And that’ll do it for the PW version of this blog. Thanks to the people who gave me this (relatively ridiculous) chance and to everyone who checked in over the past three-plus years. Special thanks to the people who did some writing for me on the blog: Shannon McLaughlin, Mike [...]
Kerri-Lee Halkett posted to her blog a recent report Ten O’Clock News aired on the existence of guardian angels. It’s a story almost as exciting as a hypercritical blogger telling you about it.
The gist of the story: People believe in guardian angels, and sometimes [...]
From the newspaper that brought you the headline “Roasted Nuts” when a psychiatric hospital burned down yesterday comes “Prosecutor’s dick causes wreck, but victims barely paid” when a prosecutor’s detective is involved in a car accident.
Ho ho! I get it.
Thanks, Jon.
[...]
You might think these would be heady times for breeders of Portuguese Water Dogs. President Obama is getting Portuguese Water Dog for the White House! Dog breeders should be dancing in the streets, kissing nurses in the middle of Times Square, overturning cars and generally [...]
I have been researching a story, doing interviews and all that good stuff most of the day. But I’ve holed up in a coffee shop to bring you Abridged Daily News Columnists!
Ronnie Polaneczky: I actually said “good idea!” when I saw Polaneczky had written about selling her gold and [...]
The Daily News lets us know today about wrestler Michael Taris, who allegedly intentionally fell at a 7-Eleven in hopes of collecting damages.
After the story was turned in, an editor walked out to the newsroom and told writer William Bender he needs just one more sentence to fill the [...]
Incidentally, my life has been improved by the knowledge that one can be named a “North Wildwood beauty queen.”
Cops say beauty queen passed bogus $50s [Daily News]
[...]
Times are tough everywhere, even with the cable giant that owns our local basketball and hockey franchises. Hence, the 76ers have apparently expanded the duties of rabbit mascot Hip-Hop.
Previously only limited to cheering on the 76ers, dunking off a trampoline, eating carrots and looking creepy, he’s now [...]
A supporter of Casino Free Philadelphia is currently running a big ol’ anti-casino art contest; they’re looking for t-shirts, posters and videos. The deadline has been extended to March 10, so get cracking if you want your shirt to possibly join this other classy/hilarious one.
It’s going to be [...]
With the bankruptcy of the parent company of the Inquirer and Daily News, perhaps we can turn to The Bulletin for unbiased news of the events o’ the day.
As you might have guessed, that full quote from the bankruptcy filing would be, “Without access to cash [...]
Bankruptcy in the real world isn’t like Monopoly. In the real world, filing Chapter 11 is a way to protect a company from its creditors while reorganizing. In Monopoly, on the other hand, nobody ever reaches bankruptcy because people quit playing when they realize it’s three [...]
Philly.com’s surprisingly one-sided poll today:
Man. Would those two narcs quit harshing everyone’s buzz?
Pot proposals: Calif. sees tax windfall, N.J. eyes medical use [Inquirer]
[...]
Lincoln University is a little excited about its recent women’s bowling victory over Cheyney. Oh, yes, you’re right: It’s time for another round of amazing Lincoln University sports information director enthusiasm! Hmm, I should probably come up with a better name than that.
But [...]
My favorite Bulletin columnist and yours, Herb Denenberg, wrote a perfectly good column yesterday about drug labeling. I liked it! I agreed with it! I saved it to my del.icio.us!
I really, though, enjoyed the end of the column the most. Ol’ Herb gets poetic!
Don’t [...]
Yesterday, the New Jersey Senate voted 22-16 to pass a bill legalizing the use of medical marijuana. Yes, after hearing testimony from sick people, 16 people managed to vote against the bill. Not surprising, of course.
First, some background: A lot of people in California buy [...]
The last time they played New Jersey, the 76ers missed their last 18 shots and lost, 85-83. Who knew they’d be able top that loss the next time they played New Jersey.
If you can’t watch the highlight above, here’s how the 76ers lost last night. They were up a [...]
There’s a quote in today’s Temple News that I am one hundred percent convinced was said by Dwight Schrute from The Office.
If you would direct your attention to this article about online dating:
Sophomore Nathan Walsh has nothing but contempt for online dating. The mechanical [...]
Sarah and I spotted this car maybe last month in Fitler Square; I naturally forgot about it until last night. Fortunately, I found the image on my cell phone camera, and so I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, the most appropriate vanity license plate imaginable:
Like a [...]
Ronnie Polaneczky: Ms. Polaneczky got a letter from an incarcerated woman who says her son got a pistol from an older friend. (There’s more, but that’s the gist of it.) This column is her attempt to help the kid. All well and good.
Here’s what I don’t really get, [...]
A lot to write about the bankruptcy filing of Philadelphia Media Holdings, but I’m trying to think first for once. (About the content. The jokes are already done.)
I needed to write about this, though. Daily News editor Michael Days sent out a Q&A the company sent out to its [...]
I have attempted to make Philadelphia Will Do your #1 source for Larry West news ever since he randomly showed up at the Milton Street concert/mayoral rally and told everyone he was running for mayor.
Anyway, we now have perhaps the biggest Larry West development yet, as he notes [...]
A Johnstown man was sentenced Tuesday for running an illegal taxi service. [...] A judge sentenced him to 15 months probation and community service. He will also have to pay $900 in fines and is not allowed to operate a cab or even wear a hat [...]
Ronnie Polaneczky: Here’s the charming story of a man who wants to trade an old Charlie Manuel (a lifetime .198 hitter) baseball card for an opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a Phillies game, essentially. What a heartwarming story!
Michael Smerconish: It’s 2009, which means everyone [...]
Yes, it’s true. Tuesday, March 3, at 2:30 p.m…. The Harlem Globetrotters will play on the freaking roof of the Spectrum. (They probably won’t bring Scooby-Doo with them, but who knows!)
I still haven’t figured out (1) how this is going to work, (2) if you’re going [...]
Hey, let’s take a look at the Daily News today. Let’s see, there’s this story about the trial of the guy who allegedly assaulted a Geno’s employee…
Hey, wait a sec. Can we just focus on that photo?
Ahh, excellent. First middle finger in [...]
Jhn Baer: Pennsylvania’s legislature has more staffers than anywhere else in country. Woo-hoo, we’re number one!
Jill Porter: “But my math is simple: The more guns in circulation, the more that find their way to the dregs of society who casually assassinate cops.” You going to look that up, [...]
From a recent crime report in the Chestnut Hill Local. Emphasis mine:
Feb. 7. 7800 block of Germantown Ave. An unknown person took a 6′5″ cutout of football player Jon Runyan from the vestibule at McDonald’s at approximately 7:45 a.m. The suspect was described as a [...]
Reader Chris sends in this awesome screenshot, from today’s Daily News. And, yeah, I’d say it matters a decent amount:
This is oddly prescient considering Morrissey is shit.
New indie releases feature Morrissey, M. Ward & more [Daily News/PopMatters.com]
[...]There’s an op-ed in today’s Inquirer predicting the demise of the mall; the writer seems to be under the impression that Americans are now cutting back on spending and will no longer shop-’til-they-drop at giant monuments to suburban sprawl.
Anyway, it has one of the best comments I’ve ever read [...]
Here’s the clip of the LOVE Park makeout session, which apparently came out today, just in time for Valentine’s Day! (Or, rather, for [x], where [x] is Christmas:Boxing Day::Presidents’ Day::[x]. Vice Presidents’ Day, maybe?)
Anyway, it’s pretty cute, so it’s worth a viewing. Uwishunu has more.
[...]
The recently-sold, soon-to-be-outta-here (I guess) Philadelphia Phantoms still have the rest of this season to play out at the Spectrum. And what better way to honor the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970s than by playing in these weird new jerseys!
To be honest, though, I kinda [...]
Here are some puppies to ease your way into the day. SO CUTE! Aww, look how little they are.
[...]
I missed this last week, but it’s too good not to post. Last Monday, one of those community newspapers now on Philly.com — the Bucks County one, I guess — did a feature/review on Café Riviera, the pizza place at the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem.
Naturally, [...]
Ronnie Polaneczky: It’s a profile of a man with this part-time job: Making t-shirts in memory of police officers killed in the line of duty. Oof, not the most fun thing in the world.
Elmer Smith: And here’s another column about the police officer who died late last week. [...]
Hooray! Michael Phelps will not face charges for his bong photo. Although, yes, Phelps broke the law, this is actually fair and just; if you walk into any police station in America with a photo of a guy taking a bong hit and try to get them to charge [...]
What would a Presidents’ Day1 be without a short little celebration of James Buchanan, the only president from Pennsylvania!
Kids in Pennsylvania learn the tale of James Buchanan in fourth grade, the year social studies class covers Pennsylvania, or at least they did when I was in [...]
I almost forgot to post this poll from Philly.com yesterday!
I didn’t mean to click ‘none,’ but I’m not going to go back and edit the screenshot to fix it. I haven’t had oatmeal in forever, I should totally go back and try it again sometime…
[...]
What’s the best thing for lawmakers to do in a time of financial crisis? That’s right: Toughening the seat-belt law. Okay, the state legislature can probably do two things at once, so that’s probably an unfair statement.
Our wonderful commonwealth is one of 15 states considering [...]
The Temple Association of University Professionals recently protested winter graduation, chanting, “We want graduations, not stalled negotiations.” Hmm. It’s better than “One term Nutter” or “Burn, Nutter, Burn, but not by much.
But what I really enjoyed at the protest is the signage directed at Temple’s [...]
I dare somebody to tell me this one is intentional.
M. Hoops | Insert Yale Headline [DP]
Feb. 11: FILL IN HEADLINE
Hey, The Simpsons finally changed its opening, the first time since (I think) they cut the shot of Bart stealing the bus stop sign a million years ago. (I’ll have to check that date there, but I think it’s somewhere around “a million.”)
I’m guessing everyone is hating on the new [...]
A teenager in Perkasie was recently arrested for scrawling swastikas and other Nazi-related graffiti on his high school bathroom walls. Here’s how The Intelligencer described it (emphasis mine):
In addition to swastikas, the teen wrote a symbol that means “Heil Hitler” and also scribbled “SS,” a reference to the Schutzstaffel, the [...]
Trust me, that Photoshop made a lot more sense when I originally conceived it.
Erhm, I mean: Okay, this story!
A SEPTA driver choked on a throat lozenge Saturday afternoon and lost control of his bus, which crashed into five cars, knocked down a utility pole, and [...]
There was an article in the New York Times on Saturday about Mayor Nutter’s zany plan to get public input on budget decisions. Whoa, what’s he thinking?!
Anyway, what I noticed had nothing to do with the article, naturally:
Yep, that would be a CHANGE poster. A framed [...]
Stu Bykofsky: Like everything else in Philadelphia, the collection of money from tickets from red light cameras — coming to City Hall soon! — is done incompetently.
(Be sure to read the comments on this one, which currently mention the lack of cleanliness in the city, and suspended Phillies [...]
p Ohh, it’s time! The Philadelphia Phillies — your most recent World Champions (!) — have opened spring training. Turns out the baseball offseason goes pretty quickly when you play ’til the end of October. Who knew?
But as excited as we all are for the start [...]
I’m watching the NBA All-Star Game right now. It’s free of Sixers this year, unfortunately; it’s the All-Star Game, however, so it’s been enjoyable so far. They’re not wearing uniforms as good (i.e., hideous) as the jerseys from the last time the game was in Phoenix; nor are they [...]
I shall now direct you to the greatest blog post ever, on the American Thinker website. It’s titled “Needed: anti-Obi gestures.”
Here’s how it opens:
Today at tennis, after I made a hard point, my partner offered the Obama fist bump.
“I don’t do that,” I said, and I gave her [...]
The Grand Old Party has put out a series of email Valentine’s Day cards to celebrate tomorrow’s annual swap of greeting cards by couples. My girlfriend sent me the above one.
She knows me too well. It’s everything I love! Let’s see: Horrible political humor (with bonus [...]
Stu Bykofsky: Stu, who I believe covers the “cute ‘n’ cuddly” beat for the paper, writes about the local SPCA chief, who resigned Wednesday. He also notes the SPCA, which just recently got the animal control contract from the city, hired a spokesman from the “high-profile Bellevue Communications Group” [...]
Daily News fitness columnist Kimberly Garrison isn’t part of the Abridged Daily News Columnists, but maybe I should add her if this is what she’s writing regularly. Today, she tackles steroid use in baseball. As you probably know — as even President Obama was asked [...]
Woo-hoo! The Philadelphia Business Journal reports Comcast is doubling its internet speeds! Finally, the company’s Internet service will… oh.
Comcast is offering the higher speeds to customers in its Willow Grove, Lower Merion, Bucks and Chester counties and Cherry Hill, N.J., systems.
Thanks, guys. It’s not like [...]
Ronnie Polaneczky: I don’t abridge octuplet stories.
Stu Bykofsky: Sweet! Another octuplet column I don’t have to read. (Well, okay, I did read it. My favorite part at the end is when Stu writes she needs Norplant.)
Michael Smerconish: Aww, nobody paid attention to Smerconish’s “exclusive interview” with Pakistan’s [...]
I’ve been laughing for a while at the ad Virtua Health runs touting that it has the “most top docs” in South Jersey. There’s even a website, sjtopdocs.org, that details how this claim was made: Counting the number of doctors — sorry, “docs,” as I [...]
Things were good for Bulletin columnist Herb Denenberg back in 2005. Bush was president, the war was still semi-popular (I guess) and the economy only mildly stunk. As such, the former consumer reporter spent most of his columns writing about squirrels in attics and [...]
The opening sentence of Frank Diamond’s column in today’s Bulletin:
“First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes FILL IN EIGHT NAMES in baby carriages.”
This is why you never put placeholder words when laying out a page. Sometimes, it will make its way into the paper.
Update, 3:30 p.m.: Frank Diamond [...]
I suppose just like the local news, I will lead with the weather today.
At the time I write this, it’s already 50 degrees; it’s slated to go up to 65 (!) before we get thunderstorms (!) tonight.
So, yes. Unseasonable warmth. This happens at least once [...]
Aww! Uwishunu blogger Eric Smith writes about the new red panda couple at the zoo, Pip and Jing Li. I have no idea if red pandas can actually be a couple, if this is just a Valentine’s Day publicity stunt or if the above photo is [...]
So, ah, this is cute. SEPTA and Philly Beer Week have put out a special Beer Week pass that is an “unlimited, all-day, bus-trolley-rail pass that will be sold for $9 daily from March 6 until March 15.” Neat!
Only, as KYW 1060 reports and I probably [...]
How about that, eh? Last night, the 76ers won their third straight since losing Elton Brand for the year, this time over the Suns. The boys from Phoenix were on the second half of a back-to-back, but any time you hold Steve Nash to [...]
John Baer: The guy who’s the governor is still in good spirits, but the guy on trial and possibly facing a de facto life sentence is not!
Ronnie Polaneczky: Hey, a column that sort of touches on the arbitrary distinction between an 18-year-old being an adult but a 16-year-old [...]
The site I took this photo from says it’s from 1919, but I’m pretty sure I saw this billboard while heading to Atlantic City the other weekend. Get tested for syphilis or the terrorists win!
New Jersey: Famous for its crabs! [Save vs. Death]
[...]
Remember this letter to the Daily News, promising boycotts and protests and the revocation of broadcast licenses if any television station showed Imitation of Life?
Last night, TCM:
!
Someone needs to get protesting.
[...]
Gee, you think?
Team’s 100-0 Blowout Shows Bad Sportsmanship [The Bulletin]
[...]Late Friday afternoon, Mayor Nutter attempted to sneak the list of mayor’s box attendees at the sports complex from Oct. to the end of 2008 past everyone. Ooh, tricky tricky!
Yours truly will not fall for such Friday news dumps, however. And so I downloaded the full list of [...]
Stu Bykofsky: Man, who ever would have thought that the people who write the laws would be treated with kid gloves by the people who enforce them?!
John Baer: Did you know there are places in Pennsylvania that have the same names as corporations?!
Dave Davies: Wait, you mean [...]
It’s no HOPE you don’t die in a fire, but it’s up there. Firefighters protested cuts on Friday, and here’s one of the signs, courtesy of the Fox 10 O’Clock News:
Scores of firefighters also chanted “One-term Nutter,” which is pretty funny not just for its awkwardness [...]
I don’t know, guys. I think I’m calling BS on this one:
What’s happening to Somerton?
There are about four shopping centers in Somerton that have really turned around, but you could only appreciate that if you were Russian.
It seems to me that all the American stores have been shut down and [...]
The Inquirer today lets us know we haven’t survived flu season yet! Apparently it’s “just now kicking in after a late start.” Fortunately, though, New Jersey is hit harder than Pennsylvania, apparently.
But, most importantly, we learn of yet another reason to want to destroy Penn: A video encouraging people [...]
You may have seen ads on TV for the movie version of He’s Just Not That Into You, sure to take America’s bad taste to a new level when it tops the box office this weekend. KYW 1060 interviewed some local singles about the movie!
The [...]
Jill Porter: Aw, cute, a couple had their wedding photos taken at the Broad Street Subway’s Walnut-Locust stop. Here’s the gallery. Dude has got to lose that mustache, though.
Elmer Smith: Still no arsonist caught in Coatesville.
Christine Flowers: Yes! It’s Christine Flowers on Women’s Studies programs! Turns [...]
Where’s that graphic again? Oh, yes.
Sigh. It’s looking likelier we can add another guy to it: Elton Brand, who Comcast SportsNet reports is having surgery and is out for the year. [via The 700 Level]
[...]
A friend sent me this post on Jossip and I remembered a recent YouTube search. I was looking for this video of a kid being hit in the head with a basketball and did a simple YouTube search:
One thing about the Internet: It loves kids [...]
The news we’ve all been wishing for since about 2002 is finally here! KYW 1060 reports a “local doctor” says Ugg boots are seriously damaging women’s feet.
This is like if it was later fund out those Von Dutch hats — haha, remember those? — [...]
Hot diggity! Today City Council gave final approval to a 15-year franchise to Verizon for its FiOS TV service.
Here’s my favorite part of Catherine Lucey’s Clout post on the decision:
Councilman Bill Green had proposed adding an amendment to make the company pay more for public-access [...]
The hilarious “Atlantic City Warnings And Dangers” page on VirtualTourist — sample quote: “Another thing that really bothered us was the amount of peep shows and adult book stores in this town. This could be rather disturbing if you have small children.” — isn’t the only [...]
Wednesday
Jill Porter: Last year, Jill Porter helped get Hershey’s to pull candy stamped “ICEBREAKERS” from the market because it sort of looked like crack (but not really). (It’s okay, Wired’s website agreed.) Anyway, Porter wrote about Michael Phelps and why marijuana should be legal. Color me [...]
Here’s something that will shock you if you’ve come to town since 2001: Back then, the Sixers were the most popular team in town. It’s almost hard to imagine it now, but, yes, that’s true. The Eagles were still coming out of their horrid late-90s funk [...]
What?! I wanted to answer Lech Walesa. Lame, Philly.com. Lame.
But we all know what won this poll, though, don’t we?
In a landslide, even.
[...]Snow cannot stop bloggers, but something I ate certainly can. I’ll be back tomorrow.
[...]
Coins are hot right now. Every night on television, Montel Williams attempts to sell us commemorative Obama coins. That loud guy is still selling complete sets of state quarters, which I believe he has been doing since 1984.
And now, just in time for Valentine’s [...]
Good Day Philadelphia was on location this morning at the above restaurant. (The event? The Phily Diner is now serving alcohol!)
All I have to say is: It better be spelled that way because of the nickname of some guy named Phil.
[...]
Zing!
Amazingly, this appears to be just a coincidence and not a bad joke; the shirt is from the “My City is Hot” online store. It has this shirt for, like, every city in America. All of them do have this horrible design, though.
I also enjoyed [...]
Elmer Smith: Is there a more boring story on news programs than “woman has lots of babies”? Anyway, this column is headlined, “Who to blame for octuplets?”
Ronnie Polaneczky: Oh, look, it’s a column quoting the dictionary definition of the word sacrifice. Sorry I’m not going to spend much [...]
Look what you can get on Craigslist for $350!
That’s right, a coffin-shaped bookcase. Custom-made!
Better act now. I hear people are dying to buy this thing.
Sorry.
Coffin Shaped bookcase - $350 (NE Philadelphia) [Craigslist]
Thanks, Emily
Last night on WPVI, Erin O’Hearn reported on a fight at a Cheyney University party posted on YouTube. The fight, apparently, was Cheyney vs. West Chester vs. Lincoln. Ahh, college.
O’Hearn interviewed Cheyney student body president George Bush. Hmm. A school with a president named George Bush? [...]
By now you’ve probably chatted with a Steelers fan or two who is just oh-so-super-happy that Pittsburgh has won its (count it!) sixth Super Bowl.
Eh.
Yeah, I’m a little conflicted. On one hand, the Steelers are a good team, and they’re in Pennsylvania, and their fans [...]
Hmm. Roberta Fallon notes an event in LOVE Park this Sunday which has an interesting premise: “THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF PEOPLE MAKING-OUT IN LOVE PARK… EVER!!” Oh, man, could it possibly beat the Giant Makeout of Skateboarders in 1998 andThe Kennedy Memorial Makeout in 1968?!
This [...]
The New Jersey Hall of Fame announced today the 13 inductees for the 2009 class, which includes Jon Bon Jovi, Jerry Lewis, basketball great and Newark native Shaquille O’Neal, and the comedic duo Abbott and Costello.
This is really an incredible lineup of inductees. It also includes Carl [...]
John Baer: Here’s an account of how Pennsylvania could save or make some money. Good enough, I suppose, but a lot of it is about the legislature cutting its staff. Yes, that would never happen.
Stu Bykofsky: This column is about Reggie Bryant, a local radio host.
Stone never demonstrated [...]
Hey guys, what’s up? I was in Atlantic City all weekend and just opened my laptop for the first time now. I know, right? I can’t believe I was able to stay away. I’m pretty impressed, if I do say so myself. So… hmm. Let’s just [...]
Pony up, smokers! Ed Rendell wants a 10-cent tax hike on packs of cigarettes.
Governor Rendell has long been advocating for a tax on cigars and smokeless tobacco products. But now, as he tries to figure out how to plug a $2-billion-plus hole in the state’s [...]
Well, it appears I was right. Now the Guardian Angels are (literally, I suppose) pouring gas on the fire.
Guardian Angels Help With Coatesville Arsons [NBCPhiladelphia.com]
[...]Above Average Jane directs me to something I missed in the December issue of Philadelphia magazine.
Weeks before Election Day, Local 98 boss John Dougherty sent a message to union members, 80 percent of whom are white: Don’t let Obama’s skin color impede your vote. Even more intriguing than his [...]
Chick-Fil-A may be owned by a devout Southern Baptist, but for fans of the fast food chain, new locations are more like Mecca. Case in point: The opening of the Audubon, N.J., Chick-fil-A, which the Courier-Post recapped yesterday.
Since 2003, the company has given out $260 [...]
Christine Flowers: Christine Flowers is sad that the Eagles didn’t make the Super Bowl. Hey, we agree on something!
Jill Porter: The best (worst) part of this story is how school administrators never contacted the family of the kid beat up at his high school. Good job, guys!
As you might’ve heard, there have been 13 arsons in Coatesville in the last four weeks, including one on Saturday that burned 15 homes.
Sadly, though, for Coatesville’s residents, things are going to get worse before they get better. Case in point: The Guardian Angels [...]
Remember how well Live 8 went off? I mean, I don’t know if it achieved whatever it was supposed to achieve. Actually, I don’t remember what it was supposed to achieve. Dropping the debt? Helping feed African children? Making people wear white wristbands for a week or [...]
NBCPhiladelphia.com’s Dan Stamm, do you have anything to say about him?
It has been two years since the world lost Barbaro but he will never be lost in our hearts.
I dunno. My heart is a veritable maze, I have like 70 ventricles and 45 atriums. And don’t [...]
