Campbell's: Soup sales just fine, Soupy Sales not

Campbell's Soup, Inc. has issued a statement to reassure investors and customers that soup sales are as strong as ever. With the announcement of the passing of beloved comedian and actor Soupy Sales last Thursday the soup maker, and the industry in general, felt the need to address any possible confusion. "While Soupy Sales may be dead, God rest his soul, soup sales are not," said Harry Toliver, president of Soup For America, a national soup interest group based in Camden, NJ. "We were nervous that the public would confuse the news of Soupy Sales' death with a stagnant soup market," said Dave Newton, a Campbell's representative. Campbell's will begin airing a national public service advertisement on television showing the strength of soup sales with pie charts and line graphs. "I love soup. So when I heard the news I couldn't believe the media was pronouncing the death of one of my favorite foods," said Diana Donnet, a soup lover.

Guy from Truman Show spotted at Angels game

The guy that played Jim Carey's best friend in the hit 1998 film The Truman Show was spotted in the first row behind the Angels dugout on Thursday night at Angels Stadium.

The Dodgers are the baseball team in Los Angeles and Dodgers Stadium is where Hollywood's brightest and biggest stars, the A-Listers if you will, go to see and be seen.

Though not as well known as the star magnet that is the Staples Center and the Los Angeles Lakers, Dodger Stadium can hold its own when it comes to star gazing. Larry David has been spotted there eating soft pretzels that dry is throat out. Larry King, Opra, Tom Cruise, Jim Carey, Brad Pitt and even Cher have cheered on the Dodgers.

Angels Stadium attracts more of the B-Listers like the actor who played the prosecuting lawyer in My Cousin Vinny. Or the lead character from the Karate Kid films. Fans spotted one of the pilots from Memphis Belle during game 3.

"It's really fun to come to the Angels games," said the actor from Memphis Belle. "It's fun to get recognized sometimes or not get recognized."

Phillies have no clue who player at end of bench is

The Phillies are moving on to the World Series for the second year in a row, a first for the 127-year-old franchise. The city and team are buzzing and salivating about a possible match up with the New York Yankees and another march down Broad Street.

To accomplish this goal manager Charlie Manuel has tinkered with the roster for each of the two postseason series thus far. The skipper has had to make some tough, an sometimes unpopular, decisions.

One such move is one the manager doesn't recall making ... or maybe he did. One player, uniform and all, sits and cheers at the end of the bench, talks with players, celebrates, but is unknown to the rest of the team.

"I have no idea who the guy is," said manager Charlie Manuel. "Whenever I pass him, or he passes me, I politely give a nod, but that's about it. It can be very uncomfortable at times. If we talk, which is rare, it's often about the weather or college football."

Players and coaches feel too awkward at this point to confront and ask the player his name and so have decided just to act as if they know him and as if he's been on the team all year long.

"Whoever he is I got him real good with the champagne last night," said star Ryan Howard and MVP of the NLCS. "I'm guessing it was a playoff roster addition or something. I don't remember him being here during the regular season, but some players say they do remember seeing him. He's a funny guy though."

The player usually wears a jacket which prevents teammates from reading the name on the back of his jersey. And when the jacket is off the player sits flush against the dugout wall.

"One time he was sitting jacket-less against the dugout wall," said shortstop Jimmy Rollins,"A few of us came up with a plan to drop a bat or glove on the ground and ask him to pick it up to expose the back of his jersey. He had a towel over his shoulder that covered up his name. Someone said they saw an 's'. Not sure though."

Scott Palmer, former local sports television news reporter, is a Phillies ambassador who was in the clubhouse last night for the raucous celebration and was awkwardly forced to interview the player.

"I was trying to avoid him all night, but he just came up to me out of nowhere and put his arm around me and said,'Scotty my man this is the best feeling in the world my good friend. Coming from where I come from this is special. Real special Scotty,'" said Palmer. "I have no idea who he is, but I just went along with the interview trying to keep the questions as general as possible."

Palmer's questions included: How happy are you right now? Rate your happiness level on a scale of one to twelve. How happy is Ryan Howard right now? Rate Ryan's happiness on the same scale. Have you ever used the one to twelve scale for rating? Rate the one to twelve scale on a scale of one to twelve. Tell me about your favorite food or something.

Manuel is unsure whether the player will make the World Series roster but said,"it would be kinda weird without that guy around."

Twirling towels gave flight to many fans in dramatic ninth

Last night's Phillies NLCS game 4 was an instant classic. A "where were you when ..." kind of game. A poster capturing the jubilant player celebration kind of game. The 5-4 victory is burned into memory.

Fans who attended the game reported noise levels well past anything they had ever experienced ... indoors or out. Accompanying the noise, and keeping with Phillies recent tradition, were almost 50,000 red and white courtesy rally towels.

The towels, which the team began giving away in 2007, were meant to add a "visual punch" to the passionate Phillies fans. Most have welcomed and warmed to the towels.

Dr Palo Gouditz, a physicists at the University of Pennsylvania, was at the game and witnessed firsthand the power of the rally towel. Rally towel flight.

"It was a very intense bottom of the ninth inning," explained Gouditz from his University City laboratory. "The towel revolutions per second were at an all time high."

The professor went on to explain that twenty-five overhead revolutions per second were needed to lift a fan from the ground using a standard Fightin' Phillies rally towel. Phillies fans were timed at twenty-nine. He estimates that 80%-85% of the fans actually lifted off the ground an inch or so and the rest were raised to the tips of shoes.

"My whole section was airbourne," screamed Tom Sanders, 44, of Manayunk. "It was so bad ass. It was freakin' cool. Someone call the Wright brothers."

The award-winning professor also went on to explain what would have resulted had every fan in the stadium—46,157 strong—been strapped into their seats with a seatbelt while waving the towels at the same rps. (Standing-room only fans would have been fastened to a pillar or railing.)

"Had the sell-out crowd been anchored to the stadium during that thrilling ninth, in some way, the stadium would have lifted several inches off the ground," said Gouditz. "Had the crowd been able to maintain the waving for an hour or so, the stadium could have been moved closer to Broad Street. Which would be great for subway riders."

The Phillies plan to place small holes in future rally towel give-aways to prevent fan flight.

"We don't want any future rally towel flight for safety reasons. On a side note, moving the stadium closer to the subway station would be great," said a Phillies rep,"but not during a playoff game. And not with cars parked in the adjacent parking lot."

Colorado Police: Balloon shape should have given a clue

Colorado Police have reported that the story of a 6-year-old Fort Collins boy whose family claimed was aboard an unsupervised, helium-filled Pinocchio-shaped balloon was a hoax. "Honestly, when we got the call that it was a Pinocchio balloon it never dawned on me that the whole story could be a lie," said Fort Collins Sheriff Douglas Brackett. "From this day forward I will think twice when calls come in claiming an out-of-control Pinocchio-shaped balloon. Or if Pinocchio is mentioned at all during the call."

Bay Area Dairy Queens discontinue controversial new blizzard flavor commemorating '89 quake

Phils' snow day proves Golden ... Colorado

The Phillies were informed yesterday at about 10 AM Denver time that the accumulating snow and frigid temperatures would push their Saturday night game against the Colorado Rockies to Sunday. Baseball is a game of routine, but the Eastern Division-winning Phillies seemed to welcome the news to have a chance to explore the attractions of the Centennial State.

After the news the team promptly convened in the lobby to hold a vote about how the unplanned day off should be spent. Each player wrote on a slip of paper an activity idea, folded the slip and placed it into a a shoe box watched over closely by Charlie Manuel. Injured and slumping players were not permitted to participate.

Manuel, hitting coach Milt Thompson and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr counted the votes at the front desk with the hotel manager looking on.

"The players wanted an independent to oversee the tallies so that 'no lame trip was chosen,'" said hotel manager Frank Hollender.

The players and coaches have vastly different interests as the desired destinations included Red Rocks Amphitheater, skiing in Vail, Toronto, the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Yosemite National Park, New York City, Rocky Mountain National Park, Argo Gold Mine and Mill Museum in Idaho Springs, the original Chipolte, skiing in Breckenridge, stay in hotel too cold outside, Coors Brewery tour and practice for upcoming game as it's kind of important.

With only three votes the team chartered a bus to the Coors Brewing Company in Golden Colorado for a tour that most Phillies sampled during the 2007 playoffs. The twenty-five minute drive will end at one of the world's largest breweries with a two-and-a-half-hour walking tour.

"It really was a lot like Laverne & Shirley," said catcher Carlos Ruiz. "There were so many bottles. It was crazy. I mean tons of bottles. I think this is where they did a lot of the filming."

Teammates attempted to explain to "Chooch", with little success, that the late '70's and early 80's hit television show, shown regularly in the catcher's native Panama, was set in Milwaukee, WI.

Players waved to bottlers and canners wearing Rockies paraphernalia who stared expressionless at the passing World Champions. Offers of autographs and photographs with Coors employees and executives were often refused.

"We really are thrilled to have the Phillies visit us," said Paul Coors. "But we have a very close relationship with the greater Denver area, the state of Colorado and the Rockies organization and we wouldn't want to compromise that relationship by ooing and ahhing over the perceived enemy."

As many brewery tours end with samples so too did the Coors tour. Many players admitted to never tasting the Banquet beer and said they would consider buying this line in the future ... for any large banquets they may have.

Brett Meyers purchased three cases of Coors Light to take back to Philadelphia because "these beers are guaranteed to be born in the Rockies."

In second place with two votes was the gold mine in Idaho Springs just off of route 70. Manuel told the team that if all went well at the Coors plant he would consider making a quick trip to the mine.

"I went to that mine back in '97," explained the manager. "It's good mine. A real good mine."

Players, coaches helping with stadium playoff preparations

Above, Charlie Manuel, right, and Matt Stairs hang bunting from Citizens Bank Park's upper deck facade. The team will host the Colorado Rockies beginning tomorrow afternoon in the first round of the MLB playoffs. "It helps me get focused when I help out around the ballpark," said Manuel. "I used to fold up the seats in Cleveland until they became spring-loaded. Damn spring technology." Stairs and Manuel hung 150 of the red, white and blue decorations yesterday and assisted the grounds crew with spraying divisional logos onto the field. "Zip ties were invented in Canada or very close to Canada," explained Stairs, a New Brunswick native, referring to how the player and coach fastened the festive decorations to the stadium railings.

Americans shocked by tsunami destruction, spelling

Americans are both saddened and in disbelief at the complete destruction of many coastal villages on the island nations of Samoa and Tonga and the American territory of American Samoa by an unforgiving, fast-moving tsunami.

The enormous waves that crashed ashore on Tuesday morning were the result of a 7.9-magnitude earthquake in the South Pacific centered less than 200 miles from the tiny islands. The waves traveled over 500 miles per hour and were felt as far away as California.

The same shocked Americans expressed even greater astonishment at the spelling of the word tsunami. As people gathered around television sets in diners, airports, schools and cafeteria's from Hawaii to Maine news anchors were greeted with blank faces and tilted heads.

Despite the massive 2004 Indonesian tsunami that killed over 200,000 people and, as a result, saw news networks reporting and showing the word on television and computer screens the world over hundreds of thousands of times for months after the event, Americans were still surprised by the "t" at the beginning.

"I was like, 'Where'd that "t" come from?'" said Neal Tomko, 39, of Sacramento, CA. "That word looks crazy with a "t" in the beginning. It looks like TS Unami. Isn't that an author?"

In Chicago's O'Hare Airport a small contingent of waiting passengers surrounded a wall-mounted television near Terminal 2's gate E10 just opposite the crowded Cinnabon. Flashing across the bottom of the screen, on one of the 24-hour news networks, was the headline, "South Pacific Tsunami Report."

A traveler standing in the back of the group, holding a bag of duty-free goods, attempted to explain: "I think the Tsunami Study and Information Center places a 't' in the beginning if they think the giant wave is either treacherous or terrible."

"No, no, no," a nearby passenger interrupted. "The 't' is part of a formula that helps in determining the magnitude of the earthquake that caused the wave. There's an equation or something."

A man flying to Orlando and carrying a box Cinnabons was convinced that the "t" was a plus sign.

Even some directly affected by the tsunami found the idea of a "t" in the word unbelievable.

"No way there's a 't' in tsunami," shouted a surprised Paul Totufulu, a resident of Samoa, from inside his small pickup truck positioned high atop a frail, leaning palm tree.

Desperate Cassel to add 'beck' to last name

Struggling Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Matt Cassel has announced that he will change his last name in an attempt to ignite his sluggish 2009 start. The Chiefs traded for Cassel in the offseason after he led the Patriots to an 11-5 season in 2008. The young quarterback has battled injuries early on, but still holds high expectations even though the Chiefs are rebuilding.

"Starting tomorrow I will be known as Matt Casselbeck," said a confident Cassel. "I just need a change."

The new name should sound familiar to most NFL fans. Matt Hasselbeck is the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. Though currently injured, Hasselbeck has experienced strong success in the NFL highlighted by the 2006 Super Bowl appearance against the Steelers--a 21-10 loss.

Cassel hopes that the similar name will bring similar success to the University of Southern California graduate and former Tom Brady backup in New England.

Casselbeck will not hyphenate the new addition to his last name like other NFL players have done.

"I decided against the hyphen," said Casselbeck. "I'm just hoping that I can, at the very least, lead the Chiefs to a Super Bowl loss one day in the future."

Reports that Cassel originally wanted to add 'hoff' to his last name are unconfirmed.

Lions beat bye week, 19-14, to break streak

The Detroit Lions (1-2) have finally done it. The city can breathe easier today. The football team that had lost 19 consecutive games dating back to 2007, including an 0-16 2008 campaign, won a game yesterday. The match up against the Bye Weeks (1-2) came down to the final play of the game and was celebrated by the home team as if it were the playoffs. Rob Zorn, head coach of the Bye Weeks, said,"It's like my team didn't even show up today. It's almost like it was our bye week." Lions players did not let the fact that it was their bye week take away from the hard fought victory. "You have to give the Bye Weeks credit," said Lions quarterback Matt Stafford. "They played hard and were able to put up 14 points on us."

Ford to install Braille on steering wheel controls

Ford Motor Company has announced that it will be adding a new feature to all of its vehicles with steering wheel control buttons starting in 2010. These control buttons, including volume, seek, cruise control, fan and temperature, will each feature Braille lettering to give visually impaired drivers more say over interior climate, cruise speed and noise level. The raised dot alphabet, which was developed in France in 1821, will help drivers match buttons with functions more quickly and easily. In addition, the dashboard cover will be removed to allow the driver to feel the speedometer needle as the automobile moves. The speedometer numbers will be raised to assist the driver in roughly estimating his or her speed. "We are creating independence. The driver will no longer have to ask an accompanying passenger to turn the volume down, change the radio station or set cruise control," said Pete Ford of Ford Motor Company. "Or, more importantly, with the exposed speedometer needle and numbers, 'How fast am I going?'"

Glanville, Lemieux, Bosworth applied for Vick mentorship

Michael Vick will play in his first regular season game in almost two years this coming Sunday. His journey back to professional athlete could not have occurred without the help of a trusted friend and adviser--a mentor, if you will.

Vick talked about his quest to find this mentor to guide his return to the playing fields of the NFL. Several months ago league commissioner Roger Goodell visited Vick in a Kansas prison and presented an idea to the former Atlanta Falcon and Nike spokesperson.

"Mr Goodell felt that having a mentor would help me deal with the obstacles I would face," said Vick. "We talked extensively about how to match me with the right individual."

On that same visit in May 2009 Goodell and Vick sat down, separated by 3-inch glass, and prepared a brief description of what they were looking for. The classified ad would then be posted on the popular craigslist website under the ETC category of the jobs section (the ad was later posted on monster.com).

Mentor/Guiding Person/Mentoring Mentor: Do you like the outdoors? Do you like to make money? Are you good with people? We are looking for a mentor for former NFL player. Must be interested in mentoring. Must have at least three weeks mentoring experience. Must have own transportation. Valid driver's license. Application deadline is June 1st. Reply with "Interested in this mentor thing" in the subject line. Do not call or fax.

Over the next several weeks hundreds of applicants with varied backgrounds applied for the position and Vick conducted phone interviews with the most qualified. The hundreds were narrowed down to eight, who then met with Vick and Goodell personally.

The finalists included: former Atlanta Falcons' coach Jerry Glanville, Simon Cowell's brother, former Seattle Seahawks' linebacker Brian Bosworth, NHL great Mario Lemieux, former Indianapolis Colts' coach Tony Dungy, Two members of the band Hanson and Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton.

"Jerry sent his application in early and really showed a lot of enthusiasm," said Vick. "He visited me in prison and we used Skype several times. Mario attempted to sway the decision with an autographed stick. Hanson seemed nervous at the interview. And Mary Lou was very organized, but Tony really blew me away."

We all know how this search ended. Vick and Goodell chose Tony Dungy who has been extremely successful in steering Vick back into the league and, most importantly, into Philadelphia communities and schools.

Notable applicants that did not make the final eight include: Montel Williams (who sent his application in one day after the deadline disqualifying the talk show host), the Dalai Lama, Tom Bosley, Michelle Kwan and Octomom. Pope Benedict XVI claimed the craigslist Vatican City site never posted the position.

"Honestly, it came down to Dungy and Simon Cowell's brother," said Goodell. "The fact that Tony coached a team whose mascot is a horse did not influence our decision in the least."

Tony Dungy will be in the stands at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday to watch Michael Vick take his first step towards a second career and a second chance. The classy and well-liked Dungy, in a move to show respect toward mentor applicants not chosen, will be seated between Tom Bosley and Brian Bosworth.

"The Boz and The Boz will be with me," said Dungy. "Double Boz."

Goldie Hawn to Reid: 'Leave wildcat to Netflix.'

Oscar-winning actress Goldie Hawn tried unsuccessfully to contact Andy Reid, the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles had just been handed a lopsided loss, 48-22, to the high powered Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.

"That's not football," said Hawn, a Redskins fan, about the Eagles use of the wildcat gadget play during the nationally televised game. "They left Kolb looking like a Bird on a Wire."

The suddenly-popular formation often sees a running back or wide receiver line up in the quarterback position taking the snap directly from the center and either running or handing off the ball.

The star of the 1986 film Wildcats--about an inner city Chicago high school football team--was so insulted by the Eagles' execution of the wildcat formation, which, incidentally, is not part of the film, that she had to reach out to the coach.

Hawn feels that if the wildcat formation is executed poorly by teams, that shouldn't be implementing it in the first place, then DVD rentals and sales of Wildcats the movie could be negatively affected.

American Video and DVD Rental Association (AVADRA) executive Robert Nowry says the numbers show otherwise.

"Since last season, when the wildcat really reestablished itself in the NFL, rentals of the film Wildcats have risen sharpley," said Nowry. "Was it because of the wildcat or because Kate Hudson, Hawn's daughter, was recently digitally added into several scenes for the 23rd anniversary edition? We may never know."

Hawn went on to say that she respected what Reid was trying to accomplish--taking pressure of his young quarterback--but that the number of wildcat plays ran was Overboard.

When Ben Hales, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for the Saints, in an attempt to defend Reid, hinted to the media that Hawns' knowledge of football did not match her onscreen character's deep understanding of the game the actress shot back.

Hawn replied: "That's none of his business. My football knowledge is private, Benjamin."

Wildcats costars Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes agreed with Hawn saying that the wildcat has its place and it is not Philadelphia.

"While working on the set of Cheers, and to some extent Natural Born Killers, [the cast] would often debate the wildcat formation and its legitimacy and effectiveness. Andy, you're killing my DVD rental profits," pleaded Harrelson.

Reid addressed the controversy with Hawn and Harrelson at a news conference earlier this week.

"I'm not gonna get in to all that right now," muttered the coach.

Video edited? Father chased thrown foul ball

The feel-good baseball fan story of the year, a special moment between father and daughter, may have been altered some to make the moment even more special.

On Tuesday night in South Philadelphia during the Phillies-Nationals game outfielder Jason Werth fouled a pitch back toward Citizen Bank Park's upper deck. A fan in the first row leaned daringly over the railing and made a remarkable catch.

The often critical crowd cheered loudly with approval and the fan, Steve Monforto, awarded his young daughter the ball--who apparently thought it was an opposing teams' home run--who then threw it back towards the field. The crowd sighed and the heartwarming moment was all caught on tv.

What viewers at home didn't see, however, was what happened just after the little girl released the ball. It was at this point that Monforto lunged in an attempt to save the souvenir.

"It was the first foul ball I had ever caught and I really didn't want to lose it," said Monforto. "To be honest I didn't even realize a net was below. I figured the crowd on the first level would break my fall."

Monforto was quickly swallowed by the safety net (above photo) lining the edge of the upper deck, climbed out without the ball, as it had cleared the net, and embraced his daughter.

The television delay allowed the production team at Comcast SportsNet to edit out the diving father and only showed him hugging his daughter after he had climbed back into his seat.

"We felt it made a better story without the diving," said Comcast SportsNet's chief production manager, Garry Trumble. "I think we made the right call."

Fan: 'I have a Grambling problem.'

Ted Jones has finally admitted to his problem and that is all his bookie ever wanted. "I was going to confront him at the end of last year, but I decided to hold off to see if he would seek help in the offseason," said Greg Holstrim, Jone's bookie. Jones is a 2002 graduate of Grambling State University in Louisiana and has since relocated to Cherry Hill, NJ. After betting and losing $4,000 on Grambling's first football game, a loss at home to South Carolina State, Jones still did not seek help. "I do not have a Grambling problem," said the consultant at Daniels, Daniels and Ford, LLC in Palmyra, NJ. "It doesn't mean anything that I have bet on Grambling every game, no matter who they are playing, since 2002." Both friends and family finally confronted Jones on Wednesday hoping to thwart a bet for the Tigers' upcoming Saturday game against Northwestern State at home. The Tigers went on to win 38-17 and Jones collected $5,500. "Looking down and seeing all that money I realized I had a Grambling problem ... a serious Grambling problem."

Steelers let Pirates play wiffleball during halftime

The NFL Season got started on Thursday night in a game that matched last year's regular season champs versus the playoff champs. The Steelers hosted the Tennessee Titans and, in a defensive battle, eventually won the game in overtime 13-10.

Pittsburgh, the city, experienced quite a year by capturing both the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup. The attention focused on the hockey and football team has left the baseball team almost forgotten. But the popular Steelers sent a message to area fans during the kickoff of the NFL season on Thursday by letting the Pirates perform an exhibition wiffleball game.

"Basically the Steelers were looking out for the Pirates and letting them showcase there talent," said Professor Baker Hildebrand of Carnegie Mellon University.

Fans cheered when catcher Ryan Doumit hit the plastic ball through the stadium's north end field goal posts and into the stands. Were they cheering the home run? "I was cheering the field goal kicking contest at the south end. Who's Ryan Doumit? Let's go Steelers!" said a jubilant Steeler fan.

For most of the Pirates this was the first time playing in front a of sold out crowd. But it will not be the last as the Pirates will also play a wiffleball game between periods of a Penguins' preseason home game (yes, on ice and they will not have skates).

PhillyCarCher? Singer acquires car sharing nonprofit

The local nonprofit PhillyCarShare, which aims to reduce individual automobile ownership and dependence and promote car sharing on a community level in the Philadelphia region, has been purchased by Cher and Cher Alike, LLC of Los Angeles, CA. The same Cher and Cher Alike that is owned and operated by the world famous singer and actor Cher and a woman that looks very similar to the star.

The organization will eventually be renamed PhillyCarCher, but dates for the official name change have not been set. The organization’s new logo, however, has already been chosen (above photo) and will substitute the microphone with a key—the same key that currently adorns the sides of the nonprofit's fleet.

The Cher logo will be placed not only on the doors, but will appear on the hood, trunk, and underside of the vehicles. The singer's likeness will even be painted on to the numerous parking spaces scattered throughout the city.

The actress, who was turned down for a role in the film Who Killed the Electric Car and An Inconvenient Truth, has been a staunch supporter of car sharing and an environmentalist for years. She started LALALandCarCher in 2007 in Los Angeles, and, the following year, expanded to Anaheim (LALAAnCarCher) and San Diego (LALASanCarCher).

“It could be a very profitable nonprofit with my name attached,” said the singer from her home in Los Angeles. “This is a great day for Share and Cher Alike. Oops. I mean, Cher and Cher Alike, LLC.”

Officials at PhillyCarShare were excited about the takeover, hoping that the singer's star power will continue to grow the already large membership.

"It will definitely be exciting to have Cher around the office," said Renee Thomas, a PhillyCarShare board member, despite Cher strongly hinting that she will continue to live in LA. "I hope she sings at her desk. And if an employee is having a tough day I want her to say, 'Snap out of it.'"

Cher plans to keep the popular CDs containing music from local musicians that are provided by the nonprofit, but will add a plethora of her own CDs and DVDs for drivers to "rock out to."

"There will definitely be copies of Moonstruck, The Witches of Eastwick and Mask available for our customers," said Shirley MacAntyre, a PhillyCarShare rep. "But drivers will be placed on a point system. The more you drive, the more points you get and the more Cher merchandise you can receive."

At the end of each month, the driver with the most accumulated points will have the opportunity to take Cher along on a journey (no more than one hour) and have the singer perform live in the vehicle en route to the destination.

"Twelve times a year I'll be riding along with some Philly drivers. This is down right exciting," said Cher. "I will also act out scenes from my movies. But, I call shotgun for all trips."

Vick disgusted by treatment of Dallas' scoreboard

The kicking didn't stop. Over and over again grown men were launching objects into its belly like a competition. To make matters worse a crowd looked on with anticipation at the brutality and later the vicious kicks were shown to a wider audience on television.

Sitting in his Waterfront Square condo Michael Vick became disgusted at the "highlights" he was viewing. The Philadelphia Eagles' newest quarterback was sick to his stomach and demanded answers. He wanted to know the facts. More importantly, he wanted to stop the improper treatment of Dallas' new stadium scoreboard.

Two weeks ago during a preseason game between the Tennessee Titans and the Cowboys at Dallas' new $1.1 billion stadium punter A.J. Trapasso struck the egregious video board with punt. Yes, he had attempted to hit the board in warm-ups and was successful, but this time he was not trying and it was fourth down.

"I really wasn't trying during the game," said a smiling Trapasso. "I swear it. I give you the punter's promise."

It has been said that the punters and kickers from both teams gathered on the field during warm-ups and bet each other whether or not they could hit the board, which is 90 ft above the turf. The FBI is apparently looking into the betting that may have seen anywhere from $10-$20 exchange hands, large sums for punter salaries.

So concerned is Vick that he has started PETOLS (People for the Ethical Treatment of Low-hanging Scoreboards). The nonprofit, operating out of Vick's living room, will keep a close watch on the future treatment of the giant video board. With only two paid staff at PETOLS this may difficult to accomplish.

"It's appalling," said Vick. "The way they were using footballs to beat the scoreboard made me nauseous. And the punters all had a good laugh about it, which makes it even worse."

Not everyone has been disappointed by what transpired in Dallas, at least not from what has indirectly resulted from the incident.

"This is what I meant when I said I wanted to see Michael get involved in the community and become active in a cause," said Eagles' owner Jeffrey Lurie. "This is being proactive. This is what I want. Few people know about the brutal treatment of low-hanging scoreboards in this and other leagues and Michael wants to change that."

Vick will be speaking to children in several Philadelphia elementary schools over the next several weeks to warn children about kicking footballs into overhead scoreboards. Lurie hopes to attend several of the meetings and support his fourth-string quarterback.

Though the Dallas scoreboard is the only one low enough in the league to be struck by a punt or kickoff at the moment Vick hopes to keep it that way.

"Right now it's the only board receiving this kind of treatment and I am willing to go to great lengths to make sure it is eventually raised," said an emotional Vick. "In the meantime I want the league to use Nerf footballs in Dallas during punts. PETOLS hopes to pay for those Nerf footballs."

The Virginia native also has reason to believe stadium maintenance crews are using electricity to power and water to clean the board.

PETOLS also plans to ad Tampa's Tropicana Field to it's list of abused stadium accessories. Tropicana Field contains numerous catwalks that are often struck by foul balls or high pops.

"So many people are telling me to slow down and concentrate on one scoreboard for the moment, but those catwalks are being mistreated too and so are the nets behind the field goals," said Vick. "But that's a whole other story."

To make a contribution to PETOLS visit: wwww.petols.corg/what/if/it/was/your/giant/scoreboard

Police: Laser pointer came from passing planes

The Philadelphia Police Department has arrested Hank Tanner, 45, of Media, PA in connection with the laser pointer incident that took place at Citizens Bank Park back on July 25, 2009. Police also made four other related arrests, but would not release names of the men being held.

On the day of the incident the game between the Phillies and the St Louis Cardinals was halted for almost fifteen minutes while stadium crew members, security and outraged fans all searched the stands for the culprit. Umpires, players and coaches attempted to direct the search crew from the field (using laser pointers, nonetheless) towards the source based on the perceived angle of the fan's beam, which was somewhere behind the Phillies' dugout.

"Usually, a fan with a laser pointer is easily spotted by security or nearby fans and arrested on the spot," said Dale Higginsworth, head of Citizens Bank Park security. "It was a little embarrassing for us to not catch this person. We needed the help of fans."

This is where 12-year-old Phillies' backer Tommy Lenard comes in. The young fan was aboard U.S. Airways flight 498 from Charlotte, NC to Philadelphia and noticed a passenger sitting on the right side of the plane peering out the window and laughing heartily as the jetliner made its final approach into Philadelphia International Airport.

"The man was holding something and kept saying, 'Can you see it?'" said Lenard. "He was on a cell phone, which he shouldn't be doing anyway while the plane is in the air. And he had this real strong belly laugh."

Philadelphia's stadium complex is only a short distance from the city's airport where jetliners fly low just to the south of the Park during landings.

Lenard withheld his story until yesterday when, during his first day of school at Hannerhan Elementary School, the teacher talked to the class about the dangers of laser pointers.

"I went right home after school and told my parents about the guy on the plane and we called the police," said Lenard.

Tanner is believed to be the mastermind of the laser pointer plot, which, at this time, is said to have included up to four other individuals. Police say Tanner placed each accomplice on different planes with long range pointers all landing during the afternoon game. Security confirmed that the five men, including Tanner, match the number of targeted Cardinal players that were eventually "lasered" on that Saturday in July.

"These guys are good," said Detective Bob Gavinach, of the PPD. "This took months of planning and really good lasering. You don't see lasering like this anymore. Maybe in the mid 90's but not today."

Pirates' Plinko-like fan game laden with Steeler prizes

During the middle of the seventh inning of last night's Phillies-Pirates game in Pittsburgh's PNC Park the home team attempted to actively engage the sparse crowd again. There are several opportunities for (Pirates) fans to win prizes throughout the game and this particular engagement, er, contest, was called Bucco. It was difficult, however, for the Pirates marketing staff to find a Pirates fan, as the Phillies faithful turned the picturesque stadium into a sea of red.

Bucco is based on the Price-Is-Right game show contest in which a large chip is dropped down a slightly angled, peg-covered board with slots at the bottom each labeled with different prizes. The chip bounces off the pegs changing directions rapidly as the fans look on in anticipation of where the disk will fall.

Most of the prizes are baseball-related gear ... with an extremely bizarre twist. For example, a Pirates bat signed by Ben Roethlisberger(?), Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback. Another prize was a glove with the likeness of Mike Tomlin, the Steelers head coach, stenciled into the leather. A replica of a batting glove that Steelers wide receiver Heinz Ward used as a little leaguer was also among the rewards.

"We get a little more fan interaction when we mix in Steelers names during some of our fan contests," said Sally Griffin, director of fan relations at the park, when asked about why the city's football team is so visibly represented in the contests. "Honestly, I think attendance would dip under 2,000 per game if we didn't do this."

The prize that has been most welcomed by the fans (and single-handedly credited for boosting attendance by 1,500 per game) calls for an impersonation of the popular former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher by a Pirates player or manager and shown on the JumboTron between innings.

Last night manager John Russell gave it his best shot and received a cheer of approval—yes, even by attending Phillies fans.

"I haven't been asked to do it since April and so I was rusty," said the manager after the game. "I looked like a scared Bill Cowher and not a feared Bill Cowher."

"I love when one of the Pirates' players has to do their best [Bill] Cowher impersonation," said Veronica Hansen, a fan from Greensberg, PA. "They all try to do the jaw, but they really can't. It's hilarious."

The prize list isn't completely devoid of Pirates gear. In fact, last night's Bucco participant declined four tickets to a future Pirates game that resulted from her first chip drop. She even passed on 2010 season tickets to the Pirates that came on her second drop.

"The crowd was urging me on to go for the impersonation prize," said Bucco player and Pirates fan Gail Stommers. "The handful of Pirates fans were chanting 'impersonation.' I had to take the chance."

Notes: In an effort to boost attendance the Pirates are considering a move to the Steelers' Heinz Field next year during Sunday games. "We might be able to trick some fans into coming," said Griffin. Also, the Pirates will attempt to have Ben Roethlisberger throw the ceremonial first pitch at all 81 home games.

In-game video session leads to Victorino intervention

During the bottom of the fifth inning in last Wednesday's Phillies-Cubs game in Chicago's Wrigley Field, four Phillies bench players, who preferred to remain anonymous, made a visit to the Phillies' clubhouse. The short trip was to watch video of the Cubs pitchers, in case called upon to later enter the game as pinch hitters.

The video session kept the players away for almost the entire bottom half of the inning. What they missed was an unruly Cubs bleacher fan tossing a full cup of $8 beer on teammate Shane Victorino as the center fielder attempted to catch a fly ball. When Victorino returned to the dugout, the smell of beer followed the All-Star as he moved past players, coaches and bat boys.

When the players emerged from the video session to enter the cramped dugout it was the top of the sixth inning and the game seemed to be progressing normally. The strong smell of beer was, at first, linked to the fans sitting behind the dugout--possibly a spill.

"I came out ready to pinch hit and I was so focused on what I needed to do," said one of the players. "I did, however, notice an unusually powerful skunked Coors Light odor."

It was at this point that the focused player paced the dugout floor itching and hoping to get into the game, then, needing to settle down, sat on the bench. He happened to sit next to Victorino who was sipping Gatorade, spitting seeds and gathering himself after the beer shower.

"Right away I smelled stale beer on Shane. I didn't know what to do," said another concerned player who had been in the clubhouse during the fifth inning. "There was beer all over his jersey. It's one thing to go out to the bar after the game and grab a few beers. It's totally another thing to pretend to drink Gatorade."

Again, the nervous dugout pacing started, but this time it was over concern for a teammate and no longer about entering the game.

"I considered pulling Charlie [Manuel] aside and asking him what to do. Shane is having such a great year and I didn't know why he was turning to the drink ... on the job!" said another player.

Eventually, the player asked the rest of the video session group to help him confront the outfielder about the beer.

Just before the beginning of the seventh inning the group of four players slowly and discreetly formed a circle around teammate Shane Victorino. They asked to speak to Shane privately in the tunnel leading to the clubhouse.

"I told them that in the fifth inning some crazy fan threw a beer on me," said a smiling, but annoyed Victorino. "They had totally missed that entire incident while they were studying tape of the Cubs."

"At first, we thought it was an excuse, then we realized what we had missed. The whole team had a good laugh," said one of the four players. "One of those good hearty laughs."

UFC fight not interrupted by parachuter

On Saturday night the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) made its first ever visit to Philadelphia when it erected the famous octagon on the Wachovia Center floor. The sell-out, salivating crowd came from all over to see firsthand the brutal hits, KO's, submissions and decisions (yes, even decisions are brutal) normally caught on Pay-Per-View.

The revved up crowd was treated to the swift Anderson Silva who seemed to toy with opponent Forrest Griffin and, eventually, knocked him out—in the first round. In the last fight of the evening lightweight champion BJ Penn outlasted Kenny Florian by submission in the 4th round. The audience was almost treated to another event as well.

Steven Van Brod, 28, of Hammonton, NJ, attempted to crash Philly's inaugural UFC event by parachuting into the arena a la November 1993 when, during the Riddick Bowe-Evander Holyfield fight (video above), a man parachuted into the outdoor stadium landing at the the edge of the ring where he was then tackled by spectators.

The skydive instructor neglected to take into account one factor ... the Wachovia Center has a roof.

"I really don't know what I was thinking. I've been planning the jump ever since they [the UFC] set the Philadelphia date and I just never thought about the roof," said Van Brod, who was shocked when informed that his rough landing above didn't register any reaction inside.

"So there wasn't any thud on the roof that the fans inside could hear?" asked a disappointed Van Brod. "All that work and planning and all those blueprints ... for nothing. I even bought a protractor."

It is not clear when the parachuter realized that he would not be entering the stadium, but the moment must have occurred before coming into contact with the roof. Van Brod claims he landed on the roof at 12:37 AM around the time Anderson Silva was defending his title against Forrest Griffin.

The arena's security on the outside did not noticed Van Brod on the first jump and, after calling friends who refused to help, repacked his parachute and jumped again, this time into the parking lot. It was here that he was apprehended by security and police and quickly taken into custody.

Officials are speculating that Van Brod had been in communication with one or many individuals inside the arena to better time his jump in the hopes of landing during one of the final two headline fights.

The fight that erupted in the lower level seating area between several fans, and drew the attention of the entire stadium, may have been related to the planned jump.

"We believe that Van Brod's inside guys, after looking up and seeing the roof, began blaming each other at the embarrassing oversight and the argument quickly erupted into a full-scale physical altercation," said Officer Paul Bride of the Philadelphia Police Department. "They were upset that the plan had been foiled by the above covering."

Van Brod and his accomplices can face up to six months in jail and significant community service if convicted.

Asked by reporters if he would ever parachute into an outdoor sporting event Van Brod replied, "Not if it was inside I wouldn't."

Former Geese driver plunges school bus into river

On Wednesday morning, a former Ride the Geese driver plunged a crowded school bus into the fast-moving Delaware River in Easton, PA. The incident occurred just south of the Northampton St Bridge off of Larry Holmes Dr. The bus was full of day campers heading to the upper Lehigh River for an overnight tubing and camping excursion. None of the twenty-seven children, nor the bus, have been found.

Driver Francis Gilbright began working for the Hecktown, PA-based HeckBus, Inc only two months ago after spending three years in Philadelphia as a Ride the Geese amphibious vehicle driver and tour guide. Three years of driving the streets of Philadelphia and taking the same watertight vehicle into the Delaware River.

"He was a fantastic driver here," said Mallory Barter, manager of Ride the Geese in Philadelphia. "He was well-liked, entertaining, informative and had a spotless driving record."

The devastated Gilbright had avoided talking with the media until yesterday when, through a constant stream of tears and a heckling crowd, he described what had happened.

"I just totally forgot where I was for a minute," said Gilbright, 34, of Hecktown, PA staring incredulously at reporters. "I drove right into the river like it was my job. Those poor kids. I feel like this whole thing is my fault."

After the bus entered the water Gilbright began pointing out landmarks to the screaming children—screams that sounded a lot like quacking/honking whistles to the driver—for several minutes as the bright yellow vehicle floated downstream.

"I was very confused when I drove into the water and there was no Ben Franklin Bridge. Then my reaction was, 'this Goose is leaking,'"said Gilbright. "Then I heard the screams and realized where I was. I was in a regular old school bus. The leaky kind ... in Easton."

The driver told the children—who were all between the ages of 10 and 12—to make their way to the back of the bus toward the emergency exit. Meanwhile, Gilbright, who can not swim and is deathly afraid of water, opened the front door and managed to jump onto a rock protruding from the the river's surface.

Easton, which sits at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, has often been hit hard by floods in the past. Recent heavy rain storms had placed the two rivers several feet above normal levels, which helped carry the bus quickly downstream where it disappeared roughly ten minutes after entering the water.

It has been reported that this is the second incident involving a river for the young driver while at HeckBus. During his initial driving exam—with no children aboard—he turned down a ramp that emptied directly into the Lehigh River, but stopped several feet short when he realized he was in a school bus. Gilbright reportedly laughed saying to the examiner, "That was a close one. You're not going to count this against me are you?"

Apparently, it was not counted against the driver. HeckBus, Inc did not return phone calls regarding the driver's road test incident.

The company, however, did release a statement last night hinting that Gilbright would either receive special training for non-floating buses or the entire bus fleet would be replaced by amphibious vehicles. Additionally, the bus company, in an effort to help ease the pain of the accident, is giving the victims' families free tickets to Ride the Geese in Philadelphia.

"And they can have all the Goofy Goose whistles they want," said Paul MacGregor, HeckBus, Inc CEO.

Police say they will not charge Gilbright because, "He was a former Geese driver and it was an honest mistake."

Jetties: What are they and what do they want with us?

The critically acclaimed new film Jetties:What are they and what do they want with us? is Earl Hoffman's latest documentary sensation. Hoffman has directed numerous films including 2003's Drawbridges:Do we need them? and the 1998 Vineland Film Festival's Best Documentary winner Lighthouses: Do they need to be that high?.

In Jetties:What are they and what do they want with us? Hoffman looks to answer two basic questions.

"Really, I was looking to find out what jetties are and what do they want with us," said Hoffman from his home in North Wildwood, NJ. "I was really looking mostly at New Jersey's jetties and my findings were pretty interesting."

The award-winning filmmaker, who did not want to give too much information about his latest film, concentrates most of his work in the Garden State and can often be seen in small town coffee shops or speaking to regular folks while out and about.

"I love how he talks to regular folks, ya know ... like me," said Dan Thompson, of Toms River, NJ, a fan of Hoffman.

Jetties are a fixture along New Jersey's coastline from Cape May in the south to Sandy Hook in the north. The great poet Walt Whitman called the state's rock formations "the thinning hair of the coast I must boast."

Critics from all over the state are praising the film:

"If you like jetties and you are curious as to what they are exactly and what they are doing on this planet then this film is a must."—Millville Sun Times

"I didn't know jetties could do that."—Hoboken Ledger

"I will always fish from a jetty again."—Parsippany Times

"Riveting! I had know idea jetties wanted that with us."—Atlantic City Daily News

Crumbling WWII bunker to become Olive Garden

In the shadow of the Cape May light house at the southern most tip of New Jersey sits a symbol of our country's defense during World War II. The Cape May bunker (pictured above) was built in 1942 for the purpose of defending the Delaware Bay—and ultimately the port of Philadelphia—against a possible attack from German submarines or ships. Yesterday, it was announced that Darden Restaurants had purchased the landmark and will covert the relic into an Olive Garden, one of the company's most popular chains. "This is new territory for Olive Garden," said Fred Gionnini, CFO of Darden Restaurants. "I guarantee, however, that the 6-ft thick concrete walls won't affect our great tasting breadsticks." There is a similar bunker on the Delaware side of the bay. Darden also purchased this site and may open a Red Lobster or a LongHorn Steakhouse. The company outbid Pizza Hut, Cinnabon and Starbucks to acquire the sites, which are both part of state parks.

Delaware Bay swimmer first to cross by ferry

The body of water that separates the state of Delaware and New Jersey has been crossed numerous times by swimmers looking to conquer the unpredictable waters--rising and falling tides and strong, swirling currents. Next month the first swimmer ever to cross the seventeen-mile-wide mouth of the Delaware Bay will do so by ferry.

"I've been training for months and months," said Zack Meldin, 37, a resident of Vineland, NJ. "I have studied both ferry terminals and the whole fleet so I will be prepared for any surprises."

The journey, starting in Lewes, DE and ending in Cape May, NJ, is expected to take just about 80 minutes and cost a steep $43.25 peak season fare because Meldin will take along his new four-door Jeep Wrangler.

The athlete was unaware that each passenger taken in the car will be an additional $10.00. With his girlfriend, parents and brother all coming along to support his attempt at a record-setting crossing, the total cost comes to $83.25.

"It is a lot of money, but I really want the people I care about most to be with me during the crossing. They were there when I crossed the English Channel by train in 2007 and I want them here in August," said Meldin, his eyes welling.

Meldin's sponsors include Subway, Jeep and DelMarVa Power who will only contribute sandwiches, jeeps and electricity, not cash, towards the swimmer's bay crossing.

The Cape May-Lewes Ferry company, operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, has been very cooperative with Meldin and his family. The DRBA has organized meetings between the swimmer and the fleet's 12 ship captains, provided blueprints of the ships and terminals and will provide a $20 gift card good for on board food purchases (not valid at Subway). The DRBA has also arranged for Meldin's Jeep to be driven onto the ship by a crew member to help conserve the athlete's energy for the journey.

"He can't wait. He's been doing a lot of rowing and he even traveled to Massachusetts to take a 'practice ferry' to Nantucket. He's as ready as he'll ever be," said Harriet Meldin, Zack's mother.

Delaware's most famous resident Vice President Joe Biden will lead a send off from Lewes next month, while New Jersey governor Jon Corzine and Subway's Jared will welcome Zack to the Garden State.


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Drabek: 'Would I get paid in Euros up there, er, how does that all work?'

Strahan gives in, will star in GAP commercials

Michael Strahan couldn't refuse the money any longer. The former New York Giants defensive end and single season sack record holder has agreed to appear in four GAP television commercials for the clothing company to be aired this coming fall. Specific numbers were not disclosed, but some reports are claiming the price was around $30 million. The former mvp has been wined and dined by the clothing company over the last ten years in hopes he would agree to star in the popular GAP advertisements. "I didn't want to endorse a product I didn't use," said Strahan. "But I began to see things from GAP's perspective. It's a great company." The current NFL analyst said that he would only smile twice during an ad and that only three closeups were permitted. The GAP marketing team says they know exactly how the ads will play out. "We've been planning the ads for ten years," said a GAP rep.

City claims rust is mural; MAP says no, then yes

The city of Philadelphia is claiming that the rust on the side of a Schuylkill River overpass is a mural designed and painted by the world-renowned Mural Arts Program (MAP). Having just overhauled the JFK Blvd Bridge and currently replacing the South St Bridge, the city, not to mention the state, seem to have an endless list of infrastructure projects on the horizon with little or no funding.

Is the bridge safe or is the city creating reasons to postpone or avoid costly, needed repairs?

The rusted bridge, which sits near the iconic Art Museum and the historic Waterworks and its recently refurbished park, has been the center of a public outcry demanding its cleaning to better blend with its neighbors—a cleaning that would cost the financially strapped city over $5 million.

Some say that the steep cost to rehab the bridge has led the current administration to claim that the horrid rust is a mural titled, "The Rust."

"Look at it. It's one of the best murals going. It actually looks like rust," said city bridge inspector Grace Higgins. "I’ll be the first to admit that I, too, thought it was rust upon first inspection, then I did the math. The numbers don’t lie … it’s not rust.”

At first, the Mural Arts Program, which has created the largest collection of murals in the world and is copied nationally and internationally, denied the claim saying, "The rust is actual rust and we have never been involved with a project on the Martin Luther King Dr Bridge."

"Yesterday, I saw a group of tourists pour from a bus parked near the bridge. They walked down the path and began to take hundreds of photos of the bridge," said Tom Hildebrand, a citizen calling for the removal of the rust. "These tourists had to be hired by the city."

The administration called the accusation "nonsense and insulting" and said the bridge has been luring visitors for months since the mural was completed.

"We can't even plow our own streets in the winter," said a city representative. "How are we going to rent a luxury bus liner from Krapfs, or where ever the bus was from, and pay everyone on board to act like a tourist? This is comical."

Remove the Rust, a local group calling for the cleaning, say they have proof, through time-lapse photography, that the rust is not a mural. They are claiming the corrosion has been developing over the course of 15 to 20 years and they have never seen an artist near the bridge.

"The mural was started almost 20 years ago and it has been worked on little by little each year by the artist Franz Dorgle," said Ken Fitzgerald, a Streets Department official. "He’s a slow worker and he works late at night.”

One thing is clear, however, that somewhere along the way there was a breakdown in communication or a falling out between the Mural Arts Program and the city on how the rust controversy would be handled publicly.

There is speculation that MAP officials, possibly unsatisfied with the city's financial support, refused the request to claim the rust as part of the program by a city that felt it had consistently and sufficiently backed the nonprofit monetarily. Or possibly, MAP agreed to claim the rust for a small fee and the administration never came through with the promised "donation."

Yesterday, however, MAP abruptly changed its story and claimed the "The Rust" was, in fact, part of the program and that forgetting a mural has happened before and is not all that uncommon.

"Oh, it’s one of ours," said a grinning Sara Von Ruyen, a MAP board member. "We have tons and tons of paperwork here and things get lost or forgotten. For example, I completely forgot we did the Dr J mural a few years back. Someone had to literally sit me down and say, 'Sara, we did do the Dr J mural back in 19-whatever.' I was floored."

Later yesterday afternoon, the city issued this statement: "We thought it was a mural all along. We mean no disrespect to Mother Nature, but the oxidizing process caused by water and air could not possibly result in something so exquisite. This was created by a masterful brush on a structurally sound bridge."

Remove the Rust president David Werner said his organization was convinced and that his group was embarrassed and would cease its campaign to remove the ferric hydroxide and ferric oxide that is rust.

"Now our mission is to do whatever we can to help preserve ‘The Rust,’" said Werner.