-
![Philly’s Tech Scene Getting National Recognition. Following the second annual week filled with 80 events around town with the goal of bettering the city of Philadelphia with technology (better known as Philly Tech Week), Philadelphia is now getting some national press about its future as a tech hub.
In a story from Fast Company (part of their United States of Innovation series) titled “Philadelphia Sets Sights On Becoming America’s Next Big Tech Town,” Shane Snow talks to Technically Philly’s Sean Blanda (one of the guys behind Philly Tech Week, along with Brian James Kirk and The20’s @christopherwink ) and others about the burgeoning scene popping up right here in The City of Brotherly Love. Writes Snow:
“As the costs of starting a web-based company—including the cost and difficulty of software development—have sunk since Web 2.0, university-rife cities like Philadelphia are witnessing a boom in startups. And for perhaps the first time in decades, young people are starting to actually migrate to Philadelphia as a destination.”
The article talks about Technically Philly, but also gets into some local companies (InviteMedia, MyYearbook.com, DuckDuckGo and more), the large number of young people (many fresh out of some of our great universities) who are trying and doing new things. It also mentions why staying true to Philly’s core business benefits is important (hence the pharma trend).
“What places like Philly… where startups are happening but aren’t ‘startup towns’ need to think about is, ‘What else are we great at?’ And build startups around it,” says Phin Barnes, a principal at First Round Capital, who frequently moves from Philadelphia to capture opportunities in New York. “Philly has lots of pharma, so it makes sense to build a startup community around pharma and biotech. Startups are so competitive, you have to take every advantage you can.”
What do you think: does Philly have real potential as a tech hub in the future?
“Philly is the greatest city in the country,” Blanda says. “This city is real life. It has real problems and real people, which give us all a tremendous opportunity to make a dent.”
-LD
[Philly Tech Week, Fast Company, Technically Philly, @christopherwink]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3cv0kyNmE1qfnxkko1_r1_500.gif)
Philly’s Tech Scene Getting National Recognition. Following the second annual week filled with 80 events around town with the goal of bettering the city of Philadelphia with technology (better known as Philly Tech Week), Philadelphia is now getting some national press about its future as a tech hub.
In a story from Fast Company (part of their United States of Innovation series) titled “Philadelphia Sets Sights On Becoming America’s Next Big Tech Town,” Shane Snow talks to Technically Philly’s Sean Blanda (one of the guys behind Philly Tech Week, along with Brian James Kirk and The20’s @christopherwink ) and others about the burgeoning scene popping up right here in The City of Brotherly Love. Writes Snow:
“As the costs of starting a web-based company—including the cost and difficulty of software development—have sunk since Web 2.0, university-rife cities like Philadelphia are witnessing a boom in startups. And for perhaps the first time in decades, young people are starting to actually migrate to Philadelphia as a destination.”
The article talks about Technically Philly, but also gets into some local companies (InviteMedia, MyYearbook.com, DuckDuckGo and more), the large number of young people (many fresh out of some of our great universities) who are trying and doing new things. It also mentions why staying true to Philly’s core business benefits is important (hence the pharma trend).
“What places like Philly… where startups are happening but aren’t ‘startup towns’ need to think about is, ‘What else are we great at?’ And build startups around it,” says Phin Barnes, a principal at First Round Capital, who frequently moves from Philadelphia to capture opportunities in New York. “Philly has lots of pharma, so it makes sense to build a startup community around pharma and biotech. Startups are so competitive, you have to take every advantage you can.”
What do you think: does Philly have real potential as a tech hub in the future?
“Philly is the greatest city in the country,” Blanda says. “This city is real life. It has real problems and real people, which give us all a tremendous opportunity to make a dent.”
-LD
[Philly Tech Week, Fast Company, Technically Philly, @christopherwink]
-
![Philly Celebrates National Foursquare Day. Are you checking in today? The tech-savvy in Philadelphia certainly are. April 16 is National Foursquare Day (you see how they did that? 4 squared equals 16), and Philadelphia is celebrating in its own unique way. National Foursquare Day is when communities plan events or lectures to encourage mass check-in’s on the service. Believe it or not, foursquare spans over 15 million people worldwide, according to January statistics.
Foursquare, for those unfamiliar, is the location-based check-in service that alerts friends to your whereabouts. More than that, they offer specific discounts at certain venues based on your check-in activity (and if you link up your account with your American Express card, even direct discounts to your monthly statement).
To celebrate the big day, the marketing folks at Visit Philly have put together a foursquare list of 16 places around town that involve a “square” (from Washington Square to Squareburger and more). At one of the 16 locations, they will be giving away a prize at 4:16 p.m.
Additionally, the folks at the Social Media Club of Philadelphia along with The20’s @anniemal (among others) have organized “The Philly Foursquare Games,” a Hunger Games-like competition of squarefour, the popular game we all remember from when we were kids. Their event takes place at 7:30 tonight at the Marion Anderson Recreation Center and it is free to attend (though the teams are already set).
Oh, and a quick plug: don’t forget to follow NBC10 on foursquare.
-LD
[foursquare, Visit Philly, Philly Foursquare Games, Squarefour.org]
Photo: foursquare](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2l0cv656u1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
Philly Celebrates National Foursquare Day. Are you checking in today? The tech-savvy in Philadelphia certainly are. April 16 is National Foursquare Day (you see how they did that? 4 squared equals 16), and Philadelphia is celebrating in its own unique way. National Foursquare Day is when communities plan events or lectures to encourage mass check-in’s on the service. Believe it or not, foursquare spans over 15 million people worldwide, according to January statistics.
Foursquare, for those unfamiliar, is the location-based check-in service that alerts friends to your whereabouts. More than that, they offer specific discounts at certain venues based on your check-in activity (and if you link up your account with your American Express card, even direct discounts to your monthly statement).
To celebrate the big day, the marketing folks at Visit Philly have put together a foursquare list of 16 places around town that involve a “square” (from Washington Square to Squareburger and more). At one of the 16 locations, they will be giving away a prize at 4:16 p.m.
Additionally, the folks at the Social Media Club of Philadelphia along with The20’s @anniemal (among others) have organized “The Philly Foursquare Games,” a Hunger Games-like competition of squarefour, the popular game we all remember from when we were kids. Their event takes place at 7:30 tonight at the Marion Anderson Recreation Center and it is free to attend (though the teams are already set).
Oh, and a quick plug: don’t forget to follow NBC10 on foursquare.
-LD
[foursquare, Visit Philly, Philly Foursquare Games, Squarefour.org]
Photo: foursquare
-
![The Guide to Modern Elevator Etiquette. Can you imagine the skyline of Philadelphia or any other modern city if elevators did not exist? The Comcast Center, our city’s tallest structure, has 58 floors. Would you walk up 58 flights of steps to get to your office? Unlikely.
But as much as we all ride elevators, we rarely see a standard behavioral code around the trip. That’s where The20’s @VictorFiorillo, a writer for Philadelphia Magazine and The Philly Post, comes in. What if there were behavioral rules around riding the elevator? With brief detail, here are the six rules Fiorillo lists for being in and around elevators:
Just Shut Up. “No one wants to hear your stupid conversations.”
Chivalry Is Not Allowed. “I’m a big fan of chivalry and gentlemanly behavior, but generally speaking, an elevator is not the place for this, save for escapes from trapped elevators, for which the old ‘women and children first’ protocol is still applicable.”
Don’t Talk on Your Cell Phone. ”I am, of course, talking about the basic tenet of elevator cell phone etiquette, which is, quite simply, that your cell phone should not be in use on an elevator, other than for silent purposes, like texting or browsing. ”
It’s OK to Say Hello. ” It seems that when someone we don’t know makes eye contact with us or greets us on an elevator, even if they’re a comely California girl like Susie, we treat them like a serial killer or at least a potential leftover Occupy Philly member. If you see Susie on your elevator and she says “hello,” it’s perfectly OK (and proper) to say “hello” in return. Anything else would be rude. “
No Eating. “Again, we’re talking about maybe 45 seconds of your life here.”
Beware the DOOR CLOSE Button. “Elevator riders, you have the choice of using the DOOR OPEN button or not when you see a body moving toward the closing door, though if you are on the elevator with others, it’s important to take their feelings into account as well. Sure, you may get a “thank you” out of the person for whom you pressed DOOR OPEN, but the other passengers will secretly hate you.”
So that’s it. Any other rules to riding the elevator that you would add? To read Fiorillo’s full post, click here.
-LD
[@VictorFiorillo, The Philly Post]
Photo: Getty Images](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1kbun7iqv1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
The Guide to Modern Elevator Etiquette. Can you imagine the skyline of Philadelphia or any other modern city if elevators did not exist? The Comcast Center, our city’s tallest structure, has 58 floors. Would you walk up 58 flights of steps to get to your office? Unlikely.
But as much as we all ride elevators, we rarely see a standard behavioral code around the trip. That’s where The20’s @VictorFiorillo, a writer for Philadelphia Magazine and The Philly Post, comes in. What if there were behavioral rules around riding the elevator? With brief detail, here are the six rules Fiorillo lists for being in and around elevators:
- Just Shut Up. “No one wants to hear your stupid conversations.”
- Chivalry Is Not Allowed. “I’m a big fan of chivalry and gentlemanly behavior, but generally speaking, an elevator is not the place for this, save for escapes from trapped elevators, for which the old ‘women and children first’ protocol is still applicable.”
- Don’t Talk on Your Cell Phone. ”I am, of course, talking about the basic tenet of elevator cell phone etiquette, which is, quite simply, that your cell phone should not be in use on an elevator, other than for silent purposes, like texting or browsing. ”
- It’s OK to Say Hello. ” It seems that when someone we don’t know makes eye contact with us or greets us on an elevator, even if they’re a comely California girl like Susie, we treat them like a serial killer or at least a potential leftover Occupy Philly member. If you see Susie on your elevator and she says “hello,” it’s perfectly OK (and proper) to say “hello” in return. Anything else would be rude. “
- No Eating. “Again, we’re talking about maybe 45 seconds of your life here.”
- Beware the DOOR CLOSE Button. “Elevator riders, you have the choice of using the DOOR OPEN button or not when you see a body moving toward the closing door, though if you are on the elevator with others, it’s important to take their feelings into account as well. Sure, you may get a “thank you” out of the person for whom you pressed DOOR OPEN, but the other passengers will secretly hate you.”
So that’s it. Any other rules to riding the elevator that you would add? To read Fiorillo’s full post, click here.
-LD
[@VictorFiorillo, The Philly Post]
Photo: Getty Images
-
![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:
Dinic’s Roast Pork: “The most nominated sandwich among the 64, this is often considered the Philly signature sandwich moreso than the cheesesteak.”
McNally’s Schmitter: “This longtime Philly fave features griddled steak, salami, cheese, onions, tomato, and special sauce. Also available at Citizen’s Bank Park.”
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.”
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:
John’s Roast Pork Cheesesteak: ”The roast pork is damn good, but the cheesesteak is the very best in Philly. The best.”
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.”
Dalessandro’s Cheesesteak: ”Everyone West of Philly swears by this sandwich, and we agree. Dalessandro’s cheesesteak is a top 3 in the region.”
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:
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.”
Paesano’s Paesano: “Another Paesano’s superstar, The namesake sandwich is a brisket beauty with horseradish mayo, pepperoncini, and a fried egg.”
Salumeria Italian: “A beast of Italian meatiness. Coppa, capicola, mortadella, provolone, and roasted red peppers fill a massive roll. An RTM staple.”
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
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.”
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?”
Smoke Truck BBQ Pork Sandwich: “Mark Coates makes the best BBQ in Philly, and this is his best sandwich.”
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](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0u4lo1TwG1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
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:
- Dinic’s Roast Pork: “The most nominated sandwich among the 64, this is often considered the Philly signature sandwich moreso than the cheesesteak.”
- McNally’s Schmitter: “This longtime Philly fave features griddled steak, salami, cheese, onions, tomato, and special sauce. Also available at Citizen’s Bank Park.”
- 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.”
- 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:
- John’s Roast Pork Cheesesteak: ”The roast pork is damn good, but the cheesesteak is the very best in Philly. The best.”
- 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.”
- Dalessandro’s Cheesesteak: ”Everyone West of Philly swears by this sandwich, and we agree. Dalessandro’s cheesesteak is a top 3 in the region.”
- 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:
- 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.”
- Paesano’s Paesano: “Another Paesano’s superstar, The namesake sandwich is a brisket beauty with horseradish mayo, pepperoncini, and a fried egg.”
- Salumeria Italian: “A beast of Italian meatiness. Coppa, capicola, mortadella, provolone, and roasted red peppers fill a massive roll. An RTM staple.”
- 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
- 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.”
- 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?”
- Smoke Truck BBQ Pork Sandwich: “Mark Coates makes the best BBQ in Philly, and this is his best sandwich.”
- 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
Photo: Paesano’s
-
![Want to Work in Tech? Philly’s Your Place. Heads up, Silicon Valley. Philadelphia is hot on your tail. According to CyberCoders, a worldwide technology recruiting firm, who ranked the cities with the largest job growth in the technology sector in the past year, Philly is No. 3 behind only Houston and San Jose. With a 64% increase in tech jobs year-over-year, Philly is ahead of Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and more.
So if you’re looking for a tech gig, Philly is your place.
-LD
[
h/t @christopherwink, CyberCoders]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxnmmxeGzj1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
Want to Work in Tech? Philly’s Your Place. Heads up, Silicon Valley. Philadelphia is hot on your tail. According to CyberCoders, a worldwide technology recruiting firm, who ranked the cities with the largest job growth in the technology sector in the past year, Philly is No. 3 behind only Houston and San Jose. With a 64% increase in tech jobs year-over-year, Philly is ahead of Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and more.
So if you’re looking for a tech gig, Philly is your place.
-LD
[
h/t @christopherwink, CyberCoders]
-
![Philly Ranks No. 1 in Obesity, No. 4 in Vanity. A recent survey revealed that Philadelphians believe their fellow residents are obese and badly dressed, but not lacking vanity. The survey, commissioned by LivingSocial and conducted by third party research company Mandala Research, asked residents in the top 20 U.S. media markets to weigh in on their city’s vanity. Among the results, Philly:
Ranked No. 1 (out of 20) in obesity
Ranked No. 2 in worst dressed
Ranked No. 4 in vanity (behind Miami, Chicago and Atlanta). For reference, Dictionary.com defines vanity as “excessive pride in one’s appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit.”
Ranked No. 5 in tummy tuck procedures (or more clearly, people who knew someone who had a tummy tuck)
Ranked No. 17 in athleticism
To see more results, click here. Do you agree with these assessments?
-LD
[Dictionary.com, LivingSocial]
Photo: Getty Images](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw7i4ncjDN1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
Philly Ranks No. 1 in Obesity, No. 4 in Vanity. A recent survey revealed that Philadelphians believe their fellow residents are obese and badly dressed, but not lacking vanity. The survey, commissioned by LivingSocial and conducted by third party research company Mandala Research, asked residents in the top 20 U.S. media markets to weigh in on their city’s vanity. Among the results, Philly:
- Ranked No. 1 (out of 20) in obesity
- Ranked No. 2 in worst dressed
- Ranked No. 4 in vanity (behind Miami, Chicago and Atlanta). For reference, Dictionary.com defines vanity as “excessive pride in one’s appearance, qualities, abilities, achievements, etc.; character or quality of being vain; conceit.”
- Ranked No. 5 in tummy tuck procedures (or more clearly, people who knew someone who had a tummy tuck)
- Ranked No. 17 in athleticism
To see more results, click here. Do you agree with these assessments?
-LD
[Dictionary.com, LivingSocial]
Photo: Getty Images
-
![Philadelphia #8 on List of Top Mobile Savvy U.S. Cities. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) recently released the first ever study that ranks cities based on their mobile shopping savvy. Interestingly enough, Houston ranks #1 (followed by New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa and Chicago). Philly comes in at No. 8. Some other stats about Philly mobile usage from the survey:
59% of consumers own a mobile device
18% are influenced by mobile coupons
This research comes on the heels of information from Compete.com that found most mobile phone shopping is actually happening at home this holiday season, when people typically have access to computers.
We want to know: do you consider yourself to have “mobile shopping savvy.”
-LD
[IAB, Internet2Go]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lw5toj4K8O1qfnxkko1_r2_500.jpg)
Philadelphia #8 on List of Top Mobile Savvy U.S. Cities. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) recently released the first ever study that ranks cities based on their mobile shopping savvy. Interestingly enough, Houston ranks #1 (followed by New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa and Chicago). Philly comes in at No. 8. Some other stats about Philly mobile usage from the survey:
- 59% of consumers own a mobile device
- 18% are influenced by mobile coupons
This research comes on the heels of information from Compete.com that found most mobile phone shopping is actually happening at home this holiday season, when people typically have access to computers.
We want to know: do you consider yourself to have “mobile shopping savvy.”
-LD
[IAB, Internet2Go]
-
![Ridding the World of Bad Philly Cheesesteaks. It’s been making the rounds since launching a few days ago thanks to coverage from Technically Philly. And it’s brilliant. We’ve all been there as Philadelphians. We go somewhere outside our wonderful city, and there’s a “Philly Cheese Steak” on the menu. Except they rarely resemble what we as purists actually would consider a cheesesteak. Until now…
Interactive designer and blogger @mikeyil has created a Tumblr to track some of the worst knock-offs and imitations of our sandwich, called “This is Not a Cheesesteak.” His anger was fueled by the new Arby’s commercial promoting their new roast beef sandwich as “The Best Philly Outside Philly.” And he wants your submissions, to help get rid of these imposters.
The20’s @bydanielvictor and @christopherwink have already stamped their approval, and we’re sure plenty of additional Philadelphians will too.
Seen a bad steak imitation lately? Send it to @mikeyil…
-LD
[This is Not a Cheesesteak, @mikeyil, Technically Philly, @bydanielvictor, @christopherwink]
Photo: This is Not a Cheesesteak](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltc1h9z14C1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
Ridding the World of Bad Philly Cheesesteaks. It’s been making the rounds since launching a few days ago thanks to coverage from Technically Philly. And it’s brilliant. We’ve all been there as Philadelphians. We go somewhere outside our wonderful city, and there’s a “Philly Cheese Steak” on the menu. Except they rarely resemble what we as purists actually would consider a cheesesteak. Until now…
Interactive designer and blogger @mikeyil has created a Tumblr to track some of the worst knock-offs and imitations of our sandwich, called “This is Not a Cheesesteak.” His anger was fueled by the new Arby’s commercial promoting their new roast beef sandwich as “The Best Philly Outside Philly.” And he wants your submissions, to help get rid of these imposters.
The20’s @bydanielvictor and @christopherwink have already stamped their approval, and we’re sure plenty of additional Philadelphians will too.
Seen a bad steak imitation lately? Send it to @mikeyil…
-LD
[This is Not a Cheesesteak, @mikeyil, Technically Philly, @bydanielvictor, @christopherwink]
Photo: This is Not a Cheesesteak
-
![Recapping Summer 2011. Labor Day signifies the end of summer for many (though technically it’s not over until Sept. 23). And this has not been a summer lacking history or intrigue in the greater Philadelphia area. In terms of weather, we had heat, rain, earthquakes and hurricanes. July was the hottest month in Philadelphia history, or as The National Weather Service put it:
“The July average came in at 82.4, beating 1994 by 0.3 degrees. Not only was that the warmest July ever, it was the warmest month. That makes sense, since solar heating usually peaks in July.”
August, on the other hand, was the wettest month in Philadelphia history, with a lot of help from Hurricane Irene. From Philly.com:
“The 19.3 inches measured at Philadelphia International Airport smashed the old August record of 12.1, set in 1911, and topped the 13.0 that fell in September 1999, the month of Floyd and the erstwhile rainiest month.”
On the sports front, the Phillies continue to amaze us, compiling a 52-25 record over the months of June, July and August as they chase another NL East title and hopefully more. For the Eagles, it was the summer of the acquisition which has now led to major hype, from Nnamdi Asomugha to Vince Young and more. And of course Michael Vick’s 6-year, $100 million contract extension last week grabbed a few headlines.
The20’s @anniemal weighs in with a brief sentiment many of us share:
@anniemal: I reject the end of summer.
Without even getting into much of the news, there were certainly plenty of other memorable Summer 2011 events. What will you remember the Summer of 2011 for most?
-LD
[Philly.com, Birds Nest, NWS, @anniemal]
Photo: Getty Images](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr26lpZa2M1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
Recapping Summer 2011. Labor Day signifies the end of summer for many (though technically it’s not over until Sept. 23). And this has not been a summer lacking history or intrigue in the greater Philadelphia area. In terms of weather, we had heat, rain, earthquakes and hurricanes. July was the hottest month in Philadelphia history, or as The National Weather Service put it:
“The July average came in at 82.4, beating 1994 by 0.3 degrees. Not only was that the warmest July ever, it was the warmest month. That makes sense, since solar heating usually peaks in July.”
August, on the other hand, was the wettest month in Philadelphia history, with a lot of help from Hurricane Irene. From Philly.com:
“The 19.3 inches measured at Philadelphia International Airport smashed the old August record of 12.1, set in 1911, and topped the 13.0 that fell in September 1999, the month of Floyd and the erstwhile rainiest month.”
On the sports front, the Phillies continue to amaze us, compiling a 52-25 record over the months of June, July and August as they chase another NL East title and hopefully more. For the Eagles, it was the summer of the acquisition which has now led to major hype, from Nnamdi Asomugha to Vince Young and more. And of course Michael Vick’s 6-year, $100 million contract extension last week grabbed a few headlines.
The20’s @anniemal weighs in with a brief sentiment many of us share:
@anniemal: I reject the end of summer.
Without even getting into much of the news, there were certainly plenty of other memorable Summer 2011 events. What will you remember the Summer of 2011 for most?
-LD
[Philly.com, Birds Nest, NWS, @anniemal]
Photo: Getty Images
-
![Dangerous Beauty: If the list was called “Top 15 Pretty But Sketchy Hikes in the U.S.” I would be on board.Ranking Philadelphia as one of the top 15 U.S. cities for hiking, the magazine that best showcases the beauty in nature may have just lost a bit of credibility.Seemingly astounded that 10 percent of Philly is parkland, National Geographic writes about Fairmount Park’s Wissahickon Gorge and recommends hiking the “less-frequented loops.”Umm. I’m pretty sure you should stay around the “frequented loops” in Fairmount Park.Do the people at NatGeo follow the news or do they simply enjoy throwing out the word “best” willy nilly? Sure, Fairmount Park is beautiful. But Bambi and Thumper aren’t the only characters you may run into on the trail.A quick search of “Fairmount Park” on NBCPhiladelphia.com came up with a variety of park activities. Joggers getting raped, barbecuers getting shot, burned bodies popping up, duct-taped women getting dumped, bikers hit and abandoned…and that’s only in the past year. It doesn’t even include 2009’s “Fairmount Park Rapist.”I like my trails sans duct tape and burned bodies, thank you very much.Perhaps National Geographic should shy away from the recommendation game and stick to pictures.-TM[NBC Philadelphia, National Geographic]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpsd8hJGWP1qfnxkko1_500.jpg)
Dangerous Beauty: If the list was called “Top 15 Pretty But Sketchy Hikes in the U.S.” I would be on board.
Ranking Philadelphia as one of the top 15 U.S. cities for hiking, the magazine that best showcases the beauty in nature may have just lost a bit of credibility.
Seemingly astounded that 10 percent of Philly is parkland, National Geographic writes about Fairmount Park’s Wissahickon Gorge and recommends hiking the “less-frequented loops.”
Umm. I’m pretty sure you should stay around the “frequented loops” in Fairmount Park.
Do the people at NatGeo follow the news or do they simply enjoy throwing out the word “best” willy nilly? Sure, Fairmount Park is beautiful. But Bambi and Thumper aren’t the only characters you may run into on the trail.
A quick search of “Fairmount Park” on NBCPhiladelphia.com came up with a variety of park activities. Joggers getting raped, barbecuers getting shot, burned bodies popping up, duct-taped women getting dumped, bikers hit and abandoned…and that’s only in the past year. It doesn’t even include 2009’s “Fairmount Park Rapist.”
I like my trails sans duct tape and burned bodies, thank you very much.
Perhaps National Geographic should shy away from the recommendation game and stick to pictures.
-TM
[NBC Philadelphia, National Geographic]
