Few are going to be happier. Many have suffered worse fates.

The sign in the window got retired a few months ago. But, the chip is still on my shoulders. The health of the city is still yet to be determined. A full recovery is going to take years, if not decades. But, Tuesday makes for a great day to celebrate.


This sign really worked wonders.

Do you think that a Rauterkus sign, but of a positive nature, would ever bring on so many smiles and gushing friendships?


Might as well have said, "Buy me a beer!" Or, "Instant friend." Or, ...


We were counting the days.

Do you realize that the teens on the streets, taking lives from one another as news played last night again, were at ages 4, 5 or 6 when the last mayor was sworn into office.

People tell me, "Mark, kids don't vote. Only the seniors vote. The average age of the Pittsburgh voter pushes in the mid 60s."

Tom Murphy and conventional wisdom says kids don't vote. But there is hope nonetheless. Every older person was a kid. Every older person has seen cousins, classmates, sons and daughters depart. Every senior wants to be free to leave their house, day or night, and not have to deal with some punks.

It is a new day in Pittsburgh. I think some of the happiest should be the youth. But, they don't always know better. They've been starved. It is hard to point to what is not there.