Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. You know who's going to be upset about those Bikini Bandits? The Houston school system. Houstonist also reports on some redevelopment shenanigans over a landmark theater. LAist's sex advice column on......

Oh, those advertising creative students are so imaginative! Students at Adhouse Advertising School developed a campaign of "edgy ads" to try to make the City of Brotherly Love attractive to New Yorkers. While this was just a student project, Gothamist has to give them props for the Hotel Chelsea poster. Philadelphia advertising agency owner Steve Grasse saw the ads and said, "It's all really brash and in your face. New York's full of s---......

Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry came to New York yesterday, for a last wooing session before the Republican National Convention next week. One his agenda: Hanging out with little kids at the Statue of Liberty, damning President Bush's 'fear and smear' tactics, yucking it up with Jon Stewart. The Daily Show bit was amusing, but John Stewart did not ask the hardest question of all: Will Kerry accept a role in the Wayans brothers' remake......