Thursday, March 18, 1999

Pitt

Pitt's Athletic Slogan: Commitment, Teamwork, Pride
Commitment is needed to the spaces of Oakland. Commitment to listening is necessary. The athletic director needs a commitment to his role as a keeper of Pitt's sacred releationships.
Teamwork is needed between Pitt and our Pittsburgh citizens. Pitt has a poor record in teamwork.
Pitt is one of Pittsburgh's biggest players. If we were to make an illustration with a deck of cards and the card-game of bridge, Pitt and UPMC would be much like the Ace and King of Spades when it comes to our assets these days. There is no doubt that Pitt's star is burning brightly in these times, now overshaddowing the rest. In the game of baseball, the power-hitter of the line-up bats fourth and is affectionatly called the "clean-up hitter."
Without naming names, Pitt is pulling a Barry Bonds. Pitt is being a spoiled player who chokes in the big-games and cranks in the glory and successes when the game is already in the bag. Pitt's TEAMWORK, to use its own slogan against itself, sucks when it comes to the larger picture items in our community.
In the case of the LTV site and the building of the football practice compound, Pitt isn't needed. The developments at the LTV site is, as a basketball player might put it, a "slam dunk." The LTV site is going to be developed in seven years, says the URA Executive Director at a City Council meeting. Pitt can ride the bench at this game and Pittsburgh can still pull out a mighty victory. The LTV site can be a lock.
An official from UPMC, T.D., said at a South Side Steering Committee Meeting in January 1999 that other developers for the site are not going to be found. That miss-information can not be allowed.
What other players did not get to develop at the LTV site because of UPMC's and Oxford's arrival? The URA isn't going to case back-up plans and court developers for places already being developed. The URA puts all its eggs into one basket and gives the cold shoulder to others who might be interested in the site.
If asked, the URA won't have a clue as to who else might be possible developers and tenants for the LTV site, as in their mind the first best bet already got axed too, and that was River Boat Gambling. Well, if River Boat Gambling went sour, UPMC became part of the next best option. The trend is from sour to bland -- and we must go back to the drawing board and get what works and what was ordered.
At the initial news event, UPMC was to take nearly 30-acres of land at the LTV site. Now UPMC is going to get nearly 20 acres. The early projection can be called a speculative land-grab.
UPMC downsided the space plans by casting off the chaft. UPMC only needs to buy the most valuable spaces. The skinny, odd-shaped parcels of land that no developer would acquire are now worthless. No developer would want a tiny, odd-shaped spec of land that sits right next to UPMC as UPMC would be an overbearing neighbor.
At a public meeting, the developer of another portion of the LTV site, said something very interesting. His off-hand comments that came in the question/answer period of his presentation was at odds to what UPMC and the URA seem to say. The residental builder said that it would have rather have had a larger portion of the site to develop. He hinted at the fact that if more of the site was made available to his company, then they would certainly want to develop those sections as well.
An obvious alternative to the sale of land to UPMC for a football practice compound is a second sale of space to Contential. Perhaps more apartments can be built on the site, or perhaps a condo development can be built by the same company, and rather than all rental units, these units can be made available on a for-sale basis.
Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs hit the ball and played a great teamwork game. is an ace in our is he greater good of Pittsburgh by tacking the bigger problems in our society. Teamwork isn't selfishness, and moving a football practice site to that prime river location is total selfishness displayed at its best. Pitt should not cash into a prime spot (such as is the case with the LTV site). Pitt wants to run the final yard and score the touchdown. Pitt can score big-time with a new complex on the river's edge of the Mon at the LTV site.
Pride is won and earned from respect, not acquired by bullies.
The past victories that served to buid Pitt Pride are feelings. Feelings can't be easily bulldozed into a new facility, such as the Steeler's New Three Rivers Stadium. As Pitt Stadium closes, so too goes the intangibles of Pitt Pride.

Tweaking a development to placate special monied interests is the pathway to ruin.

Wednesday, March 17, 1999

Operational Consensus with the Body Politic and Democracy

The local planning forum on the South Side operates under a charter of a strict CONSENSUS. Just to be clear as to what they mean by a "strict consensus," understand that any "nay" vote breaches progress in that area of discussion. The vote can be 11 to 1 and the lone voter wins. All votes for action need to be unanamous.

As a result of this charter of "strict consensus" the group is super selective as to who gets to speak and even more selective as to who gets to "join" and "vote." Only the safe survive.

Those who are of a different mind-set and who might "rock the boat" do not get to participate.

One of the recent actions of the South Side Forum was the formation of official rules as to who could join and who could not. These rules were enacted in January 1999 due to some pressure some months prior that a new seat was needed for another interest group. Suprise, a new member wanted in, and gee, there were not any official rules as to who they could let in and it had to go to committee for a many-month delay.

The rules as to who can get into the South Side Forum and who can not are now official, but since the rules are not posted on the internet or in the library, it has been hard to comment on them. Perhaps a later draft of this Position Paper will show the rules of membership.

The Consensus Cloud Boggs Down the Threat of Most Actions

The act of participation is another issue worthy of evaluation, in and of itself, because of the looming consensus cloud. The body needs a consensus to act, so any issue that isn't sterile, safe and sure to win by a land-slide is not addressed. Any "hot potato" issue is not welcomed.

The South Side Forum meets a lot, and votes a little. It counts the number of meetings they hold, so as to bolter its image as a cog in the wheel of community input. A score-sheet as to the number of meetings held is not a benchmark of one's success.

Not only are "hot" issues avoided, most of the time all issues are avoided. The South Side Forum has members from other organizations, so it can deflect most direct contact with the outside world to a member organization, as a "more appropriate move." For example, when the people of Hazelwood who are fighting against the proposed SUN Coke Plant wanted to speak to the South Side Forum, they were instead given an audience with the South Side Community Council. Having a fire-wall to the community seems to be make the organization more important, like the Supreme Court is to the Judicial branch of government.

City Council can not rely upon a group of this nature for serious planning issues and critical advice. The South Side Planning Forum should be a voice, but not a voice that is heard above any other and to the exclusion of others.

Questions and Answers about the South Side Planning Forum:

How are members appointed?
Advisory bodies typically are appointed by the mayor, council or both in most states.
How do they approve things, i.e., do they vote under rules of parlimentary procedure?
Are they subject to Open Meeting or Sunshine Laws?

Exposing a ruling clique who pretend to operate out of "consensus"

By definition, one can have a "Consensus" on an issue and NOT "unanimity." In everyday talk, a "strict consensus" is not the same as a "general consensus." The South Side Planning Forum's charter calls for a "strict consens" and this means a vote with a unanamous result. Generally, unanimity is often the goal of consensus, and sometimes a consensus is actually achieved.

In the real world, the whole idea behind a consensus is the commitment to hear every objection, and to bring people with differences together through mutual persuasion. Any process which dismisses "nay-saying" is not consensual. It doesn't matter whether the nay is dismissed by overriding it (majority rules), ignoring it, or "preventing" it through careful selection of the discussants.

The Courtroom Consensus Example

Lawyers try to get their point of view represented on the jury before the case is presented, but the opposition also gets a shot at this. One of the best portrayals of arriving at consensus is Sidney Lumet's film, "Twelve Angry Men." To "expose" the planning forum, let's re-visit that film's message and lead a post-screening discussion with clear reference to how things are done in this town.

Sanford Smith

Is the South Side Planning Forum an "official" organization?

Is the South Side Planning Forum subject to public meeting laws?

How, exactly, are the members appointed to the South Side Planning Forum.

Is the South Side Planning Forum strictly volunteer work, or is there public money involved, even for expenses?

Face it, the South Side Planning Forum is city government's private way of getting around public accountability. City Council needs to see this portrayal of the methods and the facts of the matters.

The South Side Planning Forum is full of U.R.A. cronies and volunteer buddies squeemish for area development and climbing the power ladder. This group does work that city council is supposed to do.

The Accountability Trail is a Long and Winding Road

Ask the Pitt Football Coach about this project and he'll say, talk to the Athletic Director.

Ask the Athletic Director at the Univ. of Pittsburgh about this project, and he'll say that one should talk to UPMC.

Ask UPMC about this project, and they say they have little to meet with me about as things are not final yet. Because things were not final, all the more reason to talk, so I said in December 1998. "Let's talk before things are final so we can build together rather than ditch what you wanted to build from the outset." It was clear what UPMC was going to do and not do from day one. The UPMC folks then get to the point and say, go talk to the URA.

The URA folks say, go talk to the Local Planning Forum. For what it is worth, I do think that I did get my invite to the discussion table with a Steering Committee because of my badgering of the people at the URA.

The South Side Planning Forum says, "Take up your issues with one of the Forum's members that would represent your concerns." Yea, Right.

The South Side Planning Forum says, "Take up your issues with the LTV Steering Committee." Well, the Steering Committee meetings are closed affairs and they meet only when they want to meet. Most meetings are to listen to new plans brought forth by the URA.

Three Tests of Political Fairness by Lani Guinier †††††† ††††††††Ä Does the system mobilize or discourage †††††††† participation? ††††††††Ä Does the system encourage genuine debate or †††††††† foster polarization? ††††††††Ä Does the system promise real inclusion or only †††††††† token representation? In most debates about democracy in action, issues such as Race-conscious districting often surface. While race-conscious districting does not do well on any of the three tests above. Fascism, such as displayed with the system of leadership deployed by the South Side Planning Forum, does worse. No election structure alone can be perfect for all. However, we need to consider alternatives to single-member districts -- in particular, to consider systems of modified at-large representation, which promise politically cohesive minorities both potential electoral success and reasonable influence throughout the extended political process.†††††††† ††††††††There are many such alternative systems, but here I will focus on a scheme used in corporate governance called "cumulative voting." Under cumulative voting, voters cast multiple votes up to the number fixed by the number of open seats. If there are five seats on city council, then each voter gets to cast five votes. But they may choose to express the intensity of their preferences by concentrating all of their votes on a single candidate. ††††††††Let's return now to the three tests sketched earlier, and consider how cumulative voting fares in mobilizing participation, encouraging debate and fostering inclusion. Cumulative Voting and Participation ††††††††If voting is polarized along racial lines, as voting rights litigation cases hypothesize, then a system of cumulative voting would likely operate to provide at least a minimal level of minority representation. Unlike race-conscious districting, however, cumulative voting allows minority group members to identify their own allegiances and their preferences based on their strategic use of multiple voting possibilities. ††††††††Instead of having the government authoritatively assign people to groups and districts, cumulative voting allows voluntary interest constituencies to form and regroup at each election; voters in effect "redistrict" themselves at every election. By abandoning geographic districting, it also permits a fair representation of minority voters who do not enjoy the numerical strength to become a district electoral majority or who -- as is true of Latinos living in dispersed barrios -- are so geographically separated that their strength cannot be maximized within one or more single-member districts. ††††††††In these ways, cumulative voting would likely encourage greater electoral participation. Cumulative Voting and Political Debate ††††††††Cumulative voting also looks good as a way to encourage genuine debate rather than foster polari-zation. Cumulative voting lowers the barriers to entry for local third parties since supporters of such parties can concentrate all their votes on the candidates from their party. With barriers reduced, minority political partes might reclaim, at a newly invigorated grassroots level, the traditional party role of mobilizing voter participation, expanding the space of organized alterna-tives and so stretching the limits of political debate. ††††††††Additionally, locally-based political parties might then organize around issues or issue-based coalitions. Since the potential support for the minority political party is not confined by a geographic or necessarily racial base, cross-racial coalitions are possible Cumulative Voting and Inclusion ††††††††Cumulative voting is more inclusive than winner-take-all, race-conscious districting. Cumulative voting begins with the proposition that a consensus model of power sharing is preferable to a majoritarian model of centralized, winner-take-all accountability and popular sovereignty. ††††††††Cumulative voting takes the idea of democracy by consensus and compromise and structures it in a deliberative, collective decision-making body in which the prejudiced white majority is "disaggregated." The majority is disaggregated both because the threshold for participation and representation is lowered to something less than 51 percent and because minorities are not simply shunted in "their own districts." These changes would encourage and reward efforts to build cross-racial electoral alliances. A Vision for the Future ††††††††The principle of proportionality, or "political fairness," is molded by the hope that a more cooperative political style of deliberation and ultimately a more equal basis for preference satisfaction is possible when community-based minority representatives are reinforced by structures to empower them at every stage of the political process. Ultimately, however, representation and participation based on principles of political fairness are also an attempt to reconceptualize the ideal of political equality, and so the ideal of democracy itself. ††††††††The aim of that reconstruction should be to re-orient our political imagination away from the chimera of achieving a physically integrated legislature in a color-blind society and toward a clearer vision of a fair and just society. In the debate over competing claims to democratic legitimacy based on the value of minority group representation, I side with the advocates of an integrated, diverse legislature. A homogeneous legislature in a heterogeneous society is simply not legitimate. ††††††††But while black legislative visibility is an important measure of electoral fairness, taken by itself it represents an anemic approach to political fairness and justice. A vision of fairness and justice must begin to imagine a full and effective voice for disadvantaged minorities, a voice that is accountable to self-identified community interest, a voice that persuades and a voice that is included in and resonates throughout the political process. That voice will not be achieved by majoritarian means or by enforced separation into winner-take-all racial districts. ††††††††For in the end democracy is not about rule by the powerful -- even a powerful majority -- nor is it about arbitrarily separating groups to create separate majorities in order to increase their share. Instead, the ideal of democracy promises a fair discussion among self-defined equals about how to achieve our common aspirations. To redeem that promise, we need to put the idea of proportionality -- meaning political fairness and the notion of taking turns -- at the center of our conception of representation. ††††††††Lani Guinier is a professor law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a former attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. This article is adapted from an essay that originally appeared in The Boston Review. For more on Professor Guinier's ideas, see her book The Tyranny of the Majority (Martin Kessler of the Free Press). ††††††††"With cumulative voting, any substantial minority, by casting all its votes for a single candidate, might win a representative. But a smaller ethnic, religious, political or geographic minority would have an incentive to find allies and build coalitions. . . . . Cumulative voting may not be a panacea for the knotty problem of giving minorities -- any minorities -- representation. But it's worth exploring." Ä Don Noel (Hartford Courant political columnist), Hartford Courant, June 30, 1993 ††††††††"Disagreements over the Voting Rights Act are more than arguments over principle. They are also intensely political. Republicans are coming to believe the act enhances their prospects by safely concentrating minority voters in a few districts, thereby minimizing their influence elsewhere. Meanwhile, Democrats are discovering that well-regarded white liberals are redistricted out of office to make way for minority politicians. ††††††††"There is, however, a new approach that could defuse much of this conflict. The Voting Rights Act might be amended to encourage use of a practice known as cumulative voting. This practice would achieve the goals of the act just as effectively, while addressing the concerns of its detractors." Ä Richard Pildes (University of Michigan Law School professor), New Republic: "Gimme Five: Non- Gerrymandering Racial Justice," March 1, 1993. Table of Contents † ____________________________________________________ Copyright © 1998 The Center for Voting and Democracy. All rights reserved. PO Box 60037, Washington D.C., 20039.† Contact information.

Tuesday, March 16, 1999

Mayor visited South Side Slopes for a neighborhood meeting

Slippery Slopes

Shared Perspectives

The South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association's addressed Mayor Murphy on March 16, 1999. Another perspective adds to our insights. The theme, tone and major thrust make great advice.

Snips from the Address to Mayor from Slopes Association

I raised my voice, made calls to the media and phone calls to PWSA, spoke to the South Side Planning Forum and still nothing has happened. Mr. Mayor, it is this pattern repeated over and over which disturbs us and brings us here tonight. Our neighborhoods are falling down around us, either by degrees or in events like the landslide, and we cannot get the city to respond appropriately, no matter what we do.

Most of us are here tonight because of a pervasive feeling that the city has abandoned, and forgotten its neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods have made Pittsburgh someplace special -- a liveable city and yet the City behaves as if neighborhoods are no longer a priority. One look around and it appears the money interests are remaking an amusement style center city; here in the neighborhoods we are not amused.There is the sense, Mr. Mayor, that we are last on your priority list.

We are concerned, and frankly some of us are angry.

As taxpayers and voters our sincere hope is that you will apply your vision, energy and resources toward revitalizing our neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods are the true foundation of our city, and although the challenge to rebuild them is great and complicated, the rewards are truly long term. You know, houses in my neighborhood were standing when Forbes Field was built. Houses in my neighborhood were still standing when it was torn down and Three Rivers Stadium built. And when Three Rivers Stadium is torn down and two new stadiums built my neighborhood will still be there. Neighborhoods are the long-term investments in our city.

Pittsburgh has few showcase neighborhoods to attract potential residents. It is clear to us that together we have to put similar energy into neighborhood planning and revitalization so we can bring people back to city neighborhoods not just for shopping, recreation, and entertainment, but, indeed to live. We are willing to devote our time and talents toward improving our neighborhood for the long run, but how can we get you to focus your leadership on the neighborhoods?

.... The deputy Fire Chief told us smaller trucks were not possible. We carefully researched the issue and determined that smaller trucks were indeed available. Other community groups said they had pursued the issue with no luck, but after cooperation from the Firefighters Union and a public hearing, we were promised a smaller pumper truck. There is an underlying issue -- and that is what we are most upset about. Why did we have to spend hundreds of hours of community volunteer time to get a service we already dearly pay for? And why is the city so reluctant to permit input from citizens groups?

.... We are doing all we can with our own time and money. ...

The list of specifics asked, among other things:

Will you move the purchase of a smaller fire truck along faster?

... (snip) ...

We want to hear your vision for our neighborhoods and we want to see your tenacity in applying your vision to help us create a showcase hillside community, a true neighborhood that will continue to stand the test of time.

... (snip) ...

Public comment to PPS School Board

A Three-Minute Address to the School Board and Administration of the Pittsburgh Public Schools

Who: Facts

My Name is Mark Rauterkus. My family and I live at 108 South 12th Street, on the South Side of Pittsburgh.
Thanks for the opportunity to speak with you tonight.
Contact Information:
My phone number, home and office: 412-481-2540.
My email address is, Mark@SportSurf.Net.
The WWW site for the things I'm going to address tonight is: http://SportSurf.Net/backyard

Open Invitation for Feedback to All

I am very interested in hearing from any one, (board member or otherwise) regarding these issues. Do not hesitate to call, ask questions, raise objections. By better filtering and refining the ideas, we sharpen our perspectives and knowledge base. That insures a victory.

Goals for Tonight's Presentation:

introduce myself and
present a "commercial" of sorts.

First the Commercial.

The commercial is to hype a position paper that is being released on the internet. IMHO, the School Board and the educational community is going to fall in love with the ideas presented within this position paper.

You are going to enjoy the position paper for all of the right reasons.

From what I can tell from my vantage point -- on the outside looking in, some of the ideas raised by the position paper make for a perfect match to the district's mission. I do, by all means, need your assistance here. I want to not only dovetail this plan upon your plan, but we want to make a complete overlap.
I want to bond our ideas together. I want to forge later drafts of this position paper with your help so we all can work from a position of strength. This benefits the kids and the community and the district.
The ideas within the position paper can be made to surround and fully-support the mission of the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
1. The ideas make great financial sense.
  - Let's address a $50M burden looming large in our future.
2. Let's champion community and school interactions.
3. Let's leverage some inter-governmental cooperation with some the school district, some identified matching state grants, some capital investments and discussion brewing with Pittsburgh City Council and our Citiparks Department.
4. Finally, let's get everyone on the same page and for the same reasons -- and then let's deliver a package to UPMC, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pitt -- that is just too good to refuse.
A wide-open window of opportunity exists, and we need to greatly accelerate some of these discussions. I need some high-priority attention from the board and some of the key administrators.
You'll see that time is a critical factor. And, we need to have some high-level conversations and meetings within the week. I have had the chance to chat with the AD, the principal at South High, the AD at South High, some others in the district and with a school board member tonight. Furthermore, the Business Manager, Mr. Fellers came to a South Side meeting at my request, so he has this on his radar screen, so to speak. But these are more casual conversations. Now we need to get very serious.
The citizens of Pittsburgh have put in a call to City Council for a Public Hearing on these matters. That meeting should be scheduled this week and held in a month's time. In short order, I'm going to be asking each of you to begin to network with your counterparts on City Council and to attend the Public Hearing. That would be a great show of brilliance for you all to be there, with the citizens and with City Council.
The dirty parts --- there is no one-page executive summary.
The position paper is hundreds of pages in length. There are many concept maps. Large sub-sections of philosophy are tied within the points and justifications. To absorb these plans, each of you will have to apply about 6-8 hours of study. And, each of you are going to have to interact with chunks of this plan. Your want to raise objections, questions and offer refinements to various positions and elements of the vision.
You're going to have to get to the internet, or, pickup a 3-ring binder, and slot a full-day of time to examine these issues -- in the very near future.
Can the district make copies of this position paper available to its staff and board members once I deliver a Master edition, please? The photo-copy assistance is greatly appreciated.
To spend a day of your time on issues I bring before you at short order is a tall request, granted. Please do it, because it is your duty.
Do it for duty, and do it because we are talking about tens of millions of dollars.
Do What?
Before peeking at the WHAT, let's get to a big question you all have the right to ask. It is fair to wonder, "Who in the heck am I to ask for such big favors."
What is in this for me?
Often in this world, sad to say, it is not what you say, but who you are when you say it. An introduction is in order.
Pittsburgher -- and Passionate about Education
Presently, I'm a stay at home dad. My sons are age 4 and 1. My wife and I met while she was getting her Ph.D. at Northwestern. We moved her from Chicago. She is a professor and director at a medical setting.
My blood has been boiling about this cause since November. I've been working on this every day since then. I'm fortunate as I've got some flexibility, time, and experiences to pound the pavement on this.
We live on the South Side, just 2 blocks from South High School. Our kids are going to go to school some day soon.
I'm the son of a long-time Pittsburgh Public School teacher. My dad is Leo M. Rauterkus -- he retired a few years ago. My sister, my cousin, and my uncle also taught in this district.
I've been blessed to have two different careers throughout my life -- both on hold while I attend to my kids. I've been a swim coach in six different states, and I've been a sports publisher.
Coaching
I've been lucky to coach at:
- Harvard with Olympians on the team in 1980.
- New Trier School District, on the North Shore of Chicago -- rated by Town and Country Magazine as the best public high school in America.
- Ohio University, Bradley University and the Peoria Park District.
- Plum High School -- where one athlete set a PIAA record as the fastest 200 IM swimmer in the state.
- Baylor University in Texas. I was a grad student in Education.
Texas Past
I hitch-hiked from Pittsburgh to Waco, Texas to begin my year as a graduate student at Baylor. Short story if time permits.
Publisher of 100+ Sports Books and Multi-Media Titles
Books on Volleyball, Competitive Swimming, Water Polo, Triathlons, Sports Psychology, Weightlifting, a Flexibility Video, a book on sports inclusion for Hearing Impaired Athletes, Pull Your Own Weight -- self-esteem and body weight exercises.
The Treasure Within --- handout cover. The philosophy. A companion work by Kevin DeForrest to Sports, Spirit and Soul.
What is Happening?
City Council's Control
Some City Council-people are looking for ways to do things for the little-folks in this city. With "Plan B" everything seems to break in the favor of the corporate folks in development issues, at the expense of the citizens.
The Jim Ferlo tax on ballplayers is to generate $1M per year, some for a city-parks trust fund. In today's paper read a great idea championed by Dan Onorato who wants to auction parts of the old Three Rivers Stadium, to raise $10M.
Petition Has Been Filed
The Citizens of Pittsburgh (49 names were gathered) -- filed a petition to the City Clerk's office last week to call for a Public Hearing on the topic of the URA's sale of land to UPMC on the South Side for a Sports Performance compound to be used by the Pitt Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
UPMC wants to spend $30M to develop this prime river-front site -- and it isn't going to fit. There are lots and lots of problems with the UPMC plans. The position paper uncovers hundreds of issues about this bogus plan.
One tiny example: The NCAA won't allow its college athletes to share the same facility at the same time with professional athletes.
I feel that UPMC is trying to hoodwink the URA and the citizens on this terrible deal. Once this plan is understood by some additional people, everyone can see it doesn't make sense. The facility isn't going to happen if we take the time to look at it. Graders and bulldozers have been working at the site since mid-Feb, yet the deal for the land can't occur.
Slogan: In a hurricane, even turkeys can fly!
There is so much happening at this time with our city, we need to take a deep breath and be certain that the right projects get done for the right reasons.
The position paper takes some long-hard looks at the global development picture. We dismantle the bogus plans, and then we must re-construct a better vision. Enter PPS officials.
The Steelers Need a Practice Facility -- next year even.
Let's get on the same page -- and put the Steelers into a spiffed up, bubbled, shared with city-kids, South Stadium at South High. There is much, much more to come in the vision as to what is needed, what can be done, and so on. We can expand the Market House concept to include a dynamic place for schools and community to interact.
We can build a win-win-win solution -- if we have your help.
Next Stop -- Arm and Arm with City Council
I'd like to see you all begin to wrestle with these concepts. And, I'd like to have you all come to some positions, that benefit the kids and the district -- by this month. Then we can all go into the Public Hearing with City Council on this with some clear cooperation and much better solutions.

Aquatic planning process, Pittsburgh, Let's Get Wet Already

Let's Get Wet Already

City Council's Pool Fees Fight Means Another 5-4 Vote

Visualize the kids in Pittsburgh following the debate in City Council on the pool fees, at home in their living rooms, putting on and then taking off their swim trunks, over and over and over again. Thanks for this mental picture, Dan Onarato.
Jim Ferlo said the debate on the swim pool fees was like a bad tooth ache that didn't go away.
Trail basis, policy decisions, and compromises aside, this issue of pool fees has gotten out of hand and needs to be addressed.

Water Over the Dam

Perhaps the former director of parks and recreation didn't properly address the issue.

The former Director of Parks and Recreation mentioned that a state grant and some secured funding was in-hand for an overall aquatics programming evaluation in July of 1998 in the course of casual conversations.
That director has since left the office.

The RFP and overall-aquatics plan is going to get some attention with Duane T. Ashley, the new Director, appointed by City Council's formal vote on March 16, 1999.

Jump Start to Aquatics Planning

The call for the RFP, as hinted at in the Council Chambers in the working sessions in Feb 99 is moving along. Let's get some new energy into this process.

Chair Volunteers

Mark Rauterkus, a resident with aquatic experience has volunteered to participate and has been granted a pending role within this planning process. Mark and his family utilize many of the city pools, and he has a keen interest in making improvements. A volunteer role is fine.

A meeting between Mark Rauterkus and Director Ashley occured in mid-March.

Concept Map

https://map.swimisca.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/aquaplan1.gif

Often, The Hardest Part of Swim Practice: Getting Wet!

Spent time on the swim pool deck and notice that there are days when the hardest part of practice is diving in and getting wet. To counter the human condition of inertia, let's start with a warm-up exercise. Click the button below and send an email message.

mrauterkus@sportsurf.net

Thanks for your input and concern.

Questions for Pitt

Questions from the Alumni Assocation on March 16, 1999

What was wrong with the initial plan sold to Governor Ridge about putting the Convocation Center on the OC Lot? There is parking for 4,500 spaces. If placed on the OC Lot, 700 would be lost still providing 3,800 spaces.
What is the contingency plan? Shouldn't it be in place now?
March 14, 1999 interview on KDKA-TV: Mark Nordenberg was asked by John Craig: "Has there been any market research regarding issues of location, parking, stadium amenities, or is it based on a common sense response?"
Norenberg: "Yes, it was a common sense response."
How can the University make a decision of such magnitude without the proper research?
Shouldn't there have been discussions with season ticket holders and other fans of the University?
If Pitt football goes off campus it has 6 or 7 fewer events that transcend all university groups and return fans, friends, alumni and new people to the university. What proposal do you have to replace these events and showcase our university campus?
What is the driving force behind this thought process -- politics? Harrisburg? City of Pittsburgh? Dollars? Oakland Community?
Between 1982 and 1983, Athletic Director Ed Bozik had a surplus of funds built up from Athletic Department successes (i.e., Football Bowl Games) so those dollars where rechanneled to improve to lower campus (i.e., Library). That $5 million could have been used in the Athletic Department for renovations. Shouldn't the University Administration invest that $5 million back into the Athletic Department? With interest, we would be looking at approximately $20 million.
What were the plans 5 years ago for PITT Stadium? Why does the 1998 Annual Report say that rennovations are scheduled for PITT Stadium?
What were the plans in the 1997-2007 master plan for PITT Stadium?
The University never had a focus as to what the building plans are for the university. What type of future foresight do you have? It is the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to devise a long-term viability plan for the University with a master plan, for the entire campus. What were the options considered in regards to PITT Stadium? What has been said to the donors and potential donors in the last 18 months of the capital campaign?
Explain the sense of urgency.
Have attendance numbers been researched? Tulane, who plays off campus, was 11-0 in 1998 and averaged 27,943 in attendance in a stadium that seats 69,028 resulting in a stadium that was only 40% full. Even with a 2-9 season, the average attendance (as a percent of total capacity) at Pitt Stadium was greater than all of the city schools that play off campus.
The following groups use the stadium on a daily basis, not just "6 or 7 Saturdays" per year:
1. Men's Soccer Team
2. Women's Soccer Team
3. Men's Track Team
4. Women's Track Team
5. Intramural Sports
6. Marching Band
7. Recreational usage for students, faculty and staff.
What will happen to these groups? Where will they go?
Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia was completed about the same time as Three Rivers Stadium. Both were touted as 'state of the art' stadiums. In a few years after the completion of Veteran's Stadium, Temple University moved their games to this new 'state of the art' stadium as a way to jump-start their program. Any University who has ever attended a Temple Football game in Veteran's Stadium would not want to duplicate that same atmosphere at their own stadium. Rutgers played at the Meadowlands and went back on campus because they found out that being off of campus did not work. Why do we think it will be any different here?
Don't tell us you can't renovate Pitt Stadium into a top rate facility as per the previous plans designed for the Second Century Stadium renovations in the mid-90s. From a civil engineering standpoint, Pitt Stadium was built so that it could hold 67,000 people by adding an additional area to the top. Couldn't this be investigated so that we could determine what all of the options are before moving off campus?
By looking for a solution to renovate Pitt Stadium can emphasize COMMITMENT, TEAMWORK, and PRIDE by everyone. Bring in all of our "VALUED PARTNERS" to spearhead this approach.
Reasons to Stay at Pitt Stadium:
- Construct lodge seating or corporate boxes (refer to the original architectural plans of the min-90s / Second Century Funding). Corporate boxes will pay for themselves. Visit North Carolina and see its 8,000 lodge seat facility within their on campus stadium.
- Throughout the facility, construct shops, stores, restaurants, and attractions that would be used daily by the thousands of students, faculty, UPMC employees and visitors with in the walking distance of the Oakland Community.
- Promote our University, Enhance Oakland and our campus and challenge the City of Pittsburgh to improve Oakland as well as the North Side.
- Challenge the City of Pittsburgh to give us our green space from the Towers to Heinz Chapel.
- Do not take "College out of College Football."
If Pitt was to play on the North Side, and on a given Saturday afternoon the Pirates are playing in PNC Park at the same time, has anyone thought of the traffic nightmare and congestion getting to and from the game? What road system will be put in place? The Fort Pitt Bridge and Route 28, two major arteries to the North Side, will be closed. How would this impact attendance on the North Side?
Since Pitt wants to be so closely associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers, what would happen with this association with the Steelers have a bad season?
If the Rooney family is such a good partnership for the University of Pittsburgh, why have they never given any money to the University but have instead given substantial contributions to Duquesne University?
What members of the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees have their own vested interest in moving away from Pitt Stadium?
By taking the college out of college football, you rob the identity of the college experience from the students who in the future can return to our campus to connect and reconnect with their family, friends and alumni. You also rob the University of the dollars that would be generated from these future alumni.
The students of today are the development prospects of tomorrow and are the strongest foundation for the University, for without students, there would no longer be a need for a university. The current Student Government President, George Mongell, should be applauded for championing this cause to "Save Our Stadium."
Chancellor Bowman did some great things for the University of Pittsburgh but unfortunately he is remembered as the "Chancellor who fired Jock Sutherland." No matter how many wonderful things are accomplished during your tenure, Chancellor Nordenberg, you will always be remembered as the "Chancellor who tore down Pitt Stadium." Can you live with that legacy?
How much tailgating space will there be on the North Side? Preliminary plans show for two massive parking garages that will not allow tailgating. The restaurants, shops and hotels are being built to make money prior to and after games. They will not lend to an afternoon of college football complete with tailgating.
How and where will pregame class reunions be held on Homecoming weekend when you no longer have a stadium on campus?
The Chancellor has been known to hold pregame events for current and potential donors, at his residence and on the lawn of the Cathedral of Learning prior to all home football games. Where will these events be held to showcase our University?
The Pitt Alumni Association has been actively working on an Alumni Center that was to be used for among other things, pregame football events. Wasn't this part of a long term strategic plan for the Alumni and the university as another way to entertain donors and showcase the University?

Monday, March 15, 1999

Microsoft and URL

Ponderings from Pittsburgh
Microsoft's grip of the High-Tech Industry Pales to the U.R.A. grip upon Pittsburgh's Development Environment
The development environment is more than buildings, mortar and blueprints. The grip on the development environment includes ideas, sharing, open communications, and planning.
The URA's role has escalated into a "super department" in the Murphy Administration.
Clear examples to the barriers facing competitive viewpoints.
Liberal Re-Writting Follows from
http://www.be.com/aboutbe/benewsletter/volume_III/Issue8.html#Gassee
The Be Newsletter Volume III, Issue 8, February 24, 1999 article, Crack in the Wall, by Jean-Louis GassÈe explains some of the key points to the "global" problem in the high-tech industry when confronted with the Microsoft domination.
Microsoft Emotions and Background
The United States DOJ (Department of Justice) spent the end of 1998 and early 1999 in an anti-trust case against the software giant, Microsoft of Redmond, WA. You're the CEO of a PC OEM, delivering some great news to Wall Street: "In an effort to offer greater variety and performance to the customer, our factory now installs three operating systems on the hard disk -- Windows, Linux, and the BeOS. The reaction has been spectacular. Customers love having a choice of OS, and the press -- from John Dvorak in PC Magazine to John Markoff in the New York Times to Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal -- has heralded us for our bold move. This is a great step forward for the consumer and for the industry. Oh, and by the way, we lost $50 million since we no longer qualify for Windows rebates. But it's a sacrifice for the common good."
You're now the ex-CEO of a PC OEM.
Just as Microsoft has huge clout in high-tech, so does the URA in Pittsburgh developments.
Microsoft has a choke hold on the computer makers, resellers and developers of software. Standards get set by Microsoft.
Microsoft's Windows pricing practices are closely guarded secrets, so we don't know exactly how rebates are structured. Closely guarded secrets, so too goes the discussions between the URA and developers. In November 1998, the URA and UPMC entered into a "90-day OPEN Discussion Period," (quote from the new conference), but by March 1999, a site plan asked for 100+ days ago that detailed the land desired by UPMC was not forthcoming.
but we can assume that it works something like this: The total cost of a Windows license consists of a base price offset by a rebate. The base price is set; the rebate is flexible, and contingent on the "dedication" of the licensee. That is, the more you "advertise" the product -- through prominent positioning, expanded shelf space, and so on -- the greater your rebate. The Microsoft quid pro quo rebate within the industry looks innocent enough, and can be a useful tool in a competitive market. But when running a monopoly -- and when it comes to out-of-the-box, consumer-grade PC clones, Microsoft *is* a monopoly. "Prominent positioning" and "expanded shelf space" have little meaning. Microsoft has no interest in getting "more" footage on the OS shelf, because they've already got it all. What interests them -- the only useful advantage they can "buy" (to be kind) with their rebate -- is to ensure that no one else will get any.
Pittsburgh's re-developments organized by the URA need a measure of competitive pressures to keep down prices of buildings, roads, infrastructure and such. The TIFs help so as to not bankrupt the city's finances. Things are getting developed at fair market value prices by the URA, but the serious issue of concern is not the price, but the project.
A family that goes to the grocery to discover dog-food on sale at 85% off the regular price is wise to NOT make any dog-food purchase unless it has a dog to feed. The competive price is okay, but the decision process on what to get is flawed.
The citizens of Pittsburgh and the South Side do not want the region's biggest instituional employer to buy the very best property in the eastern time zone!
Furthermore, very few developers, architechs, real-estate agents, small-business owners, employees of Pitt or UPMC, health-care workers, contractors and suppliers of Pitt/UPMC, or the city, want to say otherwise. It took a child's courage to speak-up and say that "The King Has No Clothes."
Pitt and the City are so pervasive at every corner in our village of three rivers that most who would make sensible objections and advance alternative insights are tainted and don't speak up.
Futhermore, Pitt and UPMC are spiteful, grudge-knowing, adversaries to some. What neutral individual would want to pick a fuss against them, and
In the business world, "dedication" is measured by Microsoft in a number of different ways. In Pittsburgh, dedication and loyalty points are not scored by smashing apart $30M develoments in popular sections in town by leading employers.
The BeOS and Linux OS are not installed on *any* PC. If you randomly purchase 1,000 PC clones, how many have any OS other than Windows loaded at the factory? Zero.
But what about all these announcements from companies such as IBM, Dell, and others? A few URLs are supplied here for your convenience:
http://www.dell.com/products/workstat/ISV/linux.htm
http://www.compaq.com/isp/news_events/index.html
http://www.compaq.com/newsroom/pr/1998/wa111298a.html
http://www.hp.com/pressrel/jan99/27jan99.htm
http://www.hp.com/pressrel/jan99/27jan99b.htm
http://www.software.ibm.com/data/db2/linux/
If you parse the statements, Linux is offered and supported on servers, not on PCs. Another IBM story is that installation is to be performed by the reseller on some PCs or laptops, not by IBM at the factory.
As an industry insider gently explained, Microsoft abides by a very simple principle: No cracks in the wall. Otherwise, water will seep in and sooner or later the masonry will crumble.
Guarding against even the smallest crack is important to Microsoft, because it prevents a competitor from taking advantage of a phenomenon that economists call the "network effect." The "network effect" manifests itself as an exponential increase in the value of a product or service when more people use it. Applied to a computer operating system, the effect works like this: As more people install and use an OS, the demand for applications increases. Developers respond to the demand, which attracts the attention of OEMs and resellers, who promote the OS in order to sell the apps, which attracts more customers... The key to all this is distribution and visibility -- in other words, "shelf space."
The URA needs to guard against "wise cracks" and "loose cannons" who might get into the system and then turn up the volume of displeasure on the global operations and project directions. The URA needs to move quickly on development progress so as to not allow time for the citizens to mobilize and oppose any one development. The URA needs to have foot-soldiers in the trenches running planning forums so as to give their local "seal-of-approval" to developments that come down the pike, in any shape or manner.
The shelf space in Pittsburgh is mind-set and momentum and most of all, media visability. The Public Relations feeding frenzy that was evident at the URA and UPMC event made it impossible to conduct a meeting in the Brashear Association Conference Room.
As for the network effect, wanta job next year? Keep quiet.
Bill Gates understands the network effect well. Back in 1983, the market share limitations of DOS was "no problem," Gates said. With the wide distribution we enjoy, we'll get the attention of third parties, and the marketplace will fix these shortcomings."
Shortcoming! Ahh. If the developments in Pittsburgh have shortcomings, then the project get to churn for another run sooner, rather than later. Lasting value isn't a high priority of the developers. Look at the life of Three Rivers Stadium and The Civic Arena. Who would build wonderful public structures that would have timeless beauty and functionality --- when one can rebuild every 20 years?
Those idiots who made monuments and classic buildings in Washington DC had better not step foot into Pittsburgh.
I'm sure that there are some folks sitting in an office building at the URA or Mayor's office trying to figure out ways to justify the demolition of The Cathedral of Learning, slated in the year 2008. Let's build a throw-away football stadium at the site of the old Cathedral of Learning once we wear out the New Three Rivers Stadium and know for sure that the University of UPMC can't co-exist there, due to NCAA rules that the next NCAA Executive Board voted to approve: Samarach, Willard, Fazio, Sherrill, etc.)
If the Univ. of Pittsburgh football team can't co-exist with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the same facility at the same time, then we'll have to have another development next year to fix these shortcomings.
If the 80-yard practice field is proven to be a crutch in the team's preperation, then we'll demand a 120-yard field and the fans will support a new practice home and the associated cost over-runs for the new stadium project.
This puts statements by senior Microsoft executive Paul Maritz in perspective. In reaction to my claim that Be wants to co-exist with Microsoft, Mr. Maritz said (as quoted by Joseph Nocera in Fortune Magazine):
"[Gassee is] articulating his strategy for entry into the operating system marketplace. But on the other hand, I know that Be has built a full-featured operating system, so what I believe he's doing here is outlining his strategy about how he will initially co-exist with Windows and, over time, attract more applications to his platform."
Mr. Nocera interpreted Mr. Maritz's interpretation thus:
"In other words, Gassee's spiel is little more than a trick intended to lull Microsoft. But Microsoft isn't so easily fooled! Microsoft will never ignore a potential threat to its Windows fortress, no matter how slight. The software giant may be in the middle of an antitrust trial, but -- as Andy Grove says -- only the paranoid survive..."
The entire article, part of a court house diary, can be found at http://www.pathfinder.com/fortune/1999/03/01/mic3.html
Industry sages such as T.J. Rodgers, the CEO of Cypress Semiconductors, as well as venture capitalists aligned with Microsoft, criticize the Department of Justice's intervention in the new Pax Romana we're supposed to enjoy under Microsoft's tutelage. Don't compete in court, compete in the marketplace, they say.
I'm a free marketer myself; I left a statist environment for the level playing field created by the rule of law in this, my adopted country. A free market is *exactly* what we want. One where a PC OEM isn't threatened by financial death for daring to offer operating systems that compete with the Windows monopoly.
We started with a thought experiment. We end with a real-life offer for any PC OEM that's willing to challenge the monopoly: Load the BeOS on the hard disk so the user can see it when the computer is first booted, and the license is free. Help us put a crack in the wall.
For information on list archives and subscription requests see:
http://www.cptech.org/lists.html

Sunday, March 14, 1999

The UPMC Plans, as they were prepared by UPMC are Not Desired

"The only proof capable of being given that an object is visible, is that people actually see it. The only proof that a sound is audible, is that people hear it: and so of the other sources of our experience. In like manner, I apprehend, the sole evidence it is possible to produce that anything is desirable, is that people do actually desire it."

(John Stuart Mill - Utilitarianism)

Wednesday, March 10, 1999

Development Mantra: High Quality Buildings and Large Commitments

The U.R.A. Director always seems to speak about projects by boasting of the "high quality of the buildings" and "large commitments" from the prospective owners. Great attributes. Great sound bites, Safe statements. But much more is expected.

Some important attributes of the developments in Pittsburgh are not getting lip-service. These points matter and they go way beyond the quality of the building materials and if Union Labor was employed for the construction.

With the UPMC Sports Performance compound, one glaring shortcoming is community access. Other glaring shortcomings exist too.

a keen sense of fitting into the environs,
programming,
quality of life,
promises of passion opportunities for all.

The Soup Simmers

Is it soup yet? was a famous marketing line from TV commercials. Where's the beef? was another slogan that asked a question.. Both sound-bites make sense in a critical way when looking at Pittsburgh developments.

Catchup company, Heinz, must be sitting in numerous offices on the North Side and downtown and be thinking that it is missing out on the developmental gravy chain.

Post Gazette Headine on March 5, 1999

Heinz cooking up more local plans

See the post-gazette.com site for more details.

Quote: City redevelopment officials are considering declaring as "blighted" the section of the North Side riverfront where the Heinz warehouse would go. That means the project would be eligible for certain financing tools, such as Tax Increment Financing.

Heinz wants, and the URA might try to deliver, six acres of land next to the Heinz plant for expansion. The present owners of that land might not want to sell it. So, Heinz runs down their neighborhood to a blighted state, so it can expand with state and URA aid.

Gov. Ridge, "engaged in some very serious discussions with H.J. Heinz for several months involving substantial assistance. "Heinz gets credit for being a part of the history of the region," one that involves trashing your neighborhood, getting state aid for corporate welfare expansion.

Fix What You've Got

Heinz put some effort into the Sara Heinz House. That place needs your expansion energy.

Partner with Your Inspired Local Sites

Perhaps Heinz should look into its own neighborhood to partner with existing and inspired providers of high-quality experiences.

How about a Heinz section in the National Aviary?

How about a Heinz sponsored exhibit at the Children Museum, sorta like the one with Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood with lots of hands on exhibits and nostalgia?

How about a Heinz sponsored wing to the Childrens' Museum, and allow them to expand across the street into the old and now empty Buhl building?

How about "The Science of Heinz" with an association with The Science Center. They do do food demonstrations at the Science Center already.

How about a partnership with the Andy Warhol site? It could be a great exhibit, sorta like Chicken Soup for the Soul of Catchup Eaters.

How about a partnership with the Heinz Natural History Center in the Strip District? Duhh. Should have thought about that one before you decided to go open up a discussion about Heinz plant tours.

Heinz, it takes a village. Having the employees spread around the city, from Station Square to the USX Tower to the North Side plant is not a bad position. And, if you need to get your own building, by all means, go get your own building. But, don't go get a hand-out from the Governor to do so for you.

WTAE makes big mistakes in its reporting

Radio Talk

Miss Info on WTAE

Tidbits atat Odds with Truth

Pitt Stadium Upgrades Have Happened Recently

Pitt has not put any money into Pitt Stadium in many years. Wrong. Pitt has spent a lot of money in recent years on the Pitt Stadium experience.

The football training rooms upgrade done about 1997 cost $5M.

Pitt spent money and turned the corner on a number of issues for game day enjoyments of the fans, such as tailgate parties, a huge #12 jersey, shuttle buses.

Pitt spent a lot of money on signage, estimated cost, $2M.

The Pitt AD needs to be well liked and needs to build better relationships.

The Pitt AD does not care if he is popular and well liked. Wrong. The Pitt AD does have a job to do. The Pitt AD does have to make some tough business decisions, and be held accountable for those decisions. However, since one of the largest points of philosophy in sports is to improve upon relationships, it is most important to be well liked.

The Pitt AD is a fund-raiser. People do not give money to people they do not care for. If people in Pittsburgh, students, alumni and corporate folks included, do not like the new Pitt AD, the program is sunk.

Pitt Friendly Set-Up of the New Three Rivers' Stadium

If Pitt does not have to spend a lot of money on the stadium, it can spend more money on the program.

Tuesday, March 09, 1999

Pittsburgh's History of Hard Work

Councilman Sala Udin's illustrated a snapshot of history with his introduction of the Pittsburgh Works legislation on March 3. Our city has been about Hard Work. Sala's grandfather worked in a mill on the South Side.

Ordinary Hard Work
Union Town, Second to None
Our parents and grandparents locked arm and arm and were together

Our Legacy

The legacy of hard work runs throughout the entire region. What follows is more of a look at the South Side, and it builds upon that regional mind-set. What makes each part of this region different is due to our typography, but we are more similar than not.

The South Side Is NOT the North Side

The South Side's quality of life rings true with a sense of community and neighborhood balance.

Contrasting South Side to North Side
South Side	North Side
Brew House	Alcoa's Corporate Headquarters
Beehive	The Clark Bar
Carnegie Science Center's WWII Sub	Station Square's Good Ship Lollipop
Flats & Slopes	Mexican War Streets
South Vo Tech	Perry Traditional Academy
The Market House Gym, Oliver Bath House, South H.S. Stadium (old as dirt and still kicking)	Three Rivers Stadium (RIP: 1970-1999+)
Video Crew visits for WQED special	Blimp visits for Monday Night Football
City Theater	Public Theater*
Consensus Planners propped by URA	Living Wage Activists
The Mon	The Allegheney River
Sandcastle	Fox Chappel Yacht Club
Kennywood	Cranberry
Great view of the new County Jail	Great view of the new Convention Center
East Carson Street	Allegheney Mall
The Mon Valley Expressway	I 279
Fixed income pensions to wives of steelworkers who forged a nation.	Million dollar salaries to NFL Steelers playing an after school activity.
Shootz	Penn Brewery

Notes:
Too bad The Public Theater is leaving the North Side for Downtown. And as for the Shootz and Penn Brewery comparison: shrug. You can't win them all.

The Heart needs Heart!

If you look at the heart of Pittsburgh, and begin at its center, you'll not see another section of town that has any balance like the South Side.

Echos -- Pushing and Pumping Past the Limits of Comfort

Pushing and Pumping Past the Limits of Comfort

Inherent Postponements of Judgement Day Reconings

Photos appeared in the newspaper showing a new, big, empty parking garage in downtown.

When Will We Know If Lazarus Is a BUST?

The vertict is still pending on the Lazarus development. Props from the yet to open Lord & Taylor are expected to aid Lazarus. But, when will we know if the spending on the Lazarus was worth it, say in 2005? When is judgement day? When is there a bonafide accoutability?

Meanwhile, looking back, ... When Did Lazarus Receive Its "Go/No-Go" Blessings?

Did the early ideas and early Point being, the planning pipeline stretches for months and years.

Priming the pump is hard work. Much action is necessary before anything spills out. The earliest squirts can be murky, rusted, and muddy. Pumping some more can open the floodgates, or not. We can't predict the future, but we can hope. And, we can also be prudent given the overall situations.

The Echos of a Strike Out

Councilman Gene Ricciardi said that the Stoffer/UPMC Pharmacy Warehouse was strike one. Strike two was the approval of Continental for strickly rental units on the LTV site. The South Side doesn't want the LTV site to turn into a sub-development that is an isolated island, such as Station Square.

Will strike three could be the UPMC Sports Performance compound?

Councilman Jim Ferlo wondered aloud about the boxed office buildings and parking garage on Second Avenue along the Mon. He noted that the Stoffer/UPMC Pharmacy Warehouse puts the "ug" in ugly.

Alan Hertzberg asked the URA Director if the developments slated for the North Side have ended. Seems that the North Side has been getting a ton of money poured onto it.

Strike Three, You're Out! shouts the umpire, moments after the pitch crosses the plate.

In the time-line of developmental efforts, a serious time delay in encountered from original plans to opening day. In 1999, the URA and Pittsburgh sits among a back-log of developments still to unfold. The sound of "Strike Three, You're Out!" might be heard sometime in the distant future, after some 10, 20 or 30 different projects have already been launched.

After a project is launched and started, abortions would cause serious financial losses. After the pitcher releases the ball and the pitch is thrown, it can't be retracted. In this example, the URA is the pitcher and is releasing some 30 pitches. Each pitch takes 20 to 40 months to reach the strike zone. If some of the endeavors miss their mark, a flood of doom can spiral trouble for decades to come.

Good gamemanship would call for some pace, diversifications, and triple checking at the planning stages, so as to hedge against bold-wrong-headed moves.

From the closing of the new River Rescue building, to PNC Park, to the new football stadium, to the convention center, to the football practice compound, to the rental units on the LTV site, to the destruction of Pitt Stadium, to the old airport, to the West-End Circle, to the Mellon addition, to Urban Retail in downtown East Hills, Wabash Bridge and whatever else is in the pipeline, we have to wake up to the fact that we've got a lot of balls in the air at one time. What if everything goes according to rushed plans and serious flaws in philosophies are not flushed out?

Has the URA has been grooving its pitches to corporate development while not giving the smaller players any decent opportunities? Sure, we know of the first-time home buyers plans. We like the propety sales of "as-is housing stock" at $5,000 prices. But, let's get more money into action with these programs. Let's get college sophomores with 3.0 grade point averages a chance to own their own $5,000 home in the city for $0 down. This way we might keep a few additional graduates to stay in Pittsburgh after graduation.

Worse things have happened. The Housing Authority boomed with new buildings in the 1940s. Pittsburghers are still paying the price of those blunders. Our communities are still aching.

Monday, March 08, 1999

Downsizing Pitt Athletics -- writing on the wall

Pitt to Downsizes the Football Program

The writing is on the wall.

Pulling the Plug on the Pitt Pigskin Program

Bulldoze Pitt's athletic history and football memories by swinging the wrecking ball on Pitt Stadium. Disenfranchize the student body and alumni now so that the next step is easier to swallow. It is going to be easier to pull the plug on the program later if the program weakens further, migrates off campus and shares a stadium.

It is quite possible that Pitt is looking to downgrade football some time in the future. The football team can move off of campus on a daily basis and then be elimiated or switch to non-varsity status at a later date.

Pitt needs to continue to disenfranchize and alumni and the student body to its allegiance to the football program and football experience. Then in the future, the program's financial foudation can be eliminated or changed in radical ways.

Pitt could turn into a non-scholarship program, such as with Duquesne. Or, Pitt could got to a lower level of funding, such as with Villanova. Or, Pitt could choose to go to a new conference, such as the Mid American Conference. Or, Pitt could choose to go to another conference with similar schools, such as Louisiville. Cincinnatti, Cleveland State,

The Pitt Hockey team, a club organization, plays off campus and could come or go without too much of an impact upon the campus life. and move its football team off-campus

Sunday, March 07, 1999

How To Case, FUD concepts and living document

How are the Happening Here?
Expect both
confusion, and a
hyper-experience.
Confusion
Expect confusion because UPMC and the Univ. of Pittsburgh are two of the major parties involved. These folks like to operate within a smoke-screen of their own creation so as to side-step accountability and community interaction.
Pitt officials have:
"silenced the band."
Slithered in the shaddows of Plan B with secret dealings that impact donor and taxpayer funding.
Kicked out student representates from Board of Trustees meetings. Pitt is locking the doors and turning back the clock on decades of witnessing and interaction.
Forced students to disrobe. That's right, two students, in full view of the University President and Athletic Director, were given police escorts away from their seats at the Fieldhouse and had to take off their shirts, hence confiscation of free speech.
Pitt wants confusion and secrecy. Pitt wants to do what Pitt wants to do. And Pitt makes for a spitefull foe who does not hesitate to flex its muscles in all the wrong places.
Hence, the position paper your about to examine has been crafted by the gathering and integration of a number of chunks of information that has been troublesome to gather. Pitt won't share its plans to any extent, and we've asked.
The Hyper Experience
As things are discovered and made accessible, they are to be shared here for all to see and comment upon. This position paper is a give-and-take process, a living document. We want to connect the dots for the first-time readers and visitors, but we are moving from an unknown to another unknown destination. Things are fluid.
Help us by passing along your questions.
Looking for that simple one-page executive summary? Click here!
The FUD Concept Map

The Process of the Position Paper and Communications of Living Document

Feedback Most Welcomed
Please do not delay in sending along any comment or observation about this presentation. Your input is most welcomed and even expected, even if you do NOT have a vested interest in this project and its ramifications.
Please send email to:
Backyard@SportSurf.Net
Public Process Brews Here
This is a public presentation of ideas. The ideas come from a vast number of sources. Please expect that the mentions and comments sent along to the above email address are going to be reposted for others to see and ponder. Do not send any private email.

Tuesday, March 02, 1999

UPMC and Pitt, Sad to Say, May Not Fit Here Now

Houses, Mountain, Rivers...
"It is indeed an opinion strangely prevailing amongst men, that houses, mountains, rivers, and in a word all sensible objects have an existence natural or real, distinct from their being perceived by the understanding. But with how great an assurance and acquiescence so ever this principle may be entertained in the world; yet whoever shall find in his heart to call it in question, may, if I mistake not, perceive it to involve a manifest contradiction. For what are the forementioned objects but the things we perceive by sense, and what do we perceive besides our own ideas or sensations; and is it not plainly repugnant that any one of these or any combination of them should exist unperceived?"
George Berkeley - The Principles of Human Knowledge

UPMC and Pitt, Sad to Say, May Not Fit Here Now

Perhaps yes, perhaps no. Nonetheless, the questions are valid. The feelings are valid. The history and trends give cause for concern too. Ponder this, and respond if you wish.
Suggestions
So as to not be sad in the future, so as to build the fabric of our community, and so as to put better harmony into our lives, we need to come up with real-world examples, both good and bad, that illustrate ways in which a large institution can fit in better.
Good Neighbor Operations Means:
Neighborhood Integration Means:
Neighbor Infrastructure Support Means:
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Backyard in full swing. Call to City Council for public hearing on the UPMC Sports Medicine Complex

The Citizen Call to City Council for a Public Hearing

Signatures Submitted

As per city requirements, more than 25 people have signed a petition thereby expressing and interest to hold and attend a Public Hearing on the pending sale of land presently owned by the U.R.A. to U.P.M.C. for a Sports Performance compound to be built on the South Side's LTV site.

The petitions were turned into the City Clerk's office on Monday, March 1, 1999 by Mark Rauterkus, a city resident. City Council got a three minute peek on February 17 to some of the red flags about this development. A wide range of people from many sections in the city choose to sign the petition to request the public hearing. Pettitions were passed around at the University of Pittsburgh, at the South Side Market House and at a high-tech firm, US Web Pittsburgh.

See the OLD Web Site or Send Email for Specifics:

Thanks for the consideration.

Mark Rauterkus, retired coach & publisher of sports titles
South Side Market House Volunteer and South Side Home Owner
Stay-at-home Dad of Erik (4) and Grant (1)
Home phone: 412-481-2540

The Citizen Call to City Council for a Public Hearing - UPMC Sports Medicine folly

The Citizen Call to City Council for a Public Hearing

Signatures Submitted

Regional Issue

A public hearing on this issue is important. The proposed plans play on the city-wide stage and have regional consequences. The impact of these decisions goes beyond the South Side to Oakland (looses the day-to-day activities of the football team at Pitt and some 800+/- jobs) to the North Side (looses the day-to-day activities of the Steelers football team and the Steelers' corporate headquarters) and to all the corners of the city. The happenings on the LTV site can set the stage for later efforts at the 200+ acre Hazelwood site, Nine-Mile Run and other URA developments. What happens on the South Side, and why it happens, impacts many corners of the city.

Because of the regional and city-wide impact, it is most important for all the members of city council to give the plans and the alternatives careful consideration with an open minded approach.

The graceful custom of City Council to often cast votes based upon the desires of the individual City Council Memeber who resides in that district is not suitable here. Everyone on City Council needs to be fully aware of this development plan and the related issues. Please do not opt to base voting decisions according to some "default decision methods."

Many people who live outside the city expressed and interest to sign the petition, but could not do so because of the stipulated rules. Some would like to speak at the public hearing.

Philosophy, Policy and Planning

We want astonishing developments to occur. This pending transaction and policy approach is sure to impact city residence for decades. The endeavor is similar to the building of the new stadiums on the North Side. in that everyone is called to make a space that impacts all city-council districts.

Plan B Fallout

Now that the finance hurdle of the two stadiums has been crossed, let's gather ourselves and look into the looming shaddows of Plan B's future. Now it is time to move onto the next decisions. Earnest discussion begin because:

There is a natural fallout and aftermath of Plan B.
The training facilities took a back-seat to the discussion of game-day facilities.
The scope of focus widens to training, citizens and institutions.
There is much to do beyond the new building issues and corporate convention center scheduling. Now it is time to give a care about the players who are NOT under professional contracts with agents.

Promised Position Paper

This public hearing is going to come in the wake of a position paper put forth for open public scruitiny and input. This living document, version 1.0 to be released in the first week of March, 1999, takes a long look at the needs of the little guys, the small-businesses, and the kids. City Council's attention to these matters addresses the other end of the spectrum -- away from professional athletes, corporate sky boxes and Pitt's interests. Let's give the ideas some consideration and input opportunities. Let's stop UPMC's plans for all the right and honorable reasons. Let's redirect UPMC's willingness to grow by pointing out better ways to achieve this growth.

Advanced Discussions in Meaningful Ways

The goal is to be positive and to present uplifting solutions to some difficult challenges. Version 1.0 of the Position Paper and the delivery of the petitions for the Public Hearing to the City Clerk are coupled events. Knowledge of the hearing and knowledge of the position paper should make for more fertile discussions to come.

People need to take the microphone to make public statements and public promises on many issues that circle these plans.

Let's wait and see if the owners of the Steelers show up and assert the claim that the Steelers are to make a permanent move of its corporate headquarters out of the North Sie and onto the South Side to be a tennant at the proposed UPMC site.

Let's wait and see if the University of Pittsburgh football coach can stand to see his athletes manage pressing schedules as student-athletes with daily trips out of Oakland. The proposed site means a trip off campus, down Bates Street, up Second Avenue, across the unopened Hot Metal Bridge, and along River View Drive to the football practices, tudor/study sessions, rehab, film reviews, conditioning practices. The commute times (plus rush hour, plus hurt limbs, plus need for personal cars, plus closing of the Glenview Bridge for 18 months and the Ft. Pitt Bridge for additional time) are sure to burn hours out of players' days.

Let's wait and see who says what when the NCAA compliance officers prohibit the sharing of the same facility at the same time with professional athletes, as clearly stated in the NCAA Manuals.

Let's wait and see what amount of money UPMC wants to grant to the South Side athletes.

Prelude to City Council's Public Hearing and Vote

Much work and education should be slated with the help of City Council before the formal public hearing even occurs.

Telivised Round Table Discussions Are Welcomed

Let's schedule open discussions and informational sessions that can lead up to the Public Hearings. I'm sure that the citizens would like to know what is slated with the pending UPMC plans. Let's give the URA and UPMC television opportunities to outline and detail the pending plans. Understanding a $30-Million development with various buildings, new road-way construction, complicated site challenges takes time. Only the informed can expect to get beyond the glitz of a new complex to see the flaws and troubles. Unknown plans can't garner objections nor improvements nor outside recomendations. Wiser to dismantle and re-assemble plans rather than buildings and roads, yet alone the river and flood-plane issues.

Case in point, the present location of Dr. Freddie Fu's Sports Medicine office includes a therapy pool. The aquatic's pool, built into an existing building on Baum Blvd., and the extensive remodeling for Sports Medicine occurred in 1990. Seemingly, the hydro-therapy pool doesn't fit its present location and reportedly is constantly under reapair. UPMC remodeled the building at considerable costs. To retrofit and accomidate specialized sports equipment, i.e., swimming pools, is both new and abandoned properties is expensive. Let's ponder the plans and see if UPMC is going to repeat past mistakes like the ones at the existing Sports Medicine offices or like the ones at its indoor football practice facilities, The Cost Center.

Video Tape and Broadcast the URA Board Meeting

The URA staff should make a technical presentation to the URA board on the sale of land to UPMC in the days ahead. Let's capture that presentation on tape and on the URA.org web site so we can review the details before the public hearing. Another show-and-tell session that covers the A-B-Cs is not needed as the troubles happen more in mid-stream near L-M-N-O and P.

I'd like to request the broadcasting of a number of meetings before the public hearing.

The city-wide cable can be used as a before the Public Hearing and before the eventual City Council vote on this issue. This is an extra consideration that does not need to be granted by the Sunshine Law and such. I'd like to see City Council go the extra mile for me now so we can facilitate some extra communications on these on-topic issues.

When the stage is set for a public hearing, certain things can be accomplished, but other items and issues flounder. Speakers with an opportunity of a three-minute sound-bite can't address philosophy, global issues, nor any lengthy first hand accounts. A public hearing can be a forum to display a watershed of pent up ideas in support for specific legislation about to be enacted. But, a public hearing is not a debate. Otherwise, let's call a public hearing and get to the roots of society's ills.

Give and Take Is Needed For Excellent Planning

A lot of give and take is needed to craft philosophies and to uncover both the basics and the spectacular. There isn't any give and take within the process with the minute expections of:

The URA Director gets asked some questions by City Council at Working Meetings on Wednesdays.
The URA Board gets together to sign-off on the projects that the staff submits.
Tame community groups are tickled with tidbits and ponder window-dressing design conerns.

If UPMC and Pitt make a $30 million mistake with its move and development to the South Side, they can then, in-turn, choose to close Pitt Stadium. That then becomes another mistake with a possible price tag of $200-$300 million. The people of our city suffer and the people have to pick-up the pieces, such as is the case with UPMC arch-rival AHERF's $1.6 billion bankrupcy.

Pitt already built an indoor football practice facility in the 90s. Let's let them use that one for a while longer.

UPMC isn't a private corporation, but a public-non-profit hospital in a volitile health-care industry. Let's talk about little leagers, scholastic sports and wellness issues. Let's talk about employee fitness, day-care responsiblities and improving access. Let's talk about Pitt too, its state funding, its tenure record, its public space policy in Oakland.

Passion Park, voice elsewhere

Be Very Proud of Accomplishments

We all get intense feelings of pride when we, or our children who've we nurtured, excel at something they love.

Intense feelings matter. Great experiences and excelling occur with nurturing, effort and sense of ownership. Great experiences can kindle the sparks for newly discovered passions. Stringing passionate experience opportunity together by providing places for these activities, and soon we'll have a community of passionate people.

It takes a seed to move a mountain.

Enjoy the following account (and dialog) about a great experience with music posted to the internet from a fellow in Seattle. The story is posted so as to better illustrate and support the call for the creation of a new space, code name, Passion Park, an extension of the South Side Market House and South High School.

Date:    Tue, 2 Mar 1999 02:10:06 EST
From:    Reginald Unterseher 
Subject: A Trip To Chicago

Chance, my 12-year-old, and I got back last night from our ACDA (American
Choral Director's Association) National Honor Boychoir Chicago adventure.  We
had the BEST time! It was just incredible.  We got there Wednesday afternoon
and the boys had a rehearsal that night.  The sound of 252 of the best boy
singers in the whole country (ages ranged from 8-15) was almost indescribable.
They were instantly all in tune, singing the right notes. The sound was so
beautiful that all I could do was just stand there with my jaw dropping,
almost not able to breathe. The most beautiful sound I have ever heard.

The boys really worked hard. I was there as chaperone with Chance and Mark,
another Consort Columbia Children's Chorus boy--they were the only boys from
the whole state of Washington. They were really glad that they had put in the
work ahead of time, memorizing their 8 pieces of rather advanced literature.
The vast majority of the boys had, and they were not pleased with the ones who
hadn't. They rehearsed 3 hours the first night, six hours each on the next two
days, went to a concert Thursday night, 3 hours on Saturday, and then the
concert Saturday night.  We had done a lot of preparation on how to deal with
that much rehearsal time without wrecking their voices, and by concert time
they felt good. We spent most non-rehearsal moments napping.

I mostly spent my time with the boys in their rehearsals, but also got to hear
a concert by the King's Singers, the Vancouver Chamber Singers, and Phillip
Brunelle's chorus in Orchestra Hall, several Russian choirs in another hall.
Between the time on the plane and the boy's nap times, I even had time to read
a book. I book that had nothing to do with music of any kind. Pretty much
heaven, for me.

We also had a blast in the few hours we had to play around.  The Sears Tower,
Chicago pizza, Michigan Avenue, the Navy Pier, Grant Park, Lake
Michigan--mostly on Saturday night after the concert and then all day Sunday.
Chicago is such a great place to visit, one of my absolute favorite places.

They were the subject of a half page article/photo in our local paper while
they were gone, which they were very excited about.  Even a teaser photo on
the front page.

The very best thing about the trip, though, was watching these boys. They
would look at each other, say "We are in CHICAGO!" and high five each other.
They had worked hard to prepare, spending many hours on their own as well as
with me, and were so glad to be there.  They behaved very professionally in
rehearsals. They were part of something special, did their part very well, had
really accomplished something, and they knew it. They will remember this their
whole lives, and so will I.

Reg, back in WA

Suggestion

Have the article mounted and framed somehow and give it to your son as a gift, along with a card, of course, telling him how proud you are. (And you're obviously -- and justifiably -- nuts with pride over this guy and his friends.) He'll keep it forever!

>what was the criteria in picking these voices?
>Doug
>

Every year, the American Choral Director's Association National Convention has
several Honor Choirs, typically of about 250 members each.  This year, it was
a Boychoir, a High School Choir, and a Women's Choir.  Directors who are ACDA
members get application forms, typically about 10 months in advance of the
convention.

The application consisted of a taped audition and a series of questions for
the choir director about their skills and habits.  For the tape, the boys had
to sing a solo and then sing a series of arpeggios that demonstrated their
range, voice quality, and how well they could sing in tune.  Different
directors have different criteria, but I only submitted boys who I felt had
the complete package--voice, sight reading and other musicianship issues,
experience, and behavior in concert and rehearsal.  I had two other boys in my
Children's Chorus that had the voice, but not the other skills, so I did not
submit them.

They chose 250 out of the over 500 applicants. I suspect that it was a
combination of things--not only the quality of audition and the strength of
the recommendation (which is hard to gauge if you do not know the director!),
but a desire to have many areas of the country represented.  In this choir,
boys came from 30 states.  The country's major boychoir organizations were all
well represented, but so were kids from smaller programs like mine.

Reg in WA

Lucky Us

I was involved in many events like this as a kid and it's true - they *will* remember it forever.

Input Welcomed

Other examples of Passion and Park Passions are going to welcome. Post in the comments.

Monday, March 01, 1999

For or Against

Polarized Pittsburgh

Through the past months, as in phone conversations and in person, this question seems to surface rather quickly, "Are you for it or against it."

My typical reply is, "Neither."

"The Master said, 'The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.'"
Confucius - Analects

Thursday, March 18, 1999

Pitt's Athletic Slogan: Commitment, Teamwork, Pride

Tweaking a development to placate special monied interests is the pathway to ruin.

Wednesday, March 17, 1999

Operational Consensus with the Body Politic and Democracy

The Consensus Cloud Boggs Down the Threat of Most Actions

Exposing a ruling clique who pretend to operate out of "consensus"

The Courtroom Consensus Example

The Accountability Trail is a Long and Winding Road

Tuesday, March 16, 1999

Slippery Slopes

Shared Perspectives

Snips from the Address to Mayor from Slopes Association

A Three-Minute Address to the School Board and Administration of the Pittsburgh Public Schools

Who: Facts

Contact Information:

Open Invitation for Feedback to All

Goals for Tonight's Presentation:

First the Commercial.

The ideas within the position paper can be made to surround and fully-support the mission of the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Issues of Overlap with School Board and the position paper:

Do What?

Before peeking at the WHAT, let's get to a big question you all have the right to ask. It is fair to wonder, "Who in the heck am I to ask for such big favors."

What is in this for me?

Pittsburgher -- and Passionate about Education

Coaching

Texas Past

Publisher of 100+ Sports Books and Multi-Media Titles

What is Happening?

City Council's Control

Petition Has Been Filed

Slogan: In a hurricane, even turkeys can fly!

The Steelers Need a Practice Facility -- next year even.

Next Stop -- Arm and Arm with City Council