Magnolia Pictures and the Green Film Company announced today a unique screening program in ten cities across the country that will allow filmgoers to choose how much they want to pay for an advance look at Freakonomics: The Movie. The highly anticipated film version of the internationally bestselling book by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt hits theaters nationwide on October 1st. These pay-what-you-want screenings offer fans a chance to see the film on Wednesday, September 22nd, over a week before its official opening, at Landmark Theatres in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Philadelphia, […]
TRIPPING: It’s The New Taser
[Photo by MATT SLOCUM/ASSOCIATED PRESS] NBC 10: Earlier this season a field jumping Phillies fan got tased making national headlines. On Monday night all it took to stop a field jumper was Braves outfielder Matt Diaz. In the bottom of the seventh inning with the Phils leading 3-1 in the critical NL East battle, Sean Hagan, dressed in a red full bodysuit reminiscent of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Green Man bolted onto the Citizens Bank Park field. Fans were speculating that he drank too much “riot punch.” The spandex-wearing fan evaded security guards, even causing one to fall flat […]
ARMIES OF THE NIGHT: Where The Security-Industrial Complex Meets The Corporate Oligarchy
THE NATION: Over the past several years, entities closely linked to the private security firm Blackwater have provided intelligence, training and security services to US and foreign governments as well as several multinational corporations, including Monsanto, Chevron, the Walt Disney Company, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and banking giants Deutsche Bank and Barclays, according to documents obtained by The Nation. Blackwater’s work for corporations and government agencies was contracted using two companies owned by Blackwater’s owner and founder, Erik Prince: Total Intelligence Solutions and the Terrorism Research Center (TRC). Prince is listed as the chairman of both companies in internal company […]
CONTEST: Win Tix To See Chrissie Hynde
Proto-Riot Girl, scourge of McDonalds, ex-Mrs. Ray Davies, ex-Dude From Simple Minds and, of course, the great Pretender — Chrissie Hynde works harder than a one-legged man at an ass-kicking contest at, well, kicking ass. She brings her latest project — JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys — to the Keswick on Thursday. We have two tickets to give away to the first person to correctly fill in the blank on this Pretenders’ lyric: “Don’t harass me can’t you tell I’m going home I’m tired as hell, I’m not the kind I used to be I got a kid I’m […]
NPR FOR THE DEAF: We Hear It Even When You Can’t
FRESH AIR In July 2007, Michael Vick and three other men were arrested and charged with operating an interstate dogfighting ring. When the authorities arrived, they seized 51 pit bulls from Vick’s Virginia fighting compound, which he’d nicknamed the “Bad Newz Kennels.” The pit bulls showed clear signs of being abused and tortured. Much attention has been paid to Vick and whether he should have been eligible to return to the NFL when he was released from prison. It turns out there was also an extremely successful effort to rehabilitate the pit bulls rescued from his compound. Many found new […]
GAMBLOR: We Are Coming To Get You
SUGARHOUSE CASINO: Catch a FREE ride on the Sugar Express! Starting October 2010, our official transportation, the Sugar Express will pick up and drop off SugarHouse guests around Center City and nearby access points. MORE PHAWKER: Why does this remind us of the story of Hansel and Gretel?
KITCHEN BITCH: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup
BY MAVIS LINNEMANN I’ve been waiting all summer for this moment—the time of year when I can open all my windows AND turn on the stove without suffering from heat stroke. And since I’m not breaking a sweat while my oven comes to temp, I can actually stand over the stovetop and create some of my favorite fall dishes—mainly soups, stews and chilli. Pardon my French here, but I f—ing love soup. There’s nothing better for lunch on a cool fall day then a cup of hot soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. I’ve also been obsessed with roasted peppers […]
CLUSTERF*CK WARNING: POTUS In Town Today
[Photo by JEFF FUSCO] INQUIRER: President Obama is heading to Philadelphia today for a four-hour visit that will overlap the evening rush hour. The president will be in town to appear at a function at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to support Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak’s campaign for the U.S Senate. Air Force One is slated to arrive at Philadelphia International Airport about 4 p.m. and depart at 8:15 p.m. Around those times, motorists should expect roadway closures for the presidential motorcade. MORE WHITE HOUSE POOL REPORT: For the the first event, a general reception in a hall inside the Philadelphia […]
SPORTO: Smells Like Victory
PICTURE UNRELATED: Awesome vintage 70s Eagles artwork, just because BY MIKE WOLVERTON SPORTS GUY So, what have we learned? 1. Mike Vick can throw it pretty well. We never really got a chance to see this last year — there were a few nice passes here and there, but it was such a small sample size it was impossible to tell what he would do with 30 attempts in a game. Again, he can throw it pretty well. Don’t let the fact that the Lions dropped two interceptions make us forget that those passes were there to be picked. In […]
WITCHY: Christine O’Donnell ‘Dabbled In Witchcraft’
ASSOCIATED PRESS: Another unfavorable decade-old television clip of tea party favorite Christine O’Donnell has emerged, this time with the Delaware GOP Senate candidate saying she “dabbled in witchcraft.” The clip spread among websites as O’Donnell canceled appearances Sunday on two national news shows. Her campaign said she had to back out of the programs because of scheduling conflicts with events in Delaware. Since O’Donnell’s upset of nine-term Rep. Mike Castle, opponents have unearthed unflattering age-old television clips. The most recent was aired by comedian Bill Maher, who dug up one of O’Donnell’s appearances on his “Politically Incorrect” show in 1999. […]
We Know It’s Only Rock N’ Roll But We Like It
GOLD SOUNDZ: Pavement, The Mann, Last Night, BY TIFFANY YOON DAN DELUCA: The quality of Pavement’s shows was always determined by Malkmus’ mood, and on this night the 44-year-old Portland, Ore., auteur was gracious and engaged, and willing to deliver rarities such as the early single “Box Elder” and choice cuts such as the hummable Smashing Pumpkins-dissing “Range Life.” He was also keen to remind people that Pavement is a great guitar band. Crooked Rain’s “Elevate Me Later,” an early set highlight, was Exhibit A. But it was not all about Malkmus. Kannberg’s songs “Kennel District” and “Date w/IKEA,” were […]
THE EARLY WORD: Stop The Madness!
RALLY TO RESTORE SANITY: “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Who among us has not wanted to open their window and shout that at the top of their lungs? Seriously, who? Because we’re looking for those people. We’re looking for the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive, and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn’t be the only ones that get heard; and who believe that the only time it’s appropriate to draw a Hitler mustache on someone is when that person is actually Hitler. Or Charlie Chaplin in […]
CONCERT REVIEW: Of Montreal/Janelle Monae
BY JONATHAN VALANIA Where Of Montreal recreated the songs of its extant albums with note-perfect clarity, opening act Janelle Monae’s set was a hot mess and I don’t mean that in a good way. Hard to say if it was the soundman’s ham-fisted jiggering of the mixing board faders or the Electric Factory’s notoriously unforgiving acoustics, or some combination of the two, but Monae’s much-anticipated set was an inchoate blur of sound, rendering standout tracks from her deservedly-acclaimed major label debut The ArchAndroid all but indecipherable. Even when the rest of the band left the stage and Monae duetted with […]