What, using my tax dollars to produce and broadcast I Like Luke propoganda? I don't see why not ... this is the way politicians have been doing it since the beginning of time ... Stalin, Castro, Hussein...
He has been doing this since he got into office, i.e. his picture on redd up billboards, the trash pickup schedule, recycling schedules, etc. Its the power of the imcumbancy. Is this what he was doing with the I Like Luke propoganda?
I'm hoping it's gigantic red banners with the our "Dear Leader's" picture on them, perhaps hanging all the way down the slide of the USX Tower. That would be toot sweet!
I presumed the Burgher was talking about this:
http://post-gazette.com/pg/08004.../846743-
366.stm
As hysterical as this is, I think it would be a mistake to focus on it. We know how Our Mayor rolls. There are more important things going on for now.
When I got home from work and found my semi-annual (not, as the flier itself says, bi-annual) flier from the garbagemen, which features four photos of the mayor and the implication that if we didn't have Luke Ravenstahl we wouldn't have recycling, I thought perhaps that would be what we were talking about. I suppose the TV thing is more topical, as the Boy Mayor has been using the garbage newsletter to support himself since day one.
I will point out about the garbage flier, though, that it is paid for by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (through an Act 101 902 recycling program grant, according to the masthead), which means that the Lukeling has promoted himself through both municipal and state funds, and drove himself around thanks to federal money.
Hat trick!
Garbage flies and TV coverage are both good. But my gigantic 40-story-high red banners streaming down from the top of the USX Tower would be far cooler.
I'll tell ya who advises Luke of these things Mr. Peduto, its the idiot that has been advising him since day one, YARONE ZOBER!!! Someone needs to cut his brake lines. HA HA.
I dont understand Alicia Sirk's remark that the law dept said what they did was "ok". How can that be legal?
Luke's spokesperson says every Mayor has done it. Really? The City Channel has been around since Caliguiri and I never saw anyone from Caliguiri to O'Connor televise the post swearing in party. Don't they understand that most people see this crap as over the top self grandstanding. Our glorious leader is loved by all and we will air the people singing praise upon our glorious leader. "Our Glorious Leader" this video has given me a new name for Luke - OGL.
The "Glorious Leader" was some other despot. Luke is the "Dear Leader". Please use the correct name, or I will have to report your treason to the Kommittee.
Like said previously in the comments, the only leaders I have ever witnessed doing such a thing have been dictators.
They don't care about the rules ... let alone appearance of impropriety.
There is a total lack of judgment on the 5th Floor.
That stuff happens when a plebe lawyer (Yarone) is managing the Law Department. (a violation of the code, how ironic!).
This is news?
Dear Luke,
It is time to stop playing mayor and fire all your closest advisors. At 7, it is okay to say "I am only 7, what do you want from me?" At 27, you need to wipe the snot off your face, tie your own shoes and do the job you asked for. If you want to be qualified to do something other than teach self-promotion at the graduate level when you leave the mayor's office, serve with dignity. We only have David Letterman to blame for your behavior. If he hadn't given you an early taste of the media spotlight you might not want your own show on city cable.
It's all image with the Mayor. Everyone likes Luke, right?
Well, sort of, with public opinion ranging from " I love Luke" to "what other choice do we have?" to "absolutely not" to "he's a weenie of the first order."
Zober and his half baked, inept cronies (Zober being the Chief of Culprits) got the kid believeing in his own propoganda. It has become their reality.
Now, don't get me wrong, propoganda is great and a political device that has been used to good effect for centuries. But to be used effectively, the purvyers of effective media spin/propaganda fully understand the propaganda isn't reality - it's just another story line for public consumption.(See communist Chinese Politboro - "everything is great in our glorious whatever.")
Within the Ravenstahl political braintrust's mind - their propaganda is their reality. Start to believe in your own spin you lose sight of reality. You make misplays like this one. This isn't the first time they made a sows ear out of silk purse.
As a result, Luke's inept brain trust garners yet another bad press day for Luke.
The Inauguration replay on the City Cable Channel, in of itself, is somewhat innocuous in the grand scheme of things. But the Ravenstahl brain trust managed yet again to convert a mild positive to yet another negative Ravenstahl controversy.
Hey Zober, keep tossing those softballs to your opposition. They love you for it.
Happy New Year
Media Mogul
I'll say it again - Luke, we know Yarone feeds your ego every day - but HE IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU OR THE CITY - you would do far better without him . . . p.s. get someone with real experience in government that has a history of being able to work with other people and can think - at least occasionally - of substance over politics. p.p.s. Has Yarone told you that it's a good idea to keep Pokora on in city government? Why am I not surprised?
This in from the Trib yesterday:
"Pokora, who has worked in the controller's office for 23 years, is not a candidate for the vacant city treasurer post, Ravenstahl said. Pokora said earlier he interviewed and was interested in that job.
"'One thing that my administration lacks, if it lacks anything, is institutional knowledge,' the mayor said. 'It's very, very possible that he could be a good fit in some way in the administration.'"
Yep, Mayor Lukey. Your administration does indeed lack any institutonal knowledege about the institution you are supposed to be running. That is the first honest statement Mayor Lukey has ever made.
I think Mayor Lukey is now ready for a good 12-step program. Self-realization of of your problem is the first step on the road to recovery. Hopefully, he will realize he lacks more than just "Institutional Knowledge" and do something about it. Hope springs eternal!
Admiral:
I will follow your advice and the grand knowledge of our "Dear Leader". But I do have 2 questions if I am permitted to ask questions in our great city of vision and moving forwardness.
First, I would think that an ethically-challenged Administration would immediately nix any Communication strategy that requires approval from the Law Department. Just show the speech - leave the videos from the political function on your webpage, not the government station. Second, wasn't Bambi's father a "Dear Leader".
He he he anony, and we all saw what happened to him! The only institutional knowledge Yarone should know about is Western Psych.
Maybe his buddies at UPMC can hook Yarone up with a great padded office.
But isn't it kinda mean to keep making make fun of the village idiot?
Zober's gotta be on Peduto's payroll. He's doing a great job of keeping the the mayor away from institutional knowledge.
Pokora is a numbers guy. Zober (Peduto's agent in place in the mayor's office) says to the mayor: "Luke, why on earth would we use his (Pokora's) financial and auditing talents in the Treasuer's office where they would no doubt be wasted there? He's just what the doctor ordered to head up animal control boss. Yeah, that's the ticket!
Bill Peduto is a f--k'n political genius.
who said "We all Love Luke"?
Luke and his disrespectful, lying, arrogant little self makes me want to puke. And Zober, well I wonder how many people that were at the very lightly attended (I would say crowed but it was more like may a family reunion with a few friends)inauguration of Dan "the other punk" Onorato were there to witness the outbursts and blatant insults that whack job Zober spewed upon the few politicians there. I've heard of so many people being so outraged by this Zober dude that it's amazing he's still in the office. Which only proves my point of the lack of intelligence of the Kid who I refuse to call our mayor. It might make me become bulimic.
As long as Zober stays the better off we are at getting the kid out in two years unless he keeps doing more stupid stuff and lying about it and insulting the tax payers. Maybe he can be the youngest mayor ever to be impeached. Now that would do us all some good.
Mat, you can hop on the bus with the rest of them when they get bounced out of town. your too young and impressionable and i guess blind to keep sticking up for those idiots.
Actually it all could make perfect sense if Yarone really was on Peduto's payroll. It really would. Yarone a mole? However, he's more of a guinea pig than a mole.
In my opinion, I truly believe that Luke fears Yarone. Yarone treats Luke like Mr. Mushroom - keeps him in the dark and feeds him sh-t.
Commenting by HaloScan
