The Daily Numbers: 2 million people who are believed to have been on the mall in Washington, D.C., to witness Barack Obama take the oath of office as president.
44, as in the 44th president of the United States.
1, as in the number of African Americans ever to hold the office.
18 minutes, how long Obama spoke in his inaugural address.
10 inaugural gala balls the new first couple visited during a night of partying in D.C.
200 people jammed into a room at Cheyney University to watch the historic event.
0, how many tickets are available for Amtrak trains returning to Philly today from D.C. Every seat is sold.
20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine facing Broomall investment manager Joseph Forte after the feds filed a complaint against him accusing him of defrauding as many as 80 investors out of as much as $50 million.
12 people chased out of their home in Chester after a fire that authorities believe may have been started by a child playing with a lighter.
19 reports of car break-ins and thefts reported to police in the Brandywine Hundred area just over the border in Delaware.
1 billion dollars that Verizon says it will sink into a fiber-optic network if they are allowed to bring their service into Philadelphia.
200,000 dollars in counterfeit checks believed cashed by a car dealer in Erie who also faked military honors. He’s now looking at 2 years in jail.
18 million dollars, what slugger Ryan Howard wants to be paid by the Phillies next year.
14 million, what the Phillies are offering him.
10 million, what Howard made this year. Even if he loses at arbitration, Howard still stands to be a winner, getting a $4 million raise.
3,125,000 dollar, one-year deal for outfielder Shane Victorino.
5,475,000 dollar, one-year deal for pitcher Joe Blanton.
2 men charged in Arizona with burning messages into the lawn of the home owned by Donovan McNabb in Chandler, Az. They say they are Cardinals fans. Figures.
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Call me a Phanatic: A look at the ups and downs of being a Philadelphia sports fan.How can Ryan Howard lose? Even if an arbitrator rules against him, he’s still in line to get a $4 million raise. He wants $18 million; the team is offering $14 million. He made $10 million this year. Nice racket, huh?
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I Don’t Get It: Some knuckleheads have already responded to our Web site with a bunch of racial invective about the world coming to an end because Barack Obama has been sworn in as president. We take it down as soon as they post it. I get it, but I really don’t get it.
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Today’s Upper: Good news. The Girls Scouts say none of their cookies is affected by the scare involving some peanut butter products and cases of salmonella. Calories, on the other hand, may be a different matter.
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Quote Box: “There was so much joy, tears of joy, and not only joy, but those tears represented hope.
-- Bernice Warren, director of Eastside Ministries in Chester, who was on hand in Washington, D.C., to witness the historic inauguration of Barack Obama.