years of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the Army last year took in no recruits with misconduct convictions or drug or alcohol issues, according to internal documents obtained by the Associated Press. And soldiers already serving on active duty now must meet tougher standards to stay on for further tours in uniform. The Army is also spending hundreds of thousands of dollars less in bonuses to attract recruits or entice soldiers to remain.

The Obama administration should cancel plans for $8.4 billion in "quality" bonuses to insurance companies that provide Medicare coverage because Congress didn't authorize the spending and it's unlikely to improve care for the elderly, government auditors said. The bonuses for Medicare Advantage plans run by companies including UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Humana Inc. would pay about $5 billion more through 2014 than what Congress authorized in the U.S. health-care system overhaul, the Government Accountability Office said in a report today.

MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Scott Walker established a program that has given hundreds of thousands of dollars in merit raises and bonuses to some state workers even as he preached cost-cutting and pushed through a law reducing most public workers' pay and eliminating their union rights. An analysis of data that the Associated Press obtained through an open records request showed Wisconsin agencies have handed out more than $765,000 in bonuses and merit raises this year to nearly 220 employees.

Pennsylvania State University released the details Thursday of its contract with former football coach Joe Paterno, including a $3 million retirement bonus. The contract benefits and payments add up to $5.76 million, not including $900,000 in television and radio revenue in 2011. According to the university, the contract arrangements that were agreed to in August 2011 were fulfilled Thursday with the delivery of payment. Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said the university and Paterno's "estate have finalized the remaining payments due under Coach Paterno's employment contract.

STATE COLLEGE - Penn State hasn't had a Heisman Trophy winner in nearly 40 years, but the Nittany Lions have secured another Hodge Trophy, their first since 1997. Nittany Lions wrestler David Taylor, who reeled off a dominant 32-0 season, became just the third sophomore and the first Penn State wrestler to win the Dan Hodge Trophy - college wrestling's equivalent to the Heisman - since Kerry McCoy. Taylor capped his remarkable second season with an individual 165-pound championship at last week's NCAA wrestling tournament, where he pinned four opponents in a total time of 8 minutes, 46 seconds.

Sean Collins called it "a monster. " The Paulsboro boys' basketball coach wasn't talking about Asbury Park's defense, or the Blue Bishops' fastbreak, or their relentless pursuit of offensive rebounds. Those things, while daunting, could be attacked, defended and neutralized - although Paulsboro struggled to meet any of those challenges in a 67-54 loss in Wednesday's Group 1 state semifinals at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River. But what might have been the biggest test of all for the Red Raiders had nothing to do with Asbury Park, the defending state champion, or the elevated stage of the state semifinals.

On the night Pete D'Ambrosio became a footnote to sports history, he made $40. But, as the 92-year-old West Philadelphia native has come to realize over the subsequent 50 years, that one night's work in Hershey earned him a priceless memory. "It just seemed like it was going to be a night like any other," D'Ambrosio recalled. "The last thing I expected was history. " The night was March 2, 1962, a date now recalled by sports fans with an almost mystical reverence. The Philadelphia Warriors' Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a Hershey Arena victory over the New York Knicks that late-winter Friday, a perfectly rounded accomplishment that a half-century later seems no less astonishing or approachable.

TWO DAYS AFTER Peyton Manning publicly complained about the dour atmosphere at team headquarters following a 2-14 season and a rash of firings, Colts owner Jim Irsay introduced his new head coach and then stunned everyone by calling his franchise player a "politician" who had decided to air dirty laundry. "I don't think it's in the best interest to paint the horseshoe in a negative light, I really don't," Irsay told reporters, referring to the team's longtime logo. "The horseshoe always comes first, and I think one thing he's always known, because he's been around it so long, is that, you know, you keep it in the family.

Can't wait to see Peyton Manning back in action next year. No doubt, the Indianapolis Colts, winners of one game this season, can't wait, either. Colts running back Joseph Addai said the velocity on Manning's short throws last week was game-ready. Addai was one of three players catching passes from Manning after a team workout Dec. 14. Receiver Anthony Gonzalez, center Jeff Saturday , and a receiver from the practice squad also took part. On Tuesday, team vice chairman Bill Polian told reporters that Manning was throwing "better" and responded "that's correct" when asked whether Manning had decent velocity on throws 20 to 25 yards down the field.

Talk about multitasking. Blankid Buddy is a children's backpack, blanket, pillow, and, oh, yes, stuffed-animal companion. Think of a stuffed panda, monkey, or ladybug (OK, so it's an insect, but a cute one) without the stuffing, add a zipper and backstraps shaped like the creature's "arms" and "legs," and it's a roomy backpack for hauling stuff around. The whole thing converts into a cuddly plush blanket. The Blankid Buddy also functions as a travel pillow, and is available as just a buddy.