Two literaryish ways stay warm and dry this week: one will make you laugh till you excrete various liquids and one will keep you hip, make you go back home, and take out that manuscript.

Santaland Diaries
Wednesday, Dec. 15
Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom St

Humorist David Sedaris’ piece about one horrible winter as a Macy’s Elf was his first huge hit. Grateful readers had him beatified and renamed Sarcasticius (patron saint of employees who have to wear costumes on the job), and playwright Joe Mantello turned the essay into another successful one-man show. Great writing, great red and green tights. At the Adrienne till Sunday.

Manmoth the Eighth
Friday, Dec. 17th
Brickbat Books, 709 S. 4th St

There aren’t enough fiction readings in this city, which is crazy, because didn’t we all love classroom storytime back in the day? Local writers Sam Allingham and Sarah Szymanski are on the case. They once packed pretty young audiences into a South Philly warehouse for their Manmoth reading series, but they’re moving house to Brickbat Books, one of the loveliest bookstores in the city. Five storytellers (also known as fiction writers), 2 from Brooklyn, three from Philly. 8 minutes each, with musical interludes. Yes, you may close your eyes and put your head on your desk.

This post brought to you by NAVTEQ. All opinions are 100% mine.

NAVTEQ, the folks whose tech and maps handle most of the in-car navigation systems and GPS devices around the United States, want you to check out their map update. But why? Why now?

Well, a GPS map update wouldn’t make such a bad holiday gift. Especially if your family lives a ways away, like the Geekadelphia crew. The co-founder Tim and I, our family reside back in the exotic lands of New Jersey. Not that we need help navigating… but the old folks at home… yeah. They most definitely do.

Great thing about something like this, an in-dash map update… is that it doesn’t need to be a proper size, color, etc. Note, these updates aren’t for GPS devices (ie: Garmins, TomToms, etc), but for those in-dash car ones. Built in.

So pay a visit to Navteq’s website to scope out the updates, and consider dishing out a map update as a gift… or hell, buy one for yourself, so you can navigate your way back home safely for the holidays.

Note: All proceeds from this sponsored post are going towards Philadelphia’s first all-ages, non-profit literacy journal, The Apiary.

Naruto+Tron by: Satchell D

We received some really great entries for our contest to win passes to see Tron: Legacy in IMAX 3D tonight in Cherry Hill, NJ. I was surprised not only at the really eclectic mix of genres from which people decided to place Jeff Bridges, but also how they chose to do so as well. Here are some of the entries, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Thanks again to everyone who entered for your effort and I hope you enjoy the film tonight!

Harry and Dudedore by: Brittany T

More after the Jump!

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Full Disclosure: Venice Sunlight are friends of several Geekadelphians. We <3 them.

This past Saturday, local Philadelphia pop punk group Venice Sunlight decided to do what many groups have done lately… released a pay-what-you-want album to the Internets. Groups like Rediscover, Finch, You Me & Everyone We Know, and of course, Radiohead, have found success with this format, so why not some of our local hometown heroes?

The four song EP, entitled Vs. the Rabid Rabbits is available here, at the band’s Bandcamp page. The group celebrated the release of this EP on Saturday at PYT, to a sold out audience of over 100 people in the Northern Liberties restaurant’s backroom. If you’ve ever been to the tiny (but cozy!) backroom of PYT, you’ll know that squeezing that many folks back there is quite the accomplishment.

Give it a listen, and learn what all the fuss was about. Congrats boys.

Venice Sunlight’s Pay-What-You-Want EP [ Bandcamp.com ]

From iPads in their exhibits to broadcasting the Liberty Medal ceremony over the Internets, Philly’s National Constitution Center has been on a streak lately with their venture into techie side of the things. And this Wednesday, they are at it again.

The NCC is helping classrooms across the country celebrate Bill of Rights Day, by launching a free webcast show that will raise and answer questions in classrooms across the country. Experts from the NCC will also be live blogging to dish out all kinds of insight about the Bill of Rights’ history.

You can learn more about this exciting new program at the NCC’s official website.

Bill of Rights Day Webcast
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010
www.constitutioncenter.org/hallpass

Best Worst Movie, the documentary about the cast and crew of the so-called “Best Worst Movie” Troll 2, details their epic adventure upon finding out their once dark secret has now become bona fide a cult phenomenon. The documentary is written and directed by Michael Stephenson who actually was the child star of Troll 2. I really think it is this perspective that really gives this film the heart and soul it has, and really makes the documentary into something more than just a talking head retrospective.

Now I should probably state for the record I remember renting Troll 2 on VHS the second week it was released, I was huge fan of the first one and upon watching Troll 2 I had only one thing to say, WTF! I also remember being compelled to endure the countless re-broadcasts on Cinemax, where I once again tried to comprehend what was going on with Troll 2, sadly to no avail.

See… Troll 2 not only has bad acting, horrible dialog, a non-existent plot and absolutely zero ties to the original film; it also doesn’t even have its namesake trolls either, just goblins! Which explains its status as one of the worst films of all time. But a strange thing happened to Troll 2 over time, it was embraced by the interwebs and a cult grew around this film due to the simply fact that it is so bad it’s good.

This documentary focuses on these points like one would expect, but where it truly shines is the intimate portrait it paints of what its like for the people involved with the film to find out that they now have the notoriety of being in a cult film. They also chronicle their journey as the cast and crew travel and meet the people who have not only embraced, but have been affected by Troll 2.  Best Worst Movie briefly made the festival circuit and honestly I am really glad more people can finally see this excellent documentary now that it is on DVD.

Check out the rest after the jump!

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Are you a dipper? Are you a squeezer? Either way, I’m entirely aware that you love ketchup, no matter your consumption method. If you don’t, well, that’s just entirely un-American and you should be ashamed of yourself. Be proud in the fact that your countrymen however, are continuing to innovate. This time, it’s on the level of design.

Design sure does spark some controversy and heated debates on the Internet. Consider what happens whenever anyone decides to redesign their logo or undergo a rebrand. It can get brutal, it can get ugly. Product design isn’t without it’s controversy either. This time however, complaints should be effectively put to rest. Heinz, arguably the only brand of ketchup that should ever be used, has reinvented the ketchup packet.

First announced almost a year ago, the Dip & Squeeze is a redesigned packet lets you use your ketchup with ruthless efficiency. Gone are the days of awkwardly squeezing packet after packet of the red tomato goodness onto porous napkins at your favorite fast food restaurant. Forget that empty longing feeling you get when you desperately wish you could take those pathetic tiny paper condiment cups on-the-go with you. The Dip & Squeeze is here.

Unfortunately, by the time you’re reading this, you’ve just missed The Heinz Ketchup Road Trip. We had the chance to check it out however, and we’re confidently convinced that the future is here. And this time it revealed itself to be in the form of innovative product design containing three times the amount of ketchup found in a regular now-old school packet. Headed to Dallas this weekend? Find @DipandSqueeze there.

Check out some photos of the fun, below.

South Fellini Studios, a collection of various DIY comic creators dedicated to the digital age of comics, are going to be hosting a gallery event at South Philly Comics, a great shop sitting in Passyunk Square, this Saturday, December 11th.

“This gallery is just one example of the many ways that web and retail can work together to ensure a successful future in the funny book business. The community is so much bigger and stronger than it’s ever been. It’s a fantastic time in history to be a geek.” – Oliver Assiran, owner of South Philly Comics.

Our homeslices Tony Trov and Johnny Zito (Black Cherry Bombshells, the LaMorte Sisters, Moon Girl) are included in this collective, so please, go support our friends. You know you want to.

Oh, plus there’s going to be wine. Get your drink on.

Digital Comics @ South Philly Comics
Saturday, December 11th, 5pm – 10pm

If there is one film I am looking forward to this Christmas season… it is hands down Tron:Legacy. I was lucky enough to attend Tron Night back in October and we are not only in for a truly unique 3D experience, but a great film as well.

Tron: Legacy is the sequel to Tron, a film that came out in 1982. Some would argue the original did a pretty good job of predicting what eventually would become the future we live in today. Most of the general ideas and principals in the film have to come to fruition in our online obsessed world.

The fever pitch for this geekgasm has slowly been building over the years since a trailer was shown at Comicon for a film that hadn’t even been greenlit yet. Next was the choosing Daft Punk to do the soundtrack , which was not only inspired, it proved that there was something here that could really be awesome.

So the wait is almost over and next Friday December 17th we will finally get to see The Grid yet again.

We have 15 passes for 2 to a screening in Cherry Hill, NJ on December 13^th to give away. Wanna win a pair? Since we don’t have that many and this is Tron:Legacy in 3D IMAX, so we are going to ask for a little more work this time around.

In honor of Jeff Bridges “virtual” performance in the film where they CG’d a younger version of him to play the villain, we want you to take it a step further and Photoshop young or old Jeff Bridges in another film of your choosing that could use more “Dude.”

Our top entries will not only win passes and geek bragging rights at seeing the film almost a whole week early; but they will also be featured here on the site in a future post. Email your entries by Sunday, December 12^th to Dan@geekadelphia.com with the subject line “Tron Contest Entry”.

Good Luck! If you have been living in a cave for the last three months and have no idea about this Tron film I speak of check out the trailer below.

Whether you long for the simple days of the clickity clack of metal typewriter keys or, like me, just have a thing for vintage typewriters… the first Philadelphia ‘Type In’ is clearly the event for you, and is one hell of a unique new annual event launching in our fine city.

Long before the laptop or the mainframe, writers, reporters and bureaucrats alike relied on the typewriter to get the word out. Today, only a few companies make typewriters—but thousands of classic Remingtons, Underwoods and Olivettis are still around, waiting to be dusted off. Just as vinyl records have held their mojo in a digital world, these miniature printing presses are attracting a new group of fans, many half the age of the typewriters they’ve lovingly restored.

The event hits Bridgewater’s Pub at 30th Street Station, an unusual place for such an event, but whatever. We’ll take it. Visitors can expect typing competitions, a typewriter swap, and you can even talk to a typewriter technician, who will dish out tips on how to keep your own vintage machine working.

So swing by. The pub will supply free typing paper, carbons, and even stamped envelopes so you can mail freshly-typed holiday letters at the nearby post office. Nice.

The First Philadelphia Type-In @ Bridgewater’s Pub
30th Street Station, 30th & Market Sts.
Saturday, Dec. 18, 1pm – 4:30pm

Full Disclosure: The Editor in Chief works for the publisher, and loves his job. Deal with it.

Were you smitten by Pride and Prejudice and Zombies? Do you find yourself wishing you could spend more time with those time-honored characters? Do you find yourself wondering what Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy would say if he only had 140 characters to express himself? Well all of your dreams are about to come true with the latest social networking campaign from Quirk Books.

Is Facebook your thing? You can find Elizabeth, Jane, and Lydia Bennet, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Wickham, and Charlotte Lucas. If you want to keep up with the latest doings of Mr. Collins, you’ll have to dust off your MySpace account. Lizzy and Fitzwilliam are both Tweeting, and you can even check out Lizzy’s favorite YouTube videos on her channel.

Not satisfied? Need more? How about exploring some new music with the Last.FM channels of Fitzwilliam and Jane? Or perhaps you could send a few tawdry messages back and forth with Lydia on OkCupid? Mr. Bennet’s also got his favorite links available on his Delicious page, while Mrs. Bennet shares some of her most important opinions in her Blogspot.

If you’d like to keep up with what Fitzwilliam’s been reading, you could check out his Goodreads page. But the page I’ve personally spent the most time on is Lizzy’s Etsy page, which is full of hand-made creations to stay on top of the zombie apocalypse. Photos of her goods can also be found in her Flickr account.

If you haven’t read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies yet, what are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to remind loved ones what they can get you for the holidays. After all, who doesn’t love a zombie-stuffed stocking?

Pride & Prejudice & Internet Zombies [ QuirkClassics.com ]

The BBC is well known for their awesome selection of unique science fiction. From massively successful programs like Doctor Who and Torchwood, to the incredibly underrated Primeval, the network managed to produce some great programming.

… so really, it only makes sense that we’d team up with them for a little holiday giveaway, right?

Right now, the BBC is in the middle of promoting a huge holiday sweepstakes event via their BBC America Shop. They’re giving away two $500 gift cards to one lucky winner. All you have to do is check out their Facebook Fan page and install the BBC app to enter. You can read up on all the details, here. Runners up can score a $250 gift card and a $100 gift card respectively.

As for our contest, we’re dishing out an EPIC prize pack provided by the BBC. What’s inside the box (what’s in the box, what’s in the box!), you ask? The winner of our contest will receive DVDs of Being Human, Top Gear, Doctor Who, and a Dr. Who / UK flag inspired light switch cover. Awesome! To enter, simply leave a comment detailing your favorite BBC sci-fi show and why. We’ll choose one of you at random at the end of next week.

And remember, make sure you enter the BBC’s contest as well. Because winning $1k in gift cards would be pretty damn awesome. Good luck!

BBC’s Holiday Sweepstakes [ Facebook ]