The Agony and the Ecstasy

Hey Buddy, Do you have anything to stop this coughin’?

An old but timely joke: The Pittsburgh Steelers are so named because of the steel mills that lined the rivers of the area. For the better part of the twentieth century black smoke residue from the mills belched into the sky and fell back onto the earth changing everything to a soot color. Even the snow turned a sooty color shortly after it hit the ground. Greenery that surrounded the rich fertile area had a fine black covering. Roofs of houses were all the same color – black within several weeks after colorful shingles were attached. Boston writer James Parton dubbed Pittsburgh “Hell with the lid off.” The acrid air was difficult to breathe but the mills were our livelihood.

What happens to those who don’t make it: There is an old joke about a man who worked in the Clairton Coke Works, a mill along the Monongahela River that provided coke from coal. Coke is a crucial ingredient in the making of steel. Gasses emitted in the process of baking the coke are particularly pungent. As the story goes the old Italian immigrant died from inhaling too much of the residue for too long. As the hearse was just getting to the top of Maple Avenue, one of the steeper hills in Clairton, the back of the hearse popped open and the casket fell out onto the street and began sliding down the long hill. Cars from the funeral procession swerved to miss the out-of-control casket and others honked at the traffic disarray, but the coffin continued down the steep hill going ever faster. At the bottom of the hill the hearse jumped a curb, crashed through the front window of a pharmacy, and came to rest in front of the startled druggist. The lid popped open and the corpse sat up and said, “Hey Buddy, you gotta anythin’ to a stop this coffin?”

The more things change the more they stay the same: Much has changed in the Greater Pittsburgh area since that joke was first told. The 1980s saw the decline of the steel industry in general and of United States Steel in particular. Steel mills up and down the rivers have closed. Homestead, McKeesport, Dravosburg, Munhall, and many more towns have been impacted by having their lifeblood eliminated. Few mills still operate outside the Clairton Works. But most Clairton residents worked in other neighboring mills, since closed, and most Clairton Works workers live outside Clairton city limits, so economic hardships have struck Clairton just as it has its neighbors. But at least the Clairton Works is operational, right? And that is a good thing, right? Well, yes and maybe.

A billion dollar boost: Last year U.S. Steel announced a $1 billion investment in Clairton Works to reduce air pollution by nearly 1,400 tons per year. The Allegheny Health Department fast-tracked U.S. Steel’s 310-page permit application to replace three old batteries which contain 192 ovens that produce coke, with new cleaner batteries containing only 84 ovens. County officials anticipated the permit would be issued within six months. The battery replacement was a core part of the $1+ billion investment in Clairton Works. Things were looking up for the area.

A billion dollar bust: Several weeks ago a follow-up announcement was made to delay the highly-touted plan to invest more than $1 billion in new coke batteries and refurbishment of older ones. U.S. Steel idled three of its 12 batteries and announced plans to idle another four soon. They blamed the global recession and projected layoffs include 230 of the plant’s 1,155 workers. The original plan for replacement and refurbishment was designed to reduce air pollution but some say the closure of the batteries will serve the same purpose. The upgrades were necessary to reduce pollution in Clairton, Glassport, and surrounding areas. Pollution readings from the area have prompted the American Lung Association to consistently rank the Pittsburgh area one of the sootiest in the nation.

My favorite dentist: Blog reader, dentist, doo-wop junkie and sometime skydiver Dr. Ron, who years ago made his assistant Adele an honest woman, forwarded the latest “State of the Smog” report from Clairton. The Clairton High School Bears football team was able to shout “We’re number 1” last season, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clairton-Glassport duo ranks third and fourth respectively in risks of getting cancer from bad air. Out on the left coast the greater Los Angeles suburb of Cerritos lies between two major freeways and ranks #1 with 1,200 toxics per million in their air – and that is even before all the pot smokers show up for Michael’s funeral. Madison County, IL, near St. Louis, ranks second with 1,000 toxics per million, Clairton is third at 762 per million, and across the river, Glassport comes in at fourth with 700 toxics per million. That means breathing in Clairton and Glassport increases the risk of cancer by 20 times over the average American who inhales about 35 toxics per million. The only sure solution to avoid the health issues in these areas is the same advice I give smokers... try not to inhale, and do not exhale.

Over my shoulder a backward glance: From the Clairton Progress February 21, 1939 edition, courtesy of Jim Hartman at the Mifflin Township Historical Society comes the news of a new housing development called “Colonial Village.” Seventy homes have been sold and half are already occupied. Homes in Colonial Village started at $3,990 with $513.36 down and monthly payments of $23.83. Features include 50X100 foot lots, all hardwood floors, concealed radiators, and a modern porcelain sink with spray attachment. Families who have already moved in include Hafner, 613 Grandview, Blackburn, 105 Constitution Circle, Cooley, 558 Independence Drive, Elkovitz, 262 Shaw Avenue, Phillips, 874 Craig Street, Taylor, 861 Bessemer Avenue, Wiley, 600 Lafayette Drive, Shreck, 544 Thompson Drive, and Fedor, 506 Independence Drive. Times seem simpler then. Patriotism was paramount as evidenced by some of the street names. Perhaps we should take a lesson from history and support our president and country instead of taking daily pot shots.

A little blogging music Maestro... “The Air that I Breathe” by the Hollies.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

Happy Fourth, Clairton!

Don’t drink a Fifth on the Fourth

Long may she wave: The Fourth of July, of course is Independence Day in the U.S. It is the 185th day of the year and is generally considered the halfway point of the year as well as summer vacation for schoolkids. It is often a day for family picnics and outdoor barbecues or “cookouts” as they are called in Pittsburgh. According to those who track such things, some 37 million travelers are projected to drive more than 50 miles from their home town this holiday. While that number may seem large, in context it is about 700,000 fewer travelers than last year and 4.5 million fewer than in 2007. Maybe the Fourth is morphing back into a stay-at-home holiday. Or maybe not. The Fourth of July is typically the largest car travel day of the year.

The Fourth in small town America: We have written often about our hometown of Clairton, PA in the 1950s. It was a great place and a great time to grow up. Summertime was a time for not wearing shoes, catching lightning bugs, and spending days at the municipal pool at Clairton Park. Of course, July Fourth was special because there were picnics during the day and fireworks at night. Our favorite vantage point for watching fireworks was the end of Tenth Street. We lived nearly at the end of St. Clair Ave. The house should have been on the corner of Ninth Street but for some reason Ninth Street did not go through from the next block. It ended at Waddell Avenue. On July Fourth we’d walk the half block to Tenth Street where St. Clair Avenue ended, and down the unpaved Tenth Street for a block and a half until it ended at the woods. The railroad tie fence at the end of Tenth provided a great vantage point.

The many fireworks displays to enjoy: In the 1950s US Steel and related plants paid most of the property taxes. That meant individual taxes were low and services were outstanding. Each village along the Monongahela was equally prosperous in a blue collar way and each village had a fireworks display to boast on the Fourth of July. Since it was summertime and daylight did not go to sleep until well after 8:30, fireworks did not begin until 9:00 or so. But when they did, WOW! Of course from where we sat we were able to see the Clairton display but we were also able to see that of Glassport and parts of McKeesport and even West Mifflin. The trees were too dense to see the Elizabeth displays and we did not want to run back to St. Clair Avenue to see them and risk missing out on what we were watching and of course, giving up our prime seat.

More Clairton reflections: It has been nearly a half century since I left Clairton but the memories are as crisp as though it were just last week. Of course, age does dim the outside edges of the memory first and I frequently research and do fact checks before writing about the area. One resource I stumbled upon is the Mifflin Township Historical Society and their monthly newsletter called “Portal to the Past.” Founder and President Jim Hartman includes historical data from the entire area including Baldwin, Dravosburg, Duquesne, Hays, Homestead, Jefferson, Pleasant Hills, Mifflin Township, Bedford, Clairton and many more surrounding communities. This month’s issue contains excerpts from the Clairton Progress, the local newspaper published from 1925 to 1967.

Clairton Progress December 2, 1954: Large Distillery To Become Bus Garage. Large is the name of a village in Jefferson Borough that borders Clairton. It is named not for its size but after a family of the same name. The distillery was built in the 1700s and was part of history in the Whiskey Rebellion, one of George Washington’s first challenges. Noble J. Dick was the owner of the local bus company during the 1950s. The purchase was completed for an estimated $150,000 and included several large brick buildings and 11 acres. Once the deal was done the buildings were leased back to the Westinghouse Atomic Reactor Division. The property was originally sold to Revolutionary War hero Col. Joel Feree in 1793 for the sum of two pounds, 14 Shillings, and 10 pence, or about $ 5.60. John Large was a whiskey maker using a tea kettle in his cabin as a still atop nearby Mount Washington. His son Jonathan Large learned the fine art of whiskey making and built a gristmill and the distillery that would remain active for some 75 years. As an aside, my mother worked in the Large Distillery bottling division. She tells the story of a fellow worker who placed her wedding and engagement rings in one of the bottles of whiskey and set it aside; as she believed the whiskey would clean the rings. When the worker left for a potty break a supervisor walked by, saw the bottle and placed it back on the assembly line for packaging. I don’t remember if the rings were retrieved or they became a surprise gift to an innocent purchaser of a bottle of whiskey.

Shopping in the 1950s: Payday’s offered a 3 lb. can of Spry lard for $0.69, eggs $0.59/dozen, and center cut veal chops for $0.65/lb. Joe’s Texaco offered B.F. Goodrich tires for $14.95 each, a lube, oil change, and motor flush for $2.98 and Texaco oil for $0.24 per quart. Livingston Manor homes near the county airport were available for $75.00 per month. The 3-bedroom brick and stone homes cost $11,800. The Dairy Delite on the corner of Miller and Mitchell offered hamburgers for $0.15 but asked for orders to be placed by adults only. Finally, the Ankara on Route 51 advertises Businessmen’s Lunches for $0.85. To find out more about the “Good Old Days” of Clairton and vicinity, contact the Mifflin Township Historical Society at www.mifflintownship.org.

A little blogging music Maestro... “As Time Goes By” by the Jimmy Durante.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com
www.mifflintownship.org

Don't Cry for me Argentina

“The only vice which cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.” (Hazlitt)

Do as I say, not as I do: So often life can be summed up in a twisted homily. Do unto others, but do it first… Many are called but few are chosen, many are cold but few are frozen. But there are actual homilies that include Alexander Pope’s, “To err is human, to forgive divine” which is tempered by Mahatma Gandhi’s “Hypocrisy and distortion are passing currents under the name of religion.” What brings these quotes and misquotes to mind today is the recent activities of some elected officials, namely Senator John Ensign and Governor John Sanford and their fellow legislators.

Ensign's designs, Sanford and Sin: First things first. Politicians have a long history of infidelity. In 1884 Grover Cleveland had been elected President when the opposing party developed a motto that underlined an affair that had produced an out-of-wedlock child, “Ma, Ma, where’s my Pa? Gone to the White House, ha, ha, ha.” More recently the same could have been said about presidential hopeful John Edwards who had nearly been nominated but not elected. Bill Clinton’s dalliances provided headlines for months, Idaho Senator Larry Craig is banned from airport bathrooms, Bob Livingston was scheduled to replace Newt Gingrich as Speaker of the House when he was forced to withdraw after being exposed. Newt himself made headlines when he went to the hospital where his wife was recovering from cancer surgery to get her to sign divorce papers so he could marry his mistress. David Vitter’s name was among the list of services provided by a hooker.

Sex lives and private lives: If Newt wants to dilly dally, Vitter prefers hookers, Craig taps to the beat of a different drummer, and Smokin’ Willie has a roving eye, what business is it of ours or any other American as long as these guys do their jobs as elected officials? As far as I’m concerned it isn’t our business unless they’ve broken the law while breaking their vows. But to some who consider themselves the moral police of the world, it seems to make a difference. John Ensign chastised others who have strayed, made an overt vow to honor the sanctity of his marriage including a pledge to never be alone with another woman, and blasted his fellow politicians who have strayed. Ditto Mark Sanford who was the first to call for Bob Livingston’s resignation and that of others who stumbles.

Hypocrisy Caucus: Former Republican senator from Idaho Larry Craig, was embroiled in an airport sex sting operation; Nevada Senator John Ensign suggested if he were in a similar position, “resigning is what I would do” (he lied). When the stain of infidelity marked President Clinton, Ensign was the first member of the Nevada delegation to call for Clinton’s resignation. Florida congressman Mark Foley engaged in inappropriate conduct toward a 16 year-old, male congressional page. Soon, other accusations surfaced and Foley resigned in shame. Oh yes, he also chaired the Congressional Caucus for Missing and Exploited Children. The man who replaced Foley was eventually derailed by his OWN sex scandal. Democrats John Edwards, Elliot Spitzer, and Bill Clinton were each engaged in sex scandals, but they did not devote the better part of their careers claiming moral status above everyone else. In the aftermath of the Lewinsky scandal, Bob Livingston was chosen to replace Newt Gingrich as speaker. But he instead admitted an affair and stepped down. Archconservative Idaho congresswoman Helen Chenoweth who blasted Bill Clinton's infidelity, copped to a six-year affair with a married rancher from her home state. Dan Burton admitted to having an extramarital affair and fathering a child out of wedlock after reporters said they were set to report on it. When confronted by a reporter, former House Judiciary Committee chairman Henry Hyde admitted to having had an extramarital affair. Gary Condit’s affair with an intern became exposed after the girl, Chandra Levy, disappeared. Levy was eventually found dead in a DC’s Rock Creek Park and someone else was charged her murder.

The sharpest dresser in New York: There was no greater New York tabloid story than former cross-dressing New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s high-profile divorce from wife Donna Hanover. She accused him of “notorious adultery,” and Giuliani married girlfriend Judith Nathan. The married-with-children former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevy -- with his wife by his side -- resigned as governor after admitting that he was having a gay affair. Spokane mayor James West who long opposed gay rights bills, was recalled from office after a gay Internet sex scandal and more were revealed. Pennsylvania congressman Don Sherwood lost his House seat after it was revealed that he’d had an extramarital affair with a woman 35 years his junior. She’s called 911 from a closet claiming that he’d choked her. He said he was just giving her a back rub. She won a $500,000 settlement.

Sex oozes from both sides of the aisle: As he was weighing a 2008 presidential run, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich acknowledged an extra-marital affair to the Christian conservative group Focus on the Family. Married San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsome admitted to sleeping with the wife of a top aide. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa admitted to having a secret affair with a TV reporter. Married Louisiana senator David Vitter got caught up in the DC Madam prostitution scandal. Eliot Spitzer who will be remembered as “Client No. 9,” saw the meteoric rise of his career come crashing down after it was revealed he’d spent tens of thousands of dollars on hookers. Soon after assuming office, the man who replaced Spitzer acknowledged that both he and his wife had slept with people other than each other. One-time Democratic shooting star John Edwards admitted to sleeping with a woman his campaign hired to shoot Web videos despite his wife’s very public bout with cancer and his 2008 presidential run. Married former congressman from Staten Island, Vito Fossella, who had three children with his wife, admitted he’d had a secret affair and children with a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel from Virginia. Finally, Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick ended up in jail after he was convicted of lying about a text message/sex scandal.

A little blogging music Maestro... “I Don’t Ever Wanna See You Again” by Uncle Sam.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

The Circle of Life

Death is a Once in a Lifetime experience

The old Man: The old man (I use this term as one of respect in lieu of his name and to protect the privacy of those in today’s post) was approaching his nineties. He’d had a full life but the ravages of Parkinson’s disease had taken their toll. He was taken to the hospital for a routine problem but after an episode in the Emergency Room, still unexplained, had lapsed into a coma from which he would not awaken. The old man left this earth April 11, 2002 six months to the day after the Twin Towers were bombed. His date of passing was also of note as he died on his great grandson’s eighteenth birthday.

The Great Grandson: The great grandson, Theron, had his own struggles as well. His mother lost her life at age 35, suddenly and unexpectedly of the effects of a massive heart attack, the underlying causes of which are also still unexplained. She had been stricken as she sat behind the wheel of her car in a parking lot while chatting with a friend. She too remained comatose until her life ended weeks after the heart attack and two years after the death of her grandfather.

The old man’s brother: The old man had several brothers, one of whom also had a great grandson. His great grandson, Brian, was stricken at age 33 with Amyotropic Lateral Sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The young man’s fight with ALS has been chronicled in the journal kept by the great grandson in his wife, http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/hokiebrian as well as highlighted in this blog. Last Friday Brian lost his fight with ALS. He passed away quietly after a long fight with the disease. He never lost his sense of humor or his brilliant mind. He packed more into 35 years that do most people who live more than twice that long.

The Great Grandson Theron and the Circle of life: Theron lost his Mom not long after he graduated high school. He had three younger siblings to look after and he got on with his life. He joined the National Guard, married, attended college, worked two jobs and did all the responsible things firstborn children usually do. He also had another event that ties into the theme of today’s circle of life post. On Father’s day, two days after the death of his distant cousin Brian, Theron became a first-time father. His daughter, Daija Michelle, is named in honor of his late mother. It is Daija’s photo that graces this post.

Words from Angela’s Ashes: From Frank McCort’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, Angela’s Ashes there is a conversation that echoes every time I think of the circle of life. Young Frank is about to go to America to try to make a better life. He and his family have been through a most difficult life of poverty and hardships. His mother has died and the paraphrased words of wisdom are, “Be good to the ones you love because when you no longer can you’ll wish you had.” We close with that thought. Hug the ones you love a little tighter, phone the loved ones from whom you are estranged and open a dialog. Remember that life is always too short but never too sweet.

A little blogging music Maestro... From the musical “Fiddler on the Roof, “La Chiam, To Life!”

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

Happy Pappy Day

My Computer Can Beat Me At Chess, But Not Kickboxing;
Misc. News

Happy Father’s Day, from your issue: Father’s Day is celebrated in 52 countries and in the U.S. on the third Sunday in June. The first observance of Father's Day is believed to have been held on July 5, 1908 in a church located in Fairmont, West Virginia. However it was not proclaimed a national holiday in the U.S. until 1966. Mother’s Day predates Father’s Day and was also started in West Virginia. In fact, by most accounts, a woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of celebrating Father’s Day while listening to a sermon on Mother’s Day. There are plenty of quotes about fathers but one of my favorites is, "My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." -- Clarence Budington Kelland

Not another Tehranian Square: We Americans are so ego-centric. One reason is probably because our country is so vast but few differences exist amongst us. Compared to differences that exist among residents of say, Russia or China we're almost homogenous. We consider ourselves to be a melting pot but many others around the world see us a homogenous. Our President gave a speech in Cairo recently. Soon after that speech Lebanon elected a western-leaning government. The media immediately began to call the election a result of the “Cairo effect.” Shortly after that Iran had elections and young people protested the announced results. More Cairo effect. President Obama has taken the position that the internal strife in Iran must be handled internally. Many Republicans reacted that we needed to take action and help tilt the election back in the “right direction.” Of course, Iran president Ahmadinejad already accuses the U.S. and other western countries of meddling. An active American reaction would be just the reason needed to send tanks into the street and mimic the tragedy of Tiananmen Square. Our history in that area is not stellar. Memo to those loudmouths calling for U. S. intervention: SHUT UP!

On the other hand, what if: CNN reports: “A 19-year-old woman who was wounded by Iranian paramilitary forces with clubs escaped with her camera and shared her photos with CNN -- after tricking a paramilitary soldier into thinking she had given him the images on a disk.” Fox News reports: “Gunfire Erupts at Iranian Pro-Reform Protests, At Least 1 Killed” Other international news sources have similar reports. But wait! Iran has expelled nearly all journalists and muzzled others. So where do these reports originate? The newest buzzwords on the lips of every news junkie are Facebook, Youtube, Flickr, and Twitter. The media sources all express caution that “these events cannot be verified, but all continue a steady stream of such reporting. Most of it is probably accurate, but what if it isn’t? What if the news from Iran is a well orchestrated hoax perpetrated by young computer geeks? It could happen.

Dumb and dumber – maybe dumbest: A Lincoln Park, Illinois man by the name of Victor Delfi found himself a little short in the cash department. His hastily-laid out plan took him to a local store where he shoplifted a pair of panty hose and pulled them over his head. He then proceeded into the local bank, simulated a gun, demanded and received cash. But the accompanying dye package exploded as he sprinted along his merry way, coating the cash with indelible red ink, making it unspendable. Thus, Victor did not spend it but deposited it into his bank accounts. BUSTED! Another dumb criminal is Floridian James Robert Chapman who deals with child pornography. He works at a hospital where he used the company copy machine to duplicate some child porn then left the originals in the machine. BUSTED. The third police bust is enough to make you say “Son of a Mitsubishi!” Buddies Anthony Gossett and Nicholas Houston dozed off in their car in Athens TN. The officers who happened upon them noticed a good sized bag of some sort of weed on the seat between them. After awakening the two sleeping beauties, the officers searched their car and discovered 26 bags of wacky tobbaccy worth about a grand. BUSTED!

All Nevada news is NOT about gambling: Ok, let’s see if we can get this one done without punning the reader to death. Senator John Ensign (R-NV) is a veterinarian by trade so I guess he could be foxy. His campaign ads always show him hugging puppies, not his own. He has been considered to be a, uh, rising star in GOP national politics. But let’s be affair about this, any human can stumble once – although his quickie romance lasted nine months. As the famous Vegas philosopher Francis Albert Sinatra once said, “The higher the top, the longer the drop.” It seems that the senator and a woman (thank goodness, as he is as anti gay as Idaho Senator Larry Craig) had been carrying on. They were married. Good. Not to each other. Not so good. The well tanned Senator, a Promise Keeper, had once vowed not to be alone with a woman in a car, and who said of the Senator Craig affair that if he were ever in a similar situation, he’d resign. He was. He didn’t. The object of his affection, who had been on his staff saw her hemline and salary rise as the affair continued. Two things that have fallen in this instance are his ego and his approval ratings.

Green with envy: Finally, from the “everybody must do their part” department comes the story of Vermont dairy farmers Tim Maikshilo and Kristen Dellert. In an effort to reduce their cow’s greenhouse gas emissions they added a diet that includes flaxseed, alfalfa, and grasses high in Omega 3 fatty acids. The diet reduces the amount of methane gas that is emitted from the cows when they, uh, expel gas. We will NOT conclude this segment by saying the cow’s carbon footprint is a kick in the...

A little blogging music Maestro... “Price of Gas” by Bloc Party

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

A Clairton Story

Can Good History Repeat Itself?

As a youngster in Clairton I delivered The Daily News so an article by Robb Austin caught my eye. Turns out Robb was not only a reporter for the paper, he was somewhat of a prodigy. Born in Cleveland (ok, we won’t hold that against him), he graduated from George Washington University and came to Western Pennsylvania to work. At age 27 he defeated a 3-term incumbent to win a state House seat. He later challenged Ed Zemprelli for a Senate seat but lost. It might be noted that Ed Zemprelli was a Clairton boy and attorney who was admitted to the bar the same year Robb Austin was born.

Austin left elected office and became a force in Washington as an advisor and is currently head of Austin Communications, a powerful political consulting firm. His story follows:

“As a cub reporter for the McKeesport (PA.) Daily News I got an early education into the working minds of local politicians and a first-hand glimpse at two young movie actors who are now screen legends.

It was the summer of 1977, and it was sweltering in Pittsburgh. As the beat reporter for the City of Clairton - it was my job to know everything that was going on in the community - including its politics, police and fire activities, and the schools.
Clairton is located along the banks of the Monongahela River - 14 miles southeast of the City of Pittsburgh. It was (and more so now) a distressed city. It was home to the Clairton Coke Works - and by 1977 already had its share of unfavorable press attention stemming from high unemployment, a rising crime rate and declining economic base.

But residents were proud of their town and worked hard at every turn to ward off any unfavorable perceptions that might do the city harm.

Thus it was no surprise when Mayor Lloyd Fuge - a bright and successful attorney - asked me to accompany and drive him (Lloyd had lost his sight in an accident as a young boy) to the Pittsburgh International Airport Holiday Inn some 30 miles away where he hoped to meet up with a young movie director by the name of Michael Cimino.
The mayor had received word that Cimino was directing a movie that was to take place in a small steel town named Clairton. He feared that once again the city would be on the receiving end of bad press - this time on the big screen before a national audience.

His goal for the meeting was to convince the director to change the name of the city where the movie would take place. Although he had no idea what the movie was about or how the city was going to be portrayed - he feared the worst.
We arrived at the motel and went straight to the front desk where Mayor Fuge asked the desk clerk to find Mr. Cimino for him. When asked who he should say was requesting to see him - the mayor authoritatively flipped open an official police "badge," and simply said, "I am".

As mayor, Mr. Fuge was head of Clairton's police department (although he had no jurisdiction at this location) but his unusual movie-style ploy had the desired effect - a worried Mr. Cimino arrived within minutes.

We sat in the lobby of the motel where Mayor Fuge first apologized for his novel approach in getting Mr. Cimino's attention - then articulated his concern that Clairton might be unfavorably portrayed in his movie. At one point Mayor Fuge said that he might seek an injunction to stop the director from using the name Clairton in the movie.

The director was concerned and went to great lengths to reassure the mayor that the movie would in no way damage the image of Clairton - "It's about relationships of people," he said, describing the script.

The mayor was satisfied and the meeting ended - but as part of the solution and to show transparency - Mr. Cimino invited me to watch the filming the next day to see for myself that the City of Clairton was not the focus of the movie.

I arrived on a high bluff in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, for the filming of a funeral scene the next day. The film crew had taken an abandoned piece of property and turned it into a makeshift cemetery. It was a 90-degree day - so they dyed surrounding tree leaves red/orange and large fans were brought in to create the illusion of a windy-cold fall day.

The movie was The Deer Hunter - winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1978. Mr. Cimino won the Academy Award for Best Director.
That day following the funeral scene - Mr. Cimino escorted me to an unassuming trailer where he set up an interview for me with one of the movie's lead actors - someone by the name of Robert DeNiro. We talked for a while about the movie and his method as an actor.

As the interview ended, he turned to an actress inside the same trailer and said to me, "I want you to interview the real star of the movie - meet Meryl Streep".
The Deer Hunter put the actress on the map, and the City of Clairton, too.”
Robb Austin, former newspaper reporter and elected Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and has successfully run numerous Congressional campaigns. Learn more at http://robbaustin.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robb_Austin


A little blogging music Maestro... “Deer Hunting Son of a Gun” by Da Yoopers.

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com

We Reap What We Sow

Inaugural Commencement Ceremony

‘Tis the season: Next summer I will return to my hometown of Clairton, PA to attend my high school class reunion. Last night in preparation for that event I attended the commencement ceremony of the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas (photo right). Tennis star Andre Agassi (photo left) is a local product but unlike many Las Vegas celebrities he has given back to the community. Perhaps because his own education was interrupted by a stellar tennis career, he and wife Steffi Graf have focused on educating local children. Through his foundation he’s funded a Boys and Girls Club, scholarships, after school projects, Child Haven for abused and neglected children, summer camp, and many other worthy causes. But his crown jewel is the $40 million Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy built in what many consider the most economically depressed part of the community.

How to grow a school: The first Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy class was comprised of at-risk students in grades 3-5. Grades K-2 were added and the school grew. As each school year was completed the original fifth graders and other grades advanced one year. Last night the fifth graders who by now had become seniors took part in a commencement ceremony for the inaugural graduating class. But a top notch education does not come cheap – or easily.

The state of education in Nevada: The state of Nevada funds its public schools at one of the lowest of any of the 50 states, roughly $ 6500 per student per year, about half the national average. The Agassi Foundation’s goal is to make up the difference through fundraisers and donations. To that end Mr. Agassi holds an annual “Grand Slam” fundraiser. That is the background story. Agassi Prep is a Charter School under the auspices of the local school district. The charter requires students to attend school two extra hours per day and two additional weeks per year. Faculty and staff are meticulously interviewed and go above and beyond the school’s requirements. The result for the first graduating class is a 100% graduation rate with every student accepted into college and collectively earning hundreds of thousands of scholarship dollars. Grads have been accepted at and plan to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, University of Tennessee, Alcorn State University, Spelman College, Pepperdine University, Concordia University, Cornell College, Grambling University, Ithaca College, Lehigh University, Prairie View University, University of San Francisco, and all the Nevada universities as well as others.

Not your grandpa’s graduation: Students fortunate enough to attend Agassi Prep – and there is a waiting list of hundreds – receive extra consideration if they live within a two-mile radius of the school. They are selected randomly by lottery and those who win the lottery must have parents or guardians willing to support their students and the high standards of the school. Teachers, parents and students working together make up a team that yields quality graduates. Those who stay the course take part in extracurricular activities that include the usual such as sports (the Boys basketball team went to State this year) and the unusual, such as a recent senior class trip to France.

Not your grandma’s graduation either: The graduating class of Stars (that is the Agassi Prep mascot) took part in a ceremony whose speakers included Mr. Agassi, himself an accomplished public speaker, Chancellor Marsha Irvin, Student Body President Alexis Wallace, and Valedictorian Desmend Jetton. Musical numbers were performed by the Agassi Orchestra Ensemble and graduating senior Je’na Givens singing “Over the Rainbow,” as well as the musical group Mosaic singing “End of the Road.” But the highlight of the Commencement Ceremony came when Chancellor Irvin presented Mr. Agassi with a congratulatory letter that had arrived at the school by Special Delivery that morning from President Obama. Each graduating senior received a copy of the letter.

Words of wisdom: Some of the advice that Andre Agassi gave to the graduates included: “Tennis was not my life, it was my job. My life was my life.” Also, “Stay strong in your faith and have faith in your strength.” Senior Class President La’Mayah Hodges reminded the graduates that since they’re the first graduating class, by default they’re the best! Salutatorian Simone Ruffin remarked, “Some along the way have short-sightedly labeled us as at-risk. Well, we are at risk -- at risk of excellence, at risk of success,” she continued. “We are at risk of having a class where 100 percent of the students graduate and go to college,” Mr. Agassi echoed the students’ sentiments when he told the students they are pioneers and sometimes pioneers get lost, but they continue to strive, “Tell yourself again the story of how you were a pioneer,” Agassi told the students. “How you proved all the naysayers wrong; how you defied the odds and made your parents and teachers and that one old tennis player very, very proud.” Mr. Agassi also said that he hoped that after college many of the graduates will return to the community and make a difference for future generations.

Things I realized at the ceremony: That cocky young tennis phenom and rebel with the wild hair who took the stodgy tennis community by storm is now a bald husband and father who has made it his life mission to give back to the community that spawned him. He looked every bit as good in his academic regalia (see photo above) as he did in his tennis outfits. He is as focused on facilitating his goals today as he was when he won eight grand slam singles tournaments. I also realized that poor children, who we as a society call “at risk,” can compete and excel when given opportunities equal to those of their successful peers. Finally, I remembered what I had known for a long time; that putting together “at risk” students, committed teachers, a strong administration, and a community’s resources, is not only a formula for success but it is the gift that keeps on giving to future generations.
http://www.agassiprep.org/

A little blogging music Maestro... The theme of nearly every Commencement Ceremony, “Pomp and Circumstance.”

Dr. Forgot
http://drforgot.com