Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

3 Number of Philadelphia-area teams — the Philadelphia Growl, the Philadelphia Revolution and the Feasterville Fury — in the Professional Inline Hockey Association. Watch the Revolution and the Fury play their last pre-2008-season exhibition game Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. at the Northeast Racquet Club, 9389 Krewstown Road. Lucky for both teams they don't have to immediately face the 2007 PIHA Most Valuable Player, Growl goaltender Joe D'Aloisio, aka "the Wall on Wheels." I just made that nickname up. But guaranteed the T-shirts will be ready in time for the season opener.

10 Profit percentage that I'll request from Villanova professor Paul Pasles' — since I assume I inspired him — when he discusses his new book, Benjamin Franklin's Numbers: An Unsung Mathematical Odyssey (Princeton University Press), at the Penn Bookstore Thu., Nov. 15, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The book details Franklin's less-chronicled interest in mathematics, namely his fondness for so-called "magic squares," which I gather are kind of like Sudoku, but less pointless.

190 Target weight of "Rob," a Philly lawyer who blogs about his adventures trying to lose weight by running in races at runtolose.blogspot.com. After starting at 293 pounds in January, Rob has completed eight races and is down to 258. His ninth race is the Nov. 22 Fairmount Park 5-Mile Turkey Trot. And before you criticize him for not entering the Nov. 18 Philadelphia Marathon, know that he's scheduled to run it in 2008. When he'll probably be 98 pounds. That's a compliment, Rob, so don't sue me. The T-shirt and book royalties are only so much.

499 Number of spots left, as of press time, of the 500 available for the Philadelphia Republican Party November Meetup, Nov. 22 at the Ballroom at the Ben Franklin Hotel. The event will feature a Q&A with talk show host Laura Ingraham and the presentation of the Philadelphia Young Republicans' "Man of the Year." Is it Al Taubenberger? Or is he the one who registered? Both? Tickets are $9.90 and registration is required at wntp.com/powertothepeople.aspx.

$6,879,000,000 Amount of online giving in the United States in 2006, as estimated by the ePhilanthropy Foundation, whose Training Tour will stop in Philadelphia Nov. 16. The half-day seminar, hosted by the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, teaches nonprofit organizations how to use the Internet to maximize donations. Register at ephilanthropy.org/etour or by calling 877-536-1245, ext. 1. Thus concludes the "Lawyers, Runs and Money" edition of Running Numbers. See you next week. Unless the checks start coming in.

Can I get your digits? I want to hear about the numerals you need to see. Let a number runner know at runningnumbers@gmail.com. Can't live without your weekly numberology? Bookmark running numbers at citypaper.net/runningnumbers.