Links: Oil-based rent, NFL cheerleader turned NASA engineer and more

DEFINITE READS

• Philly Eco City reports that Mount Airy-based electric bicycle shop Philly Electric Wheels has pegged its store rent to the percentage price increases of a barrel of oil.

MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

• Science Cheerleader has a Q&A with a former Houston Texans cheerleader turned NASA aerospace engineer.
• Science Cheerleader also gives four (sort of) science-related mobile applications she likes — from mass body index to UV calculations.
• The Inquirer’s Joe DiStefano reports that Exton-based insurance-software developer iPipeline has seen sales jump sixfold since an $18 million investment two years ago.

GIVE A GLANCE

• Holly Otterbein Isiah Thompson at the CityPaper notes that Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has long had a blog — he just hasn’t posted anything on it.
• The Philadelphia Business Journal reports that the city’s tax amnesty program brought in $60 million, more than double what the city gave as its goal.
• The Business Journal also reports that Lockheed Martin announced the $24 million expansion of its Newtown operations in Bucks County.

Every Friday morning, we make sure you didn t miss anything with Friday Tech Links.

Philly police to begin Segway patrols, please take them seriously

If you hang out on Main Street in Manayunk, you should begin seeing the Segway police patrols.

Officers on South Street, in University City, Center City and Southwest Philadelphia also begin using the new toys this week.

Try not to cringe at how ridiculous the two-wheeled, self-balancing, battery-powered vehicles may seem, because its role in law enforcement has been growing for years and doesn’t appear it will stop. More than 1,000 municipalities are using them for patrolling, according to the company.

Now, after a 10-day trial in April 2008, the Philadelphia Police Department is joining in.

The department announced yesterday that it received a donation of more than $60,000 toward the purchase of ten Segway PTs, according to a press release [PDF]. The funds came from the Philadelphia Police Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds to purchase technology and other police equipment that are deemed outside the city’s budget. Yes, our police department takes charity.

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