Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

Running Numbers rounds up some big winners.

$1,000,000,000 Approximate value of the holdings of Aramark CEO Joseph Neubauer and his family after he and other managers staged a leveraged buyout of the company.

$390,000,000 Net fourth-quarter profit reported by Comcast, which will offer a three-for-two stock split Feb. 21. Easy there, Neubauer. We're sure you love stock splits, but maybe you should just enjoy that bil for a while.

128 Total number of points scored by the winning team at Johnny Goodtimes' Quizzo Bowl III. I think we can all agree the real winner was the team named "Quiz Markie." Bravo, my fellow punslingers.

50 Percent of the 327 voters in the first installment of Philebrity's naughtily named new weekly poll who want to, uh, have relations with City Paper (and Norah Jones) as opposed to 35 percent with Philadelphia Weekly (and Norah Jones). The second edition pits Comcast against PGW and the smoking ban. Somehow I don't think Comcast is sweating the outcome after the quarter they just had. PGW, on the other hand, is probably refreshing the results page right now while dancing in front of the mirror and reciting Buffalo Bill's lines from Silence of the Lambs.

8 Overall rank of Philadelphia in terms of sustainability, according to a recent nationwide SustainLane survey as reported by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council in its announcement of the first-ever Philadelphia Sustainability Awards. Nomination forms for candidates who "solve challenges through solutions that go beyond standard or regulatory techniques, and who demonstrate a measurable impact on the Greater Philadelphia region" will be accepted through Feb. 23, and are available at www.pecpa.org. Feel free to nominate Running Numbers for the following categories: Partnership Building, Cultural, Recreational Opportunity, Leadership, Education, Community Engagement, Social Justice, Regional Impact, Statewide Impact and Global Impact. Thank you.