More Partisan Garbage

You don't think that the Port Authority's North Shore Connector was worth the $500 or so million? Join the rest of Allegheny County.

But seriously, these assholes and their bullshit report are so far off base with this it's not even funny.

Here's the article.

Let me get this straight. Because $62 million of stimulus money had to be used to complete this project, Obama's stimulus or if you want to be naughty "bailout" is a pork filled failure?

Ok thought so...

Well, I see one glaring hole in your analysis which is oozing partisan bullshit*. You see, the original $435 million used to start the project, well that came from G Dubs administration way back in 2003-2004.

Oh snap, that's right. If the "fiscally responsible" Republican controlled Federal Government hadn't provided these funds, then they wouldn't have had to be bailed out to begin with.

Sounds like another Republican turd from the turn of the 21st century that the Obama administration has been left to polish.

So really, unless we wanted two unused tunnels under the river that would be incurring regular maintenance fees, we had no choice but to seek funding. That funding was able to keep the project going and keep those construction workers employed (it's all about jobs right???)

All this partisanship is getting out of control. You can't take anything at face value from any political party. Americans unfortunately need to verify anything that comes out of a politicians mouth. What's even more unfortunate, is that we don't. They spoon feed us horse shit and we ask for more.

*Yea I know I'm oozing with partisan bullshit too...we all are, but at least I'm not attempting to present figures misleadingly to influence people's opinion.

You Sir are a Moron: Gubernatorial Edition

My main man, Tommy Corbett stuck his right wing foot in his mouth recently providing some
A-1 bulletin board material for Dan Onorato. I will say, I am sure there are people who are taking advantage of the government's money, but with unemployment at barely subsistence level, it's clear that his generalization is waaayyyyyyyyyyy too broad. The only people who probably aren't complaining are the hard core righty's who he is not afraid to cater to while pissing the rest of the state off.

Here's his quote taken from the Post Gazette:


"The jobs are there," Mr. Corbett told Harrisburg public radio station WITF, but then claimed many people are intentionally staying unemployed to collect the benefits. He said some employers, such as a candy company owner and a plumbing company owner (let me guess, the owner of the business is Joe the Plumber), have told him they can't fill jobs because people would rather stay home on benefits.
"People don't want to come back to work while they still have unemployment" benefits, he said. "They're literally telling (employers) 'I'll come back to work when the employment(sic) runs out.' That's becoming a problem ... If we keep extending unemployment the people are going to sit there."


You sir, are a moron!




Shit...I think I hear the Corbett Thought Police headed this way...

You Sir Are a Moron!

I think I'm going to make this a semi-regular theme. People say stupid things all the time (myself especially); but sometimes a comment comes along that is so foolish, is so poorly thought out, and so short sited that you just want to slap them with a little white glove. In celebration of such stupidity, I will make an effort to post these gems when I find them.

Today's entry comes from Chris Robinson of SURPRISE!!!!!!, Arizona.

He writes in the PG Q & A:

"I don't get it. Sidney Crosby hasn't gotten much criticism over this meltdown (in the 2010 playoffs). He gets lauded about being a "big-game player" My question is, in what big game has Sidney Crosby EVER stepped up for the Pens? His two biggest games so far in his career he has been scoreless. Game 7 in the Cup final last summer and, of course, (Game 7 against Montreal). As bad as he was in this Montreal series, his point totals actually doubled his output during the Stanley Cup final last year. Both those series make his two-goal and six-point effort during the 2008 final look like Mario Lemieux-type numbers. He's still a young guy with many years ahead of him. Hopefully, he is the reason the Penguins hoist the Cup again someday instead of winning in spite of him like last year, but right now he is vastly over-hyped and overrated when people mention him in the same breath as Mario Lemieux."

You sir are a moron...Nothing more needs to be said to defend my statement and my frustration towards yours.

Beyond Mockery

Before it was fun to call him “wittle wukey” or Steelerstahl or whatever. I’m just getting sick of it. Mocking does nothing. He continues to push the city of Pittsburgh to see how much bullshit he can get away with and the city of Pittsburgh keeps backing away.

I’m sick of it. The city Ethics council won’t review the nomination. That’s old news from the weekend. A lot of people are bitching and rightly so, but we get the government we deserve.

Here’s an idea…act!

The article states that the only way they would investigate is if either a person requests an opinion BEFORE they undertake a potentially risky ethical move or if a FORMAL complaint is filed. Everyone is sitting around waiting for Peduto or Shields to file one.

Screw them; it seems they don’t want to upset the apple cart. You know who else can file an ethics complaint???? YOU CAN!

Here’s the link to the city ethics complaint form. You can download a PDF complaint form and submit it:

For good measure here’s the link to the Allegheny County Ethics Council. Submit a complaint to them too.

Even if these complaints are denied, let them know that you’re pissed about this! Let them you’re tired of being treated like a simpleton who will let the city leadership (Ravenstahl in particular) do what they want, when they want.

ENOUGH!!!!

This is Too Good to Pass Up!

Saw this on the PG today.

I couldn't resist. First, here is the text of the comment that set me off:

"And that's a good thing. Pennsylvania needs to worry about balancing it's budget, creating jobs, keeping the streets safe and reducing taxes. Our politicians should not be worried about questionable bans of our personal liberties.
Slowly but surely, if we sit back and let them tell us what we can do from day to day, we will soon find ourselves no longer living...in the land of the free."


Any guesses on what my tea-baggin buddy is refering to? Is it the second amendment? Could it be railing against "socialist healthcare"? No, Uncle Sam is worried about a law making it illegal to text while driving.

You sir are a moron! You alllllllmost had me that the state has a lot of worthy issues on its plate currently. Almost... You completely lost me in that last paragraph. How in the hell is a ban on an unsafe activity "questionable"?

Let me explain something to you, and I need you to try to pay attention as if Rush or Glenn were typing this. If you are texting while driving it is dangerous. It is dangerous because you could rear end another car, or you could lose control of your car and slam into another car, or you could drive through a red light and get T-boned. Do you catch my drift there homeslice?

Hey asshole; the next time a 16 year old broadsides your car because they were texting, make sure you don't get mad at them. Make sure you get out, shake their hand, and thank them for exercising their freedom to operate a motor vehicle in a dangerous and irresponsible manner.

That's in the constitution....right?

The Crux of the Issue

I was reading an article yesterday on Post Gazette.com about Obama’s trip to CMU and found this little nugget from a local leader for the “passionate” and “hard charging” (I don’t know how I could possibly make those quotes more sarcastic) Tea Party movement.

“Patti Weaver of Fox Chapel, organizer of the local tea party,
complained that they were not allowed to get closer than Morewood and Forbes
avenues. She also said the closure of parking garages and spaces in the area
made it hard for members to get there”

That damned Obama and his socialist plot to keep the Tea Partiers at bay! Will he stop at nothing? It would be one thing if his communist minions used water cannons and riot police to discourage protesting, but to TAKE AWAY THEIR PARKING SPACES! Has he no shame!!????

Right there is the crux of the issue and why I have NO respect for the Tea Party or most Americans in general. Your “popular” movement to “take the country back” is stymied by lack of parking spaces. You think providing all Americans with access to healthcare is socialist but think that you are entitled to parking where and when you want it. Oh no, that’s not selfish. You sure do have your priorities straight.

Hey, here’s a thought, if your “party” membership weren’t so lazy and self-entitled so as to let lack of parking derail your demonstration, then the majority of America that thinks you're full of shit might take you more seriously*.

You wouldn’t want to take the Hummer/Escalade/Expedition into the city anyway…parking’s a bitch. Besides, don’t you have to pick up little Muffie up from private school at three anyway???

*According to Ms. Weaver, 49% of America agrees with Tea Party values. Couple of quick questions and comments on that little "stat".

#1: 49% does not a majority make.
#2: Does that 49% believe in giving up on a cause if you can't find parking?

Going Down the Tubes…or maybe not.

There’s been a lot made of the tomfoolery that occurs weekendly (I know it’s not a word) in the Saaaaaath Side. There’s also an increasing effort to curtail it. See a couple of examples here and here.

Here’s my take. The South Side is the youngest “hippest” thing(like Pittsburgh has such a thing) going on in Pittsburgh. Does it have its problems, absolutely, but so does every other neighborhood.

In my extremely well informed opinion, the rub in the South Side comes because it is the youngest neighborhood in Pittsburgh. In a lot of other neighborhoods, the silvertop to 20-30 something ratio is much higher in favor of the silvertops. In the South Side, it’s totally different. The 20-30 somethings outnumber the silvertops by a lot. When the 20-30 somethings engage in things that 20-30 somethings do (get drunk, fight, screw), it leads to friction. The silvertops want a quiet peaceful neighborhood. The South Side is not that place.

At the risk of sounding like an ass, maybe it’s time for the silvertops to move on. A great thing about Pittsburgh is how stay put, and while I don’t think that should change, we need to move forward as a city, and to do that our neighborhoods need to be allowed to do the same. If you don't like it there, maybe you shouldn't be there. There are plenty of 20-30 somethings who would be glad to take your place.

What makes the South Side crazy with a lot of urinators and occasional fighting morons is also what gives it its eclectic feel. The South Side is the only neighborhood in the city to boast everything from corner bars, to dance clubs, high end retail, high end dining, and corporate headquarters (to name just a few of the diverse aspects of the neighborhood). Other neighborhoods can claim a few of those things but no other neighborhood can really claim the mix of all those things (and more) which the South Side does. It’s also the only neighborhood to really “complete” a transformation from its industrial past to a popular present day destination.
You want to crack down on a lot of the negative shit; then by all means, get more police, put up more cameras, whatever. However, don’t change its character. This city is a lot less of a city without the South Side.

Pittsburgh 1984....Or is it? Part II: Out for Justice

Right after I posted my last little Pulitzer piece on more cameras in the city, another article came out: Check it out here.

Long story short, the city wants to put cameras on street cleaners to capture no-good illegal parkers on the streets. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before people start bitching about 1984, invasion of privacy, bla bla bla.

The Radical Middle has picked up on it, and while I understand his sentiment, that for a mayor who doesn't want to be followed around by the media (as if that wasn't part of the job or something) he sure does want to know what the residents of Pittsburgh are doing via camera.

Like I said, I understand the sentiment, but disagree at the same time.

First, to understand this argument you will have to remove your tinfoil hats once again.

Done? Ok, good.

Now, Before people start bitching about their rights being infringed upon, think for just a quick second what this is trying to accomplish. It is true that it's illegal to park on streets during cleaning day. This technology would be placed on street sweepers to enforce this ordnance. I could see someone's complaint, say, if the city said, "we want to more effectively enforce illegal parking laws and we will therefore be putting cameras in your car." That is what I would call an invasion of privacy. To install city owned cameras on city owned street cleaners to enforce an established city ordnance is what I call clever thinking, NOT an invasion of privacy.

Second. Everyone hates government employees. Most of them are Union, overpaid, and often lazy. Now we have a plan, to help make enforcement of a city ordnance more cost effective and efficient by reducing the labor and logistics costs of enforcing this ordnance, and people will want to bitch. People, as a general rule want to jump all over the government at any level when there is perceived money wasting going on (myself included). This time the city wants to increase efficiency and decrease costs, but yet I would be willing to bet that there will be a lot of pissed off tinfoil hat wearers who, once again, wrongly feel that their rights are being infringed upon.

You may now replace your tinfoil hat on your head.

Today's Olive Branch

I like to make fun of people, and draw attention to their shortcomings (probably because it makes me feel better about my own sorry ass), but I also try to give credit where it is due, even if I have disagreed with, belittled, or mocked someone in the past.

Today’s Olive Branch goes to Ron Cook (for the record, he still shouldn’t write about hockey) for his article in Today’s PG. A truer piece with a truer title has never been written. The title hurts to even look at, but that is why it is a great title. It cuts to the bone, and is 100% on the mark: “Steelers No Better Than Bengals”. Ouch…

The B.S. about a higher standard appears to be just that. Hey Rooney's, Tomlin, and mis-informed yinzer fans! Wanna put your collective money where your collective mouths are??? Get rid of these players! Start with James Harrison who got out of a domestic violence case through “anger management” and being the MVP. Then move onto Jeff Reed, who makes paper towel dispensers tremble at his mere mention. After we get those two out of the way, THEN we could move on to Santonio “baby mama drama” Holmes and Big Ben “Bigger Ego” Roethlisberger.

I know everyone thinks I am talking crazy talk. I guess I am. I want to hold personal accountability in a higher regard than on-field performance. Crazy me, I am willing to take a hit on the field to prove to everyone that the Steelers ARE a class organization which does not tolerate the B.S. that other teams do.

Silly, Silly me.

"Mayor declares state of emergency in advance of flood"

That's the word according to the PG today.





...No word if and when Mayor Ravenstahl will move to his Mountain Emergency Response Command Post.

Well Wonders Never Cease...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10067/1041041-181.stm

Apparently one slap-ass involved in politics isn't enough. Now the big baby's baby brother is getting involved.

Too harsh?

Ok, how about this? If the younger Ravenstahl is half the arrogant/inept/self righteous abuser of power his big brother is, I hope he goes down in a ball of political flame.

A simple Explanation

Arson, Activists? Who knows? I do. I can settie it in two words.

Jewish*Lightning







* I'm not an anti-semite, if you think so, get a goddamn sense of humor.

The Very Worst of Human Kind

I know this happened almost a week ago, but it’s been on my mind. Good god, what the F is wrong with people? I’m not a big proponent of the death penalty, but some people are so fucked up to innocent mentally challenged, trusting, and all around wouldn’t hurt a fly people, that they (the fucked up ones) just shouldn’t live anymore. At a certain point it’s not about deterrence, or much of anything else, other than these people are bad. I don’t know if it’s their nature or environment, but it’s too late to figure out, an innocent woman has already been tortured and killed.

Don’t agree? Tough Shit! It’s my visceral reaction to a deplorable, disgusting, twisted, sadistic (plug in the absolute worst word/phrase in the English language) crime.

Once Again, Calm Down!

Back from a several day snow shoveling extravaganza! I still love the snow and have yet to see the actual end of the world.Apparently the rest of Pittsburgh does not love the snow, and may actually think that they have seen the end of the world. If you can’t pause for a second to admire the beauty, or to throw a snowball, or to make a snow angel, you may just be a grumpy asshole who needs to re-evaluate how happy you are in your life.


There are quite a few hilarious nuggets in the past few days’ daily papers. My personal favorite came in today’s Post Gazette. I knew that the mayor was fighting a war on several fronts, snow, potholes, garbage, and anal leakage, I think.
Well the casualties from the war on snow are apparently piling up. The best quote of the article comes from a parking meter reader union shop steward, with the typical union flair for the over-dramatic:

“They’re not getting the training they need to be shown how to properly shovel snow…They’re not getting trained in how to lift 50-Pound bags of salt. One’s already down (BAHHHH!!!!)…and I’ve got more wounded (again, BAHHHHH!!!!) people coming in.”

Holy shit, they’re under fire! Those downtown snipers are rough, I know. I don’t want to belittle these people who are probably busting their asses, but really, do we need a block of instruction on how to shovel snow and how to lift things? Not to mention the over the top combat reference. It’s as ridiculous as it is hilarious.

I can’t wait to see the spaz-fest that happens tomorrow after we get our next 10 inches.

A Fine Point My Ass!

This article pissed me off. I’d like to draw attention to a few of the author’s main points in the editorial and insert my thoughts.

1. “Mr. Obama and the Democrats contend that the high debt and the deficits are the fault of the Bush administration, which left a legacy of two unfinished wars, one 7 years old and the other nearly 9, tax cuts and an economy pushed near ruin by recession and a poorly regulated financial industry. Yet other heavy spending is directly attributable to the Obama administration.Mr. Obama’s two-step escalation of the war in Afghanistan by increasing U.S. troops by 46,000 to a level of 100,000 is his alone.”

My Take: First, soooo what I am getting out of this is; two wars, foolish tax cuts, and poor financial regulation were all unimportant to our current situation but holding the line on military spending is inexcusable???? Odd. Second, In my extremely humble opinion, if there is to be troop escalation in Afghanistan and it costs more money...FINE. You know why? Osama Bin Laden (Remember he is the guy/reason we HAD to go to war to begin with) and his organization Al Qaeda were and are still based in Afghanistan. If we are to prevent another repeat of 9/11, he and Al Qaeda must be dealt with (i.e. killed and destroyed).

Third, while he is expanding our military presence and increasing money spent in Afghanistan, he is also drawing down our forces and money spent in Iraq (Remember that theater of war? That was the one where we invaded under false pretenses and a lot of brave selfless Americans lost their lives over a lie, or at the very least “bad intelligence”). I would further contend that had we not spent the $700 BILLION with a B on the war in Iraq to begin with, we could perhaps be further along in our campaign in Afghanistan.

2. “The expansion of military activity, under Mr. Bush's old "war on terror," in Pakistan and Yemen is also Mr. Obama's work.”

My Take: He is expanding the War on Terror to those areas because they are known refuges for Al Qaeda. To me, it seems that instead of manufacturing intelligence to fit his agenda, he is adapting our national security strategy to meet the realities of the situation. That is not foolish or a wasteful use of our money, it’s good strategy.

3. “Mr. Obama has given no reason for why military expenditures should be immune from cuts.”

My Take: First, I don’t know our President personally and can’t say what is going on in his head but here is a wacky idea; maybe it’s because we are at war with a lunatic and an organization of religious zealots who are responsible for the largest foreign attack on American soil EVER which killed 2,973 innocent Americans. That’s why. Never Forget….I think somebody forgot.

Cutting our military spending in the face of war is not an answer to our fiscal OR national security problems. President Obama is an intelligent man (that is why I voted for him). He knows that our deficit is growing uncontrolled, but he also knows that we still face an unresolved national security* threat with Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. He must address our deficit AND respond to new threats to our security. He is doing that.


*For those of you that don’t know, National Security is what allows every Fat Lazy American to drive around their over sized SUV/pick up truck from parking lot to parking lot and then head straight to McDonald’s so they can stuff their fat faces without fear of attack from “those damn foreigners and towel heads”