Of course I am sympathetic to this patient, but also very concerned that stem cell therapies are being sold around the world before they have been proven safe and effective. Isn't there a profit motive for these offshore companies selling their therapies? Of course there is! According to the International Society for Stem Cell Research, "Stem cell therapies are nearly all new and experimental. In these early stages, they may not work, and there may be downsides. Make sure you understand what to look out for before considering a stem cell therapy." Please see

Hey Isaiah - you might want to check this group out - it's been spontaneously organized and in less than 48 hours has about ~350 participating - and made the evening news

Would love to see a red bicycle icon for the redlights here. Would that actually begin to change behaviors, such as the sorry-but-it's-illegal rolling stop?

First they came for the fixie riders, but I was not a fixie rider, and I did not speak out because I was not a fixie rider made snide, petty comments...

Man, who cares. Fixed Gear bikes are for hipster doofuses who ride to show off. The only thing I regret about outlawing fixies is that the amount of hilarity that I will witness when these losers wipe out due to their own stupidity will decrease. Too bad.

These laws make sense for safety reasons, but the fines are ridiculous. The reason I ride is to save money. I'm in the process of selling my car because insurance, gas, and maintenance were killing me... Now I have to worry about biking fines that cost more than my car?! I'm not too worried though, because I think enforcement of these laws will be tough. I don't plan to change my biking habits...

These laws make sense for safety reasons, but the fines are ridiculous. The reason I ride is to save money. I'm in the process of selling my car because insurance, gas, and maintenance were killing me... Now I have to worry about biking fines that cost more than my car?! I'm not too worried though, because I think enforcement of these laws will be tough. I don't plan to change my biking habits...

State law supercedes county or city law. Hence this "law" is not really law. First person who gets an infraction due to this new "law" can take it to court and any judge worth his salt should throw the law out. Done.

Pizza is GREAT! Hands-down one of the best pies I've eaten ANYWHERE. Eat there or eat it quick.

That's our girl! <3 Go Flea!

I love the sidecar!

I whole heartily agree with Lola but don't forget the damn cabbies. They are in a class of their own.

Enforcement is fine. Augmenting fines, forced registration and confiscation is crazy. I follow the laws as it is, but god forbid I get my bike taken away - i cycle 10 miles each way to work daily.

The bottom line is that we all (pedestrians, drivers and cyclists) need to be more respectful of each other and the rules. Unfortunately, the only way that will happen is if the police begin cracking down on those who break the law. That said, I would much prefer it if they concentrated on all the erratic, distracted drivers who are on their mobile devices while driving or who don't understand city traffic laws. That and the cyclists on the sidewalk - which are completely unacceptable.

"Central Bicycle Enforcement Initiative"

Does that mean downtown? Great, yet more rules and laws which are enforced only in certain areas of the city.

If I have to obey all the laws, and get a license plate, I should then be able to take up entire lanes AND be able to ride on 676, etc. Right?
Please...

I am NOT opposed to enforcement of the sidewalk law. I enforce that now with elbows. If you are too scared to ride on the street, you shouldn't be riding. BUT, many of the sidewalk violators are BMXicans, and since a good number aren't legal, does anyone really expect that without proper documentation they are going to get licenses? They ride bikes because they don't have the docs to get drivers licenses for crying out loud...

I'm not against all the proposed laws, but some just scream fascist police-state and are an obvious pick on the little guy to make money scheme. Like our cops have nothing better to do? Or it will be enforced in part by the outsourced PPA?

We have easily the worst transit system in the country, the economy is shit, and now people who were going to find alternatives to paying for gas or dealing with SEPTA are getting attacked?

Ugh.

BTW, does anyone think that these bills are really just retaliation for the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets? There are a ton of angry drivers because they have to extend their commute 1 minute longer because they only have one lane (which many don't observe anyway). I think the politicos are using the two deaths as an excuse for the bills but really they hate that the cyclists got a win.

Elizabeth,

As a bicycle commuter in this city, the pedestrians don't follow the basic traffic laws either and maybe you have almost be hit because you are crossing against the lights. I don't know how many times I have almost hit pedestrians who think that is okay to step out in front of bikes. They wait for the car to pass and then walk out in front of me. I don't give way because I shouldn't, not when I am following the law. As we now know bikes can hurt and even kill pedestrians not to mention serious injure the cyclist. I hit a bozo 10 days ago because he did that very same thing and then had the nerve to call me a "faggot". Nice!!

The negative comments made here are from people who are power and greed motivated. There can be no other reason to try to block the way for safe adult stem cell treatment in the U.S. I too am embarrassed that this country has chosen to turn its back on those of us who have terminal and chronic diseases. This is condemning us to death when stem cell therapy can give us hope and better health in many cases. I never knew the power that Big Pharma and politicians held until I became co-founder of the Stem Cell Pioneers forum and started learning a lot about the stem cell industry. Doctors like Dr. Centeno are heroes to those of us that want a safe stem cell network of physicians all across the U.S. ICMS has come up with safe clinic guidelines and a patient registry. The FDA has come up with blockades and government red tape. There isn't even a clinical in the U.S. for my disease. Stem Cell Pioneers forum members have repeatedly contacted the NIH in the hopes of getting stem cell based clinicals moving, but to no avail. The young man in this article is right to leave the country to try to save his life. I have done the same thing, but many people I know cannot physically go to an offshore clinic or cannot afford the added expense. This entire discussion is not one we would be having in most countries. Only the U.S. remains the holdout in wanting to deny citizens a right to seek stem cell therapy with their own stem cells as an option to death. It's a public disgrace and anyone bashing the idea had better hope they or their loved ones do not ever find themselves in the position that many of us do.

Fun interview and Felicia looks SO pretty in that picture!!!

Lynn, the only guarantee a server signs on for when taking a wait staff position is their hourly wage. That's all, nothing more. Beyond that, it's up to them how much money they make. It's no different than taking a sales position. Hustle to provide great service and you can expect to make more money. Provide lousy service, expect a rock in your trick-or-treat bag. Just as with sales, the back end of the business makes a difference in the quality of service you're able to provide. If the back end is lousy, you're always free to look for another company to work for.

If you order steak and they serve you fish, do you pay for the fish?

Likewise, if you receive poor service, do you pay for good service?

This company just signed their death sentence. Not only is it now common knowledge that they provide poor service, they'll have you arrested if you don't leave a tip.

The editors made a great error by not including the website authored by Mr. Ford. He has made outstanding contributions to this world and it is hoped that someone out there will help him to have the opportunity to pursue his well researched and only option, Please contact him at

Solve problems like gun crimes, homeless people, domestic abuse, and potholes.

Tipping is required as advertised. Period.
However, this is NOT a police matter. Do you mean to say I can call the police in on a neighbor who has borrowed my ladder ($100+) and won't return it?
Is this a Police State now in Bethlehem, controlled by Sands and the surrounding little businesses?
The police should be prosecuted before anyone else in this situation.

Why is this bad? Breaking the law on your bike isn't just dangerous for you, it's dangerous for all the other bikers and the pedestrians, because you anger drivers and do unexpected things like ride on the sidewalk. If you believe the laws are unfair, go ahead and break them, and take your ticket to court like a good civil disobedient. Otherwise if you want to operate a vehicle, motorized or leg powered, you have to follow the rules. I don't get why that's some awful injustice.

To the comment by Underground Medicine:

You are obviously mis-informed about stem cell research and treatments, they do work to heal diseases which is only being stopped by the FDA blocking it by creating more rules and by drug company's that stand to lose billions in drugs that are not working. The snake oil comes from pharamceuticals and the cancer industry. You are very wrong about the real research that is going on with great success. I see your site gets money from big pharma...very predictable. But why prolong diseases that kill people rather than cure them?
There is only one answer- money, and your blocks to stem cell research are costing lives every day, do you actually feel good that people are dying because of you?
Yes this is a story about what people like this young student had to endure to get treatments. With backward thinking like yours-the USA will be the last country on earth to have adult stem cell treatments- the world is not as corrupt as the FDA and pharma ties.

unbelievable!

I don't think it's a bad idea to enforce that bikes can come to a screeching halt on command: if you were in the path of a cyclist -- as another cyclist, a motorist, OR a pedestrian (who, might I add has no frame of any sort to protect them), I'm certain you'd like to think that bike can stop quickly for your own safety.

Has everyone lost perspective here? This story is about a grad student who is having to go abroad for a medical treatment. When did this become personal? This story isn't about Dr Centeno, and I don't understand why people are attacking him. The real story here is that people are going abroad to countries where there is not 'governmental oversight'. If we want to protect patients and cure diseases, we should be doing these procedures right here in the US. Since when does the US take a back seat to anyone? I am almost embarrassed.

Get a grip, I have a simple question: Do you think that in vitro fertilization is the use of a drug? My cells are taken from my body, treated and then put back in me. Yet, the FDA does not regulate that. You know why? Because it is the practice of medicine. Adult stem cells are the same thing: the practice of medicine. And unless you have an MD, I challenge you to argue that claim.

The long wait could have been due to food not being ready for server.

No matter, no server should be stiffed; they have to put up with a lot. Just the fact that there is a mandatory tip at that restaurant shows that the servers have been stiffed in the past.

Some owners keep the tips, anyway.

People don't realize that servers also have to tip bartenders in order to receive drinks to serve. Some have to tip kitchen help, all tip the bus people, sometimes have to pay off managers, also the maître d’ ...just for the great opportunity to work their butts off. And, some restaurants insist that the servers "split" tips, sharing all the tips...encouraging those who are honesty deprived to steal from co-workers.

It's unfair that servers have to rely on generosity of diners but that's the way it is.

Stay home if you don't want to tip until the world changes and owners pay living wages. Hah!

P.S. In Canada, I saw hotel desk clerks post tip cups on their desks.

ICMS is a physician professional organization with strict lab and clinical guidelines as well as a treatment registry. There are no "charlatan's" allowed. For example, it has posted a survey of off-shore clinics so that the charlatans can be identified and so that patients can be educated. See www.cellmedicinesociety.org. I see the big pharma profit crowd (Jeannie and Underground) are up in arms. The FDA has no authority to regulate the practice of medicine. If it did, every time your doctor wanted to use a drug off-label to save your life, he would have to pursue a 50 million dollar new drug application and 10 years of FDA testing. What Jeannie and underground fail to realize is that these are real people we're talking about here with real terminal diseases. While it's an interesting thought exercise to discuss that the current regulatory framework likely won't allow these people to be helped by stem cells, serious people and organizations (like ICMS) are working to provide a strict framework to protect patients and allow them to be helped.

will this be a one-day enforcement?

Is this a one day event?

BRING BACK CORN MASH

I hope this “Initiative� continues and the push is directed at sidewalk riders. Why would anyone object to that? And to piggy back on another commenter yesterday in this overall thread; I don’t care WHY you are riding on the sidewalk, if you are doing it, it’s illegal, so stop rationalizing it.
BTW, NY State Law calls for confiscation of bikes if caught riding on the sidewalk:

§ 19-176 - Bicycles operation on sidewalks prohibited
Bicycles ridden on sidewalks may be confiscated and riders may be subject to legal sanctions. See also N.Y.C. Traffic Rules and Regulations
§4-07 (c).

If they can do it, why can’t we be content to pay only a fine?

I hope this "Initiative" continues and the push is directed at sidewalk riders. Why would anyone object to that? And to piggy back on another commenter yesterday in this overall thread; I don't care WHY you are riding on the sidewalk, if you are doing it, it's illegal, so stop rationalizing it.
BTW, NY State Law calls for confiscation of bikes if caught riding on the sidewalk:

§ 19-176 - Bicycles operation on sidewalks prohibited
Bicycles ridden on sidewalks may be confiscated and riders may be subject to legal sanctions. See also N.Y.C. Traffic Rules and Regulations
§4-07 (c).

If they can do it, why can't we be content to pay only a fine?

I ride in the street every day.
Sidewalk riders are either rebels in their small minds, scaredy cat crybabies, or incompetent bike messengers who can't get the job done on time without riding on the sidewalk.
I applaud the fearlessness of the bike messengers of this city, but if you need to ride on the sidewalk to do your bike job, then there is room for improvement.
I go the extra block and a half to ride in the correct direction of traffic to reach my destination while staying off the sidewalk.

@dennis: Man, you are one angry guy. Let's not get into a "Who kills more" comparison or insinuate that maybe the pedestrian deserved to die for not paying attention. Pedestrians, like bikers, are doing their part to cut down on pollution by not driving. Show some respect. While your claim that cars kill more people than sidewalk bikers is true, it draws attention from the main point: A person died.

Bill P, the problem with your attitude boils down to your use of the word, "...the help". If you and those like you, and I know those like you, consider those serving you food or drink THE HELP, THE HELP will treat you like the asshole you are. Try treating those you feel are THE HELP with some respect and maybe you wouldn't get lousy service. Do you provide a service in your industry? Do you consider yourself THE HELP for those you serve? I hope I never have the opportunity to be The Help for you jerkoff.

I wonder if the other six people, who were paying less then $10 a head to have dinner, were OK with not leaving a tip. I hope to hear the whole story.

Riding up 22nd Street this morning there was a police car parked in the left hand lane pointed south (22nd St runs north) and an officer was talking with a biker and seemed to be filling out a report/ticket.
Could this be a symptom of the Initiative?

The case Leslie Pope and John Wagner of PA being arrested for not paying a TIP is similar to a no TIP arrest that happened over five years, in Lake George NY. The Warren County DA dropped the charges because of an old federal court ruling that stated TIPs are voluntary. I believe victims then sued the restaurant or the Lake George police for false arrest. In addition the IRS audited the restaurant because a TIP that is enforced is a service charge, which is taxable to the restaurant even is the money is paid to the employees.
Some of the stories about this are still on-line if you google “Lake George TIP arrest”.

As a cyclist, I would never ride in sidewalk. Not only is it against the law, but as a pedestrian, I don't appreciate having to dodge other cyclist.

If you're afraid to bike in the streets, then you shouldn't be biking in Philadelphia.

I also disagree that the problem is blown out of proportion. I walk to work and every morning and afternoon I see at least one flagrant traffic violation by a cyclist, including running a red light, going down a one way street the wrong way, or biking in between lanes. Is it any surprise that motorist hate bikers?

As for the number of people killed by bikes vs cars, if you break the number down by proportion, I wouldn't be surprised if bikes are greater. Accourding to the Bicycle Coalition, in 2008 over 11,000 people cycled to work on a normal day, with 36,000 people doing so at least once a month. The number of people driving to work within the city limits is easily in the hundreds of thousands.

How about all prices are raised so a server gets a living wage and then we don't have to worry about this little battle anymore? People who think they have an option whether to tip or not are completely insane. Do I have an option to not pay full price on my groceries if the person doesn't bag for me? No, because their wage is built into the cost. You don't like to tip 20% fine. Pay twice as much for your burger then.

Bill P's response is rambling gibberish (probably due to the fact that he has no reading comprehension and couldn't figure out who actually wrote this post), and Dave, if this seriously fits with your definition of "injustice," you should go read the Wikipedia page on Sudan or something (perhaps even donate to the cause through PayPal!) because you're clearly very privileged and out of touch with reality. Oh no, that blonde grad student had to WALK UP TO THE BAR to get a soda refill? Somebody call Amnesty International!

It's not so far-fetched to guess that the customers were acting like dicks, and that caused the waitstaff to act dickish right back to them. Neither party is in the right if that was the case. But all told this is less an issue about the politics of the mandatory auto-grat than it is about some most-likely-douchebaggy customers and an equally douchebaggy manager/bartender who decided to get the police involved in something that could've been settled with a simple conversation.

Alright...I saw this at a screening in LA recently and it was fantastic! people should go and see this touching portrait of an afflicted man with some amazing talents. I never knew about his drawings until I saw this, they are fantastic!

Julia Harte, did you do any research on this underground Dr. Centeno? If you did, you would have found the FDA letter to him at
In part, it says:
Based on information posted on your website, mesenchymal stem cells utilized in your Regenexx™ procedure are drawn from a patient's bone marrow, sent to a lab, isolated, and then grown using growth factors drawn from the patient's blood before being inserted back into the patient. These cells are considered drugs because the therapeutic claims shown on your website demonstrate that they are intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man
Please be advised that in order to introduce or deliver for introduction a drug that is also a biological product into interstate commerce, a valid biologics license must be in effect. Such licenses are issued only after a showing of safety and efficacy for the product’s intended use. While in the development stage, such products may be distributed for clinical use in humans only if the sponsor has an investigational new drug application in effect as specified by FDA regulations (21 U.S.C. 355(i); 21 CFR Part 312). The mesenchymal stem cells utilized in your Regenexx™ procedure are not the subject of an approved biologics license application (BLA) nor is there an investigational new drug application (IND) in effect. Therefore, your implantation of the mesenchymal stem cells for which a valid license or IND is not in effect appears to violate the Act and the PHS Act and may result in FDA seeking relief as provided by law.

"Dr." Chris Centeno is a snake oil salesman
The FDA doesn't "claim" the authority to regulate adult stem-cell treatment as a "biologic drug", the FDA has that authority by force of law. This is not about a power play by the FDA, this is about protecting people from charlatans. Should NASA have consulted an astrologist about the missions to Mars?

@dennis, so all shipping and deliveries should stop so cyclists can ride their bikes safely? Hmmm.

I can't count the number of ties I have narrowly escaped being hit by someone on a bike who was just swerving along without paying any attention to traffic lights, pedestrians, or anything else besides his desire to ride fast on his bike. I would welcome some legislation that enforces the law that says bike riders must obey the same rules of traffic that car drivers must obey. Just because you're not operating a vehicle with the force of a ton and powered with fuel does not mean you can't cause serious damage to the human body with your bike.

UPS and and FED EX (and other delivery)trucks will continue to terrorize the city and endanger bikers lives by operating as the usually do. Park their truck every block and deliver to buildings. This causes a back up of two to four blocks every time they stop, which causes bike to have to squeeze over into the other lane and try to not get run down by some scumbag in a car or SUV that can't wait to get to the next red light and sit there. This also causes people to block the box because the back up of two lanes cutting down to one results in a situation where the light turns green and no one can move. Drivers become angry and take out their frustration on bikers. Cops do NOTHING, because it "is not their job/problem, they are just collecting their fucking check and being lazy fucking worthless pigs. Serve and protect.... not in center city. Cabs, buses, and drivers have a free pass to drive in a way that endangers peoples live. Washington Ave, west of Broad street, bike lanes are full of illegally parked angled cars all day every day, as well as businesses operating in the bike lane. Chestnut, Walnut, Spruce, etc., in center city are illegal loading zones all day. People are so uneducated that half of them try to run bikers down because they think bikes are supposed to ride on the sidewalk , or think that bikes are only allowed to ride in a "bike lane" (read: illegal parking zone). A pedestrian dies being hit by a bike and douchebags like councilman Kinney want to start a war on bikers. Everyone cries that bikes ride on the sidewalks. That is because we are not safe riding in the street! Keep protecting the corporate interest and fuck the responsible people trying to ride a bike around the city and not contribute to the pollution of our air that we all have to breathe. Vehicle operators routinely switch lanes without looking or signaling, often while driving and talking on a cell phone, (distracted and blocked vision) or texting. Make the city safe for us to ride and we will stay off of the sidewalks. 38 bikers and pedestrians were killed by cars last year in Philadelphia. One person is killed by a biker and the whole world stops. Has anyone questioned whether this pedestrian was one of the many, many people who cross without looking, or stand with their toes on the very edge of the damn street, taking on phone, staring into space, texting, jaywalking, or any of a million other dumb ass things as bikers hug the edge of the lane to prevent being crushed to death by some obnoxious, oblivious asshole driver in a giant SUV that takes up the whole fucking lane, while trying to not get doored by random morons that open their door into the lane without looking? Boo-Hoo a pedestrian died. Excuse me if I don't have any tears left for the situation. Center City cops should get up off their fat lazy asses and do something to earn their check and enforce the laws regarding pedestrians, bikers, and drivers. If they are not willing then transfer them to the hood where I live and let them fight real crime.