Guitar shops. Looks like Pianos N Stuff carries a 6 foot BNC cable, and I know they have potentiometers because that's all guitar knobs are. Waddell, Brighton, or any other store with electric musical equipment might have what you're looking for.

I completely understand your anxiety (needles, in particular, terrify me).

Dental x-rays are really not that bad, especially with modern, digital equipment that uses less powerful and more contained beams. You're exposed to more background radiation on an average day, and then the dentist can see exactly what needs - and doesn't need - to be done.

Wow, that is a bizarre store! No, I know of nowhere like it around here. The closest I can think of is Trader Horn, which is now gone, but it wasn't nearly this eccentric.

For those of you talking about Construction Junction or Microcenter, look up Axe-man Surplus on google maps and look at the pictures of the inside. Yes, there's little drawers full of nuts and bolts, but there's also an iron lung, old oscilloscopes, backpacks, candles, an old TV camera, cowboy hats...

Lots of different music in and around the city. Sooo many dive bars. A booker recently told me there's fewer bands than before covid. Personally, I'm just dipping my toe back in; had my first gig since covid a couple weeks ago. Summer is music festival season, that might be a good measure of how much music is still around. My gut feeling is there's still a lot.

Yep, that's what I always heard. Lake Effect occasionally brings big snow storms, and the rest of the time... clahds.

Love it!

Never been inside, but I've heard that line of hotels was designed for this sort of thing.

Just across the bridge in Millvale, there's a lot of cool nightlife, too.

That's the explanation I heard, too.

Very doubtful that you can find a house like that for that price, but you can look around.

There are those who use quotation marks for emphasis. Those people... are wrong.

The Jaws headstone in Allegheny Cemetery.

There's a very old cemetery by the river next to the power plant in Springdale (google says it's called St. Mark's), but I don't think you can get to it anymore.

Any recommendation on where to buy one in-person?

I had one a long time ago that was an impulse-buy item at the checkout at a Dunham's, but it was like $2 so it broke in under a month.

And if you see him on Babcock Blvd, assume he's lost.

Forget parking, but if thay shuttle takes you all the way up Terrace Street, you've got it made! I can't believe I can't find a map of the Children's Loop. There's a shuttle tracker app for ios that gets lackluster reviews, but it could come in handy when you're waiting for the bus.

I once read that a judge owned and lived on 12 Mile Island 220 years ago. One day, locals showed up to his house demanding that he try a woman for witchcraft. He told the crowd he needed to consult his law books and allowed the accused to escape while he pretended to do research. And that's all I know about the island.

For burgers, how about The Blue Goose Saloon on Mt. Royal Blvd. Half pound steakburgers, good drink specials just about every night, and we always get tots as a side.

But just down the hill in Etna is E Town, which has amazing fried food. Scratch made chicken tenders and provolone sticks.

Or just over the hill from there is Sidelines, which also has great burgers and a really good beer selection (and tots!)

I've loved everything I've tried from there so far.

Everything I've had from them is fantastic, including their rye and bourbon. Another company distills it, then they age it. But their gin, vodka, and other clear spirits are all distilled on-site. Last I heard, they plan on eventually getting a pot still and doing it all themselves.

Tons of little bars have bands playing in the corner on the weekends. Lots of genres.

I gigged around for years until covid. Trying to get back on the horse now. Gonna play a short Wednesday gig at Arsenal Lanes next month (yes, they have you set up on a bowling lane to play).

Other places we played were Double L, Arsenal Ciderhouse, Billy's Roadhouse, The Park House, The Thunderbird, Mr. Smalls, Wigle Barrelhouse. Gonna miss Nied's Hotel, Hambones, and Full Pint Wild Side; but there's new places I'm excited to check out like Whisper Nest, Rear End Gastropub, and a new location Lucky Sign Distillery just opened. A friend's band is playing a bar called Shooti's in a couple months.

Not to mention the big music festivals in the summer. Deutschtown, RANT, and Millvale has three festivals - one specifically for music but the two others have lots of bands.

As for guitar shops, my go-to's are Pianos N Stuff, Brighton Music, and Waddell's Music. I've been to Hollowood Music and Pittsburgh Guitars, but not in a long time. I thought Backstage Guitars closed, but it looks like they just switched to only repairs and lessons.

Came here for that

Best ever, if you have a time machine... the 7-11 in Oakland. Brushed lovingly with garlic butter. Hope you're doing well, Brenda!

Still in Oakland, Fuel And Fuddle's Rollafatty. You will not be disappointed!

Mainly I'd call it Penn Hills. Lots of very different neighborhoods there, so it's hard to generalize what they're like.

Love Maggie's! I think I need some rum.

Lucky Sign in Millvale has amazing stuff, too. Small Boozeness Saturday!

Brighton and Waddell are also great musical instrument shops with fantastic people.