The League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh will present our biennial workshop on How to Run for Public Office on January 24. We do this in odd-numbered years because we believe that most candidates get started in local elections. We will focus on municipal councils, mayors, school directors, County Council and the district judiciary.
The workshop will be held at Point Park University Center, 414 Wood St., Rooms 212 and 213 from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. A continental breakfast will be included. The cost is $50 per person.
The workshop will cover the details of filing nomination petitions and other documents, working with the political parties, understanding the office sought, and running an effective campaign. There will be an opportunity for participants to interact informally with a person who has run for and served in the office sought. There is more detail and a registration form on the attached flyer.
Please forward this information to anyone you believe might be interested in attending or might know someone who would be interested. The wider it is distributed, the better.
The flyer is is also on the League's web site. We welcome any links to it. The address is http://palwv.org/pittsburgh/RunForOffice.pdf
I would be interested in knowing about any links posted.
We look forward to seeing you or any of your friends and associates, their friends and associates, and anyone we can reach through this email at the workshop.
Thank you for your help.
Suzanne Broughton
President, League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
How to Run -- or stand -- for public office, class on Jan 24
Hey, you. Get onto my cloud.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
CollegeSwimming.com::Auburn's Quick Diagnosed With Inoperable Cancerous Brain Tumor
CollegeSwimming.com::Auburn's Quick Diagnosed With Inoperable Cancerous Brain Tumor Auburn men’s and women’s head swimming and diving coach Richard Quick has been diagnosed with an inoperable cancerous brain tumor. One of the most recognizable names in the swimming and diving community, Quick is a six-time United States Olympic coach who has directed 12 teams to NCAA titles.
The Conversation went dark too
The Conversation: "Good night and good luck"His is another blog that I miss. His last post was in September 2008. He was around for four years. But, he had lots of years prior in other roles in the media.
If the burden of blogging is too much for you to bear -- send a digital wink my way and we'll see if it makes sense for you to tag along as a "Running Mate" and just blog under your byline here. But, if you do give-it-up --- do so without pulling the plug on the archives.
Now 2008 is nearly only a memory.
Firmware Verification - DRAFT letter
David PowellChair, Libertarian Party of Allegheny County924 Chislett St.Pittsburgh, PA 15206(412) 661-1135
Mr. Mark Wolosik
Manager, Division of Elections, Allegheny County
604 County Office Bldg., 542 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2953
(412) 350-4500
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Dear Mr. Wolosik:
I have been informed that on Monday the 22nd the Division of Elections carried out a procedure to verify the integrity of the software contained within the iVotronic DRE voting terminals employed in Allegheny County. Though many members of my organization would prefer a voting system enabling voters to be sure their votes are recorded as cast, as long as the voters of our County must use paperless electronic voting machines we would certainly hope for any available assurances that they may be operating properly. So it is good news that the County is pursuing this matter.
Unfortunately, I have also been informed that the individual designated by our party to observe the process, Ronald Bandes, was not permitted to participate. Mr. Bandes is a graduate student studying Information Security, Policy, and Management at Carnegie Mellon University and has also served as a poll worker. As you may recall, in the November 2008 general election our party fielded candidates in the state-wide races for President, Attorney General, Auditor General, State Treasurer, and also for the 35th district of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. We of course wish votes for our candidates to be accurately counted, and were looking forward to the informed observations which Mr. Bandes volunteered to provide.
I am not an attorney, nor otherwise intimately familiar with the Pennsylvania Election Code. As a layperson, it would seem only natural that all parties with candidates on the ballot in the November general election would be entitled to observe election procedures on an equal basis, in accordance with the requirement in Article 1, Section 5 of the Pennsylvania Constitution that elections be “free and equal.” So that we can plan appropriately for upcoming elections, could you please provide me with your understanding of which provision(s) of law govern who may appoint observers for firmware verification events?
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Dave Powell, Chair
Allegheny County Libertarian Party
The Marketing Student | Generation Y Marketing Insights � A Look At How Gen Y Communicates
The Marketing Student | Generation Y Marketing Insights � A Look At How Gen Y Communicates: "A Look At How Gen Y Communicates"My $.02 about the article pointer above.
Frequency of email use is LOW, IMHO.
Facebook includes all blogs?
Tweets?
Blog comments = wall post?
IM=chat?
What about conf call rooms such as TalkShoe.com?
This is why I like Twitter -- pointers to clips like this, for car freaks
The new car is called, the 2012 Pelosi GTxi SS/RT Sport Edition.
Rule change sanity in swimming
Effective January 1, 2009 at all North Texas Swimming, age-group defined, sanctioned meets:
* Swimsuits worn by females for all 14 & Under defined competitions shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor past the hip.
* Swimsuits worn by males for all 14 & Under defined competitions shall not extend above the hips nor below the knees.
Great rule above. Time for some video fun, however.
This swim suit, worn by Grant in his younger days, shown in the video below, is not going to be legal in a swim meet in Dallas in 2009.
How to qualify for the Ironman Championships
The Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii is the holy grail for triathletes looking to reach professional status. Just like the Boston Marathon, you have to qualify in a qualifying race to gain entry to the Ironman Champsionships.
Athletes may gain entry into the Ford Ironman World Championship by earning a qualifying slot at one of the 29 worldwide qualifying events - open to citizens of all countries - held throughout the year. Qualifier races vary in length, ranging from 70.3-distance (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run) to full Ironman distance (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run). Each event awards Ironman slots to its top age-group finishers, with some races also awarding professional qualifying slots. Athletes may also gain entry by being selected through the Ironman Lottery. You can generally find a list of races at Ironman.com, as well as a list of current qualifiers.If you qualified last year and wonder if you are automatically quailfied for the current year, unfortunately only the age group winners and top ten professional athletes are invited to return. Everyone has has to re-qualify.
If you do not qualify outright, the Ironman does hold a lottery where you may have a chance to participate, however typically slots unknown until all qualifiers are completed. If your country does not have any qualifying races, the only alternative is to race in another country or apply in the lottery. Unfortunately, your chances in the lottery are extremely slim.
Before the race, you must declare your status, and race in that division. Professionals must hold a valid professional/elite card or a letter from their country's federation. This must be submitted with the application. If you qualified as an age grouper and want to race as a pro, you must re-qualify as a professional earning a pro slot. If you race as a professional athlete during the calendar year, you may not race as an age grouper in IRONMAN for that year and the following year.
There are cutoff times that can disqualify you. Currently, the swim is 2.4 miles and the cutoff is 2 hrs. and 20 min., the bike is 112 miles and the cutoff time is 10 hrs and 30 min from the beginning of the race and the run is a full marathon which is 26.2 miles and the cutoff time is 17 hours from the beginning of the race.
Typically, a triathlete trains for 20-22 hours per week to prepare for an Ironman, although you might need more time if you are new to triathlons or Ironman distances. A good rule of thumb when training for each event is:
Miles per week swimming: 7 (11.3 km)
Miles per week biking: 232 (373.3 km)
Miles per week running: 48 (77.2 km)
Lastly, here are the current and future dates of the Ironman World Championship:
2009: 10/10/2009
2010: 10/9/2010
2011: 10/08/2011
2012: 10/13/2012
To prepare for an Ironman or any other Triathlon distance, visit the Triathlon Training Guide. If swimming is your weak event, be sure to read about the Tri Swim Coach Program.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Hangen
Will you stand
Song by Amy Carol Webb, a Florida friend who has played gigs for us in Pittsburgh. We expect and hope to see here in January.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Football
Pitt is in the Sun Bowl. As for the Rose Bowl, I'm not sure who I'll cheer for. I love USC and Pete Carroll. So, I might be joining the anti-Nit gang for this one.
NFL insights:
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009:
Falcons at Cardinals NBC, 4:30 p.m. ET
Colts at Chargers NBC, 8 p.m., ET
Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009:
Ravens at Dolphins CBS, 1 p.m. ET
Eagles at Vikings Fox, 4:30 p.m. ET
Teams with a first week bye:
AFC byes: Titans, Steelers
NFC byes: Giants, Panthers
Friday, December 26, 2008
Bram falls off rocker
My reply:
Last call, what a joke. You don't get to proclaim 'last call.' And, it ain't happening now, fur sure.
In the last go-around, Mark DeStantis was unknown until after he was a write-in, in MAY.
It wasn't until New Year's Day, Jan 1, 2001, that Josh Pollock came boldly onto the scene with a front page P-G article about his race. His ink was the first to spill in that year and there might have been 7 Ds in the race that year.
It is a long road Bram. Don't do what the others do and declare others the 'lamb' before it begins. Progressives are to be 'open minded.'
The 'done-deal mentality' has been killing Pittsburgh for many decades. That has to be outed and put to an end.
Those who wish to champion the status quo are sure to rush the last call and end before it even began.
Christmas Gift for all Running Mates Blog Readers and Twitter Followers
The other day my wife and I were chatting about the arriving Christmas cards and letters. Then it struck me. She and I were both tickled by Steven's note. Steven is a chef. He wrote that he had been doing some cooking at home to ready his family for the holidays -- while crafting his letter. Cookies were coming out of the oven and rather than sending everyone a dozen cookies, he sent those on his Christmas list the recepit for his cookies. Bam! Within the letter we had the formula for Steven's Christmas Cookies, a wonderful treat.
Perhaps we'll test and then re-gift Steven's gift in the future -- but now on to your gift.
It's a hat.
This is the official gift hat of this blog, Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates, given on 2008's Boxing Day -- a day when all 20 of the teams in the Premier League are in action.
The hat is not so good for the next Steelers games. But, other local blogs have that covered. You might find this a splendid hat for watching the next test match of the West Indies Cricket Team now playing in the southern hemisphere.
Enjoy.
Read, Avoid Extinction
I've been thinking more about burnout and how many need to avoid it. Plus, how some are failing and burnout is winning. A rash of blogging burnout has hit within Pittsburgh. My top bit of advice to community participants is simple: "Don't burn out."
Couple this aim of survival in the community commons with another pressing, personal mission quest -- literacy -- and I'm like a pig in a mud-puddle.
Back in the day, I hooked up with Phil Yeh, a talent and ball of energy that this world has a hard time containing. His words work with a call to "Read. Avoid Extinction."
For our blogs to work, for our communities to work, for our schools to work, for our landscape to work -- from Kiwis to Mao to the Long-Nosed Gar -- we've got to work together, avoiding extinction.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Peace on Earth. How about Pittsburgh?
Man Shot In Homewood - kdka.com: "Police are investigating a shooting this afternoon in a Pittsburgh neighborhood.Christmas Eve brings another city shooting. Gives new meaning to "You better watch out."
A 19-year-old man was shot in the thigh at about 4:30 p.m. along Formosa Way in Homewood.
Decision on Lamar Advertising from Zoning Board about the Electronic Sign on the Parking Authority Building on Liberty Ave
http://rauterkus.com/PDF/ZBA_Lamar.pdf
I have not read it, yet.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Are girls' sports being cheated?
#2? Or, Peace?
Are girls' sports being cheated?: "Ms. Frietsche, senior staff attorney with the Women's Law Project, did some research on her own and found what the advocacy group called 'pervasive and severe' inequities in girls' athletic opportunities.Did Michael Lamb come out of the bottle to talk about an audit?
Instead of suing the district or filing a complaint with the U.S. Justice Department, however, Ms. Frietsche decided to be a good sport and give the school district a chance to make things right.
An audit is one of the last things the district needs when talking about its sports programs.
The score is like 85 to 3. We're getting smeared. We all are getting a good-old beating. The boys, the girls, the parents, the boosters, the coaches, the sports-minded citizens, the kids.
There are plenty of 'pervasive and severe' failures in all types of athletic opportunities in Pgh Public Schools when it comes to the overall sports and fitness programs. This spans parks and recreation in the city and the county. This covers engagement with club teams and general utilization of the facilities.
If the board pays $10K for only an audit of Title IX, they the board will have an audit of Title IX and nothing significant will unfold for the greater good of 'fair play' and 'sports participation.'
This quote goes to the top of the list for 2008 and might land Ms. Arnet as my nomination for Pittsburgher of the year. "We want to make sure our athletic opportunities in the Pittsburgh Public Schools are just as competitive as suburban districts," Ms. Arnet said.
But, I've never seen anything to back up that talk, until this audit.
Even with the audit, there won't be any changes. An audit is a way to buy time and wreck it for another season or three.
Athletes, not just female athletes, do much, much better in school and out of school than the non-athlete. This isn't a boy or girl thing. It is about being coached, being motivated, being pushed, being fit, being part of a team, being challenged, being pulled, being exposed to excellence, being put under the lights, being strong.
"... (A)thletes are less likely than other(s) to abuse drugs or alcohol, develop eating disorders or have an unplanned pregnancy and more likely to go to college. The National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education says female athletes also have lower rates of breast cancer, heart disease and depression."
I love sports in schools. I love sports in life. I love it when guys and gals do sports. My prime sports, swimming and water polo, are great sports for everyone.
It is time to overhaul the sports programs in the city, big time!
Start with the formation of booster clubs at the I.B. High, Science and Tech and U-Prep -- and CAPA.
Pick a mascot, such as the Zombies and Olympians.
Join the WPIAL.
Get coaches accountable, along with the principals.
Open up the buildings.
Call me. Or, return my calls as I'm calling you -- again.
December 13, 2008: After school cuts stir fears of kids home alone, USA Today
As states and districts cut back on extracurricular activities, more children may be left at home while their parents work to make ends. Such unsupervised children and teens may be at greater risk for getting into trouble, potentially leading to higher crime rates, extracurricular advocates say. (Thanks to A+ Schools)
Baby You Can Drive My Car!
City Councilman's Car Stolen From Home Depot In East Liberty - News Story - WPXI PittsburghGosh. He'll do anything to get some media attention and into the newspapers.
City Councilman's Car Stolen From Home Depot In East Liberty - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh: "Pittsburgh City Councilman Doug Shield's car was stolen from the Home Depot parking lot in East Liberty on Friday.
Shields had left his keys in the car to make a quick stop at a holiday party. When he came back, the car was gone.
The car was recovered on Sunday in Lincoln-Lemington. It was taken to the city pound to be checked for fingerprints.
Doug, if you're looking for fresh PR and media attention, figure out why the Overlords are meeting at 9 am today.
Ask why experts are being asked to depart the evaluation meetings of the electronic voting firmware.
Jump into the river with the Polar Bear Club on New Year's Day at 9 am at the Mon Wharf.
Ring a bell by a Salvation Army Red Pot for 48 hours, nonstop.
Find a lost dog of a well known rock star.
Offer to stand guard with a fire extinguisher for anyone in the city who is trying to thaw frozen water pipes with a blow torch.
Buy your car back at face value at the next city of Pittsburgh Auto Pound Car Sale.
Sponsor needed for FINA World Marathon Swim Event
3rd December 2008
New Zealand’s opportunity to host the FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup next year may fall victim of the current economic issues.
Swimming New Zealand has been selected to host a round of the FINA World Cup to be held in Wellington in March 2009.
Despite extensive marketing work, they have been unable to secure a naming sponsor while their costs have risen considerably with the drop in the kiwi dollar.
Swimming New Zealand CEO Mike Byrne said the event is an outstanding opportunity for the sport and the country and he is determined to do everything he can to find the money to stage the world cup.
“The prizemoney for the event is in US dollars along with some other costs, that has increased our budget by more than 20 percent,” Mr Byrne said.
“We’ve got an outstanding sponsorship package that includes television coverage to more than 30 million homes worldwide.
“We’ve been out in the marketplace working hard but there have not been any takers. We’ve had a lot of interest but in the current economic climate none have been able to sign on.
"We’ve got a fair bit of our funding in place and some excellent support from Wellington City but without that key component from a sponsor, especially now we have additional costs, then we will have to look seriously about whether we can stage the event.”
The FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup is a fast growing professional open water circuit which gained considerable significance with the inclusion of the 10km open water swim into the Olympic programme at Beijing. A number of high profile long distance pool swimmers have moved into the open water scene with the introduction of this professional world cup circuit.
The World Cup is being staged on Saturday 28 March as part of a Wellington Festival of Swimming which will also include a Junior Swim, Recreational Swim and an International Age Group Championship.
For interviews contact:
Mike Byrne, CEO Swimming NZ, Tel 021 2492162
Monday, December 22, 2008
For last minute shoppers feeling like they're up against a climbing wall.
Next to the climbing wall is a half-court basketball area.
Interesting how sports are in the mix within a major retail setting.
Crazy Editors at the trib
A GOP LAMB FOR THE SLAUGHTER? With 2009 marking the 70th anniversary since Pittsburgh last elected a Republican mayor, speculation already has begun as to who the GOP sacrificial lamb will be in next year's mayoral race.
One possibility we're hearing is that Kevin Acklin may be the man to square off against Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. Barring a comet striking his Summer Hill home, Ravenstahl almost certainly will be the Democratic nominee.
Acklin, 32, is a Squirrel Hill attorney who heads RenewPittsburgh, a volunteer group that focuses on neighborhood revitalization efforts.
You may recall Acklin lost to Chuck McCullough in the 2007 GOP primary for Allegheny County Council's at-large Republican seat.
Acklin hasn't made any public pronouncements about a mayoral bid. But he recently debuted a Web site, kevinacklin.com, which is blank save for the promise "Coming Soon!"
Humm...
The Trib pounds against the Pgh GOP Committee for being morbid. Yet when a peek of a hope of a candidate might arrive in a race to contest for a seat that is already locked up by the one-party machine, the slaughter begins. Say what?
Twisted.
Kevin showed a good deal of hustle when he ran for the at-large seat for County Council.
Election Machine, Firmware Verification Meeting at 9 am
I just sent this letter via fax to the Allegheny County Election Department to insure that the Libertarians are going to be present at a firmware verification event at 9 am this morning on the North Side.
Mark Rauterkus
Vice-Chair
Libertarian Party of Allegheny County
924 Chislett St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412) 661-1135 = chair
(412) 298-3432 = vice-chair’s cell
Mr. Mark Wolosik
Manager, Division of Elections, Allegheny County
604 County Office Bldg., 542 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2953
(412) 350-4500
Monday, December 22, 2008
Dear Mr. Wolosik:
As Vice-Chair of the Libertarian Party of Allegheny County, I write this letter to inform you that we authorize Ronald Bandes, a qualified elector of Allegheny County, to observe on our behalf the verification of voting-machine firmware which will be carried out today. As you may recall, in the November 2008 general election our party fielded several state-wide candidates and also a candidate for the General Assembly, David Posipanka of Homestead.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
______________________________, Vice-Chair
Allegheny County
This letter was also faxed to the Allegheny County Department of Elections before 9 am today.
Update at noon.
At 12:15 PM I got an alarming call from our designated watcher, Ron. He was asked to leave the firmware validation meeting. He was there for a while, perhaps 90-minutes. But then when the task of getting into the process began in earnest, he was sent packing. The Libertarians were not invited, so it seems, according to the election official.
Nobody wants to go to jail on the eve of Christmas Eve.
Golly, what the hell are they hiding?
First point of keen interest. The process was described to those at the meeting. Then a chip was pulled from the board. And, according to Ron, the chip that was pulled was not the chip that they had talked about in the pre-process description. Another, different chip was pulled for the first test. Then it was time to show Ron the door.
So, I just called Dan Onorato.
Courthouse 436 Grant Street Dot Room 101 Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 350-6500 Dot Fax: (412) 350-6512
I'll call the Election Department next. Then I'll call the media.
Mark Wolosik, Division Manager County Office Building 542 Forbes Avenue Room 604
Fax: (412) 350-5697 Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: (412) 350-4500
Called the Allegheny County Election Department. They got my letter. They faxed it to the North Side warehouse where Mark W, Director, was working. He got it. I understand it was Mark W, director, who asked the guy to depart.
Voiced displeasure and said that I'd like to have that decision reversed and would accept an invite and apology. And, said my next call was to the media.
Called the Post-Gazette, Rich Lord and then the Pittsburgh City Paper, Chris Potter. Both are looking into the matter, so I was told.
Getting kicked out of places is not so fun. This is worth a photo.
Older photo. Election Protection volunteer and Mark Rauterkus.
Constitution Study Lessons starting January 16, 2009. EVERY THIRD FRIDAY
Begins: January 16, 2009 7:00 PM in West View (North Hills).Jim Barr has been a recent candidate for the PA House.
Constitution Study Lessons starting January 16, 2009. EVERY THIRD FRIDAY OF THE MONTH at 7:00 p.m. at 305 Center Avenue, West View, PA 15229. Presented in a series of DVDs taught by Dr. Earl Taylor. Dr. Taylor’s study courses appeal to a wide range of participants, from high school students to state legislators. The materials used in the presentation are from the National Center for Constitutional Studies. It teaches the U.S. Constitution in the tradition of America’s Founding Fathers.
NCCS has taught thousands of families throughout America the original principles and ideas drafted by our Founding Fathers. The lessons acknowledge that American and the Constitution were established by the hand of God, and thus advocate morality and religious principles as the essential foundation of human happiness and freedom. To get a copy of the flier for this Constitution Study Lesson go to FILES and click onto CONSTITUTION STUDY LESSONS. For more information call Jim Barr at 412-931-5286
Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-97/calendar/9375296/
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Pgh Public Schools -- Two Hour Delay for MONDAY!
Two hour delay for Monday.
UPDATE: School is OFF. Sleep all day!
After sleeping, it's time to get up and dance!
Where is the Mark DeSantis Micro Credit?
In his run, he promised he'd start a "Micro Credit" in the next year -- win or not. Well, it is now time to wonder what became of the candidate promise as 2008 is about to close.
In other news, the Trib is begging Mark DeSantis to run for mayor again.
And, Bram is going to be on the PRR radio show on Monday. Perhaps Bram can take the question to DeSantis -- or else he might be able to fill me in on this blog comments.
He might have started a Micro Credit -- and I just didn't notice. Or, he might have talked about it on one of the past radio shows. Let me know where to investigate those archives, as in the date. I'll listen to the MP3 via TalkShoe.com.
The last thing Pittsburgh needs is more political hot air and promise makers on its campaign trails. Pittsburgh needs less in terms of 'idea factory' and more in terms of 'idea distillery.'
Photo shows Mark DeSantis, far left, Tony Oliva, Luke Ravenstahl and Ryan of the S party, at a Mayor Candidates Forum hosted by the Post Gazette. With all the cuts at the P-G, I wonder if such events will be hosted in 2009? This was a most welcomed, yet very rare event anyway.
Burgh Report political blog goes dark
Burgh Report political blog goes dark: "Burgh Report political blog goes darkSo, this article leads to the question:
What am I? Chopped Liver?
You're all luck it is Christmas and I've got some cute pagent video to upload. We had a real baby play the lead role / superhero in today's play. The baby was wearing Steelers' footsies too!
By the way, after the BurghReport went dark, Bram and I talked and made a podcast. Scroll down to hear our conversation or check out my TalkShoe.com site(s).
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise...Dems Pick Another "Community Actitivist"
According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette website: Theresa Smith of Westwood is the Democratic Party's official candidate in the Feb. 3 special election in Pittsburgh City Council District 2.
Why a guy like Rob Frank continues to let the Democratic Committee stomp all over him is anyone's guess.
I'm not sure if I ever heard of her before. PG: Ms. Smith crushed the competition in a vote by the district's Democratic committee members, taking 56 of the 75 votes cast. The 49-year-old community activist said she drew from her longtime volunteer experience in the city's western neighborhoods to make her case for the party's nod and plans to do the same with voters district-wide.
She has been president of the Crafton Heights Westwood Ridgemont Community Council and coordinator of the Parent Educational Resource Center for the Pittsburgh Public Schools.Rob Frank, originally from Mt. Lebanon, has been a long-time Democratic stalwart. At one time a Brookline community newspaper publisher, Frank has been championing the city's Democratic machine for about 20 years. Yet each and every time he tries to garner the back-room mafioso's support, they toss him aside faster than a proposed tax cut.
Frank has worked for area politicians including Gene Ricciardi and former Mayor Tom Murphy. He helped on Bill Peduto's last Mayoral campaign...perhaps the last time I'll ever switch parties to vote for a candidate...and many others. He's run for state Committee posts and everything else imaginable. Yet again, the establishment ignores the most "active" of the community activities.
Count this as reason number 11,873 why the city's Democratic committee cannot be trusted. I know, I know, the number is waaaaaayyyy too low.
Rob Frank, 40, will not be the city's next great leader. That's not a "slam," because the chance that Pittsburgh will ever elect an even remotely "good" leader is infinitesimal. There isn't a promising "Democrat" leader anywhere on the planet, let alone Pittsburgh. Rob Frank will probably take the job seriously and not look to serve the public for a heartbeat before finding another position to aspire.
This is only the Committee vote. Something like 85 people were eligible to cast their votes. The "real" election is in February. Vote for Rob Frank just for the fact that he'd be a devout community servant.
But seriously, Rob, if the Democrats snub you again, change your voter registration to Republican. Although you're probably not conservative, you'd get a lot more respect than you get from the oil cretins in the Democrat's back room.
We're in the fast lane to Bailoutistan | tax, make, new, kennedy, land - Opinion - OCRegister.com
We're in the fast lane to Bailoutistan | tax, make, new, kennedy, land - Opinion - OCRegister.com General Motors now has a market valuation about a third of Bed, Bath & Beyond, and no one says your Swash 700 Elongated Biscuit Toilet Seat Bidet is too big to fail.
America’s political Chucky.
America’s political Chucky. Congress shall have the power to coin money and regulate the value thereof and of any foreign coins. But that is not the case. The United States government has no power to issue money, control the flow of money, or to even distribute it - that belongs to a private corporation registered in the State of Delaware - the Federal Reserve Bank.Birds of a feather and new twitter friend posted this.
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to court they go.
Zoning nixes controversial Grant Street billboard The electronic billboard that shocked city of Pittsburgh politics this year isn't allowed, according to a split decision from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and likely will lead to a court fight between the city and Louisiana-based sign giant Lamar Advertising.There could be a court battle. Or, there could be worse. Or, the push back could be aimed like a lazer right at the over-reaching members on city council. Or, the corporation might have got the message and might aim to try to clean up its act of rushing and bully-styled insider dealings. Or, now that Pat Ford is gone, it could all be blamed on him.
I wonder if Pat Ford is happy that the BurghReport is dead -- and -- nuked of all its archives. Perhaps they were pulling strings from Florida to see that occur?
Friday, December 19, 2008
Blogs That Aren't Here Any More - Blogs - Slag Heap - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh
Blogs That Aren't Here Any More - Blogs - Slag Heap - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh: "You have to choose your enemies wisely because they will come to define you."Really?
I'm searching for a grass-hopper moment. There is a teaching opportunity for someone to explain this to me.
Rather, I often say that it is your friends (or so called friends) who can inflict the worst hurt on you -- not your enemies. But, that 'deepest cut' theory might be a different lesson if not from a different course.
City passes on Army-Navy football game
City passes on Army-Navy football game: "Pittsburgh yesterday withdrew its proposal to host one of college football's biggest events -- the Army-Navy game.If Pitt Stadium was still around, with its turf, then we'd be able to host high school football games there. And, we'd be able to host Pitt's minor games on campus as well.
The Steelers and the Pitt Panthers, primary tenants at Heinz Field, were worried about scheduling conflicts, said Craig Davis, a vice president of VisitPittsburgh, the promotional agency of Allegheny County.
This sucks that Pittsburgh won't be able to host the Army-Navy game.
I was talking to Mr. B at a school event last night. We talked about the Olympics and I gave him some of our first person insights from our trip to Beijing in August. He said, "I wonder if Pittsburgh would ever be able to host the Olympics."
I told him Pittsburgh isn't able to host the Keystone State Games.
He thought fondly of the time that Duquesne hosted a bit of the NCAA Tournament. I remembered Boston U being here. He Coppin State.
We've got the Arena, Polumpbo, Peterson. Would be nice to see some good multi-site tournaments.
Police: City controller's auditor rigged auto auctions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Police: City controller's auditor rigged auto auctions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review This is the second time police have charged a City Controller employee with theft in the past year.
Kim D. Platt, a clerk in the Controller's Office, pleaded guilty to stealing 18 city checks worth $5,100.91 and depositing them into his girlfriend's bank account from Sept. 7, 2007, to Dec. 3, 2007. Platt resigned Dec. 18, 2007; he has worked in the office since 1984.
Platt was sentenced in April to two years' probation and to repay the money he stole.
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA - The Market Ticker
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA - The Market Ticker: "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
That's the sound of someone with their fingers in their ears making noise so they don't have to listen to the person talking in front of them.
The list includes:
London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable
London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable Anyone sitting on a pile of cash now is unlikely to want to either (a) place it in a bank, or (b) invest it in the stock market. As a result, the implosion of the financial and real economy must continue no matter how big the central bank’s aspirations for its balance sheet or the treasury’s aspirations for its deficit.
If US, EU and UK had substantial domestic savings to fund their banks (as in Japan in 1990), then perhaps the consequences would not be so imminently disastrous. Lacking sufficient domestic savings, however, their actions will likely make foreign creditors in Japan, China, the Gulf and elsewhere question whether it is worthwhile to keep pumping scarce savings into such flawed and reckless economies.
London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable
London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable I have accepted a full time executive position which will take all of my time and passion going forward in 2009, so the blogging has to be suspended at year end. The job will enable me to put into practice the principles I’ve illuminated here, hopefully mitigating some of the impacts of financial instability. I’ll still lurk, and maybe comment on Professor Roubini’s thread from time to time.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
How to kill time in Wal-Mart got my boys ROTFL
Go into a fitting room and shut the door and wait a while; and, then, yell, very loudly, 'There is no toilet paper in here!'
Conversation about blogs in Pittsburgh with BurghBlog's sudden shut down.
9-1-1 Conversation on the closing of the BurghBlog -- due to start about... now!
Call: (724) 444-7444
Call ID: 3181
Six arrested in tow pound scheme
Six arrested in tow pound scheme: "Mr. Livingstone, of Mount Washington, was responsible for recording the winning bid prices on the slips, the complaint says. He is a 12-year city employee and earns $39,951 annually.In China, heads would roll. From time to time, in certain instances, I miss China.
Controller Michael Lamb would not discuss the arrest.
'There's an issue, and we've been talking to the police about it, and they've asked us to hold off on saying anything,' he said.
'They're in the middle of making some other arrests,' he said, but they will not occur in his office. 'We've been cooperative from the time that we knew about it, but this has been an ongoing police investigation.'
In January, longtime Controller's Office employee Kim D. Platt was arrested for theft of checks and eventually pleaded guilty to forgery and was sentenced to two years' probation plus $5,101 in restitution."
A friend on the South Side wants to build a guillotine. He like to dream of the French, not too long ago.
Punishment is one issue to watch. Getting the pension is another.
CBS, Turner may make bid for Olympic TV rights - More Sports - SI.com
CBS, Turner may make bid for Olympic TV rights - More Sports - SI.com CBS Corp. and Time Warner Inc. executives have discussed joining forces to bid on rights to televise the Olympics in 2014 and 2016, turning that competition into an even greater clash of media titans.I'm for an open source Olympics. That way, anyone can broadcast the games.
TV empires headed by incumbent NBC, Fox and ABC-ESPN have all said they expect to bid on the U.S. rights to the games. Because of the economy, the International Olympics Committee has said it is prepared to postpone its bid selection until after the host city is named next October for the 2016 Summer Games.
Mixed Report - Views - Potter's Field - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh
Mixed Report - Views - Potter's Field - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh By law, Allegheny County should already have been posting this information for the past two years. Which means that city employees, and taxpayers, are going to be shouldering a burden the county is supposed to carry itself. So much for consolidation of services!However, Michael Lamb's efforts are not nearly as good, cheap nor effective as what I've proposed -- Transparent PAC Accounts.
The banks could easily -- or one bank could easily -- make an elegant solution.
Pittsburgh Council refuses to lower parking tax
Pittsburgh Council refuses to lower parking tax In a surprise move that may prove largely symbolic, Pittsburgh City Council today voted against lowering the parking tax from 40 percent to 37.5 percent, despite a state law that requires the reduction.My point about parking tax and the associated areas should be restated as the topic is being revisited.
Though the state in 2004 set a schedule for the reduction of the tax, which was once 50 percent, the annual cuts require council votes. Today's preliminary vote of 4-4, with one council seat empty, if repeated at council's final meeting of the year on Dec. 30, would prevent the reduction.
I think that the tax should stay at 50% until the parking authority is liquidated and then the tax should drop to some minimal amount, from 0% to 20%. The key is to get rid of the public subsidization of parking downtown.
The Parking Authority can be liquidated and what remains can be a parking department within municipal government.
A schedule of liquidation of the lots can be hooked to the tax collected.
Selling the parking lots, especially the parking garages, is something that should occur. Allow for a union to bid on one. Stage the sell off for different months for a few years. Take open bids. Auction others. Make one a co-op for all I care. Make them all co-ops even.
The city has been using parking deals as a sweetener for other bone-headed deals.
A public parking garage was built at PNC Firstside. And, it is way too big and the top floor is hardly ever used.
More parking garages are being built on Second Ave by the suburban tech buildings. Rather, I'd like to see them expanded upwards if possible. And, that land has been TIFed TWICE. A big tax break came to get the first buildings and now there is not enough value to have it continue in growth unless more TIF (bribes) are put on the table -- ripping off the kids in schools today.
Parking was part of Lazarus. Parking was part of stadium deals too.
Public money should not subsidize parking for those in high-end condos either.
In a better world, car parking would be part of the sustainable solutions for property owners. Now, they just figure out who has the clout to bribe and bargain for parking needs with taxpayer money rather than private investment. Private money won't go into parking now -- as the 900 pound gorilla is government owned parking facilities that can give away free parking (twinkle season) and jack with parking taxes.
In 1935 the number one problem with downtown so reported on survey was parking. Then came the Parking Authority. To this day, one of the worst problems with downtown is parking.
There is plenty of poison in the downtown parking and city-wide parking issue. The way to get rid of it is to flush it -- liquidate. Unload the public-owned facilities. Get a fair price for them. Then the city can worry a bit about what really matters -- like government.
I think that the people in Harrisburg would be happy to hear the plan. The city will cut parking taxes to -- say 10% -- for all suburban and city people who park here. But, that price cut comes after the debt and burden of the Parking Authority is removed.
Finally, I'd not be shocked if the Parking Authority liquidation nets a profit. If it is done well, it could. That cash could go to debt reduction and/or parks -- rather than parking.
Why the city has a parking authority and not a park authority / park district is a sin. The city cares more about the parked autos of mostly suburban commuters than it does about the health and wellness of the kids who live in the city.
Finally, did you see how 'parking' in the 'parks' has turned into an issue at Schenley Park and also at Mellon Park. Contractors are parking in the park and not the job site at Baker's Square.