Yes, that is correct. I got to dress up as a huge eagle for the AE student rush last week at the pens game. It was a sweet experience, to say the least. Pittsburgh college peeps are definitely some of the best sports fans out there. I’m gonna miss Mellon Arena!

I’m in most of the first third of the video above, and you can see me right at the end hanging with IceBurgh!

I realize that SF is America’s sweetheart right now, despite his being a dick. Aside from that, however, his work is pretty fantastic. I’m sure you’ve all seen the recent outpouring of his outdoor work in Pittsburgh, but if you haven’t check out one of the spots below:

View Shepard Fairey Outdoor Work (Pittsburgh) in a larger map

This is truly amazing. Local artist Bob Ziller put this project together prior to the G20 with Warhol’s flowers as the theme. I wish I would have known about it earlier, I want to paint some flowers!

This is insane. Its like something out of a movie. They apparently consider the Pitt student union an unlawful assembly now. Most of these students aren’t even protesting, they just happen to be out on THEIR OWN SCHOOL’S CAMPUS.

Wow. These are the things that renew my faith in people.

Point Park University students extend a peaceful start to the G-20 Summit with this crazy awesome flash mob dance. My favorite part is how they all seem to come together (and, at the end, break apart) randomly, as if they never knew each other. Just random people agreeing that peace rocks.

UPDATE

Apparently they started this flash mob in three different places in downtown at the exact same time, 1pm, on Monday, Sept. 21: Oxford Center, PPG Place, and USX Plaza. Point Park has a good video on YouTube below:

Imagine it. All you want after a hard day in the Burgh is an ice cold brew. You stop by your local Sheetz, the veritable Mecca of gas station enjoyment. As you walk in, there it is before you, gleaming like a beacon of hope. The Beer Cave.

Due to Pennsylvania’s ridiculous beer laws, however, this beautiful fantasy is currently just that. Sheetz has been looking into ways to cure this malady, and they need our help. They’ve put together a sweet little form for you to fill out, generating an email that will be sent to your local government rep, requesting that action be taken. Check it out here.

Taken from the site:

They’re outdated, archaic, unfair… and just plain silly.

Pennsylvania’s liquor laws have been on the books since the 1930′s – the Prohibition era. Does anyone really think that these 70 and 80 year old laws still make sense?

UPDATE

I’ve added the Sheetz page to Digg here.

_Rob

My Reverse Jams, limited edition designed my the students at CMU came today.

w00t!

So, I made a pit stop at Sheetz on my way back from the beach this week, and picked up the Penguins Stanley Cup Champion issue of Sports Illustrated. A very good read all in all, albeit mostly what I would expect to get from SI. Finally, I turned to the back cover, and found this gem of an ad for State Farm:

I’m pretty sure Marian Hossa won’t be buying State Farm insurance any time soon.

Mad Max, Beyond Thunderdome

I’m pretty sure ESPN need to rethink their titletown selection, and right quick.

There are some kick ass signs in Pittsburgh…

… signs that define our city, both socially as well as economically. Many of them tell stories of our past, and some even point to events yet to pass. Many also can serve the starving artist, as iconic images of reference. Luckily, you don’t have to go out and chronicle them all yourself. They’ve all been painstakingly laid out for you already by a group called The Pittsburgh Signs Project.

The Pittsburgh Signs Project has also just put out a book, Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. The book is filled with some amazing full color photos taken from area artists, and is definitely a coffee table gem if there ever was one. The book is listed at $29.99, but you can find it on amazon here for just over 20 bucks.

On top of that, they have a facebook group, and here are a few links to some sweet flickr feeds on signage of the Burgh:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47211597@N00/sets/72157614779435468/
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=pittsburgh%20signs&w=47211597%40N00

All in all, I was very taken aback and impressed with such an undertaking. I now have new respect for the signage of the Burgh.

_Rob