If you're too cool to enjoy the simple pleasure of a maple syrup laced cup of Taster's Choice at The Northwest Pennsylvania Maple Association which is holding its fourth annual taste and tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, then maybe you just better go back to East Carson St. Hipster. Feh.

The Warren Library has put The Allegheny Pilot online an 1855 detailed navigational study of the river during the era of early rafting and lumbering online. It's a great project, although since the resolution is a little shaky, I wish they would sell facsimile copies. The Franklin section begins with Map 9.

Best Life magazine says that a Primanti Brothers sandwich is number one on thier list of "The Top 10 Ballpark Foods You Muse Eat Before You Die".

On the other hand, in the same issue, Antoine Fuqua says of his film, "Training Daywas about in-your-face abuse of power—what I dealt with growing up in Pittsburgh."

Not too long ago, I was at a party and ran into my friend, the novelist Ralph Scherder. I hadn't seen him for awhile and when I asked him what he was up to, he gave the statistically least probable answer - hosting an national outdoors TV show. He's always looking for interesting stories - not all of which have to end with the death of an animal, so send him your pitches and tell him Dittman sent you.

Slippery Rock will be the home to a Frontier League baseball team this summer.

NPR has made The Good, The Bad & The Queen (a project featuring Blur frontman Damon Albarn, The Clash bassist Paul Simonon, Afrobeat pioneer and drummer Tony Allen and former Verve guitarist Simon Tong)'s live show from Mar. 14 at Washington, D.C.'s 9:30 Club available for download.

The LA County Museum of Art has begun collecting houses as works of art.

Finally, if you must drink green beer this "holiday", might I suggest a Mothership Wit?

Don't forget to show up at Franklin's Little Theatre (1223 Liberty St) tonight for a reader's theatre edition of the comedy, Orson's Shadow. $3 at the door which opens at 7:30. There's cussin' in the play, so as you might want to leave the yung'uns at home.

Venangoland has been updated.

The NyTimes profiles theatres that have MySpace presences. Locally, that would include The Erie Playhouse

I couldn't help by notice in the NYTimes Sunday edition , while reading the article about Leroy Nicholas Barnes (the guy who became rich and famous by flooding African American neighborhoods with heroin in the 70s) that a former "associate" of Barnes said:
If he runs a Laundromat in Dubuque or a grocery store in Slippery Rock, that’s one thing,” the associate said. “But the man has a tremendous amount of charisma and intelligence. I don’t think he’s going to be innocuous anywhere.

Now I just have to decide if I should feel proud or offended...

"No one in comics stays dead except Uncle Ben". The NYTimes eulogizes Captain America.

Iggy Pop is the voice of the revolutionary uncle in the film adaptation of the graphic novel, Persepolis. (Which is also one of the book selections this year at Youngstown State's English Festival)