Criticism for politically incorrect comments deflects attention away from the real issues they address.

Community activists are convinced that, if the city has its way, $50 million of their hard earned tax money will go to one ugly bridge. But at a public hearing yesterday, they learned that if construction doesn't start soon, it may never happen. The City Council's Committee on Streets and Services convened the hearing to debate a proposal to widen South Street.

Since its season began, the team has focused on one meet. And the time has come for the Penn women's swim team. From today until Saturday, the Ivy League Championship Meet will be held at Princeton's Denunzio Pool. Unlike most Ancient Eight sports, the swimming champion is not determined by the regular season.

Prize-winning poet Susan Howe appeared at the Kelly Writer's house yesterday for an exclusive poetry reading of her own works. An author of several poetry publications, Howe opened the night with one of her most recent prose poems, "What is this Crackling of Voices in the Mind," in a style she described as "a Jonathan Edwards personal, conversion narrative.

Cornell center Andrew Naeve knows his role. Bully your way to the hoop and score. Get back on defense. Repeat. It shows up on his stat sheet: In 651 minutes this season, he has taken only one three-point shot. According to Naeve, "I don't even remember taking that three.

Philadelphia did a poor job making campus streets driveable.

On Feb. 9, the city's Democratic party voted to endorse Bob Brady for mayor.

A new report predicts that starting salaries for associates at top Manhattan law firms could reach $190,000 by December, and one expert says they have no signs of stopping. The 2007 Salary Guide - published by Robert Half Legal, a recruitment firm based in Menlo Park, Calif.

PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 15 - It might only be Day One of the 2007 Ivy League Women's Swimming Championship, but Penn has already made history. "We had a finalist in every event, and that's the first time that's happened in school history," coach Mike Schnur said.

Penn is at least $1 billion into its current fundraising campaign, but shhh - you didn't hear it from us. Since 2004, the University has been in the quiet phase of a capital campaign - Penn's most ambitious in history, University officials say - that isn't scheduled to go public until this fall.

Slick sidewalks, lots of slush and furious winds won't get in the way of Cupid's bow, at least as far as students are concerned.

The number of spots available at some of the top business schools in the country is dropping - but not at Wharton. The Yale School of Management is planning for an incoming class of 195, compared to its 220-person class of 2008, and Stanford's Graduate School of Business is also aiming to scale back its class size by 20.

188Estimated millions of Valentine's Day cards exchanged across the United States each year. Source: U.S. Census Bureau

On a busy night of studying, Mustafa Al-ammar was chatting on instant messenger. But the College junior was not procrastinating or making plans to go to a frat party: He was chatting about an upcoming assignment with a professor. "I never go to office hours," Al-ammar said.

It took 157 words for Joe Scott to explain his goals for the rest of the season after his Tigers fell to 1-6 in the Ivy League Tuesday at the Palestra. It took only six to show just how far the Princeton program has fallen under Scott's watch. It's not about the end result.

Penn's three-game winning streak has by no means been pretty. The Quakers have not run anyone off the Palestra floor, and they have played sloppily for stretches on both ends of the floor. But three wins are three wins, and they have vaulted Penn back into sole possession of first place in the Ivy League at 6-1.

Sometimes, all it takes is a little chardonnay to get a neighborhood back on track. Part of a larger revitalization of the area, demolition is set to begin on the current over-the-counter liquor store on the 4900 block of Baltimore Ave., which will be moved down the block and will re-open in late spring.