It tastes better when it's on the taxpayers' dime.

The Pocono Record is not happy about State Sen. Shirley Kitchen’s fancy parties on the taxpayer dime—like the $5,100 she spent on a dinner for the Philadelphia Community Service Award, or the $3,600 she spent on a Mothers and Daughters Day Celebration in November 2010. Or, say, State Sen. Christine Tartaglione spending $414 on Tastykakes for a recent event. Small change, no doubt, but it adds up!

A recent report titled Securing Our Future: Security Officers Standing Up for Good Jobs and a Better Philadelphia will be presented to City Council later today. The report details how raising wages for security officers would actually help the taxpayers, as many, who are paid miniscule amounts of money, would qualify for food stamps and other public support.

Monsignor George J. Mazzotta of the Philadelphia Archdiocese has been found “unsuitable for ministry following a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.” He will now be forced into a “supervised life of prayer and penance,” which, yeah, that seems like a fair punishment.

Philly is one of the best shopping destinations—in the world. Apparently.

Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge is all set to begin campaigning for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Rick Santorum is still sending out emails begging for cash to fill in his debts. And in so doing, he’s still pimping an “announcement,” that you won’t be able to believe until it actually comes. This announcement, if it truly is as earth shattering as his “Send me $10” emails suggest, will probably be one of the following:

1) He’s running for president as an independent.
2) He’s going on the road with First Love.
3) After talking with his “gay friends,” his views on gay marriage have “evolved.”
4) After talking with his neighbor and his neighbor’s German Shepherd, his views on bestiality have “evolved.”
5) After a friend showed him YouPorn.com, his views on pornography have “evolved.”

Otherwise, we don’t see a Drudge siren in Rick’s future. Make it count, bro!