No Build-A-Bear for These Two

Well, it seems financial impropriety has hit two of Pittsburgh's biggest learning institutions, the University of Pittsburgh and my alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University. According to a recent article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the two universities entrusted Westridge Capital Management with a combined $114 million. Apparently all of the money is gone, and both schools are suing Westridge's Paul Greenwood and Stephen Walsh of fraud. Boy, am I glad I didn't donate during the last alumni appeal!

Fraud--I'll say, since the two allegedly stole more than half a billion dollars from their clients. I'll also charge them with extremely bad taste, since their laundry list of purchases include Steiff teddy bears, some more than $80,000 each. Half a billion buys a lot of teddy bears, even $80,000 ones, as well as rare books, condos, cars, and gifts to current and former spouses.

Investigators are theorizing that Greenwood and Walsh devised a Ponzi scheme not unlike the now infamous case of Bernie Madoff. According to the P-G article, Mr. Greenwood told Pitt's assistant treasurer about four weeks ago that they had $2.8 billion under management--though that number is now in question. And on February 2nd, Pitt sent an additional $5 million to be invested.

I'm really torn deciding who should be blamed more: Westridge, for duping all of its clients, or Pitt and CMU, who were gullible enough to be duped (Isn't CMU's Tepper School of Business supposed to be one of the Top 10 Business Schools in the US?). But here's the bad news, latest news stories report that it is unlikely that Pitt or CMU will get even pennies back on the $114 million they invested.

I have to hand it to Greenwood and Walsh for completely going through half a billion dollars and having little or nothing to show for it--well done! Were you trying to do a remake of Brewster's Millions? Even when my beloved Independence Air went belly up and the bankruptcy court divvied up everything, I got back nearly two-thirds of what they owed me. Now I'm feeling not so bad giving a start-up airline some of my money. At least I got enough back for one of those fancy teddy bears--albeit the Build-A-Bear kind.

All Atwitter about Twitter

My days being on the forefront of cyber technology stopped in 1991 when I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. At CMU, I was exposed to a thing that had been around since the 1970's, but when I attended CMU, usage was still primarily confined to governmental and academic environs and to text-only newsgroups (we called them "b-boards" at CMU). It was kind of cool to be able to communicate with people all over the world in this smallish community. Of course, since then the internet exploded into what has become a normal part of everyday existence for most everyone.

In the years since graduation, I have relied on twentysomethings--or friends who date twentysomethings--to keep me up on the latest technology. Sure, I knew that my cell phone could send and receive text messages, but it wasn't until I had two exchange students living with me last year that I became more versed, so to speak, in its usage. And I've since found it's a very useful tool--sort of an on-the-road email alternative.

I've only recently gotten a Facebook account (thank you, Katie), and to my surprise I've already racked up over 50 friends. Facebook, in case you aren't familiar with it, allows users to have a kind of mini-web site where they can post pictures, add a profile, and connect and talk to other users. While I don't think I'll ever be as enamoured as some of my friends about it, it's a nice way to reconnect with old friends and keep people in the loop as to what you are doing. My ambivalence about Facebook is probably a good thing, because I could easily see how this could become an addiction.

The newest cyber technology is Twitter. Twitter is something I had seen on my friend Andy's excellent Dark Ufo web site, a central depository for all things Lost, but never looked into it or thought too much about it. Then about a month ago, I was sitting in a marketing meeting, and the twenty-something marketing director started enthusing about Twitter. She must have said "it's so cool" about five times, so I thought if something got her that excited, there must be something to it. As if by serendipity, ever since then, it's been popping up in conversation and in the news.

Twitter is, in a nutshell, a way of transmitting, by text message, very short (140 characters max) messages to people who also have Twitter accounts. A recent newspaper article described these messages as "is the haiku of social networking". Apparently everyone who's everyone Twitters--from President Obama (although he hasn't "tweeted"--Twitter talk for posted a text--since the election) to celebrities to journalists.

I can see the attraction this type of communique would have to a journalist, as it's a concise way to receive news--from eyewitnesses who are tweeting in real time. Remember when the USAirways plane crash landed in the Hudson? A witness to the crash was one of the first people to break the news--via Twitter.

Twitter, like text messages, emails, Facebook, MySpace, and all the other cyber ways to communicate, definitely has its place. But will we all be tweeting soon with mundane messages to each other--just to say we're part of the Twitter Nation?

I think I will leave tweeting to birds for now.

Oscars 2009: Few Surprises, Still Very Moving

Maybe it was because my cat has been sick with a yucky eye thing (which facilitated a trip to the animal ER earlier on Sunday), but I seemed especially caught up in the emotion of this year's Oscar ceremonies.

Hugh Jackman is an affable man, certainly talented in a singing/dancing/jazz hands kind of way. He brought a different kind of hosting talent to the awards show, a departure from the traditional comedian (Steve Martin, David Letterman, Whoopi Goldberg, et al). But I missed the gentle slings and arrows usually accompanying the opening monologue. While Jackman is the perfect choice for hosting the Tony Awards, I'd much rather see someone like Ricky Gervais tackle the Oscars next year. Gervais is irreverent, witty, and so undeniably British--which I think means he can get away with a bit more because us Americans are so enamored with all things English.

I missed the pre-award on E! and the TV Guide Channel due to a much-too-long nap and a call from the parents, but I did watch the ABC 30-minute pre-show. I didn't get to see everyone, of course, but ABC did a respectable job of corralling many of the main nominees.

Of the women, we saw some unusual colors for gowns. Winner Kate Winslet wore a gunmetal grey silk shantung that fit her exquisitely, but I was not in love with the one shoulder style with the netting overlay and the molded hair.

One person that rocked the one shoulder style was Marisa Tomei. She has, in the past, gotten flack for her choice of gowns. Her choice this time was a light pearl gray architectural beauty that I thought was appropriate for the event and elegant and fresh at the same time. Meryl Streep also selected a gray gown in a dove gray. It was age appropriate and it fit her figure in a very flattering way.

Taraji P. Henson (she's a sassy girl!) went for an ivory gown that looked too closely to a mummy in surgical gauze, but anyone who can wear horizontal layers and still look that great--well, I can't say too many negative things about it.

Winner Penelope Cruz's story to Tim Gunn pre-show was cute: she saw this dress eight years ago and knew she would want to wear it one day. When she received the nomination this year, she tracked down the dress. It was on the fussy side with lots with lacy overlays over chiffon, but the ivory color really complemented her coloring and her hair was really pretty.

Redhead Amy Adams chose a ruby red gown, taking what I thought was a fashion risk. While I thought that the chiffon attached to the gown's neckline looked like an errant napkin, I appreciate her adventureness.

Another nominee who went with a bold color choice was Viola Davis, who completely rocked a gold lame dress that worked perfectly with her very bubbly personality. Unfortunately, metallic did not work for Melissa Leo, who looked matronly in a 1980's hairdo and a copper colored dress that looked more like a trashy prom gown.

Angelina Jolie was, I believe, the only nominee to wear basic black, and it was a pretty, though not particularly outstanding, gown. Her emerald jewelry of dangle earrings and a HUGE ring was the best jewelry on the red carpet. But could she and Brad be more smirky and standoffish? They blew off interviewers on the red carpet and she did a smirk 'heard round the world when Jennifer Anniston came out to present. You may be beautiful, Angie, but didn't your mother teach you any manners?

My winner for the ladies nominated is...Anne Hathaway. Last year she wore a beautiful red ruffled gown, and this year as a nominee she went uber glam in an ivory strapless sheath covered with crystals--which were arranged slightly diagonally. You have to weigh about 80 pounds to look good in a dress like that--and Hathaway did it without looking like one of the Olsen twins.

As far as guys go, I thought all but one of the nominees looked really good and appropriate for the evening. Robert Downey, Jr. looked the best in a traditional tuxe, and he looked really neat and well coiffed and just looked really happy. Of course, Mickey Rourke, whom I love as an actor, still has not found the shampoo bottle at his house, and looked not good in a cream colored suit with a black vest. His necklace he fashioned with a picture of his beloved Loki, who died less than a week before the awards, was very touching, though.

As far as the show went, I thought the idea of having past award winners (one for each of the nominees for each category) was a master stroke of genius. Besides having the winner from the year before, other award winners included Shirley MacLaine, Sophia Loren, Joel Grey, Christopher Walken, and Michael Douglas. Each former winner spoke directly to one of the nominees, many of whom were visably moved and in tears. I thought it was a great way to pay homage to the nominees, as well as highlight former winners. I hope they make this a tradition in future ceremonies.

In the major categories, there weren't any surprises amongst the acting categories. Heath Ledger won for best supporting actor, and his parents and sister were there to accept the award, and spoke very eloquently about the man they knew as their son and brother. Sean Penn gave a funny speech, calling the Academy "commie, homo-loving", and included in his speech a shout-out to his fellow nominee and long-time friend, Mickey Rourke.

The only big surprise of the night was that "Waltzing with Brashir" did not win best Foreign Film, which was won by the Japanese film "Departures". But "Man on Wire" did, with wire walker Philippe Petit doing something probably never done with an Oscar: he balanced the top of Oscar on his upper lip.

While the show was almost 25 minutes over, I appreciated the fact that none of the winners got cut off and got to take their time in their acceptance speech. After all, for some people, this may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I say if they want to take a minute or two to thank people, let them.

It's a Good Day When Poor People Can Eat...And Procreate!

If you saw my post from yesterday, I was summoned to my phone yesterday for an interview with my caseworker regarding possible extension of my food stamp benefits, only to find that she was on medical leave.

Today I got a notice in the mail from medical-leave-caseworker notifying me that my food stamp benefits have been extended through August of this year! Whoo-hoo! Little Debbie snack cakes for everyone!

My happy mood swelled when I opened my next piece of mail, from Highmark. I am on a special (i.e., for poor people) health insurance plan with Highmark that's actually pretty good, and only $35 a month. While I've not had many instances to use it, it's good to know that it's there--just in case I do need it.

The letter from Highmark brought with it good news for anyone who wants to procreate in a safe, pregnancy-proof kind of way: "contraceptive services" that were previously excluded are now covered, including "prescription drugs, contraceptive devices, implants and injections, and all related services". Whoo-hoo! Norplants for everyone!

I applaud Highmark for making what I think is a very wise decision. Even thinking about this in simple economics (which I'm sure was the main motivator for Highmark) that providing birth control is cheaper than the possible alternatives: terminating unwanted pregnancies or paying for the care of an expectant mother and the birth of her child. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to be getting over to the Rite-Aid...

Rodney and Me

I'm not ashamed to admit that I am one of the increasing number of Americans that is relying on the government for assistance. This winter season I received LIHEAP to help pay for my heating bill (it covered one month's worth) and beginning in the fall, I've received food stamps and cash assistance to help with my job search (money went towards paying another month's worth of heat).

For those of you who have not applied for welfare benefits, it can be an onorous and time-consuming process. There is a lot of paperwork to fill out, then subsequent visits and phone calls from the Department of Welfare, and then even more paperwork to fill out. There's no getting around it: if you want the benefits, you've got to grit your teeth and fill out whatever form or provide whatever information the Welfare Department asks you to provide, go to their office when they tell you, and answer the phone when they call you.

But I'd have to say my patience officially reached its limit this morning. Last month, I received a renewal notice, with a page-long request of items to submit to them. This renewal notice also notified me of an upcoming telephone interview to take place this morning. I dutifully filled out the forms provided, submitted the over 20 pages of financial documentation, and waited by the phone this morning for the obligatory post-paperwork interview.

Well, the designated hour came and went, and no call from my caseworker. I waited nearly an hour, then called my caseworker. What did I learn? She's on medical leave this month, so don't leave her a message! Instead, I was directed to her supervisor. Oh, I thought to myself, I'll call her supervisor alright. I had a harranguing all planned in my head.

But--the Department of Welfare got the last laugh when I called the supervisor--and her voice mail was full. Can't leave a message! Now you would think that since this phone interview didn't take place due to the fault of the Department of Welfare, that the onus is on them to make sure it gets re-scheduled. Ha! If someone else wants to risk losing benefits in these circumstances, I say go right ahead.

I am not saying I am unappreciative of the government helping me. But what I am saying is that just because I am not working doesn't mean my time is not valuable. Don't give me marching orders to be poised by my phone at the appointed day and time to not bother to call me, or to even tell me the call is not going to come. That's just bad manners, and like my friend Rodney says, it shows no respect.

Rihanna Disappearing

Unless you've been in a cave for the last few days, you've already heard about the smackdown between hip-hop artist Chris Brown and pop singer Rihanna Sunday night right before the Grammy's. Last week I wrote about how, IMHO, there was much ado about fact that Michael Phelps smoked pot and his losing at least one endorsement deal.

You may not agree with me about Phelps, but I can't think of a legitimate reason that would cause a man to punch and hit a woman to the point that her lip split and her face became bruised. While Brown is 19 and Rihanna is 20, 19 is old enough to know better--to have enough respect for a woman even in the heat of an argument not to use your fists to prove your point.

If there is anyone who needs to lose endorsement deals, it's Brown. Not surprisingly, once Brown was arrested and the details were leaked to the press, Brown retained a high-powered PR firm (who, according to press reports, specialize in "crisis management") and issued a statement that read in part, " am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person."

I hope that this is not just lip service (pardon the pun) but that this experience sobers up Brown and he does indeed learn from this experience and gets any help that he needs regarding anger management.

In what has to be a moment of utter stupidity, even for him, Kanye West was one of several stars who have publicly defended Brown. At a VH1 program taping, West, after being asked about the incident said, "Can't we give Chris a break?". Um, no, and I bet you'd be singing (or should I say rapping) a different tune if your beloved late mother was beaten up by some guy.

I think the only one in this circus who has shown any amount of class is Rihanna. She has not been seen publicly since the incident and has issued no statements. Ironically, her latest single is called "Rehab", which is a place Chris Brown may very well end up.

You've Heard of War Profiteers--But How About Poor-fiteers?

Last Fall, my sister told me about an organization that distributes food to those who need it, Angel Food Ministries (AFM). It operates similarly to that of a food pantry in that groceries are distributed once a month at neighborhood distribution centers. However, unlike a food pantry, anyone who wants to receive food from AFM must pay $30 for the food.

While both my sister and her husband have jobs, they went to AFM to help make ends meet. Amy explained that at her pick-up location (in a bedroom community outside of Washington, DC), all kinds of people got food from AFM--"not just poor people," she said. "I've seen people pull up in Lexuses to pick up their food."

Since my sister recommended it, I decided to give it a try. AFM's website declares that its monthly food distribution will feed a family of four for a week, with the $30 you pay is the equivalent of $115 in "grocery store" food.

Distribution day came and for $30, this is what I got: 1 pound package of frozen mixed vegetables, 1 box of cookies, 1 dozen eggs, 1 package pre-seasoned chicken breasts, 1 package chicken breasts, 1 package of 4 steaks, a meatloaf, 1 pound spaghetti, 1 can pasta sauce, six tortillas, 1 box mac & cheese, 1 can refried beans, 1 quart milk, and 1 pack hot dogs.

While this the quantity of food is decent, there is no way this would feed a family of four for a week. It might provide seven dinners, if one goes heavy on the meat. Particularly disturbing is the lack of key ingredients for a balanced and healthful diet: fruits (completely absent), vegetables (1 pound for the entire week), cereals/grains (none) and dairy (1 quart).

Then there was the quality of the food itself. I am not a picky eater, but the quality was so poor that most of the food was not fit to eat. The spaghetti, pasta sauce, and cookies, for example, were of poorer quality to that of store brands, similar to what you'd see at the local dollar store. And the meat was of questionable freshness and origin: the steaks and chicken packs were pumped full of nitrates and preservatives. The hot dogs were slimy and smelled "off".

Of my $30 grocery pack, I was able to use the eggs, milk, cookies, and frozen vegetables, which I estimate to be valued at about $5 or $6. The rest got thrown away. Not exactly the deal I was looking for. Email requests for a refund have been unacknowledged and unanswered by AFM.

My experience with AFM got me curious about the organization, which promotes itself as a faith-based organization started by Joe and Linda Wingo, and decided to pull their 990 income tax return.

I will say this about AFM: they are not lying when they say they have a large organization. AFM sold over $111 million dollars worth of food. After backing out their expenses to buy and distribute this food (and with the help of government grants totalling nearly $1 million and other donated "materials" of $11 million), AFM was left with a tidy profit of nearly $27 million.

But it was where this profit went that interested me. The Wingo family has, not to put too fine a point on it, done very well financially in this endeavor. While non-family staff receive market-appropriate salaries ranging from $25-80,000, the salaries of the Wingo parents and their two children add up to a staggering $2.5 million plus.

I am not saying that people who work hard should be compensated. And I'm not saying that if you work in nonprofit you should take a vow of poverty. But it seems to me to be a tad bit obscene if you make millions of dollars each year off the backs on America's working poor, delivering poor-quality products with a value significantly less than represented. There's something a bit obscene to me to be heading a "Christian charity" and making millions of dollars in the process. And where's the charity in that?

From the Same Country that Brought You IKEA...

Well, initially the blog post was going to be about the woman who just gave birth to octoplets (and who looks a bit like that other mom of many kids, Angelina Jolie), but my head is still spinning from the last post and comments as well as nearly coughing up a lung in the last three days. I have, boys and girls, a bad case of the flu. So bad that I've lost my voice--well, almost. I still have my blog!

So before I smear Vicks all over me and head off to bed, I thought I'd share this story: about a very cool treehouse designed by Swedish architects Tham and Videgard Hansson. I see this as being similiar to one of those concept cars the big auto manufacturers roll out every year: to use as a jumping off point to build a (hopefully) smarter, more efficient vehicle. Clearly you can't have a dwelling (or hotel room/suite) without a bathroom, or a ladder to enter the building. But the design of a mirrored cube suspended from a tree so as to better integrate into the surrounds--genius, I say. It's a 21st century version of the aesthetic Frank Lloyd Wright practiced with his iconic structure Fallingwater.

Part of the reason why I love Pittsburgh, as my friend Rich recently reminded me, is the embarrassment of riches we have here with regard to architecture. I love old buildings--from the gleaming wood newel posts, to the Italian tiled fireplaces, to the embossed tin on the ceilings. But there is something to be said of new architecture, too--of the clean lines and economy of space.

Now I'm not going to be calling the Hanssons to order one of their treehouses, but it does have me looking at modern architecture differently. And with that, I'm going to cough up my remaining lung...

Now Hiring: Spokesperson (Must be Squeaky Clean)

This afternoon I went to my local coffeehouse for a round of Scrabble with Nut Bar (which I lost by the way, despite playing two bingos), and post-game I was all caffeine-buzzed and looking for something substantial to absorb all of the coffee in my stomach. Then I remembered the Subway right across the street.

And what's more substantial than a Subway? I tell ya, those Subway folks were geniuses when they revamped their menu with the $5 footlongs (Sing along in your head with me: Five. Five. Five Dollar Foot Longs!). I saddled up to the counter, ordered my Black Forest Ham/Turkey Breast with the works and hiked up 44th Street.

So I get home and what do I discover--buzz on the Internet of the impending dumping of Phelps from his recent endorsement deal from Subway. As featured on gawker.com, Phelps' name and image was listed on Subway's web site (as a "Fresh Celebrity", whatever that means), but now if you go to Subway's site, you'll see that only Ryan Howard and Reggie Bush (along with Subway's own Jared) are listed as celebrities. Curiously enough, this site does encourage you to "spread the buzz"--apparently as long as that buzz doesn't involve a doobie.

So I'm now retracting what I just said about Subway and declaring them idiots. Really, talk about much ado about nothing. Has the world forgotten how old (or maybe I should say how young) Michael Phelps is? He's 23, at an age where if he wasn't swimming and collecting gold medals, he'd be doing bongs in the basement of his fraternity house just like every other red-blooded, American guy.

I'll go on the record to tell you I don't smoke pot. Never did. But--America, I hate to break it to you, I'm the exception to this rule, and here's a news flash: most college-aged kids smoke dope. And--double yoi--many people continue to do so past their twenties. They don't go from being pot smokers to mainlining heroin: they hold down jobs, are good parents, and lead normal, respectable lives.

But what Phelps is going to have to do what Kate Moss did, who lost her endorsement deals when a picture of her snorting coke appeared in the tabloids. She publicly apologized and went to rehab. Then, quietly, many of the companies that endorsed her (H&M, Burberry, etc.) picked up her contract again.

Was Kate Moss addicted to coke? Maybe, maybe not. Is Phelps a drug addict? I seriously doubt it. However, like Moss, the only road to redemption I see for Phelps is a public apology and a stint in rehab. Might I recommend Passages in Malibu? It's set above the crashing waves of the Pacific, and in between therapy sessions, you can enjoy all sorts of amenities, including gourmet food. And I bet that menu doesn't feature a single $5 foot long.

Maybe Not Such a Bright Idea

So this morning I was perusing the latest issue of Pop City, the terrific e-magazine about all things Pittsburgh. This issue focused on going green, a subject near and dear to my heart.

I eagerly opened up the story entitled Pittsburgh Home to First Solar-Powered Trolley Line in the World. What an interesting idea, I thought, a trolley line to run on electricity generated by the sun. But as it turns out, it might not be such a bright idea after all.

At first blush, the idea holds promise: The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has, as part of its attractions, antique trolley cars for visitors to enjoy what the article calls "a scenic, four-mile ride." The Museum estimates that it will save an estimated $5,000 in electricity costs in its first year of operation, in 2010.

I'm all for using alternative energy, especially from sources that don't require digging up or drilling to mine that energy. And while I was a bit skeptical that here in dreary Southwestern Pennsylvania there's actually enough sun to electrify something bigger than a coffee pot, I wanted to learn more.

Then I discovered the catch. The price tag for this "energy-saving system" is a mind-boggling...$271,391. So while it may claim to be energy saving, it certainly is not money-saving, since it will take about 55 years to pay for it. And that's assuming that no additional money, like maintenance and upkeep, will need to be poured into it over those 55 years. And that's also assuming that there is indeed sufficient sunlight to generate said electricity, which you still have to convince me of.

But here's the kicker: guess who is paying for this solar system? You've guessed it: me, you, and every other taxpayer in this fine state, thanks to a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It's from a program called the "Energy Harvest Program" from the Department of Environmental Protection.

So congratulations, DEP, for paying for this latest boondoggle: a solar system that will take over five decades to pay for, to drive nostalgia-seeking septuagenarians and their grandkiddies to ride on a trolley--to nowhere!

In the article, Trolley Museum Executive Director Scott Becker states that he shared the idea with the Port Authority and PAT is considering the idea for its light rail system. Now there's a novel idea: giving the money to someone who actually takes passengers somewhere. Not that the Port Authority could actually be trusted with the money, either (in their hands, the cost would probably balloon to a half mill), but at least if you give them the money, it might actually benefit the public at large.

Mad as I am? What to vent to someone? Well, you can: you can give Kerry Campell over at the DEP a piece of your mind: all of her contact information is here. And you can tell ole Kerry that your buddy Julie sent you.

Re: Taxes--Two Simple Words to Help Ya

What is it with potential cabinet appointees and their taxes? I may not like it very much but I pay my taxes every year. Even the year I sold my house in DC and had to pay capital gains tax on the ginormous amount I made on the sale. It was painful, but guess what, I did it.

The latest is Tom Daschele, who was the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Apparently he used a car and did not declare the use of the car on his income taxes. It must have been one hell of a car, because all told, he had to pay the IRS over $128,000 in back taxes. Reporter Andrea Mitchell, when interviewing Senator Daschele, reported that Daschele became "emotional" and "was near tears." I say, cry me a river, Buddy!

Earlier, Nancy Killefer, nominated by Obama to be the government's first Chief Performance Officer, said she didn't want her "bungling" of payroll taxes on her household help to be a distraction. Really, what is it with taxing the nanny, et al? Certainly people realize that when you hire someone--whether to work in your home or outside of it--you have to pay taxes?

I am far from a tax expert, but it sounds to me like these are fairly simple tax issues. Are these people trying to save a few dollars by doing their taxes themselves? If so, I have two words for them: Jackson Hewitt.

The whole thing reminds me of the old Steve Martin routine about how to become a millionaire (or in this case a political appointee). He has a different set of two words that might have helped Daschele and Killefer, part of his 1977 monologue on SNL:

You can be a millionaire and never pay taxes! You can be a millionaire and never pay taxes! You say,"Steve.. how can I be a millionaire.. and never pay taxes?" First.. get a million dollars. Now.. you say, "Steve.. what do I say to the tax man when he comes to my door and says, 'You have never paid taxes'?" Two simple words. Two simple words in the English language: "I forgot!"

How many times do we let ourselves get into terrible situations because we don't say "I forgot"? Let's say you're on trial for armed robbery. You say to the judge, "I forgot armed robbery was illegal."

I live in a Steeler Nation...

Well, as you might imagine, everyone in Pittsburgh seems to be whooping it up because of last night's Super Bowl victory. I just heard on the news that rush hour traffic this morning and tonight was very light, with people saying that many people took today off due to "too much celebrating" the night before. You've just got to love Pittsburgh and its Steelers fans.

I didn't watch the whole game, and I am no football expert by any stretch of the imagination, but it looked to my untrained eye that they came very close to blowing it. Of course a win is a win, and they were able to pull it together and get a touchdown in the 11th hour. So I raise my cup of decaf to ya!

On a less celebratory note, I got my two gas bills today (big house, two furnaces, what can I say?) and not surprisingly they were high. Very high. So I called my best friend Heather over at Manpower to see if I can plead for some work.

Heather had a possible job, and put in my resume for it. I'll find out tomorrow if I got it. Unfortunately, even though the job is less than 4 miles from my house, by bus it will take two buses and over an hour to get there (it's in a very inaccessible part of East Liberty/Lincoln-Lemington). These are the times when I pine for DC bus and subway service, but a job's a job and I've got this ginormous house to support!

Stay warm everyone and bask in the post-Super Bowl glory...