CMUer Rocks the House to Jeopardy Victory

Winning one for geeks everywhere, a Kentucky native and CMU student won at the Pete on Pitt's campus in a two-staged final of College Jeopardy.

A good time was had by all, especially Erik and buddy, Stuart.

A number of years ago, George Lindley, a PSU undergrad moved to study with Catherine and company at Pitt as a grad student. George earned his Masters and Ph.D. in Audiology here and was on Wheel of Fortune. He had tried out for the college game, but the game-show organized put him as a contestant for a regular show. George won, of course. But in the $25,000 round, he couldn't uncover "whirlpool." To this day his friends never let him forget it. George is now in eastern PA with a great job and family and the money he did earn on the show was spent to buy a pick-up truck. The truck is long gone too, but the memory remains, .... whirlpool, whirlpool, whirlpool.

No Sweatshops Bucco!

The Pittsburgh Anti-Sweatshop Community Alliance = PASCA

Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004
Duquesne U. - Pappert Hall - 2 to 4 pm (more in comments)

Voters' swell ranks

Allegheny County ACORN is taking credit for more than 25,000 new registered voters. Many wonderful groups were in a scramble and registered many new voters. Three cheers for the efforts to all.

See the comments area for more info on a number of different fronts.

Pittsburgh cutbacks don't cut into City Council's spending

PG coverage "The sessions always begin with the reading of nonbinding resolutions and proclamations, followed by speeches and photographs. Last week, for instance, council read proclamations for firefighters, Lincoln-Lemington Democratic Ward Chair Dock Fielder, deaf children and Squirrel Hill philanthropist Elsie Hillman. "

I ranted about the gift to band-aid philanthropist, Elsie Hillman. I think that the city was prudent in getting the two, framed, ring toss floaty gifts by nicking them off of one of the boats that dry-docked in Point State Park in the recent flood.

As for the books, my advice to Twanda, study more with Project Gutenberg.

Roddey's quote:

Former county Chief Executive Jim Roddey, a Republican appointee to the city's fiscal oversight board, has long criticized the all-Democratic council, and this spring wrote preliminary recommendations to the state to dissolve the council and replace it with a part-time body.

The miscellaneous spending "is unfortunately symbolic of the attitude of some council members, that they really have no intention of changing the way they operate, and have no appreciation for the crisis the city is under, and are not responding to it," Roddey said last week.

"They don't get it. They simply don't understand what it means to be frugal."

Roddey is both right and wrong. Sure, he knows and says council is overboard in its spending and clueless in its intentions. But, in terms of the solution, Roddey is off the mark. Cutting all of council is too radical. He floated that idea and it went over like a lead balloon.

Rather than change the rules and structure of our government, we need to change the people who are in government. With new people and new thinking on council, and in the mayor's office, we'd be much further along.

The mayor could cut those budget elements to the bone in his proposals. He doesn't. And, council, with its final authority on budget matters, could cut those budget items to the bone too, and they don't.

Those frames and books are not needed as expenses. And, the stroking and boosterism for the council proclamations are not needed either. But, the ploy is to be "ceremonial" and "build alliances" so as to make more friends and schmooze more votes.

But all in all, parchment paper and gold-leaf seals are cheap. The expenses for generic city-clerk duties where as the members of city council get to kiss up to the do-gooders among us are not the real issue and sticking point with me. Rather, I despise the grandure and patronage that wraps up the entire package.

To be knighted, photographed, and put into the inner walls, like the imperial city, is another way we make Pittsburgh a feudal city. The glass slipper ordeals are not going to fix this city. All the king's men and all the king's horses are of no help. Not in this age.

Link to this blog and use this digital yard sign as you wish

Might help protect your bike

Lord & Taylor's shut down

PittsburghLIVE.com The agreement to terminate May's obligation to keep the store open included a restriction that prohibits the use of the building for gambling.

URA Chairman Tom Cox said he is unaware of any interest in turning the former bank into a slots parlor.

'We wanted to put any speculation to bed,' he said. "

Say what???? I'm not understanding. What's in that "agreement" to terminate May's obligation? And, why would it have anything about a slots parlor?

URA officials who voted unanimously to allow May to close the store without penalty praised Gumberg's pending deal to buy the site.

This quote proves how some must look up to see the curb: "It's not the ideal situation," said city Councilman Sala Udin, a URA board member. "It's the best of all possible worlds."

Their game of musical chairs and corporate welfare needs to unravel. I sense a lot of back scratching of each other and pointing elsewhere for excuses. The bottom line on the deal is we shouldn't be doing deals like this. And, the next most important concept is that Tom Murphy, Sala Udin and their cronies shouldn't be in office any longer as they have always fumbled the interests of the public in their dealings.

I.D., cyber security with local, Ray Brannon

Super PittsburghLIVE.com article for low tech readers and parents

What's a 'blog?'

It stands for 'biographic web log,' and means a sort of online journal any Internet user can post.

Brannon said many teenagers post all sorts of sensitive, confidential information in their blogs, which then can be read by anyone in the world with Internet access--including potential sexual predators.

Such heedless use of blogs, along with unsupervised online instant messaging, is one of the most dangerous practices by kids on the Internet today, according to Brannon.

Classes and programs such as these are part of the vision for progams among 9x9.CLOH.Org and Summit.CLOH.Org.

Turning Ten on Ten Ten

Our oldest son, Erik, turns 10 on 10-10. Our happy birthday weekend is here.

Red Sox gave an early gift with their win last night. Erik loves the Sox. Cousins are over for a sleep over tonight. Then laser tag on Sunday followed by his trip to the Pete to see -- College Jeopardy. He's going there with another friend, but I'm very good at laser tag!

We played laser tag at Grant's birthday in an early snow storm last December. The owner came to my wife and talked to her asking if I would be interested in playing on their traveling team. I was so impressive in battle with the 6 year olds.

On 10-10-10 Erik turns 16!

Fiscal picture gets even worse

PG article: City of Pittsburgh's fiscal picture gets even worse

File under, "I told you so." The healing hasn't begun. The population bounce isn't happening. Ending the gloom and doom comes with the hindge of the doorway. Tom Murphy's tenure ends and the rays of hope will start to shine.

Frank Lloyd Wright's design all wrong

MSNBC & Biz Times- Frank Lloyd Wright's design all wrong for new Grandview When famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright was asked about how he'd go about improving Pittsburgh, he is known to have said, 'It would be cheaper to abandon it.'

Frank Lloyd Wright was right if you search for the reinforcement through the lives of many in suburban Pittsburgh. There have been scores and scores to vote with their feet and leave and/or abandon Pittsburgh.

One interesting challenge, and some might call it more of a pipe-dream, is to engage those in the burbs and get them to change the abandon it mentality. Folks are not going to flood back into the city. But, folks in the burbs can care to come to grips with what is really happening here.

One way to change the tide in this abandonment of Pittsburgh is to interject sports competitions among city and suburban kids, schools and communities. The WPIAL should absorb the Pgh Public Schools' city-league.

MSNBC - Grandview battles over bulk

MSNBC - Grandview battles over bulkZONING AND MOANING

Grandview Avenue resident Joyce Renne, who helped spearhead the restrictions with her husband, Paul, argues otherwise.

'What they did was listen to what the community wanted,' she said of the council members' vote. 'That's what it's all about.'

Another great quote that hits the nail on the head:

A brand-new mountain could probably be built at this point from the mud slung between the two opposing sides of the development debate on Mount Washington.

Volunteer Job Opportunities: Moodle master, Wiki masters

A platform wiki is brewing, but there is some heavy lifting to be done in the months to come. Moodle - A Free, Open Source Course Management System for Online Learning: "Moodle over other systems is a strong grounding in social constructionist pedagogy."

Pippy's bill exits PA Senate and heads to House

... the highest ethical and professional standards are applied to slot machine gambling in Pennsylvania.
Yeah, right.
Keep pushing onward.

Want to help, get on line

Two guys of different generations and parts of the city came to me recently and asked about helping with the mayor's race in 2005. Simply put, get on line. Send me an email. The to-do lists and everything else for now is brewing on line. To be effective, we'll need to be efficient and utlize the web. No way around the net. So, plug in the computer. That's where the help is going to start. We'll have little time for phone conversations, personal hand-holding and the like. We'll need help, but it can't be an anchor either.

November Computer Learning Schedule for Goodwill is taking registration:

Mondays: Computer Basics from 3-5pm - No Cost!
Tuesdays: Internet Explorer from 1-3pm - $30
Tuesdays: Intermediate Excel from 3-5pm - $50
Wednesdays: Intro to Word from 1-3pm - $50
Wednesdays: Intro to PowerPoint from 3-5pm - $50
Tue and Wed Evenings: Intro to Excel from 5:30 to 7:30pm - $50

As always, job seekers pay half price for any workshop.

Soccer - group mandates youth protective headgear

Sports Illustrated N.Y. group "For the first time in the nation, a New York regional youth soccer association will require the mandatory use of protective headguards, affecting nearly 35,000 players 14-years-old and younger.

I'm in favor of this new twist for the sport of soccer. It was some time in the making.

Soccer is great. And, it's dangerous as hell.

The players put their heads on the ball. The grey matter in our hard outter shells gets a jolt. Too many and we get dolts.

We play sports to learn, grow, and better ourselves. When a sporting artifact takes us in the wrong direction, it isn't worthy of my time nor the participation of my kids.

I'd like to see the entire rule book text. I'm a stickler for rules and have poured over many rule books and crafted team handbooks as well as text books. Generally, the rules are written by officials, attorneys or coaches. Some are people people others are just techies in a specialization. Hence the NCAA Manual is bigger than the Pittsburgh phone book and it changes greatly each year.

Another reason to change the rules is that the rule-breakers are generally smarter than the rules. Criminals don't fear handgun laws before armed robbery. Things evolve.

So, it is time to get out your old Knute Rockney hat / helmet. I hope the shells are soft, like the older football helmets. Perhaps we'd blend the style with that of the soft bike helmets of Europe's pros.

Speaking of which, I'm missing Lance's visit to Pittsburgh. Oh well. For the record, I'm all in favor of fixing cancer too.

Pittsburgh is blessed to have a flock of experts in all matters of the brain, heads, bodies, and senses.

'Bounty' out on city official

PittsburghLIVE.com: "The finance director, Ellen McLean, began a vacation Wednesday, according to the mayor's office. She is said to be on a trip to Egypt."

If you ever go into a South Side shop on East Carson, The Bead Mine, ask the owner/manager there to tell you about her trip to Egypt. She spend a couple of weeks a boat on the Nile.

You know the locks and dams that are on our rivers. Well, they've got something similar, but different. When she was there, days were spent in one place, stationary. Canal and lock work halts river traffic. Dead in the water. Hot. No breeze. Deisel engine. Get the details from her if you can. You might need to be a customer too.

Denial, not the Nile, comes to mind when thinking about the budget director and an ill-timed vacation.

President Ricciardi, tell her, "Don't come back!" Heave Ho!

A city council president only hires and fires the staffers of four employees (or so) in his/her office. But, a council leader could tell her (and in turn show us you telling her) via the newspapers, newsreleases, (or blog even), that you WOULD fire her if you could.

It's okay when people move into other jobs, like in the private sector. She is an employee that works for us, the residents of the City of Pittsburgh. She has no right to assist in the devistation of our city. The proposal on the table that she can't address aims to save $1-million, give or take a few $100K. Take her $80K job and eliminate it. A professional wouldn't be absent in a crisis. Nor should the call for resignation, if not termination, be absent.

What is that, only Nixon can go to China?

Jerry Bowyer said on this radio show yesterday, "Only Nixon can go to China." I think it had to deal with Nixon be a Republican. Would a Dem just look too much like a pinko?

Explain.

Should we go or should we stay?

We'll be staying in the city. That isn't the question we face. Some have been bailing on their city homes, i.e., John Pierce and Jim Roddey.

This weekend we're pondering a trip to China, again. Last year the whole family went to China for five weeks, mostly in the southwestern city, Chengdu. Catherine, my wife, has been invited back to teach a more advanced course.

So, should we go, again, or should we stay?

As we go, we'll be able to skip over the tourist places in Beijing. And, perhaps we'd stop off in Thailand were there are only three seasons: hot, hotter and hottest. And, we'd not need to be gone for five weeks. But, I'd expect it would be four.

I've not even gotten all the photos from the last trip organized and online.

Advice welcomed. And, the trip to New Zealand isn't going to happen this year. So, that's not a factor.

Despite all of his faults, ...

PG's Anderson: Harris deserves better: "There's growing and passionate sentiment for Pitt to fire football coach Walt Harris."

I'd prefer we focus all of our anguish on ousting Tom Murphy first. Then we can start the ball rolling for others to follow, i.e., Walt, Sala, and more to remain nameless today.

Perhaps we can make a "package deal." We'd be able to trade a good football coach with excellent QB mentoring skills and a multi-term Mayor with a propensity for retail to any willing city for, say, their municipal bond rating status.

I'm with the collumnist, Shelly Anderson, too in that I'm not so angry that I revel in berating and belittling. Not Murphy nor Harris. Not anyone. We're civil. We're grown-ups.

Not only does Tom Murphy deserve a warm handshake and thank you, but I've said before that I will be the first to start a petition and try to rename the Liberty Bridge and Liberty Tunnels in Murphy's honor. I want a vital landmark named after him, and I want to do it soon. That would be a fitting tribute to his departure.

Final question: Shelley are you bragging or complaining when you say you were the only reporter at every practice? For me, I'm the one 'naysayer' who was at most of Tom Murphy's political events as a candidate among other candidates. I've heard it all from Bob and Tom in the last go-around. And, that's nothing for me to brag about. I'm complaining.

Red Sox -- Friday night win in first series

We're home, not Fenway, but our odd-shaped cozy confines, to watch the Sox tonight. The Sox are in Fenway. We enjoyed a game there last season with Uncle Charlie and Aunt Pat.

I love the series games when the starting time is at a decent hour. Today's game begins at 4 pm EST. Major League Baseball is foolish when it plays most, if not all of the World Series games at such late hours. Our bed time for the kids is 8 pm. Baseball needs the kids to get into the games. Baseball is lagging as baseball is past the kid's bedtime.

Greece braces for Olympic-sized bill

SI.com - More Sports - Greece braces for Olympic-sized bill - Thursday October 7, 2004 8:29PM Figures as high as $9.9 billion and $12.4 billion have been suggested. We are talking about a serious overrun, since the initial budget was about $5.7 billion.

Meanwhile, LA's city council wants to host the games again.

Heather Whitestone & DePaul School for Hearing and Speech

Heather was Miss America, 1995. She gave a great talk. A wonderful time was had by all. Photos and details to come soon.

Culture on the cheap

Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts offers a free performance, Carnegie Mellon Night at the Pops, Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Senior Showcase Benefit Performance

A FREE performance by Germany's Theatre Titanick as Part of the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts, North Shore Riverfront Park. Go October 8 at 10:30 p.m., October 9 at Midnight, October 10 at 8 p.m.

NO TICKETS REQUIRED.

Fixing the Parking Mess

Here is a blast from the past rant from January, 2004. Fixing the Parking Mess

The parking issue resurfaces as the mayor's phony 2005 budget makes substantial changes. Plus, the thinkers at the Allegeheny Institute have a new policy brief on the topic. See the comment.

Glitch here, glitch there, everywhere a glitch, glitch...

October 7, 2004

Trib coverage 'Nobody ever intended for this to happen,' he said.

From Sept. 29, 2004

City Council and Act 47: "the city's oversight board itself is nearly broke after lawmakers forgot to fund it in the 2004-05 state budget. Board Chairman William Lieberman called the oversight a 'glitch' and said the state's budget department would issue the board its $585,000 in yearly funding by the end of this week.

The board is currently down to about $5,000 to pay its legal expenses, executive director and consultants, Lieberman said."

Review this blog

Review the Mark Rauterkus and Running Mates blog at Blogarama.

GOP debate party on Friday on North Side

GOPers are gathering for a DEBATE PARTY on the North Side at Finnigans Wake at 7:30 pm on Friday, October 8, 2004.

Finnigans Wake is at 20 General Robinson Street, near the corner of Federal and General Robinson Streets, one block from PNC Park.

At the last debate, the Dems gathered at Hi Tops. Don't know if that is happening again.

Freeze for E-Rate Hits Schools

10-6-04 - Education Week: "The FCC told USAC to change its procedures by Oct. 1 in response to E-rate audits and congressional charges of waste, fraud, and abuse.

Citizen charges of waste, fraud and abuse has been put to the City and Comcast in terms of its City Cable Francise Agreement. In that agreement, the senior centers and recreation centers were to be wired with cable modems. We are still waiting. Nothing has been done.

agreement

With the federal program, it is great to see accountability and audits. More oversight of public funds is welcomed. Being a tech junkie of sorts, I strongly support the concepts of the e-rate program and the public financed investements. However, the money can't be wasted.

On the long-term, it is silly to say that classroom instruction has suffered due to this audit. Local and state funding of schools should carry the bulk of the efforts while Federal dollars provides programs, such as the e-rate.

The Pittsburgh Two-Step (washingtonpost.com)

This is where we live. Mable, we love ya.

The Pittsburgh Two-Step (washingtonpost.com) Follow the Staircases to South Side Slopes

But as I pass back over the railroad tracks, I find sustenance at Mabel Meyers's tiny grocery on Bradish Street.

Clad in a University of Pittsburgh sweatshirt and black sneakers, 84-year-old Meyers welcomes strangers as well as locals (evidently dogs are regulars too; a pair gets a big hello as they drag their young owner through the door). After 1,400 steps, I'd pay almost anything for a soda. But Meyers won't hear of it. "Let me treat you!" she says.

We compromise. I offer her 50 cents and she gives me a soda, a plastic chair next to the candy counter and her autobiography.
After World War II, when she and her husband bought the 1889-era shop, business was good. Their grocery was next to the lower station of the Knoxville Incline, one of the cable car lines that carried passengers and even horse-drawn wagons uphill till 11 at night. (Two, the Monongahela and Duquesne, survive). Incline passengers would wave to her children as the car rose uphill.

"My son Herbie always says, 'We lived history,' " she says. The incline shut in 1960; Meyers started closing shop earlier and earlier, but still spends her days selling soft pretzels and snacks.

"Even if I don't make money, I talk to people," she says with satisfaction. "I've got a very good life here. Where else could you live that's so convenient?"

To read the article, but you'll need to register with the site. Hope to see you around so you can travel the steps as well.

Trib's Mike S

South Side keeps churning - PittsburghLIVE.com

showdown for US Airways

US Airways coverage

Great to see the rank-in-file is getting a vote this go-around.

Need a tux for Thursday night

Heather Whitestone, welcome to Pittsburgh

Former Miss America visits for gala to benefit DePaul school for the deaf. We'll be there, Oct. 7, 2004.

From Sept. 20, 2004

Tips on getting a tux for a black-tie gig are welcomed. The tux is for me. The retirement isn't mine. I'm already retired.

A friend says one should go to Florida and shop in second-hand stores to uncover bargains and goodies like this. Furs too, if that's your cup of tea. The yankees (sorry Sox) go to Florida to retire and die. Then lots of their things end up in re-sale shops. That advice won't help for this week's function.

One upside, other than a date with my sweetheart who gets invited to such occasions, is that our photo could show up in the PG's seen column. Snicker. Or, I could take our photo and post it here and replace that copyleft illustration of digital guy.

Grandstanding at the table and in the halls of Grant Street

Grandstanding rant.

I went to City Council and spoke for three minutes in the public comment period of today's meeting. My comments are posted in an opinion web page.

Enjoy. React as you see fit.

Resign Already

Public statement Delivered to City Council

Resign Already by Mark Rauterkus

October 6, 2004

Opening:

My name is Mark Rauterkus. My family and I reside at 108 South 12th Street, Pittsburgh's South Side. My home on the internet is at Rauterkus.com.

Grandstanding has reached a new level in Pittsburgh's City Hall. Perhaps it is natural to see grandstanding skyrocket as the public treasury ticks to deeper depths.

Grandstanding at the table:

Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle wants the body to take a road trip to Harrisburg. Councilman Jim Motznik wants the commuter tax for leverage. Council president Gene Ricciardi wants the same commuter tax but for different reasons. Councilman Alan Hertzberg wants patience. Councilman Len Bodack is in a hurry to tweak and tinker. Councilman Bill Peduto is thirsty to drink from the cup of the whole package. Councilman Doug Shields wans a blueprint. Councilmen Sala Udin and Luke Ravenstahl, read the blog. I only get three minutes. Grandstanding in the chamber: Earl morns his wife and punishes County Councilman Rich Fitzgerald. Yavonne morns her son. Kim is literally in the dark. I'm here to say that the Market House Children's Athletic Assn. has its fund raising orders due today. Pirogies are $6.00 a dozen. Haluska is $3.50 a quart. Union workers come and say the city hasn't yet cut to the bone. Perhaps the biggest point in a long time came from Dr. Frances Barnes. She was discriminated against while on city's the anti-discrimination commission. Grandstanding in the halls: Bill Urbanic and Scott Kunka are in council's budget office and are working like crazy. The City Cable Department must be getting ready to run infomercials to save their department. The mayor's complaint department is fed up with my email that complain about the phony budget. The impending lay-offs are real to them and their families. The city clerk's office must be blue for sending memos from council to the administration and oversight boards. And yesterday, the Mayor ran to an appeals court to block a question from appearing on the November ballot. Salutes went to Elsie Hillman and Dr. Bill Truehart for the Save Our Summer campaign. The PR extravaganza came at Heinz Field. Council's visitors did obtain new wall decorations, a framed ring-buoy. That token of of gratitude was fitting for their one time band-aid philanthropy. We had a lot of dips in the pool last summer. Questions about the long-term are wet and out-of-bounds here, sadly. I wonder if Citiparks obtained that pair of benefactor gifts, the ring-toss floaties, off of one of the boats that floated down river in the flood? The point: We are floating everywhere and anywhere. Things in this city are are going every which way, yet nothing is happening, other than placeholders with 35% realestate tax increases. Things are disjointed. People are disengaged. There are many disconnects. Solution The next thing that needs to happen is simple, yet this suggested solution takes courage. My advice is for the nine member of council to pick ten important people. Tom Flaherty, our city's controller should join in this exercise too. Then each democrat drafts an open letter to each person on their list. We'd have ten elected city democrats each sending ten letters. Ten by ten makes 100 influential statements. Each of those letters needs to make a case as to why the mayor is failing in his duty as the executive for this city. The Mayor needs to resign. Use the open letters to explain why. Tell all. Open your reasons and justifications for all to see. Admit in public how bad Pittsburgh's situation has become and why. Each in council can act with independence but the voters need to see resignation requests.Councilmembers know that Mayor Murphy can't move his agenda forward. The Mayor can't even come to meetings. His is not the executive leadership for Pittsburgh now. Mayor Murphy's departure begins to heal Pittsburgh's woes. Who among City Council is going to address resignation issues? When? Serious talk among fellow democrats takes courage as resignation demands might wash over others as well. Ain't going to happen! Doubts of a mayor resignation misses the present point. City council's gut-check and leadership is in asking for the resignation and making a measured and open illustratation. The request is key. This is the next Pittsburgh log-jam to unlock. The disheartening fact is that all the elected Democrats in Pittsburgh are not trying to nudge the Mayor into the private sector. Is council content with a phony budget for the third consecutive year? The sideshow of August 2003, orchestrated by the administration with 700+ pink slips, is about to be repeated. Help is going to come to those who try to help themselves. We can't begin to heal Pittsburgh with Tom Murphy in the mayor's office. The people elsewhere don't want to throw their good money and sincere efforts into a bad situation. We have to clean house. We have to light the stumbles of Tom Murphy. Erie, Johnstown, Harrisburg, and Allentown don't hear the obvious call. This call isn't "help." Others want to hear, "Heave Ho!" Others want to see the ripples from the splash. Give Pittsburgh a week, a day or two for each of your successive resignation revelations. Make this occur before the November budget address and December's bounced checks. After members of council each stand on one's own courage and conviction for the greater benefit of Pittsburgh on this pressing issue, duty can pass back others. We'll then see the support that the citizens are capable of providing. It might be that Mayor Murphy's parking spot on the corner of Grant Street becomes plugged: garbage truck, fire engine, police car, park-mower, graffiti removal truck, bikes, strollers on the weekends, kayaks and perhaps even public art advertising in the form of a dinosaur or pillory. Think again I'd hate to stay-the-course and persist with the it-ain't-going-to-happen attitude. "Think again." We have hope for a resignation because in two months, the city runs out of money. Just cause exists for resignations as Tom Murphy delivered his third consecutive budget that is goofy, phony, and absurd, at best.

Is it not enough to just watch the debates, wear a button, post a sign?

Two points on national politics. As a candidate for Mayor, I'd love to have vice-presidential running mates. Hence, the name of the blog, even. The Mayor doesn't get a VP, sadly, -- until now.

A good VP would be a great watchdog and attack instigator. Meanwhile, the top of the ticket candidate could just ponder, preach and organize around the solutions and elements of democracy.

Next, it seems as if it isn't enough t just be a smart voter. There is too much to do. The burden is heavy. But, we need less to do the lifting for the personalities and more for the process, IMHO.

Fight the Spin -- Spread the Truth! --- so goes the call. (edited message)

The debate tonight presents a tremendous opportunity for the campaign to attract undecided voters, but people's perceptions are shaped as much by their conversations around the water cooler as by the debates themselves.

After last week's debate, the Kerry campaign spin machine managed to mask their candidate's flip-flops on the war in Iraq, imposition of a "global test" for protecting America, and repeated denigration of our troops and allies.

If we plan to win the election, we must fight back against their spin and make sure our friends and neighbors get the truth.

We need your help tonight!

www.GeorgeWBush.com/DebateFacts

Immediately after the debate, visit online polls, chat rooms, and discussion boards and make your voice heard. The major news networks will all have internet polls after the debate. Make sure you vote in polls.

P.S. If we plan to win the election, we must fight back against their spin and make sure our friends and neighbors get the truth after tonight's debate.

Un-Democratic Charm fits Dems and a mostly Dem organization

PG: Stevens' strong-arm tactics anger some NAACP members: "as chapter president he has the prerogative 'to do what he damn well pleased.'"

Another example that show that we need to practice democracy more frequently.
You don't have to look far in this town to find many abuses of the spirit of free elections. This is what I mean by "feudal Pittsburgh." A queen decides what pools to open and what pools to close. This prince, Tom Stevens, gets to sustain his role as he is annointed.
Perhaps the best challenge from the floor comes with a new friend, NOTA. Ask for "None Of The Above" be put onto the ballots at every election.

City Takes Firefighter Referendum To Appeals Court

ThePittsburghChannel.com - News: "city of Pittsburgh heads into state appeals court Tuesday afternoon, hoping to knock a fire safety referendum off the ballot for next month's election."

Tom Murphy is burning more money and more bridges to democracy today. Let's hire a few more lawyers. Put them on retainers. Count on their votes next year too.

Commuter taxation with some representation

PG Forum: "
Allow a modest, well defined commuter tax of limited rate in return for political representation and a requirement that the city commit itself to financial transparency:"

I have much more to say about the plan within this editorial. There should be more "representation" matters put within our city's structure. However, the options within this article are way off the mark. I've got better ones to consider.

Finally, I'm all in favor or a commitment to financial transparency. Being open matters greatly.

Magic wand

Trib: "Still doesn't get it: Pittsburgh, for all practical purposes, is insolvent. Yet, Mayor Tom Murphy's proposed 2005 budget includes spending increases of nearly $20 million. An analysis by the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy shows the 2005 budget will grow by 5 percent. The city continues to have 'a very serious spending problem,' the institute notes. And it adds that Hizzhoner and City Council apparently are 'hoping for a magic wand to painlessly solve the city's financial problems.' Earth to city leaders -- there isn't one. "

But magic wands exist

For starters, Mayor Murphy and his Administration has always leveraged the magic wand. He has been good at pulling the rabbit out of the hat. His one-time tricks are that of ledgend. Murphy sold the water authority. Murphy cash-advanced the RAD tax. He has done all sorts of tricks that work once and make us poorer forever.

The next trick Mayor Murphy is going to deploy comes to the vanishing of the ancient tax structure. Our tax structure changed in a radical way in the year 2000.

Sadly, Mayor Murphy gets to do his tricks and present the phony budget and he gets away with it. The media provides cover for Mayor Murphy.

Another wild-card up Murphy's sleeve is a 'free pass.' Mayor Murphy will be asking voters for a free pass in his re-election, in 2005. The mayor will plead his case and the media will eat it up. The TV stations will sell the Administration's Power Point presentations, promoting his neighborhood meetings. And, as the content in the presentations are false and half-truths -- none will be there to ask hard questions.

In the last go-around, Murphy took credit for big investments into the parks, yet glossed over the fact that he closed the swim pools and rec centers. Last summer was a year for "free passes" at the swimming pools, due to SOS efforts. The real question is about the expiration date.

Trib editors, the magic wand and its next trick isn't the sticking point we all crave to fix. We need a hook to yank Murphy off the stage. Then, we need to insert new ideas and new players. The city's financial problems can be fixed when we have serious alternatives put into the limelight.

Oct 15, 2004

Keep the 15th of October open for The Deek Champions of politics extravaganza at the Regent
Square Theatre. You can pick up your "Grope the Vote 04" button there.

Not since working with the PCTV 21 show, The Art of News, have I seen such solid attempts a humor with a purpose. Wonderful, fun, and funny. My kids called them, "the funny guys." For a taste, see the AON opening, trailer., QuickTime movie, 1.1 megs.

False Ads: There Oughtta Be A Law! Or -- Maybe Not

False Ads: There Oughtta Be A Law! Or -- Maybe Not. - FactCheck.org: "candidates have a legal right to lie to voters just about as much as they want."

The good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.

Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; the decision, to the releasing of a trigger.
From The Art of War

A few friends asked me if I was running for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh. I expect to do so, but, I'm not really running yet. I don't have an open PAC (Political Action Committee) nor am I raising money as a candidate. However, if you'd like to talk about what is yet to unfold in Pittsburgh's landscape in 2005, let me know. We'll meet or chat on the phone.

Outsource jobs to Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Business Times: "If we use our local expertise in health care, law, accounting, engineering, advertising and other professional services to collectively search outside the region for businesses, we can create genuine growth opportunities. In reality, our region has real cost advantages that -- combined with our technical sophistication -- make Pittsburgh very attractive.

I'd agree that Pittsburgh rocks in terms of health care and engineering. The others present a stretch. They sure don't count as genunie growth opportunities.

In advertising, we might be a good consultant for branding blunders. In law, we might present genunine growth in how to bring suit and prohibit valid voter petitions from making it onto the ballot. The other professional services make cutting-edge statements, more often than not, into old-school ways and a legacy build with bricks of discrimination.

Pittsburgh has a corner on the market on many fields, but sadly these fields are the wrongheaded ones that others who know better don't care to emulate.

Our legal profession's reputation for expertise in intellectual property is nice, but the world is turning to open source software. The GPL (General Public License) and CC (Creative Commons) have their roots in Boston at Harvard/MIT and the Bay Area at Standford. That is where the action is going. CMU is in the game too, but this game isn't a downtown corporate strength.

How can we be a source for international business when you can't get there from here? Pittsburgh is know more for its lack of international residents.

Yet, the average hourly fee paid by a business for an associate lawyer in the Pittsburgh region is $169. Compare that to $231 on the West Coast, $232 in New York, $302 in Washington or even $194 nationwide and you begin to see the picture.

The logic presented in this article, from $169 to $194 nationally, is frail. For starters, much of law is local. What knucklehead in Kansas City is going to outsource a zoning issue to a firm in Pittsburgh to save a few bucks? Beyond the local scope of the law is the local networks that play so loudly in law's practice. And, cheap legal advice is a headscratcher. Don't cut corners on the patent application, representation to the FDA or finance deals.

... the professional services community continues to use a somewhat inefficient economic model in which individual firms market themselves separately -- and often end up as competitors for national business. Perhaps a better solution would be a collaborative approach in which professional services companies would market the region's advantages while making national calls. It's a novel approach, but it just might bring in more new business.

Sigh. Competition provides the real roots for efficient economic models. The article has it all wrong. Let's drive for more competitors and competition, not less.

Summary: We need a free market mindset to flourish again. We need to push each other and have brushes with greatness. We don't need a cooperative, easy, lame, boosterism approach where everyone goes to the same beat in lockstep. We had one airline, and we needed more competition. We have one political party, and we crave more options.

The examples are endless. We had dozens and dozens of glass companies. We had many mines. We had many operators on the rivers. We had lots of steel, iron and finishing outlets. We can move goods on many rail lines. Give us an authority and a monoploy and watch us die on the vine and lag some more.

College costs and loans

This weekend the new grad students at the Univ. of Pittsburgh who are seeking their Au.D. (professional doctorate) got their "white coats." Many friends and family came to town to celebrate. All were impressed on many different levels.

Bowyer points out the trend with finances today

College Tuition InsightsSince George W. Bush took office, student loan rates have plummeted from 8.19 percent to 3.37 percent, an amazing 59 percent drop."

Pittsburgh Foundation scholarship opportuities are under utilized. Available funds have not been accessed as fully by Pittsburgh Public Schools' students as the foundation would like. Applications have gone directly to the schools' Guidance Office for several years without much success. I can probably count on one hand the number of applications we've received from a City school over the years, wrote Deborah Turner, Scholarship Coordinator, The Pittsburgh Foundation.

How's your heart rate

Pittsburgh's emergency response times are a hot topic. Where are our AEDs?

LIFESAVING RESOURCES INC.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine and conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, and the American Heart Association (AHA) found that deploying automated public access defibrillators (AEDs) in public places and training citizens to use them can double the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) for the general population. Each year about 450,000 Americans die as a result of SCA, making it the nation's leading cause of death.

Currently 95% of SCA victims die before reaching the hospital due to the length of time it takes for emergency personnel to arrive on the scene. In fact, a person's chance of survival is reduced by 10% for every minute spent waiting for a life-saving defibrillation shock.

The nationwide public access defibrillation or "PAD" study showed nearly double the survival rates for victims who were administered CPR and shocked by an AED as compared to those who only received CPR. During the two-year study, 124 cardiac arrests occurred in public facilities where an AED was available and 31% of those persons survived, versus 17% of the 86 arrests that occurred in venues where only conventional responses - CPR and a call to 911 - were available.

About 20,000 volunteers took part in the study of which half were taught to use AEDs and perform CPR and the balance to perform CPR only. Approximately 1,500 automated defibrillators were placed in over 990 public facilities such as office buildings, factories, airports, shopping and community centers, and sports and entertainment venues in 24 cities nationwide.

The AHA also told a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) panel in July it supports the removal of the prescription requirement for AEDs.

The FDA's Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee met to decide whether or not to lift the prescription requirement currently required for anyone wishing to obtain an AED.

Meanwhile, the State of New York has just passed a law requiring Health Clubs with memberships in excess of 500 members to have trained personnel and an AED available on the premises at all times.

Source, Gerald M. Dworkin, Aquatics Safety & Water Rescue,
LIFESAVING RESOURCES INC. Lifesaving.com

Wanted Executive Director, Campaign to Renew Pennsylvania

Idealist.org: "Executive Director
Campaign to Renew Pennsylvania

Who needs a job?

Tim Murphy (R) and Mark Bolles (D)

I'm digging for more insights on the platforms for Pittsburgh area candidates for US Congress. We are a city that is half of what we used to be. Our state and federal reps throughout the region can either deal with the city in some way(s) or ignore the situations. What is your take on what needs and should be done with the city -- if anything?

Next -- I'm digging for info on what you think about public transportation? In specific ways, what about the plan to put two tunnels under the Allegheny River to extend the light rail (T) in the city to the lower north side to serve the stadiums?

A bulk of that money comes from the feds. But, the local match isn't there and isn't a priority -- so says Dan O (County Exec).

Thanks for your insights.

Trunips on my mind

Please share what you can about turnips. A new turnip theme is under-development and your input and ideas are welcomed. More news to come.

We love getting links to Rauterkus.blogspot.com, please.

Happy First Birthday to 3 Rivers Fitness

Three Rivers Fitness turns one year old on October 4, 2004. Great facility and great reuse of an older building.

Parkwest center to host Bayer spinoff = corporate welfare

Parkwest center to host Bayer spinoff - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Dennis Yablonsky, secretary of Pennsylvania's Department of Community and Economic Development, and Dan Onorato, Allegheny County chief executive, are expected to announce a package of public financing to solidify Lanxess' employment base in the region.

Big win for the region, if you love corporate welfare

Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky and PRA
Board Member and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato announced last week two separate projects that will enable Bayer Corp. to retain 1,750 employees statewide and LANXESS Corp. to create up to 435 jobs within three years. LANXESS is a new company formed when Bayer Group combined and spun off its chemical businesses and large segments of its polymer activities. LANXESS leadership also plans to relocate a portion of its staff in Akron, Ohio, to Pittsburgh.

Germany-based Bayer has operations in four commonwealth counties, including Allegheny, Washington, and Westmoreland. (The fourth is Lebanon County.) It plans to invest $100 million in its Pennsylvania facilities and keep its U.S. corporate headquarters in Allegheny County. Recognizing the importance Bayer plays in the region, DCED offered the company a $1.7 million financial package that includes a $1 million Opportunity Grant and $700,000 in job training assistance. Allegheny County has offered up to $200,000 in the form of a Community Development Block Grant.

The commonwealth also offered a $1.86 million financial package to LANXESS that includes an $872,000 Opportunity Grant, $554,000 in job training assistance, and $435, 000 in job creation tax credits. LANXESS, meanwhile, has pledged to invest approximately $10 million in Pennsylvania over the next three years.

Lanxess was courted by officials from both Ohio and South Carolina, therefore, the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance is pleased to have served the region in assisting with the LANXESS location as well as the Bayer decision. These developments show a new momentum gathering in southwestern Pennsylvania. We wish the leadership in both companies the best of success in their endeavors.

How can a start-up move jobs from Akron?

Gradual closings planned for future PPS actions

Trib: Gradual closings planned at PPS "The next round of city school closings will involve a gradual phasing out of schools or closing a smaller number of them to avoid the problems that occurred..."

This headline is huge. It is the one major point I made last year and in past years as well. You can't yank the citizens, families, students and staffs around. When that happens, people leave.

When South Vo Tech was scheduled for closing, I ranted at great lengths to close the facility over time. I wanted the school to shirnk by 50% per year for the next three years. Allow the kids that are in the school to graduate and not need to move to another school.

In a way, some of the rants from the past do come into the realm of being. There is little reason why this didn't happen last year.

Senate Debate: Saturday On WTAE Channel 4

WTAE TV hosts Senate Debate, Saturday at 11:30 pm

Debate participants are:
* Arlen Specter (Republican)
* Joe Hoeffel (Democrat)
* James Clymer (Constitution)
* Betsy Summers (Libertarian)

Finally, a full stage of participants that matches the ballot. Way to go PA Assn of Broadcasters.

Slate card to support firefighter's referendum

PG Dem Party leaders unanimously agreed to list the referendum on the slate cards issued at polling places, urging voters to approve it. Firefighters plan to work city polling sites Nov. 2 to distribute the cards.

Wonder what the GOP slate cards will contain. And, would the firefighters pass out GOP slate cards too?

Grays to DC

The Homestead Grays were in DC too? What's the next fantasy to shatter? Are we to learn that football's Steelers were once combined with Phili's Eagles and called the Steegles?

The Grays are tweeners, part this and part that. Everything in life isn't black and white. With the Grays back on the scene, we'll have another avenue to inject talk about racism, disparities and class wars.

DC's throw-back team name is fine. It could modernize, to flip-floppers, but baseball needs its stoggy legacy as it has little else.

As for mascots, a crew in Columbus and another in Pittsburgh is building a larger than life, Mr. Whaffle bobble head. The Columbus effort will travel on a truck on election day, is to be built with foam and sports big flip-flops below the head, in the style of Mr. Potato Head. Might make a nice DC-based mascot to race our pasta creatures at the ballpark.

Going against the flow now nets tickets

PG letters to the editor
Citations for going against the flow, oh no.

I remember my first parking ticket, in Texas, for parking against the flow. That was while in grad school in 1982. I was clueless that I had parked in an illegal manner. Get out!

I go against the flow in so many other instances in life, that I generally try to park my car properly.

As mayor, I'd be all in favor of of highlighting our Pittsburgh quirks and insure they are not punished.

Harvest & Holiday Boutique & Bake Sale

October 13-16, 2004 from Wednesday to Friday, 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of the South Hills, 1240 Washington Road (Rt. 19), Mt. Lebanon.

Relaxed holiday shopping for unique gifts and home decorations. Plus home-cooked soups, breads, and desserts.

Get a head start on your holiday shopping at Sunnyhill's Harvest & Holiday Shop. Now in our 22nd year, we're pleased to offer a wonderful collection of handcrafted gift items, earrings, bracelets and necklaces; knit baby clothes, caps and scarves; ornaments and table decorations for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa; hand-thrown pots, bowls and plates; wreathes and swags; and much, much more. And, as always, we'll have our tub of Primal Element soaps in various scents and designs.

Treat your family to home-cooked soups (many varieties), breads, desserts and more!

Bring a copy of the coupon and receive $1.00 off a Primal Elements soap of your choice. More at
Sunnyhill.

Smearing example

Some dude with the handle, "kumufa", email address NUKED by intent, wrote in part:

Do we want to get together and watch his sorry ass make some stupid suggestions about the health care crisis?

My reply:

Perhaps it would be good to show a little more respect. If anyone who was working in my campaign spoke that way in a public email about a US Congressman and "LOYAL OPPONENT" -- I'd censor if not fire him or her.

We've got a duty. It isn't about smearing. Poke holes in the programs and the outcomes, please. Knock em out of the park if you can, on merit and with measured distinctions.

Look to the comment area for his entire email. He is working for a Doctor candidate, Mark Boles, a Dem. I like seeing health care talk and candidates with medical experiences in various races. And, the target, Tim Murphy, is also with his own expert background, perceptions and came from the psych profession.

PSO and Wilkinsburg Music

Efforts with the Pittsburgh Symphony and Wilkinsburg's music program are great. Bravo!

My grandfather, Dr. Joseph A. Rauterkus, started Pittsburgh's Symphony Orchestra as a work project venture in the Great Depression. Grandpa also started the school of music at DU and spent many years with Central Catholic, the VA doing music therapy, and even directed the musicians union at 4th of July concerts at North Park, when I was a young lad.

Furthermore, my mom and dad both grew up in Wilkinsburg. Dad marched in the Tiger band (baritone) and mom was a co-leader of the majorettes.

Today's musical leaders should contact UPMC's Eye and Ear Institute and talk to my wife and get hearing protection for the instructors and participants. Especially with all the drumming activities now in place. All the Pgh Public School educators got exposed to some quality health care advice via the launch of this new program in 2002-03. Now that program is taking root and will spread to other school districts.

The price is right, due to some grant funds. And, those precious hair cells don't grow back after being damaged.

Pondering Code of Conduct for 2005 Mayor's Race

Your feedback, either in comments below or directly to Mark04@Rauterkus.com are welcomed.

In the next couple of days, I'm going to make an effort to advance a "code of conduct" that centers on Pittsburgh's 2005 Mayor's Race. This will include a call to others to contribute ideas and offer solutions.

In 2001, Mayor Murphy made one debate in the general election. It was held on Sunday night before the Tuesday election. That can't happen again. And, it can't be forgotten.

In 2002, Mayor Murphy made a TV commercial that used the Mayor's office as a backdrop to endorse Ed Rendell. That calculated error should have been pulled from the airways and NOT run -- but the neither the media outlets nor the endorser nor the candidate saw fit to do the right thing.

In 2004, the game is about 527 organizations.

Serious legal questions abound again relating to Ed
Rendell and 527 Organizations with the Pennsylvania Kerry/Edwards Campaign.

Republican State Committee Chairman Alan Novak this week called the coordination between Governor Rendell, the State Democratic Party and ultra-liberal 527 groups an egregious violation of Federal Election Commission Campaign Finance laws.

Governor Ed Rendell is running the grassroots operation and get-out-the-vote effort of the Democrat Party of Pennsylvania through 527 soft-money groups such as Americans Coming Together," stated Novak. "He has some serious questions to answer."

In a letter dated September 20, 2004, Governor Rendell solicits funds for America Coming Together's (ACT) grassroots operation in Pennsylvania and promises ACT will spend nearly $10 million in Pennsylvania to elect Democrats at all levels of government.

Under Federal Election Commission (FEC) guidelines, it is illegal for coordination to take place between a candidate, or agent of that candidate, and any so-called 527 organization.

Governor Rendell, as an agent of the Kerry/Edwards campaign, sent out a recent email paid for by Kerry/Edwards 2004 seeking support for their grassroots effort in Pennsylvania.

Despite the clear prohibition against coordination between 527 operations and campaigns, it is apparent Governor Rendell and the State Democrats have been coordinating and communicating with 527 organizations operating in Pennsylvania for months. As far back as April, Governor Rendell, in a conference call set up by the John Kerry campaign, said that several Washington, D.C.-based soft-money organizations formed by Democrats will spur widespread Democratic voter registration and turnout in Pennsylvania.

In a recent Fox News interview, when asked about his party‚s grassroots organization, Democrat State Committee Chair T.J. Rooney made clear the coordination between the state party, Kerry/Edwards 2004 and ACT.

"Since the onset of the presidential campaign in Pennsylvania, there has been obvious coordination between 527s and the Pennsylvania Kerry/Edwards grassroots campaign. In case anyone had a doubt, these recent revelations are proof-positive that ACT is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Kerry/Edwards Campaign and the Democrat Party of Pennsylvania. Governor Rendell knows the needs and plans of the Kerry/Edwards campaign in Pennsylvania, now he is blatantly helping 527‚s coordinate and fund it," said Chairman Novak.

121 Communications - Vote121 Toolbar

121 Communications - Vote121 Toolbar: "Vote121 is an innovative new browser toolbar that brings all the latest campaign news and opinion straight to your browser."

When I'm mayor, we'd have a Pittsburgh toolbar for web browsers. My main surf station is on an iMac.

Jeff Habay makes great case for NOTA

Shaler native, PA State Represenative, Republican, Jeff Habay is in trouble with nagging ethics issues and the state's top attorney is pushing for larger charges. I'm not sure Habay he is guilty or not, but let's look at the bigger picture, democracy.
http://www.post-gazette.com/breaking/20040617habayp3.asp

Video of Jeff: http://65.254.51.42/~player/media/politics-others/habay-go-gop.MPG

NOTA is short for None Of The Above.

Habay is up for re-election in November, His term, like that of all state reps, goes for two years. On the ballot, Habay is without an opponent. Habay runs on the GOP ticket but has enough friends on the Dem side to write in Habay in the primary election so as to gain ballot access for both of the old parties.

I don't know who is going to beat Jeff Habay. However, someone should start to build a buzz about a write-in campaign for NOTA.

The NOTA option is used in elections elsewhere. When NOTA beats the candidates on the ballot, another election is called with different candidates. I'd like to see NOTA become a regular tool within our election process.

Town Meeting: Louisville on uniting city-county government

PG pushes its agenda
There is much to stay about these issues and the spin from the PG in its series.
I've been to Louisville. I've even taken bus-loads of people there. Young people. When a deputy mayor visited Pittsburgh a year or so ago, I talked to him following the PUMP presentation and asked, "Would the city of Louisville tolerate the closing of its swim pools?" He could not even imagine the thought nor begin to fathom the fall-out from such miss-deeds.

The merger efforts began with measures on the ballot. That's democracy. Meanwhile, we have a mayor who fights to remove the opinions from the voters. Mayor Murphy does NOT want to enable ballot questions. Our present mayor takes petitions with thousands of signatures to court to get them removed from the ballot.

Our mayor and those of his administration can't begin to even scratch the realm of the possible in terms of an earnest conversation about cooperation, unity, mergers, and civility.

We need to strengthen our democracy and our will to self-govern. Then we can begin to talk about changing the system. We have authorities that rule without accountability. We have "his honor" -- like a king who is without term limits. He buys votes with public money to stay in office.

All talks of grand principles of reform need to begin after the voters remove the lame leadership that governs Pittsburgh.

As mayor, I'd insure we put a handful of voter referendums onto the ballot at every election.

The process in Louisville took a lead-up of four referendums. That is where the seed of the real progress resides.

Meanwhile, the PG sees a false hope in more high-stakes "branding" -- such as the branding the merger to "UNITY." The switch in semantics was emblematic of a sophisticated and well-funded political campaign that sold the idea of a city-county consolidation to skeptical voters.

Give us a break.

Perhaps the $1.5 million campaign treasury just purchased the vote. Or, perhaps on the fourth attempty they got it right. The whole slew of TV commercials would not have amounted to squat had they been pushing the wrong solution. They got it right with the nod to political reality. The suburban municipalities stayed intact.

Perhaps the other votes "failed" (wrong word) because they were not good enough. Perhaps this one passed because backers were rich enough. Or perhaps, the real factor was that this measure was good enough.

More wrongheaded conclusions are being pushed upon Pittsburgh in too many articles such as this.

Furthermore, in Pittsburgh we've got this legacy that not only supresses what the people want by those who are smart enough to think for everyone. But, when the votes are taken on questions, at the polls, the results don't stick. It didn't matter that the people voted to NOT BUILD new stadiums. A short time later the new castles money were built with taxpayer money -- in spite of the referendum's result that said NO.

Skeptical electorate talk pins Pittsburgh, like the tail on the donkey. The people are not foolish for being skeptical. The people of Pittsburgh are wise to the ways of the "wire-pullers."

Pittsburgh's "done-deal mentality" has run its course. This marathon has been cancelled. Mayor Murphy and cronies have fallen for the last time and can't get up. Lawrence, Mellon and others can roll over in their graves.

Pittsburgh's revival begins with its voters and a new mindset. Think again! Pittsburgh will heal itself, thank you, as soon as all the king's horses and all the king's men figure out that they can't put it together again. Their time is up. The oversight boards have taken the mess they've made off their hands. The next Pittsburgh wave is about the people, the kids, our families, our limited and cooperative government.

We can merge the city and county governments as they did in Louisville. But, we've got to run the old, grey, and worn out of the barn and into the private sector.

Maverick enters mayoral race

AP Wire | 09/30/2004

Murphy has been forced to repeatedly deny bankruptcy rumors as the Nov. 2 election approaches. A scathing report issued by a city-commissioned law firm in September portrayed a dysfunctional City Hall with a history of keeping damaging information from public view. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department are investigating the city's financial practices.

It could be, but the news above is NOT about Pittsburgh. Rather its from the seventh largest city in the US.

The new entry, playing a spoiler's role perhaps is a sporting, surfer type. She insisted that a write-in candidate could win. She must submit 200 signatures and pay $500 by Oct. 19 for her name to be appear on a list of write-in candidates posted at city polling places. 'The public knows how to write,' she said. 'I am convinced that the citizens are smart enough to figure out how to write 'Frye' on a little line and fill out a little oval.'

Such a shame that western PA's infrastructure is so frail that sensible write-in options are not within our grasps. I'm seeking to change our backwards election policies to enable the true citizens voice to sound with greater force. Furthermore, the two who stand to most to loose with the new arrival in the race, Murphy and Roberts, invited the newest participant to participate in a series of televised debates.

A San Diego environmental lawyer and lifelong surfer called Frye a 'matriarch' in surfing circles. She was activist for clean water and got involved after her husband, a surfer, was sickened by dirty water.

My wake-up call came with the distruction of Pitt Stadium and the building of the dwarf football fields at the UPMC's Sports Center on the South Side -- still without the long-ago promised community access.

Budget Tomfoolery

Allegheny Institutue - vol4no37.pdf a PDF file about how the city isn't cutting, isn't moving parks to contracts, isn't liquidating.

Eric's jeopardy rant

His opinion mentioned: PittsburghLIVE.com"...quixotic Mayor Tom Murphy"

Humm..... as a mayor's race participant I was called quixotic in 2000/2001.

So, does that now mean that the name "front-runner" will come my way next?

PIIN "Rolling Thunder" Public Action Meeting - 3 pm, Oct 17

Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN) hosts its third public action at 3 pm on Sunday, October 17, 2004 at Wesley Center A.M.E.-Zion Church, 2701 Centre Ave. (Hill District).

Congregations and organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania draw together to issue demands and act powerfully on local and regional issues. PIIN is a younger organization that has its methods of community-building, direct action, and negotiation with decision makers.

PIIN's first newsletter looks snappy.

Democracy matters to me

Few issues are as important to me as civics 101 -- public life in America. Democracy counts. It matters. When it is frail and flounders, as a habit, people depart and vote with their feet.

See and hear my statement before City Council on September 28, 2004 in a QuickTime movie.

Moving out for liberty

The Pitt News: "'Because you leave a nice house with great food and a loving mom and you go to, what, a studio apartment with a rusted Volkswagen in the driveway [and] a mini fridge with leftover bologna? Why would you do that?'

'The answer is liberty,' he added. 'You love Mom and Dad, but it's time to make decisions for yourself. Does the government love you more than Mom and Dad? The republicans want to be your daddy, and the democrats want to be your mommy.' "

Yard Sign for bloggers and beyond

Frances Resigned

Frances Barnes, Ed.D., had been on the board that fights against discrimination. She stepped down from that commission as she was discriminated against. The moment-to-moment justice in Pittsburgh is unreal. This is one of our greatest ills. The saga lived by Frances is a splendid example of what is so wrong here.

Her statement given with heavy heart.

If I was the mayor, I'd NOT accept her resignation. I'd make her in charge of the commission.

Visitors from Iraq visit Pittsburgh

A state department tour put two visitors into city council chambers. Hear their statements.

index

Female's statement
Doctor's statement

Click to see the Quicktime movies

Black Box Voting: Ballot - Tampering in the 21st Century

Black Box Voting site: "detail a 'long history of concealing problems' and a willingness to ignore potentially serious problems 'largely for the sake of corporate profit'. "

Has a book in PDF files.

Ninth floor visit to cable tv department

I went to the 9th floor of the city-county building and asked those in the cable tv breau for their help in working to keep them alive. The new oversight plans call for the elimination of the department. One of the worse things would be the holding of city council meetings without telivision coverage. We need more light and awareness on the matters of our public life, not less.

My name and contact info went to the union leader in that department. I doubt I'll hear anything of merit from them.

It makes sense to fund the department, and have new income streams from them via the County Council and the Pgh Public School board.

There is no way the money for PCTV 21, cable access, should be diverted to Grant Street. A letter was read into the record that suggested such a solution.

Another bites the dust

Carnegie Library Director Herb Elish is leaving! PG on Elish's departure. This is good news. Can he take the merry-go-round with him as he goes?

Rally without the political signs

A call to gather hit the inbox.

Friends,

This coming Sunday, October 3 (can you believe that it is October already?) we will be meetingat 11:30 AM in a show of support for the men and women in the military.

The rally will be held at Fort Duquesne in Point State Park -- Pittsburgh's oldest military facility. The temperatures are expected to be in the 70s with the possibility of some rain, so dress appropriately. However bad it might be, it will still be quite a bit more comfortable than conditions in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is little or no chance at all of sandstorms, bombings, or firefights.

This rally is for the men and women serving this country. Not the politicians and not the government. This is for our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, our husbands and wives, our neighbors and friends who are risking their lives for our security, our safety, and our well being.

Since that horrible day three years ago, there have been no more attacks here on our soil. One reason is that many of the would be bombers and attackers are engaged in a struggle against our troops in Iraq. They have made themselves the target so that we wouldn't be. We are able to go about our lives in relative security because of their service and their sacrifice. Come say thank you to these brave men and women.

Please forward this to everyone in your local email list and ask that they send it on to everyone in their's. I hope to see you all there.

Go here for full details:

www.nikkiusa.com/FreedomRallyII-Pittsburgh

Remember -- THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL RALLY. BRING YOUR FLAG, BUT PLEASE LEAVE THE CAMPAIGN SIGNS AT HOME.

Oversight board postpones on Pittsburgh budget

AP: "A state panel overseeing Pittsburgh's financial recovery has delayed a vote on the city's $433 million budget proposal, which includes a 34 percent property tax increase that the mayor, city council and the state oversight board do not intend to implement.

The Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority delayed a meeting set for Wednesday until Oct. 18 to study the proposed 2005 budget, said David O'Laughlin, an oversight board member.

Given the phony budget, these folks choose to not hold a meeting to talk about it in open. Perhaps the typical, backroom, closed-door deal-making isn't done. Perhaps this is why people are so skeptical. Perhaps this is why people choose to vote with their feet and leave the city and region.

Officials want 911 sit-down

They want a 'sit down?' No, not a sit-down strike. No, not a sit-in. Reasoned, trusted, public-service people can and do want measured progress. They want to sit down and get to the basics of planning for a better future. Many people out there care.

Officials want 911 sit-down - PittsburghLIVE.com

'We're ready to hand the keys over to you, once we have a sit-down about these issues,' Shaler Manager Tim Rogers told Onorato. 'We're ready to do it by the end of this year.' "

Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh folks do a brush off. Dan O does a push away. Still, he acknowledged, the county is not yet ready to take on the extra duties."

We've got people who can't walk and chew gum at the same time. We need to think again. We can't linger and not have the plans put on paper.

Pittsburgh City Council earlier this year approved merging the city and county dispatch centers after more than a decade of wrangling. Mayor Tom Murphy hailed the shift as a way to improve the area's emergency response capabilities while saving the city almost $1 million a year in payroll and benefits.

The merger's delay, still not complete, made for a decade of failures that rest with the Mayor, Tom Murphy. Sure, council had to approve the deal. But, Tom Murphy had to deliver it. This too ten years. Only the promise of oversight boards doing the dirty work did anything happen. Tom Murphy had his hand forced with oversight boards. He would still be doing nothing if it was up to him. And, he'll claim the one move, that took a decade to complete, makes him a champion of mergers.

Tom Murphy was in the way. And, other city based officials are in the way. When the folks in the county want to sit down -- we should have leaders who sit down and talk.

Talk is cheap. Do it. That is all we got. We have nothing to give away. We might as well sit down and talk about cooperation in these times. These guys, the old guard of city's do-little elected place holders, are too used to in-action. They don't even talk.

Back and forth with Charles McCollester

I am NOT going back and forth with Mr. McCollester. He is doing the heavy lifting and pitching ideas to the PG and Jim Roddey -- in public. Here is some of the recent rumblings that arrived in my inbox.

Friends:

On Labor Day the Post-Gazette printed my Op-Ed entitled "Assault on City Workers" (attached). Jim Roddey followed with a very nasty and personal attack (see P-G, Sept. 13). As of this moment the Post-Gazette has decided not to print my "Reply to a Rebuttal"(attached and following), but I'd like your help in distributing it to those who might be interested.

Thanks,
Charlie McCollester

Response to a Rebuttal

Issues raised by Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority board member Jim Roddey

Leaving aside the gratuitous personal attacks, I'd like to respond to the points raised in Mr. Roddey's rebuttal article:

As anyone who has read my articles in the Post-Gazette over the last several years on Pittsburgh's financial crisis knows, I have been extremely critical of Mayor Murphy's development priorities, fiscal management in relation to Tax Increment Financing, and the brutal across-the-board closing of pools, recreation and senior centers.

That was phase one of the squeeze; phase two is upon us. The problem with Mr. Roddey's characterization of future recommendations from the ICA calling for a fairer sharing of the tax burden is twofold: First, they are in the future and therefore somewhat ill-defined and second, they must pass through a Republican controlled legislature. That is not to excuse Democratic complicity with the present situation. In a previous article I criticized Democratic legislators for failing to come to the aid of a city that has been very loyal to the party over the past seventy years.

As far as participation in the process goes, I interviewed a half dozen city unions about their experience with the Act 47 Recovery Team for the article. Their experiences ranged from little or no contact to a one-sided pushing of an agenda of privatization and cuts without serious bargaining or listening to either a critique of their assumptions or a presentation of union generated alternatives.

The city mechanics are a case in point. I personally attended the very first meeting of the ICA and my impression was that the entire process would have been much more under wraps if there were not a very vocal group of activists as well as the media demanding transparency.

The elimination of Pittsburgh City Cable certainly doesn't indicate any great concern for public access to the deliberations and concerns of the city's elected representatives.

As far as cuts either executed or proposed for police and firefighters, it's hard to see how public safety has not been materially affected. The whole thrust of the Firefighters referendum is to assert performance standards over mechanistic cost reduction. They want a guarantee that residents will be effectively served in any reorganization. Talking with firefighters in our local station, they were acutely concerned about an imposed plan that would undermine
their ability to serve the neighborhoods.

As to Mr. Roddey?s assertion that he never called for the elimination of City Council, the Tribune-Review on March 31, 2004 reported that the state oversight board is looking at dissolving Pittsburgh's government -- including eliminating the mayor's office and City Council -- as a way to solve the city's financial woes.

The May 15 edition of the Post-Gazette pinpointed Mr. Roddey's leading role: A March 31 draft of the oversight board?s recommendation, authored by board member and former Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey, urged the Legislature to dissolve the mayor's office and City Council and replace them with a part-time council and a city manager.

While I have urged City Council to get more backbone in their resistance to repeated violations of democratic legitimacy, I deeply respect their position as the elected representatives closest to the people, neighborhoods and workers of the city during this time of crisis.

As to my students receiving a very biased view of how communities prosper, I must respond that I have spent 25 years arguing that the preservation and modernization of our region's manufacturing base was critical to the region's economic health. The turning away from an understanding of how wealth is created and the importance of productive labor by people who grow, build and make things by much of our political and economic leadership has been one cause of our region's collapse.

I once admired Mr. Roddey for his early championing of MAGLEV, but lost a lot of respect for him when he declared the project dead in the course of his last campaign for county executive - apparently to gain a few not-in-my-backyard suburban votes. I continue to believe that the innovative work being done at the MAGLEV facility in McKeesport remains the best hope for a renewal of manufacturing in our region.

We cannot shop, gamble or entertain our way to sustainable prosperity. Investment in production and wealth creation is essential for the long-range survival of both our region and the nation. We also cannot strip our urban areas of essential services and amenities and expect them to prosper. The workers and residents of the City of Pittsburgh are ill served by the present undemocratic and unfair process. Mr. Roddey needs to take responsibility for his positions and not try to deflect legitimate criticism by personal attacks.

Boosterism and looking up to see the curb

The email today from the Allegheny Conference, a bumbling group that causes harm to the region, had an interesting quote:

"Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and
give up. They happen to break you down and build you up, so you can be all you were intended to be." (Charles Jones)

Is that the new slogan for the region? No, it's just a simple quote in an email. However, I wonder if that is that how they explain the circle in East Liberty or any of a number of other flops here?

We can't give politicians free passes. Nor should we give the free pass to various organizations that have been the cause of big fumbles.

Audio of Jim Carmine

Index of Jim's clips

In 2000 and 2001, I ran for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh. In that effort, I came to meet James Carmine, Ph.D., a loyal opponent. I lost the GOP primary to Carmine and then worked as his 'webmaster' for the general election. Without saying too much about those times here, let me re-introduce some audio snips from that period. I recorded these clips.

Let me know if they play for you. Leave comments below.

Crashing the Parties, 10 pm Wed. QED

WQED, a public tv station that has been the subject of some criticism, is slated to air an interesting PBS primetime special Crashing The Parties 2004 from 10 to 11 pm this Wednesday.

The program challenges the conventional notion that third parties are "spoilers" with no constructive role in the process. It is to showcase the candidates and their political platforms.

Who wants to host a documentary screening house party?

This special gives voters a behind-the-scenes look at third party campaigns and conventions in the 2004 presidential race, showcasing the serious political alternatives to the Democrats and Republicans. The one-hour program focuses on four major third party/independent bids:

Libertarian Party (Michael Badnarik),

Green Party (David Cobb),

Constitution Party (Michael Peroutka).

Ralph Nader, and in addition,

other candidates' bids for their party's nomination are featured, such as Libertarians Gary Nolan and Aaron Russo.

My advance hunch is that the coverage of others who are NOT on the ballot is just to discredit the entire show. Why cover the others? Edit!

In most markets, "Crashing" debuts the evening before the first Bush-Kerry debate - showing PBS viewers the candidates who were shut out of the presidential debates. In a few cities such as Boston, the third party documentary is the lead-in program for the Bush-Kerry showdown on Sept. 30.

WASHINGTON POST LIVE WEBCHAT ON 3rd PARTIES & INDEPENDENTS!

On Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 1 p.m., PBS filmmakers Peter Koziell and Darren Garnick will be participating in a live Web chat about the making of "Crashing The Parties 2004" sponsored by The Washington Post. Join in the conversation during your lunchbreak! For more information, visit: www.washingtonpost.com and scroll to the bottom of the page for the "Live On-Line" links. Questions can be submitted earlier that day.

SEND "CRASHING" FEEDBACK TO PBS!

If you find the themes, scenes or commentary from "Crashing The Parties 2004" to be compelling, please consider sharing your thoughts with both your local PBS station and the PBS national network. The stations are always eager to hear from "viewers like you."

Sandy Heberer
PBS Programming
1320 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314

And, contact QED directly.

The filmakers also appreciate feedback, crashingpbs@awardprod.com

Parenting woes or infrastructure issues

Its fixed! A new sewer cover and sidewalk has arrived. The city did its job, and cut down the three trees. The building owner did the sidewalk with cement contractors on Sept. 25. The saga started in early August. Not many drunks fell into the open hole.


Conventional wisdom says "bad parenting." However, I'm wondering if it is bad city infrastructure? Our children are falling between the cracks here. And, it takes little effort to get the right type of street treatments to prevent these types of accidents.

Notice that the storm gutter's slots are not the full length, but they do go in the direction of traffic. Bike riders have trouble with street coverings that have larger spaces as wheels get caught, flipping the rider. Inline skaters are sure to have issues. Many street treatments in Pittsburgh are bad for all sorts of reason.

Pittsburgh makes continual, classic mistakes and frustrates up the opportunities care for our kids. Pittsburgh makes parenting much more of a chore.



Seniors and children, yet alone drunks and little ducklings could get lost, hurt and perhaps wealthy by visiting our streets in Pittsburgh.

See the comment to learn more of a road study by the city. Sadly, these roads get attention every four years. An election is due next spring, so the Grant Street gang is making a list and will check it twice this fall so as to get the most votes.

$38 million in grants from Fast Eddie

City Life, a show of the Pgh Cable Television Breau, getting its plug pulled, perhaps, is due for a hand-slap if not a good freeze out.

On a show, Gov Rendell said, "Not one person, not one business, not one organization, has run up the white flag and said that they've had it with Pittsburgh."

He means to point out that those that are here are not giving up. In a way, he is good to say that there are lots of people who still care. Some of us are "fighters" and we'll be in the good fight for the long haul.

However, our Gov is just flat out wrong. Many have quit on Pittsburgh. Many have left. Many more are leaving in the future.

More people departed Pittsburgh since Tom Murphy has been mayor than voted for him to continue being our mayor in 2001.

The outward migration is massive. Those people are voting with their feet. Those people want to be more free. Those people have been frustrated with the city.

Today I talked to a guy working on a new sidewalk next door. He won't live not only in the city -- hell no -- but not even in the county. He'd rather live in Armstrong County. He gave up. He waved the white flag. He isn't going to post on this blog. He isn't going to write a letter to the Governor. He is going to go about his work and life -- and make it elsewhere as much as possible.

The other kick in the teeth from the city cable television department is the fact that these boosterism shows run on our cable. This isn't about public service -- but it is about being elected again and pushing PR.

Erik's homework with photos of landforms

I've set up my sons with their own blogs. See gRauterkus or eRauterkus for Grant and Erik. In due time, home pages. For now, I'll just pepper this space with some of their works.

Homework: Make a dictionary of various landforms. So, with my wife's help, my photos and uploads, Erik made a booklet that shows the various landforms, all from our travels in the past months.

See the presentation of 11 slides on the web with html pages:
http://65.254.51.42/~player/content/academics/erik/landforms/web/img0.html

Same presentation in a single PDF file (189 k):
http://65.254.51.42/~player/content/academics/erik/landforms/dictionary.pdf

What is a "Paladin?"

Pitt played the Furman Paladins at Heinz Field. After smacking Pitt around the field for three quarters, it is safe to assume this Division I-AA school won't be a guest again. Great game! Pitt did win in overtime.

Library -- still searching for TRFN and Wirless

PG: Main library articleAnne Candreva, director of information technology at the Carnegie Library, unveils the marquee near the library's entrance, ...

Animated messages are fine, but I'm still looking for TRFN and Wireless

The Oakland branch should be wireless. The Beehive, a South Side coffee shop, is now with free wireless. So, the library spend a hefty sum to modernize -- and we get signs that blink.

The real potential isn't in the bricks and mortar. Sure, some people don't leave the first floor. But many more don't even make it to the doors. The services of the Three Rivers Free Net made for great outreach. Those services are missed. Those services stopped just as the planning for the new expresso bar began.

If you are lost, there is nothing like Google or Ask Jeeves.

A Zillion .... excuses

By next year, Candreva said, the library may be wireless, but that is a major task because the building is chock full of steel, necessitating the placement of 'just a zillion' hidden antennas.

We don't need every inch of the library to be wireless. How about five antennas. Put one right on top of the pastry display.

Can't wait to go to the quiet reading room that features no computers. Perhaps a page was taken from the Parks Conservancy. Let's advance with a Highland Park rebuild a fountain and entry way that was just like it was in 1900. Same too with the library. Get rid of those nasty computers here. Too much noise.

No doubt that the library re-make was a lot of work and effort from all involved. However, here we go again with a "massive" remake instead of an evolution. Do something every year or two. In terms of overall facilities, little or nothing has been done since a few wheelchair ramps were installed -- other than the start-up of the internet and the killing of a wildly popular and necessary TRFN.

When the first planning meeting was held on the South Side to talk about its library face lift someone asked, "What about the books. Are we getting new books?" Sadly, this whole exercise is about bricks and mortar -- and there won't be an impact with the books. Without new parking, without new books -- some dare to ask, "why?"

South Pittsburgh Reporter - Carnegie begins planning stages for South Side Library

Summary:

The overall theme for finding the solutions for Pittsburgh is much more about software and programming and much less about hardware and buildings. The process and the software outcomes are where we need to put our creativity, energy and investments. Think again. The "build-it and they will come" mentality isn't the desired pathway for me in our quest for vibrant community.

Mergers talk spreads to school districts

PG (cont): "Murphy lamented that the idea of merging some or all of the county's 43 school districts rarely comes up for discussion.

I've talked about mergers of school districts, plenty. Wilkinsburg, Sto Rox, and even Woodland Hills' history is on my radar.

However, the A+ Schools group, and the Mayor's Commission on Public Education -- group that Tom Murphy had a had in forming -- FUMBLE constantly. They are absent. They don't have open meetings. They don't publish minutes. They don't invite outside voices who have knocked repeatedly at their doors. They blacklist. They operate just as Tom Murphy does.

Furthermore, until 2000, schools were a topic that was without even a breath of Tom Murphy's concern. He avoided all interactions and comments about schools at every turn. The people at Pittsburgh Public Schools knew Tom Murphy and Tom Cox only when they would rush to them for a TIF (tax favor for some hair-brained corporate welfare scheme).

Then in 2000 and 2001, my campaign for Mayor and that of James Carmine, Ph.D., professor who teaches many teachers, talked long and hard about schools. That can of worms got plenty of shaking from us then and it was an area that was totally foreign to Tom Murphy and Grant Street.

We need to put schools and districts and mergers and re-organizations into the discussions. Bring it on. Start by insisting that A+ Schools (an on-going front organization) meet with me and begin to address my long-list of serious concerns.