If I could pick the one place even more politically ridiculous to live than West Mifflin (Jabbour, Olasz, Ruffing, Chief Diener...), it seems that I innocently have stumbled onto it ..ridiculous, thy name is Manchester.

From the Post-Gazette, courtesy of 2 Political Junkies ...

A spot airing today on the city of Pittsburgh cable TV channel -- number 13 on your urban dial -- raised a few eyebrows in city government today.

The segment showed a series of interviews of people milling about the Carnegie Music Hall after Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's inauguration. Those interviewed include Judy O'Connor, widow of the late Mayor Bob; state Sen. Jim Ferlo; city Councilmen Jim Motznik and Jeff Koch; and many others, telling the camera how much they like the just-sworn-in mayor and wishing him well.

Several expressed for the camera their hope that he has not just a great two-year term, but a four-year term to follow. A few went a good bit further, like Gloria Sheffield, a Democratic Committee member from Manchester. "I am sure you will do a good job as you have been doing for the past couple of years since Bob O'Connor died," she told the camera. "I wish you many, many more years as mayor, and hopefully we will help you get in when these two years are up."

Gloria, I mean seriously, hon. It would be great if I knew who you were.  If I had seen you at the polls handing out pro-Lukey literature.  Or maybe if I had met you at one of the interminable community meetings sponsored by the Manchester Citizens Corporation.  If I even ran into you at the 7-11.

I didn't want our first encounter, four years after I moved to the City, to be like this.  You, infatuated with a nubile young lad.  Me, wondering if Manchester committeefolk actually exist. 

Gloria, if you are going to help anyone get in ... could you help me with the dead tree that's looming over my car?  Or convince PennDOT to maintain their property without exposing innocent children to unnecessary toxins?  Maybe you could give us some advice on why One Vision, One Life helps residents when a teenager is dead, but not when he's a living breathing minor felon?

Ah, Gloria, in truth, you inspire me to run for a Committee position.  How hard could it be?  Seriously ...