A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. Looks like Spore is coming to the iPhone, too. People, do you know what weekend it is? It's Super Smash Bros. Brawl launch weekend!! GameStop will be holding Brawl tournaments and midnight launches this Saturday at 2,500 of its stores, including a number in Philadelphia (via). Joystiq has their own first impressions of the game, as well as a metareview. Finally, they also......

Update: Digg this, please! As the second most famous person who has slept with Jessica Simpson once said, “Fathers be good to your daughters / daughters will live like you do / girls become lovers who turn into mothers / so mothers be good to your daughters too” Somewhere along the way, a father was not good to a daughter. It’s well-established that as a father your number one job is to keep your little......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed. Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC's First District Plaza Sun, 4/13/08, 8PM $30-$40 On sale: Fri, 10AM, Ticketmaster Running Red Lights with Desoto Jones The Trocadero Thu, 5/13/08, 7PM $10 On sale: Fri, 12PM, Ticketmaster Time Again The......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news. COMEDY D.L. Hughley Music Box at The Borgata, Atlantic City Fri, 4/4/08, 9PM On sale: Sat, 10AM, Live Nation Lisa Lampanelli Kirby Center, Wilkes-Barre Fri, 5/2/08, 8PM On sale: Sat, 10AM, Live Nation Wayne Brady Music Box at The......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Famous Films II: The Secret Cinema presents a second installment of their Famous Films series, including A Trip to the Moon (you've seen clips, trust us), at the Moore College of Art and Design (20th and Race), 8PM. $7 Jeannie Gagne: Jeannie Gagne at the Unitarian Society of Germantown (6511 Lincoln Drive—West Mt. Airy), 8PM. $10 Cold: Absolute Zeros, Parsnip Revolt, and Dylan McGuire at Fergie’s Pub......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed. Paramore and Jimmy Eat World Mark G. Etess Arena, Atlantic City Fri, 5/2/08, 8PM Pre-sale: Today, 10AM - Fri, 6PM, Live Nation On sale: Sat, 12PM, Live Nation In Flames with Children of Bodom and A Life Once......

Wednesday is named after the Germanic god Woden – god of gods in the Anglo Saxon pantheon, who was swallowed up by generations of cheeky Christian settlers who gradually morphed his religious stature into that of a folkloric king for the sake of proselytizing those who once believed in him. He is the basis for a primary character in Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods. THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE LUNAR ECLIPSE EVENT We wanted to toss......

There are lots of reasons why drinking heavily on Valentine’s Day is probably a good idea, but here’s a new one: University City Kiwanis Club is sponsoring A Shot for Love, a fundraiser at McFadden’s Restaurant and Saloon tonight from 9PM-12AM. As you head in, let the nice person at the door know that you are there for the Kiwanis Club gathering, and your $5 cover will be donated to the Second Chance Support Group,......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed. Shalom Hanoch The Troc Thu, 3/6/08, 7PM $50-$80 On sale: Today, 12PM, Ticketmaster Victory Hardcore Tour: Bury Your Dead with Emmure, the Warriors Crocodile Rock, Allentown Sun, 3/16/08, 3PM $12 On sale: Fri, 10AM, Ticketmaster Morcheeba The Troc......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news. Mark Eddie Scranton Cultural Center Fri, 3/7/08, 9PM $23 On sale: Today, 10AM, Ticketmaster John Valby "Dr. Dirty" Crocodile Rock, Allentown Thu, 4/3/08, 8PM $10-$15 On sale: Today, 10AM, Ticketmaster Jimmie's Chicken Shack Chameleon Club, Lancaster Fri, 3/21/08, 7:30PM......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news. COMEDY George Carlin Penn's Peak, Jim Thorpe Thu, 3/6/08, 8PM $50-$55 On sale: Wed, 10AM, Ticketmaster MUSIC Yellowcard Acoustic Tour featuring The Spill Canvas The Troc Mon, 3/17/08, 6PM $18 Pre-sale: Thu, 10AM - Fri, 10PM, iTunes On sale:......

An interesting entry by a blogger describing some conversations overheard on a train involving a local politician and Republican presidential candidate John McCain. (Via Sarah) Delaware River Port Authority officials announced yesterday that a $4 million network of cameras with "intelligent" software will be installed along the PATCO rail line and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge starting in April and scheduled to finish up by the end of the year. The cameras are designed to detect......

So, has anyone tried to enter the contests that this Phillyist posted recently? If so, you may have gotten a nasty error message. What went wrong, we don't know, but we've replaced the buggy entry forms with new ones, and now the entries are coming through as they should. So if you tried to enter our Paper Rival giveaway or the Philly Sports Club membership contest and got an error message, give it another try......

Even if it wasn’t one of your New Year’s resolutions, moving around is never a bad idea. One of the big problems we have is gym memberships can be expensive, and frankly we have such issues with commitment that getting locked into anything for a year is a frightening prospect. So we thought we’d look around for some cheap, noncommittal ways to get active; free is best, but the occasional class shouldn’t break the bank.......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news. Every Time I Die, The Bled, and The Human Abstract Chameleon Club, Lancaster Mon, 3/17/08, 6PM $15 On sale: Today, 10AM, Ticketmaster Gavin Degraw Fillmore at the TLA Sun, 3/2/08, 8PM $21.50 Pre-sale: Wed, 10AM - Thu, 10PM, Ticketmaster......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY On the Highwire Tonight: Fire Museum Records presents MaryClare Brzytwa, Dominique Leone, and Ashley Deekus at Highwire Gallery (2040 Frankford Ave.), 8PM. $5 The Other New Wave: Screening of Francois Truffaut’s 1959 The 400 Blows at Molly’s Bookstore (1010 S. 9th), 7PM. Free Oh the Drama: The Drama Club, The Grundles, The Peace Creeps, and The Miners at Grape Street (4100 Main St.), 8PM. $10 We'll Remember:......

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......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Talking About Dancing: Shen Wei, artistic director of Shen Wei Dance Arts, will appear with Philadelphia artist Sebastienne Mundheim to discuss the creative process in dance and visual arts, sponsored by Dance/USA and the Kimmel Center (260 S. Broad, Rendell Room on the First Tier), 6:30-8PM. Free (You can check out the non-Frugal Shen Wei Dance Arts performance at the Kimmel February 15-17) Further Afield: Jersey Justice, a......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Friday: Art Opening: Opening reception for Evidence, an exhibit of local photographers Natalie McDonald, Ellen Rosenberg, and Rachelle Lee Smith, at the William Way Community Center (1315 Spruce), 6-8PM. Free Leave the Glass House at Home: Marc Silver and The Stonethrowers bring their acoustic bluegrass and roots music to Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd), 7PM. $10 Geraldine Brooks: Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Geraldine Brooks reads from her new......

Phillyist, like untold thousands in the Delaware Valley, resolved to be more active this year. If you’re one of those thousands and are looking for a place to start, consider combining it with that other favorite resolution, volunteering in the community. Back On My Feet running club lets you do just that: you’ll run in Center City with homeless men from local shelters. It may seem odd at first glance, but the non-profit is committed......

No new productions being mounted until after the new year, so it seemed appropriate to quote "Auld Lang Syne" in this week's listings title. Now, on with the listings! A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant - We hear TomKat may make an appearance with Suri. Through December 30. Tickets online. The World Goes 'Round - And round, and round, and round. Through December 30. Tickets online. Holiday Show at the Swing Club - Not......

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! Raise your hand if you don't love YouTube/Viddler/Google Video/etc. Okay, that one guy raising your hand? You probably just want to scroll past this post, because it probably won't interest you in the......

Understandably, there are no new productions opening in the next ten days. So just sing "We Need a Little Christmas" from Mame for now, and rest assured that there are several new shows opening in January. Now, on with the listings! A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant - We hear TomKat may make an appearance with Suri. Through December 30. Tickets online. Winter Musicale - Sing along, everybody! Through December 23. Call 215.785.0100 for......

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia's December On Stage listings make note of four productions of A Christmas Carol (one of which, admittedly, I loved), plus productions of A Christmas Story, Christmas City Follies, Comet, the Fifth Reindeer, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues, The Holiday Goose - A Musical, Holiday Show at the Swing Club, The Nutcracker, O'Henry Christmas, The Santaland Diaries, Tiny Tim's Christmas, and Winter Musicale 2007. In short, the season is saturated......

The best of the internet, squirted out in flavorful neon globules, just for you. The Onion A.V. Club has a wonderful feature: Let It Die: 23 Songs That Should Never Be Covered Again. Includes videos of particularly heinous covers of the songs in question. (Via) Pictures and video of a pretty impressive 10-foot-tall fan-made Optimus Prime costume. (Via Jason) We know it's fated to suck, but this trailer for the Iron Man video game sure......

This week's quote comes from David Sedaris, the writer of The Santaland Diaries, opening this week. It runs in full: "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on its own." Now, on with the listings! The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) - Melt would flesh solid too too this that, oh! Through December 23. Tickets online. Holiday Show at the Swing Club -......

It's the holiday season, so many of us are in a charitable mood. Certainly, there are good feelings to be had from performing acts of selflessness, and we at Phillyist encourage you to donate your time, money, or a toy this holiday season. Sometimes you get the opportunity to contribute to a good cause and have a lot of fun at the same time. Thursday night, you'll get one such opportunity. WXPN is presenting a......

Last Thursday's Happy Hour was fun. Lots and lots of fun. We loved meeting all of you who came. (If you didn't come, trust us: you were really missing out!) We also loved learning that some of you get just as hung up on manners as we do. Case in point: the discussion I had with several of you early in the evening about tipping during an open bar. General consensus: do it. Sure,......

(This movie has already been out for over a week, obviously. However, when I saw it last Friday I felt compelled to write about it—it's been a long time since I saw a movie that stayed with me for this long. If you haven't had a chance to see it yet, by all means do so ASAP.) It must be something in the water. Filmmakers have rediscovered the mythology of the American frontier, and that......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Getting It On, Etruscan Style: Lecture on Desperate Etruscan Housewives, followed by gallery tour and refreshments at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (3260 South), 5PM. Free Moonstone Poetry Series: Poetry reading featuring Daniel Collins and Jim Mancinelli at Robin’s Book Store (108 S. 13th), 6PM. Free Astral Lounge:The Astral Lounge, the Tea Club, Kevin Elliot and the Broken, and Nathan Gaunt at the Khyber......