Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Truly IS.....'Rave 'n Stall'

There he is, folks.....the boy mayor of the City of Pittsburgh.

That pretty boy face and characteristic glibness with the media has proven once again that PUBLICITY is all to this guy... and actual accomplishment can be waltzed around the room, nothing but fluff.

Almost a week since Old Man Winter dropped 29 inches of snow on this city, and our roads are still HORRIBLE. All we get are excuses, promises... and (true to form) a Ravenstahl spin on what is promised. Today? "BLITZING THE STREETS!"....that's what the local media is reporting as the latest "Ah shucks, we're gettin' to it!"... to keep the local residents quiet.

In 58 years, I have NEVER seen the roads this bad after a major snow storm. Before the second dumping of 8 more inches yesterday, we had almost 3 days of no snow: plenty of time to clear the roads, but it wasn't done. I ventured out for the first time yesterday, and the streets were hazardous in the morning... but MURDEROUS by late afternoon, and I saw not one salt truck in my 32 mile, round trip commute.

I have the misfortune of living on one of the city's 'forgotten streets' that rarely sees a snow plow or a salt truck, and this last behemoth storm has left us stranded. After several days, at least we had some ruts made by 4 wheel drive vehicles who braved it anyway, so I left for work for the first time since last Friday: got stuck a few times, but I got out. After 8 inches during the day, that same alley was a mucky, foot deep series of icy ruts under the new stuff. Three neighbors- one, a child, and another an 81 year old man -took pity on me, pushed and rocked me out. I AM FURIOUS!

When interviewed by the media, this 30 year old mayor, with hair neatly gelled and coiffed, does nothing but say how HARD the city is trying....NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Hundreds of people have been trapped in their homes for nearly a week!

I'm sick of this fella's celebrity: 'The David Letterman Show' after taking office when Mayor O'Connor died (and ONLY because he was the youngest mayor on record)... riding in the Steeler victory parade (after saying he had changed his name to 'Steelerstahl').....what a moron.... no, this guy is strictly 'RAVE 'N STALL' when it comes to real issues, not pranks or publicity. He gets up a real head of steam in front of the cameras, looking like he's ready to really go after the tough problems.... but action itself is as stalled as any old farm mule.

In this terrible showing of getting the city on its feet again after a blizzard, the man is ALL TALK and no action. "Blitzing the streets" indeed. That's football, you child, not the hard work and real planning it takes to make a difference.