I have a rock-solid, two-week reason to watch NBC round the clock! I get to read and hear about sports I never knew existed. Like fencing! Wow, who made that up? The Opening Ceremonies made me feel glad to be alive and totally inadequate as a giant-sphere-run-arounder. It is the first and last time I will ever hear the name Michael Phelps. Someone will mess up his body, realllly badly! I get to have Olympic......

Many neo-conservatives both in the Bush White House and Congress have argued that in a post-9/11 world torture is a necessary and viable method of obtaining information from detained enemy combatants. Others have argued that torture discredits the U.S. abroad, breeds anti-American sentiment, places our soldiers at risk, and contradicts most of mankind’s reasonable standards as to what is and is not moral. Here’s an overview of the United States’ recent relationship with torture: This......

Climate change has rapidly become part of our national discourse. As early as four or five years ago, the issue was treated by many as a paranoid conspiracy. Now, political figures from governors to presidential candidates to George W. Bush himself seem unable to avoid the fact that not only is our planet becoming warmer, but it is also losing the ability to produce key resources such as oil and clean water. Here’s a look......

Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama exchanged blows in Ohio Tuesday leading up to next week’s primary in that state. 161 delegates are at stake. The exchange of criticism focused largely on Clinton’s position on the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. On free trade, there appears to be little difference in the candidates’ rhetoric and voting records. Clinton, however, faces a challenge on the issue that Obama does not. Obama claims that......

The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment. How about those Oscars? If you just want a list of all the winners, IMDB can help (go Coen brothers! Woo!). Cinematical, of course, was liveblogging the entire thing. Joystiq celebrated Wii Tennis' short cameo at the ceremony, and even embedded the video. Cinematical also found a great LJ post with links to YouTube videos of 46 of the animated shorts......

Another new writer today, folks. Please help us welcome Don Montrey, who is a comedian and a writer. He has no criminal record as far as you know. Milton Street is my hero! Not because he has somehow managed to stay somewhat relevant all these years, not because he so delightfully called his consulting company Notlim, and not because he does the best Rerun dance this side of the Ben Franklin Bridge. No, he is......

OK, take a deep breath. Are you sitting down? Good. People, all the Starbucks in the country are going to be shut down for three hours on February 26th. Which, if our calculations are correct, means most of the stores in America will be closed. But don't freak out! It'll only be from 5:30PM to 8:30PM, which is well after most of us have already gotten our Starbucks fix. Also, they're only shutting the......

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you. David Murray, who'd been set to star as Destro in the upcoming G.I. Joe movie, apparently had some troubles with his Visa, and couldn't make it into the States in time for the start of shooting. So now Chris Eccleston will get the role. Which is actually pretty cool. Doctor Destro! Word came out a while back that......

Today we have basketball, masturbation, and ancient, unrequited love. What more can we say? YOUNG FRIENDS PROGRAM: GREATEST HEARTBREAKS OF ANCIENT TIMES The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology knows how to kick it old school, especially around Valentine's Day. The most sacred of Hallmark holidays, Valentine's Day is a day which lonely people spend masturbating and couples spend, well, um, doing romantic stuff? Anyway, the Young Friends of Penn Museum are bringing......

The weekend is still barely visible over the horizon, but that doesn't mean you can't have some weekendly fun upon this unseasonably warm eve. Here are a few things to do so you can tell your friends how immersed you are in city life. A BOB MARLEY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION! Bob Marley was a class act from the start, and identification with the marijuana counter-culture did nothing to dampen his image as one of the most......

The best of the internet, squirted out in flavorful neon globules, just for you. Friends, today is International Delete Your MySpace Account Day! Woo hoo! This Phillyist just took part by deleting his account, and he's feeling free and easy. Dude. Cheeseburger in a can. (Via Jason) Harvey Weinstein wants another Rambo movie, and already has an idea for a plot wherein the character would return to the United States. Yet more G.I. Joe casting......

Even though our Birds let us down this year, we’re still really psyched for the Super Bowl this weekend. In true Philly fashion we are rooting for the Giants, not because we like them that much (although the Q-back is our husband’s little brother), but because we’d love to see the Pats fail. Ahem. Anyways, this Saturday 24 current and former NFL players will offer up proof of their culinary prowess at “Taste of the......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Phillyist. America Unzipped, Brian Alexander's book on the desire of American's to get down and dirty. UWISHUNU, because you wish you knew. Busted Tees, where they're in the middle of their winter sale. All shirts, $15! If you're interested in advertising on Phillyist or any other site in our network, check out our online mediakit.......

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. Thank you, Jesus! The WGA and Producers have restarted talks, and the WGA have agreed to take some of their more exorbitant demands off the table. Even better, Lionsgate and Marvel Studios have both already reached an interim agreement with the Writers Guild of America, which means striking Hollywood writers can now work on projects for those studios. How about some comic book......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Life After People (Mon, 9PM-11PM, History Channel) - An interesting thought experiment: what would the Earth be like if human beings suddenly disappeared off of it? Of course, it's not all guesswork; they take a look at actual places that were abandoned by people and what happened in those cases. Moment of Truth (Wed, 9PM-10PM, Fox) - The debut of the new game show where contestants have......

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Phillyist. America Unzipped, Brian Alexander's book on the desire of American's to get down and dirty. UWISHUNU, because you wish you knew. Busted Tees, where they're offering free shipping with the purchase of three shirts. If you're interested in advertising on Phillyist or any other site in our network, check out our online mediakit.......

Do you like dogs? Oh, who are we kidding? Of course you do! So then clearly, you'd be interested in knowing that the American Kennel Club has released its list of the Top 10 Most Popular Dogs in America. Tops on the list? For the umpteenth year in a row, it's the Labrador Retriever. Also notable: German Shepherds (our faves) at #4, Poodles at #8 (is that surprisingly low to anyone else?), and, for......

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you. Former Midway employee Patrick Goschy says he will "sue Nintendo for patent infringement, claiming that he created the idea of a motion controlled system very similar to the Wiimote/Nunchuk combo currently in use in Nintendo's Wii." Click through for a video he released of him showing off his system way back in 1999. John Rogers, who obviously has......

As a member of the Writers’ Guild of America, I am not really allowed to write posts for Phillyist, so you probably have noticed that there hasn’t been much from me on the site since the Philadelphia Eagles’ merciful demise. (By the way, this is all code for “I have been feeling really lazy” – Karl Rove’s words – lately and have been trying to do as little thinking as possible.) But something annoyed the......

A tall, icy glass of our favorite internet junk, just for you. How about a deep-fried, cheese-filled burger patty made entirely of bacon? We'll take a couple over here, please! (Via) Cinematical points out that pretty much anything you might want to know about Cloverfield has now leaked online, so they're going to stop talking about it now. But if that's still not enough for you, Phillyist's cousin LAist has an interview with the director.......

Leonard Bernstein has long held a place in our hearts as one of America's great composers and conductors. In honor of the 90th anniversary of his birth, the Philadelphia Orchestra, along with world- renowned soloists such as Joshua Bell and Jennifer Koh, has put together some truly timeless and innovative programs together for its Bernstein Festival, taking place from now until early February. In addition to celebrating Bernstein's music, the Philadelphia Orchestra also recognizes his......

The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment. Have you heard about a little thing called the Consumer Electronics Show? No? Well, don't worry, Shiny Shiny has the story so far, and Wired was liveblogging the Sony press conference, and the Bill Gates opening keynote speech. From Sony, we learn that a GPS receiver for the Sony PSP, already available in Japan, will be coming to America. Microsoft announced......

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. CES 2008 is a few days away, but the announcements and rumors are already pouring out. Netflix is partnering with LG to create a set-top box through which they'll be able to deliver movies and other programming directly to your TV (via Sarah). Meanwhile, rumor is that Microsoft will have a big Xbox-related announcement that might also have something to do with Netflix.......

Dear Philadelphia: Congratulations! Just a day after The Inquirer reported that violent crime was down across the city, we received a press release from the GPTMC extolling all your other achievements in 2007. You deserve a big pat on the back for the national and international media mentions you've garnered this year. People are paying attention to you. You're like a celebrity now. On the Food front, The Today Show decided that Vesuvio Restaurant's......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. Juno - Another of this year's big pregnancy comedies! We'll have a review coming up later today. Trailer Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse The Red Balloon - A remake of the 1956 French classic about the evil red balloon that stalks and kills people! Well, okay, it's not a mean and deadly balloon. But it does stalk people! Juliette Binoche stars as a single mother......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Reelblack: Wu: The Story of the Wu-Tang Clan and Chief Rocker Busy Bee: The Architect Vol. 1 at the International House (3701 Chestnut), 7PM. $7 Armed America: Author Kyle Cassidy speaks about his book Armed America: Portraits of Gun Owners in Their Homes at Germ Books and Gallery (2005 Frankford Ave), 7PM. Free Margot & The Nuclear So and So's: Margot & The Nuclear So and So's, Le......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Allen M. Hornblum: Allen M. Hornblum reads from his latest book, "Sentenced to Science: One Black Man's Story of Imprisonment in America," sponsored by Robin's Bookstore at The Broad Street Ministry (320 S. Broad), 7PM. Free Movie Monday at The Troc: Superbad DVD release screening. The Troc is located at 1003 Arch Street. Doors open at 6PM, feature begins at 7:30PM. $3 admission is applicable towards concessions. (21+)......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Paranormal State (Mon, 10PM-11PM, A&E) - The debut of a new reality show featuring members of Penn State University's Paranormal Research Society investigating reports of paranormal phenomena. During this hour, they seem to be playing two episodes, one about a boy who can supposedly see dead people, and another about a supposedly haunted house where murders were committed. Independent Lens (Tue, 10PM-11:30PM, WHYY) - It's another Penn......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. How to Cook Your Life - A documentary about a combination chef-Zen Buddhist priest (Edward Espe Brown) who's trying to school viewers in the joys of organic cooking. We can't say that sounds particularly exciting to us, but we could see how it might be fun. Trailer Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse Most Likely to Suck: Revolver - If you feel like this Guy Ritchie......

Every weekday of December (except for December 25, that is), Phillyist will be counting down to 2008 with our highlights from the past year and our predictions for the next. If you have a list you'd like to submit, let us know! 5. After kidnapping her two children, Britney Spears goes on the lam before being finally caught in Old City, Philadelphia, attempting to stuff her sons into the Liberty Bell. Seems she thought it......