The first and biggest is COMMENTS! Registration is no longer required to post a comment on any post. Of course if you already have an account you can still login to ensure your comments are attributed to you, but those who don’t can now post a comment without any long term commitment. Also, on the right you can see some of the recent comments so you’ll always know what the active discussions are. This was the most requested thing we’ve heard from people since our last redesign and we’re excited to see where it leads.

The next change is also something that was heavily requested, and that is a change to the ADS on the sites. You’ll immediately notice fewer of them, but what might not be as obvious is those smaller square ones to the right are specific to this city only and are being sold for a flat rate for a period of time rather than a confusing CPM/traffic/network model. Depending on the city, these range from $7-$175 for a full week. If you purchase one, during that time your ad will be the only one in that spot and will show on every page. We set these up both to make it easier for smaller local businesses to get their ads on our site, and also to help us bring in ads that relate better to our local audiences. Also, keeping these sites online is expensive and every little bit helps.

There are a bunch of other things we changed but we’ll leave those to you to investigate and take advantage of. Hope you like it, and we look forward to seeing you in the comments!!

Love,
The folks at MBHQ

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Braaaaaaains!

Are you a zombie fan? Are you a Jane Austen fan? If you can answer “yes” to either of these questions, there’s a treat in store for you! Philly publisher Quirk Books has a new take on a classic read, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Yes, you heard me correctly. Author Seth Grahame-Smith (see also Big Book of Porn, Pardon My President, and How to Survive a Horror Movie) has injected zombie mayhem into the original work, a totally legal maneuver allowed by public domain law.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a blurb hit the internet a few weeks ago, and spread like wildfire through Austen blogs and zombie blogs to places like Entertainment Weekly’s Pop Watch and the London Sunday Times. Rumors of movie deals abound. Ah, the power of the internet. Isn’t it perfect for film?

Quirk featured the title last week at NYC’s Comic Con, besieged equally by Austen and zombie fans, and quickly ran out of promotional postcards. All this, and the book is not even available yet. The publication date of April 1 approaches, as do those brain-thirsty zombies. Some say Jane Austen would be rolling in her grave, while others say she would approve of the parody, and is just trying to get out! (Perhaps she would like to read it!)

Details on the whole fiasco are here.
Details on the market:
Sunday February 1st 2009 10:00am to 4:30pm
At The Electric Factory (7th and Willow Sts – Center City – Philly)
All Ages / 21+ To Drink / $3 Entry Donation /

I don’t know – maybe you can find some cool Valentine’s gifts there! Or just a little something for yourself to enjoy during the winter cold!

A) 2009 Christmas Tree Collection Program will run until Sat., January 17. Citizens who wish to drop off their tree for recycling may take it to the Streets Department Sanitation Convenience Centers located at 3033 South 63rd Street, Domino Lane and Umbria Street, and State Road and Ashburner Street during this week only. The sites are open from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, Monday – Saturday.

The program is designed to provide citizens with an environmentally safe alternative for disposal of used trees. Commercial entities are not permitted to use Sanitation Convenience Centers to dispose of their trees. Christmas trees brought to the site should be in the following condition: Free of all decorations and ornaments, Untied, Free of plastic bags or wrappings. Christmas trees set out for collection will be picked up as rubbish. Citizens should set trees out on their regular rubbish collection day at their authorized collection site. Citizens who require additional information regarding the Christmas Tree Recycling Program may contact the Customer Affairs Unit at (215) 686-5560.

B) Christmas Tree Removal: For a limited time, the Pedal Cooperative is offering Christmas Tree removal. The tress will be used for wood chips and they will also be composted. Cost for pickup is $1 a foot. The Pedal Cooperative
pedalcoop@gmail.com
(484) 222-1231

The high next week in the Philly area is supposed to be around 20 degrees.

We’ll see how well I’ve climatized since I will have been back 3 months by then.

Five bucks says I’ll be dressed for -20 degree weather.

- AP

With Nutter’s proposed “cost cutting decisions” like closing down 11 Philly libraries and consolidating city fire departments making headlines ever since I returned to the Cradle of Liberty, I’m at least glad to hear that there’s a stay of execution on the libraries – for now.

Still, it would be nice to hear that same will be said about our local fire departments. So, I’ve come up with two ideas to show Nutter that downsizing these engines would be a bad idea:

1. Burn down a library. How deliciously ironic. Especially if the library is a) one of the 11 that may be closed and b) near a fire department that’s getting axed.

Cons: Illegal, I’d never do it, nor do I condone anyone else doing it.

2. Go to the fire department, ask for “War & Peace”. Keep doing every single day.

Cons: Pissing off Philly firefighters might not be a good idea, who realistically wants to read “War & Peace” except to brag about it?

Maybe the City would have a little bit more in their coffers if some idiots at City Hall weren’t being paid $90,000 a year:

Yeah.

- AP

As I’m sure you’re aware, KB Toys is going out of business.

Kind of hits a soft spot with yours truly, who used to constantly go to the store at The Gallery when I was a kid.

Went in there yesterday. What’s left of the store is 50% off.

There is, however, a whole shelf of Indiana Jones and Star Wars toys.

Check it out and get a piece of history, while you can.

Another piece of my childhood – like Woolworth and Roy Rogers – down the drain. ;-(

- AP

On behalf of everyone at Philadelphia Metblogs, have a Merry, fun, safe, and rockin’ Christmas!

- AP

We’ve been saying it for years.

Fire Andy Reid.

Hit The Bricks, Andy.

Do the right thing, Eagles.

- AP