Leftovers: It’s A Shitty Thing

• Put away those gloves, it’s time for basketball season! The NBA tipped off last night and the 76ers open tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. Be sure and tune in, as it may be the only game they win. The 76ers marketing slogan this year is “It’s a Philly thing,” which is true, because Philly sports teams aren’t usually that good. [Inquirer]

• A Rolling Stones fan has filed a class-action lawsuit because of the Stones’ Atlantic City show postponement. But of course. [AP/6 ABC]

• Congratulations to Doree Shafrir, the ex-PW A&E editor who began her job as associate editor at Gawker today! Doree was one of those people who sat in meetings with me before this blog started when I was just doing non-public test blogging. She gave useful advice — i.e. “What the hell does ‘RISP in close and late’ situations mean?” — that I immediately forgot about and became the puppy photo poster that I am today. Best of luck! [Gawker]

• The bear patrol may not be working in Jersey. A report says that New Jersey’s plans to sterilize the state’s black bears will be ineffective and expensive. But at least we’d get to fuck with some animals. [AP/6 ABC]

• Bensalem pretty much had a fucking parade for the first slot machine delivered to Philadelphia Park. [Bucks County Courier Times]

Quickies: A day on, not a day off

• The giant disembodied floating head of Martin Luther King, left, attempts to scare you into doing service on this federal holiday. [DN]

• New Jersey becomes the latest place to ban smoking in public spaces. Well, except for casinos. Naturally they get an exemption. (Also, you now can’t buy cigarettes until you’re 19.) [Inky]

• In war on smoke of a different kind, the Nottingham Fire Company in Bensalem is offering free college housing if you agree to become a volunteer fire fighter. And, as we all know, all the good colleges are in Bensalem. (Seriously, where could you go to school and live in Bensalem? Holy Family, I guess, but where else?) [KYW 1060]

• Yet another expose on snitchin’, although here it’s spelled with the more grammatically correct ‘g’ at the end. [Bucks County Courier Times]