RAVES to everything about the "All Shook Up" CD except that it is, after all, a memorial tribute to burgh musician, Paul "Shook" Suchma, who passed away 10 months ago. Tiger Paul's death prompted Norman Nardini, Mark Cooper, Vinny Q. and a long list of others to release or re-release classic head banging early 80s Pittsburgh Rock and Roll with Resistance and NN and the Tigers, and '95 Torn & Frayed, as well as other music Tiger Paul helped make along the way in the 90s. To have all this available on one disc -- and for the first time some of it on official CD transfer from LP -- and to have proceeds benefit Tiger Paul's family make it a definite Most Honorable Mention on the 2008 Record of the Year here. NN's 2004 "Redemption" was a righteous masterpiece, but today it was really fun to dance and head bang away the afternoon to the original line up and original recordings of "Make It With You," "If You Don't Want Me, Somebody Will," "Girls All Around The World" and all the other tunes. Also included is a standout demo of "Burgundy Street," a John Cafferty reminiscent-type song from Paul's LA pal Luther Russell. Hear Resistance's 1980 "Call Off The Dog," and you know exactly why Norman hit the mother lode when he took (still NN's current day drummer/vocalist) Mark Cooper, Paul and the late Nason Gieg with him from that band to form his own lineup as the Tigers. If there were a Radio God who dared show his face in the burgh, songs on this CD would replace some of the crappy noise packaged as metal these days for the young and X generation. This is raw Pittsburgh Rock born from punk that you need to head over to normannardini.com to buy, play, dance to and sing your heart out along with Tiger Paul and his friends... (4 Apr 08)
RANTS that Fayette County has gone through a second -- and now has a third -- Human Resource Director in less than one year! With what could be even the county's worst employer's woes yet to unfold, lets hope that the decision to put in that position someone who graduated from high school less than 6 years ago -- and probably who's all but what, 22-23 years of age? -- will work out better than what one would imagine possible. May the force be with him! (4 Apr 08)
RAVES to Bill Toms and Hard Rain for a brilliant performance last night at Cefalo's to celebrate the release of the new CD, "Spirits, Chaos and a Troubadour Soul." Not a lot of performers can play brand new music to a captive crowd and older tunes with a new twist as these folks did so well for us. Raves, too, to harp player Marc Reismann and vocalist Jill Simmons for adding their talent to the night's musical magic. The show that rocked and practically blew the roof off also at times gave us goosebumps with the most beautifully soft music to be heard live in ages. Raves to excellent song writing, musical arrangement and performance because that is exactly what we got ten fold last night. (6 Apr 08)
RAVES to the wild mustang stuck pathetically on a 20-foot narrow Ohio roadside ledge for a couple days for making it back up or down the cliff safely over the weekend, while large animal rescue workers scrambled to plan a risky rescue of their own. The old Byrds' tune, "Chestnut Mare" and my old horse Sarge kept coming to mind each time the tv news updated the wild mustang's status still on the ledge. Raves that animal control officers will take the owners of the wild mustangs to task over allowing the wild mustangs to run and be at risk -- to say nothing of putting in danger drivers who could have been killed had the mustangs tumbled and fallen down and on top of passing vehicles below. (6 Apr 08)
RAVES to really proud, dumb criminals such as convicted murderer Malcomb Krysor (beat Ohio man to death with a golf club in 1981), who escaped from an Erie County prison 5 months ago, on his capture after bragging in Bakersfield, CA that he was featured on "America's Most Wanted." Priceless! (7 Apr 08)
Neither a Rant nor a Rave, but a mention of a flashback from about '96, when most of the 50-some employee paychecks from a downtown non-profit agency bounced all over town because someone failed to transfer funds from one account to a payroll account... Today that same director of finance advised a different, huge agency to approve a budget revision or else lose about $180K of its $30M annual budget. Lets hope there's never a repeat at this second agency such as the fiasco that most of us experienced downtown under his fiscal watch -- i.e., bounced check fees, getting bounced check fees removed, being without any cash for days, hearing Mrs. Albright and about 4 tellers chime in simultaneous chorus that "he needs to transfer money now...." Being the one who first heard it from the bank employees, when I thought my metal strip on the back of the card could've been damaged, I can't help but hope that it never happens to my poor pals across town. The time, energy and money wasted cleaning up the downtown mess 12 years ago was unreal! (11 Apr 08)
RANTS to people who misbehave in grand fashion, then blame others when the tales of their outlandish acts become the talk of the town. Do you really think you can get in a lovers' triangle brawl outside a crowded tavern and be taken away in a police car half naked and not be noticed by patrons coming in and out of the place? Do you really think it's fair to blame someone else other than yourself for that information leaking? Think your kids don't tell their friends that their parents are a mess? When your teens leave home on a 2-day binge because they're so ashamed, do you think their friends or their friends' parents aren't talking? Assume ownership for your own scandals instead of blaming news or fiction writers or anyone else. What you did was so repulsive that 999 others before us heard all about it. Trust me... we really would rather never hear about you again. (12 Apr 08)
RAVES to good teachers who are key to a child's development and learning. Rants that a state-wide list of teachers' salaries is being circulated and misused as it is locally on one of the Fay-Nam bulletin boards to slam some excellent teachers with longevity. (12 Apr 08)
RAVES to finding a small chunk of Mom's pumpkin roll from Christmas wrapped in a few layers of plastic and foil in a freezer zip lock bag that hit the spot. Raves to those new-fangled diets that encourage us to indulge in something great and loaded with fat and calories each time a milestone along the way down the scale is reached. Yumm... (14 Apr 08)
RAVES to Washington County government Grrrrrreat Cheese Barry Sigwald, who took his staff to lunch to applaud the good work they've done and to remind them that they are key to the department's success. Raves that his staff respect him, the mission of their work and one another so well that they had zero turnover in the past 5 years, except for retirements and one unfortunate death, and no grievances or investigations from outside federal entities for discrimination. Raves that there are indeed great government offices out there that are pleasant places in which to work and serve. Thank you, Barry and staff, for inviting this column to attend. I note, too, that all of those staff members and cheeses alike, took 1.5 hours of vacation or personal time to participate and that the meals cost the county not one cent. (14 Apr 08)
RANTS for Amerikohl Company's proposed strip mining of 280 acres very close to Ohiopyle State Park's Allegheny Highland Trail, part of the Great Allegheny Passage route from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD. Mining that could continue for up to 5 years should be audible and possibly visible to hikers and bicyclists on the path in God's Country. The company expects to mine about 250,000 tons of coal from an area the size of about 105 or so football fields. Mine-drainage settling and treatment ponds and facilities would occupy the rest of the 280-acre area. The DEP has scheduled a public meeting on the permit application on Wednesday. (14 Apr 08)
RAVES to the legacy of former Fayette County Commissioner Ron Nehls who passed away two days ago at age 70. There are too few politicians or elected officials who are remembered as being true gentlemen. He was surely one of those few. He brought only a positive, nice guy attitude and progress, with no scandal or upset in his brief run in charge of the county. Sympathies to his family and friends. (15 Apr 08)
RAVES to a driver just like you or me who questioned the legality of his -- and then, in essence, a little under 700 speeding tickets -- issued with a Lidon laser speed detector by 2 motorcycle officers on Rt. 65. Law requires the laser Lidon tool to be used in conjunction with Radar but not alone. Rants that drivers must know about the Lidon only exception and appear at traffic court to have the charges dropped. (15 Apr 08)
RANTS that a current employee in a government entity specializing in psychological services has reason to file a lawsuit against bosses who repeatedly made fun of her after touchy neurological surgery that fortunately left her with no type of cognitive impairment. Given their professional background, they should be terminated. If they have no compassion or sense of decency for a good worker in that situation, how effective can they be and how hypocritical can they not be, when dealing with the public who seeks their help? Raves to the good staff who are willing to help put an end to these inexcusable acts by stepping forward as witnesses. (15 Apr 08)
Neither a Rant nor a Rave, but a pause to mention the creation of a higher-level management position at today's salary board meeting at the Fayette County Courthouse. Who will be named to the $41,750 annual salary director position created today for the Fayette County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program? Could it be the one who acted in that capacity since 1998, was suspended a couple times for repeated vulgarity and who falsely reported to the courthouse that the Head Cheese was drunk at work when that was not so? Nah, that one likely earns more than that already. Could it then be a second cheese who was reprimanded for way inappropriate sexual behavior at work? Doubtful, but this new position likely will result in a promotion for the second one, too, even though there are yet more EEOC charges filed now against her. Or.... could it be a third cheese, the nice one who had no say and was moved from her former long-time position in reorganization and who has had no employee complaints against her and no federal investigations of her work behavior? Lets hope so. (16 Apr 08) ________________________________________________________________________
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