To all my readers who live in Allegheny County:
The Department for Economic Development in Allegheny County has a survey on their website. Please take it. It’s short and will let the county authorities know how you want your tax dollars spent.
On a related note, here are some Pittsburgh blogs. It’s not a comprehensive list by any means.
True Pittsburgh
Pittsblog
Photosuperstar
The Conversation
The Daily Dish
The Science of Non Compos Menticism
Jilly!
Dave Copeland
One of the groomsmen at Jerry’s Wedding, Way Jeng, wrote a hilarious account of some of his Pittsburgh experiences this weekend. His blog has other interesting reads as well.
On a more serious note, here are some research survey results.
Born Again Adults Less Likely to Co-Habit, Just as Likely to Divorce
Family Background Affects Marriage Views
Here’s an interesting article about spirituality
and religiosity amongst college students.
College can be religious experience
Survey finds spirituality influencing many students’ political and social views
By the time Laura Conrad arrived at Carnegie Mellon University for her freshman year, she had lost interest “in all that religious stuff” from her Jewish day school background in Newton, Mass.
But a funny thing happened to Conrad on her way through college: She became more religious. And she discovered that her self-described “liberal” views on politics and morals were strengthened by her spirituality.
Some of the sited stats fall in the
“duh” category while others are somewhat surprising. The details of the
study conducted could be helpful to campus religious organizations.
We got a bit of a surprise today at Heinz
Chapel. In attendance at today’s mass was none other than Teresa Heinz Kerry.
“But she’s a Heinz and it’s the Heinz Chapel. So what if she was there?”
Well, in the 5 years I’ve attended, served, or sang there, I’ve never seen her.
Anyhow, she talked to the celebrant after mass. I wondered if they’d talk about
politics, but as it turns out, the conversation revolved around the weather. She
commented on the noisy fans and how hard it was to hear the priest. She asked why
fans are used instead of AC. Well, there is no AC.
THK: “Well, I imagine its cool most of the time, though.”
PRIEST: “Actually, it can be quite unbearable and I feel particularly bad for couples
marrying here. They spend a lot of money to use this chapel and they’re horribly
uncomfortable during the mass or service.”
THK: “Oh, well then I’ll have a talk with the engineers.”
Woohoo! Speaking as someone who sweated his butt off in a cassock and surplice today,
AC would be a blessed gift.
Before anyone asks whether she received communion, I’ll tell you that I don’t know.
I wasn’t assisting at the altar today. If she did, I will brook no derogatory remarks
about the priest, who is a fine, upstanding, and orthodox member of the clergy;
a credit to the legacies of Philip Neri and John Henry Newman.
I’m glad Mrs. Kerry came today. She got a good dose of Latin, sang tasteful hymns,
and a heard a thought-provoking homily.
WOOHOO!!!
Bar,
Restaurant Smoking Ban Discussed
A state lawmaker says the time has come to ban smoking at all workplaces in Pennsylvania, including bars and restaurants. State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery County, says he will push for legislation simlar to that of California, New York, Maine, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida and Massachusetts, where the law is already in place.