The new writers just keep on coming – this time, in the form of Stephanie Mannis, a chronic Yelper who won us over when she sent us a bit of marketing collateral she wrote for work about an American answer to the Beatles. Welcome aboard, Stephanie! Here's the buzz in the 215 blogs this week: Jeff Deeney over at Phawker sang the praises of author Susan Jacoby, who in turn railed against the dumbing down......

I have been suffering from an incredibly huge bout of writer's block lately. That means two things: another one of my fifteen ideas for television shows that "can write themselves" will have to remain unwritten and all of my fans at the Phillyist have been without reading material for too long. So since my wife and Mom steadfastly refuse to read the paper, I thought I just had to get something on the site.......

Senator Vincent Fumo was eating dinner at his Spring Garden home at 7PM last night when he started experiencing chest pains. He was taken by ambulance to Hahnemann University Hospital where it was determined that he had suffered a heart attack and that his right coronary artery was 100 percent blocked. He had emergency surgery and remains in critical condition this morning, although he was alert and speaking with his family after the procedure. Hey,......

Governor Rendell said that he would back the indicted Senator Fumo's reelection bid if Fumo just asked him. Ed says: "We would be lost in Harrisburg without him because of his skill. He has done great things, and we are lucky to have him." The Inquirer is getting excited about the Philadelphia Flower Show, which will have a preview opening for selected guests tomorrow, and then open to the general public on Sunday. Catherine......

SEPTA will announce its "Go Green Go SEPTA" initiative this afternoon at Market East Station. (We've already seen the ads up there; they're posters with real moss or grass glued to them.) The idea is to increase ridership to reduce emissions that contribute to global warming, and they've timed it for the Philadelphia Flower Show, which runs March 2-9 at the Convention Center and is typically a time of increased ridership. General manager Joseph......

I had the pleasure of attending the 2007 Philadelphia Flower Show in the final of its 8-day run from the 4th to the 11th this past Sunday. I use pleasure in the most sensuous sense; walking into the Convention Center in the final throws of all its horticultural splendor, one is met by a kind of photosynthetic explosion with colors, fragrances, textures, palpable earthiness, and the sound of hundreds of other people expressing their feelings......

How about a little local celebrity gossip? WPVI's Monica Malpass is being sued by her former fiance (auto-parts entrepreneur Stephen Thorne) because she won't give him back the engagement ring, even though she supposedly agreed to do so, and he has requested her to numerous times. The casinos are apparently sending attorneys and private investigators to harrass people who signed those anti-casino petitions. Smooth, guys. Smooth. Meanwhile, a Bucks County judge has been appointed......

In a disturbing article, the Philadelphia Inquirer points out that there are still serious problems inside the city's Department of Human Services, despite a big policy overhaul a few years ago. In case you were not aware, the Flower Show started this weekend. We'll be posting more about this later, but for now, enjoy the Inquirer's preview, which includes a short history of the show, and an explanation of its theme ("Legends of Ireland").......

Does it seem like practically every time you take a flight into or out of Philadelphia International Airport, it's delayed? Well, it's not just your imagination - even though Philly International is the ninth busiest airport in the US, it's also been ranked at or near the bottom in on-time departures and arrivals for the past four years. Luckily, local business leaders are urging the FAA to do something about this; specifically, they're endorsing......

With the wild weather fluctuations we've been having lately, Phillyist is hard pressed to guess what season it actually is; luckily we have things like Philadelphia's annual Flower Show to remind us that Spring is, indeed, on its way. Running from Sunday, March 5th through Saturday, March 11th, this hayfever-inducing, horticultural hoe down highlights the creativity of professional and amateur florists alike. This year's theme is "Enchanted Spring…A Tribute to Mother Nature," and promises 10......