Welcome to the Philly Post

So … what do you want to talk about today?

I’m not big on vision statements, but to the extent this new enterprise has one, those nine words pretty much sum it up: Every day in this space our goal is to capture — and, all right, we won’t be humble, influence — what’s on the minds, in the hearts, and on the tongues of Philadelphians, whether the subject is big and important like politics and public policy, or really big and really important like whether Cole Hamels can get his mojo back (early signs: good, but don’t bet the nest egg just yet). [SIGNUP]

To help us do that, we’re enlisting the talents of lots of different people. Yes, you’ll find work by Philly Mag’s best writers and editors on this blog, but you’ll also read the words and hear the opinions of plenty of other Philadelphians — some with names you’ll recognize (like Larry Mendte, Mike Missanelli, Gail Shister and Preston & Steve), others who are less well-known but who, trust me, have much to say about the state of our city and the state of our times. That mix is by design: We want every day on the Philly Post to be as fun and engaging as a great cocktail party, with a lively mix of people, an entertaining exchange of opinions, and plenty of chatter and gossip. (You’re, uh, on your own for the drinks.)

Of course, like any good host, the people we’re most concerned about pleasing are you. Which is to say our real desire here isn’t to talk at you, it’s to talk with you. So check in every day (or subscribe to our RSS feed here), then let us know what you think — whether it’s by unleashing your pent-up rage in our comments section, or sharing our posts with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, or simply muttering to yourself quietly under your breath, if that’s your thing.

OK, enough from me. Let’s get the conversation started.

TOM McGRATH is phillymag.com’s online editorial director.