PowerBlog!

• You're Invited

  Join Pierce Events along with the National Association of Post Graduates for a holiday get together. Join us @ The Grey Box Theatre in Lawrenceville Wed. Dec 9th 3595 Butler St. Pgh, PA 15201 6pm-11pm $20.00 includes food, drinks, live Jazz, auction, valet parking Tickets are available at the door Proceeds benefit NAPG   Come on [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:24pm EST
  

• Radio Waves

  Sad passings: Joe DeNardo's wife, Dolores passed away at the age of 78. Paul Chedwick son of Porky Chedwick passed away. Former WAMO personality Sir Walter Raleigh, whose real name was John Christian, passed away late at the age of 92 Laurence Gaines who spent many years at WTAE Radio (1250) most [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:19pm EST
  

• Wal Mart becomes Brawl mart

  A 72-year-old Wal-Mart greeter near Pittsburgh was punched in the face outside his store and now is in the hospital. Surveillance video shows the employee, Thomas Jenkins, walking near the entrance to the Wal-Mart in North Versailles on Tuesday night. A man comes around the corner, punches Jenkins in the face [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:13pm EST
  

• LA Episcopal bishop vote includes gay candidates

  Clergy and laypeople voting to replace two retiring assistant bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles will choose Friday from a pool that includes two openly gay candidates. The selection of one or both of the gay candidates at the diocese's annual convention would mark the first election of a [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:08pm EST
  

• My Hero

  As our goverment develops deeper into a communist regiem everyday, it's nice to know some are fighting back in ways large and small. A U.S. Army cadet reads a book entitled "Kill Bin Laden" as he waits with other cadets for U.S. President Barack Obama to deliver an address on U.S. [...]
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  Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:02pm EST
  

• Dismantling America

  As a country we have faced many threats in our history. First from British rule, then our own civil war, World War I & II, Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, The Soviet Empire, Iraq, Iran. Afgahistan and countless others. At each conflict we have risen to defend the vision and gift our founding [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 9:40am EDT
  

• State senator pushes plan to shrink Legislature

  A Schuylkill County senator is pushing a new plan to reduce the size of the Legislature -- eventually. Read More [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 9:01am EDT
  

• Clarifying Pittsburgh’s Employment Picture

  Pittsburgh's mayoral race has produced some heated rhetoric about the jobs situation in the City. One candidate has criticized the Mayor's characterization of the unemployment situation as being better than the state and nation, saying that it's offensive to those out of work and that the region's September unemployment rate [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 8:59am EDT
  

• The Kennedy Legacy

  Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Tobin of Providence has asked Senator Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) to discuss health care legislation and life issues with him. The invitation follows a heated exchange in which Kennedy said the Catholic bishops were acting "against the biggest social justice issue of our time" by opposing abortion-funding [...]
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  Posted: October 30, 2009, 8:56am EDT
  

• THE OVERWHELMS STRATAGY

  It is no secret to those who know me that I am a conservative and so it is no surprise that I am opposed to most, if not everything, the Obama Administration is doing. When fighting against someone like Obama and his minions it is important to have a strategy. [...]
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  Posted: October 27, 2009, 8:59am EDT
  

• A CALL TO ACTION

  I know we are all busy trying to keep our heads above water in today’s economy. As I look around I have never seen a threat to our country as I do today – not even 9-11. The threat is not from some crazy religious zealots but from within. I [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 8:40am EDT
  

• Glenn Beck and Anita Dunn

  If any of you watched Glenn Beck on Thursday you saw Anita Dunn extoll the virtues of Chairman Mao at a commencement speech she gave at St Andrews Episcopal School. www.saes.org.I sent the following letter to Ms. Beach, Academic Dean, for the class of 2008.Ms. Beach,I am not a parent [...]
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  Posted: October 16, 2009, 7:57am EDT
  

• Radio Waves

  WAOB calls now grace 860 The ledgendary call letters WAMO are now up for grabs as WAOB now graces AM 860 as well as FM 106.7. The FM callsign was changed a few weeks ago. Will Eddie Edwards grab WAMO for 660?  Edwards is purchasing Alex Langer's WPYT (660), a 1,400-watt daytime-only [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:11am EDT
  

• Pitt, Penn State tuition fates ride on table games decision

  Whether students at the University of Pittsburgh will bear another tuition increase could depend on whether the Legislature approves table games. Read More [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:02am EDT
  

• NFL - No Foreign Language

  If you saw Monday night football you might have noticed something a bit strange. No not the awful uniforms, but a referee making a call in Spanish. Latinos are celebrating their heritage this month and while I have no reason to object, changing and American icon such as Monday Night [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 10:00am EDT
  

• ###

  Host photos [...]
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  Posted: October 07, 2009, 1:47pm EDT
  

• More Tax = Less Freedom

  BUSINESS & ECONOMYAround the Nation: Tax Foundation Report on the StatesA report just released by the Tax Foundation has given the unwelcome title of least "business-friendly" states to -- no surprises here -- New Jersey, New York and California. On the other end of the spectrum is South Dakota, which [...]
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  Posted: October 03, 2009, 3:05pm EDT
  

• Rants and Raves

  I've missed so much being too busy to post. The Death of Uncle Teddy created an uproar among Catholics who saw his funeral mass as a slap in the face. Kennedy was about as faithful a Catholic as Marilynn Manson. Still, I see a funeral as being more for the' [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 11:06am EDT
  

• NEW VIDEO: When it Matters Most, Arlen Specter is for Arlen Specter

  Team Toomey released a new web video and we want our readers to be the first to see it. The video speaks for itself, but we need your help to spread the word. Toomey for U.S. Senate | NEW VIDEO: When it Matters Most, Arlen Specter is for Arlen Specter [...]
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  Posted: September 25, 2009, 10:36am EDT
  

• Children Chant for Obama

  This was filmed around June 19, 2009 at the B. Bernice Young Elementary School in Burlington, NJ. Check out the indoctrination of our school children. Where are the parents of these children? Your first job as a parent is to protect them and keep them safe. Click Here to View [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2009, 1:38pm EDT
  

• THE BUS ROLLS ON

  President Obama’s speech at the UN yesterday shows that the president is not above throwing anyone under the bus. Recently we have seen Van Jones, ACORN, and now the Jewish State of Israel. His speech yesterday clearly demonstrated that he has thrown one of our strongest allies under the bus. [...]
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  Posted: September 24, 2009, 9:20am EDT
  

• KILL GRANDMA PUT NEWSPAPERS ON LIFE SUPPORT

  KILL GRANDMA AND PUT NEWSPAPERS ON LIFE SUPPORTFrom the Hill.com :Obama open to newspaper bailout billBy Michael O'Brien - 09/20/09 04:24 PM ETThe president said he is "happy to look at" bills before Congress that would give struggling news organizations tax breaks if they were to restructure as nonprofit businesses."I'" [...]
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  Posted: September 21, 2009, 3:03pm EDT
  

• Pennsylvania Criminal Representatives

  On Sept 17, 2009 the US House of Representatives voted on a bill to defund ACORN, the criminal enterprising community action group. This is the group has been recently exposed by Fox News and a few other responsible news outlets for there laundry list of crimes which included using tax [...]
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  Posted: September 18, 2009, 2:06pm EDT
  

• CASEY VOTES TO SUPPORT PROSTITUTION

  I sent this article to Senator Casey before it was published and I asked for a response. As one might guess I have not heard from him.Senator Casey Votes to Support Brothel’s Prostitution, Child Sex Slave Business and Voter Fraud.On Sept 14, 2009 US Senator Robert Casey D-PA voted against [...]
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  Posted: September 17, 2009, 10:56am EDT
  

• A Letter To Spector

  Senator On March 24 2009 you stated your intention to vote no to the card check bill. In fact you stated: "This announcement should end the rumor mill that I have made some deal for my political advantage. I have not traded my vote in the past and I would not do" [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 9:06am EDT
  

• Former Pa. judges indicted in kids-for-cash scheme

  Two former Pennsylvania judges were indicted Wednesday on federal racketeering charges in connection with a scheme to place juvenile offenders in privately owned detention centers. A federal grand jury in Harrisburg returned a 48-count indictment against former Luzerne County Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella Jr., who are accused of taking [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 9:04am EDT
  

• Go Green, don't have children

  'Contraception cheapest way to combat climate change'...  says the London School of Economics. Contraception is almost five times cheaper as a means of preventing climate change than conventional green technologies. Then who are we saving the earth for??? Story [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 9:01am EDT
  

• The Terminal Helath Care Plan

  The speech last night in my opinion did more harm than good. The president attempted to make his points by slamming the Bush administration. That will play well with Bush haters, but not those whom Mr. Obama is attempting to woo. Obama said the changes he wants would cost about $900 [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 8:58am EDT
  

• G-20 security closings

  A secure restricted zone will be set up in an area near the convention center between 8 p.m. on Sept. 23 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 25. Roads that will be affected include major thoroughfares Penn Avenue and 10th Street. Click here for a .pdf map of the security perimeter. Scroll [...]
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  Posted: September 10, 2009, 8:37am EDT
  

• House Orders Up Three Elite Jets

  Proving they have no grasp of reality, the House approved nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy three elite Gulfstream jets for ferrying top government officials and Members of Congress.The Air Force had asked for one Gulfstream 550 jet (price tag: about $65 million) as part of an [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2009, 9:53am EDT
  

• Obama’s Approval Rating Dropping Like A Rock

  Exactly half of the registered voters surveyed from July 27 to Aug. 3 said they approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 42 percent who disapprove. That’s down from 57 percent approval and 33 percent disapproval in a poll taken in late June.The poll found that voters disapprove [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2009, 9:48am EDT
  

• Catholic Radio Update

  The FCC has approved the sale of WAMO-AM/FM (860/106.7) and WPGR-AM (1510).Some of the minor obstacles have been dealt with while some are still in the process of being worked out.An objection to the sale, filed by a WAMO listener, was downplayed by the FCC. Originally called a "petition to" [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 10:11am EDT
  

• Obama's Broken Promises

  Well that's didn't take long. 2 Obama administration officials can't guarantee middle-class Americans won't see tax hike. That's means get ready, here they come!President Barack Obama's treasury secretary said Sunday he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit, and his chief economic adviser would not' [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 10:03am EDT
  

• Police say church fest was a drug fest

  It was not your typical worship service.People working like cocktail waitresses walked the crowd, selling "Ganja" treats -- including Rice Krispies snacks believed to be laced with marijuana, according to authorities.A total of 22 people were arrested Saturday evening as the Fayette County Drug Task Force raided the 47-acre Bullskin [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 9:57am EDT
  

• Stimulus Bill Gives Boost to San Francisco Offensive Art Venues

  When Congress approved the $787 billion dollar stimulus package, lawmakers hailed the move as necessary to jumpstart the economy and rescue the American people from a deep recession. However, according to FOXNews.com, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has spent a small slice of its $80 million stimulus dollars [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 9:52am EDT
  

• The City’s New Architects

  A coalition of community activists, environmental groups, and labor unions are becoming increasingly vocal on how development is supposed to look in Pittsburgh-one City Council member called them "a politically powerful force to reckon with" and we can see firsthand the result of their efforts. The URA tells a hotel [...]
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  Posted: July 30, 2009, 5:08pm EDT
  

• Rendell idea -- Pass budget, then he'll veto most of it

  If House and Senate conferees aren't close to a new state budget by Monday, Gov. Ed Rendell will ask the House to enact a $27.1 billion proposal the Senate has already approved, and then he will use a line-item veto to eliminate three-fourths of its expenditures. Read More' [...]
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  Posted: July 30, 2009, 5:06pm EDT
  

• Health Scare

  Careful what you wish for... you just might get it.We wish for change and we got it.We wished for hope and we got it.Now I hope for stop to all the change. Especially when it comes to healthcare.Read just A few highlights from the first 500 pages of the Healthcare [...]
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  Posted: July 30, 2009, 4:55pm EDT
  

• Oscar Mayer Dies

  Oscar G. Mayer, retired chairman of the Wisconsin-based meat processing company that bears his name, has died at the age of 95. [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2009, 2:54pm EDT
  

• Who wrote this script?

  It's like a bad B movie. Al Franken gets elected Senator by court order and Alec Baldwin wants to be cast in the role of congressman.Is this some twisted game where if you are some whacked out liberal who's name starts with the letters A & L you get a [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2009, 2:40pm EDT
  

• Madonna Not Welcome on Holy Day

  A Polish Catholic group said it planned prayer sessions to protest a concert by US superstar Madonna in Warsaw on August 15, which is when Catholics honor the Virgin Mary. Madonna has often angered faithful Christians in the past not only with her racy shows but also with on-stage antics [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2009, 2:36pm EDT
  

• Busy These Days

  I have not been able to post here much. Running Pierce Events has taken up much of my time. I am seeking those who wish to contribute their thoughts and opinions to PowerBlog!. Post as much or as little as you like. I only ask that you keep it respectful. [...]
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  Posted: July 08, 2009, 2:25pm EDT
  

• Rendell calls for increase in Pa. income tax

  Gov. Rendell's proposal to increase the state income tax to cover a gaping deficit ran headlong into a Republican wall of opposition, proving quickly to be a new flash point in an already contentious budget process. Read More [...]
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  Posted: June 17, 2009, 1:12pm EDT
  

• Pennsylvania’s Parlous Predicament

  The normal rite of spring known as the budget battle in Harrisburg is fast becoming a struggle for the future of Pennsylvania. As a result of the serious recession and declining revenue the state must deal with a large deficit in the current fiscal year and figure out what to [...]
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  Posted: June 17, 2009, 12:57pm EDT
  

• Businesses Balk at Pittsburgh Promise Program

  According to a Tribune Review report, the Pittsburgh business community has not warmed to the Pittsburgh Promise program. This is the program that plans to offer college scholarships to virtually all graduates of Pittsburgh’s high schools. So far the Promise fund has garnered only $51,000 from businesses while most of [...]
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  Posted: May 18, 2009, 9:33am EDT
  

• WAMO sales becomes "relevant"

  Sheridan Broadcasting Corporation has decided to sell WAMO-FM 106.7 and WAMO-AM 860 to St. Joseph Missions. Also included in the package is WPGR-AM 1510, which was acquired by Sheridan in 2001.St Joseph Missions purchased the station for a reported 8.9 million and will broadcast Catholic Christian programming to listeners throughout [...]
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  Posted: May 18, 2009, 9:18am EDT
  

• Welcome to our tent

  Check out the op-ed piece by Pat Toomey on our sister site that we developed for Pat Toomey.You'll find it here' [...]
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  Posted: May 18, 2009, 9:14am EDT
  

• Pope in Israel calls for Palestinian homeland

  Pope Benedict XVI called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian homeland immediately after he arrived in Israel Monday, a stance that could put him at odds with his hosts on a trip aimed at easing strains between the Vatican and Jews. The pope also took on the delicate issue [...]
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  Posted: May 11, 2009, 9:25am EDT
  

• Where Will the Chief Executive Take Assessments Next?

  Having recently lost a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case regarding his base-year assessment scheme, the County Executive is now threatening to take the case to Federal court. Considering the lawsuit losing streak the Executive and County Council are on, it might be wise to take a deep breath and consider the [...]
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  Posted: May 11, 2009, 9:20am EDT
  

• Supreme Court Tosses Out Allegheny County’s Base Year Assessments

  ‘…We hold that the base year method property valuation, as applied in Allegheny County, violates the Uniformity Clause. We therefore agree that a countywide reassessment is required and remand this matter to the trial court for implementation of that mandate consistent with this Opinion.’ So said the Pennsylvania Supreme Court [...]
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  Posted: May 11, 2009, 9:19am EDT
  

• Specter goes to the back of the Senate seniority line

  Democrats have stripped new convert Arlen Specter of his seniority on Senate committees, raising questions about his ability to look out for Pennsylvania's interests in Washington. Read More [...]
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  Posted: May 07, 2009, 12:21pm EDT
  

• Senate draws line in sand, OKs no-tax increase budget

  The Pennsylvania Senate threw down its marker Wednesday, approving a $27.3 billion, no-tax-increase budget that Gov. Ed Rendell has said he has no interest in signing. Read More [...]
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  Posted: May 07, 2009, 12:21pm EDT
  

• Ridge could decide soon on run for state Senate seat

  Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is edging closer to a run for U.S. Senate and could decide as soon as next week, people familiar with his thinking say. Read More [...]
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  Posted: May 07, 2009, 12:20pm EDT
  

• The Spector Fallout

  A series of odd incidents that have proceeded from Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's party switch last week have raised questions about whether the newest Democrat has permanently damaged himself in the eyes of the state's voters.The White House is concerned enough about the developments that deputy chief of staff Jim [...]
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  Posted: May 07, 2009, 12:06pm EDT
  

• Radio Waves

  Clear Channel lays off another 590 Most of the pink slips landed in programming (on and off-air), engineering, I.T., and “business office” jobs such as traffic and continuity. Some familiar on-air names are missing. The 590 cuts today are on top of the 1,850 positions eliminated on January 20.Many of [...]
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  Posted: April 29, 2009, 9:30am EDT
  

• Push for City-County Merger Continues Despite Flaws and Unpopularity

  Not since the Regional Renaissance Initiative debacle has so much study group brainpower, City and County elected official political muscle, and high powered civic leadership influence been employed to promote a governmental change. For some reason these folks have become besotted with the hopelessly ill-conceived non-solution of merging the City [...]
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  Posted: April 29, 2009, 9:30am EDT
  

• What Big Eyes You Have Senator

  Hang the "I Told You So" banner and let's have a party. Sen. Spector has left the building.The guest list should include Rudy Giuliani, President Bush, Rick Santorum, John Cornyn and most of the GOP who went to bat multiple times for Spector. "He a good guy, we need him" [...]
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  Posted: April 29, 2009, 9:22am EDT
  

• The race is on!

  A recent Rasmussen Reports poll shows Pat Toomey with a dominating 51%-30% lead over RINO Senator Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary.It's clear that Keystone State Republicans are upset with Specter over his multiple defections to the left, and it's great to see Toomey with the lead, but [...]
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  Posted: April 25, 2009, 9:35pm EDT
  

• The border for dummies

  The National Post offers this:Can someone please tell us how U. S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano got her job? She appears to be about as knowledgeable about border issues as a late-night radio call-in yahoo.In an interview broadcast Monday on the CBC, Ms. Napolitano attempted to justify her [...]
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  Posted: April 22, 2009, 3:10pm EDT
  

• Latino pastor group urges census boycott

  NEWARK, N.J. — A nationwide group of Latino ministers has a message for illegal immigrants: Stand up, but refuse to be counted in the 2010 U.S. census. Read More [...]
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  Posted: April 22, 2009, 3:08pm EDT
  

• Museums lobby for continuing state funding

  Soldiers & Sailors Hall President Ron Gancas and Pittsburgh Children's Museum Director Jane Werner went to Harrisburg yesterday in effort to save a $3.5 million state appropriation for Pennsylvania museums and historical associations. Read More [...]
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  Posted: April 22, 2009, 3:08pm EDT
  

• Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board chair Colins to resign, says

  Two Republican lawmakers who clashed with her say Mary DiGiacomo Colins soon will leave her post as chair of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The governor's office would not confirm it Tuesday. Read More [...]
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  Posted: April 22, 2009, 3:07pm EDT
  

• Threat to 'God-given' right spurs gun owners' rally in Harrisburg

  About 1,000 gun owners rallied Tuesday to protect what some called a "God-given" right to bear arms as elected leaders reacted to the slayings of three Pittsburgh police officers with calls for gun control. Read More [...]
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  Posted: April 22, 2009, 3:06pm EDT
  

• Bank of Obama

  By STUART VARNEYI must be naive. I really thought the administration would welcome the return of bank bailout money. Some $340 million in TARP cash flowed back this week from four small banks in Louisiana, New York, Indiana and California. This isn't much when we routinely talk in trillions, but' [...]
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  Posted: April 06, 2009, 10:27am EDT
  

• Government Wage Mandate Squeezes Low-Income Homebuyers

  In an attempt to revitalize some of Pittsburgh’s declining neighborhoods, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), in conjunction with neighborhood community organizations are embarking on a project to put homes for low-income buyers on the City’s vacant lots. The problem is that the prices for these new subsidized houses are much [...]
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  Posted: April 06, 2009, 10:24am EDT
  

• Notre Dame Student Coalition Announces Demonstration Palm Sunday Against Obama Honor

  The University of Notre Dame student coalition, ND Response, consisting of 12 different on-campus student groups are demanding that the University not bestow an Honorary Law Degree to President Obama during the May 17th commencement ceremonies. Full Story [...]
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  Posted: April 06, 2009, 10:09am EDT
  

• Government Invades Detroit

  President Obama and his team have ousted GM CEO Rick Wagoner. While Wagoner may be to blame for the faltering auto makers current condition, a President to demand a management change and a private company is unheard of until now.The Obama administration auto task force rejected the turnaround plans of [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 11:03am EDT
  

• 96 state workers paid more than Gov. Rendell

  If you want power and fame, run for governor. But if you want wealth, be a professor, a bean counter or a turnpike czar. At least 96 state employees are paid more than Gov. Ed Rendell, whose salary is $174,435. All together, at least 656 have salaries in excess of [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 10:59am EDT
  

• Rendell's latest hire worked for Veon

  Gov. Ed Rendell lifted his state hiring freeze to place on his payroll ex-state Rep. Mike Veon's lobbying partner for $102,500 a year. Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 10:58am EDT
  

• Common Sense for Mayoral Candidates

  This year, Pittsburgh voters will cast ballots for the office of Mayor. The four year term will last until the beginning of 2014. What will the City look like then? It is very difficult to imagine in light of all the major issues the City faces and all the changes [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 10:58am EDT
  

• 95% of US Should be Mad

  How many times did we hear it in the campaign? "95% of Americans will receive a tax cut under the Obama plan".As they say down south.... "Horsepucky!"All that talk about Fiscal Restraint has turned into $8.8 Trillion In Debt. They said they would go "line by line" to enforce fiscal [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 10:41am EDT
  

• On The Radar

  Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis (and strong supporter of the Employee Free Choice Act) has so many ties to dirty money, it’s unbelievable. Read Here Rep. Jeff Flake doesn’t give up. Check out how Rep. John Murtha could finally get the investigation he deserves. HerePENCE SAYS GOP BUDGET COMING THIS [...]
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  Posted: March 30, 2009, 10:34am EDT
  

• The same company redeveloping a former department store and an old five-and-dime shop on Fifth Avenue is adding to its real estate holdings Downtown w

  The Irish are fighting in Notre Dame! Bishop John D'Arcy, the Catholic bishop of South Bend, Indiana, will not attend graduation ceremonies at the University of Notre Dame because he uphold the teaching of the church and disagrees with the stem-cell research and abortion views of the commencement speaker President' [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 10:14am EDT
  

• Piatt company to buy State Office Building; State offices on move

  The same company redeveloping a former department store and an old five-and-dime shop on Fifth Avenue is adding to its real estate holdings Downtown with a $4.6 million deal to buy the State Office Building. Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 10:11am EDT
  

• Beer distributors fight sales by supermarkets

  The Pennsylvania Malt Beverage Distributors want the state Supreme Court to review a recent lower-court ruling that allows beer to be sold in supermarkets, claiming that if the ruling stands it could lead to "beer sales almost anywhere." Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 10:10am EDT
  

• Specter to deliver key vote against unions

  In a blow to the labor movement's chief congressional priority, Sen. Arlen Specter said he will vote to block a measure designed to make it easier for unions to organize workplaces. His decision, announced in a speech on the Senate floor, appears likely to leave its Democratic sponsors one vote [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 10:07am EDT
  

• Specter trails in Senate race, poll says

  Longtime Sen. Arlen Specter is trailing a Republican rival in the race for the 2010 Senate seat, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll released this morning. Mr. Specter trails former Congressman Pat Toomey, 41 to 27 percent, the poll said. Twenty-eight percent are undecided, however. "Pennsylvania Republicans are so" [...]
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  Posted: March 25, 2009, 10:04am EDT
  

• Tax Attack

  Does anyone understand we are being held hostage by our government? When tax code is written to punish a small and specific group of individuals, things are out of hand.Lawmakers voted decisively Thursday to impose a 90 percent tax on millions of dollars in employee bonuses paid by troubled insurance [...]
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  Posted: March 20, 2009, 10:32am EDT
  

• Differences in Municipal Taxes and Spending

  As discussions of a City-County merger continue and issues surrounding local economic competitiveness are always a concern, it is worthwhile to examine the taxing and spending levels of the region’s municipalities to gain some insight into the differences that could play a role in any potential referendum on a merger [...]
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  Posted: March 20, 2009, 10:31am EDT
  

• Spector - Toomey "The Sequal"

  If you read this blog back in 2004, it's no secret that I backed Congressman Pat Toomey in his effort to defeat Sen. Arlan Spector. I even helped out on the Toomey campaign.The decision of Sen. Rick Santorum at the time to back Spector over Toomey left a bad taste [...]
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  Posted: March 20, 2009, 9:43am EDT
  

• ACORN to Play Role in 2010 Census

  The U.S. Census Bureau is working with several national organizations to help recruit 1.4 million workers to produce the country's 2010 census, including one with a history of voter fraud charges: ACORN.Full Story [...]
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  Posted: March 18, 2009, 9:56am EDT
  

• Obama on Auto: Thank Me, Thank Me Very Much

  Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen was just a few paragraphs into an address in Washington when he realised it all sounded a bit too familiar. He was repeating the speech President Barack Obama had just read from the same teleprompter.Mr Cowen stopped, turned to the president and said: "That's your" [...]
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  Posted: March 18, 2009, 9:49am EDT
  

• Chaplain Resigns Over "God" Ban

  Chaplains still speak freely of the Almighty in private sessions with patients or families but, the Rev. Mirta Signorelli said: "I can't do chaplain's work if I can't say 'God' — if I'm scripted."Hospice CEO Paula Alderson said the ban on religious references applies only to the inspirational messages that' [...]
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  Posted: March 18, 2009, 9:44am EDT
  

• AIG Bonuses - Pay The Stupidity Fine

  By Shaun PierceHey you with the pitchfork marching off to AIG ... can I talk to you for a moment?Everyone is outraged at the bonus money being paid to some suits at AIG. I understand the reaction. I never was handed a bonus for doing a bad job. That means [...]
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  Posted: March 18, 2009, 9:05am EDT
  

• Pennsylvania lawmakers have history of criminal prosecution

  During the past decade, Pennsylvania lawmakers have faced criminal prosecution on charges ranging from entertaining underage prostitutes and charging it to the state, to extorting trips to Disney World. Lawmakers and former lawmakers who have faced legal problems: Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 17, 2009, 5:41pm EDT
  

• Corbett explores run for Pa. governor

  Two-term state Attorney General Tom Corbett has taken his first official step toward a run for governor. Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 17, 2009, 5:40pm EDT
  

• Turzai calls for state income tax cut

  House Republicans, led by Rep. Mike Turzai want to reduce state revenue by cutting the personal income tax rate to 2.99 percent -- down from the current 3.07 percent, where it's been since Gov. Ed Rendell pushed through an increase that took effect in January 2004.The income tax is paid [...]
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  Posted: March 17, 2009, 5:35pm EDT
  

• Rendell may remove Turnpike commissioner tied to Fumo

  Gov. Ed Rendell said today he isn't sure if he'll try to remove Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Chairman Mitchell Rubin, whose name came up during the just-ended public corruption trial of ex-Sen. Vincent Fumo.Mr. Rubin is married to former Fumo aide Ruth Arnao, who also was convicted yesterday on corruption charges, [...]
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  Posted: March 17, 2009, 5:23pm EDT
  

• Judge scolds feuding House Democrats

  A Common Pleas judge has told two groups of feuding House Democrats to try to resolve, by Wednesday, a dispute that has led one side to file a lawsuit against the other. Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 16, 2009, 10:18am EDT
  

• E-mail may tie DeWeese to scandal

  An e-mail provided to defense attorneys in the so-called Bonusgate case might contradict former House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese's longstanding claim that he knew nothing about state-paid bonuses for campaign work. Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 16, 2009, 10:18am EDT
  

• Senator presses again for beer keg registration

  Could the 17th time be the charm? Every year since 1992, state Sen. Stewart Greenleaf has introduced a keg-registration bill. This year, the proposal has gotten farther than it ever has, said Greenleaf, a Republican who represents Montgomery and Bucks counties. Read More [...]
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  Posted: March 16, 2009, 10:17am EDT
  

• House Republicans Hopeful Stimulus Oversight Committee Will Protect Taxpayers, Stop Waste

  Former Erie congressman will serve on panel created to track how Pennsylvania uses roughly $18 billion from the massive spending plan signed into law in February.Members of Pennsylvania’s Republican Congressional Delegation are encouraged that the Keystone State will be among the first in the nation to create an oversight committee [...]
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  Posted: March 16, 2009, 10:13am EDT
  

• Christians optimistic but disappointed in Obama

  This story is so stupid I had to post it. It's like sticking your hand in a fire and being surprised you get burned!Conservative evangelical and Catholic leaders who went out on a political limb (aka abandoning core beliefs) by aligning themselves with the Obama administration are expressing feelings ranging [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2009, 10:05am EDT
  

• Zubik to hold service to apologize for wrongs by church

  Bishop David Zubik of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will hold a prayer service April 7 to apologize to anyone who has ever been hurt by someone acting in the name of the Catholic Church. "If you have been harmed by the church in any way, I invite you to" [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2009, 10:02am EDT
  

• $10 Million Cleared For Take Off

  The renovation of a runway at Pittsburgh International Airport, which is mostly used at night for noise abatement reasons, will be one of the first projects to receive federal stimulus funds for airports around the country. Do we have pot holes on the runway now?The Federal Aviation Authority will allocate [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2009, 9:59am EDT
  

• Vendors venting over fire contract

  What does Sweden, Ohio and Pittsburgh have in common?Pittsburgh firehouses are getting new systems for venting diesel exhaust fumes, but some vendors are raising a stink about a city process that excluded American-made products and local installation teams in favor of an Ohio firm that installs imported equipment from Swedish [...]
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  Posted: March 13, 2009, 9:32am EDT
  

• Bishop's mansion for sale

  I was working on an MTV style show called "Clergy Cribs" and this story breaks:If you want to buy the Gilded Age mansion in Oakland that has been the home of five Pittsburgh bishops, you'll need $2.5 million and enough extra cash to update a large kitchen and six bathrooms.Inside' [...]
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  Posted: March 12, 2009, 9:44am EDT
  

• City Council to vote on ban on couches, mattresses on porches

  Having a couch, love seat or spare mattress on your porch could be illegal in Pittsburgh if City Council makes final a tentative vote it took yesterday.All of the council members present voted for legislation banning mattresses, box springs, sofas and upholstered chairs from non-enclosed porches, primarily to prevent the [...]
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  Posted: March 12, 2009, 9:40am EDT
  

• Pittsburgh 14th Most Unhappy City

  In 2007 Pittsburgh was rated as ‘America’s Most Livable City’ (Places Rated Almanac), and this past January it was crowned as the 6th best city in ‘Top Ten Places Where They are Hiring’ (Forbes). Both of these rankings received a lot of media coverage and were embraced by local officials [...]
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  Posted: March 12, 2009, 9:34am EDT
  

• Casino Led Renaissance?

  Speaking at the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership’s annual meeting, Mayor Ravenstahl told his audience that 2008 building permits for large scale projects ($10 million or greater) showed that Pittsburgh was experiencing its third renaissance. Does the permit data really suggest yet another renaissance is underway? Unfortunately for the Mayor, a closer [...]
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  Posted: March 12, 2009, 9:32am EDT