This week, we bring you our July 4th issue honoring the people who have fought our wars in the middle east. Charles Cieri profiles 10 local soldiers in print and an additional three right here, on Citypaper.net.

More than 1.5 million Americans have fought in this country’s two ongoing wars. While public interest and news coverage in Iraq and Afghanistan have waxed and waned, these volunteers have continued to stream to and from the battlefield.

In Op-ed:

• Loose Canon: Bruce Schimmel’s guide to domestic tranquility, equipped with printable meter! Awesome, all I need is a domestic partner. A/S/L?
• Letters to the Editor: What you folks gripe about.

In News:

• Isaiah Thompson on needle exchange
• In A Million Stories: Philly’s proposed “broadband stimulus” | Francisville LOVES IT! | Dionte’s disappointment
• Good in print, better online: AD’s Icepack.

In Arts:

• Check out Lori Hill’s list of good picks in First Friday Focus. (With slideshow!)
• Daughter of a sanitation worker, Ish Klein on poems and puppets.

In Movies and Music:

• Sam Adams on Moon.
• Some bonus music picks you won’t find anywhere else.

And in Food and Agenda:

• Felicia D teaches you some cocktail recipes. originating from Noble’s bartender Christian Gaal
• Holly Otterbein’s Last Chance, (with bonus slideshow!)

Happy Fourth!

The Inquirer has just launched Student Union 34, so named due to the 34 colleges in the Philadelphia area:

Welcome to Student Union 34, a cooperative Web experiment from students at Philadelphia-area colleges and universities and The Inquirer. We’re excited give a student view of the city and its vibrant campuses, and to provide students a platform for their blogging, photos, videos and journalism work.

Things that are cool:

• A flash map showing all 34 schools.
• One-stop shop for all college news.
• Another place for journalism students to gripe, aside from their respective student newspapers.

Meh:

• They cover things you probably already know about the city.
• Another place for journalism students to gripe, aside from their respective student newspapers.

Screw Pat’s and Geno’s, Carolyn Wyman brings you the 10 Best Cheesesteaks you’ve (probably) never had. Check out Conshy’s fresh rolls, or the chocolate cheesesteak at the Reading Terminal. We’ve also got bonus video of Leo’s Steaks in Folcroft, who boast an 18-incher filled with quality ribeye and cheese. Be sure to wipe the drool off your mouth when you’re done watching.

In Op-ed:

• Loose Canon: Juneteenth in Juvie (Be sure to check out the bonus audio slideshow)
• Letters to the Editor: What you Say.

In News:

• Maureen Coulter on a local startup tapping into the wireless age for funding.
• In A Million Stories: This anti-casino movement is a circus | Competitive burping in Northern Liberties.
• Sports: James Beale helps you help the Phils. If you vote for Pedro, all of your wildest dreams will come true. (Yeah, I referenced Napoleon Dynamite. You’ll deal.)

In Arts:

• Artist Ashley John Pigford gives obsolete technology new life. (With slideshow!)
• John Vettesse sees what’s up in Full Exposure. (also with bonus slideshow!)

In Movies and Music:

• MJ Fine on the Dave Matthews Band — with bonus audio.
• Sam Adams’ review on Woody Allen’s flick, Whatever Works.

And in Food and Agenda:

• Big ass matzoh balls and corned beef sandwiches.
• Felicia D’s shopping spree offers custom bathing suits for your double D’s.

A while back we brought you news, of Snuggie bar crawls potentially coming to Philadelphia. Well, now that it’s summer, the Wearable Towel — a towel with arm openings — is coming to introduce even more douchitude in your life. As the commercial says, you can wear it as a tunic or a toga. It’s perfect for washing your baby, picking up the mail and for when you want easy access during sexy time on the beach. (Easy cleanup when you’re done!)

Please find and burn all of these. Please. Before I start having nightmares about being flashed by bums in the park wearing nothing but a arm-holed towels.

After you rub your eyes to confirm that those are indeed naked people on our cover, read into Isaiah Thompson’s analysis of Philadelphia as a biking city. He gives us tons of suggestions and statistics regarding what steps need to be taken for us to become “Biketopia.” I can almost imagine it: Old grandmas in cutoff jeans with Kryptonite locks stuffed in their jeans, whizzing down city streets with big-ass messenger bags they crocheted themselves. That’s my Biketopia, at least.

Anyway.

In Op-ed:

• Our editor talks to Mike McGettigan from Trophy Bikes.
• Loose Canon: Think twice before shoving your leftovers down the garbage disposal. Please. (Be sure to check out the bonus audio.)

In News:

• Chris “Kidd Chris” Foley is back on the air. This time, you can expect more cursing.
• In A Million Stories: A good kind of shooting in West Philly | How can you influence same-sex marriage in PA? | Goodbye, Lincoln High

In Arts:

• Don’t know where to go for First Friday? Carolyn Huckabay tells you with First Friday Focus. (With slideshow!)
• Art for a good cause: Back On My Feet (also with bonus slideshow!)
• Web exclusive: Straight from Illinois, meet opera singer Karen Jesse.

In Movies and Music:

• Drew Lazor is diggin’ The Hangover. Read why here.
• Patrick Rapa makes it a little easier for you to decide what concert to rock out to. Nine Inch Nails? The Roots? Phish? Rapa wants you to have a good time so much that he actually offers you a cup of  clean urine in the event that you’re tested for ’shrooms.

And in Food and Agenda:

• It ain’t root beer. ROOT is 80-proof organic hard liqueur. Yummy.
• Check out the Dragon Boat Regatta on the Schuylkill this weekend.

This week’s cover story: Carolyn Huckabay paints a portrait of T. Desiree Hines, a woman who can play the organ, cook a mean meal — oh, and organize the GLBT Arts Festival in Philadelphia. Check out some of our picks for this weekend’s fest. (Some jerk took photos and video to accompany the story, too.)

In Op-ed:

• Our editor goes gives up cable television. (How’s that going for you, BH?)
• Loose Canon: Bruce talks about creating less waste.

In News:

• Port Richmond’s Memorial Day Parade is hanging by a string.
• Possums + triangles + getting mobbed/robbed on the street = A Million Stories.

In Arts:

• Hidden City Philadelphia brings forgotten landmarks back to life (with bonus slideshow)
• and the nEW festival, (also with bonus slideshow!)
• High School Musical meets South Philly punk rock (with bonus MP3s!)

In Movies and Music:

• Pixar poops out another motion picture, and it is called Up.
• Green Day gives it another go with 21st Century Breakdown.

And in Food and Agenda:

• Nineteen hours at Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar. Eight beers and two packs of cigarettes later … let’s make out?
• Felicia D. sends you on this week’s Shopping Spree by profiling the duo behind Seampoets tees.

I don’t have an opinion on the infamous Snuggie product that’s got me wondering why people aren’t just wearing their bath robes backwards. A blanket with sleeves? Does it have pee holes?

There’s been increasing hype surrounding potential Snuggie bar crawls in Philadelphia, in which a bunch of crazy-ass folks wearing them get crazy-ass drunk.

Local Fox 29 television even gave Snuggie Crawlers in Chicago some coverage:

I don’t know which image of douche-snuggerie makes me more angry: the chick with the belt over her Snuggie or the Snuggie-d chick wearing the tiara and sunglasses.

(more…)

Temple University student Drew Magathan won more than $100,000 by competing on the college edition of Wheel of Fortune, which aired yesterday. Thus making the thousands of poor alumni sitting on the couch watching (OK maybe just me) super jealous happy for him.

See the exciting win below.

Congrats! Drinks on him?

Spring comes just in time (sort of, I still find it to be freezing outside) for The Style Issue, written by Felicia D. and photographed by Michael T. Regan. We said screw the “style on a dime/recession” bullshit and went with a more fun approach.

BH ’splains it better in his editor’s letter:

We got Chifa chef Chad Williams (styled by Catzie Vilayphonh). Dance icon Nichole Canuso (styled by Susie Hawkins). 700 Club impresario Kurt Wunder (styled by Matthew Izzo). Star illustrator Kris Chau (styled by Shari Roulin). Rhymesayer Ethel Cee (styled by Donja Love). Artist/photographer Amber Lynn Thompson (who styled herself). And in something of a coup, we even landed coverboy Duncan Black, aka Atrios, the juggernaut blogger at Eschaton (styled by Gina Faiola; peep his clothes’ credits here).

What else we got?

In News: Brian James Kirk brings us a story about the freelancers, entrepreneurs and independents who work at IndyHall and their need to move to a bigger office.

A.D. Amorosi packs the heat both in print and online. Stay ahead of the game by checking out what’s going on in Icepack.

James Beale on Nova in Sports.

Read Running Numbers one last time here. (Bye!)

In Arts: Check out an extended interview with local playwright Bruce Graham and a slideshow to go along with Robin Rice’s Re-View of “Ink not Ink” at Drexel.

In Movies: We’ve got an interview with Anna Faris, In Music: We’ve got the Shackletons. In Food: We’ve got chicken and waffles (nom nom).

And in Agenda: Last Chance to see these — and is anyone else’s mind in the gutter when they hear the phrase hairy lips? No? Just me then? OK.

Thousands welcomed the arrival of spring yesterday at Fairmount Park’s Horticulture Center for Sakura Sunday 2009. Here are some photos of the event, which featured performances, live music, and Japanese crafts and calligraphy.

“Good Morning America” correspondent Jake Tapper is a Philly boy at heart.

While reporting from yesterday’s morning newscast, Tapper mixed up his snacks and said that during Barack Obama’s trip to England, the Queen would be serving Krimpets, rather then crumpets.

Co-host Diane Sawyer asked for an explanation, and it went down like this:

DIANE SAWYER: And now, are you ready for Krimpet versus crumpet, the rematch? Yes, indeed. Yesterday, Jake Tapper said that the Queen might be serving the Obamas Krimpets. I jumped him. Jake, defend yourself.

JAKE TAPPER: Well, first of all, let me just say, these are crumpets. [Holds up crumpets.] All right? And now, I’ve learned my lesson. But, I- I’m not one of your fancy boys, Diane. I didn’t grow up in a governor’s mansion. I’m from the streets of Philadelphia. And in Philly- In Philly, we eat Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets. So, frankly, I was thinking that was what the Queen was going to serve the President.

And while we’re on the topic:

Some of these stories aren’t that amusing, but philly.com commenters get their afternoon jollies out of giving their opinions. Get a kick out of commenters like filtha_delphia, countryrose and ohwow23! on philly.com now. Philadelphia Archdiocese plans on closing two more Catholic elementary schools. Group urges improved teacher quality in Philadelphia. The group consists of researchers, activists, community groups, parents, and students. N.J. jail will stop housing overflow Philadelphia inmates. Soooo … welcome back inmates? Awkward … Miss Philadelphia gleams with pride … but she’s not even from Philadelphia? Philadelphia child hospitalized with meningitis. Meningitis is no joke, but let’s rap about it. Mom pleads guilty in son’s death — barring his resurrection. This one kind of writes itself.

Photo | Neal Santos

This past weekend, Mayor Nutter made a brief appearance at the city’s second annual 24-hour chess tournament, in which hundreds of Philadelphia school students played games of chess at the Howard Gittis Student Center at Temple University. The program aimed at providing an alternative to violence.

Isaiah Thompson gives us insight on this week’s cover story about refreshingly open-minded, left of left, Evangelical Christians who live in Kensington. Want to know more? BH writes about it in his editor’s letter.

In Op-ed: Schimmel shares thoughts on “Farmadelphia.”

In News: Doron Taussig on Mayor Nutter and whether or not he should listen to us.

Citizen Mom says the budget crisis in the city affects suburbia, too. Find out more.

In Food: STEAK!! CREPES!! And check out What’s Cooking.

In Movies: This movie’s director grew up homeless in Kensington — get a peek here. Plus a look into Jerome Hill, filmmaker and philanthropist. Check out a bonus online slideshow.

In Arts: Robin Rice looks into chåtelaines (a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc.) Bonus online slideshow here.

In Agenda: Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead.

Get your picks here: Music | Arts | Agenda