We’ve talked before here about personal connections to the Iraq War, but frankly, for me personally: I had none. I don’t agree with it, I’ve stomped my feet about it plenty of times, written my senators and signed some petitions. But it was all very abstract. Despite deep reservations about the military I am staunchly pro-soldier, for many reasons; perhaps the most important and obvious is they are fighting, putting themselves in danger, so I......

Editor's note: updated with Thom Cardwell's corrected title. We mentioned the other day that the Philadelphia Film Festival would be continuing its tradition this year of having a series of Evening with the Curators events running up to the launch of the fest. We also mentioned that we'd be attending one, and indeed we did so, last night at the Philadelphia Art Alliance in Center City. Speaking at the event were the executive Development Director......

Lots of people are talking about Obama's speech in Philly yesterday, including the Daily News and the Inquirer (and us, of course). Hillary Clinton's response was sort of an "isn't that nice for him" kind of thing. Somehow the story of the twin gay porn star burglars keeps getting better. Now it's come out through court testimony that their mother served as a lookout during their rooftop break-ins. The Inquirer tells the story of......

Highway Patrol Officers were passing a house on Jefferson Street near 26th on Friday night when they spotted a man who matched the description of someone who had robbed and shot another man earlier that night. When they arrested him, they discovered that the house had a cache of drugs, money, and weapons, including seven loaded handguns, an AK-47 assault rifle, a shotgun, two Kevlar vests, $3,000 in cash, and $25,000 worth of cocaine. In......

In recent weeks, the slumping American economy in the fallout of the sub-prime lending crisis has usurped the role of the war in Iraq as the hot issue in our national discourse. What short memories we have. Well, here’s an update: On Thursday February 14th, U.S. News and World Report ran a story about the streets of the Ghazaliyha district in Baghdad being flooded with raw sewage. The neighborhood was once a chic retirement community......

The Daily News suggests strongly that if the city made use of private ambulances when Fire Department medic units are swamped with calls, it could make the difference between life and death for certain patients. Philadelphia doesn't use nonmunicipal ambulances because of legal issues. Also in the Daily News this morning is an article providing more details on the case of the three North Philadelphia teenagers killed in a car accident on Saturday. Last......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. Finishing the Game - We posted the preview for this one a ways back. It's a mockumentary about director Robert Clouse's attempt to finish the film Game of Death after the untimely death of its star, Bruce Lee. In Finishing the Game, Clouse starts a frantic search for an impersonator to replace Lee, and much wackiness and Hollywood satire ensue. Sounds like fun, but keep in......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Atlantis SquarePantis (Mon, 8PM-9PM, Nickelodeon) - A special 45-minute-long episode of SpongeBob SquarePants wherein he and his friends take a trip to the lost city of Atlantis, but a flash from Patrick's camera causes trouble. The episode is followed by a fifteen-minute making-of special, which rounds out the hour. The important part: David Bowie guest stars as the voice of Lord Royal Highness, the king of Atlantis.......

Performances: A Twilight Performance of Spoon River Anthology (The Late Laureates of Laurel Hill ) (No Future Showtimes.) Pulling up the rear in this edition of the Phillyist Philly-Live-Fringical-of-Arts Diary series we celebrate the ultimate Halloween pre-game. Just in time for CVS' pre-pre-trick-or-treating candy fest comes a reading from the dead in a place of the dead with a cast and audience pretty close to death themselves (I jest, of course. Respect your elders kids!)......

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse. The deaths of two firefighters shook Bostonist this week. Boston's firefighters bent over backwards all week long - first, they fought flames pouring from the Boston Tea Party museum, and then a restaurant fire killed two and injured many more. Their efforts make everything else - like Tom......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Modern Marvels (Mon, 8PM-9PM, History Channel) - Tonight's modern marvel is chocolate, so obviously this episode is required viewing. Included is the history of chocolate, the chocolate-making process (including the manufacture of M&Ms), and the many properties that chocolate is thought to possess. LA Ink (Tue, 10PM-11PM, TLC) - Fugitive from Miami Ink Kat Von D is opening her own tattoo parlor - High Voltage Tattoo -......

Turns out we've been a bad blog. Thanks to Phillyist Sarah, and the Inquirer, we've found some local news stories that we were supposed to be writing about but haven't. One is the story of Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan getting sued by Chops because, they say, he gave a bad review to their strip steak when he didn't even eat it. However, the receipt from the meal, which he cleverly kept, seems to......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. House (Tue, 9PM-10PM, Fox) - Woah. Is this show taking a weird, supernatural turn? A new patient - who's a veteran of the Iraq war complaining of Gulf War syndrome, and a nephew of a big hospital donor - is familiar to House, because he saw the man in a nightmare the night before! In lesser news, House is having trouble going to the bathroom, and Cameron......

NBC News tells the truth about the Iraq violence Monday night’s NBC Nightly News marked a milestone in the ongoing Iraq War – they called the sectarian violence a civil war. Brian Williams changed the political/media equation by saying, “Good evening. Tonight there are moving parts on several fronts, all related to the fighting in Iraq. This begins what may be a crucial week in determining future U.S. Involvement in what has become a civil......

There is a Congressman who has gained no small notoriety in the past year. The NRA has given his voting record an A+, NARAL an F. The left-leaning Committee for Reform and Ethics in Washington called him “one of the most unethical members in Congress.” Perhaps that’s why he raised more money from lobbyists than almost any other candidate for the House of Representatives; why he consistently opposes lobbying reform and disclosure requirements; why he......

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend. The War Tapes - We told you about a special fundraising screening of this film at the IHouse earlier this week, but now it's getting its local release at the Ritz. The movie is a documentary on the current Iraq war filmed by three of the soldiers themselves. Bound to be intense and illuminating. We'd call it must-see! Trailer Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse Changing......

If you'll be around Ridge Avenue or Kelly Drive today, look sharp. Danny Lasko, a former Marine corporal who hails from near Easton, will be cycling in the area as part of the Soldier Ride National Tour. Lasko lost part of his left leg during a grenade attack in Afghanistan in April 2004. The Tour began in Los Angeles on May 21 and will end July 19 in Montauk. The purpose of the Soldier Ride......