The Syria Mosque: A Redevelopment Lesson

The Nullity's humorous musing concerning re-use of local icons prompts recollection of a worthwhile point about InsolvenCity's redevelopment projects: Oakland's Syria Mosque, a wonderful concert venue that still has not been replaced, was demolished on an expedited basis to clear prime land for a rush development project involving developers long on political connections but short on performance.

That was in 1991. Twenty years later, the site is a surface parking lot.

It could have been worse (East Liberty; Allegheny Center; etc.). But Pittsburgh lost a gem, and still doesn't have a good, midsized concert hall for anything more energetic than a Marvin Hamlisch-interprets-ABBA show.

Bonus Question: Was Jim Ferlo arrested while protesting the Syria Mosque's demolition?

Infinonytune: Soul To Soul, Stevie Ray Vaughan (Syria Mosque soundcheck, 1986)

Good News For State's 45th Senatorial Distirct

The announcement that Pennsylvania Sen. Sean Logan is resigning to take a huge cash-in community relations job at UPMC generates two immediate thoughts: Mildly good news for 45th District and Pennsylvania constituents, bad news for any community that needs relations with UPMC.

Is 'No More Fun Of Any Kind' Still A Viable Political Platform In America? We'll Know Soon

Ever wonder how many cranky old-timers who idolize Dean Wormer and mutter about "race music" are still around?

California's taking a poll.

The 12-Kids-Still-Stuck-In-Orphanage Angle Is Apparently Less Newsworthy Than 'Pittsburghers Save Haitian Earthquake Orphans ' Story Was

Reporting news that local newspapers seem unwilling or unable to cover, the Associated Press today revisits the unsettled lives of a dozen Haitian children still living in a local institution six months after being transported to Pittsburgh -- in sketchy circumstances that have created a problem for the United States Department of State -- in the wake of Haiti's devastating earthquake. (Early Returns mentions the AP report.)

If any local newsgatherer wishes to begin to cover this story, it might check whether religious discrimination tainted screening of prospective adoptive parents; whether any false declarations were made in attempting to arrange clearance to depart Haiti; or whether Haitian authorities have threatened criminal charges.

Infinonytune: Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, Stevie Nicks/Tom Petty

Making Drug Dealers Look Good: War Profiteers

Other consequences of the United States' recently military misadventures (attacking the wrong country, botching the invasion, allowing Afghanistan to drift into chaos) are far more serious and troubling, but the cultivation of obnoxious war profiteers should not be overlooked, especially as they are unmasked in court.

Your (borrowed) tax dollars at work, folks.

Masters of War deserves another spin on Infinonytunes (center column).

Pat Toomey Questions Kagan's Impartiality After Swallowing Roberts' 'Balls And Strikes' Story

Pat Toomey informs Pennsylvanians today that he would vote against Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan because he questions her "impartiality." Yet he would be an enthusiastic supporter of Chief Justice John Roberts, who told Congress he would act as a dispassionate caller of "balls and strikes," then took a Court that had been tilted 7-2 or 6-3 toward Republican nominees for many years and pulled it to the right. Toomey's position on Kagan is roughly as convincing as his campaign's claim that the nightclubs his brothers operated (with Toomey as an investor) were 'family business restaurants' that gave Toomey 'small business experience.'

Could InsolvenCity Be Serious About Addressing The City's Youth-Related Crime Problems?

It is unlikely Joanna Doven would recognize the irony in her comments concerning a local crime-prevention initiative "reaching out to young people who want to change their path," but she could come up with the name of one 30-year-old Pittsburgher -- currently being investigated by federal law enforcement officials, and therefore a natural candidate to be steered "in a positive and progressive direction" -- without letting her thoughts stray too far from her office.

Drink Tax: Busted Bars And Broke Buses

Anyone who didn't understand that a 10 percent tax -- coupled with a recession -- was going to generate economic casualties probably doesn't belong on county council (or in the governor's office).

Remember when those who enacted the drink tax claimed they were doing it to save Port Authority transit? A few years -- and a number of casualties -- later, PAT is collapsing financially, begging for a "reliable funding source."

Great Day For The Truth, Bad One For A Bunch Of Failures Who Lied, Killed, Maimed, Betrayed (And Too Often Made A Pile Of Cash Doing It)

Knowledge is good.

When the going gets weird . . . the weird turn pro.

Infinonytune: Masters of War, Bob Dylan (lyric)

Sunday Reading: Back To The Future Edition

Harrisburg: Inquiring minds understand.

One First Street N.E.: Obama 2012.

Morality: Re-Elect President Obama.

Pittsburgh, 2015: Coming to a city near you.

Bell, CA: The $800,000 city manager (with $600,000 public pension).

Fallujah: American record in Iraq just keeps getting better.

Today's Chapter In Municipal Misadventures

Sending on-duty police on debt collection runs for a used car dealership sounds like the type of municipal practice only a plaintiffs' lawyer could like.

For a small-time public official in a nondescript town, Thomas DeRosa appears to generate more than his share of headlines, none of them flattering.

The Highly Predictable Life Of Joanna Doven

Mayoral mouthpiece Joanna Doven dismisses as "predictable" the criticisms recently aimed by several Pittsburgh councilors at the parking concession proposal advanced by her boss the people manipulating her boss' strings. That criticism is likely to continue until a rickety majority of councilors -- some well-meaning, some not, all clueless -- approves the InsolvenCity Parking Garage Sale.

Here are some other things that are predictably a part of Ms. Doven's future:

1) She will join the list of those interviewed by Federal Bureau of Investigation agents concerning events associated with the mayor's office.

2) She will write a resume describing work for a "Mayor of Pittsburgh" but omitting identification of that mayor by name.

3) She will wonder why people keep mentioning Kevin Bacon's final scene in Animal House (on the sidewalk: "All is well"), and chuckling, as she walks away from them.

4) She will receive an invitation to her college graduating class' five-year reunion, at which gathering she will ask the recent law school grads to explain "qualified immunity."

5) She will encounter less competition for space on downtown sidewalks, for tables at InsolvenCity restaurants (suggested press release: "Why wait 45 minutes for a table in the suburbs when you can be seated at any downtown restaurant immediately"), and for parking spots in city business districts as Pittsburgh empties out.

Infinonytune: Shout, Otis Day & The Knights

Tale Of Two Prosecutors Unfolding On KDKA Now

Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala -- perhaps celebrating the rare day not spent finessing the interaction of a family member (or members) interaction with the criminal justice system he helps to administer -- has already begun the prosecution of accused (and seemingly depraved) murderer Tushon Brown, just one day after the arraignment. The jury preparation and public pandering segment of the prosecution is being conducted as this is being written by the D.A.'s mouthpiece, Marty Griffin, on KDKA-AM.

Looks Like Pittsburgh Gets Left Off This List

If Carnegie Mellon's "defense campus" didn't make this installment, the Post probably is going to collect its Pulitzer without explaining how Lawrenceville became the best place in town to get cut in half by submachine gun (or to find a super-kitted, "top secret" laptop in a bar parking lot).

It Isn't The Pirates' Solution, But It Is A Start

The still-hijacked Pittsburgh Baseball Club has identified a surprising simple method that enables its undermanned band of Pirates to defeat a major-league team by two runs:

You start by scoring nine runs in the first inning, then . . .

Infinonytune: Centerfield, John Fogerty