Philadelphians

Philadelphians were clearly tired of the Civil War in the days leading up to the invasion. They read regular newspaper accounts of Union setbacks and horrific battlefield losses while wounded soldiers filled their hospitals and fresh military units clogged the streets. To escape, some attended the stage adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin at the Continental Theatre; others took in the play Peep O'Day at the New Chestnut Street Theatre or caught a concert by Birgfeld's popular German military band in Fairmount Park.

There is a specter haunting Philadelphia; it is the specter of job loss. In each economic cycle in the last four decades, the number of jobs attained at the top of expansion was less than what we had at the prior peak. There are 264,240 fewer jobs today than in 1970 - a decline of 25 percent. At the rate we are going, there will be 60,000 fewer opportunities for Philadelphians by 2023. Mayor Nutter's Five-Year Plan put it out there for all to see: We have the second-highest poverty rate among the 20 largest American cities, behind only Detroit.

Chattanooga, Tenn., is trying to lure techies with financial incentives, but some Philadelphians are not impressed. Business, A14.

After extensive renovations, the Philadelphia History Museum, at 15 S. Seventh St., has reopened and among the exhibitions is "Face to Facebook," a look at how Philadelphians have pictured themselves from the 17th century to now. Match up the notable Philadelphian with his or her portrait. To learn more about the museum, visit www.philadelphiahistory.org or call 215-685-4830. Answers below. 1. William Penn. 2. Harriet Lee Smith. 3. Charles Willson Peale. 4. George Washington.

WHEN POPE John Paul II spent two days in Philadelphia in October 1979, more than a million people turned out to see and cheer him. Daily News editorial writers, caught in the spirit of the occasion, abandoned politics, city-budget problems, crime and the other usual subjects of their wise analysis, and waxed eloquent over the Pontiff's visit. Here are some excerpts: "The triumphant visit of Pope John Paul II was one of Philadelphia's finest hours. No matter what part of the city you live in, no matter whether you are a Catholic or not, you couldn't help but be swept away by the excitement, the emotion and the air of exhilaration that cradled this city for 48 hours.

Sheldon Bonovitz is a board member of the Free Library of Philadelphia If a resident of Philadelphia were asked what services the Free Library provides, the likely answer would be, "Books and other reading materials. " That's true, in part. But the Free Library does so much more. In fact, one can say the Free Library of Philadelphia has morphed into a community service organization, with 54 locations throughout the city and a staff that speaks more than 30 languages. Let's look at the city's demographics.

With 75,000 gallons of water, you could: Give 12-ounce glasses of water to 100,000 thirsty Philadelphians. Brush your teeth 75,000 times. Run the clothes washer 2,143 times. Flush an old toilet 21,428 times. Shower 1,071 sweaty Philadelphians for 10 minutes each. Take 3,000 bubble baths. Run a dishwasher 7,500 times. Hose off the pavement continuously for eight straight days.

Two weeks ago, I introduced you to some Philadelphians I consider to be disruptive - innovative change agents who challenge the status quo in their respective fields. Since then, you've e-mailed me a lot of other names. Some - such as fiscal watchdog Brett Mandel and mural maven Jane Golden - are no-brainers. In a town long characterized by a go-along-to-get-along culture, they have the guts to stand up and stand out. I've been most intrigued, however, by the disrupters who have been operating below the media radar.

ZURICH, Switzerland - The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra are bound to have ships-that-pass-in-the-night moments on their tours of European festivals, and the first was at the Zurich Airport on Sunday morning: The Chicagoans were emerging from the arrivals section of the airport while the Philadelphians were two levels up, going through security and passport control. The Chicagoans were in transit to Lucerne from Salzburg, Austria, and the Philadelphians were shipping out from Lucerne to Dublin, Ireland, using the same buses and Air Berlin chartered airplane.

By Rochelle Keyhan For months, on my walk to work I passed a VisitPhilly.com billboard on Broad Street that read: "Dear Walking This Way, I like the way you move it move it. Love, Philadelphia, XOXO. " On the mornings when I had already been harassed, the advertisement only reinforced how pervasive, accepted, and inevitable our city's street harassment problem is. On the nights I was spared catcalls and whistles on the way home, this billboard reminded me to still be on guard and ready.