The Nam on Facebook: Italian Oven

Anyone else witness the scene at Italian Oven yesterday? Any insight as to what happened? I'd love to know what this guy actually said and why he quit.

Punchline bassist visits Uniontown, has beautiful reaction

Knock knock Who's there Un Un who Uniontown
— Christopher Fafalios (@chrisfafalios) February 22, 2014

Punchline fans know Chris Fafalios wins at the internet all the time always. Glad he had a good time in Uniontown last night. He's so UT now!

I mean, this is technically true...among other things.

For good measure, let's all listen to a song Punchline wrote about Pennsylvania and reminisce about the many, many times I've seen them play.

On the County's Drug Problem

Fayette County's drug problem is pretty well-known--almost everyone has some sort of anecdote about it. My go-to is the one I heard about local companies receiving hundreds of applications for a job but only a handful of those applicants are able to pass a drug test. There are other stories, too, about everything from theft to forged prescriptions.

We tend to make light of it around here if we're not dealing with it directly. It's easy to look at some with a drug addiction and have some degree of disregard for them, but the reality is Fayette County's drug problem is very real and very serious, and in a new series of videos by HeraldStandard.com, this is put into glaring perspective.

Be sure to watch both videos--the first shows the problem from the perspective of law enforcement, which speaks to how widespread the problem is, but the second video is just as important, perhaps moreso. The story of addict George Britt is moving and demonstrates just what drug addiction is through Britt's history of addiction. What's important to remember, too, is that addicts are addicts forever. Rehab isn't a cure, and addiction is a constant lifelong battle.



The solution isn't simple, and we probably need more than one solution, but I think we can all start by understanding the severity of addiction in Fayette County and remember not to laugh it off. While solving the countywide problem of drug addiction may be complicated, helping just one person makes a difference. If you or someone you know is struggling with drugs--or alcohol--please know people are willing and able to help you and it's okay to ask. A full list of the county's drug and alcohol treatment programs can be found here.

The Nam on Instagram and Twitter: A Very Fayettenamese Valentine's

Fayette County, PA has to be the only place in the civilized world where a menu price for chicken is listed as "negotiable"
— Erio Vignali (@eriovignali) February 14, 2014

All from Big Mike's BBQ in Lemont Furnace. 

The Nam on Twitter: Front-Page Christ

Save yesterday's paper, guys! It's holy!

A reader called and asked if we noticed the face of Christ in the photo on today's front page. Do you see it? #HSUTN pic.twitter.com/p3LNotJUA9
— Herald-Standard (@hsuniontown) February 12, 2014

The Nam on Twitter: Pub Crawl

Anyone interested in doing a pub crawl in Uniontown on Saturday March 8 it's $20 a person and it benefits St Judes hospital
— Kyle Karwatsky (@KKarwatsky) February 10, 2014

So, I can't find any other information on this, like where to go or who to pay, but there ya go--20 bucks, pub crawl for St. Jude's.

The Nam on Twitter: Small-Town Drinking

Small-town drinking can have major downsides. (@ Lynn's Pub & Grill w/ @sarah_beth_guy) http://t.co/CVFlFFmOoq
— Janelle Sheetz (@LittleJanelleS) February 9, 2014

Don't get me wrong, Lynn's in South Connellsville is a very fun bar with great food and bartenders that will make you delicious beverages based on what kind of flavors you want. I highly recommend ordering a Fancy Angry Orchard. I don't know what the real drink's name is, but there are two versions, cinnamon and candy apple, where Angry Orchard gets taken up a notch with various flavored liquors and things. It's delicious.

But the real issue here is that around here, drinking in a small, popular bar on the weekend means drinking with people you want to middle and high school with. Sometimes, you see people who picked on you but it's been seven years since you graduated so you don't give a damn. Sometimes, you see old friends and hang out. Sometimes, you see former friends who are former friends for a reason--say and ability to comprehend the word "no" and a penchant for compulsive lying you're not in the mood to indulge anymore, so you tell the people they're lying about and go outside with the resident regular smokers, even though you don't smoke, and some offer to beat the dude up for you and others offer to pretend to boy your boyfriend to scare him off. And then he gets called out on his lies and tells people he was harassed at the bar.

At least we can all be united by enthusiastic "USA!" chants during the Olympics and house band LFB.

Andy Warhol's brother lived in Smock and no one told me

UPDATE: Warhola will be buried at Mt. Macrina.

Paul Warhola, artist Andy Warhol's eldest brother, sadly died on Wednesday. He was 91.

He moved to Smock "later in his life," and while it's sad that he's died, it is very cool that he lived here. Further proof that we've got a lot of awesome people and awesome things going on here.

Where have I heard this before?

My dog just made a Super Bowel on my living room floor.
— Traci (@SevenOlives) February 3, 2014

Hmm...oh, yeah.

I don't think I'll ever stop posting this.

Interview with my dad

It kills me to give my dad this ego boost, but he was recently interviewed about his experience in Iraq.