Thursday: The Dissonance Continues

Solicitor George Specter said he had not seen that code provision invoked in his 21 years with the city, and people could balk if asked to testify under oath, potentially leading to contempt proceedings. (P-G, Rich Lord)

Why balk?

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"Political pettiness has been surrounded around me since the day I got here," she added. Who's behind it? "If any of us don't believe that Sala ain't still behind the scenes ... You've always got him, behind the back, trying to maneuver, whatever." (Early Returns)

Bloggers can be so ungenerous.

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During a meeting last week with state legislators, bar owners and restaurateurs, Mr. Onorato said he would consider legalizing poker machines and other gambling devices in Allegheny County bars and taverns to create tax revenue that would allow the county to eliminate drink tax. (P-G, Karamagi Rujumba)

Tavern owners are our hero.

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"How can we compete?" said Westman, who will serve his last day as director on Wednesday. "We can't fill positions and if somebody does come to work for us, they may be at the bottom of their class and have some problems getting a job elsewhere." (Trib, Allison M. Heinrichs)

We could start taxing property based on current assessments.

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Board member Sherry Hazuda questioned whether it would make more sense to keep Schenley open while fixing it as opposed to shutting it down. (Trib, Bill Zlatos)

Way to move the chains, Sherry Freaking Hazuda! That May '07 primary is looking better and better every day.

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COMET CORRESPONDENCE: You know the Comet agrees with you, Ruth Ann, it's just that we are so much more concerned about the skullduggery occurring slightly to the south and east. Run those colors up your mizzen-mast, and there's a whole fawning blog post with an Ella Fitzgerald video in it for you.