The best of the internet, chopped into tiny bits and grilled for your enjoyment. NME profiles an American teen who quit school to work on perfecting his Guitar Hero game. His skills have already netted him prizes, and he hopes to go professional eventually. Oh, and don't worry—his parents have hired him a tutor so he can continue his education. (Via Ross) On September 1st, you can go into any participating Chik-Fil-A wearing a sports......

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. A gallery of photos of San Fran's annual "Altered Barbie" exhibition. Some could theoretically be considered NSFW, but c'mon, it's just a doll. (Via Sarah) Three men have scheduled a press conference this afternoon in Palo Alto, California where they say they'll reveal the details of their discovery of what they claim is a dead Bigfoot. But apparently even other Bigfoot hunters doubt......

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. Apparently McDonalds franchisees have been complaining about having to advertise for the dollar menu, their point being that it makes little sense to pay extra to publicize something that brings in less revenue. So McDonalds is considering changing things, starting with the double cheeseburger. Specifically, they're thinking about either making it more expensive, or taking the cheese off. If they go with the......

A few months ago, we asked readers to tell us where we can eat cheaply and quickly in Old City. We got some great feedback (this Phillyist eats at Gianfranco Pizza Rustica at least once a week, much to the chagrin of her personal trainer), and now we'd like to add another spot to the list: Independence Al Fresco, next to the Independence Visitor Center. Now, we're not endorsing the spot, mostly because we......

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you. Cracked presents The 7 Most Bizarre Fast Food Industry Lawsuits. (Via Sarah) At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper will soon no longer have Ebert or Roeper. Ebert is leaving over a dispute with Disney (which owns the show); he and Siskel's widow own the trademark for the thumbs-up/ thumbs-down film verdict, and they could not come to......

How about cooling down today with a free Slurpee from 7-Eleven? The convenience store giant turns 81 this year, and in honor of that, and the fact that today happens to be 7/11, anyone who wants one can pick up a 7.11 ounce Slurpee at participating stores until 11PM this evening. (They started, naturally, at 7 this morning.)So why are you still at your computer?......

Wawa may be abandoning Center City, but for those of you not affected by the desertion, there's good news—especially if you're a young professional addicted to your Crackberry, or a teenager who can't put your Sidekick down during Calculus class: Select Wawa locations will now let you text message your sandwich orders straight to the store. You can order online, too, but let's think for a moment here. Online ordering is nothing new. But text......

When it comes to dieting, I really kind of suck. Unless it's imposed by my circumstances (the Unemployment Diet) or my religion (the "real" God Diet), I'm likely to fall off the wagon within a week. Maybe two. But still, I at least try to eat right. No fried foods. (Well, French fries once in a while.) Poultry and fish. (Except for when I really want beef, which happened twice last week.) Coke Zero.......

Starbucks may be closed for three hours this evening, but have no fear! Dunkin' Donuts to the rescue! About an hour ago, Dunkin' started serving up small lattes—of any variety—for 99¢. They'll keep slinging the discounted caffeine (or decaffeine) until 10PM or closing time – whatever comes first at each individual franchise. While you're down there, you may want to try out one of those new Flat Bread [sic] sandwiches they've started selling over......

A steaming hot pile of our favorite things from around the internets. Apparently it's National Fast Food Day! Is that a bell we hear? Perhaps a... taco bell? (Via Sarah) Rumor is that Tom Cruise will play Hugh Hefner in the upcoming biopic. It's kind of a creepy idea, but it sort of works, too. The secret, true name of Cloverfield is supposedly... Cloverfield. Also, there's a new trailer online, but it's a poor quality......

A tall, icy glass of our favorite internet junk, just for you. A handy list for frequenters of fast food restaurants like ourselves: The 88 Fast Food Items Most Likely To Kill You. We're pleased to say that most of these are from places we don't ever go to. But we're depressed to see McDonalds' fries and Burger King's chicken fries included. We love those! (Via Sarah) And speaking of unhealthy foods, how about some......

With unseasonable weather descending upon much of North America, schools getting ready to reconvene, and sports seasons getting exciting, it's a busy time of year for us here in the Ist-A-Verse. Luckily, even with all the things we have to do, we still managed to get together to let you know what we've all been up to. After cooling down from a hot weekend of many badass Sunset Junction Street Fair photo dispatches, LAist asked......

The shapeless dough of the internet, formed into tasty pellets and baked to perfection, just for you. List time: The Top 10 Geekiest Yarn Creations on the Web. We've only seen one of these before, as far as we can remember, and they're all pretty clever. (Via) Penny Arcade continues to be funny. We are pleased. We don't know if it's "Pulitzer-caliber" like it claims (actually, we're hoping that's a joke), but this site, entitled......

Films: Eagle Vs. Shark, City In Heat Future Screenings: Eagle Vs. Shark: No future screenings scheduled, but we hear the movie's going into wide release this summer. City In Heat: No future screenings. Well folks, this is it for me. Twenty-one movies in twelve days. I'm not going to tonight's closing night festivities (I'm reviewing a play), but I don't mind: my Festival experience ended on a very high note. Eagle Vs. Shark Imagine if......

At some point yesterday, I realized that it had been a couple of days since I'd had any protein to speak of. And what I was getting was from my endless supply of dairy products: mostly Wawa milk and string cheese from Trader Joe's. But my body needed real, hearty protein. And iron. (I've been dragging and figured that not having enough iron could be a contributing factor. Never mind that I've been averaging four......

With two big-deal festivals—POPPED! and the Philadelphia Film Festival—in Philly right now, Phillyist staffers have been running around like so many proverbial headless chickens: madly moving from place-to-place so fast they seem out of control. Also, headless chickens, from what we hear, have a little bit of trouble eating. (Of course, for them, it's physiological: for us, it's a matter of scheduling.) Between the God-imposed Passover diet and back-to-back screenings, this Phillyist has found it......

On Tuesday, cops and local FBI agents tracked down and eventually caught one of three suspects in a series of (heavily) armed robberies of fast food restaurants and convenience stores in Philadelphia, Yeadon, and Upper Darby - but not until after the guy ran from them across a series of rooftops in West Philly, occasionally jumping across gaps of 10 feet or more, just like in a movie! The cops followed a trail of......

With the sun out, the temperatures high, one can only think of one thing-- what's going on in the World of the -ist's? Bostonist dug deep to uncover Barack Obama's unpaid parking tickets, their Governor's latest ethical lapse, and a plagarizing sports writer. Chicagoist had everything in twos: two views on having the Olympics, losing two members of their Super Bowl team, and two music festivals. DCist put their noses in legal books as they......

Austinist gets arty with an interactive guide to SXSW, loved some local art galleries and a new art exhibit and lamented the possible loss of "Friday Night Lights" production to New Mexico. Bostonist was happy they finally found an Anna Nicole Smith connection to their fair city and that an Apple Store was opening up. They were less happy that new rules have been established limiting underage shows and that their Governor is spending......

I have suddenly and rather unexpectedly found myself unemployed. No, no pity, please. I don't mind. Really. It's a blessing in disguise. But for one thing. Unemployment is hard for a foodie like moi. It means I have to cut down on the fine dining, and spend less money than I'd like on quality ingredients and fine wines and fancy cheeses. No dinner parties. Fewer organic fruits and veggies. The obvious thing to do......

You know what's the most fun thing about living in the suburbs after an ice storm? Shoveling. No, really, we swear. It's all the exercise you could possibly need, and after you come in, there's always a warm pot of soup and some hot chocolate waiting for you. I mean, what's not to love about shoveling two inches of solid ice and snapping a pair of shovels doing it? So, Fun In the Suburbs......

The best of the internet, squirted out in flavorful neon globules, just for you. Jess at Apropos of Something has exposed himself (and his friends!) to the horror that is the Jones Soda Holiday Pack - so we don't have to! His reviews of sodas with flavors like "Pea," "Turkey and Gravy," and "Dinner Roll" are both amusing and slightly nauseating. Just like the holidays! Speaking of the holidays, here's a holiday gift from us......

Have a tough person to shop for on your holiday list? Perhaps you can consider purchasing for them, the PA Turnpike. Tires were slashed in Torresdale... ...while people are still targets of violence near the new Pearl Theater. Never mind our warning to avoid the Taco Bells - all Philly Taco Bell locations have closed and will remain so until given the health department OK. The news isn't all bad for the fast food industry:......

What's new and/or interesing in Philly theaters this weekend. Fast Food Nation - We wouldn't have figured in a million years that someone would think to adapt an expose of the fast food industry into a fictional drama, but that is exactly what's happened here. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the writer/director of this odd film is oddball Richard Linklater who, judging by his filmography, will try anything once. We can't call ourselves a Linklater fan, but we're......

Philly Pita Pit opened late this summer and I finally made it over about a month ago. (Good thing Phillyist has such quick turnaround, eh?) Philly Pita Pit was impressively fast, especially for 12:30 on a weekday, and has a pretty sizeable menu to choose from (in addition to pitas, they also make breakfast, salads, and smoothies). It was like going to Subway, but with more options and better toppings. I loaded my grilled......

Even though we are way way past school age, we still get a little melancholy at the close of summer. Fortunately, our friends across the -ist network know that the shenanigans don't need to end just because the big yellow buses are back on the roads. So, grab your sunscreen and your favorite hangover cure, as we take a tour of end of summer fun from -ist cities all over the damn place. SFist Tourist......

I'd walked past Bootsie's several times before its opening, each time with mounting curiosity. The name sounded to me like a mecca for New Orleans-style comfort food, Louis Armstrong's version of "When the Saints Go Marchin' In" playing over the sound system. Then Daily Candy informed me that Bootsie's was a different kind of fast food experience. Burgers and dogs, but with gourmet ingredients. It wasn't gumbo, but they'd still have andouille sausage on the......

We just got back from seeing rock legend Neil Young! Wooo! Not at a concert, though, sadly. No, this morning Mr. Young was down at the Reading Terminal Market, not giving a concert, but announcing one: Farm Aid 2006, to be exact. Neil and his friends Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Dave Matthews will all be performing, along with plenty other bands yet to be announced, at the "Camden shed," as Neil described it......

SFist commeters pose for before and aftershocks when the mayor commemorates a 1906 earthquake...at 4:30 in the morning. A hot tip on the Chronicle vending machines comes in and the SFist war correspondent risks life and limb to post this dispatch from the frontlines. Houstonist announces their new Cops spinoff "World's Funniest Tazer Videos" and the possible cancellation of their pervs' "World's Grossest Bathroom Videos" and PBS trains cams on cows at, uhg, Mootube. Also,......

Either Phillyist isn't reading very thoroughly, or most of our sister -ists are having a bit of a slow day. Here's what we decided to bring to you: Gothamist: People can be so mean to animals. Londonist: If you were going to make a sandwich that cost nearly $150(US), would you really give it a name that it could share with a fast food establishment where you can get a sandwich for barely $2(US)? Austinist......