The Post-Gazette played this April Fools joke. Dan Simpson: A strange start to April
On a more local note, in Mt. Lebanon, a pretentious suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, local town commissioners were examining the early results of their latest attempt to bring the fertile, hungry deer population under control. To deal with the problem they had imported from Kenya a pride of lions, using the contacts of a senior American political figure born there. With a midnight curfew for people established, the big cats were released to hunt freely until dawn, when they were tranquilized, recaptured and re-caged. Commissioners refused to talk about reported problems with the project, although an early election to fill one unexpectedly vacant seat has been quickly scheduled. The commissioner in question had been observing the lion experiment.
Cafe IO is featuring these specials today:
I am not sure how to interpret the IO joke but I think the sign also says "pickle soup" above the Bird Park Venison Stew.
ReplyDeleteSo is it really a commentary on how "we really are in a pickle* here in Mt Lebanon between the deer slaughter and the turf".
*pickle figuratively defined as "in a mess".
I don't now what to think. At best case it was a distasteful joke, and at worst it was a pro-cull statement from the owner and chef Jeff Iovino. In other words, a question of Jeff Iovino being dumb or dumber. The phone number is 412-440-0414. Maybe people should call and ask. If it was a pro-cull statement, then anti-cull residents should consider boycotting his restaurant. What confused me was the phrase, "Keep it Green", beneath "Bird Park Venison Stew". That comment initially made me think that his point was that killing the deer in Bird Park would keep the park green. However, on second review, there is a light purple dashed line separating each dish, and the "Keep it Green" was under the dashed line, and may have been the heading to the next dish, Gazpacho" which is a cold raw vegetable soup. So I think which dish that "Keep it Green" was connected to could identify if it was just a distasteful joke or a political statement. I hope it was just a distateful joke, i.e. I want to support Mt. Lebanon small businesses.
ReplyDeleteTo follow up that generous portion of venison stew, Marie Antoinette will be offering scrumptiously delectable selections from the "Let Them Eat Cake" dessert cart.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to post my updated thoughts on Andy Reinhart's anti-cull comment deletions the other day. I don't know Andy Reinhart. I was very upset when he deleted the anti-cull comments on his website, and allowed Barbara Logan's pro-cull comment to remain, which was filled with untruths and misinformation, and calling anti-cull residents liars. He has since removed her comment too. Mr. Reinhart got beat up pretty bad on the previous thread because of his anti-cull comment deletions, including by me. However, I have since calmed down and just wanted to say, that I thought Mr. Reinhart's stated position on the deer issue was reasonable and thoughtful, which unfortunately got lost in the emotional reaction to the anti-cull comment deletions. I also tried to understand his thinking on these deletions. I'm a Democrat, but I vote for the candidate and not the party. I hope to engage with Andy Reinhart (D) and Steve McLean (R) directly in the near future, and get a better feel for these candidates and their positions.
ReplyDeleteSince you approved 2:51's comment and regularly don't approve other comments, I can only presume your agree with the sentiment. The idea that someone makes a joke on April Fool's that crosses your politics and you call them out by name (and phone number) is absolutely revolting. It is simply bullying.
ReplyDeleteI know that "Keep it Green" was what was on our anti-turf signs, 2:51 AM.
ReplyDelete8:22 AM, I regularly approve comments. What are you talking about?
Elaine
2:51 and 8:22.
ReplyDeleteThis blog reader found the sign pretty funny for April Fool in Mt. Lebanon.
My impression was that IO was making a comment solely about the pickle the municipality found itself in on both the cull and the turf.
I didn't see the message as taking a stand one way or the other on the two issues. I could be wrong, but in my opinion it was just a satirical jab at life here in the bubble, nothing more and nothing less.
IO's is a nice little restaurant, opened I'm told by a guy that started out as a dishwasher at Bado's. The food and atmosphere are very good and it is a community asset.
Way anyone would want to launch a boycott of the place for a simple April Fool's prank is beyond me, but it does highlight the reason people post comments here anonymously.
People will go to great lengths to punish people if they don't like what they do or say.
For anyone that hasn't dined at IO, give it shot, it's good. Give the owner some support.
I think the new slogan should be--
ReplyDeleteMT. LEBANON; A PRETENTIOUS LITTLE SUBURB. Has a nice (and honest) ring about it, hasn't it???