<p>“PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Mayor John F. Street abruptly ended his wait in line for an iPhone Friday after a passer-by asked him about the city’s murder rate.”</p>
<p>wikipedia “In November 2006, federal authorities charged that T Milton Street, older brother of John F Street, traded on his last name to obtain lucrative city contracts and failed to pay taxes on more than $2 million in income. It was alleged that soon after Mayor Street took office in 2000, Milton Street began hiring himself out as consultant to companies that thought he could help them get city contracts. One company paid Milton Street, who is a hot dog vendor, $30,000 a month consulting fee. Mayor Street continues to defend his brother’s right to pursue city contracts.”</p>
<p>I heard the news at noon report about him standing in line for the i-phone and had the same reaction! Shouldn’t you be at work???
I can’t wait until the next election - I hope they get it right this time. I could not believe he was re-elected in the midst of his office being investigated last time.</p>
<p>This is pretty funny. He does love technology; he was probably one of the first people in the city with a Blackberry, too. For all the (many) inadequacies of his administration, he may well be remembered fondly a decade from now for promoting a citywide wireless internet network.</p>
<p>The OP’s slam about Mayor Street’s older brother Milton is a little unfair. Once upon a time, Milton was a major political mover and shaker, and John was very much in his shadow, but that time was 20 years ago, and relations between them have been frosty for decades. He’s John Street’s Billy Carter, except probably a lot less innocent about trying to trade off his brother’s name.</p>
<p>Apparently the first news report was incorrect - he was back in line at 6pm when they went on sale after having police officers/other employees sit in line for him part of the day. He did get his phone…</p>
<p>You’d think that Apple might have considered sending a cpuple of IPhones to the mayor in exchange of placing more Macs in the local public schools. </p>
<p>Oh wait, they sent them to the hot dog vendor for similar results. :)</p>
<p>The state has essentially taken over the Philadelphia School District, so the mayor has only limited influence there. (A source of great frustration to the mayor and to his presumptive successor.)</p>
<p>My kids’ high school just put in a new library/computer center two years ago, equipped with about 300 Apple computers of various types. So Apple is apparently doing fine with the Philadelphia School District as it is.</p>