Chalk another one up for the 412

Now, as our five consistent readers will know, nothing gets the folks at tRBT more turned on than Pittsburgh getting national exposure. Our love for Pittsburgh is an evangelical love; all we want to do is spread it like Christianity and herpes to the rest of the world, and we like to think that we do it as often(at least more often than we do with the herpes - talk about a dry spell) as possible.

This is why we are proud to present you with the news that our mayor, Luke Ravenstahl, has been selected as one of the potential candidates for TIME Magazine's "Person of the Year" award.

Part history, part pop culture, part self-promotion, the magazine has sparked anticipation and debate for decades with its designation of the person or thing -- the computer made it in 1982 -- deemed to have had the most influence on the year's news,

Fresh from his re-election victory, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has been selected by Time for a panel that will meet tonight in New York City as part of the magazine's selection process for this year's designee.

That's right. Get used to seeing this, bitches:

Come to think of it, why hasn't Snoop gotten this award yet, especially for his pivotal role in Half Baked?

But for real, you know and we know that you know a guy like that.

This week in ballsy mayors

This is a few weeks old, but according to multiple sources and reported in the City Paper, Pittsburgh's Boy Mayor had some choice words for his G20 critics at the ACLU - and he did it all ironically donning riot gear. This is genius:

It's not every day you hear about Mayor Luke Ravenstahl appearing in police riot gear, taunting the head of the local American Civil Liberties Union and dropping the f-bomb in front of the city's media elite.
...
Ravenstahl used his moment on stage to send a message to ACLU state legal director Vic Walczak, who has sharply criticized the city's handling of G-20 protesters. According to multiple sources, Ravenstahl said something like this: "I heard we're going to face a free-speech lawsuit. Well, I have some free speech for you -- fuck you, Vic Walczak."

What a beast. We knew there was a reason why we liked the guy. Go get 'em, Luke. Just be home before the streetlights come on, or Onorato's going to get all "goosey" on you.

Is it just me, or is Patrick Dowd really spiderman?

With great mayoral power comes great responsibility:

In light of last night's forum in which candidates for Pittsburgh's coveted Mayor-for-life debated budget woes and all things Pittsburgh, I thought I would provide this brief educational primer on the candidates. I am no Matt Hogue (read: I am not a huge toolbag) but I will do my best here.

1.) Patrick Dowd is a giant douchebag. He was on the schoolboard, then the City Council and now he thinks he can be mayor. That's bullshit. Don't vote for him.

2.) Sorry to offend people, but Carmen Robinson is a joke of a human being. She's been an upstart for her entire career, and despite popular belief, has trouble speaking the English language. She is not qualified, and certainly is not (sorry Carmen) smart enough. She is tactlessly ripping off the Obama campaign (her website is chock full of Obama-isms) and there are serious racial undertones that are hidden in about 90% of what she says.

Not that we're the best proofreaders, but we try to be as professional as bloggers can be. But this is one of many examples of the lack of professionalism that plague Ms. Robinson's website:

I've gone up against a formidable opponent!
I've dealt with all that goes along with fighting the good fight and won.
I've am conscious, mobilized and ready!
I've come out of the battle better, stronger and wiser.

Huh. Wiser, huh? Wiser but less articulate, maybe. Sorry Carmen, but you're not getting our vote - regardless of whose "boy" you're not. What a dumb slogan, by the way. "She's nobody's boy!" No fucking shit, you're a woman.

3.) Luke is not perfect, and he's made a few mistakes, but in all fairness he had a city thrust onto his shoulders at an age when most men with a 412 area code are playing beer pong and getting ready to go out to Matrix and find slutty-looking girls to grind on for 4 or 5 hours. And guess what? Pittsburgh is the shit, and it hasn't burned down yet - granted it came close a few times.

In conclusion, simply by not being the other two candidates, we here at tRBT are supporting Luke Ravenstahl for Mayor this primary season. Not that we're Matt Hogue, though. Man that kid is a tool.