There is a far better case to be made for reinstituting mental hospitals and locking up psychopaths, beginning with our entire political and economic elite, than for an incarceration complex locking up people who are just trying to survive a profoundly disordered society.
— David Benfell, Ph.D. (@n4rky) February 1, 2022
There is a new blog post entitled, “Ilya Shapiro is wrong and yes, Joe Biden should nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.”
Pittsburgh
Infrastructure
Ed Blazina et al., “‘A boom, then a monster sound’: 10 hurt after bridge over Pittsburgh’s Frick Park collapses,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 28, 2022, https://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2022/01/28/pittsburgh-bridge-collapse-forbes-braddock-avenue-point-breeze-squirrel-hill/stories/202201280075
Emma Folts, “From a burning bridge to a sinking road, 5 times Pittsburgh infrastructure raised worries,” Public Source, January 28, 2022, https://www.publicsource.org/from-a-burning-bridge-to-a-sinking-road-5-times-pittsburgh-infrastructure-raised-worries/
Megan Guza, “‘It is outrageous’: Pittsburgh leaders, residents seek answers after poor-rated bridge collapses,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 28, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/it-is-outrageous-pittsburgh-leaders-residents-seek-answers-after-poor-rated-bridge-collapses/
Tony LaRussa, “Over 40 bridges in Alle-Kiski Valley are rated the same as span that collapsed in Pittsburgh,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 28, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/valley-news-dispatch/here-are-the-bridges-in-the-alle-kiski-valley-rated-the-same-as-span-that-collapsed-in-pittsburgh/
Brian C. Rittmeyer, Megan Guza, and Jason Cato, “10 injured in bridge collapse in Pittsburgh’s Frick Park,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 28, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/frick-park-bridge-collapses-natural-gas-smell-in-area/
Charlie Wolfson, “Collapsed Pittsburgh bridge and 175 others rated poor in county drive home need for investment,” Public Source, January 28, 2022, https://www.publicsource.org/bridge-collapse-pittsburgh-allegheny-infrastructure-biden/
WTAE, “Gov. Wolf signs proclamation of disaster emergency for Allegheny County following bridge collapse,” January 28, 2022, https://www.wtae.com/article/bridge-collapse-pittsburgh-gov-wolf-signs-proclamation-of-disaster-emergency/38928541
Julia Felton, “‘It’s a resource problem’: 1 in 8 bridges in Pa. rated in ‘poor’ condition, records show,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 29, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/its-a-resource-problem-1-in-8-bridges-in-pa-rated-in-poor-condition-records-show/
Lauren Lee, “Mayor Gainey signs Disaster Emergency Declaration following Fern Hollow bridge collapse,” WTAE, January 30, 2022, https://www.wtae.com/article/mayor-gainey-to-sign-disaster-emergency-declaration-following-fern-hollow-bridge-collapse/38934884
Mary Ann Thomas, “O’Connor: Rebuilding Forbes Avenue bridge could take 2 years, more than $10M,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 30, 2022, https://triblive.com/news/declarations-of-emergency-expected-to-speed-cleanup-and-reconstruction-of-forbes-avenue-bridge/
Ryan Deto, “Crane pulls Port Authority bus from Frick Park bridge wreckage,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 31, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/public-viewing-area-opens-for-pittsburghs-collapsed-fern-hollow-bridge-as-cleanup-begins/
KDKA-TV, “Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse: PennDOT To Invest $25.3M To Rebuild Fern Hollow Bridge,” January 31, 2022, https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2022/01/31/penndot-investment-rebuild-fern-hollow-bridge/
Julia Felton, “Pittsburgh looks to create infrastructure commission in wake of Fern Hollow Bridge collapse,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 1, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-looks-to-create-infrastructure-commission-in-wake-of-fern-hollow-bridge-collapse/
Snow plowing
So it’s a little weird. A winter storm watch goes into effect at 1:00 am Thursday.[1] But you have to look carefully at the maps in the following tweet, or look, as I did, at an actual hourly forecast to see that the freezing rain isn’t expected to start until much later.
The upcoming winter storm will begin as rain for most locations, with a changeover to freezing rain, sleet, & eventually snow as colder air filters in. Below is an explanation & a timeline of when you can expect freezing rain impacts to begin, & when snow will eventually end. pic.twitter.com/Z4yaXdLolk
— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) February 1, 2022
I had thought I was going to have to stay home Thursday. Now I think it will be Friday because I have no idea how long it will take for Pittsburgh Public Works to clear the expected layer of ice.
Ukraine
Jennifer Hansler, “US State Department orders families of government personnel to leave Belarus amid ‘unusual and concerning Russian military buildup,’” CNN, January 31, 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/31/politics/us-embassy-minsk-belarus-ordered-departure-family/index.html
John Hudson and Ashley Parker, “Russia responds in writing to U.S. proposal on Ukraine crisis,” Washington Post, February 1, 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/01/31/russia-responds-writing-us-proposal-ukraine-crisis/
- [1]Jeff Himler, “Western Pa. under storm watch for snow, ice beginning early Thursday,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, February 1, 2022, https://triblive.com/local/regional/pittsburgh-area-under-storm-watch-for-snow-ice-beginning-early-thursday/↩