Hi,

Tomorrow is the anniversary of Bugs Bunny’s debut (1941), the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and Muhammad Ali was stripped of his title (1967) for refusing the draft.  It is also Walprugis Night, St Walprugis of Germany was the protectoress against magic and Beltane Night one of the Greater Sabbats of the Wiccan year.

Is this royal wedding ever going to be over?  I am so tired of all of it and all the hype associated with.  I do find it kind of funny that the medias seem to be interested in interviewing anyone that has somewhat of an British accent, no matter how fake it sounds.  I also heard an interview with the woman with a “British Accent” advising on how to make a British breakfast with all of these non British food items (actually some seemed kind of odd for any ethnicity to serve for breakfast.)

My man, Greg Mortenson (of the Central Asia Institute) was on 60 Minutes a week ago, well, actually they did a special on him.  There were several detractors they interviewed, including author John Krakauer, one of Mortenson’s past donors and friends.  If you’ve read either Three Cups of Tea or Stones into Schools, Mortenson says he has no organizational skills, repeatedly.  Is he accurate that they built ten schools or six, I don’t care.  I have been know to embellish to make a story more interesting.  I don’t lie.  Is he as savvy at controlling his donations as my other favorite, Brother’s Brother is, no.  Do I care, no.  Generally, I do like 60 Minutes, but I did notice that every person they interviewed gave a negative response to Mortenson.  In a fair and unbiased segment, you would think someone would have been interviewed that had a positive response.  This may shock some of you, but I am not perfect.  Neither is Greg Mortenson.  Is he working in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet?  Is it critical for children in this poverty ridden area of the world get educated so they are not targets of extremists?  Who else is going to do this?  I think my opinion on these three questions is pretty obvious.

The City of Clairton has kicked a community out reach program and boxing club out of the building they’ve leased to the Western PA Police Athletic League because the Athletic League supposedly hasn’t kept up with their end of the bargain like maintaining the building and paying rent since 2007.  They also claim that the little building runs utilities of $1,500 a month.  My first point is who’s minding the store and let someone use the building for four years without paying rent?  My second point is who’s minding the store and not monitoring the upkeep of property the City owns?  My third point is who’s minding the store if a little structure like this building is running utilities to the tune of $1,500 a month?  I would think the City of Clairton is negligent, before and now.  And, with all the crime problems in Clairton, having a boxing club and community out reach program for disadvantaged and disenfranchised youth would be something the City should be looking into to keep running some way.  I would imagine if someone “minded the store”, they could figure out a way to keep a solution for this to keep these viable options open for kids.  I’m not saying create an “authority” that can tax and spend money.  When I was a teen, we did bake sales, hoagie sales, care washes, etc and bought a building and renovated it into a teen center.

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my.  Gargoyles are attacking Pittsburgh.  The Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation offers walking tours of the City’s Gargoyles and Architecture Monday through Fridays from 9:15 until 11:15.  Tours begin and end at Station Square (the train station the builder of my house built).  Call Karen for details at 412.471.5808 ext 527.

Some depressing news about the Strip District, Right by Nature is closing down tomorrow.  I thought since joining forces with Good Apples, LLC, I thought they were doing pretty good.  Good Apples had over 40,000 accounts for food delivery!  I know Cafe Mocha was purchasing 2,500 sandwiches, salads and wraps weekly, not bad for one customer.

It’s supposed to be a wonderful weekend, enjoy,

ed