Facebook Buys Instagram for $1B, Twitter Freaks Out. In case you missed it earlier Monday, Facebook has agreed to terms to buy popular photo filtering and sharing site Instagram for $1 billion. Yes, a billion. To read the full story, click here.

Not familiar with Instagram? As the aforementioned story states, “Instagram lets people apply filters to photos they snap with their mobile devices and share them with friends and strangers. Some of the filters make the photos look as if they’ve been taken in the 1970s or on Polaroid cameras.”

But it is more than that. Instagram has 30 million users (including NBC10). This deal took place roughly 551 days after Instagram’s launch, meaning that they made $1B in value in less than 2 years. The company also employs only 13 people! And with a valuation of $1 billion, that means each Instagram user is worth approximately $33 a piece.

The web justifiably freaked after the announcement (this is a big deal in the social media and technology space), and as people often do to share instantaneous reactions to big events, they turned to Twitter to tell others about it. It was no different for members of The20.

@christopherwink: Wait, is that $33 per user? $1 billion for Instagram’s 30 million users?

@mikeyil: u mad? re: FB & Instagram instagr.am/p/JNQiW2mbzN/

@mikeyil: So what you’re saying is that @Instagram just acquired nearly a billion “photographers?”

If you’re an Instagram user, how does this acquisition make you feel? Oh, and perhaps overshadowed on Monday, we’ve launched the #PhillyGram project with Instagram here at NBC10 (so if you’re on the service, be sure to tag your photos)!

-LD

[Facebook, NBC10, @christopherwink, @mikeyil]

Photo: Getty Images

Flyers’ Hartnell vs. Fake Hulk Hogan. In case you missed Sunday’s Flyers vs Penguins showdown from Pittsburgh, it was a game filled with drama, bad blood and more. The Flyers came back from an early 2-0 deficit to win 6-4, but it was the final 63 seconds of the game that has people talking. Read all about the brawl that ensued after Joe Vitale hit Danny Briere (including Peter Laviolette standing on top of the boards yelling at Penguins assistant Tony Granato) here. Laviolette was fined $10,000 for the incident, and Granato $2,500 on Monday.

But it was a particular Pittsburgh Penguins fan with a semblance to wresling legend Hulk Hogan that caught the attention of Flyers forward Scott Hartnell. The man, dressed like Hogan (all the way down to the yellow boa) was sitting behind the Flyers bench when Hartnell decided to do a little Hulk-like taunting of his own to get back at the fan. (WATCH VIDEO HERE) 

Hartnell took to Twitter to continue the fun after the game. He had four straight tweets that either referenced Hulk Hogan or used the hashtag Hulkamania including, “Almost had to give someone Hulksters classic finishing move #Thelegdrop hahahahaahahah. Just kidding.”

In what looks to be a preview of the first round of the NHL Playoffs, these two teams are already in postseason form.

In related hockey news, the folks at Flyers Faithful are hosting a 26-person NHL’94 tournament (yes, the popular video game is back) at Play2 at Parx Casino in Bensalem. It’s all for charity (benefiting the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation) bu t spots are filling up quickly. (thanks to The20’s @mikeyil for the heads up.)

-LD

[CSNPhilly, NBCSports, Flyers Faithful, h/t @BrianPHickey @mikeyil]

Photo: CSNPhilly

Another Bracket: What’s Philly’s Best Sandwich? Because it is March and because every poll or survey is better in bracket form, the folks at Eater Philly have started the 2012 Sandwich Supremacy Tournament. What exactly is it? It’s a list of the 64 best sandwiches around town, and winners will be determined by user voting (starting Wednesday with the Sherman Helmsley Division). If you’re a foodie, this is a list you’ll want to check out. There are some classics in there (Pat’s Cheesesteak is a six seed in the Joey Lawrence Division, Geno’s a 12 in the Seth Green Division, among others), but plenty of new entries.

Who are the top seeds, you may be asking yourself. Top Four in each division are broken down below (with the brief Eater writeup). Additionally,  click here for a full bracket: 

Sherman Helmsley Division:

1. Dinic’s Roast Pork: “The most nominated sandwich among the 64, this is often considered the Philly signature sandwich moreso than the cheesesteak.”
2. McNally’s Schmitter: “This longtime Philly fave features griddled steak, salami, cheese, onions, tomato, and special sauce. Also available at Citizen’s Bank Park.”
3. Tony Luke’s Roast Pork: “Tony Luke’s is all about the cheesesteak, but his roast pork is the better sandwich, and one of the best in Philly.”
4. Shank’s Italiano: “No matter where they move, Shank’s cutlet sandwiches are the best. Topped with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe is the way to go.”

Joey Lawrence Division:

1. John’s Roast Pork Cheesesteak: ”The roast pork is damn good, but the cheesesteak is the very best in Philly. The best.”
2. Village Whiskey Village Burger: “While not our favorite burger, this is the one everyone falls all over themselves about, so it sits at a number 2 seed. The consensus Philly favorite.”
3. Dalessandro’s Cheesesteak:  ”Everyone West of Philly swears by this sandwich, and we agree. Dalessandro’s cheesesteak is a top 3 in the region.”
4. John’s Roast Pork: “To get out of the division, John’s is going to have to beat itself. The roast pork people and the cheesesteak people are split as to which sandwich is better at this little hut of happiness. You decide.”

Seth Green Division:

1. Nick’s Roast Beef: “The signature sandwich at Nick’s is better than the hype. Wet the roll and dump a glob of horseradish on it for good measure.”
2. Paesano’s Paesano: “Another Paesano’s superstar, The namesake sandwich is a brisket beauty with horseradish mayo, pepperoncini, and a fried egg.”
3. Salumeria Italian: “A beast of Italian meatiness. Coppa, capicola, mortadella, provolone, and roasted red peppers fill a massive roll. An RTM staple.”
4. Melino’s Turkey Hoagie: “Our man Questlove turned us onto this place a year ago, and we haven’t looked back. Fresh meats, and the nicest guys behind the dirty counter. It’s a giant masterpiece of a hoagie, and an easy 4 seed.”

Normal Fell Division

1. Paesano’s Arista: ” The modern-day answer to DiNic’s Roast Pork, Paesano’s version is made with suckling pig and has long hots along for the ride.”
2. South Philly Tap Room Grilled Three Cheese: “This is the best sandwich in Philly that isn’t a cheesesteak or a roast porkwich. What else do you need to know?”
3. Smoke Truck BBQ Pork Sandwich: “Mark Coates makes the best BBQ in Philly, and this is his best sandwich.”
4. Pub & Kitchen Churchill Burger: “Pub and Kitchen’s signature burger boasts a proprietary LaFreida blend and an $18 price tag. Still, it’s delicious. And don’t put cheese on it.”

Do you have any favorites? Any sleepers. Let us know in the comments below.

-LD

[Eater, h/t @mikeyil]

Photo: Paesano’s