HOME TEAMS in caps:

Washington ($17.06) over ATLANTA ($16.41)
CHICAGO ($17.40) over Arizona ($11.24)
Houston ($17.40) over INDIANAPOLIS ($16.55)
CINCINNATI ($19.43) over Baltimore ($14.55)
JACKSONVILLE ($17.33) over Kansas City ($13.10)
Green Bay ($16.97) over TAMPA BAY ($15.28)
NEW ENGLAND ($14.35) over Miami ($12.01)
NEW ORLEANS ($16.49) over Carolina ($13.52)
SEATTLE ($21.03) over Detroit ($14.56)
SAN FRANCISCO ($21.12) over Tennessee ($15.37)
NY GIANTS ($25.66) over San Diego ($19.73)
Dallas ($16.73) over PHILADELPHIA ($12.07)
Pittsburgh ($17.34) over DENVER ($14.63)

My picks:
JACKSONVILLE (-6.5) over Kansas City
Larry Johnson. Wow. JoePa isn't even dead and he's rolling over in his grave from how you act. Grow. The. Fuck. Up. Seriously. At least shut the fuck up and stop making our alma mater look like Florida State. Thanks.

CHICAGO (-2.5) over Arizona
It's Dark and Hell is Hot. No, wait, that's a DMX record. It's cold and Chicago is windy. That's the ticket. 38-year-old arms don't hold up well in cold wind. Jay Cutler's do.

Green Bay (-9.5) over TAMPA BAY
Rookie quarterback making his first start. Not going to go well. Green Bay's secondary is too tough for this kid to figure it out in one day. Rout.

ATLANTA (-11.5) over Washington
Much to Miss Bee's dismay, no more CC47 for the year. Washington's defense is pretty strong, but when you're constantly looked at to keep a struggling offense in a game you'll eventually break. Matty Ice breaks them this week.

Miami (+10.5) over NEW ENGLAND
*Puts on Chris Collinsworth hat* This Miami team. This is a team that just finds ways to win football games. Whether it's with the wildcat or in the return game, this team finds ways to win games in the National Football League. *Takes off hat* They won't win this week, but they will most definitely cover. Remember what they did to New England last year during the wildcat's inaugural game?

CINCINNATI (+2.5) over Baltimore
Home. Dogs. I don't care what happened last week. That was last week. I'm not here to talk about the past. Cincinnati played a tough game in Baltimore. They can beat these guys on their best day.

Houston (+9.5) over INDIANAPOLIS
I don't think that Houston will win this game outright. That breaks the golden rule, "Never pick an underdog you don't think can win outright." After watching the 49ers keep the Colts out of the end zone for almost an entire game, the Texans will try to do the same. No Owen Daniels, though. Ouch.

NEW ORLEANS (-14.5) over Carolina
At home in the dome
the Saints come marching downfield
Carolina stinks

SEATTLE (-9.5) over Detroit
Detroit just lost to the previously winless Rams. Seattle is a tough place to play. Matt Hasselbeck has a field day. Fantasy update: Nate Burleson catches 6 passes for 88 yards and 2 TDs.

SAN FRANCISCO (-3.5) over Tennessee
Michael Crabtree has only played in two games. He already has six more receptions than Darrius Heyward-Bey. I guess he was right when he said he deserved more money than Heyward-Bey. Even Alex Smith will light up Tennessee's secondary.

NY GIANTS (-4.5) over San Diego
The Giants will not lose four games in a row. For real. I know I probably said "The Giants will not lose three games in a row" last week, but that was bullshit. They're totally three-game-in-a-row losers. They are not, however, four-game-in-a-row losers. Especially to the Chargers. (Although, I do hope LaDanian Tomlinson has a lot of yards and touchdowns.)

PHILADELPHIA (-2.5) over Dallas
Phillies lose World Series. Fans lament. Eagles beat Cowboys. All is forgotten until next November. One thing I haven't seen this year, though, is the dude in Center City who sells the homemade t-shirts calling Tony Romo a homosexual. That dude is funny for the singular reason that he yells at the top of his lungs shit like "Romo is a homo" and "Dallas sucks; T.O. swallows" and "Fuck the Cowboys". This is a dude who actually doesn't care. In that respect, I admire him. I care too much.

Pittsburgh (-2.5) over DENVER
This is going to be a great Monday Night Football game. Jaws will be drooling over Big Ben the whole game. Jon Gruden will salivate over Josh McDaniels's play-calling. Mike Tirico will be the only dude who makes any attempt at being unbiased. Any analysis I provide will be passed off as homerism. Black and gold, bitch.

Last week: 4-9
Season: 62-54

• Brett Myers will not be a Philadelphia Phillie next year. Boom...Outta here. You've gotta give it to good ole Brett, though, as he said, "I’ll miss the guys on the team and the fans who have supported me. Hopefully I’ll be playing against the Phillies and when I do I want the roughest treatment the fans can give me—when I’m pitching. I’m an opposing player—you have to give it to me."
• During his meeting with members of City Council yesterday, Willie Brown said he regretted calling for the strike at 3 a.m. "I regret calling [the strike] the time I did," he said after the meeting. "But I don't regret the strike."
• A 15-year-old shot another student on a school bus en route to a high school for troubled students in West Philadelphia. The 17-year-old victim is in critical but stable condition at CHOP.
• Al Gore spoke today at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. He gave a keynote address followed by signing copies of his book "Our Choice."
• The jobless rate is 10.2%. Almost 16 million Americans are without work. Ironic that those who had solid jobs are on strike, isn't it?

As promised, we hate TWU Local 234 now. The folks of TWU 234 have thoroughly established themselves as villains, and we'd like to recognize them for being bastardly sleazes out of a Medieval morality play. And now, the tour of vice!

1. Lust: Willie Brown, we're looking at you. Not for any action you may be pursuing from the ladies, but for your insatiable desire for power. You're up for re-election, and you aren't afraid to throw the entire city under the proverbial bus as you promise the sun and moon themselves to the workers you represent.

2. Gluttony: You wish to overstuff your pockets while the people around you are still in need. We've got no sympathy for your desires for more, more, and more.

3. Greed: Say what? A signing bonus, an eleven percent raise over the next five years, and no increase in contributions to health care isn't enough? Really? A signing bonus for going back to work after you chose to walk out? Not good enough? A raise and the promise of continued amazing health care—still not enough? Perhaps you'd like an amazing technicolor dreamcoat to go with that cushy job?

4. Sloth: Not working, huh? Some people might wonder how this is different from the normal state of affairs.

5. Wrath: Inspiring the rest of the city to frothing rage counts. We're blaming you.

6. Envy: Maybe it isn't a dreamcoat you want. Maybe it's the Taj Mahal? A Maltese Falcon? Whatever it is you want—it doesn't belong to you. The money you claim you need will come from the pockets of those least equipped to pay it.

7. Pride: Back down. What else but pride would allow a group of people to be so obdurate in their wrongheaded position. You're being offered a great deal, and really, almost everything you wanted. To believe that you deserve further reward is beyond us. Back down, and take the deal.

Love your neighbor, Local 234 dudes. Help a city out.

Captured during The Rachel Maddow Show by the lovely and talented Jenn DiSanto.

Proofreading Philly tries to capture typos, wordos, and all other kinds of grammatical mistakes that we see around the city. But we need your help! Email photos to us from your computer or your phone, and show the city that you care about good grammar.

My fears are now assuaged. Although Goats isn't a perfect movie by any means, it manages to entertain, delivering an amusing premise, well-timed lines, and solid acting out of the leads (even though Ewan McGregor definitely struggled to maintain his American accent throughout the film and ended up sounding slightly monotone as a result). As an added bonus, references to the Star Wars films and Jedi knights abounded—great on nerd factor on their own, but throw in McGregor, who played a major role in the prequels, and you get a kind of meta humor not usually seen in film. Easy and obvious? Yes, but that doesn't mean I didn't laugh at every one. And if Star Wars jokes aren't right for you, you'll probably at least laugh at Clooney's deadpan, at Jeff Bridges' transformation from hardened soldier to "New World Army" hippie-fighter, or at Kevin Spacey generally being Kevin Spacey.

But although humor can go a long way, a film needs substance to succeed, and there were a few problems on that end. The plot was told largely in flashbacks narrated by McGregor's character, even though the flashbacks weren't his own. While the film is supposed to be the character's reflections on his investigation into the Jedi warriors, things might have been more engaging if the other characters had the opportunity to tell their own stories—and it would have mitigated McGregor's aforementioned monotone. The film is also missing about twenty years of Bridges' character's personal history, connecting the flashback scenes to the film's "present," so it's hard to equate the broken man we see "now" with the confident, kooky soldier we saw "then." No doubt the years had been tough, but it might have been nice to see a few examples.

The ending is similarly missing something. Maybe I was just dissatisfied because it was just this side of cliched, or maybe I wanted a bit more action in the present leading up to it, but instead of leaving the theater blown away by the film, I left saying "that was fun," but not feeling fully satisfied. The writing was good; the acting was excellent; but in the end, something failed me. Which isn't to say I won't be eager to watch again when it hits HBO—just that I probably won't go out of my way to buy the DVD.

Disney's A Christmas Carol
We admit, we're rooting for The Men Who Stare At Goats to come out on top this weekend. But underestimating a kid-friendly, animated feature would be plain foolish, so we're predicting a win for Disney's new interpretation of Dickens's holiday classic. And even though we still find Zemeckis's motion capture techniques a wee bit creepy we're down with 3-D ghosts and multiple Gary Oldmans. If Jim Carey manages to deliver restrained performances as Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas everything, Disney's A Christmas Carol should be at least as entertaining as ye olde Mickey Mouse version.
Playing at... - Trailer - Reviews

The Fourth Kind
Real or not real? Paranormal Activity or Blair Witch Project? Eh, we don't really care. But we do like Milla Jovovich, thrillers, and aliens. Might be worth a shot.
Playing at... - Trailer - Reviews

The Men Who Stare at Goats
In this based-on-a-true-story satire, American "Jedi" soldiers in the Middle East kill goats with a glance, attempt to walk through walls, and are downright determined to use their psychic powers to battle the evil terrorists. Starring Clooney, Obi-Won, Kaiser Soze, and The Dude, we jumped at a chance to get a sneak preview yesterday. Look for a full review later today.
Playing at... - Trailer - Reviews

Skin
Depending on if you count The Fourth Kind or not, Skin is either the second or third film out this weekend based on a true story. It is however, the only one that takes a direct approach to its subject matter. Sophie Okonedo plays the black daughter born to a white couple in Apartheid South Africa. A period tale of race, identity, love, and hate, Skin is currently carrying a 90% freshness rating. If you like good dramas, you might want to put it on your list.
Playing at... - No Trailer - Reviews

• TWU Local 234 apparently thinks their pension should be the only retirement fund, pension, 401(k), etc. in the universe that is impervious to stock market fluctuations and a recession economy. According to the union's attorney, they're willing to stay on strike until SEPTA and the state go pull some cash off the magical money trees to pump the pension fund back up so that it can fulfill all potential outstanding payments. Apparently, the union's Martian leader hasn't alerted its members to how retirement funds work here on Earth.
• And in other SEPTA strike news, the union is apparently considering a "revised offer" from SEPTA. Might the strike end by the evening rush hour, and perhaps more importantly, does the "revised offer" give in to some of the union's demands, which will pretty much require commuters to open up our checkbooks to cover increased costs?
• Speaking of commuters, PennDOT says that traffic on local highways isn't really that much worse since the strike began, despite all evidence to the contrary.
• Time to start thinking about what the Phillies may and should do in the off-season. We'll offer our own thoughts next week.
• Penn homecoming is this weekend, and part of the festivities include today's ground breaking on the 24-acre Penn Park, which will include athletic fields, a bike path, and an elevated walking path.
• Today's AccuWeather forecast: 49 degrees with less wind today than yesterday. Cold and clear tonight, and the weekend looks really good for this time of year.

• Governor Rendell met with union leaders this afternoon in an attempt to expedite a contract agreement. The union has a news conference tentatively scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
• Three men held up an armored car at a TD Bank in Abington Township. No word on how much the thieves wrangled from the car.
• A female Danella employee was awarded $150,000 for having to wear diapers to work due to a lack of available restrooms for women. Four other female employees split $50,000.
• Philadelphia Inquirer CEO Brian Tierney announced that over 420,000 pounds of food were collected for Philadbundance and the Food Bank of South Jersey. Tierney said that they will embark on another food drive, which will include the Daily News. The goal for the new drive is to collect one million pounds of food for the local food banks.
• Cha-ching! Tomorrow's Mega Millions jackpot is at $63 million. The Powerball drawing on Saturday will be worth $80 million.

Title: Ironwork
Photographer: roemarshall

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The 2008 Phillies were a surprising and welcome departure from the Philly sports norm. Let's face it: We've gotten used to coming up short—whether way short or barely short. Not long after the Phillies paraded down Broad Street last Halloween, the Eagles returned the cosmos to their rightful balance. (Villanova's Final Four appearance was an unexpected bonus that threatened to upset the recently-restored natural order of things. Fortunately for the universe, North Carolina did not allow the end of days to come about.)

Whatever the haters say, Philadelphia is one of the top five sports towns in the country. (New Yorkers can bite me. In no particular order, it's us, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.) No one invests as much, personally and emotionally, in our athletes as we do. That said, we're not going to lose too much sleep over the Phillies' World Series loss. Not because we don't care—we do, we really do—but because living with defeat is old hat for us. And one of the things that makes us able to cry into our beers for one night, then go to sleep, wake up the next morning, and shrug it off is that we have a year-round cycle of teams on which we can pin our dreams of victory and fears of the inevitable next defeat. So while there's reason to be optimistic about the 2010 Phillies—more on that next week—it's time for Philadelphians to turn our attention, and our sports-lovin' hearts, elsewhere. So follow the jump and we'll tell you how you can best devote your energy, your love, and your tears for the next few months.

• Penn State football: Although State College is about three hours away, Philly is booming with Penn State alums (including, in the interest of bias disclosure, this Phillyist) and folks from PSU families. After stumbling—badly—against Iowa in their Big Ten opener, the Nittany Lions have been rolling, albeit against a weak schedule. But Penn State is peaking at the right time, and even though their shot at winning the Big Ten and going to the Rose Bowl is remote, winning out will virtually guarantee the Lions an at-large invitation to a BCS bowl game. And if the right dominoes fall, that could mean a dream rivalry Penn State-Pitt Fiesta Bowl. But first things first: Penn State has to win out, and their biggest hurdle to doing that comes this Saturday, when always-tough Ohio State travels to Happy Valley.
• Villanova basketball: Nova Nation may have been the most satisfied losers in history after the Wildcats got blown out by eventual-champion North Carolina in last year's Final Four. Nova's dramatic win over Pitt just to get to the Final Four, plus knowing that Jay Wright would start this season with one the top recruiting classes in the country and Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding returning, left Nova fans smiling, even though they didn't cut down the nets in Detroit. Now it's time to see if Wright's squad can live up to the high expectations coming off last season. The Wildcats will start their season—which officially begins next Friday—ranked in the Top 10. Unfortunately, Redding will be sitting out the first part of the season due to a marijuana possession-related suspension. But still, Nova is expected to be a top tier squad, and anything less than domination of the Big Five and winning the Big East is going to be a disappointment. But if there's something Philadelphians are used to, it's disappointment. Speaking of which...
• Eagles: Okay, what the hell is up with this team? They looked completely inept against the Saints, and their total bed-shitting against the Raiders and lackluster win over the hopeless Redskins didn't do anything to change that impression. Then they come out and take the Giants into a dark alley and inflict all sorts of torture on them. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are starting to look like an impossible 1-2 wide receiver combination for teams to defend, especially because opposing defenses have to account for Brent Celek. A Birds' win over the Cowboys this weekend puts them, somehow, in the driver's seat for the NFC East title. This team just has an aura that somehow, some way, it's going to get into the playoffs, win one game, and then completely self-destruct. It's what Eagles fans have come to know and expect, and yet we all strap in for the ride. Here we go again.
• Flyers: In case you haven't been paying attention for the last two years, and we know most of you haven't, the NHL is back—at least in terms of quality. (You can cat Flyers' games on CSN, but out-of-market games are stuck on Versus, which is kind of an audience killer. We miss ESPN's National Hockey Night.) Hockey games now are the most exciting they've been in about twenty years, and the league has all sorts of star power, and Philadelphia is one of the best hockey cities in the country. (Not coincidentally, the others are the aforementioned Boston, Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh.) The Flyers made two big off-season signings, picking up hard-noser Chris Pronger and headcase goaltender—aren't they all?—Ray Emery. The Flyers are off to a slow-ish start and are in a very tough division—with the defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins and model-of-consistency Devils—but the Flyers' roster is so deep and so talented that you have to expect them to get on a hot streak at some point. The NHL season is long, and you really don't know how things are shaping up until January, but the league and the Flyers are definitely worth paying attention to.
• Sixers: Ummm, scratch that. Don't pay attention to the Sixers. Read a book, learn to knit, watch paint dry, or trim your nose hair. We're not even kidding.

We can only wonder what SEPTA related bad news tomorrow will bring.

Widely acknowledged as the granddaddies of emo, The Get Up Kids' early brand of pop-punk somehow spawned a wild world of young musicians who wouldn't be caught dead without their guyliner and asymmetrical black hair-dos (*cough*Pete Wentz*cough*). Guitarist Jim Suptic even went as far as to apologize for for inpiring the trend saying "The punk scene we came out of and the punk scene now are completely different. It's like glam rock now... If this is the world we helped create, then I apologize."

Don't worry Jim, we'll forgive and forget the moment the Get Up Kids hit that first chord. We'll be transported back to a world before the advent of over-glamourized emo. A world where we snuck out of classes and into shows. A world without real, adult responsibilties. Only this time when we're jumping around trying not to spill our drinks, we'll have obtained those drinks easily and legally. There's something to be said for gaining a little bit of maturity, and this Phillyist, for one, can't wait to see what kind of grown-ups The Get Up Kids have turned into.

The Get Up Kids
Thursday, November 5th
The Troc (10th and Arch Streets)
7:30 p.m. All Ages.
Tickets: $23
&
Friday, November 6th
The TLA (334 South Street)
8:00 p.m. All Ages.
SOLD OUT! Find 'em on Craigslist

Don't know who Ralph Covert is?

Then you, my friend, have yet to enter the world of mashed up carrots and 7 o'clock bedtimes.

For everyone else out there, living in the wasteland that is parenthood, we are happy to say that there is something interesting for us to do this Sunday besides watching Finding Nemo for the thirtieth time. Covert, proud father of two and prolific children's musician, is on tour and bringing his sing-a-long styling to Philly for a single show.

How does one describe such an artist?

Think of him as a kind of Raffi meets They Might Be Giants meets The Beatles (in the early, "Twist and Shout" years) blend. Ralph Covert is everything kids love. He is goofy, he makes fart noises in his songs, he encourages kids to dance and shout and bang things together—and he does it in a way that makes you want to bang stuff right along with them.

The crazy (and delightful) thing, for all his silliness, is that Covert is a talented musician and a damn fine song writer. We think he's made the same deal with the devil that Steve Perry made in the 80s. You don't want to love these songs, there is no good reason that you, a full-grown adult, should enjoy a song about a teddy bear... named Freddy bear.

But you do.

You do!

And you sing the songs in the car, even when your children aren't around, because the choruses are that catchy. Happy Lemons, Animal Friends... they're like delicious shots of music tequila, only you can share these quickly downed morsels with your toddler.

Tickets are still available, $16.00 for adults, $12.00 for kids, with the show starting at 11:30am, so do something great for your kids (and your sanity) this weekend and treat everyone to their first concert. We'll be there...shouting out requests.

Seriously, we love that Freddy Bear the Teddy Bear song.

Ralph's World
World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut St)
November 8th, 2009; Doors at 11 a.m.; Show at 11:30
Tickets: $12.00 – 16.00

• The Phillies were unable to pull off a stellar comeback as the Yankees won their 27th World Series title, mostly thanks to six—yes, six—RBIs last night from Series MVP Hideki Matsui. The great thing about baseball, though: barely three months til pitchers and catchers report for the 2010 season.
• There's any number of words you could use to describe Local 234 President Willie Brown, but this one says it all: "the most hated man in Philadelphia."
• A Levittown couple was found dead in their home Tuesday, the result of an apparent murder suicide committed by the husband. The couple was set to appear for a divorce hearing Monday, but it's unclear whether the hearing actually occurred.
• Two young men were killed in shooting incidents last night, one in Castor and one in Brewerytown.
• Today's AccuWeather forecast: 55, with a possible afternoon shower. Cold and windy tonight.

• Police have identified a person of interest in the hit-and-run that injured 8-year-old twin sisters. We mentioned this in the news this morning. Seriously. Hit-and-runs need to stop. By bike, trike, car, or segway.
• The fire on the R5 train this morning was not strike related sabotage. The cause of the fire is officially listed as electrical.
• The legislation pending to legalize casino table games could affect tuition at state universities. $688.4 million was left off of the budget and is contingent upon the bill passing.
• Northeast High School's new uniform policy that went into effect today has irritated parents. They allege that the policy is directly related to the taping of the reality show starring Tony Danza as the reason for the policy.
• Tonight's World Series Game 6 pits Andy Pettite against Pedro Martinez. The two future-Hall-of-Fame starters are a combined 75 years old. Go Phils!

Three Bears is so named because of a sculpture of a family of bears, done by Sherl Joseph Winter in 1966. The bear family is located next to the park's playground, which gets rave reviews from parents across the Internets. I went to the park on a recent rainy Saturday, so there weren't many kids playing, but it seems this park is the place to be when it's nice out and you're a kid in the area. A sign forbade anyone other than children from playing on the equipment, so I can't rate the swings or slides, but I will say that the ground beneath the playground is so soft and boingy that were a kid to fall, he or she would probably bounce right back up without getting hurt.

The rest of the small park is idyllic as well. There are several tables, which seem perfect for pulling out a chess board or a picnic basket. On the eastern side of the park is a circular planter, which was still beautiful even on a damp, dreary fall day. The Friends of Three Bears Park work to keep the park beautiful and well-maintained. If you want to support them, you can purchase adorable t-shirts and onesies with 3 Bears logo on the front, or join the organization if you live in the area.

Upcoming Events in Parks:

Flea Markets:

• Philadelphia Flea Market, Jefferson Square, 4th St and Washington Avenue. Saturday, 11/7, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (Previous Parking).

Get Involved:

• Dickinson Square Park Clean Up, 4th and Tasker Streets. Saturday, 11/7, 9 a.m. (Previous Parking).

Farmer's Markets:

• Cliveden Park, Chew Avenue and Johnson Street. Wednesdays, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.
• Schuylkill River Park, Wednesdays, 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (Previous Parking.)
• Fitler Square, Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Previous Parking),
• Clark Park, Thursdays, 3 p.m-7 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. (Previous Parking),
• Rittenhouse Square Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (Previous Parking)
• Palmer Park, Frankford Avenue and East Palmer Street. Thursdays, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.

I've mentioned The Expressive Hand in this column before, what with their free babysitting and good times for stressed out parents who love to paint, but they're doing something so cool, we need to rehash the tip. Starting this Thursday, November 5th, at 10am this wonderful little pottery studio (and Sign Language school!) is starting a Read, Sign, and Paint class for preschoolers and their caregivers. Beginning with a reading of the A Very Hungry Caterpillar, with an American Sign Language interpreter so that kids can begin to learn some signs, the class moves on to painting your very own ceramic caterpillar in their workshop. All children ages 3 to 6 are welcome to attend with a very reasonable entrance fee of $10.00. Pre-registration isn't required, but if you have questions call 267-519-2626 or visit the website.

This week's "Free Fridays at the Kimmel Center" features Caryn Lin, an electric violinist. Beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the Commonwealth Plaza Stage, Ms. Lin gives your kids a reason to practice for concert band. If you don't believe me, check out her webpage. Caryn Lin is amazing; I'm talking truly incredible. Also gratis at the Kimmel Center this weekend, Bill and Tammy's Children's World Music Express will be rolling into town Saturday, November 7th. While the Friday night shows are obviously geared towards the older set, the Music Express, beginning at 11 a.m., is great for the younger ones. Welcoming any and all ages, Bill and Tammy bring together music and movement with a message of tolerance and cultural diversity. Pre-registration isn't required for either show, but it's best to get there early.

I am the self-proclaimed queen of over-protection. If it were up to me I would put sunscreen on top of my daughter's playground helmet. I'm just kidding, my daughter doesn't have a playground helmet, but a mother can dream can't she? Anyway, if you're like me, the Philadelphia Flyers Mini Rink at the Discovery Museum is for you. It's a mock ice rink with a slippery surface reminiscent of a bowling lane; it's open to kids ages 2 through 10. They can use their socks as skates and slide around the ready-made arena. Admission to the rink is free with museum admission ($9.95 for adults and kids). For more information visit the website or call 856-424-1233.

It's First Friday in Doylestown and these people take it seriously. Beginning at 6 p.m., many merchants stay open late (all they way until 9 o'clock! The craziness!) and play host to free, family friendly activities—some of them even have free hotdogs. A couple of highlights:

• Michener Art Museum will be offering a scavenger hunt, face painting, Crayola Factory giveaways, a puppet show and live music.
• The Busy Bee Toy Store will be hosting a fairy themed night of fun with crafts, shows, theater games, and a special appearance by a treat distributing fairy.
• The Central Bucks Family YMCA will be giving away the aforementioned free hotdogs.
• The Mercer Museum will be giving a presentation on American Indian Heritage.

Free parking for First Friday is provided at the county courthouse, the Doylestown Library, and the Michener Museum parking lots. The events are held rain or shine. You can get a full list of participating venues and activities here.

The Colonial Theatre is showing a classic this Saturday. For five bucks a head, there is no good reason to miss the masterpiece that is The Muppet Movie. If you are not familiar with The Muppet Movie, know this—your parents hated you. Show your kids you care and take them to check out the 3:30 p.m. showing of this amazing and inspired film. Rated G, The Muppet Movie is great for kids aes 4 and up. For directions and more information about the Henson series the Colonial is running this weekend, visit the website or call 610-917-1228.

If you've already seen The Muppet Movie, check out B. Someday Productions and the Neighborhood Parenting Program of By My Side's Theatre Production of The Runaway Bunny this Saturday at 11 a.m. An interactive performance based on the heart tugging book, the show skews young (think ages 2 to 7) and is being mounted in Hyperion Bank on Girard Street. Stick around after the show for a healthy snack and craft time. Registration isn't required and entrance is on a "pay-what-you-like" scale. For more information on the performance or the Walking Fish Theater (home to B. Someday Productions), check out the website or call 215-427-9255.

The Curtis Institute welcomes kids (ages 5 to 12) and their parents to come and learn the basics of composition and conducting. Students from the famed Institute will explain and then demonstrate with interactive performances designed to introduce kids to classical music. Advanced tickets are available online, but with demonstrations running from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., slots should be open at the door. Adult admission is $5, but children 12 and under are free.

Last week we mentioned that the National Liberty Museum is open for free on Sundays and well, what can we say, the Seaport Museum got a little jealous. Every Sunday is "Pay-What-You-Wish" admission at the Seaport Museum from 10 a.m. to noon. All ages welcome. Check out the website for exhibit information or call 215-413-8616 if talking to a real person is necessary.

That's it for me this week, but remember, if you have a tip (or a gripe—I like to judge others, it makes me feel better about myself) email me at amym@phillyist.com. Help a mother out.

Title: baby phanatic
Photographer: Melody Kramer
Location: Citizens Bank Park
Camera: Canon EOS 40D

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Image Credit: Flickr user Matthew & Jenny

SEPTA's on strike. I'm pretty sure we mentioned it before. With no busses, trolleys, or subways, people are turning to their cars to get them to work—and generally acting like assholes while driving them. I thought it might be an opportune moment to remind you of a few traffic laws—not just because they're laws, but because following them will help make this strike a little less unpleasant for all of us.

Don't Block the Box.
You're in the front of a row of cars at a green light, but the traffic ahead of you isn't moving. What do you do? If you answered "go through the light and wait in the middle of the intersection for the cars in front of me to pull forward," you're wrong. Blocking the intersection is against the law, and it's also discourteous to opposing traffic if you're still there when the light changes. Plus, don't you think it's just a little dangerous to be hanging out in the middle of the intersection if one of those cars tries to maneuver around you and fails? Replacing that bumper won't be cheap.

They're Called Crosswalks for a Reason.
The light you're waiting at isn't going to change any faster if you're stopped in the middle of the crosswalk. SEPTA's strike has put a lot more pedestrians on the road in addition to the extra motorists, and they need to get across the road safely. That's why the crosswalks are there. Be sure to stop behind them and let the walkers pass, so they don't have to dodge between cars to get to the other side of the street.

One-Way Is Not a Suggestion.
While sitting in traffic yesterday, I saw a guy turn east on a westbound street. He was only going a few feet to the parking lot there, but it didn't matter. He put himself and everyone else on that street in danger because he didn't have the patience to drive around the block.

Stick to Your Lane.
Things that are not traffic lanes include: bicycle lanes (especially the new, used-to-be-traffic-lanes on Pine and Spruce); unoccupied street parking spaces (just because it's asphalt doesn't mean it's for driving on); and sidewalks. We have seen angry motorists veer sharply into all of these areas in the last couple of days, putting themselves and others at risk, and also generally annoying the other motorists who are waiting their turns. We're all frustrated that we have to wait—but patience pays.

Use Your Blinkers.
Turning? Changing lanes? Avoid getting rear-ended by letting the cars beside and behind you know your intentions. And hey, if somebody lets you in, don't forget to give the wave.

Stop Parking Where There Is No Parking.
Philly's parking laws seem to be a little liberal. Sure, the PPA can't wait to give you a ticket thirty seconds after your meter's expired, but they look the other way for "church parking" and most delivery trucks. When traffic's light, it's usually easy to navigate around the double-parked, the parked-in-the-turn-lane, and the waiting-for-a-friend-in-the-bike-lane. But when traffic's this heavy, it's harder to move over and avoid stopped vehicles, and doing so is really dangerous. If you must stop for any reason, make sure to put your hazards on so that traffic behind you sees you're not moving from a long way off—but I stress the word "must," as in "my water just broke all over my gas pedal." If you're picking up a friend, getting a cup of coffee, or delivering packages, find a real parking space or loading zone.

Hang Up Your Phone.
As of November 1, driving while using a handheld mobile phone is illegal in Philadelphia. It's illegal because it's distracting. And when in heavy traffic that can stop on a dime, you need to dedicate your full attention to the road, not be distracted by your BFF's bad date story.

• Welcome to SEPTA strike (or TWU Local 234 strike, depending on your point of view) Day Two. SEPTA and the union "could resume negotiations" today. We won't hold our breath.
• We hope you voted yesterday. If you didn't, you have no right to complain (at least about the officials who were up for election) until the next cycle. Notable winners include Chris Christie in the NJ gubernatorial race and Judge Joan Orie Melvin in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court election.
• With no World Series game to give us a heart attack consume our attention, we were able to give a look at the Sixers...and we really, really regret it.
• As if pulling a hit and run on an eight-year-old child wouldn't be bad enough, how's doing it on twins for punching your ticket to the Seventh Circle of Hell?
• Today's AccuWeather forecast: Another cool, crisp, clear day.

• If you thought that there were going to be some negotiations in the Local 234 strike today you are wrong. No talks yet. What's more, even Ed Rendell thinks the union turned down a good deal.
• The Philadelphia Parking Authority will expand cab service to work throughout the city during the Local 234 strike.
• We mentioned this in the morning news, but there is still time to vote today. Get out and vote!
• Philly could save up to $15 million per year if it eliminated four elected offices. The Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority said that the independently elected "row offices" could be replaced by city agencies or within the court system.
• What happens when everyone stays home from work or school with the flu? Let's hope it's not an Internet meltdown because of high rates of absenteeism and everyone using the Internets at home.
• The Phillies hopped a 3:30 PM Amtrak train bound for New York City. The Fightins are back in action tomorrow night against the boys in pinstripes.

If the martinis article earlier didn't give you enough of a taste of fall, allow us to tempt you with some desserts.

Despite Phillyist's previous love for Vegan Treats Bakery, I couldn't contain my skepticism. Seriously? That ain't right. How can you make baked goods vegan and NOT have them taste like the box in which they arrived? More to the point: milk, eggs, and butter are gifts from on high — why would you even attempt to replicate treats without those ingredients?

Trying Vegan Treats for myself shut my carnivorous piehole, I'll tell you that. Why do they do it? Simply, because they CAN.

Vegan Treats hooked us up with a sampling of their fall offerings: pumpkin pie, caramel pecan cake, pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate hazelnut pumpkin spice cake, caramel apple cheesecake, and pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing.

I'm not going to lie, the flavors are a little different. But their whipped cream is spot-on, the frosting on the caramel pecan cake is off the hook, and the cheesecakes are freakishly good. I've never met a pumpkin cheesecake I didn't want to marry, and this one is no different. If I didn't know it was vegan, I never would have guessed. It tastes like someone tweaked a standard recipe just a smidge, but not to its detriment in the least. Even better is the caramel apple cheesecake, which comes with gooey pecans on top. It's just sweet enough, and the texture and consistency are perfect.

The pumpkin pie is less sweet than what you'd normally find, and it's up to you if you think that's a good thing or not. (I do.) The crust is a little different, too, though I think it's something you could get used to.

The chocolate hazelnut pumpkin spice cake is not a flavor combination that had ever really occurred to me, and it wasn't really my favorite. But I think that was just the flavor combo. The chocolate flavor was dark and deep, but the cake itself was a tad dry. I much preferred the pumpkin spice cake, which was more moist and my favorite of the regular, non-"cheese," cakes.

You may ask what's in these things if there are no dairy products. But I do not ask. Ironically, much like when I consume a hot dog, it's all very "don't ask, don't tell."

Bottom line, and the best way I can put it — as a dessert junkie and a dairy/egg addict, I'd eat them again, and happily.

Quick Nosh:

• Can't wait for the Cinco de Mayo and all its Mexican food-fueled goodness? Neither can Chef Alison Barshak, who'll be marking halfway to the next one on November 2 – 7 with a special "Cinco de Noviembre" menu at Alison Two.
• Looks like potential Next Iron Chef Jose Garces has acquired the former Letto Deli on 13th Street and will be transforming the space to the next restaurant in his empire—with a "beer and brats" theme. Color us intrigued! (Via The Restaurant Club.)
• Rittenhouse mainstay Rouge (which, oddly, doesn't seem to have a website of its own) has announced a new winter tasting menu that will include Macaroni and Cheese with fontina cream, chervil bread crumbs and Lancaster county goat cheese; Seared Day Boat Sea Scallops with mushroom-potato risotto and spiced red wine-golden raisin reduction; King Salmon with braised root vegetables and three meat glaze; Yellow Fin Tuna with eggplant and porcini mushroom chutney, olive oil and oregano; and Braised Beef Brisket with butternut squash puree, haircots verts and roasted garlic jus. Yes, please!
• Dine for a cause this Saturday, as the Cambodian Children's Fund hosts its third annual fundraising dinner at Maxim Saigon Restaurant in South Philadelphia. Never had Cambodian food? We can't think of a better excuse to try it. $55 gets you in ($35 of which is tax deductible), but tickets aren't sold at the door, so be sure to book in advance.

Having seen both bands before, we had a good idea of what to expect from them. And we knew to expect a packed Electric Factory, so we made sure we got there early enough to get a decent vantage point in the balcony. The Factory itself, by the way, continued its seemingly never-ending pattern of suckitude, with the female "security guard" basically molesting Editor Jill, apparently believing that Jill might attempt to smuggle some contraband into the venue in her bra—the front part of her bra. It got us thinking, if a male security had done that, it would have been no-brainer sexual harassment. But is it really that much less harassing for a female security guard to do it? What if the female security guard was a lesbian? What if the concertgoer was also a lesbian? But we digress.

The drawback (apart from being groped) to arriving just after the doors opened was that it meant we had to suffer through The Swellers. Apparently, Paramore's Hayley Williams is a big fan of these guys, but we really don't see how anyone could be a big fan of them. To us, they sounded like a really, really untalented version of The Starting Line—and we're not huge Starting Line fans to begin with. Mercifully, The Swellers only played for about a half hour, but that's still thirty minutes of our life we wouldn't mind having back.

Fortunately, Paper Route got the good music going in short order. As we'd suspected, Paper Route's complex, heavily arranged sound worked much better in the large setting of the Factory than in the cramped space at Kung Fu Necktie, where we'd previously seen them. And the band made full use of the space—including bassist Chad Howat climbing up to the balcony at one point—and delivered a very solid set of music from their full-length album Absence. Paper Route is continuing to support Paramore through the end of this year, and should be on the road for a headlining tour of smaller venues in early 2010. We suspect there will be significantly more people at those shows than the three dozen or so who saw them at Kung Fu Necktie back in July—and this is a band that deserves more attention.

Finally came Paramore, and we got exactly what we expected: a whole lot of energy. Paramore feeds energy to the crowd, and then feeds off the energy from the crowd, as well as any band out there today. They may not be the best songwriters or musicians out there—which isn't to imply that they're bad or untalented by any stretch—but their on-stage work ethic is infectious. It's easy to rip "emo" music, but for what it's worth, Paramore represents the best of the plethora of "three chords and angsty lyrics" bands out there today. It doesn't hurt that Williams has some incredible pipes, so her vocals never come across as whiney or immature. Paramore has improved their songwriting significantly over time, and their live performance has also improved since we first saw them, a couple years ago. If Paramore continues to grow and improve in the studio and on stage, their fanbase—which is already sizable and enthusiastic—will only grow. Maybe one day, it might even include "emo" haters.

And don't forget—Phillyist still has two of the Phillyist fosters who are looking for a forever home!

Armani (ID# A08940074)

Armani was surrendered by his family in August and has been waiting for a forever home since. He got along well with children and other cats in his former home, and he seems to get along fine with the other kitties and dogs at the PAWS Adoption Center. He's a young adult, 2 to 4 years old, and he loves lounging in a soft kitty bed and being pet. Armani is FELV/FIV/Heartworm negative, microchipped, and up-to-date on his shots, so he's ready for your home if you're ready for him.

If you'd like more information about Armani, e-mail alamond@phillypaws.org. You can find Armani at the PAWS Adoption Center, which is located at 100 N. 2nd Street (the corner of 2nd and Arch). Also, make note of Armani's ID number above, and bring it with you when you go to the adoption center. Adoption hours are Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Before you pull out your rusty bicycle and hop on it for the first time in ten years, make sure you're clear on the rules of the road. Despite the picture you may get from other cyclists, bikes are not allowed on the sidewalk, unless they are being walked by the owner, not ridden. Bicyclists also have to stop at red lights and stop signs. This Phillyist bikes to work daily, and finds that its easiest to just pretend she's a little, non-motorized car. Vroom.

Make the most of this stupid, stupid strike and ride your bike.

Tomorrow night, the husband and wife jazz team Herb Alpert and Lani Hall will perform songs from their new album, Anything Goes, at the Annenberg Center. Herb Alpert is a trumpet-playing legend: an eight-time Grammy® winner, bandleader of the Tijuana Brass and co-founder of A&M records. Among the friends of Phillyist with longer memories, Herb is famous for his 1965 album Whipped Cream, the cover of which displayed a rather attractive woman wearing nothing but. This time around, however, Herb is performing with his wife, Lani Hall, a Grammy® winning vocalist since the 1960s—we expect both musicians to be fully clothed. They are playing in Philadelphia for one night only.

Herb Alpert and Lani Hall
The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (3680 Walnut Street)
Wednesday, November 4th, 7:30pm
Tickets: $20 – 45

• Last Comic Standing finalist Jeff Dye headlines at Helium Comedy Club (2031 Sansom St.), with Josh Rabinowitz hosting and Brian Moote also slated to perform. 8 p.m., 21+, $10-$15.
• The Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.) has a good ol' eclectic rock'n'roll show tonight featuring four local bands: East A.M., BrynMawr, Bridge Underwater (MySpace), and Wellspring & Honor. 8 p.m., 21+, $8.
• Canadian dub-rockers illScarlett (MySpace) are on the road in support of their new album 1UP! and are playing at The Note (142 E. Market St., West Chester) as the primary support for ska outfit Big D and the Kids Table (MySpace). Also performing will be Among Criminals (MySpace). 7 p.m., all ages, $15.
• Tonight's Quizzo is at: El Camino Real (1040 N. 2nd Street), starting at 9; Fergie's (1214 Sansom Street), starting at 9:30; Liberties (705 N. 2nd St.), starting at 9; and Rembrandt's (741 N. 23rd Street), starting at 9.

Any events tonight that you think Philadelphia should know about? Let us know and leave details in the comments. And if there's an upcoming event you think we should share in About Tonight, e-mail us or Tweet us @phillyist!

Title: Phillies World Series Pep Rally: Franklin Square
Photographer: Vincent J. Brown
Location: Franklin Square
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi

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As a Crank Yankers fan, I have to ask—Do you have fruit cup?
Jell-O.

Tell us a little about how the idea for Terrorizing Telemarketers came about.
I started to mess with telemarketers because I had nothing else going on in my life and would just sit by the phone and wait for one to call. If I had a life, I would have never started messing with telemarketers and would have never got the gig on Crank Yankers. So thank God I have no life or I wouldn't have a career, either.

You make us laugh. Who makes you laugh?
The Balloon Boy makes me laugh. He ratted his dad out on TV that the whole thing was a hoax.

Do you have any favorite places to see or things to do when visiting our fair city?
Your city has great strip clubs. I plan on getting paid in singles.

Phillies, Yankees, or ambivalence?
Phillies.

What is your favorite food to have Florentine?
Chicken Florentine. I always wanted a dish named after me.

Do you have any upcoming projects you'd like us to know about?
I have a movie coming out in January 2010 which stars Jenna Fischer and Chris O'Donnell called A Little Help. I play Jenna's love interest.

Jim Florentine
Wednesday, 11/4/09 through Saturday, 11/7/09
Shows @ 8 p.m. (Wednesday-Saturday) and 10:30 p.m. (Friday & Saturday)
Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom Street
All shows 21+
Tickets: $10-$30

SEPTA has published its Service Interruption Guide this morning, in light of continued contract talks between the union and the city and the pending strike. Here's a quick rundown of what you should know:

What Will Work:

• All Regional Rail lines
• Suburban Transit (bus, trolley, Norristown high speed lines). Note that the routes will change if the bus normally travels into the city.
• LUCY
• CCT Connect

What Won't Work:

• Market-Frankford Line
• Broad Street Line/Broad Ridge Spur
• All City Transit Bus, Trolley, and Trackless Trolley Routes
• Frontier Bus Routes

Some other notes:

• Regional Rail express trains may have to make additional stops to accommodate an increase in riders.
• SEPTA is working on adding more cars to the AM rush hour trains as well.
• Regular fares apply.
• Monthly and Weekly transpasses are valid within city limits on Regional Rail (except to Forest Hills and Somerton).
• SEPTA sales offices will ONLY be open at 15th Street and 69th Street.
• There will be NO cash sales on board trains.
• Expect delays.

And lastly, no quiet cars on Regional Rail lines if there's a strike. That means YELL IT OUT, PEOPLE! On second thought, don't. Let's all try to get though this peacefully, if it comes down to it.

For even more information, see SEPTA's Service Interruption Guide.

• Fuck SEPTA. Actually, strike that we take that back. Fuck Local 234.
• Iceman Cliff Lee didn't have his lights-out stuff last night, but it was good enough as the Cardiac Kids v. 2.0 forced the World Series to a Game 6 with an 8-6 win. It'll be Pedro vs. Horseface on Wednesday.
• Today is Election Day, which means—thankfully—an all-too-brief respite from the campaign ads for ten months after today. But do your civic duty, educate yourself, and go out and vote today.
• The man who shot himself in the head at The Fire in Northern Liberties early Sunday morning is on life support.
• Two people have pleaded guilty to acting as accomplices in a planned murder-for-hire. Their "boss" (i.e., the guy who ordered the murder) is one Mahn Huu "Bruce" Doan, who is already under indictment for a mortgage fraud scam.
• Today's AccuWeather forecast: 60 and sunny today. Cool and clear tonight; good weather for shooting stuff. (Note: "Stuff" does not mean other people.)

Have fun getting to work/school this morning, y'all. How many of you suckers (like us) paid for a monthly transpass because it looked like there wouldn't be a strike?

• The Gubernatorial race in New Jersey is hotter than ever. Both candidates are making their last minute pushes to win tomorrow's election.
• Philadelphia Drivers: You can now be pulled over for using a handheld device in your car while driving. No more warnings and no other traffic offenses necessary. Do what's right—put it down!
• Amy Gutmann, President of the University of Pennsylvania, is one of the highest-compensated private college presidents, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education's annual salary survey. Gutmann has been the President of Penn since 2004.
• Police have identified a body found at Seventh and Spruce Streets as Rahfeak Anthony Griggs. They are investigating the shooting.
• The trial in the shooting death of Officer Chuck Cassidy will begin tomorrow. John "Jordan" Lewis, 23, is charged with murder and counts related to six armed robberies. Lawyers don't expect opening statements to be given until next Monday.

What a great idea! A Halloween party! How do you figure out what you need to throw "what is easily the biggest, most awesome, totally killer in like five different ways, and truly satisfying Halloween party in the city"?

Bands? Check.
DJ for late-night DJ Set? Check.
Venue? Check.
Booze? Check.
On-line promotion? Check.
Convenient Bathrooms? Fuck it. We have somewhere to piss—screw the patrons who paid $25 to get in.

That seems to be the thought process followed by the brain trust in charge of this party.

Now, we weren't at this party, but an anonymous tipster alerted Phillyist to the fact that there were:

not real restrooms anywhere. The line for the loo was45 minutes +; when people complained, they were openly mocked (i don't care if you piss on yourself, you already paid us, and if you leave to pee, you can't come back) - there were people pissing on the floor INSIDE the venue - men and women. [entire letter sic]

Apparently, this was not an issue for Joey Sweeney, editor and co-founder of Philebrity (one of the party's sponsors), as he posted on his blog (partially quoted above):

Go ahead, ask me how it feels to be a part of what is easily the biggest, most awesome, totally killer in like five different ways, and truly satisfying Halloween party in the city. You really wanna know? I am so scared and excited that when I think about it, I instantly have to pee. Or at least it feels like I do. And so it shall go with the Making Time with Simian Mobile Disco and Jason Hackenwerth's The Titan & The Fireflies and World Series/Halloween Party at 2424 Studios. It's literally right across the hall from our office! And, as it happens, just a few steps away from the bathroom, which is great news, if you are me. [Emphasis is original]

So, if you are Joey Sweeney, which we're glad you're not because that means you'd be a colossal douche-monkey, you don't give a fuck about people coughing up $25 to stand in someone else's piss on the venue's floor—because you don't have to.

You stay classy, Joey.

Here's one for the standup comedy junkies: Comedy.com has posted their list of 10 funniest comedians in Philadelphia. (Even better, they didn't go with "Phunniest," for which we must give them mad props.)

In at number 5 is Phillyist's favorite funnyman, Chip Chantry. (Duh, we knew that.)

Also on the list, Helium Comedy Club regulars Geoff Tate (#10), Pat House (#7), and Doogie Horner (#4).

See the full list here to see if your favorite made it.

Title: Smokey
Photographer: Brandon-J
Location: Rittenhouse Square
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT

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All Weekend: The First Person Arts Festival
Celebrating "memoir and documentary art," the First Person Arts festival features films, talks, workshops and more (including karaoke!) through the weekend.

Friday: First Friday
Throw on a winter coat and brave the chill of November's First Friday. Go classic in Old City or check out the art openings, live music and more in Mt. Airy, the Frankford Avenue Arts Corridor, or Doylestown.

Saturday: Bacon, Sausage and Scrapple Making
From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, stop by the Howell Living History farm in Lambertville, NJ to "meet your meat" as farmers make popular pork products while you watch. For $2, children can also participate in a craft program and make soap on a rope.

Sunday: Watch the Eagles
The Phillies didn't win the World Series. Disappointing? Yeah. Oh, yes. But this Sunday, fill your mouth with the only two words that could possibly replace "Go Phillies" right now: Go Birds.

This Weekend: Eagles, Pigs and a Few Humans Too originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 10:09:53.

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• The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is offering additional bike parking and a bicycle service station at City Hall that they promise will be set up this afternoon and continue through the duration of the strike.
• If you need a new bike or a tune-up for your existing cycle, here's a list of Philadelphia bike shops by neighborhood.
• The City of Philadelphia offers bike maps to help you plan your cycling commute. In addition to what you see on the maps, there are also bicycle lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City that were added earlier this fall.

If you are traveling to Philadelphia on Regional Rail and hope to use a bike once you arrive in the city, note that bikes are only allowed on Regional Rail trains during non-peak hours. The only exception is folding bicycles as long as they are folded and stowed in the train's luggage area. Read more about SEPTA's bicycle policy.

For more information on how to commute during the public transportation stoppage, check out the SEPTA Strikes page.

Image: Meg Favreau

Biking During the SEPTA Strike originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 11:54:13.

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SEPTA has posted a guide to which services are and are not running during the strike.

For information on how to commute during the strike as well as a brief history of SEPTA work-stoppages, visit the SEPTA strikes page.

SEPTA on Strike: What to Do originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 08:47:07.

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If you have recently moved or just registered to vote for the first time, follow these links to find your polling place:

Pennsylvania Polling Locations
New Jersey Polling Locations

Polls in Pennsylvania will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; polls in New Jersey will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Happy voting!

Philadelphia and New Jersey Elections: Find Your Polling Place originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 17:17:01.

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All Weekend: Watch the Phillies
Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Febreeze that red shirt and put it on again. Not sure where to watch the game? Get some ideas by reading FooBooz's post on bars and restaurants with World Series specials.

Friday: Park in the Dark
The rain is breaking and tomorrow's high is supposed to be in the 60s, which means it should be a great night to spend in Norristown Farm State Park. For ages 7 and up, this nocturnal walk promises to be educational and creepy at the same time.

Saturday: The Henri David Ball
This elaborate costume ball put on by jewelry-shop owner Henri David is the place to scope out both wild costumes and famous folks - one of my friends has a much-cherished photograph of himself dressed as a creepy security guard with Governor Ed Rendell. The ball is at the Center City Sheraton and begins at 9 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door.

Sunday: Halloween Candy Buyback
If your kid has a king-sized pillowcase full of candy, here's a great way to cut the amount down to standard-pillowcase size: candy buyback. Mount Holly Family Dentistry in Mount Holly, NJ is running a candy buyback program on November 1 from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. where children 13 and under will receive $1 per pound of candy they turn in. The dentist's office will then ship the candy to troops overseas.

This Weekend: Phillies & Halloween originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 09:52:37.

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How your commute may (or may not) be affected:

• First of all, remember that a strike isn't guaranteed: SEPTA employees are only striking at the end of the week if a contract isn't reached by then. Talks are scheduled to begin again on Monday.
• If a strike does occur, SEPTA subway lines, trolleys and busses will be affected. Regional Rail will still run since its trains are operated by a separate union. NJ Transit and the PATCO will also be unaffected.
• During the last SEPTA strike in 2005, the city made 2,200 additional parking spaces available for the duration of the strike. No word yet about whether they might do the same thing this time. Either way, if you'll need to drive to work in Philadelphia, consider making carpooling plans.

UPDATE: As of 3 a.m. on November 3, a SEPTA strike is in effect. For more information about the history of SEPTA strikes and what to do during the strike, visit the SEPTA strikes page or my blog post about biking during the 2009 SEPTA strike.

SEPTA Strike Scheduled originally appeared on About.com Philadelphia on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 21:01:50.

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Thursday: Go Out to Eat
This can be anywhere, as long as you're sitting outside. We're looking at a high of 74 today, folks, and it's probably going to be the last one we see for a while. Maybe bring a sandwich to Rittenhouse Square, chomp on a crepe at Beau Monde, or get a burger-and-shake dinner at PYT?

Friday: Haunted Poe
For a haunted house that's "going more for a sustained spooky vibe than outright terror," check out BRAT Productions' Haunted Poe, based on the works of good ol' Edgar Allan.

Saturday: Explore Philadelphia's Hidden Past
This free event from the Philadelphia Archaeological Forum promises illustrated talks by archaeologists, artifacts, an opportunity to see a working archeology lab and more.

Sunday: Humor Abuse There are still tickets available for the final performance of Lorenzo Pisoni's much-lauded show about his childhood in the Pickle Family Circus.