Fun around town, for $10 or less: Holiday: Columbus Day readings by Italian-American poets at Robin's Bookstore (108 S 13th), 6-8PM. Free Young'uns: Student recitals at Curtis Institute of Music (1726 Locust), 8PM. Free Ellipsis: Ellipsis with Andy Keenan and Jon Thompson reinterpret Neil Young's Harvest at Tritone (1508 South), 9PM. $5 Open Mic: Free at The Fire (412 W. Girard). Sign up at 8:30PM. (21+) Sing Your Life!: Karaoke With DJ Sara Sherr Mondays......

A tall, icy glass of our favorite internet junk, just for you. We posted a link to an xkcd comic a while back wherein a character created a virus that would force commenters on YouTube to listen to any comments they tried to make by reading their words back to them aloud. The idea was to shame them with their own stupidity. Clever and funny—and now, reality. The developers at YouTube created an option that......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Writers, Live!: Live at the Writers House, featuring poets Tom Devaney, Randall Couch, Trapeta B. Mayson, Scott Edward Anderson, and Ish Klein and musical guest Hezikiah Jones, hosted by XPN's Michaela Majoun at the Kelly Writers House (3805 Locust Walk), 7-9PM. Free With the Music: Emmett Lindsay Band, Cortez Cortez, iNFiNiEN, and Brackets & Arrows at Tritone (1508 South), 10PM. $5 Open Mic: Free at The Fire (412......

The best of the internet, squirted out in flavorful neon globules, just for you. Another fun, geeky blog for us to read: Super Punch. (Via Amy) Defective Yeti's amusing thoughts on the Republican National Convention. If you hit Google this morning, you may have noticed that the logo is devoted to the Large Hadron Collider. That's because they switched the LHC on today, an event that some said would destroy the world. But because it's......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Mummy!: Gear up for Chinese mummies with the Mummy Returns at the Great Plaza on Penn's Landing (Chestnut and Columbus Blvd), 6:30PM. Free ROUS on the Banks: The Princess Bride as part of the Laughter on the Banks series at the Walnut Street Dock (25th and Walnut), 8PM. Free Support Your Local Poets: New Philadelphia Poets at Germ Books and Gallery (2005 Frankford), 7PM. Free Love Music: Music......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Poems, Then Open Mic: Poet Kyle Kwhy Myers reads from his collection Born by a River, followed by an open mic, at the Plays and Players Club (1714 Delancey), 7PM. $3 Good Ole Retribution: The Retribution Choir, Bear in Heaven, and Voodoo Economics at the North Star Bar (2639 Poplar), 8PM. $8 Open Mic: Free at The Fire (412 W. Girard). Sign up at 8:30PM. (21+) Sing Your......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY We Heart Toy Theater: Adaptation to aforementioned toy theater of Howard Zinn’s Emma at the DaVinci Art Alliance (704 Catherine), 7PM. Free (donations accepted) The Wimyn: Wimyn’s Original Rock Festival featuring Phyllis Chappell, Cris Valkeria, Kate Foust, Nicola Visaggio, Urbana, and more at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut), 8PM. $10 The Last: Last Friday at the Philadelphia Art Alliance featuring local artists Katie Ford and John Conahan at......

Look outside. Depressing, depressing and depressing. The weekend was just what the doctor ordered and then, as if by divine (demonic?) intervention, everything is prepared to ensure that Monday remains just that: Monday. DIE ACTOR DIE Die Actor Die is a monthly comedy show put on by our very own Don Montrey (who recently interviewed friends and fellow funny-folk, Meg and Rob). It's going to be funny, cheap and about as anti-Monday as you......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Zodiac at the Library: Poet and performance artist Jaamil Olawale Kosoko will read from his new poetry collection Ninth Sign of Zodiac at the Central Branch of the Free Library, Skyline Room (1901 Vine, 4th Floor), 7PM. Free (RSVP for light refreshments) Yoga at the Library: Yoga for Teens and Adults at the Thomas F. Donatucci, Sr. branch of the Free Library (1935 Shunk), 5PM. Free Get Oral:......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Center City District Gallery Night: Special exhibitions and complimentary cocktail receptions at participating galleries, 5-8:30PM. Free Not a Crock, Nor a Croc: Local poet Peter Krok reads and signs copies of his new collection Looking for an Eye at the Grey Lodge Pub (6235 Frankford), 6-8PM. Free The Terror!: Welcome to the Terrordome, a night of local comedy featuring Animosity Pierre, Meg and Rob, and Secret Pants......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: TV on the Internets: Testtube.tv founders Kevin O’Rourke and Jay Tarses give the lowdown on making webisodes and using the internet for writers, actors, and filmmakers at Hamilton Hall/University of the Arts (320 S Broad), 1PM. Free Poets and Prophets: Anti-war Iraq veteran and poet Shalom Keller will read his work at the Plays and Players Club (1714 Delancy), 7PM. $3 McRad: McRad, Encursus, and Smiles Project at......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. New Amsterdam (Mon, 9PM-10PM, Fox) It's the first season finale, and John is flashing back to his days as a con man in the 1920s while in the present he and Eva investigate the death of a woman who seems to have drowned. Also, John begins to suspect he was wrong about Sara being The One. American Experience (Mon, 9PM-11PM, WHYY & WLVT) It's a profile of......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY InnaRae Guy: InnaRae Guy performs Rena’s Moan, 15 songs inspired by conversations with her grandmother while growing up, at The Philadelphia Society for Art, Literature and Music (5841 Overbrook Ave), 8PM. $10 Improv: Local improve troupe The N Crowd takes your suggestions at the Actors Center (257 N 3rd), 8PM. $10 Dressing the Muse: Night of poetry featuring readings by Autumn McClintock, Leslie Valdez, Lisa Grunberger, and......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Bring Your Own Tank: SCUBA National Touring Dance Alliance at the Conwell Dance Theater on Temple’s campus (Broad and Montgomery), 8PM. $10 (also on Saturday) Last Friday: Celebrate March’s last Friday with poet Matthew Dickman, singer/songwriter Irene Molloy, and extended gallery hours at the Philadelphia Art Alliance (251 S 18th), 7PM. $5 SATURDAY Free Classical: The Six, performing Bach and Monteverdi and conducted by Matt Glandorf at......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: John Cusack Is Dreamy: Movie Night featuring High Fidelity and free PBR and popcorn at the M Room (15 W Girard), 9PM. $3 (21+) Moonstone Poetry: Featuring local poets J.T. Barbarese and Dan T. O’Hara with host Justin Vitiello at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S 13th), 6PM. Free From Ars Nova Workshop: James Fei Alto Quartet presented by Ars Nova at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut), 8PM. Free Got a......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Yum: Dr. Ketchup and The Oubliette Ensemble at Upstairs at World Café Live (3025 Walnut), 10PM. $8 Yes, It’s Over: One Book, One Philadelphia Closing Event with Dave Eggers, Mary Williams, and Valentino Achak Deng at the Free Library Central Branch (1901 Vine), 7PM. Free Soundfield @ Slought: Slought Foundation and Soundfield NFP present a program of new and experimental music featuring Rome-based ensemble Ossatura and Philadelphia-based Ensemble......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Emerge Oh Artists: Opening reception for “Adaptation: Celebrating Growth and Change,” featuring the work of nine artists exploring themes of growth, development, and change, at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists in the Barclay Building (237 S. 18th, #3A), 5:30-7:30PM. Free Hey Xenophobe: Feminist powerhouse Hattie Gossett reads from her latest collection of poetry the immigrant suite: hey xenophobe! who you calling a foreigner? at the Central Branch......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: A Reading that Has Nothing to Do with the Sudan: Authors Lionel Shriver (The Post-Birthday World) and Laura Lippman (Another Thing to Fall) read from their latest works at the Central Branch of the Free Library (1901 Vine), 7PM. Free Moonstone Poetry Series: Local poet Justin Vitiello and non-local poet Jon Thompson read from selected works at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S. 13th), 6PM. Free Who's the Boss?: Vibrophonist......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: There Goes That Spielberg Again: “Sharks, Spaceships and Spectacles: The Films of Steven Spielberg,” a presentation by Dr. Lester Friedman, with hors d’oeuvres and drinks, at the Prince Music Theater Independence Black Box (1412 Chestnut), 6PM. $10 As We Look Forward: Author Mitch Nathanson discusses his new book The Fall of the 1977 Phillies: How a Baseball Team's Collapse Sank a City's Spirit at the Penn Bookstore (3601......

Monday challenges the average human to perform incredible feats of bravery and strength every week. It is the Goliath to our David, the Microsoft to our Yahoo!, the [insert viable presidential candidate here] to our Ron Paul. We do not choose it – it chooses us. Then it abuses us. Degrades us. Makes us to feel as if our feelings, if they exist at all, don't actually matter. Yes, we will say it, because......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Poemergency: Local poets Frank Sherlock and Paul Siegell read selections from theirs works at Bubble House (3404 Sansom), 8PM. Free Get Your Law on: “Auteurism on Trial: Spielberg and Copyright Law,” a lecture by Penn Professor of Cinema Studies Peter Decherney, at the Free Library of Philadelphia Philadelphia City Institute (1905 Locust), 6PM. Free Jam Wednesdays: Circadian Rhythms, Saudi Arabia, Lexington Down, and The Highball Kids at the......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Experimental Music: Slought Foundation and Soundfield, NFP present Vienna/London-based ensemble Polwechsel at the Slought Foundation (4017 Walnut), 8PM. $10 Poetry Night: Local poets Cindy Savett and Kate Greenstreet read from their new works at Robin’s Bookstore (108 S. 13th), 6PM. Free All Ages: Dalek, Russian Circles, and Young Widows, courtesy our friends at R5, at The Barbary (951 Frankford), 6:30. $10 Got a frugal tip? Don't be stingy!......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY The N Crowd: Weekly improve comedy show at The Actors Center (257 N. 3rd), 8PM. $10 Andrew Gregory: Andrew Gregory (CD release party), John Francis, and Ian Thomas at Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd), 10:30PM. $10 Leslie and the Ly’s: Leslie and the Ly’s, MC Digga and Sgt. Sass at North Star Bar (2639 Poplar), 9PM. $10 Intertwine: Opening reception for Intertwine, with work by Brooke Hine,......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Double Feature: Andrew's Video Vault presents Zabriskie Point and Secret Ceremony at the Rotunda (4014 Walnut), 8PM. Free (donations accepted) Valentine’s Grinches: Anti-love party with readings from Joey Yearous-Algozin, Hailey Higdon, Maria Raha and others at The Dive (947 E. Passyunk), 8PM. Free Love Letters: Poet Susan Windle reads from her collection “Love Letters” at the Big Blue Marble Bookstore (551 Carpenter Lane), 7PM. Free The Buddha is......

We guess that your reading this means that you survived Monday. Good! We started you off slowly, and without much vigor, so let's see if we can step things up a bit tonight. We have kink, espionage, and poetry. What more could a Phillyist reader ask for? VALERIE PLAME WILSON - FAIR GAME: MY LIFE AS A SPY, MY BETRAYAL BY THE WHITE HOUSE Remember when journalism and government conspiracy combined to create the sensational......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Jammin’: Vince Lardear and His Jam at Chris’ Jazz Café (1421 Sansom), 9PM. $2 Kill Pride: The Kill Pride, Don’t Ask, Joe Trainor Trio, Brackets & Arrows, and Sensory Whore at North Star Bar (27th and Poplar), 9PM. $5 There’s That Shack Again: Wissahickon Chicken Shack, King Cotton Rounders, Lach, and Marc Silver at the Fire (412 W. Girard), 9PM. $7 Mary Frank: Poetry reading with Mary Frank......

“Can a computer game make you cry?” In 1983, Neil Young, Trip Hawkins and a small band of computer scientists introduced the world to Electronic Arts with a professional looking, black and white ad with this question emblazoned along the top. In the 25 years that followed, gaming has gone from a cheap niche toy for an even smaller group of computer owners to an entertainment industry that rivals movie, music and book production. In......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: FRIDAY Money Folders II: Second installment of series featuring the Philadelphyinz, DJ Gravity, and more at the Arts Garage (1535 Ridge Avenue), 10PM-3AM. $10 (women free before 10:30PM) Sing, Sing a Song: Choral Concert with Organ presented by the Delius Society at St. Mark’s Church (1625 Locust), 7:30. Free Art Is Primary: Opening reception for Red Yellow Blue, a solo show of artist Vincent McLoughlin, at AXD Gallery......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Drexel University Winter Dance Ensemble Concert: Following the theme of history, Drexel students, program director Miriam Giguere, Philadelphia choreographer Stephen Welsh, and Cuban choreographer Marianela Boan present works at the Mandell Theater (33rd and Chestnut), 8PM through Saturday. $8 Yes, There Will Be Dancing Raisins: Opening reception for Claymation legend Will Vinton’s I Heard It Through the Grapevine, a display of his personal art collection, at the Art......

Fun around town, for $10 or less: Support the Young Ones: Philadelphia Young Playwrights presents staged readings of two plays, both winners of its 2007 Annual Playwriting Festival, written by William Penn Charter students at the Philadelphia Art Alliance (251 S. 18th), 7:30PM. Free Movie Monday at the Troc: Eagle Vs. Shark DVD release and costume party (come dressed as your favorite animal and get a free drink), 7:30PM. The Troc is located at 1003......