BREAKING: Local Man Gets Dog
West Philly’s Ben Morgan, who books bands at the Mill Creek Tavern (42nd & Chester), didn’t want a dog, but his live-in girlfriend, Allison Paul, did. In March, Morgan, who also plays in the Rare Birds and occasionally performs as a German rapper, MC Digga, told Paul they could get a dog when “Chinese Democracy” came out. Morgan assumed the long-awaited Guns N’ Roses record, 17 years in the making, would never come out. He was wrong. The record, which can be listened to here, was released Nov. 23, days after he agreed to take care of his mother’s 3-year-old Chihuahua, Rizza. “I like the dog a lot more than the record,” says Morgan, who’s still getting used to the new project by Axl Rose and an army of musicians he brought in over the lengthy recording. [via PHILLY GOSSIP]
THIS JUST IN: Local Man Grows Mustache
JAY BEVENOUR: Greetings family, friends, acquaintances, arch-nemeses, etc. This is a current picture of me and my three-week old mustache. It’s flourishing, and getting plenty of attention from colleagues and strangers alike. If you were not aware, I’m growing it for charity, and there’s just a little over a week remaining (Dec. 13th). Thanks to those of you who have already donated to the cause. I really appreciate it. If you’d like to donate, click my mustache below, or HERE, and it will take you to the Philadelphia Growers page of DonorsChoose.org. It’s a terrific group that aims to raise money for schools-in-need by funding specific projects proposed by teachers themselves. Just a few bucks will make a difference, both to the kids and to my potential ability to trash-talk my mustachioed competition, once they are defeated. Please help this super-worthy cause. If that hasn’t convinced you, then look at my picture and imagine me saying, dramatically, “Please. Won’t you think of the children.” There you go. Thanks! [via JAYBEVENOUR.COM]
DEVELOPING: Local Man Arrested For Pimping Underage Russian Orphans
A wealthy Russian-born businessman from suburban Philadelphia was charged Wednesday with traveling to orphanages in his native country to molest young girls and hire them out as prostitutes. Andrew Mogilyansky, 38, of Richboro, was charged with traveling abroad to engage in illegal sexual activity and with committing sex crimes while overseas. A federal indictment alleges he molested three teenage girls brought to his apartment in St. Petersburg, Russia, from a nearby orphanage in late 2003 and early 2004, then recruited them into an online-based child prostitution business in Moscow that he ran with several other people. The girls were 13 and 14 years old, Acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid said. “The significance of this case is, we want people to fully understand that you cannot just go to another country and think you are out of the reach of law enforcement,” Magid said. [via ASSOCIATED PRESS]