I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often…

A man injured in a Downtown fire yesterday died this morning at UPMC Mercy Hospital.

The medical examiner’s office said Richard Piotrowski, 62, was pronounced dead at 5:17 a.m. at Mercy’s burn unit.

He was hurt when a blaze broke out about 7 a.m. yesterday at the Roosevelt Arms apartments on Penn Avenue. Police said he was smoking while using oxygen.

Oxygen is flammable.  Oxygen is what allows fire to burn - your charcoal grill wouldn’t work without it this summer - or in summer’s past as this isn’t a new revelation.

So, what dumbasses think it’s a good idea to smoke while hooked up to an oxygen tank.  It really is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Thankfully it didn’t happen on a street corner where it might have taken out parents who beat their crying kids while waiting for the bus. God forbid… actually wait, Einstein wrote in a letter (which is up for auction) that religion and people looking for a god-like figure is “childish”.

In the letter, he states: “The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses, the Bible a collection of honourable, but still primitive legends which are nevertheless pretty childish. No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this.”

Einstein, who was Jewish and who declined an offer to be the state of Israel’s second president, also rejected the idea that the Jews are God’s favoured people.

“For me the Jewish religion like all others is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions. And the Jewish people to whom I gladly belong and with whose mentality I have a deep affinity have no different quality for me than all other people. As far as my experience goes, they are no better than other human groups, although they are protected from the worst cancers by a lack of power. Otherwise I cannot see anything ‘chosen’ about them.”

But this is not and has never been a secret…

It was hard to be an atheist before The Origin of Species. Einstein is the only member of your list who was born into the post-Darwinian world, and it is no accident that he was also the only one who didn’t believe in God. He declared: “It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. “

But to call it childish is just plain awesome. If only the head-technology of Futurama was around to reanimate Einstein and Carl Sagan… life might be a bit more interesting.

And since there is no god.  You should pray to Me.

Tags: carl sagan, einstein, idiots, religion

Everyone knew Hillary Clinton was going to win West Virginia yesterday and everybody knew why.  But nobody knew by how much.  41 points.  Quite a bit.  Why?

People like Mary Beth Jester

“I want to see a woman in there before I see a . . . ” She stopped, and her sister finished the sentence with: “a man of color.”

Let me adjust my monocle.

Way to be with the times, Mary Beth Jester.

Tags: racism, white trash

http://hillaryis404.org/

And Rush Limbaugh is a sack of shit.

I’ve commented on the inanity of CCTV cameras making their debut in Pittsburgh. Well, apparently several cameras are going to be put into place in the North Side.

“Safety is a priority in my district, and I thought cameras could be another tool for those communities,” said Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Darlene Harris.

Harris said she hopes one day all neighborhoods will have those tools.

The question is how effective will these cameras be?  I doubt they’ll be effective it all and just drive the unwanted elements / crime elsewhere in the North Side or to other parts of the city. How have CCTV cameras fared in, say, London - which has 10,000 cameras in its “Ring of Steel”?

“Only 3% of street robberies in London were solved using CCTV images, despite the fact that Britain has more security cameras than any other country in Europe.”

3%?  Just 3%?  They have 10,000 cameras.  Wonderful.  Another dog and pony show by the Pittsburgh administration which is going to cost the tax payer more money without seeing much benefit. (Just a note: this money is coming from Homeland “Security” not local taxes, but it is a “use it or lose it” type fund.  Just like the tunnel being drilled under the Allegheny).

Is this what is in store for Pittsburgh?  Oh, it’s going to be a talking point for how Ravenstahl and Co. took a bite out of crime.  Granted, Pittsburgh is not London, but what is a handful of camera’s going to do when 10,000 seem to be ineffective?

“Use of CCTV images for court evidence has so far been very poor, according to Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville, the officer in charge of the Metropolitan police unit. “CCTV was originally seen as a preventative measure,” Neville told the Security Document World Conference in London. “Billions of pounds has been spent on kit, but no thought has gone into how the police are going to use the images and how they will be used in court. It’s been an utter fiasco: only 3% of crimes were solved by CCTV. There’s no fear of CCTV.”

Ah well, most people won’t care as long as it seems they are doing something.  Which in this case they’re really just spending money to do nothing.  It’s unfortunate that there are not other options (like increasing Police presence in troubled areas) that can be employed.

In the wake of Hillary Clinton’s loss last night - yes, I am aware she won in Indiana by two points, but overall losing by 200,000 votes - did I just hear her say on TV that if they were following Republican rules she would already be the nominee?  Perhaps she should have run as a Republican then.

This is just her trying to spin her argument about Electoral votes in November, which is really just empty rhetoric because nobody can say at this point how either candidate will do against McCain.

This just shows more and more that Clinton has no couth.  This is almost as sad as her repeated statements about counting Michigan and Florida since she’s lost the lead and is pretty much mathematically eliminated.  George McGovern, who in October endorsed Clinton, has switched sides; changed his endorsement to Barack Obama; and called for Clinton to drop out of the race.

Tags: campaign watch

Timothy Anderson didn’t get away with any cash from his attempted robbery of a Dormont Eat ‘n’ Park because he forgot that he needed Honey Bunny.

Due to the fact that I have decided that Onorato, Harrisburg and the Port Authority will be perpetually stupid, unless something miraculous happens, I will no longer comment on the Onorato drink tax.

Harrisburg and Onorato: As elected officials and having four-plus years to deal with the stupid mis-management of the Port Authority, they have failed and will continue to do so, claiming their hands are tied instead of looking for alternative solutions.  Onorato should be ashamed for pitting industry vs. homeowners.  But, he’s obviously learning from Clinton how to posture himself politically.

Port Authority:  Well, it’s hard to undo decades of incompetence and bureaucracy.  The fact that many have been appointed by Onorato… well, the Port Authority is now just an extension of him.

Even though I’m for the cutting / eliminating of taxes, I don’t agree that Clinton (or McCain’s plan) is well-thoughtout enough to actually make an impact.  Removing the $0.18 federal tax from gasoline for three months only to put it back into effect in September?  Say I have a ten-gallon gas tank that I fill up once a week - current cost is about $35 dollars / week.  Remove the $0.18 and I save $1.80 / week.  Over 12 weeks I would save $21.80.  Meanwhile, we’d have to put our faith in the oil industry for the money to repair roads and bridges.  Hell, when we can barely maintain the terrible conditions that Pennsylvania’s roads are in, this doesn’t sound like a good idea.

At the same time, this is just pandering.  An empty promise. Will anything actually be done about this before the Summer vacation season starts?  It is three weeks away.  This is just an empty promise by Clinton that actually borders on a bald-face lie.  The fact that people even listen to this nonsense is sad.  Especially when they will not even check the facts themselves or that of economists who actually know what they’re talking about.  Even the Bill Clinton’s former adviser Robert Reich spoke out against this idiocy.

“The gas tax holiday is small potatoes relative to everything else. But it’s so economically stupid (it would increase demand for gas and cause prices to rise, eliminating any benefit to consumers while costing the Treasury more than $9 billion, and generate more pollution) and silly (even if she won, HRC won’t be president this summer) as to be worrisome. That HRC now says she doesn’t care that what economists think is even more troubling.”

What does this mean for Us?  Well, We may have to reduce the number of field trips held this summer.  Instead of weekly field trips, We may have to go every other week instead.

Also, Our trip to India to toss babies off of a ledge for luck has also been put on hold.  We may be able to do this locally.

Tags: campaign watch, idiocy

My Children.  I am pleased to announce that the Cougar Mating season is upon Us.  It’s no coincidence that this time falls in line with the Summer months each year.  It’s just a question of exactly where this year’s hunting ground will be.  It’s quite possible that the Cultural District will still have plenty of game for this season.

New this year will be a contest which will conclude just after Labor Day (even though the season continues usually until it’s too cold to sit outside Seviche - last year it was the first week of October).

There will also be fines and possible jail time for those of You who become confused about “hunting” Cougars and bring actual weapons with You.  We do not need a repeat of last summer’s police stand off against a mace-wielding Cougar.  How she was able to disarm the persuer and then battle three officers with tasers is still under investigation. The hole in the police officer’s arm from the heel of her shoe has finally fully healed.

Speaking of tasers, no caveman antics this year by tasing your “prey” and dragging her out of the bar. This is as bad as using GHB or roofies.  Do not become Roofie Mike.

Contest categories will be posted before May 26, the official beginning of Cougar Mating Season.  If You are proposed to or have need of a restraining order, You will be immediate disqualified.  If you are pepper sprayed or have a restaining order filed against You, not only will you be disqualified, Your privileges to Our Nutcracker Suite will be permanently revoked.  You will also face excommunication.

Tags: cougars, mace

I want to let you all know that the city in which we live is not the most idiotic place when it comes to its governance, nor is it as bad as Florida where a pregnant woman was busted for a DUI… again; or the Homeland Security’s No-fly list which lists U.S. Marshalls, who are supposed to be on the flights to protect us from those who are not supposed to fly.

Oh, the U.S. also has Nelson Mandela on the no-fly list. I’m sure if Jesus existed today and he was rebuked by the Sanhedrin, they’d list him as a terrorist and, he too, would be on the no-fly list.

Next thing you know, MADD will want those who play Grand Theft Auto IV’s drunk driving scene arrested for driving under the influence as well.

In what could have been almost a nice common sense move for Pittsburgh, we could have had an Onorato sin tax on fast food.  Seems someone in New Jersey thinks this is not a bad idea.  Actually, I don’t either, as eating something from McDonald’s or Wendy’s is probably more likely to kill you than having a beer.  So, why not a 10% tax on your Big Mac?

Onorato could spin this to sound like he is fighting the war on obesity, diabetes and to promote general awareness of the dangers of The Baconator.  At least that’s something useful to society versus preying upon those of us who want one or two harmless beers.

Yes, these are late and with no good reason outside of the fact that well, I don’t have a good reason.

Dear Penguins:

You’ve been playing some brilliant hockey!  Keep it up!

Dear Sean Avery of the New York Rangers:

This serves you right for being a little shit on the ice.  I hope you try to talk shit from your hospital bed. Nobody in the NHL likes you; I doubt even your own teammates.  You should retire.

Dear Experts who say that wedding days are no piece of cake:

Really?  I had no idea. It’s only been documented since the beginning of time, in countless idiotic romantic comedies, sitcoms and other inane media. For some reason, there is an overbearing hype placed on having an elaborate and over-priced ceremony, reception and weight on what comes down to something that nobody but the bride and groom really care about. Especially those who have, well, four or five marriages in a lifetime.   Maybe the pressure comes from the bride’s mother since a small percentage of mothers live vicariously through their daughters.

And speaking of marriage…

Dear Sen. Vince Fumo, D-Philadelphia

Way to hit the crowd with some common sense.

Mr. Fumo railed back, calling those arguments ignorant.

“If two homosexuals are allowed to get married, is that going to affect your marriage? Your marriage is that weak you’re going to get a divorce over that?” he said to Philadelphian James Horn, a father of eight who testified in favor of the constitutional amendment.

Exactly.  But, unfortunately you then shot yourself in the foot by comparing the discrimination of homosexuals to the Jews of Nazi Germany.

“The majority of people in Germany did not accept Jews. Does that make it right that they exterminated them?”

Way to Godwin the argument.

Dear Mr. James Horn & other people who think they have the right to tell people how to live:

You have absolutely no common sense nor sense of self.  The fact that you allow your marriage to be defined by anything other than what’s between you and your wife is pathetic.  I feel sorry that you’re a sheep and allow your life to be determined by an unoriginal book that’s been told by word of mouth; translated (possibly mistranslated - by accident or on purpose); voted upon to decide what goes in it; and probably mis-interpreted by many to its actual message.  If the Bible said to drink the koolaid (or whatever variation), you probably would drink it without question.  Oh wait, you probably do with communion.

Dear Me:

I am still awaiting the first church to make world history due to poisoned communion wine.  Then we’ll find out if transubstantiation exists or not.

Dear Onorato:

Your Onorato Tax (or drink tax) is bringing in more money than expected.  Prove that you are not a sack of shit and return any money that was not projected to be needed by the Port Authority to the industry.  However, I, and many others, know you will not and I’m calling it now.

Dear Ravenstahl:

Just what the hell is this?  Way to follow in Onorato’s footsteps, proving what many already knew you to be - a pawn of special interests that leads you to betray the public in spectacular fashion.  I wonder if Bob O’Connor is now rolling in his grave.  If he is spinning fast enough, we should tap that energy source for the light-rail system to help cut down on the Port Authority’s costs.

Dear Port Authority:

I have now been on six buses with broken till boxes unable to accept dollar bills or coins.  And you want the public to bail you out.

Dear Allegheny County Bar & Restaurant Owners:

Normally I speak out against class-action lawsuits as most are idiotic and frivolous and really only benefit the attorney and / or law firm representing the victims or usually “victims” who never see a dime.  This may be one in which it would be of public benefit.

Dear President Bush:

Nice job on lying directly to the press yesterday - who then called you out on it immediately after - and trying to place blame on Democratic-controlled Congress (It was more the GOP’s fault).  Also you sounded like a damn fool.  You didn’t once think to maybe take some public speaking classes so you don’t stutter all over yourself while trying to think of a way to make it sound as if you were not lying?  You should take some lessons from Hillary Clinton.  And both you and Senator Clinton should get bent.

Tags: hockey, idiots, marriage

It’s not very often I feel some sort of sympathy for the flying rats of nature.  But having been shot with a blowgun during my teenage years, I can empathize with this fortunate little monster.

If I was to start eliminating the pigeon population of Pittsburgh, I would breed  peregrine falcons to do my bidding. I have thought long and hard about doing just this for the last eight or so years after seeing one of these grand predators of Pittsburgh’s skies catch a pigeon in mid-flight and tear it to pieces on a window sill of the Ewart building.

Or I would just use my cane.  One hit to the head would quickly cull the near brainless bird.

Several Seattle residents have called PETA in the past two weeks to report seeing three injured pigeons fluttering around with needle-like projectiles — about three to four inches long — piercing their heads, said Tori Perry, cruelty case worker for the Norfolk, Virginia-based organization. The birds were spotted on the 1400 block of Third Avenue and at the corner of Third Avenue and Union Street, she added.

The darts were fired from a blow gun, lodging directly behind the birds’ eyes without penetrating their brains, Perry said.

My question is, has PittGirl recently been to Seattle?  Also, why did the the shooter not tip the darts with rat poison?

Tags: blowguns, pigeons