Sopranos Finale

Think about it. This show began with the premise of a mobster needing to see a psychiatrist. The Sopranos was not about people getting whacked or mob wars. It was about the psychology of a mob boss. The ending was perfect in that it emphasized the price one has to pay for that lifestyle: the neverending paranoia, the constant fear of death. Who is that guy who went into the bathroom? Who came in the door at the end? That's Tony's psychology, and the way he had to live every last day of his life.

Iovino's Cafe

Wow. Wow. Really excellent food. The service was tremendous. The tempura tuna maki roll was delicious, the tempura batter giving a nice salty flavor and crispy texture in counterpoint to the soft rice and tuna inside. The ravioli of the day: goat cheese, pecans and arugala were perfectly cooked, lightly sauced with a spinach cream and were just downright yummy.

Finally, another restaurant in Pittsburgh has been good enough that the crank and I want to become regulars.

Bloomberg is evil

How is it that in the greatest city in the world, notorious for people who don't take crap from anybody, that a fascist has managed to take control of this city?

Bloomberg is all about control--what you can eat, where you can smoke, whether you drive. He's pure evil.

More Cola Taste!

The current advertisements for Pepsi (at least the billboard in that really ugly stretch of Banksville Rd.) say "More cola taste" than Coca-Cola. I really don't understand what constitutes cola taste. Fine, it tastes like cola as opposed to root beer or clam juice, but how does one quantify cola taste? Is Coke blander than Pepsi? By what percentage?