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...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Drill Baby Drill: Pittsburgh Edition
This is not an anti-Marcellus Shale drilling rant. I have to admit, the siren song of Marcellus Shale drilling is an alluring one. The prospect of cash money flowing into the state and the jobs drilling would create are compelling, to say the least. Even more exciting would be the city of Pittsburgh being a hub of the Marcellus Shale drilling industry. It’s enough to conjure images of the golden days of Pittsburgh, where the population was high, and the smoke pouring out of the stacks at the many local steel mills was shaped like dollar bill signs.
However, nothing is ever that simple. Much like how the former economic heart of this region also helped to cause environmental damage that lasts to this day; Marcellus Shale drilling is not without its negative side effects. My issue is not with the concept of drilling, but the question of whether it’s right for the city of Pittsburgh. A drilling company taking up residence here is one thing, drilling within the city limits is another one all together.
Like with drilling in general, drilling in the city is alluring, especially when topics like pension and legacy health care costs continue to rear their ugly heads and threaten to sink the city’s budget. Drilling seems to be the easy answer for a much needed cash infusion for the city.
However, before you start building a derrick in your back yard, here are a couple of things you might want to think about:
Fracking fluid: Not an expert, but if you don’t know what it is; here you go. Fracking fluid is mostly water, about 95%. The problem is the other 5%. The other 5% may contain a toxic or corrosive cocktail that helps to break up the shale and free the natural gas (By the way, drilling companies don’t want to tell anyone, and by law they don’t have to right now, what exactly is in their fracking fluid). Big deal right? Well, unfortunately it is a big deal. A well in Lawrence County recently had what’s called a blow out. Long story short, a blow out occurs when natural gas and fracking fluid violently gush back out of the drilling bore. About 35,000 gallons of Natural Gas and Fracking Fluid (which it was determined was a mixture of water, salt and chlorine. Gee, that sounds like it would be great to release in the city of Pittsburgh.) spilled onto the ground during drilling.
Isolated incident right? Not so much, Check out this and this.
In Colorado, where Marcellus Shale drilling is more established, over the last 2.5 years, over 5 MILLION gallons of “drilling liquid” was dumped during drilling. Not to say that a well in Pittsburgh would dump 5 million gallons, but, if one well can dump 35,000 gallons, and mishaps seem to be common place in a state with GREATER drilling regulation than Pennsylvania, then it seems a near certainty that it would happen in Pittsburgh.
A spill in the middle of nowhere is bad enough. Imagine a spill in a city with an approximate population density of 6000 people per square mile. In addition to local evacuations, The FAA instituted a flight ban on the Clearfield County spill on any flights below 1000 feet because even a small spark from an airplane engine could ignite a MASSIVE explosion. Don’t you think any of those 6000 nearby residents may have a lighter or a source of flame that could make a massive KABOOM before all proper evacuations would occur???!!! Bad juju all around.
Groundwater contamination: This point is up for debate, and obviously the different points of view are pretty polarized. Those for drilling say that there is no chance it could happen; those against drilling say that not only is it possible, but is already happening. Check out this Vanity Fair article.
If it’s true, that’s some scary shit! I’m not convinced either way, but the potential after effects are scary enough, that we better be goddamn sure! A drilling company telling me that it won’t contaminate isn’t gonna cut it. They have an agenda. We need independent verification that drilling won’t contaminate ground water. Again, with 6000 or so people a sq mile, we as a city can’t afford a single instance of ground water contamination.
Bottom line, I’m not convinced drilling is bad, but I sure as hell am not convinced that drilling is without damaging side effects. The city of Pittsburgh stands to lose too much if something goes wrong with drilling. We need to be sure that NO ONE will be adversely affected by drilling before we “drill baby drill.”
However, nothing is ever that simple. Much like how the former economic heart of this region also helped to cause environmental damage that lasts to this day; Marcellus Shale drilling is not without its negative side effects. My issue is not with the concept of drilling, but the question of whether it’s right for the city of Pittsburgh. A drilling company taking up residence here is one thing, drilling within the city limits is another one all together.
Like with drilling in general, drilling in the city is alluring, especially when topics like pension and legacy health care costs continue to rear their ugly heads and threaten to sink the city’s budget. Drilling seems to be the easy answer for a much needed cash infusion for the city.
However, before you start building a derrick in your back yard, here are a couple of things you might want to think about:
Fracking fluid: Not an expert, but if you don’t know what it is; here you go. Fracking fluid is mostly water, about 95%. The problem is the other 5%. The other 5% may contain a toxic or corrosive cocktail that helps to break up the shale and free the natural gas (By the way, drilling companies don’t want to tell anyone, and by law they don’t have to right now, what exactly is in their fracking fluid). Big deal right? Well, unfortunately it is a big deal. A well in Lawrence County recently had what’s called a blow out. Long story short, a blow out occurs when natural gas and fracking fluid violently gush back out of the drilling bore. About 35,000 gallons of Natural Gas and Fracking Fluid (which it was determined was a mixture of water, salt and chlorine. Gee, that sounds like it would be great to release in the city of Pittsburgh.) spilled onto the ground during drilling.
Isolated incident right? Not so much, Check out this and this.
In Colorado, where Marcellus Shale drilling is more established, over the last 2.5 years, over 5 MILLION gallons of “drilling liquid” was dumped during drilling. Not to say that a well in Pittsburgh would dump 5 million gallons, but, if one well can dump 35,000 gallons, and mishaps seem to be common place in a state with GREATER drilling regulation than Pennsylvania, then it seems a near certainty that it would happen in Pittsburgh.
A spill in the middle of nowhere is bad enough. Imagine a spill in a city with an approximate population density of 6000 people per square mile. In addition to local evacuations, The FAA instituted a flight ban on the Clearfield County spill on any flights below 1000 feet because even a small spark from an airplane engine could ignite a MASSIVE explosion. Don’t you think any of those 6000 nearby residents may have a lighter or a source of flame that could make a massive KABOOM before all proper evacuations would occur???!!! Bad juju all around.
Groundwater contamination: This point is up for debate, and obviously the different points of view are pretty polarized. Those for drilling say that there is no chance it could happen; those against drilling say that not only is it possible, but is already happening. Check out this Vanity Fair article.
If it’s true, that’s some scary shit! I’m not convinced either way, but the potential after effects are scary enough, that we better be goddamn sure! A drilling company telling me that it won’t contaminate isn’t gonna cut it. They have an agenda. We need independent verification that drilling won’t contaminate ground water. Again, with 6000 or so people a sq mile, we as a city can’t afford a single instance of ground water contamination.
Bottom line, I’m not convinced drilling is bad, but I sure as hell am not convinced that drilling is without damaging side effects. The city of Pittsburgh stands to lose too much if something goes wrong with drilling. We need to be sure that NO ONE will be adversely affected by drilling before we “drill baby drill.”
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Heat Waves Suck: One of the Reasons I Now Like Fall Better
Remember when you were a kid? All you wanted was summer time. No school, days at the pool; it was awesome. Not as much any more.
I miss fall.
To pass the time, I came up with a list of the reasons why summer ain't what it used to be. (In no order)
#1: Sports: This is what we are reduced to: 30-54 and the LeBron Hour Starring LeBron*. You know, I could look past the LeBron Hour Starring LeBron if 30-54 wasn't 30-54. Problem is, we are 30-54. So, LeBron Hour Starring LeBron it is...God, where are you football, and most importantly; HOCKEY!!!!! (OH MY GOD DO I NEED THE PENS BACK!)
#2: WORK: You know when you were a kid, the #1 thing you looked forward to during the summer wasn't the weather, it wasn't the vacations, it was the not going to school. Getting up at 10, eating a shit load of sugary cereal and starting your day. That was the life. No more my friends, work work work, all year long. Think you're gonna go to the pool today? Fat chance son, you're working!
#3: Goddamn Heat: Days like today make me want to crawl into the freezer and not come out. If you don't know what I'm talking about, walk outside...no further explanation needed. I long for the brisk fall afternoons where the leaves are beautiful and a sweater or sweatshirt makes you feel nice and cozy.
#4: Did I mention the Heat? You know, the heat that makes all the shit (Barbecuing, eating outside, outdoor sports) that supposedly makes summer the best season absolutely miserable?
*You know what's worse than LeBron's ego? ESPN whoring themselves out for an HOUR so Bron Bron can make a 2 second announcement! I can hear the advertising dollars rolling in now! ESPN is expecting us to waste an hour of our lives (which we will) to hear them pontificate on what they believe he will say during his speech. Which, by the way, will occur at approx 59 minutes and 45 of the broadcast.
I miss fall.
To pass the time, I came up with a list of the reasons why summer ain't what it used to be. (In no order)
#1: Sports: This is what we are reduced to: 30-54 and the LeBron Hour Starring LeBron*. You know, I could look past the LeBron Hour Starring LeBron if 30-54 wasn't 30-54. Problem is, we are 30-54. So, LeBron Hour Starring LeBron it is...God, where are you football, and most importantly; HOCKEY!!!!! (OH MY GOD DO I NEED THE PENS BACK!)
#2: WORK: You know when you were a kid, the #1 thing you looked forward to during the summer wasn't the weather, it wasn't the vacations, it was the not going to school. Getting up at 10, eating a shit load of sugary cereal and starting your day. That was the life. No more my friends, work work work, all year long. Think you're gonna go to the pool today? Fat chance son, you're working!
#3: Goddamn Heat: Days like today make me want to crawl into the freezer and not come out. If you don't know what I'm talking about, walk outside...no further explanation needed. I long for the brisk fall afternoons where the leaves are beautiful and a sweater or sweatshirt makes you feel nice and cozy.
#4: Did I mention the Heat? You know, the heat that makes all the shit (Barbecuing, eating outside, outdoor sports) that supposedly makes summer the best season absolutely miserable?
*You know what's worse than LeBron's ego? ESPN whoring themselves out for an HOUR so Bron Bron can make a 2 second announcement! I can hear the advertising dollars rolling in now! ESPN is expecting us to waste an hour of our lives (which we will) to hear them pontificate on what they believe he will say during his speech. Which, by the way, will occur at approx 59 minutes and 45 of the broadcast.
Friday, June 25, 2010
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.
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.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Small Silver Lining, and What Should be the Bigger One.
The tiny silver lining of what is currently spewing into the Gulf:
Loudmouth morons like Daryl Metcalf have temporarily shut the fuck up. It's nice not hearing chants of "drill baby drill" All it took was an environmental disaster that has ruined a regional economy, killed countless numbers of wildlife, and may have lingering environmental effects for years to come.
Here's to hoping the bigger silver lining is coming. Hopefully we as a nation can begin to discuss the ramifications of our dependence on oil.
Unfortunately, hope is not a strategy.
Loudmouth morons like Daryl Metcalf have temporarily shut the fuck up. It's nice not hearing chants of "drill baby drill" All it took was an environmental disaster that has ruined a regional economy, killed countless numbers of wildlife, and may have lingering environmental effects for years to come.
Here's to hoping the bigger silver lining is coming. Hopefully we as a nation can begin to discuss the ramifications of our dependence on oil.
Unfortunately, hope is not a strategy.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
My Thoughts Exactly
I refused to watch two of the big affiliates in Pittsburgh felatiate poor old Ben. I didn't want to give them the ratings.
Chris Potter at the Slag Heap did the work, and the thinking for me. Check it out here. He expressed excellently, why Ben has yet to be held accountable and how his words are just that; words. They are nothing more, not an admission of guilt, or remorse. The worst part about this is, our news media is giving him a pass. At a certain point, our media's love affair with the Steelers stops being cute. At certain times I have relished the fact that the lead in to most newscasts was Steelers related, and that it was all fluff but it's gone too far. The networks are clearly still walking on eggshells around the Steelers organization like it is God's Kingdom come to earth. (Not sure if that has more to do with the organization, or more to do with ratings. Lord knows you wouldn't want to piss any of those yinzers off that watch your newscast because the Steelers lead every night)
We should start a pool; what's the over/under on how long it takes poor old Ben to become a condescending, arrogant rapist again?
Chris Potter at the Slag Heap did the work, and the thinking for me. Check it out here. He expressed excellently, why Ben has yet to be held accountable and how his words are just that; words. They are nothing more, not an admission of guilt, or remorse. The worst part about this is, our news media is giving him a pass. At a certain point, our media's love affair with the Steelers stops being cute. At certain times I have relished the fact that the lead in to most newscasts was Steelers related, and that it was all fluff but it's gone too far. The networks are clearly still walking on eggshells around the Steelers organization like it is God's Kingdom come to earth. (Not sure if that has more to do with the organization, or more to do with ratings. Lord knows you wouldn't want to piss any of those yinzers off that watch your newscast because the Steelers lead every night)
We should start a pool; what's the over/under on how long it takes poor old Ben to become a condescending, arrogant rapist again?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
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!!!!
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!!!!
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