“The National Constitution Center will use part of a $6.4 million grant to establish a journalism institute named after late ABC News anchor Peter Jennings,” the AP reports.
MediaBistro: Coming Soon ó The Philadelphia National Insitute of Gravitas

It’s hard to believe that it was one year ago already that the terrestrial radio suckpot that was WPLY aka Y-100 was pulled asunder, forcing its fans to finally fess up on how much they dislike “faggots” and black people. (We don’t know why they had to admit it, either: To this day, it still [...]

>>> Rick Santorum, are you sure your house loan is kosher? Because us heathens say it’s an “illegal gift.” [DN]
>>> Meanwhile, another Mariano crony goes down. [DN]
>>> Oh, and don’t think it doesn’t also suck to be you, Mr. or Ms. Philadelphian. It’s going to cost $1 million for some wonk to tell us what [...]

Joke all you want, but something inside us gets giddy with liberated glee when we peep any of the new Philly gay-tourism pitches ó the latest of which is a contest promising “The Ultimate Gay Stay.” Yes, they are cheesy. Good God, they are cheesy. But really: Two gay dudes holding hands in front of [...]

>>> Our love of Return Of The Last Love is deep and wide and tall, without reason, because honestly, we’ve never been. Because every time, the stars just aren’t aligned right. We’ve got a date. We’re under house arrest. The Women’s Figure Skating Finals are on. But just because we’re lame doesn’t mean you must [...]

? BREAKING: Prince is playing at The Electric Factory next Wednesday with that totally hot chick he played with on SNL, T·mar. It’s her show, but whatever: PRINCE! We’re gonna see if ol’ Cap’n Freefudge can’t score some tix to give away.
? BREAKING: The A-Sides are playing in NYC tonight, where they’re being filmed for [...]

Kalas is not as good an announcer as he was 15 years ago, when the man never missed a home-run call. Now he misses a few things and forgets others. It happens when you hit 70 and the ball is a lot harder to pick up than it used to be, when a player’s first [...]

You would think that Stars would be un-Googlable. And what with them kind of being the Erasure of our time, you also wouldn’t necessarily expect as many people to go utterly apecrazy about them. But God is kind, appparently, because Stars pop right up on the Goog and thanks to The OC, soccer moms and [...]

Though Risko could not provide the number of new dwellings at Fourth and Reed, residents heard from the developer that a combination of 220 condo units and townhomes might occupy the site. The existing edifice, they say, would rise to nine stories. To blend in with the community, the building would [...]

>>> Lilys rock a 7.4, and give truth to the lie about shoegaze being the new black/orange/pink. [Pitchfork]
>>> How’s this for meta? Why is the new Destroyer album cover like 10 times more interesting than what anyone, even your friends, has to say about it? Seriously. We just stared at it for 5 whole minutes [...]

… outside the zoo.
THE PHILADELPHIA Zoo has banned an animal-rights activist from the premises after monitoring a chat room in which she wished the zoo’s director “nightmares every night until you die, which should be very soon.”
Marketing people with the Zoo are considering the new names for this cutting edge exhibit, such as “The Land [...]

>>> The Capitol Years take on The Standard Tap ó really one of the best places to see anyone right now ó†in all of their stripped-down Omnichord glory. Better still, they’re playing Pussyfootin’, the acoustic record Shai did back in the day, which really is the sweetness. Says the groop: “We (Cap Yrs, members of [...]

Man Man: “Van Helsing Boombox” [mp3, from Six Demon Bag]
National Eye: “Bird And Sword” [mp3, from Room Full of Lions]
Lilys: “A Diana’s Diana” [mp3, from Everything Wrong Is Imaginary]
Birdie Busch: “South Philly” [mp3, from The Ways We Try]
BONUS ROUND: Man Man: “I’d Rather Go Blind” [mp3]
Is there anything we forgot? Send your new release info [...]

A few weeks ago, we actually downloaded the reader survey for the “Next Philadelphia” issue of Philadelphia Weekly. We were going to put our own answers in, and ask that everybody copy and paste, and clown the paper on a mass level. Initially, our idea was to send a giant Bronx cheer their way; after [...]

Marty Moss-Coane and Daphne Merkin have been talking for the last hour in the most touchy-feely, crunchy, our-bodies-our-selves way about old people having sex and what happens to old vaginas. It is horrifying. Please tune in at once.

Party lines. No shit, party lines. We didn’t even know these things existed anymore.
“It is fun just to be on there,” [Cierra] Joe said. “People be cracking jokes.”
Jokes, you say. I see.
DN: You’ll Miss These Mind-Boggling ExposÈs When We’re Gone, You Know

The 700 Level weighs in on the trade-anoia that’s sweeping the city, vis-a-vis Allen Iverson and Bobby Abreu. The analysis The Sev gives basically makes it sound like both could be an inevitably (does anyone ever really love anyone else?), so while we’re all throwing down, let’s just get our Top 5 trade wishes out [...]

>>> The Sam Champion juggernaut residency continues: This week, do drop by for sets rounding out the bill from McGowan and The Future Tips. That’s a wintry mix, yo. The Fire, 9pm $5.
>>> Best flyer of the week, most likely: The Melange at 700 with Dryw, Gabe, Jojo and Mickey.