August 2008

A law banning cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in restaurants, office buildings, schools, sports arenas, theaters and bus and train stations will take effect in less than two weeks, according to an AP report.

There are exceptions to the rule including lounges and special parts of casinos.  “It’s a very complex law,” Judy Ochs, director of the PA Health Department’s Division of Tobacco Prevention and Control told the AP.

Health officials and business owners have said the law is confusing because of the exceptions.

Officials at Harrisburg Airport said they will continue to allow smoking in special lounges however Ochs said the airport is a public place and not covered by the exceptions, according to an AP report.

The smoking ban starts Sept 11 2008 according to a Philadelphia Inquirer editorial.

The state smoking ban will likely have little impact on Philadelphia because a similar anti-smoking law has been in place for over a year.

The Inquirer editorial said the state ban will “put Pennsylvania in the mainstream on safeguarding public health,”

Rep. Jeff Pyle called the smoking ban “intrusive” in June 2008

Join the Walking Fish Theatre for their “24 Hour Comedy Marathon.” Seriously, 24 hours of stand-up for only $5!

Watch several comics throughout the night, into the early morning and back again to midnight. You can buy your tickets here.

You can even try to make the crowd laugh by attempting your own stand-up routine. Give it a try. Maybe you’ll be performing at next year’s Live Arts + Philly Fringe Festival!

$5, Ongoing (24 hours). Walking Fish Theatre—2509 Frankford Avenue. From Aug 31 @ 12 pm through Sept 1 @ 12 pm.

***Image courtesy David Neibauer/ Canary Promotion

It’s the second day of the Festival and what a better way to get involved than to actually interact in the performance?

“Car” let’s you do just that. Choreographer Kate Watson-Wallace has created a movement-based installation where you become a part of the action. It’s really simple:

-Purchase your ticket online.
-Head over to the garage at Fresh Grocer (40th + Walnut)
-Enter like you would with your car and see the attendant.
-Listen to the attendant’s instructions.
-Join three others inside of a car.

“Car” seems like it will be a lot of fun—just be prepared to do some walking. You definitely won’t be sitting down for long periods of time for this Live Arts show. 

Purchase your tickets soon. It looks like all “Car” performances will be sold out.

$25, 60 minutes. Parking Garage #40—40th + Walnut Streets. Aug 29 + 30, Sept 5, 6, 12 + 13 (Performances begin every half hour from 7:30-10:30 pm). Aug 31, Sept 2-4, 7 + 9-11 (Performances begin every half hour from 7:30- 10 pm).

***Photo courtesy Jacques-Jean Tiziou/ Canary Promotion

John McCain announced Friday that he had chosen Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate (video below). Palin has served Alaska’s governor for two years, and is the Republican Party’s first female candidate for vice president.

The New York Times is reporting that, “[John McCain's] campaign has been trying to attract women, especially disaffected supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.”

In choosing Palin, McCain surprised many, with the discussion for weeks surrounding former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pa. Gov. Tom Ridge.

Longtime Democratic political consultant Larry Ceisler said picking Palin, “does not help [John McCain] one bit in Pennsylvania.” However pollster G. Terry Madonna said that Palin could help McCain court women in Philadelphia suburbs.

McCain announcement comes on his 72nd birthday, and a day after Barack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. McCain is attempting to take back the news coverage that has been dominated by the Democrats, and given Obama a convention bump. Gallup is reporting that Obama is now leading McCain nationally by eight points - 49 to 41 percent.

Photo Media Credit: Akira Suwa - Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT

The Philadelphia Live Arts + Philly Fringe Festival starts today! We’ll keep you updated on the shows to attend, reviews and (hopefully) some multimedia to go along.

Tonight, before going to Tritone to see The Shondes, I suggest checking out “Wawapalooza 2: Get Shorti” playing at 2^nd Stage at The Adrienne (2030 Sansom St.). It’s the opening night of “Wawapalooza 2,” so head on over early to guarantee admission or purchase your tickets here.

“Wawapalooza 2” consists of short plays and films joking about IKEA, Wildwood, NJ, Guitar Hero addictions and the greatest convenience store of the greater Philadelphia region. Taste the local flavor!

$10, 70 minutes. Second Stage at The Adrienne-2030 Sansom St. Aug. 29, Sept. 1 @ 7 p.m., Aug. 30, Sept. 4 @ 9 p.m., Aug. 31 @ 4 p.m.

***Photo courtesy Canary Promotion

Democrat Barack Obama’s supporters are hosting a watch party in Philadelphia at Independence Hall. A press release from the campaign said, “supporters will gather to watch Sen. Barack Obama accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.”

Pennsylvania will be seeing a lot more of the candidates this election year. Pennsylvania is considered a key “battleground state” and Obama’s running mate Joe Biden recently said, “We cannot win without Pennsylvania.” The latest poll from CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation released Aug. 27 shows Obama with a five point lead over McCain at 48 to 43 percent.

Obama will tour Western Pa. after the Democratic National Convention is over, and McCain is expected to tour here as well after his VP announcement Friday.

Photo Media Credit: Brian Baer - Sacramento Bee/MCT

Sen. John McCain will announce his choice for a running mate Thursday and appear with his VP on Friday, according to a report on FOXNews.com.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty are at the top of the list sources told FOX.

Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating is also said to be a late addition to McCain’s list however Keating told reporters he has not been vetted by the McCain campaign and does not plan to attend the Republican National Convention due to a scheduling conflict.

Photo: Jared Lazarus/Miami Herald/MCT

Following Democrat Barack Obama’s announcement that he had chosen Joe Biden as his running mate, Republican candidate John McCain released an ad attacking Obama for not choosing former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (video below). The ad uses Sen. Clinton’s own words to attack Sen. Obama. McCain is attempting to attract former Clinton supporters unhappy with the outcome of the Democratic primaries. Many Clinton supporters are worried that Obama lacks the experience necessary to be president, even holding an opposition event in Denver to unite McCain and Clinton supporters against Obama.

Hillary Clinton spoke last night at the Democratic National Convention (video below). She addressed the crowd calling for party unity behind Democrat Barack Obama saying, “Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose.”

Gallup is reporting that Clinton has a high approval rating among Democrats at 80 percent. “While some Clinton supporters have yet to fall in line and support Obama for president, for the most part they have a positive opinion of Obama (as well as a largely negative view of McCain). So it is still not out of the question that they will come home by Election Day. But it is important to note that unifying the party is not a challenge unique to the Democratic Party, as many Republican supporters who are not enthusiastic about McCain have yet to return to the GOP fold.”

College professors and other educators gave over 2.3 million in June and July to the Obama campaign, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

“Nine of Obama’s top 25 contributors—based on contributions from employees and their families—are universities: University of California, Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, University of Michigan, Georgetown, University of Chicago, University of Washington and University of Pennsylvania” read OpenSecrets.org, the CRP web site.

Educators have donated $9,904,359 to Obama in the 2008 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission data released Aug 20. For a full chart of donations click here.

The McCain campaign has raised $1,166,684 from educators, according to FEC data presented on OpenSecrets.org

The Obama campaign sent a press release this morning saying that Sen. Barack Obama and running mate Sen. Joe Biden would visit Pennsylvania after the DNC.

The full release:

*** MEDIA ADVISORY***

OBAMA/BIDEN CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES “ON THE ROAD TO CHANGE” BATTLEGROUND
STATE BUS TOUR

Tour Through PA, OH, and MI will be First Joint Bus Tour For Democratic
Nominees

Chicago, IL - Today, the Obama campaign announced that United States
Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden will kick off a battleground state
tour dubbed “On the Road to Change” following the Democratic National
Convention. Senator Obama, Senator Joe Biden, Michelle Obama and Dr.
Jill Biden will depart Denver Friday for Pennsylvania, the first stop on
the bus tour. The “On the Road to Change” tour will make stops in
Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, and will mark Obama and Biden’s first
campaign tour as the Democratic nominees.  Obama and Biden will meet
with voters to discuss America’s economic challenges and the Obama/Biden
blueprint for change.

Additional details will be announced as soon as they become available.

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