CityPaper: Million Little Stories on Popporn adult film

Tonight I’ll be in attendance at something of a unique event: an adult film world premiere.

I briefed the event for the Philadelphia CityPaper in today’s edition [third item down].

The porn was written by two Philadelphia marketing executives who also lead POPPORN.com, which describes itself as “an adult entertainment blog. We are not a news site as we typically get the news and the details about the news factually wrong on purpose to amuse ourselves. With that being said, do you have some news?”

Continue reading CityPaper: Million Little Stories on Popporn adult film

Patriot-News: Brief on drinking age discussion

This brief ran online Thursday for the Patriot-News, prepping for yesterday’s front page story:

Some college presidents who recently asked for a national dialogue on the 21-year-old drinking age say the focus of their effort has been lost.

Some 123 university and college chief executives, including 15 in Pennsylvania, signed on to the Amethyst Initiative, a public statement urging a discussion since they say the 21-year-old drinking age is not working. But instead, much of the debate has turned to their suggestion that possibly the drinking age should be lowered… More.

See it on PennLive here.

Photo courtesy of 101.

Patriot-News: Muslim airline pilot, wife file suit

This Web brief for the Patriot-News, officially filed one minute after Associated Press Harrisburg correspondent, PLCA president, and Pennsylvania Capitol legend Peter Jackson filed his own to the wire:

A Gulf War veteran and his wife say they’ve been unfairly placed on a federal list that limits their commercial flight access. To fight back, the Muslim couple filed a lawsuit against a host of U.S. government agencies on Tuesday.

“We don’t know why they’re on the list. They don’t know why they’re on the list. The government won’t tell us why they’re on the list,” said Amy Foerster, an attorney with Saul Ewing who is providing pro bono counsel and working with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the Schuylkill County couple on the case, which was filed in U.S. district court. More…

See the rest on PennLive.com. Full story tomorrow.

Photo courtesy of Kevin Boydston.

Patriot-News: Rendell criticism brief

A brief in Friday’s Patriot-News:

A group of local state Republican lawmakers accused the Rendell administration of attempting to spin the Commonwealth Court ruling on furloughing state workers during a budget impasse.

Wednesday’s ruling by Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt said when a budget impasse extends past the July 1 deadline, the governor can choose between furloughing state workers or requiring them to work without pay until a spending plan is passed.

The statement issued Thursday by Reps. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, Jerry Nailor, R-Cumberland, Mark Keller, R-Franklin, and Glen Grell, R-Cumberland, said the ruling is not a vindication of Gov. Ed Rendell’s decision to furlough state workers if the budget is delayed… More.

Brief in tomorrow’s Patriot-News. Photo courtesy of PennLive.com

Patriot-News: Brief on Comcast and Big Ten Network partnership

Blurb for tomorrow’s Patriot-News:

JUST THE FACTS Penn State fans who happen to be Comcast subscribers are now able to view the Big Ten Network on basic cable, which means no additional charge on your cable bill. BTN will broadcast the first game of Penn State’s football season on Aug. 30, when the Nittany Lions host Coastal Carolina. BTN will also air the Sept. 20 matchup with Temple and a conference game yet to be determined. The network’s Big Ten Tonight show will air a Penn State football practice at 9 p.m. Thursday, and Big Ten Tonight will preview Penn State’s season at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25… More.

Patriot News: Breaking news on Howard Dean Harrisburg appearance

Quick Web item for Patriot-News on an appearance in Harrisburg by Howard Dean:

Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Pennsylvania is a “must win” today after a speech in Harrisburg.

The half-hour address to 200 people – most of whom were students at SciTech High where the speech was held – focused on the importance of voting. He also labeled Democratic nominee Barack Obama the “candidate of change” and called Republican candidate John McCain a “continuation of the George Bush presidency.”

“John McCain wants to be the president of the past,” Dean said. “Barack Obama wants to be the president of the future.” More…

Read the rest on Patriot-News. Full-length story tomorrow. Photo from Wikimedia.

Patriot-News: Online brief on domestic violence group funding bill

Brief for the Patriot-News:

A bill that would increase marriage licensing and divorce filing fees to raise money to aid victims of domestic violence is drawing support from advocacy groups, but it’s unlikely to see passage this legislative session, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said today.

“But if we are still in power and I can shepherd this bill out (and voted on) in January, I will,” said state Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, D-Berks. There are only nine days remaining in this legislative session, he said, and more pressing legislation will get more attention. More.

Read the rest on PennLive.com. A full-length story tomorrow.

Post-Gazette: Municipalities to pay for state police under bill

Breaking news Web item for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, full story in tomorrow’s paper.

HARRISBURG – Municipalities with more than 10,000 residents that rely on state police for law enforcement would have to dig deeper into their pockets under legislation proposed today by two Democratic state legislators from Westmoreland County.

House Bill 2563, introduced by Rep. John E. Pallone, would require all communities with more than 10,000 people to either establish a local police force or pay an annual fee of $100 per resident for state police protection.

“This is a basic issue of safety,” Mr. Pallone said at a news conference. “State police are stretched way too thin.”

State police now provide police protection for hundreds of smaller towns around the state that don’t have their own municipal police forces.

Read the rest on Post-Gazette.com. Image courtesy.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Illegal immigration rally

Rally coverage from yesterday for today’s Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

HARRISBURG — As the Pennsylvania General Assembly plunges into its annual budget negotiations, state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe is focusing on what is becoming his signature concern: immigration reform.

“The illegal alien issue in Pennsylvania is costing taxpayers millions of dollars,” the Butler County Republican said. “So I think the budget season is the perfect time to announce this legislation.”

Metcalfe held a rally in the Capitol on Wednesday to introduce two bills that would levy legal and economic sanctions against local governments that violate federal immigration law by supporting people who come into Pennsylvania illegally, whom Metcalfe has called “illegal alien invaders.”

Read the rest on Pittsburgh Live here. Image from previous rally in Philadelphia, courtesy Diggers Realm.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Rendell and furloughing payment

This written yesterday for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

HARRISBURG — Nearly all state employees termed “essential” would be paid even if there is no budget in place after the June 30 deadline, a treasury department official said today.

The testimony from Leo Pandeladis, chief counsel of the Pennsylvania Department of Treasury, came in response to questions about Senate-passed legislation that would term all state workers essential in a budget impasse.

The purpose of the hearing was to determine the legal standing for furloughing of “nonessential” state employees by Gov. Ed Rendell if the General Assembly doesn’t pass a budget by the deadline, said state Sen. Jeffrey E. Piccola, chairman of the committee.

Rendell last week threatened to furlough more than 24,000 workers at 12:01 a.m. on July 1.

Read the rest on Pittsburgh Live.