That's Church

Today in the Trib is an article covering the fact that City Council members were handed a memo regarding the use of social media during City Council meetings.

Basically the memo informs City Council that the City is working on a social media policy and cautions them to take care with their social media usage.

The memo to council cautions that social media discussions or texting and e-mailing each other during a meeting could cause a conflict with the state’s Sunshine and Open Records laws. The memo reminds council members that they’re restricted from conducting political activities during working hours and in city offices.

Doug Shields is not happy:

“It’s not like five of us get on a Facebook chat and convene a discussion about some type of legislation,” he said.

Bill Peduto is NOT happy, going so far as to call Lukey “Mayor Mubarakenstahl” on Bill’s facebook status in which he also talks about “freedom of expression.”

I am a fan of Bill Peduto’s and I will remain a fan of Bill Peduto’s but in this case, I gotta side with the Mayor and Joanna Doven, who said:

“Councilman Shields should actually read the memo before he once again yells ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theater.”

While certain members of city council are lashing out in a way that tells me maybe they’re taking this a bit too personally, this appears to me to be a smart practice only because as research will show, other cities are being faced with the same issue. Social media versus Open Records Laws.

Here’s a case in Florida that is even broader reaching than simply city council meetings, but going so far as to record every text:

Florida Sunshine Law watchdogs are keeping a sharp eye on the social media sphere. They want to ensure that all public records remain public and that they can be tied back to the public official who generated them.

Another case:

“We don’t want to open up to discussion,“ Murphy said. “We don’t have the infrastructure and we can run into Sunshine (Law) problems, etc.”

Here:

The King County Council recently took action to ensure that the County’s use of social media, including Twitter and Facebook, complies with the County’s obligations under various King County and Washington public record laws.

A quick search of “social media and open records law” will have you swimming in articles, PDFs, and blog posts regarding just this thing being addressed in many other cities.

So why is Doug Shields “baffled” by the memo? Beats me.

I guess I’m just not seeing what the big deal is. According to the article, it doesn’t appear the memo is talking about anything other than social media use BY City Council DURING City Council meetings. Yes, City Council and Lukey should make sure the process for writing the policy is done in the proper way and through the proper channels, but it sounds like a policy that City Council should want written especially in light of how litigious our society is these day.

I don’t think this is a case of Luke trying to stick it to City Council, but rather just a case of “better safe than sorry.”

And I don’t think a prospective social media policy that takes open records laws into consideration is worthy to be compared to what happened in Egypt.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to hop on this pig and fly to the icy gates of hell.

You guys know about Tassy because I’ve written about Tassy since Tassy became “Ian’s Tassy.”

A 19-year-old Haitian who had a cancerous tumor growing on his jaw and who couldn’t have it removed because of the destruction the earthquake wreaked on Haiti’s hospitals.

Former Survivor contestant (OMG, he is going to SHAKE A FIST AT ME for mentioning Survivor again, but I don’t care. Survivor Survivor Survivor!) Ian Rosenberger had a chance meeting of Tassy in Haiti and decided he was going to save his life.

And then he did.

Four months after he brought him to Pittsburgh for his surgery, Ian took Tassy back home to Haiti on an early flight yesterday to reunite Tassy with his mother and siblings and other family and friends. Tassy is healthy and happy and whole.

I asked Ian and Tassy each five questions for my next installment of Five Questions for … over at Pittsburgh Magazine.

It’s one of the most incredible stories I’ve ever seen unfold and one sure to make you believe in the power of love, the power of perseverance, and the power of Pittsburgh’s people.

A snippet from Ian’s answers:

4. What was the single scariest moment of this journey for you?
For me, I can pick it out exactly. It was this past July, before we had money, doctors or we even really knew what Tassy’s chances were. Tassy e-mailed me worried that he was getting worse, and I was hanging out with my Dad at my parent’s place. I had zero idea of how to help this kid, and was really scared that he would die before we could get our sh*t together enough to get him to the States. I had given him my word, and in Haiti, when some white dude comes from the U.S. and says he can help you, you believe him, you even count on it. Knowing that kept me up at night.

There are two other questions I asked Ian about the future of this effort, and I’m going to share those with you next week because they’re as incredibly moving as Tassy’s story.

As for Tassy, these are the questions I asked him:

1. What does Pittsburgh and its people mean to you?

2. What are you going to miss the most about living here?

3. What shocked you the most about America?

4. What kind of future do you see for yourself, and how is it different than the future you envisioned before you came to America?

5. If there’s just one thing you’d want us to remember about you, what would it be?

I guarantee his answers to #1 and #5 are going to have you blinking away tears.

Go read!

WINNER: Comment #130 was selected by Random.org.  The winner has been notified via email.

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Happy Friday Where It Is 60 Degrees in Pittsburgh in the Middle of February

That’s always a good Friday.

We should have a giveaway today, yes?

Yes.

I remember a time when I loved watching the Oscars because I would have seen almost all of the movies up for the major awards.  Braveheart. Dances With Wolves. Forrest Gump. Glitter.

What?

Anyway, I remember Bryan Adams singing on several Oscar telecasts back in the dark ages when I watched the Oscars by candlelight while ma churned the butter and pa shot stray vermin outside the cabin.

These days, with my DVR-attitude that I don’t watch commercials, I never even know what movies are released until they show up in the Red Box and then I’m all, “Hey. Lookit! There’s a new Thomas the Tank Engine movie!”

This year, there are ten nominees for best picture. I have seen … one.  I will give you three guesses as to which one it is. I’ll give you a hint. Ready? Mr. Tortilla Head.

Another hint: Big Giant Scary Dead-Eyed Baby Who Gives Me Nightmares

Seriously. That baby. Heebie Jeebie City, the capital of Bejeezus.

Whether or not you love seeing movies in theaters, I bet you love enjoying delicious food and cocktails while surrounded by a who’s who of Pittsburghers dressed in their finest at the Pittsburgh Film Office’s Oscar event, which supports the film office which brings awesome movies to Pittsburgh, which gives you and I opportunities to see Jake Gyllenhaal running through downtown Pittsburgh without his shirt on.

[blink]

Details!

Event Name: Highmark Presents Lights! Glamour! Action!

When: Sunday, February 27 at 7:30PM

Location: Stage AE

Event Details: The Pittsburgh Film Office invites Pittsburgh residents, local crew and business owners alike to participate in the fun and learn more about the regional film industry. Come share in Oscar^® night excitement as Highmark Presents Lights! Glamour! Action!™ welcomes you with a red carpet arrival – and make sure to wear your finest if you want to win the best dressed award. The evening features a screening of the live telecast of the Oscars^® on the big screen, and the premiere of the 11th annual ”Pittsburgh Stars” video, which will be shown in 3D for the first time ever. Dress for Highmark Presents Lights! Glamour! Action!™ is black-tie optional.

Ticket details: This giveaway is for two Gala Tickets, which includes two drink tickets per guest. A Gala ticket is $125, bringing the grand total of this giveaway to $250.  If you don’t win, you can purchase tickets here or call the Pittsburgh Film Office at 412-261-2744

I went last year and it is an awesome good time and a great way to rub elbows with the local film industry peeps.

To enter, leave a comment. One comment per valid email address, and so you have something to say, tell me the WORST movie you ever saw.

Mine? You might think I’d say Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, but I love that campy shit. No, the worst movie for me was easily The Object of my Affection. The only time ever I walked out of a theater because I was bored out of my mind.

Tell me yours and good luck! You have until Monday at 4:00 p.m. at which time Random.org will pick the winning comment number. If your comment goes to spam, no worries. I’ll fish them out periodically.

Brit Alex Pettyfer is the star of Pittsburgh-filmed I Am Number Four, which will begin showing in theaters tomorrow. He is not hard on the eyes. At all.

In an interview with CinemaBlend.com, he had this to say about filming in Pittsburgh:

You were filming in Pittsburgh, right? What’s the experience of filming on location there?

It’s nice. It changes your life. I’m forever a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Apparently I’ve picked the worst baseball team in the world.

First, a big giant WOW! to “It changes your life.”

Second, a big giant HIGH FIVE! for managing to become a Pirates fan during a 105-loss season.

You call it insanity, but I call it … insanity.

Seriously. Dude is crazy.

But I welcome him to my bandwagon with open arms and a strong margarita to numb the forthcoming pain that only the Buccos of Suckitude can inflict.

P.S. You guys that are about to comment all angry that I have left you out, please note that there are exposed boobies in the background of the banner picture. YOU’RE WELCOME.

Making national news today and as seen on WTAE, a Baldwin man has refused the borough’s order that he must take down a 24-foot illuminated cross that he erected on his property.

Mr. Behr said the cross, which is nailed to a tree on his property at 1210 Robbins St., is “about the Lord.” Those who want it removed, he said, are against God.

“This is a message I have to deliver,” he said, and thanked his neighbor who complained because he said it allowed him to share his message with more people.

Here is a message I have to deliver, from one Christian to another:

God doesn’t want you to loudly and blindingly shove your religion down your neighbors’ throats in a way that reduces their property values via a giant cross you built that doesn’t adhere to any building codes whatsoever and thereby may fall down and kill someone at any time from any sustained exceptionally strong winds or that may burst into flames from faulty wiring.

Much the same way that you, Mr. Behr, would probably take issue if your neighbor chose to erect on her property a 24-foot illuminated tribute to say, Satan. There are other, less in-your-face, world, ways to profess your love of Christ.

The moral of this story, kids: Don’t erect 24-foot illuminated tributes to anything on your property if your property can be seen from your neighbors’ yards.

Unless it’s a 24-foot illuminated tribute to David Conrad, because this puppy I’m building is going to BLOW YOUR MINDS.