RANTS to the commander-in-chief and the Republican party for the diva attitude and massive traffic tie-up yesterday on the parkway and major interstate access ramps all around town. The president was the guest of honor attending a $1M party fundraiser at a private home in Sewickley. While officials said drivers would be and were inconvenienced for perhaps 20 minutes, callers to radio programs on their way to or from work all said they were already well over an hour to 90 minutes stuck. Not only did quite a few people not make it to day cares to pick up their children on time or to work on time to hospitals and prisons and lost money, we the state taxpayers foot the bill to have state troopers at each Sewickley drive way and intersection along the way. Are we really to believe that the "official" business of the president was to speak with an area woman those couple minutes while he exited a plane on the tarmac? (28 Mar 08)
Neither a Rant nor a Rave, but a type of puzzled WTH-type laugh and shrug of the shoulders... reading today's editorial/column from Trib owner Richard M. Scaife, expressing a new opinion on Hillary Clinton. His by-line on a column was a surprise... just as the video of him and Mrs. Clinton and the editorial board of that paper at the same table talking for 90 minutes this week was a shock, too. He is blamed by many Democrats and some Republicans for paying $2.5 M for planting the idea behind the story years back that she was suspect in the death/suicide of former counsel, Vince Foster. Scaife is also said to have been a contributor that funded the Arkansas Project, which ultimately led to the impeachment proceedings of President Bill Clinton. The billionnaire paper owner Scaife is also -- and, again, perhaps unfairly characterized -- as being way vulgar and crude by a female reporter outside his publication. He reportedly called her ugly and that vulgar 4-letter C word that I cringe when I hear. So all that said, lots of us were surprised that Mrs. Clinton met with him at all. He apparently was wowed that she showed up, that she had knowledge of the country's problems and status and just might have some do-able solutions. Her sense of humor wowed him, as well. Before Mr. Scaife's letter today, there was an editorial the next day following her visit, basically saying the same thing in so many words as Scaife's letter does today. In the meantime, we saw the Trib on international news confirming reports that Mrs. Clinton told different audiences several times that she was under gunfire when she landed in Bosnia but wasn't... so there's still a bit of the WTH-type reaction to Scaife's column today as the tea cup gets rinsed and we get on our way. Unsure if I agree with some of you readers here who think the man, whose divorce papers report his loss of between $20-30 M annually to keep the Trib afloat, will shock everyone by endorsing Mrs. Clinton. (30 Mar 08)
RANTS to Fayette County leaders on the highest level for appearing to be so divided by party and so not on the same page. It's OK to have 2:1 votes if there is discussion or a compromise of opinion or plan of action. Why not hear from the third seat? Not referring to sudden decisions that have to be made on a short timeline about to expire, when a commissioner can't be present for discussion or to vote. Am referring to something as important as the new tax passed on hotel stays and what route to take to spend it on tourism. It's just so early in this 4-year run with this board for the tone to be getting this old. It's not the way to to attract the interest of outside investors, developers, and tourists. (30 Mar 08)
RAVES to whatever loophole or county ordinance or policy and procedural road block that stopped a former county commissioner/convicted madam of a prostitution ring from becoming part of whatever administrative board (thought to be property assessment) that she wanted to join. A shame if she has skills that would have helped the county, but it's hard to live down that other piece of information about her. In spite of whatever professional accomplishements or impact that she may have had during office, sadly, she'll never overcome the stigma of running her little escort service and the county cannot afford to be represented by a former madam on any matter. (30 Mar 08)
RAVES to the frustrated owner of faywest.com for cleaning up the message boards again. He banned seven IP numbers that one particular warped poster had used to insult so many. As example, this column uses his website to explain why no message board or guestbook will ever appear here. There is not enough time in a day to police and assume liability for libelous comments others make. (31 Mar 08)
RANTS to some of the most infamous Moldy government Cheeses, who cannot keep staff due to a hostile work environment, and harass and/or demote good ones who witnessed the church deacon one in one way too many inappropriate sexual displays at work, as well as harass others who just have personal integrity and morals. The Cheeses don't have time to make sure staff are not illegally billing Medicaid for dead clients... yet they have time to bring their sour Karma here and read almost daily, sometimes more often. Amazing! One would think that they got enough recreational Internet reading at home. Not the case! (31 Mar 08)
RAVES to Bruce Springsteen for a glorious, long musical career, on the heels on his announcement last night in Canada that he is retiring from life on the road. Bruce will play four cities in California soon, and then wrap it all up in late October for a series of show at Radio City Music Hall, NYC. Yes, Rants that this naturally means OUR days and nights on that road seeing Bruce and the mighty East Street Band in this or that town also will be over... but hasn't it has been one awesome ride since the age of 12! Gas up the car and start saving to pay for those scalped NYC tickets. (This is not an April Fool's joke, my dears. I wouldn't joke about this!) (1 Apr 08)
RANTS that the last 240 workers at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in Allenport have lost their jobs with the announced closure of that plant today. Some saw it coming, but others really still did not. The closure is a big blow to those workers and families in Allenport-Charleroi-California areas. Those boroughs definitely, too, will feel the sharp pinch of the loss of local income tax funds. (1 Apr 08)
RANTS that police had to file charges of child neglect against a Belle Vernon mother in a head lice situation that apparently did not improve. The 27-year-old mother, Nicole Holmes, was jailed. Cases of arrest for lice infestations are rare indeed, and police hint that another charge is being investigated and possible will be filed as well. Rants that this type of sad story about kids and people from Fayette County made national news. (2 Apr 08)
RAVES that about 250 of you were so moved by my story, "The Lie," that you donated a whopping $32 K to two NYC non-profits that serve kids aging out of foster care with nowhere to go. Rants that there are no local groups established in SW PA yet and that some of those 18-year-olds are homeless because there aren't available supports or enough supports, especially for those with some mental health issues. Raves to jt.com readers with huge, caring hearts in NYC who continue to take in such young adults to provide a roof over their heads and meals in exchange for a promise to go to school/college/vocational training and stay drug and alcohol free. Raves for helping those young adults and not taking advantage of their vulnerabilities. More on this later as two of those involved are about to tell their stories on national tv. Raves to Andy for tagging on the names of two programs (remember when there were none last year?) that our NY friend started to the end of that story on the Collections sites. Rants that we are asked not to print the names here again because so many more kids aging out are referred than what can be served. (2 Apr 08)
RAVES to Mr. Canada who just keeps on going with our Toy Exchange program. He has again amazed us all by following up with families, who around Christmas received our two recycled, treasured toys, for their non-verbal children with Autism. One parent, Lynn R. of Boston, wrote, "(Mr. Canada) kept calling through January and February, since (son) was only one of six kids who didn't start talking within a month after getting those toys. He kept telling us to keep working with (son) and those toys when I said that he might as well let me mail them to someone else." The way cool Canuck says that he knew speech would flow since the toys held the 8-year-old's interest and proved his intelligence. Lynn reports that she heard her son's voice for the first time Easter morning. He looked at his Easter basket of toys and shocked both parents and his older siblings by saying, "No, wanna play with the computer," referring to the purple Barney laptop. Raves to Mr. Canada, too, for video taping one child and family working with the toys, thinking the video might be effective since so many of the no longer manufactured toys are now broken and will limit a fourth exchange to about 100 new kids. (2 Apr 08)
RANTS to area neurologist, Roger Wesley Farris II, indicted yesterday for soliciting sex with a 10-year-old girl. The married father of three young children, who works in research at the University of Pittsburgh and also for the Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Health System, "arranged" the deal with a federal undercover agent and was arrested outside a hotel room he rented for sex with the fictious child. Farris arranged to pay $700 for sex with the child. Raves to the anonymous staff at a massage parlor Farris frequented who reportedly overheard the research neurologist say that he wanted to have sex with a child and notified police, who then arranged the sting and arrest. (2 Apr 08)
RANTS that a large private employer was in contact today expecting data of its employees' recreational Internet time here to be given to them. Please invest in computer software to manage and monitor your employees' time not working. Rants, too, that a top-level government head with a zero tolerance policy for worker recreational Internet usage and such software already in place was still in contact for the same reason. (2 Apr 08)
RAVES to Mary Z., an 87-year-old woman who quietly passed away this week. Continue
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