The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page A01

4 Phils hit 2-run HRs behind Blanton. Sports, Dl. EAGLES OPEN CAMP NANOTUBES Westbrook due in mid-August. How to tell one from another. fie IPRilaMpltta jlngmrer lSlst Year, No.

57 South Jersey Monday, July 27, 2009 Locally Owned Independent Since 2006 75 cents in some locations outside the metro area Renewed Mideast peace offensive Local institutions scurry to help struggling families. Appeals rising for added aid for college RON CORTES Staff Photographer A weeklong diplomatic push began with visits to Syria and Israel by U.S. envoy George Mitchell. By Josef Federman ASSOCIATED PRESS JERUSALEM President Oba-ma's Mideast envoy yesterday called on the Arab world to take steps toward normalizing relations with Israel, and Israel's prime minister said he hoped his country's disputes with the United States over West Bank settlement construction would soon be resolved. Envoy George Mitchell, opening a new round of peace efforts in the region, played down the differences with Israel "as discussions among friends." His comments, along with those of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, appeared to be aimed at lowering tensions as the United States tries to restart By Susan Snyder INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Letters of appeal have poured into financial-aid offices this year at colleges around the region and the country as cash-strapped families seek more money to keep their children in school or to get them started.

The mother of an incoming freshman at Immaculata University wrote of being hit by a car, leaving her unable to work in her field and drastically lowering the family income. Another family's college-savings fund evaporated in the market downturn. Others noted layoffs, reduced work hours, losses in home-equity lines of credit, and other financial woes that had arisen or worsened since they initially applied for federal, state, and institutional aid. Phils go deep to rout Cards The Phillies slugged four homers yesterday to rout St. Louis, 9-2.

Above, Ryan Howard acknowledges the crowd after homering with Chase Utley (right) aboard. At right, a shirtless fan celebrates on a hot day. Sports, Dl. Pittsburgh's pension problem The increases are evident at a wide spectrum of schools, from state-related institutions to small liberal-arts colleges to larger universities. Some area schools, includ Four U.S.

officials will travel to push for a broad Arab-Israel accord. peace talks and work for a broader peace between Israel and the Arab world. Mitchell was the first of four U.S. officials set to visit this week. Netan Schools, bracing for more requests, raised their aid budgets.

PITTSBURGH PHILADELPHIA Comparing "N-47 two Cities' Funded I Funded pension funding Pensioners 6,500 60,000 Assets $252 million $3.4 billion Liabilities $899 million $6.5 billion City pension contribution in 2009 $49.7 million $447 million City budget 2009 $438 million $3.9 billion Percent of budget 1 1 11 Sure, struggling, but the Steel City ranks last among 10 municipalities in a Pew study. We're No. 8. By Jeff Shields INQUIRER STAFF WRITER Fiscal problems got you down, Philadelphia? Tax revenue drying up, pension problems draining the city budget, and Harrisburg indifferent, or downright hostile, to your pleas for help? Here's a consolation: We're not Pittsburgh. Having achieved the unenviable position as a national poster-child for distressed pension systems, Pittsburgh is now facing tough choices to begin the climb from a hole some believe it will never get out of alone.

A recent report by the Pew Charitable Trusts showed its pension to be the worst among Figure is based on 2008 estimated liabilities, expected to increase to more than 50 percent for 2009. The Philadelphia Inquirer ing Rutgers, Ur-sinus, Widener, Arcadia, and Immaculata, saw double-digit percentage increases in aid appeals this spring and summer, which come at a time when the universities themselves are trying to weather the economic downturn. Others also citing upticks but no specific numbers include Penn State, La Salle, Swarthmore, Drex-el, and Philadelphia University. "It's a little bit of a perfect storm," said Rick DiFelicianto-nio, vice president for enrollment at Ursinus. "You have people asking for more while we're affected by the same kind of economic influences.

But it's a matter of priorities, and our board and president were quite clear See AID on A6 yahu was also scheduled to meet Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Adviser James Jones, and top Iran and Mideast specialist Dennis Ross. Mitchell arrived in Israel from Syria, where he told his hosts the United States is determined to achieve a "truly comprehensive" peace settlement that includes normal relations between Israel and all of its Arab neighbors. "We will welcome the full cooperation of the government of the Syrian Arab Republic in this historic endeavor," he said. It was Mitchell's second visit to Damascus, reflecting U.S. recognition that Syria would play an important role in any regional peace See MIDEAST on A4 ning budget surpluses for the last four years, closing fire stations, cutting 40 percent of its workforce over 15 years, and charging admission to city pools, to name just a few austerity measures.

But the pension, and an annual debt load that eats up 20 percent of its budget, keep the city in a precarious See PITTSBURGH on A6 those of 10 comparable cities, including Philadelphia's, which ranked eighth. With $252 million in assets and just under $900 million in liabilities, Pittsburgh, in December, had 28 percent of the money it needed to pay its long-term pension bills. In many ways, Pittsburgh has cleaned up its financial house, run INSIDE Ari Weinstein, 15, of Mount Airy, with his Mac laptop. iPhone iconoclast. Teen whiz shakes up Apple's world Will she run in 2012? Follow her tweets.

Palin leaves 'em guessing about plans Clinton tries to clarify Biden's views on Russia She hastened to reassure Moscow that the U.S. still sees it as a "great power." A2. On the Web The latest news updated throughout the day. www.philly.com AL GRILLO AP Sarah Palin, now an ex-governor. By Matthew Daly ASSOCIATED PRESS Comics Express Editorials Lotteries SideShow E4 Classifieds E9 Obituaries B8 Television E5 By Martha Woodall INQUIRER STAFF WRITER As a baby, Ari Weinstein was mesmerized by light switches.

By 2, he had mastered the family TV, stereo, and VCR and soon was taking apart mechanical toys. At 6, he disassembled an old computer, reassembled it, and rejoiced when it still worked. Now 15, the Mount Airy youth is the toast of the Internet. More than 1,100 followers track his techno exploits via Twitter. Ari's latest feat an online collaboration with six other inventive teenagers who have never met face to face is the creation of software enabling Apple iPhone owners to download free, unauthorized applications.

More so than the others, Ari has not shrunk from the fame or the infamy of "jailbreak-ing." In hackerspeak, the term refers to circumventing the iPhone's restrictions in order to customize it for a multitude of other uses, from playing non-Apple games to accessing the Internet through a laptop. The practice appeared shortly after the iPhone's introduction in June 2007. Ari and FAIRBANKS, Alaska Sarah Palin stepped down yesterday as Alaska governor to write a book and build a right-of-center coalition, but she left her long-term political plans unclear and refused to address speculation she would make a 2012 presidential bid. Her first order of business as a private citizen is to speak Aug. 8 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California.

She also wants to campaign for political candidates from coast to coast, and continue to speak her mind on the social networking site Twitter. Free speech was a theme of Palin's farewell speech at a crowded picnic in Fairbanks, as she scolded "some seemingly hell-bent on tearing down our nation" and warned Americans to "be wary of accepting government largesse. It doesn't come free." She also took aim at the media, saying her replacement, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, "has a very nice family, too, so leave his kids alone!" And she told television cameras: "How about, in honor of the American soldier, you quit making things up?" She didn't elaborate, but Palin said when she an-See PALIN on A7 MICHAEL S.

WIRTZ Staff Photographer his confederates were able to jailbreak Apple's newest model, the iPhone 3GS, within two weeks of its June 19 release. More than 250,000 people have gone to the Web site Purpleraln.com to download the programs that open their iPhones for modifications. "It's really cool to have people using my software to do awesome things with their phones," said Ari, who is about to begin his sophomore year at Germantown Friends See ARI on A6 DUfe High 87, Low 73 Partly cloudy and humid, with scattered thunderstorms. Full report and exclusive NBC10 EarthWatch forecast, B9. I 2009 Philadelphia Newspapers L.L.C.

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