This time of year, those who have heated car seats greatly appreciate them.
But for various notables, the seat temperature might be getting uncomfortably high despite the winter chill. Might be fun to rank those on the hot seat by degree of discomfort to their posteriors, beginning with the mild level of:
Tail tingling: Allegheny County Controller Chelsa Wagner .
Barely a week after being sworn into office, Wagner announced she was retroactively taking salary cost-of-living adjustments for the past nine years.
Wagner has been justifiably criticized for the legal-yet-sneaky maneuver that boosts her annual pay 35 percent, from $66,500 to $89,904. Her seat might be hot enough to prompt perspiration, but the out-of-controller isn't sweating sufficiently to return to the salary that came with the job.
Seat singeing: Penn State President Rodney Erickson
He's been rightfully mocked for suggesting the Penn State child sex abuse scandal isn't about Penn State. He's been booed and heckled during meetings with alumni who are angry over their alma mater continuing to be dragged through the mud.
Erickson's seat got even hotter with his recent revelation the university recently spent $360,000 just on a crisis communication firm. Given all the positive publicity Penn State has received since Erickson's hire, that certainly was money well spent.
Rump roasting: Port Authority CEO Director Steve Bland
How would you like to be the face of a failing transit system?
Bland last week proposed service cuts of 35 percent, yet another fare increase and laying off as many as 20 percent of the authority's 2,500 employees. The recommendations didn't exactly endear Bland to the people who work for him, or those who ride his buses and light-rail vehicles.
Temperature-wise, his seat is comparable to one on a rush-hour 61C in mid-August -- when the air conditioning isn't working.
Butt broiling: State Sen. Jane Orie
After her first public corruption trial ended in a mistrial in March, the McCandless Republican didn't sit around idly waiting for her Feb. 27 retrial.
Instead, she began preparing her defense on the additional criminal charges that were filed against her, which include forgery and perjury.
Anyone have any antibiotic burn ointment and sterile gauze⢠Orie might need both in large quantities.
Fanny aflame: State Rep. Bill DeWeese
The Greene County Democrat goes on trial Monday on public corruption charges, accused of running campaigns out of his district and Harrisburg offices.
If anyone can beat the rap, it's the Harrisburg Teflonator. But it's not a good sign that DeWeese's former legislative aide, Sharon Rodavich, last week pleaded guilty to two felonies and plans to testify against her boss.
Seats don't get hotter than that without melting. Don't be surprised if the trial has to be halted during Rodavich's testimony so DeWeese can seek medical treatment.
Charred cheeks can be plenty painful.
