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REVEREND JOHN WHITEHEAD: Congress has just passed a bill, the FAA Reauthorization Act, mandating that the Federal Aviation Administration create a comprehensive program for the integration of drone technology into the national air space by 2015. The FAA predicts that there will be 30,000 drones crisscrossing the skies of America by 2020, all part of an industry that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars per year. This mandate is yet another example of the political power of the military-industrial complex, Congress’ disdain for the privacy of American citizens, and the rampant growth of government. With this single piece […]

NEW YORK TIMES: As the music industry struggled to come to terms with the death of Whitney Houston the night before, the Grammy Awards on Sunday appeared to crown a new queen of popular music in Adele, the British singer and songwriter who has dominated the charts on both sides of the Atlantic with her classic soul sound. The 23-year-old singer and songwriter, whose raw vocals and searing lyrics made “21” the best-selling album last year, captured six awards, sweeping record, song and album of the year. She seemed to be a perfect champion for a beleaguered record industry: a […]

Just sayin.’ Can’t believe we are still arguing about this in the 21st Century. And why the f*ck are we kowtowing to the pedophile factory that is the Catholic Church? The sentiments of the Catholic leadership should have no more impact on public health policy than any other registered sex offenders.

Tonight, for one night only at Milkboy Philly. RELATED: Lone Justice, a Los Angeles group fronted by 19 year old Maria McKee, anticipated the alt-country wave of the 90s by half a decade. Perhaps because they were ahead of their time, their infectious blend of high energy rock, country and gospel never quite caught on with the public the way it should have.  The members of cLone Justice (a collective of long time Philly music scene veterans from such bands as Slo Mo, Beretta76, John Train, Nixon’s Head, the Donuts and the Philadelphia Ukulele Orchestra) have long reveled in the […]

AP TICKER: Hello Young Lovers! Valentines day is coming up, so I thought I’d tell you a love story…. I remember the first time I met my wife, it was back in high school, we shared lockers across from one another at Our Lady of Perpetual Misery. She was stunning, as pretty as a prayerbook and as sweet as an apple on Christmas day. I was a shy, jug-eared youth who would follow her around like a puppy. She invited me to a party at her house. Her parents were gone.The entire school was there. She made snacks, tuna fish […]

Sorry to have to fool you like that. This is actually an interview with Bob Marley the 44-year old white guy stand up comedian with the from Portland, Maine, not the iconic dread locked reggae artist. But know this: Portland, Maine Bob Marley — who is one night into a three night stand at Helium Comedy Club — is a fuck of a lot funnier than Kingston Jamaica Bob Marley, no disrespect. But it’s a little known fact that Marley only got into to reggae when his stand-up comedy career went nowhere. Sure he became a global reggae superstar but […]

BY ZIVIT SHLANK Philadelphia-based guitarist and composer Mike Lorenz is a man of unwavering musical ambition. Following college in 2007, Mike’s been forging his path on the Philly and NYC jazz scenes, playing with groups such as The Hoppin’ John Jazz Orchestra and the Tony Gairo Big Band. In addition, he quickly established himself as one of the most in-demand and solid musicians having performed alongside local legends like trumpeter John Swana and pianist Skip Wilkins, among others. Since moving to Philly in 2009, Lorenz has wasted little time reaching his ultimate goal: to lead and record his own original […]

Insane. They play the Troc tonight. The show is completely sold out.

BY ZIVIT SHLANK Composer, vocalist and songwriter Samantha Rise possesses a style, grace and complexity. Her musical gifts can be heard in the groups Ellipsis Trio, Erroneous Krunk, The Fractals and In One Wind, among others.  Be it an interpretation of jazz standards, classic rock repertoire a la The Beatles, or her own soulful poetic folk, Rise’s unique voice crosses musical worlds and interweaves them rather seamlessly. Her original music marries her love of jazz with shades of folksier, funkier hues. From Billie to Bjork, Rise is unafraid to explore it all. You can check her out at 8 PM […]

NATIONAL INTEREST: The car ad is a classic Rorschach test. The average person likely sees it as a nonpartisan paean to resilient American greatness – and, at the very worst, an overly slick attempt to sell new cars. But anti-Obama ideologues are so hooked on their hatred that they see the ad as leftist trickery. They hear Eastwood say “it’s half time in America” (the ad ran at half time), and they think it’s an endorsement for a second Obama term. Most importantly, they’re totally invested in pessimism; they abhor any suggestion that things might actually be getting better. Teamwork, […]

From Gomez + Gonzalez, Presented By Philagrafika, Galleries At Moore, Moore College Of Art & Design, 1/27/12 by JONATHAN VALANIA RELATED: Spanish artists María Jesús González and Patricia Gómez have created large-scale prints, photographs and related videos during their artist residency at the now decommissioned Holmesburg Prison in Northeast Philadelphia. The artists, neither of whom  has exhibited previously in the U.S., have a collaborative practice grounded in art conservation; utilizing a modified version of a technique known as strappo, they work primarily to preserve the surfaces of buildings—the veritable “skin of architecture”—by detaching  a wall’s paint with glues and fabric […]