Small Streams

Rosebud

If you do a search for "Rosebud" at the Post-Gazette site, you may not find out what was on Citizen Kane's mind when he died, but you will find a story on the closing of The World (formerly Rosebud), the Strip District nightclub. You'll also find a quote from Jon Rinaldo, owner of The World, that should wind up in the "Block That Metaphor" department:

"It's a tragedy, if you ask me," said Rinaldo. "You line up all of your ducks in a row. Two or three of those go off kilter and you have a runaway train on your hands. Instead of bleeding yourself dry, you say let's stop this now."

Nature Returns to the Mon Valley

Interesting story about renaturalization of the Mon Valley. The Monongahela Confluence Project discusses how land can heal -- or in the case of 650 acres in Hays -- how it might not be given the chance to. Kudos to Jackie Brookner, Stephanie Flom and Ann Rosenthal; Tom and Connie Merriman; and Christine Brill and Jonathan Kline. This Friday, June 25, you can find out about Tom and Connie Merriman's work in Hays by seeing them at Artspace 303, 303 East 8th Ave., Homestead. According to the Post-Gazette programs begin at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

Prosperity Grabs Every Man by the Neck

Busy today, but I do have time to post one of my favorites from Mr. Dooley, Finley Peter Dunne's turn of the last century Chicago bartender/philosopher/Irishman:

Yes, Prosperity has come hollerin' an screamin'. To read th' papers, it seems to be a kind iv a vagrancy law. No wan can loaf any more. Th' end iv vacation has gone f'r manny a happy lad that has spint six months ridin' through th' counthry, dodgin' wurruk, or loafin' under his own vine or hat-three. Prosperity grabs ivry man be th' neck, an sets him shovellin' slag or coke or runnin' up an' down a ladder with a hod iv mortar. It won't let th' wurrul rest. If Humanity'd been victoryous, no wan'd iver have to do a lick again to th' end iv his days. But Prosperity's a horse iv another color. It goes round like a polisman givin' th' hot fut to happy people that are snoozin' in th' sun. 'Get up, an' hustle over to th' rollin mills: there's a man over there wants ye to carry a ton iv coal on ye'er back.' 'But I don't want to wurruk,' says th' lad. 'I'm very comfortable the way I am.' It makes no difference,' says Prosperity. 'ye've got to do ye'er lick. Wurruk, f'r th' night is comin'. Get out, an' hustle. Wurruk, or ye can't be unhappy; an, if th' wurruld isn't unhappy, they'se no such a thing as Prosperity.'

Flux 12

The Pittsburgh Signs Project participated in Flux 12, held in downtown Pittsburgh on Friday, June 3. Here are some pictures.

Schenley Plaza

Wanted to link to this P-G article of Cleda Klingensmith's about what the headline says is the Schenley Plaza Boondogle.

I'm of two minds on Schenley Plaza, an attempt to make a City Beautiful green space between Hillman Library and the Carnegie Library.

I believe Oakland, the university population, and visitors deserve a green space such as Schenley Plaza. I'm not sure, however, about the Plaza fulfilling the need for a commanding and scenic entrance to Schenley Park. Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, and the Carnegie already possess the land to make that possible. And I agree that a "closed hermetic design" is the last thing we need there.

One of my biggest issues with Schenley Plaza is Pitt's championing the need for this "green space" while being poor stewards of the open space it has, especially between Hillman and Forbes Quad and behind David Lawrence and the Law School.

If Pitt expects the city, and state taxpayers, to make sacrifices for this project I believe it's time for them to make their own sacrifices and create a viable plan for the use of this open space. I think you could probably continue Sennott Street creating either a through street or cul-de-sac. If street vendors, parking, and other activities were concentrated there instead of in the plaza, this would become a busy thoroughfare, and a truly satisfying place to be, and behold, life in Oakland.

So if it's too late to make changes to the proposed Schenley Plaza, I hope it's not too late to make sure the needs of the community are met, and that funding is "found for what needs to be done."