Brewed On Grant: Cinderella Darlene
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 05 June 2013.

City Council President Darlene Harris switched her party registration to Independent so she would be eligible to compete for mayor in the general election. Does she really think she has a shot? Or is there some odd conspiracy being cooked up between Harris and the current mayor?

JIM: You seem to have lost interest in your blog. Is everything OK?

DAVE: Yeah, I just don't really have anything to say. I'm really, really quietly observing.

JIM: Well, you could at least blog about having nothing to say then. You are leaving your loyal readers hanging.

DAVE: Perhaps I will do that.

Taste Test
Written by Rob Rogers on Thursday, 23 May 2013.

Wow! The voters of Pittsburgh stood up to the democratic machine. They said "no" to politics as usual. It's enough to give a cynic hope.

Mayor-to-be Bill Peduto.

Brewed On Grant: Soap Opera
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 01 May 2013.

Jack Wagner has run for a lot of offices. He's been City Council President, a State Senator and State Auditor General. He has also run unsuccessfully for mayor and governor. Now, with Luke out of the way, he has jumped into the mayor's race at the last minute. If this doesn't work out, maybe he can run for governor again.

I have two observations from the weekend.

Mayoral candidate Jack Wagner is called stoic, but what he really is is boring.

I like Justin Timberlake. I don't want to, but I can't help myself.

Gun Legislation
Written by Rob Rogers on Friday, 12 April 2013.

Yes, the Senate is considering some mild changes to the gun laws and then the House will do the same. But don't be fooled. They will never change their true religion.

Many of my friends know that for many years I depended on the opinions of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert when deciding what movies to go see or to rent. After Gene Siskel died, the opinions of Roger Ebert became the gold standard. Both men were reportedly special people and talented columnists, and they both died too young.

Brewed On Grant: Peduto Magic
Written by Rob Rogers on Wednesday, 03 April 2013.

Pittsburgh's mayoral race has turned into a wild political ride. First Luke, Peduto and Lamb were in. Then, Luke was out. Then everybody and his mother jumped in. Then, after thinking about it for a week or so, a bunch of people dropped out. Now there are only four left. Peduto is still one of them.
 

Sometimes I think highlights just don't work. These are the worst I've ever seen. Even worse than Pam Oliver.

These are Pittsburgh's five mayoral candidates. They were obviously seated a little close together for this photo. Poor Bill Peduto looks incredibly uncomfortable.

Orie Melvin resigns; governor has chance to appoint new justice
Convicted justice to depart May 1
March 26, 2013 12:12 am
By Timothy McNulty / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Republican Gov. Tom Corbett will have to reach across the aisle to fill a seventh seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which has been deadlocked for nearly a year.

Suspended Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin submitted her resignation Monday, a month after she was convicted on public corruption charges. She is due to be sentenced May 7 and in a letter to Gov. Corbett, she said "it is with deep regret and a broken heart" that she tendered her resignation, effective May 1.

"It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of this Commonwealth for the past 28 years, and I am deeply saddened that I am not able to fulfill my commission."


http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/state/orie-melvin-resigns-governor-has-chance-to-appoint-new-justice-680887/

Frozen Gun Laws
Written by Rob Rogers on Sunday, 24 March 2013.

Despite all the talk by Obama and others about stricter gun laws in the wake of the Newtown massacre, it looks like once again Congress won't have the courage to take on assault weapons. This is just sad.

A softer side of Katherine Webb, just for Mr. Blondie.

Al Franken has had an interesting path to the U.S. Senate. Do you remember way back when he was on "Saturday Night Live," he had a small part in the movie "Trading Places" as one of the two guys entrusted to guard a gorilla on a train on New Year's Eve? He's come a long way, to be sure.

Mayoral Mess 
Written by Rob Rogers on Tuesday, 05 March 2013.

Boy Mayor, the cartoonist's gift that keeps on giving, will no longer be giving after 2013. That's right, folks. The juice box comes with an expiration date.

Big Wheel Down
Written by Rob Rogers on Monday, 04 March 2013.

Luke Ravenstahl shocked the region when he said he wouldn't be seeking another term as mayor. Nobody is sadder about the news than I am.
 

Although there have not been any major snowfalls in this part of the country this winter, it still seems like it has been a long, laborious winter. There have been numerous smaller snowfalls, and it has been bloody cold. As for me, it's been an unpleasant winter. I guess it's possible that I'm getting soft as I get older. I probably am. This winter has been so miserable for me, personally, that I am hoping, however fantastically, that this will be my last winter in Pittsburgh. I'm hoping that once I get my health issues worked out that I will be able to move my life to Florida and join my parents down there year round. There are so many things that I would miss about living in Pittsburgh, as I truly love this city. But I feel as though the writing is on the wall. And it says move to Florida.

What is the appropriate time in the morning for people to start using their snow blowers?

What's up with the commercials with Stephen Dorff for electronic cigarettes? What's an electronic cigarette? It's weird seeing commercials on TV for cigarettes. Other than on "Mad Men."