Bill said: We're not done -- but you've been fired! My Cable TV rant.

A C-SPAN for city governement. A nobel idea that wasn't done. Yes, we need an open governement system. I was ranting about that element within the ICA plans months ago as soon as it was in the released plan. December 31, 2004 came and a deal didn't. The city's cable TV department has been chopped. Three are out of work. Some remained.

Bill Peduto went on and on and needed to thank City Council at the end of the meeting. He mentioned that everyone got together and tried to make it happen. But Bill, it didn't happen. Mayor Murphy got personally involved.

Others in the administration, Rodney A., and Dale P., really tried to keep the department whole. Sure.

Theme: Whole not holistic.

We do need to struggle to get the cable TV department to function well and in the best interest of the residents. But, when you can't advance an agenda that makes so much sense, you all need to look in the mirror. More effort. More sweat. More heavy lifting.

Not only did I rant about the melting cable TV department months ago, but I tried to help. I nudged PCTV into the fray. On another front, I called Penn State University. I got PSU interested in the city's Request for Proposals. That was mandated by the oversight board. I talked to PSU officials and they were interested in getting a tour of the station and facilities. TV folks at PSU wanted to meet with the present employees. They had technical people that were going to come from State College. This was all on less than a week notice too.

I called dozens of others beyond PSU, from private operators to others. But, most wouldn't want to waste their time after hearing of the opportunity. Talk is cheap. But partnerships with real equity and investment with Pittsburgh's public leadership is just too risky and insane.

The city's RFP wasn't well advertised. It wasn't part of a press release. It was mentioned within the city's web site, but again, more advance PR was needed.

Here is another problem with the city-owned and operated cable TV department. KDKA TV doesn't care. The commercial broadcasters might find themselves at odds with the public / government station efforts. News at 11, I won't hold my breath. The diss-connect widens.

So, Penn State calls, wants to help, wants to do the discovery and due diligence. Guess what. PSU is denied. They are told "NO." The city officials won't grant them a tour. Can't says the mayor's crew. They really know how to apply the brakes.

That's execution. That's the shaft. That's the blame.

Furthermore, I (Mark Rauterkus) kept my nose out of the process as best I could when it came to dealing with Tom Murphy's administration. I didn't taint the dealings. I could only instigate efforts and bring people knocking to the door of the mayor's office. But, the door slamming in the face was for others who get city pay checks to do.

The act of entertaining the private bids as part of the RFP to operate the staion was nothing but a joke. The private sector didn't fail -- but -- the bosses in the city did. The employees didn't fail either. But, more could have been done. More still needs to be done.

Where are those public notes? Twanda Carlisle of City Council went to meet with Dr. John Thompson, Superintendent of Pgh Public Schools. She was flanked by three employees. They gave a great presentation that won over the support of Dr. T right away. Where is that presentation? Put it on line.

You say that the deal is off -- for now. Well, now is the time to redouble the efforts to have OPEN Government in the planning stages. There were too many things going on behind closed doors. How ironic as we need the telivision to shine the light on the meetings -- but we have to fight the fight in the darkness.

Here is an idea -- do a TV show on the TV station. Put the interview with Dr. T and the city council member and the three employees -- on TV. Let's all watch.

It took six years to merge 911 servies among the city and the county. I dare say it is going to take years to do TV and media services. And, for something complicated like EMS -- decades.

Pittsburgh is dead in the water and the ring-leader Bill Peduto is heaping praise and high tanks for jobs that are incomplete. Thanks for floundering. Folly and failures leave us empty.

My tough love suggestion to you today -- hold the next meetings in the studios with a live TV stream. Start by getting Dr. Thompson to the front of the camera. Let's here what his offer was and is. Where are those letters. Back track. Publish. Be open yourself.

This is a time for reflection. The image isn't good. To move forward, you have to be honest about where you've been.

Dan Onorato seems to be the fall guy. But, when I talked to County Council's Brenda Fraiser -- back before Labor Day -- she was a "NO." She knew what was what. She wasn't willing to support the program. Dan Onorato knows about the cable TV operation as he has been on city council. He knows how things operate. He sees the blatent self-serving, self-promotion and lack of objectivity in the extra programming that runs on the cable station.

It is a bad show to see the continual replays of Gov. Ed Rendell standing next to Tom Murphy with a three-foot cardboard check for state handouts (pork) about Frick at Sommerset. Then Rendell says he has not heard of ANYONE -- and he stresses N0BODY -- who has lost faith in Pittsburgh. Nobody is pulling up stakes he said. Nobody has tossed in the towel -- his words. He's standing on a slag dump for subsidized rich housing. He's not getting around. Gov Rendell is telling me he is out of touch.

I expect to see the miss-placed priorities from Tom Murphy. But, it rots the mission and the purpose of the cable TV division when they are run like a rented mule as a toy of the administration. Watching the state-sponsored TV in China is quite a bit like watching the staged city cable TV shows in Pittsburgh.

That, for what its worth, Bill P., is NOT what happens at C-Span. To have that C-Span vision, you'd have to leave something behind. What is trash in the present and recent past needs to be jetisoned. Call it what it is. Build up an ounce of respect and trustworthyness. Sanction the slop and NUKE it from the air. Be critical when needed -- and the needed times are frequent if not continual.

Dan Onorato does not want to play the role of a sucker and BAIL OUT the city's cable TV department. An expansion of same old same old is just more pain in the future.

To move this forward, as I hope it goes, you need to offer a self-study that is critical of where you've been. These workers might be brilliant -- but the outcome has been a lot of brilliant and trashy spin in un-objective programming.

Bounty Hunter oversight from Walko -- meanwhile we're 100 police officers light

Democratic State Represenative, Don Walko, of the North Side is pushing for new state requirements of Bounty Hunters. Jango Fett, watch out. You're not welcome here much longer.

Who are some bounty hunter characters from the movies or TV from wild west settings?

The PA Senate Judiciary Committee had a new law in committee a couple of years ago. It didn't go anywhere. Walko is in the house committee and he aims to push for the re-introduction of new measures.

The plan is to make the bounty hunters follow some extra rules set by the judges and the courts. What exactly, I'm not sure. Rep Walko, please share the details.

The matter has come to the front burner as two bounty hunters recently were in the course of their jobs in the North Side and shots were fired with rubber bullets -- and the fugitive died. Alleged. This hasn't been put to court. The DA is investigating.

One guy is dead. He jumped bail. He was in Pittsburgh hanging out and had been in trouble elsewhere.

We are to the point now where we should be empowering bounty hunters. Let's invite them to Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania. Let's not make it more troublesome for the guys who are working against trouble makers.

Mine is a tough on crime stance. Walko's isn't.

A woman small business owner in Oakland was robbed and on the TV news the other day. She begged for more police on the streets and slammed Pgh's Chief of Police, Robert McN, by name.

The city council president, Gene R., was on KQV's live line (Jan 4, 2005) and was asked about the police force strength directly. Interview host asked, "Do you think the people of Pittsburgh should feel safe now that the police force is at 800 rather than 900?"

Gene said, "Absolutely not." Gene then went on to talk about the quick need and support for the two new classes of police recruits that are to be trained and hired this year.

There is another example of the trend: Too little and too late. Now the force is too small. The new hires are coming too late.

Meanwile, in Harrisburg, our State Rep wants to make it more difficult to get the bad guys off the streets. Putting more red tape and burdens before the small business people who are helping bring bail bond skippers before the judges is wrongheaded.

Furthermore, this situation comes without any update as to how short we are in terms of police cars. What's happening at the shop now? And, the Citizens Police Academy is gone as well. I want to restart the Citizens Police Academy, and make it pay for itself. It could be a revenue source!

We could ask Plex, #80 for the Steelers, for the first donation to restart the Citizens Police Academy. On Sunday, while he's on the road wiht the team, three alleged theives hit his home and take some $65,000 with other goodies. Thank heavens for our nebby neighborhood ways -- as they were caught.

Keep up the good work neighbors. Go out of your way to watch out, make calls, and stay aware.

Ken's LTE gets a reply -- buzz about city conditions in poltical circles

Some noise is hitting the papers in recent weeks about candidates for mayor and the opportunities and fitness of the city's Republicans.

Letters to the editor, 01/03/2005RINO watch

After reading Ken Heiss' Dec. 28 letter, 'City Republicans,' I now more than ever understand the Democrat's death grip on the city of Pittsburgh over the last 70 years. Here we have a Republican chairman in District 2 who doesn't even believe in his own party. I always thought it was socialite Elsie Hillman who ran the Republican Party of Pittsburgh into the ground. But it seems the RINO (Republican In Name Only) forces are deeply entrenched throughout the city.

I live in Butler County where we actually stand up for our party and its platform. We know we offer a better choice of government and are not afraid to stand behind it.

I grew up in Allegheny County and I am ashamed of what Pittsburgh has become under Democratic leadership. Politicians chased me as well as many others north to escape the impending fall of the city. Now that it's happened, all the Republicans can do is act like their counterparts. If you can't govern, then get out of the way and let someone else who can.

TIM HABERMAN from Prospect

I don't want to PILE ON and heap more critical remarks to Mr. Heis or the City GOPers, but something must be written.

I have to say: I tried. I joined the Republicans. I joined the fight for the city with them. I know in my heart we need to do better than what we got now and what we've had in the past.

We can't give up. We, in this regard, stands to mean those who favor dissent. Churchill said, NEVER give up. Good advice for Pittsburgh too.

But, we can change our party registration. I did. I am now fighting under the party flag of LIBERTARIAN. I hope to make more friends with this more. I hope to keep old friends with this move. I hope to be even more friendly with Dems because of the move to Libertarian too.

We got a lot to do in the city. I'll not only help others, but hope to welcome your help in this campaign and battles yet to come.

Ken's article was published and the word I heard from some others was we (GOPers) are weak because of weaklings.

I'm not weak. I can't walk in that shaddow. Nor am I able to live under the shaddow of the Dems either.

Ken's letter found in the PG:

City Republicans

The Dec. 6 editorial "The Next Mayor: Is It Time for a Republican to Lead Pittsburgh?" is on target. However, the city Republican Party is weak. We have a severe case of city non-acceptance along with an environment of political apathy.

A Republican candidate would need more than a good platform. He would need an NFL pedigree or a magic wand to capture the hearts and attention of our voters in the city of Pittsburgh. He would have to have shoulders broad enough to accept the blame that would be heaped on him from the corner into which the city government painted itself.

The candidate would have to form a much stronger bond of trust with state government and he would have to have an acceptable, honest plan for the union rank-and-file that would constitute a fair solution their leadership could accept.

So far Act 47 and its oversight panel have been a way for Pennsylvania to drag its feet and punish our city in the name of political posturing because Pittsburgh (or any other city) can't support our one-party city along with our suburban neighbors on our property-tax driven safety budget. Perhaps if the mayor's next act in this administration were to drop the keys to our city on Gov. Ed Rendell's desk, state government might then see what a difficult task we have here.

We need a Republican candidate who likes Democrats as much as he likes Republicans -- maybe even more. I don't think the average Pittsburgh voter will accept that easily.

Good candidates do not grow on trees. Perhaps Lynn Swann will loan us one of his interior lineman as a city of Pittsburgh mayoral candidate.

KEN HEISS, Mount Washington

Editor's note: The writer is the city of Pittsburgh District 2 Republican chairman.

Ken hosted a half-dozen meetings about this very topic a year or so ago. I asked for a copy of the outcome documents. Notes, minutes, position papers are nice, IMHO. Well, I was told everything is in Ken's head.

I spoke at one meeting. My message to the 20 or so gathered had to deal with each getting five new GOPers each week for the next 60 weeks. That goal was about outreach. That mission would have generated 6,000 new party registrations for the city's GOP ranks. It was do-able, affordable, and significant.

I called for that as a course of action. I had in the past generated more than 100 new GOP re-registrations in the city in a course of a month. Been there, done that -- and know what's what in terms of work and investement.

Guess how much support my comments generated?

Research requested: Could this be true? Dysan Development is who?

Carl Sutter, 412-922-5668 (his phone # published with permission of course) asks some questions and sets the stage on a puzzle. Things like this happen too frequently. Can some here, smarter than me, dig on this and get report back on the finding. Post to the comments or email or call.

Seems Dysan Development, LLC is a PA firm. How do you find out who's there? Is there DBA database somewhere with PA State? My searching at www.inventpa.com and www.state.pa.us were fruitless.

Seems that a property in the city, 60 Greenway Drive, in Sheridan section, was sold July 17, 2004. It went from one owner to the West Pittsburgh Partnership for $1. Assessed value via the County website was $560k. Then on the same day it went to the new owner for $100K. And, the new owner might be a board member at the West Pittsburgh Partnership.

Humm... I'm not saying its all true. But, who can deny it or provide details?

Thanks for your help and clarifications.

Wiki vs. Blog < Discussion < Conceptmapping

Martin, another like me who needs an editor, is in tackle mode it seems with his new wiki about concept mapping. I love concept maps and want to marry them to the Platform.For-Pgh.org. But, I'm still searching for the right inspiration and utilities.

WikiVsBlog < Discussion < ConceptmappingPersonally, an analogy I've come to like is that wikis make space to represent the complex, ever-changing ball of concepts whose definitions continually accumulate opinions and whose relationships get reconfigured as the communities' shared language explores, teases apart and agrees on what is happening in their subject matter. By definition it is incomplete: never will everyone agree.

So if wikis are conversation tool, aimed at finding agreement, then by contrast, blogs are presentation. They are authoritative, statements of fact often presented in diary form. They get presented once, and each makes an independent stand in history. Sure, many people comment on the opinion stated in a blog, but those opinions will remain forever as comments, each separated and unintegrated in a silo kept away the speaker's opinion.

Real Estate & The Arts -- and invite plus a false-god reaction

From an email from, Andrew W. Thornhill,
thornhillontour - at - hotmail - dot - com

You are invited…

For the last ten years I have paid close attention to the proliferation of real estate successes based on close ties to the cultural community.

These ventures have been public and private, from individual structures to entire neighborhoods. As more and more professionals see the benefit of close associations between smart developers and the arts, I assume there will be even more interesting strategies to observe.

After a recent review of the amount of data I have gathered over these years, I have acknowledged that this could be a forever-growing file. So, to prevent absolute chaos, I am using these older stacks to create a better research routine.

My intended result is a book on the subject of positive cooperation between the winners in the land use planning, developer, architecture and builders world and the loftier planes of the creative artist, living environments, presentations spaces and cultural workers.

To narrow this wide arena, I’m starting with a Table of Contents for the book. The very innocent section titles are: National, State, Regional, Municipal, Neighborhood, Spaces, Buildings, Organizations, Trade Groups and Companies.

Based on this simple grid, I have started on my first outline. With this completed outline in hand, I will host a planning meeting on January 6th, 2005, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Our meeting will begin at 3:00 PM and end at 5:00 PM. Please join us if you can.

The setting is unique. We’re in the Carnegie Library - Homewood Branch, Meeting Room 2. The address is 7101 Hamilton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208. if you need directions, call (412) 731-3080. This newly refurbished building is now one of the more beautiful monuments to knowledge in Pittsburgh. Take a look at www.carnegielibrary.org.

I am writing to see if you would care to send information describing your project or to suggest other opportunities for the book. After reviewing the materials, I will surely have questions and will get back in touch.

Let me know if this would be of interest to you – or if you would like to attend the January meeting. Other meetings will be scheduled for groups and in cities across the country. Let me know if you have suggestions.

My next step will be to secure partners and sponsors.

Sounds interesting. At first blush I'd love to point out the fact that the arts generally make an interesting discussion point, but I'm not easily sucked up in the hype.

The kings of the past always had a tight relationship with the arts. Court jesters, court artists, and other artistic statements were often made at great expense and held in great value. But, so what. I don't want to live in a kingdom.

I'm a former publisher with my own indie small press. I never once got a "grant" or was on some sponsorship trip. He ends his note as the next step is to secure sponsors and partners. That's not the way to go. Make the book, author it, edit it, craft the messages, then sell it. Produce a product. Take it to the marketplace. Go into production, either with your own investment of ink, paper and glue -- or get a publisher to publish it and accept an author's wage. Investors and customers are not the same as "sponsors."

Even in Communist Poland, or in Ancient China, there have been great artists investements -- while the people suffered.

I'm one who values the arts in the time of Jefferson and Franklin. Make folk art. The French and the Eurpoeans thought little of America in our early ages. Rather, we were busy building wealth, industry, products and growth with liberties and a united group of states.

Don't get me wrong. I love the arts. I love making music and supporting the arts. I loved being part of a group of voluteers for PCTV's show, The ART of NEWS. Great value resides in these efforts from my perspectives. But, arts don't hold the key to real estate successes. Not even close.

Chad's Vo-Tech U posting and our interactions

A management prof at CMU with a nice blog that does not provide interaction raised some points about the role and purpose of education -- and the job quest.

I'd rather take the conversation to another blog space, but need to put it here, for now, as a public posting depot. Sorry if you're confused. My mentions are in part open-ended questions.

So, my offline email to Chad, the professor includes:

What about the "gear heads" who are at CMU doing things like RED STORM? Have we come full circle?

What about the lack of Pgh Public School's VO Tech high school?

Pittsburgh is a place -- as is CMU -- where we are great at building thing. Management is nice -- but the real value isn't from management -- but from the outputs / outcomes.

(I'm getting under you skin, Mgt. Professor... to kick up some chatter.)

I think a good scholar is also a good hire -- employee. But, isn't it a good scholar one who can organize his/her thoughts, paper-trail, resume.

And, what of life-long learning? Don't we really want to teach students at Universities not what to think -- but how to think and discover and continue to evolve themselves for decades to come. So, it is good for "know thyself" and good for quick interview and assessement to know what is with and about this other person.

Okay -- finally -- what about my resume? What about my thinking out loud in a blog format? What about the confidence that I hope to rally with the blog efforts? So, as a candidate, I need to build my 'resume' and my 'campaign.' Then the voters decide to hire me or not come election day.

So, we are doing a dance. I don't find that "harmful" -- but an extention of a more holistic way to approach the crafting of our lives.

As I blog, I rant about XYZ -- whatever. I'm sure I write things that others don't agree with. I go out on a limb. I'm not always "endearing" as some politicians might want to play it much closer to the vest. They don't want to fail or be a turn-off. But, that play it safe mode isn't the type of leadership that pittsburgh needs at this critical time.

Today the purpose isn't to reach agreement with everyone. But, it is to allow for public thinking, problem solving, building interactions, building relationships and pumping up respect among all sectors (or as much as possible).

Mine isn't a 'guarded management style.' For the grass-roots to thrive -- it has to be out there and wide. Bottoms-up and all.

In the end, back to the posting of yours -- I don't have much of a problem with the advice from the teachers at Dayton. I think it is more of an invite to be modern, up to date, self-documented, and highlighting the self evolution.

I'll post this on my blog --- and might cause deer in the headlights reactions from readers, but let's see.

Ta.

Elsewhere

I like to visit and post at blogs elsewhere. Some of my words posted recently at the blogs of others are in the comments section.

If you know of other blogs and comment areas on the net that would appeal or call for my comments, I'd love to see those pointers too.

Merger mania sweeps Midwest - part two - quotes and replies

As expected, the coverage from the PG is long on hype and absent on what I wanted to accent.

Not a merger mania (hype) word about Illinois and its Park District model. That's what I want to see covered by the PG or Trib or Pittsburgh Business Times.

What of the industrialized corporate farms that have nearly eliminated the family=owned farmstead? We just get to hear how Omaha is booming -- but not why. The outward migration from the country is a serious trend that has devistated small towns to nothingness. By the way, the exodus from the country makes the population decline in Pittsburgh much worse than reported upon.

The farm mergers have been a way of life for some decades, so much for the wide-open and fertile.

Merger mania sweeps Midwest: "In the old industrial Northeast, with its tightly packed neighborhoods and shuttered mills, city-county mergers have been mostly just talk.

In the wide-open, fertile Midwest, however, the movement toward metropolitan government has been as fast and furious as a hay baler in dry weather.

The merger action has been particularly hot in the Kansas-Nebraska-Iowa triangle, among a set of cities that are all within a 200-mile radius of each other.

Yes, the voters in Des Moines and surrounding Polk County, Iowa, rejected a merger last month for the second time in 10 years. Details like this shouldn't take away hype from the story.

My school of thought differs from that of the PG and some of the others in Pittsburgh on these two important matters. The quoted expert there says the key is a consortium of community leaders as an essential action to boost a region's economy. Note the economy element. If you feel it is okay for the local or regional government to make the economy prosper, then you go about on these wild goose hunts. Some say it is all about the economy stupid. But, the government is NOT what I want to see as a driver to our region's prosperity and economy. Governement's role isn't to FIX the economy. That's where and why we've had a lot of failures. Our purpose and priorities are goofy. So, we look for keys that are just as goofy.

Downtown retail stinks. So, Mayor Murphy and the URA want to make a new downtown shopping mall. Make others give up their properties -- by starving the area of police and street sweepers. Then take what isn't sold with eminent domain if necessary. Then build a few shopping sites with tax abatements and grants. Government solutions to the rescue for a market place flutter. Then we have mounting failures on past failures. The poison in the system gets toxic. Then a TIF is needed to build in Shadyside for Giant Eagle (Lunar Square).

The other huge headache on my part that makes me different, "The successful consolidations are guided by civic elites." Gulp. The elites are the key -- for some. Not me.

All the king's horses and all the king's men can't fix Pittsburgh again. The effort here must go far beyond the lifting that is capable from the well-heeled ladies and gentlemen with 401Ks and prior corporate-welfare deals. The overlords and Elsie Hillman types are in over their heads here. They've driven the city into a deep ruts.

The professors concluded that civic leaders must clearly convey the same message that former President Bill Clinton did in his first campaign for the president: "It's the economy, stupid."

There is that quote. I'm ranting on the first read. How about that. But, that's wrongheaded. The government is NOT the best suited to fix the economy. It is stupid to do Lazarus deals. It is stupid to do Lord & Taylor deals. It is stupid to expect prosperity because we merge the city and county. The city is so broke it is stupid for the county to want these headaches. The County is busy putting out its own fires and it would be crushed if it had to absorb the debt of the city and the city's woes.

Civic leaders decided it had to stop. They looked for the cause. "They saw bickering between the city and county over planning and zoning and economic policy," said Thurmaier, who was hired, along with Leland, as a consultant there. "They decided if there were one government, there would be one economic development policy and plan," he said.

This makes for another scary theme.... merge to stop the bickering. Gosh. The elites don't like bickering. Here is an idea along the same lines. Only have one child, and then you'll never have siblings bicker. Let's make a law like they have in China. Just keep the first born and abort the other kids. Then we can all get along like never before. Duhh.

The loss of dissent isn't what we need. That is what got us into the mess at the outset. We need not only other opinions and ideas to shine and be considered -- democracy is messy. But, we need choices among our locations. Edgewood can flourish for decades while Wilkinsburg can rot as the later was full of corruption.

Give us one government and we're setting sail in one ark and choosing to go without any lifeboats. I want diversity. I don't want to force conformity.

These are great benchmark's of community and civic progress: Today, Kansas City community leaders point to several tangible examples of the unified government's success in economic development: construction of a $250 million NASCAR track, a 400-acre commercial development across the street, an indoor water park and a new minor-league baseball stadium.

Perhaps the problem in Des Moines should really be called a VICTORY for the citizens and a problem for the elites.

Merger supporters had hired a consultant -- redflag -- ELITE expert who knows best -- way better than the citizens in their own communities.

Seems like these voters in Des Moines were smart as the voters asked themselves if they wanted to lose their sovereignty for $2.5 million in efficiencies. Sixty-five percent said no in November. A vote in 1994 went the same way. How much is sovereignty worth? Ever hear of "Give me liberty or give me death?"

Many have paid and are still paying for their liberty with their lives. I don't want to forget nor minimize those advances. Those men and women don't lay down their lives because of unity in the economic development office nor new NASCAR tracks. The saga of failing to focus on economic development until too late is really a failure to focus on economic development at all.

This is a framing issue. Why frame a loss of sovereignty on econimic development at all? Because the elites have nothing else to stand upon.

Des Moines, saga had another problem. The proposal failed to win support from key civic leaders, including the Polk County sheriff, a former city councilman and a former state attorney general.

That list is very lame as to a lack of key civic leaders: sheriff, one former councilman and one former state attorney general. Perhaps, more than 60% of the people account for more than those three scapegoats.

There is a breath given to parks in the article. How about a feature article on significant annexation powers.

Pitt over rated -- not really. Rather, the Big East was over privileged.

Pitt went (or really is still) against a GREAT Utah team. But Pitt wasn't ever over rated. Pitt's ranking was always within the realm of what was accurate. Rather, Pitt got into the B.C.S. game and its New Year's Day date because of privilege. The victors of the Big East got this right. The right was earned by the Pitt squad. But, the Big East rode into that game based upon its reputation of by-gone years.

Pitt wasn't so lucky. It isn't luck to get matched with an undefeated team. It isn't lucky to take a slot that others craved and would have better hopes of playing toe to toe with the competition.

The Big East was lucky. And, Pitt was fortunate in that it gets a big payday.

I hate privilege and love being pragmatic. So, in an ideal world, Pitt would get to take a pass on the BCS Bowl slot, but somehow gets to keep its share of the income for that game. If I'm a wonk from the NCAA, Big East or even Pitt, I'm trying to make that type of co-op deal early in the get-a-long. It was a bad sign as the Big East was sicking the lawyers on BC (Boston College) and the others (Va Tech, etc.) trying to force intra-league glue and friendships.

I was happy to see Walt Harris get the opportunity to coach the game. I would have liked to have seen the new coach in an interview from the TV box, in person, at the Bowl game. Pitt's new coach was on the phone from South Florida. Keep him off the sideline, but he could have done hall duty at the hotel and operated a video camera.

My cousin is in Gainesville, and I bet they're psyched. The Gators are going to have a spunky swamp in the years to come -- with flea-flickers off of screen passes.

As the third quarter ends, I hope we might be wishing for "the slide" if it subtracts 5-minutes off of the game clock.

SI.com - Hooked on the Web & Truth be know about our kids.

In our family, our kids got new desks and computers for their major Christmas presents. But, there is an number of upsides to what this rant covers.

SI.com - Writers - Elliott: Hooked on the Web - Friday December 31, 2004 10:04AM I want to tell these kids idling for far too long for a seat at this keyboard to go read a book. I want to tell them to go outside, where the perfect sea is begging to be jumped in, frolicked near, or at least napped next to. Of course, these Christmas carols being piped in, complete with the requisite tin-drum atmosphere and at a volume some might find criminal, can be disorienting. I want to chat with just a couple, see if I can't get them outside in the warm sun, plop them down with a real page-turner -- surely the first book they'd have read purely for pleasure since Curious George a decade ago. Or, God forbid, I coax a couple of these pasty blobs into some consciously chosen exercise.

Two days ago both boys went to the doctor's office for annual check ups. Erik has grown beyond the height charts. And, he is lighter than a year ago. He lost weight. Doctor David was very happy.

Last winter, our Market House Rec Center was closed. Shut down. I have been on the Mayor's case like white on rice, but truth be known, my wife recently said that she was ready to ring his neck last year as Erik's fitness was so poor. This was due to the closed gym, no doubt.

Well, last winter I was also coaching. So, I was heading out to play with the varsity boys and girls swim teams at Fox Chapel Area High School while my guys were in baloon mode sitting at home.

This fall (2004) we played indoor soccer at the Market House for a 10-week term. The parents/boosters got the keys and re-organized the programs in our city owned facility. As the soccer season was closing, the boys and I dove head-long into a winter swim season at another suburban district. Beyond the lack of city implications, I am very, very please. The swim season and practices are going well. The other coaches, the team's friends and its leadership is fantastic. And, it shows with the boys.

Beyond the new desks (boards places on old file cabinets) and new computers for both boys, other gifts include new ice skates for Erik and a new helmet for Grant (who fits well into a pair of hand-me-down skates). My sons and my wife have been skating for hours on most holiday days at Schenley's outdoor rink. Great fun. They love it and began the activity last year with the closed Rec Center. But, that's more of an extra and not enough to really be the whole of a fitness program.

Anyone know what's up with South Park's rink? Not opened. Why? True?

The other plus to highlight within this linked-to-SI-rant, beyond a good game of NFL Football with John Madden, is the concept of the kids getting into the technology aspects of life. That points well to the concept of the proposed Youth Technology Summits -- still to hatch in this area.

THE NFL'S TOP FIVE (OR SIX) TEAMS, BECAUSE I SAID SO

1. PITTSBURGH (14-1): The sort of fan this team produces: My pal Devin Pedzwater called on his way from Heinz Field to the airport last Sunday, flush with visions of home-field throughout dancing through his addled brain. We spoke for 20 minutes. He has no memory of the conversation.

BTW, who's this Pgh dude named Devin?

Okay, I'll get my database snapping again and send this guy a campaign letter in the weeks to come.

Watershed Weekly

Pennsylvania Organization for Watersheds and Rivers (POWR) is soliciting articles for a new feature section in Watershed Weekly entitled "Grassroots Shoots". This section is dedicated to providing a voice to watershed organizations where their stories can be heard. If you have an article you'd like to submit please email the article to jcoutts -at- pawatersheds -dot- org . Please Note: POWR retains final editorial rights over all submitted articles.

Pennsylvania Organization For Watersheds and Rivers
610 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone (717) 234-7910 Fax (717) 234-7929
www.pawatersheds.org
Email: editor -at- pawatersheds -dot- org

KALEIL : The Heart of Entrepreneurship - Tools, Tips, Training and Traction

Here is a nice kit for those who really want to get into entrepreneurship. KALEIL : The Heart of Entrepreneurship - Tools, Tips, Training and Traction

I went to the Ron Morris class at DU and saw the movie and talk. As a former publisher, I was impressed with the kit.

Wrap up the blog archives for 2004 with this closer:

I am only one; but still I am one.
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.
I will not refuse to do the something I can do.

Helen Keller

Happy New Year -- ringing in 2005

Great weather for First Night -- so we go as a family. But, the kids and my sweetheart crack by 8:30 pm. Nuts. Oh well, back to the homestead. We'll have a later night to watch Pitt duke it out with the Utes in 24 hours.

Then James sends out some heavy mentions that I've got to ponder and share here:

The medium IS the message.

Journalism, nowadays, in addition to being largely a mouthpiece for the short-term elite corporate interests of the top 1% income bracket Americans, covers style, techniques and process more than substance. Issues are secondary to the mainstream media. It's hard to distinguish between the rhetoric of the coverage of a football game and almost any of the omnipresent television political "analyst" shows...

...political practices which favor the privileged over the underprivileged, liars over seekers of truth, authoritarian hustlers over those who struggle to help others, the unprincipled over the principled, and the mean-spirited over the kind-hearted. This is the legacy of the politics of deceit. It is a time of deep crisis for democracy and freedom...Vaclav Havel, Jan Patocka, and other Eastern European insurgents brought down their Soviet masters with far fewer resources than we have at our disposal."...

I'm generally quite amazed at what he digs up and sends to his blast list. I've asked him to be a running mate, but, he has his own thing brewing in his own style. Not much time for other techie hurdles. Understood.

The footnote to the above, I think, is The Politics of Deceit: Saving Freedom and Democracy from Extinction by Glenn W. Smith http://www.buzzflash.com/premiums/04/12/pre04091.html#order

As we floated around town tonight, we peeked into an ageless room sponsored by the Post-Gazette. Different trade show booths with each decade and places for comments with markers. In the 1990s board my wife wrote, "Got a Ph.D., got married, moved to Pittsburgh, purchased a house, had two kids." She reflected and said, 'that was a busy decade.'

Hope you have a safe time tonight. Let's get excited about 2005. I am now well rested from a nice week filled with naps. Lots to do in the weeks to come.

Turnaround Year for Pittsburgh? I say 2004 is but a churn-around year.

the turn-around year could be 2006, if we force the mayor to resign ASAP. Otherwise, we might be in churn mode. We can't churn and say we've been progressive or developed. We have to make real changes.

The Allegheny Institute released a policy statement at year end. Some of the more interesting points and reactions follow.

Workers in the City will pay a $52 Emergencies Services Tax (formerly the occupational privilege tax). Those earning less than $12,000 annually will be eligible for a $42 refund.

The for-profit business community will be subject to a new payroll tax that completely replaces the mercantile tax and significantly reduces the business privilege tax—which will be phased out in five years.

... Many trends in Pittsburgh that are tied to the City’s business and tax climate that are still very worrisome.

* Population decline in the City shows no sign of abating. The latest estimate for the City of Pittsburgh's population stood at 325,337 in July of 2003. This was down 2,600 from July of the previous year and over 9,000 since the 2000 Census.

* Decline in enrollment in the Pittsburgh Public Schools is to continue over the coming years.

* People working in the city are in decline.

* Office vacancy rates provide a strong indication of the economic vitality in the City. In 2001, Pittsburgh’s central business district vacancy rate stood at 13 percent. By 2002 the rate had risen to 17.2 percent and by the third quarter of 2004 had climbed to 18.1 percent. The national average in the third quarter of 2004 was 15.3 percent. Bear in mind that there has been no appreciable increase in Pittsburgh’s downtown office space that could have raised vacancy rates.

* Due to the decline in occupancy levels, rents are falling and the value of office buildings is dropping rapidly. Dominion Tower sold in 2000 for $82 million, the building is now listed at $53 million.

* The countywide taxes ... are growing at a negligible rate. Hotel/motel tax, Regional Asset District, Sales tax revenues ... remain flat.

The City needs to get spending and taxes down to sensible and sustainable levels. The 2005 budget stands at $425 million, or about $1,300 per resident. Per resident spending has grown too high and needs to come down dramatically. Aggressive outsourcing, privatization and merging services with the County are absolutely essential.

The City's authorities as part and parcel of a long-term slimmed down City. Mention has been made that the Stadium Authority may be the first to go. Others, such as the Urban Redevelopment Authority, should sell off assets and downsize, returning properties to the tax rolls and using proceeds from property sales to help the City pay off its debts.

Most appropriate would be an abandonment of the top-down government-driven economic development strategy that has been embraced here for far too long.

For a formatted version of this brief, please visit our website: http://www.alleghenyinstitute.org/briefs/vol4no48.pdf

Agree on the shift away from top-down styles and cutting the authorities. Nuke the Parking Authority, over time. Zap the stadium authority too. And make more democratic all the other authories -- as that injects lots of accountability.

Frankly, I think that the worst is yet to come. Our roads are sure to crumble. Our infrastructure is thin and frail. The mayor is still in office and 2006 budget is going to be worse.

A sell off of URA assets can drop the value out of all the decent properties still in the city. A rapid sell off would hurt us dearly.

We need to reform some of the taxes and the overall political landscape. Term limits, better debate inclusion, and real sustainable discussion, such as what the A.I. does, is needed to reach far and wide in our communities. The mind leads and the body follows. Frankly, I worry a lot when the PG just talks about beating Buffalo in terms of mergers. Too much hype of Louisville.

Let's talk about the deed transfer taxes. Let's start to put a pinch on the bond holders and the debt rates. Let's look further at the past corporate welfare deals and try to wiggle out of them as soon as possible. Lazarus is still eating our lunch. The place closed and we are still paying for it. We'll be paying for the Convention Center for a generation or two. We can't pay to have the place heated and lights on. But, is that part of FRIST NIGHT --- no!

We got a lot to do. Cutting a few more schools is not going to be the ticket to fixing the city.

FairVote-The Center for Voting and Democracy

FairVote-The Center for Voting and Democracy: "Become a democracy activist. Suggestions and encouragement for promoting full representation and instant runoff voting in your city and state."

We need more activist for democracy. Some, such as Jessie Jackson, are pushing for IRV = Instant Runoff Voting.

Buffalo is kicking our tail and I don't care!

If they want to jump off a bridge -- let em. I'm not going to follow in haste. This type of pressure doesn't work for me. Community connections take time.

If there's a merger race, Buffalo leads it: "The Republican county executive succeeded this year in forming a high-powered, 11-member committee that is scheduled to deliver a detailed city-county merger proposal in mid-January.

Another item that doesn't work for me -- nor for the region -- is the notion of a "high powered 11-member committee" that has been hand picked. We have these over lords. Un-inspired outcomes.

On the other hand, let's bring on the discussions. Let's let it all hang out and really give the conversation the respect it needs.

So, what do you have to say about the merger idea I floated in a 100-plus plan on May 1 for parks and recreation? http://DSL.CLOH.Org/v1

The PG has not given that one heartbeat of ink. I'm sure dozens of people there have read it. John Craig did too. But, they fumbled the ball in terms of the community conversation. Rather, they want an 11-member committee. They also endorsed Tom Murphy over and over again.

All this "METROVISIONS" stuff needs to look in our own backyard.

If the talk to come is about mergers in the midwest -- I bet they miss the part about Illinois and its PARK DISTRICT models. There isn't a need there to merge as they have a different set up from the get go.

And as for Cleveland -- why follow that mess? Cleveland was the envy of Pittsburgh. But when the Presidental tickets went to debate there the news was that Cleveland was the worst city in North America.

There is no ARMS RACE among the cities. What we need to do is make a "NEW NORTH." Their suffering is not our gain, unless you are talking about the NFL. But, life isn't about the NFL. That's a football game. That isn't how life works.

Rather, Cleveland needs to worry about Pittsburgh in terms of us building an under-river pair of tunnels to the North Side -- and burning millions of federal funds for no real benefits. They can help us save us from ourselves. And, we in turn could help them do the same. Financial folly here hurts them.

As for Pittsburgh's merger issues, look no further than the mayor. He is the road block. He could merge 911 services after years and years of efforts. To the rest of the world, it is a no-brianer. It makes sense to merge 911 services with the county but it was nearly impossible to do with Murphy at the helm. There is no way he can do anything with EMS or any other issue where real creativiity and problem solving is needed.

Pittsburgh can't heal itself with Murphy in the mayor's office. So, for now, it is time to wait or eject him. We don't need more damage with new solutions.

Murphy's best idea for the next merger solution is to give the ball to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy so they can take over a parking lot between the library buildings in Oakland to make a gateway to the park and a merry-go-round. Take away parking and income and give us something that's not needed or desired. No thanks.

Murphy's merger plan blueprint is called playing chicken. He starves and punishes into nothingness. The when the value evaporates, he gives it away. Look how he merged the Crossing Guards. That is no merger at all.

Meanwhile, what is even worse is the merger and metro plans of Bill Peduto. Murphy has taken apart the city by neglect. Others are out to destroy city life by design.

Think again.

What we need to do is pull ourselves up into a realm of functional positions of strength. We need to get our house in order. We need to engage in democracy and it is going to be an open, messy age of discussions. But we need to protect and increase the benefits and value of our assets -- not diminish them. And, after we get back onto our feet then we have some standing for merger talks.

As it is now, I'd not want to merge the city into the county. Understand, I'm in both a citizen of the city and the county. The dead weight of the city to hit the county is too much. I want the county to function for the long haul. If the county comes to take over the city, that task would tip the county to its death. Today, the county can't absorb the city. But, when the city gets its health back, and that can occur, then we can be partners in those merger talks. Then we can do it well and for the benefit of all parties.

The city needs to pull its own weight. After the city is functional again, then mergers are going to make sense.

Finally, this is why my solution in the position paper is so splendid. I don't call for a merger of Citiparks into the County Parks & Rec Department. No. That would be a wrongheaded solution. Rather, make a new Pittsburgh Park District. This would be a new entity. This takes the Citiparks plus the Coutny Parks and Rec plus the Pgh Public Schools for AFTERSCHOOL time and gives a new teamwork approach with new volunteers and new democracy. That new entity would be a benefit to all and not be a burden to one.

Don't TIF Deer Creek for another shopping mall

I hate TIFs. I would put an end to them in the city if I'm elected mayor. I'd help to re-write new rules for TIFs in Harrisburg if elected to the PA Senate.

TIFs (Tax Increment Finance) are deals that were used to great measure by the creative and visionary Tom Murphy in Pittsburgh. They got us new retail at the expense of old retail. They churn developement, and that isn't real development. And, as the churn occurs, the one's who build get to pay less in taxes. Then the loosers who lost out leave and pay less in taxes. So, we're stuck with new low-paying tax avoiders and empty buildings elsewhere in a serious decline.

This TIF effort is all about 'corporate welfare.' Any progressive city or progressive politician should be against corporate welfare. However, in Pittsburgh we've got corporate welfare deals going to Giant Eagle, going to Lunar Square in Shadyside, going to places where the marketplace should be doing deals alone.

Bill Peduto has never met a corporate welfare deal he has not embraced. Bill Peduto calls himself progressive. I call that ineffective. Some think Bill is going to be like Murphy light. I think it is more like Murphy HEAVY.

If you want to join with me and others to fight against a TIF, for whatever your reasons, an opportunity is knocking.

Help protect Deer Creek, one of Allegheny County’s best trout and bass streams, and a possible site for a new mall, with tax favors.

PennFuture has represented and assisted local residents opposed to the proposed Deer Creek Crossing shopping mall development since its inception, including a long court battle to demand the current amendment process. On at 6 pm on Wednesday, January 5, 2005, Allegheny County residents can give public comment for or against a tax-increment financing (TIF) plan that would clear the way for the mall.

TIFs are supposed to be used for blighted (mostly urban) areas only. Please take action to protect this undeveloped green space, stream, and surrounding wetlands.

Attend the hearing, and sign up to speak by contacting County Clerk John Mascio at JMascio@county.allegheny.pa.us or at 412-350-6495 no later than noon, January 4, 2005. Each speaker gets up to five minutes.

Allegheny County’s Office of Economic Development will make a presentation of the existing Deer Creek Crossing project in Harmar Township, Allegheny County, with proposed amendments by the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County at the hearing. There will also be opportunities for comments by the other taxing bodies (Allegheny Valley School District and Harmar Township) and by the proposed developer that will be participating in the tax-increment financing plan.

The hearing allows for comments on tax-increment financing, and on the Deer Creek TIF in particular.

Local residents, PennFuture and other organizations including the Sierra Club, Tri-County Trout Club, Clean Water Action, Pennsylvania Environmental Council and the Rachel Carson Council have been opposing the project for more than four years. Deer Creek is one of Allegheny County’s best (and perhaps only) trout and high-quality bass streams, and the network of habitats supporting and supported by it, including nearly six acres of wetlands, will be replaced by 200 acres of parking lots and buildings. The plans for the mall, even as revised, will eliminate the riparian zone (the vegetated, forested areas bordering the streams), confine the stream to a deep, narrow valley; produce large amounts of runoff from the parking lots (containing many contaminants); and remove productive habitat by creating several culverts. The results, at the very least, will reduce Deer Creek to an average or below average urban stream, with little quality or function.

Tax-increment financing (TIF) is a form of public subsidy intended for blighted, previously-developed areas. TIFs are quite simply not appropriate or meant to be applied to green, undeveloped areas. This development will draw jobs and businesses away from existing developments, resulting in no net increase in tax revenues or jobs, and creating blight elsewhere. Allegheny County cannot continue to subsidize retail developments on our last, best green spaces.

Public Hearing is slated for 6 pm on Wednesday, January 5, 2005, at the Allegheny County Courthouse, 435 Grant Street, 4th Floor, Gold Room, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219.

To contact members of County Council to voice your concerns, visit http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/council/members.asp.

For more information, contact Heather Sage, Outreach Coordinator for PennFuture, at 412-258-6681 or sage - at - pennfuture - dot - org.

Don't take your Christmas tree to the landfill.

Two recycling options:

Don't take your Christmas tree to the landfill! Union Project will accept your old tree (even if you didn't buy it there) at the Union Project building between Saturday January 1 and Saturday, January 8. Please place your tree in the side yard in the area that has been designated for Christmas tree drop-off. Union Project members and volunteers will turn your tree into mulch for the Union Project flower beds from 12-4 pm on Saturday, January 8. If you'd like to volunteer to help mulch the trees contact justin - at - unionproject.org.

Please DO NOT BRING YOUR TREE AFTER JANUARY 8.

Christmas tree recycling collection on Saturday, January 8, 2005 from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Construction Junction, 214 N. Lexington Street, Point Breeze section of Pittsburgh.

‘Tis the season for good deeds and good treats—and the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) can help with the good deed part. At the close of this holiday season, don’t send your tree to the landfill, where it will take up valuable space. Instead, bring it to Construction Junction for a second use.

PRC, the City of Pittsburgh, and Construction Junction, in cooperation with Emery Tree Service, are hosting a Christmas tree drop-off on Saturday, January 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. During that timeframe, individuals are welcome to drop off their real Christmas trees for a $1 fee per tree. Emery Tree Service will recycle all of the trees into mulch. PRC will also accept old phone books for recycling at no charge that day. The Christmas trees must be free of ornaments and loose or tied with a string when dropped off. Absolutely no trees in plastic bags will be accepted.

Additionally, PRC needs help unloading trees from vehicles and directing traffic in Construction Junction’s parking lot. Volunteers will stay warm with cups of hot cocoa; the Square Café will provide lunch for everyone. All volunteers will receive a coupon for one free hour of kayaking this spring, courtesy of Kayak Pittsburgh. According to the National Christmas Tree Association, approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees are sold in North America every year. For every Christmas tree harvested, 2 to 3 seedlings are planted in its place the following spring. Help PRC keep these trees out of the landfill—recycle them. Call PRC at (412) 431-4449 ext. 243 or visit www.prc.org for more information.

Duquesne Light and Downtown Living Initiative to Illuminate Building Facades Along Penn Avenue Corridor

This story and project is a glowing example of our wrongheaded embace of bricks and mortar solutions. Putting a bath of new lights onto a block or two of downtown buildings is all about the hardware end of the spectrum -- not the software side of life. I think we need to get away from the focus on the buildings and instead give a priority to the programming, the software, the network, the human elements and the thoughtful components.

Furthermore, this solution is costly. How much? How much to install? How much to maintain? Where is the mention of money? I have no problems with making an investment. And, I have no problem with allowing the foolish to burn their own money and keep control of their own property rights. I'm just flexing my right to speak up and call em as I see em.

But, then again, who voted on this effort? Who owns the public company? Who pays the rates to this power company? Who has to deal with the economic and enviro waves it is to make? Who benefits?

This isn't the first time I'm called into question the efforts of Duquesne Light. A couple of years ago the company thought it a top priority to light up the bridge over the Allegheny River. I made light of the fact that the same money might be better spent if it was invested into math teachers for our 9th graders who were failing algebra. I'd rather have a dozen teaching specialist to tudor, give night classes, assign and check homework, and advance scholorship rather than light a rusting steel expanse in the night sky.

Don't you take great pride in those lighted bridges? I'm sure many hear the claim that their new neighbors have moved to the city despite the 65% failure rate in 9th grade algebra just to soak in the post-card landscapes of our bridges built in the 1930s and 40s.

Since Duquesne Light does lights, and not math tudors, perhaps they would find it more to their mission for the funding of a Vo Tech program. Or, if you gotta have illumination, why not light some ballfields, if not PNC Park for local kid's to use. The bill to hold the city's little league championship games at PNC Park is $7k per year. That's paid out of the Citipark budget.

Duquesne Light and Downtown Living Initiative to Illuminate Building Facades Along Penn Avenue Corridor: "The premier begins with remarks from Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy at 7 p.m. in front of 940 Penn Avenue. J. Kevin McMahon, president and chief executive officer of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, which hosts the First Night celebration, and Morgan K. O'Brien, president and chief executive officer of Duquesne Light, will join him to inaugurate the facade lighting program. Their remarks will be followed by a spectacular laser-light show, which will course up and down the two-block area of Penn Avenue.

'This is just one in a series of public lighting projects Duquesne Light has initiated to help foster a strong, safe and vibrant downtown,' said O'Brien. 'We believe that a healthy downtown is critical to the overall economic well-being of the region, and we are proud to be a part of such a unique project.'"

(More of the press clip is reposted in the comments section.)

City paper ink

"Perennial candidate Mark Rauterkus already owns his dot-com.

The City Paper, alternative, gratis, news weekly, did an article (page 10, Dec. 29, 2004) with the headline, For Stronger Elections -- Mayor candidate haven't declared, but they're snagging Web sites.

You can watch, as I'll open up Elect.Rauterkus.com in the future. Of course I'll yap about it here first.

What's more interesting is Julie M's New Year's Eve party. Perhaps I'll try to bring something there.

I also think some of the comments at some of the other blogs are very telling, IMNSHO. I'll post them in the comments section, FYI, FWIW.

Home fix up. Hired the pros and are very happy.

The new tub and walls are so white. They make the rest of the house look very old, as it is. 

This old house meets BATH FITTERS

Our old bathroom walls had some leaks. They were removed and made ready for a new tub liner. The old tub stayed, but it was covered with a new form-fitted outside cover. 

PG Letters to the editor hits solid points

Love it when two letters in the same day hit home splendid points. Better to use the words of others for extra leverage when I can:

PG Letters: 12/29/04 Thank Mayor Murphy? He brought down the city I thought I'd seen everything in the PG's opinion section, but Elsie Hillman's praise of Mayor Tom Murphy on Friday was nothing short of bizarre ('Thank You, Tom Murphy: Despite Some Painful Years, This Mayor Has Served Our City Well,' Dec. 24 Perspectives)! Mrs. Hillman (pseudo-Republican that she is) must have had a bit too much Christmas cheer, or she has been secluded for so long (except for appearances in the Seen column) that a primer/re-education is needed regarding Pittsburgh's desperate situation.

My former hometown has gone into freefall mainly due to Mayor Murphy's totally inept leadership. I agree with Mrs. Hillman that Mayor Murphy is an honest man -- but without a clue.

Since a Democrat has the only chance of being mayor for the next 30 years or so, here's my plan: Mrs. Hillman should throw some of her vast fortune into helping bail out Pittsburgh, and Dan Onorato (the only Democrat in Allegheny County government with any sense) deserves a chance to go up against the entrenched policies of the ruling party.

Good luck, Mr. Onorato; you're going to need it!

CAL KANE Butler

Mayor Tom Murphy's recent announcement that he will not run for re-election ('Murphy Won't Seek 4th Term,' Dec. 22) should signal Pittsburgh residents to take a stronger role in local politics.

Pittsburgh is best known for its institutions, and it goes unrecognized that rugged individualism has been obliterated through lost jobs, lost family-owned business and lost representation for the unaffiliated person. The relationships among big business and local politics have resulted in socio-economic disaster.

The best strategy for economic and cultural growth in Pittsburgh is to re-introduce manufacturing to the region in the form of independent tradesmanship.

BRUCE REISNER, North Side

Mrs. Hillman being called a pseudo-Republican fits. Cluelessness is also on the mark.

Rich Lord of City Paper asked, off line, so I answer.

Here is a telegraph, pals:

For planning purposes, can you tell me whether you're leaning toward running for mayor, or state Senate ... or something else? And if you're not planning to run for mayor, do you know who anyone in your former party who is?

RICHARD LORD, Pittsburgh City Paper

Hi Rich,

I'm running for the State Senate -- now. I'm on the ballot. Tonight I'll be going to the DU at RMU hoops game. While at the game, a theme is to seek others to run for office too. Both DU and RMU are in the PA Senate 42nd District, FWIW.

I want the State Senate election to be May 17 to save $200k. But, if it was held in March or April, as is the custom, 60-75 days, (Jan 18 start), then I'd be able to be more visible and more active for the May 17 primary as the State Senate race would have concluded.

If I win the state senate seat -- I don't expect I'll run for Mayor.

Should I win the special election, I'd be the lone Libertarian in either chamber. That would be an important role and would mean I'd pull out of the Mayor's race general election.

I'm asking GOPers to NOT put anyone on the ballot. A candidate for mayor can backfire. Run good races for other posts. Rather, they can vote for me as a write-in in the primary (that message comes later). Then my network can join with theirs. We win in the community by addition.

I'll be making calls to the city voters shortly.

Other moves on ballot access for Nov are being considered. To appear on three slots (Indie, Libertarian and GOPer) would be an eye opener.

The Platform.For-Pgh.Org is getting more attention and will be suitable for others to use as well -- from State Senate to Mayor to city council and such.

By the way, as a look ahead, I'll be helping my wife, still a GOPer, help Gene Ricciardi get onto the ballot for District Magistrate on the GOP side. That will be action to take root in early January.

Call me if you want more insights or quotes.

Pittsburgh's embattled mayor keeps quiet, wins support for recovery plan

PG review / coverage The mayor would have to shut up.

'Every day [aides] would remind me not to put my foot in my mouth,' Murphy said recently, laughing at the memory. 'The effort was to stay on message and not have me get people mad.'

The strategy worked when the state Legislature approved the Pittsburgh budget package Nov. 21. It was great news for city government, which was facing bankruptcy in early 2005, but there wasn't exactly a victory parade down Fifth Avenue at the news.

To say the strategy worked is to say Pittsburgh is business friendly -- or -- why not say the Penguins are in first place and we're a city of champions again.

The effort from those aids should have been leveraged to get Murphy to resign. We don't need a leader to zip up for top performances.

In life all moves are either to protect equity or to gain equity. It is offense or defense. So, our city is going down the drain, we are running out of money, we are full of outward migration, our kids are shooting each other --- and the best we can do is sit with a buttoned trap.

Murphy isn't good at playing defense. He isn't good at playing offense either, as his agenda has been a proven failure. And, when he can't play well in either role, the best we can hope for is for him to remove himself and take it to the sideline. That is what should have and still needs to occur.

This is no memory to laugh about and reflect upon as history. This year, 2005, we stay in neutral and keep the back slide in high gear.

Then, what is this bit about Murphy was bluffing? I assume you are talking about his actions in 2000, 2001, 2002. The swim pool closed -- many for good. The kids didn't play baseball. The rec centers still are NOT open. What bluff is that? Is he still pulling the wool over your eyes? Let's not be at odds with the truth. Let's not re-write history so soon and with such absurd stances.

The mayor is still bluffing every second he sits in the Mayor's office. So, perhaps the bluffing from Murphy still in high gear. He isn't leading this city. He hasn't done so in years.

It is one thing to be the one to bluff. It is another to be the one to fall for the bluffing and promote it as reality. Murphy can't be blamed for bluffing as that is all he has left in his inventory. But, those who churn the ink and paper and subscribers with tall tales of the new wardrobe of the old emperor are hardly selling soap.

Pennsylvania's big-city mayors have trouble with the law

Pennsylvania's big-city mayors have trouble with the law: "'It's their method of governing,' Saidel said, lumping ethical shortcomings, prickly personality and other factors under the umbrella of governing style.

'I think old habits die hard,' he said.

This is a hoot, IMNSHO.

Bill Green is looking for a mayor like Rendell. He wants man to meet city to meet job. He wants to see a certain personna and bank-roll justifications. Duhh.

Rendell isn't in trouble in Phili as they have term limits. Same too for Murphy. He should have taken a hike after eight years. The writting was on the wall. I saw it then. Green didn't.

The media --- like Bill Green --- help by sustaining the agony of these situations. John Wayne types are sure to find a sniffling Bill Green in a puckering position.

I heard Lynn Swann might be at the mall next week, sickem Bill sickem. Atta boy.

And, what is sure to reverse this "amazing coincidence" trend is either ego-centric politicians who agree to serve one term and run elsewhere. Or, a new breed of gentlemen, scholar, servants who can dance among the people. And, please, let me be complete and qualify this second half by one more major distinction. The gentlemen part needs few other modifiers if it began with a woman.

How many jag-offs in office in trouble are female?

A women wouldn't make those same mistakes. But moreover, most are smart enough to not step into these messy situations at the outset.

Next mayor must run with ball

PittsburghLIVE.com: "Al Neri, editor of The Insider, a statewide political newsletter, said the perfect candidate will have to persuade voters that he or she is 'a different animal from Murphy and an agent of change for the better.'

An 'anti-Murphy,' Neri said.

Bingo! That fits me.

Knocking on doors, being able to be reached, holding and going to lots of community meetings --- are descriptions of what I'm about too.

'Mayor Murphy developed this whole administrative blockade so the average person in the community could not go to the mayor,' said Mary Ellen Hayden, lead organizer for the local chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. 'It totally lifted the mayor up and away from the people, made him inaccessible.'

Murphy put up walls to protect himself as he couldn't rumble. He knew democracy was messy and he wanted to take the easy pathway with corporate welfare. It is easy to pick up the phone and talk to Rooney or talk to the Alcoa executive. It is hard to talk with the congregation of a church or twenty merchants along Fifth & Forbes.

Voters next year are going to want someone more like them to lead their city, political analysts say. -- Well, that's me in most instances. While I don't have season tickets, I do it one better. I've been know to be a vendor at the games and get in for free. I helped my Uncle Joe for a season or two, "Get your official, game day, souvenier, programs."

Hello: Voters still want a brainy leader, but one with the common touch. A Pittsburgh populist, in other words.

Have you been introduced to the campaign slogan, "We the people?"

Voters are saying: "Let's modernize Pittsburgh, but do it like a Pittsburgher does it," said John Verbanac, chairman of NeriVerbanac Public Affairs, which specializes in political issues. "They want a person who is a Pittsburgher, who understands our uniqueness and who can apply modern solutions and changes to who we are."

Right on.

Because the next mayor will need to answer to the oversight boards, and will have fewer resources, we can choose to pick a leader who has no intention of doing corporate welfare deals (there is no money anyway). I won't need to be sorry and make excuses to those seeking handouts. Plus, we'll be able to have the experienced oversight lords to lean upon on making the budget and finances tick. They'll be calling the shots anyway. And, we'll want someone who can get into the parks, get into play with the kids, get into volunteerism, get into sports and cheerleading and coaching and literacy.

We have toys here to play with among ourselves. We can make this place fun -- without building a downtown mall. I want to work with coaches, leagues, fields and families. That's the type of cheerleading we need.

A candidate will have to show he or she can deal with all that without being consumed by it. A viable candidate will be upbeat, a cheerleader who will lay out a program that excites residents about getting more involved in improving neighborhoods and solving problems.

Problem solving is about being creative and then being able to communicate. Plus, the communication goes in mini-cycles, not one-way.

"We could use a nice person with brain power," said Joseph Sabino Mistick....

I think that the "being nice" part is a little out of focus yet with JSM's comments. Murphy was too nice when it came to management of the city's contracts. He was too sweet with the corporate welfare. He was soft when he needed to be hard and hard when he needed to be soft. Personally, I'm not "nice" all the time. I'm hard in some instances. I'll be nice when I tell you -- you are off the team or your job is going to go to this other person because you're not doing what needs to be done. But, that isn't so nice. We need boldness. We need respect. We need tough-love. We need a coach -- Ditka like. We can cheer, but we can be down in the pit too and riding your back for another 10 reps or another set or more attention to detail.

When I expect this level of intensity, fair play, kindness, scholarship and effort from myself and my friends, then the same can be demanded from others that work with the system, operate in the neighborhoods and choose to live here and engage with our services.

It is about sincere respect. I treasure the worth and dignity of everyone. This includes the kids. Yes, kids, as in non-voters. And, those in the suburban reaches -- another non-voter population. Mayor Murphy has little respect for dissent and for the real treasures of Pittsburgh -- its people and its network of relationships.

Happy Boxing Day

American Gridiron takes center stage on Boxing Day in Pittsburgh. Our gang is also going to the see The Nutcracker.

Letters to the sports editor: 12/25/04

Double yoi and merry good cheer to both letters.

Letters to the sports editor: 12/25/04 Pitt needs atmosphere adjustment

The decline of the Pitt football program starts in its own back yard. Pitt needs to get away from Heinz field. The college atmosphere does not exist there and most students have no interest in traveling on a bus or cab to or from a home game. College football is all about students tailgating and giving their team an added advantage of the 12th man. Therefore, recruiting a high school superstar becomes a difficult sale. Find a way to bring football back to Oakland.

GLENN HERNON, Shaler

Bring back script 'Pitt'

Now that Walt Harris' departure is confirmed, the door has closed on the rebuilding era of former athletic director Steve Peterson. Maybe Pitt can look back to its glorious roots and return something Pitt faithful have missed for a long time (No, not Pitt Stadium): the script 'Pitt' logo on the side of the helmets. It was in place for many years, and it's time for the heritage of Tony Dorsett, Bill Fralic and Dan Marino to return to Pitt's helmets.

FRANCESCO ROSATO, Brookline

Welcome Home Dave!

Hi Coach! Welcome home.

We'll have to get you and your wife new voter's registration forms soon. If you are going to return to Baldwin, you'll be able to vote for me in the special election for State Senate.

Merry Christmas

Hope you and yours have had been having a wonderful time at Christmas. Things are great in our home, but a bit slow on the blog. That's good news.

At our Christmas service lots of folks were asking me what I was going to do with myself now that Tom Murphy has said he wasn't going to run.

The short answer is to make sure that the next mayor isn't worse than the one we've had. And, frankly, that is a real concern. Twice in the past the Pittsburgh voters picked Tom Murphy over Bob O'Connor. Ever consider the option that Bob could have been worse?

Oh well, there will be plenty to do in 2005. And, it can wait for a few days.

Peace. Hope. Charity. And, stay warm.

Cleveland.com is kicking our high tech tails

cleveland.com: Weblogs
1. Taipei, Tawain
2. Spokane, Washington, USA
3. Toronto, Canada
4. Dubai, United Arab Emirates
5. Mitaka, Japan
6. Pirai, Brazil
7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
8. Tianjin, China
9. Singapore (1999 Intelligent Community of the Year)
10. Sunderland, U.K.
11. Long Island (Nassau & Suffolk Counties), NY, USA
12. Province of Ontario, Canada
13. Greater Cleveland and NE Ohio, USA
14. Calgary, Alberta, Canada (2002 Co-Recipient of the Intelligent Community of the Year)
15. Dublin, Ireland
16. Spanish Fork, Utah, USA
17. London, England, U.K.
18. Issy-les-Molineaux, France

Brief - Ink in the Trib about candidate for 42nd

PittsburghLIVE.com: South Side

Rauterkus seeking Wagner's empty post

Mark Rauterkus, 45, of the South Side, will run as a Libertarian Party candidate for the state Senate seat being vacated by Jack Wagner.

Rauterkus, a swimming coach, was nominated last week by the Allegheny County Libertarian Party as its candidate in the race to complete Wagner's term in the 42nd Senate District. Rauterkus ran unsuccessfully for Pittsburgh mayor as a Republican in 2001.

Wagner, a Democrat from Beechview, was elected state auditor general on Nov. 2 and is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 18. A successor will be chosen in a special election to fill the nearly two years remaining on Wagner's term, which expires at the end of 2006. The date of the special election will be set after Wagner resigns from the Senate post.

What's Tom Cox saying here?

Can someone please translate this for me?

Murphy's out - PittsburghLIVE.com: "'Over time, people will come to understand what happened here,' said Tom Cox, Murphy's top lieutenant. 'There is brick and mortar, if anybody will see it. The objective legacy is palpable.'"

Editorial: Board and coverage was hitched to Murphy

Editorial: Murphy's limit / Pittsburgh's mayor decides to call it a career: "In the city's hour of desperation, it was hard to find any good will toward Tom Murphy from suburban lawmakers, some Democrats included.

That, if nothing else, was a sign that Pittsburgh needed a new mayor.

Two weeks ago, this editorial board said as much and we also said that candidates with fresh perspective, even from the Republican Party in a city dominated by Democrats, should step forward with their plans for the future. Now that the incumbent has decided not to run, those ideas will get a more thorough airing."

My expression, said thousands of times has been: "Pittsburgh needs a new mayor more than I need to be mayor." Finally, the sign of needing a new mayor get home to those at the PG.

We'll see how the treatment goes to candidates with fresh perspectives. The double talk is obvious in the mention above. Why not just say that the editorial board will be open minded to candidates and don't rub the readers in the nose with the city dominated by Rebublicans swipe?

Thomas Baker for School Board

Tom is a candidate for school board. Site just launched. Go get em!

Thomas Baker for School Board: "I will provide parents and students within District 5 with electronic newsletters monthly so that they can remain in touch with what is taking place in the school district and provide direct feedback to their school board representative"

The Middlebury Declaration

Middlebury is very near and dear to our family. Our Cameron is there as a sophomore. And, the Palmer family has many ties to the school and community.
http://www.vermontrepublic.org/writings/middleburydeclaration.html

The Second Republic, Journal of Vermont Independence

Naylor on Vermont, George Bush and Secession, from the Vermont Cynic.

Vermont Independence Day Petition.

New Hampshire Free State Project

South Side Summer Street Spectacular STOPS

Local news is reporting the death of the SSSSS.

I thought we all knew that this event was toast.

Last year the event organizers were tickled because their event rose in the standings. The event became the third largest annual gathering in the city, up from forth. I think. The pulling the plug on the Regatta lifted the ranking. Big deal.

A possible replacement is the South Side Spring Sports Saturday! Pitt's spring football game could be played on a Saturday at South Vo Tech with a parade from the UPMC Sports Complex to the staduim, tailgates, and a big blending of campus and community.

Murphy won't run

Our marathon running mayor won't run in either the Pittsburgh Marathon -- cancelled due to a lack of funds -- nor the 2005 mayor's race. He said today, as he signed the 2005 budget, that he won't be running for mayor. Tom Murphy is finishing his third term.

I was wondering about the turnout to his Christmas Party this year. Generally it is a big festive afair on the North Side. Didn't hear a peep about it this season. But, I never get an invite so I might have missed it. Anyone know?

An upsdide to not holding a 2005 marathon is the embarasment avoidance. Lots of injuries, blown knees and ankles sprains are sure to be avoided along the course. The sum of the city's road re-paving budget enables a scant 4-miles of pavement coverage for the duration of 2005. That sad fact is part of the budget the mayor signed today as well.

The city is about to crumble. The capital budget for 2005 stands at $0. Most of the rec centers and swim pools are staying closed.

More people left Pittsburgh while Tom Murphy was mayor than voted for him to continue being our mayor.

Voice of the Region uses "Think Again"

A quarter page ad in today's trib, page A4, uses the expression, "Think Again."

Headline: Think Your Opinion Doesn't Matter? Think Again.
Help Chage our Region by Givein Us A Piece of Your Mind.

The campaign and web site is by Mampos Inc. in partnership with the Pgh Tribune Review.

http://www.voiceoftheregion.com.

These folks also did a lame undecided voters market research thing after one of the presidential debates. Only "undecided voters" were invited. Then they ran the discussion on the radio. I called it lame because all the candidates on the ballot were not in the debates. To build a case after only some of the evidence is presented is faulty. And, to build a decision with a flock of those who are wishy-washy by choice is sure to a cheap investment of one's time.

Gratis read on Linux from IBM about desktop migration

IBM released a new Redbook: Linux Client Migration Cookbook -- A Practical Planning and Implementation Guide for Migrating to Desktop Linux.
Among the most interesting topics which are focused on the desktop deployment and technology are the chapters about "Migration best practices" and "Desktop automation and scripting".

http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/sg246380.html

Libertarian Party: Home Page

Libertarian Party: Home Page Libertarian to run for Pennsylvania Senate in special election.

http://lp.org/lpnews/0502/rauterkus.html

Phili wine friends: What are you doing New Year's Eve?

See the comments to learn what's up with singer, songwritter friend, Dave Nachmanoff.

DC's convention center lasted 22 years

Boom! Poof! Another churn and burn in 22-seconds. Film at 11.

DC got good ink and props for not blinking to the pressure from Major League Baseball. But, it gets a new parking lot on the site of its old as dirt convention center. Yep, the new one is already built. At least they didn't take down the one before the other was built.

Interesting sprawl fact: 20-new miles of roads for mall

Montour Record Robinson Planning Director Rick Urbano said the township will have to take over responsibility for 20 miles of new public roads connected to the Mall at Robinson.

Meanwhile, in the city, in 2005, we expect to be able to repave a total of four miles of roads. That's the extent of the paving budget.

West Allegheny Record reports on new park next to a school

West Allegheny Record One of the main focal points of the site will be the 1,000-seat amphitheater.

Parks such as this add value to the community and to the home owners. This seems to be a place for interactions, coaching, gatherings.

Meanwhile, some would like to remove the bandstand and stage from Point State Park.

River boss and overlord to vacate

Another one bites the dust.

River boss - PittsburghLIVE.com: "John G. Craig Jr., who stepped down as co-chair of the Riverlife Task Force, epitomizes the 'fatal conceit' of self-appointed leaders who presume to know what's best for everyone.

Some of the region's best and brightest citizens serve on the task force, formed in 1999 by the Murphy administration to create a 'grand, urban-scale park along the three rivers in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh.'

Craig, appointed by his good friend Mayor Murphy, gave voice to that fatal conceit when he told a reporter the task force was a sort of 'moral authority' over developers of projects along the rivers.

However, this former newspaper editor did not cite a source indicating who gave the organization that so-called moral authority, or how Craig even was qualified to determine or guide the proper use of anything. "

Murphy's mess

Murphy's mess by the biased Joseph Mistick

Should have blogged about this a week ago. We do need more perspective in these matters. But, Mistick's folly is part of the mess too. Murphy has put the pedal to the medal and drove the city over the brink. But, the funding for the corporate land speculation had already started. Oh well. Now we're all on the same side, I assume. But, I'm not going to assert much more than an assumption, yet.

Gambling & greed: Joined at the hip

Editorial from PittsburghLIVE.com

Fox Chapel hopes to remain competitive in Class AAA

Go Foxes!

Fox Chapel hopes to remain competitive in Class AAA - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Fox Chapel's swim teams were among the best in the WPIAL last season.

The boys finished fifth in the Class AAA meet, and the girls were seventh.

Inheriting two teams that were in the top 10 in the WPIAL is not a bad situation for new head coach Todd Clark.

'It's always nice to have them know what being successful is like in advance,' Clark said. "

Last year I was the head coach of the varsity swim teams. This year, I'm having a lot of fun coaching my kids in the pool in another suburban location.

It is good to see in Fox Chapel the team with the same coach for both the club and varsity programs. Furthermore, it is great to see coaches from last year still on the staff this season. The Foxes should be able to climb higher in the standings in the years to come. I hope to get to one of the meets this year as a spectator.

City of Pittsburgh schools' magnet program slots are filled

The demand at these schools exceed the supply.

City of Pittsburgh schools' magnet program slots are filled Liberty Elementary, Homewood Montessori, Pittsburgh Classical Academy, Sterrett Classical Academy, Frick International Studies Academy, Liberty Elementary, Perry Traditional Academy and Allderdice High School.

Roddey to bail, not bail out

PG: Roddey plans to quit city oversight board Asked in July why Pittsburgh's government should not have direct access to those gambling funds like other communities, Roddey's answer was, 'Because all the other communities aren't as screwed up.' ... Later he went off on council members who spent thousands of dollars on books, picture frames and other miscellaneous items even while the city was facing bankruptcy. ... Council had 'no intention of changing the way they operate, and have no appreciation for the crisis the city is under ... They don't get it. They simply don't understand what it means to be frugal,' Roddey said in October."

Meanwhile, our Gov, Fast Eddie, shows how he is like the others doing too little too late. "Rendell said yesterday that he plans to submit legislation next year expanding the board to seven members, which he said would make the board more diverse. Board members are currently all white males."

As for Mr. Roddey, it is hard to call him a critic of Tom Murphy. Roddey was no critic of Tom Murphy in 2001. One can only wonder how much of a help or hinder he'll be in 2005 when it comes to protecting the machine in the city. Time will tell.
Finally, I think it is sad to hear that another on the board is talking about putting external pressure on Mr. Roddey. What is that about?

Hens-Greco for Judge site goes live

Hens-Greco for Judge: Introduction: "I am a candidate for Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County."

SEA bets on $2 M in revenue from slots

These guys are still drunk on the expected slots incomes. Now the move is to prop up the SEA (Sports & Exibition Authority) Budget. They are with a $2-million hole. Rather than doing the right thing and making a balanced budget, as hired to do, they wish upon a star.

Logan is generally a strong critic of Mayor Tom Murphy. However, in this move, he seems to be doing the same things Murphy did with the 2003 drink tax.

SEA bets on $2 M in revenue - PittsburghLIVE.com: "
There are ways state gambling overseers could raise money before slots revenue starts rolling in, said state Sen. Sean Logan, D-Monroeville, an SEA board member.

Other state agencies, he said, borrow money against future revenue, including the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which pledges future toll revenue to borrow money.

'It's not like the Gaming Control Board, if they choose to do that, would be breaking new ground,' Logan said. "

The SEA needs to build a hotel. This slots money doesn't go to that purpose. Perhaps the size of the white elephant known as the convention center will be a story in 2005 or 2006? We've got a big sink on our hands. We're taking hoped for money to plug up operational holes for things that are to supply our economy with robust fuel. This is rolling out of control in reverse. And, if Logan is part of the new guard -- we are in deep, deep trouble.

Christmas letter, 2004

All on Earth can all take credit for another trip around the sun. Hope yours was exciting, joyful, peaceful, or whatever you wanted it to be. Our trip around the sun had some extra zig-zags around the planet as well.

We're thankful for many things and find that we don’t say “thank you” often enough. Consider this holiday letter as a thank you as you've touched our lives in special ways this year.

We are thankful for:

Beautiful places and splendor magisty as witnessed on a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The family soaked up one of the most beautiful places and the boys and I spending several days in Yellowstone. Amazing – bison, moose, eagles, elk. Grant went over the edge of the raft to cool his head and dunked into the Snake River. Snatched back into the boat by quick hands, Grant was the only one all season to topple out of a raft. Later with mom, the boys took their first horseback ride – up into the Rockies. They look great in their cowboy hats.

Catherine took both boys to Arizona for a weekend adventure that included horseback riding and lots of cactus.

DC trips have been fun. Catherine is planning the American Academy of Audiology 2005 convention. One adventure included meeting Congressmen, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Globetrotters.

Two trips to Chicago. One included a fun visit with Meryl and family. Thanks for the hospitality everywhere.

Catherine was awarded the Pennsylvania Academy of Audiology honors. (Many thanks. Humbled by this.)

Catherine made a productive writing trip to Nashville. We've become country western fans and particularly enjoy singing “It’s only Monday Mr. Mom.”

An adventure in Vermont that included a wonderful family visit with nephew Cameron at Middlebury College and sugar on ice.

Erik got a $500 prize for the best essay for Black History Month in his age group in the city.

Many wonderful winter days ice skating.

Another great ski/snowboard/sledding weekend at Margie’s Hidden Valley House.

Another caring year being involved in our church community. Both boys sing in the choir.

A remarkable five week trip to China. Thankful there for wonderful tour guides, two terrific Pitt grad students who traveled with our family, and the people of China who made us feel welcome. We visited Beijing, Chengdu, Xian, Hong Kong. Catherine lead a month long course. We purchased new violins, had lessons, joined a swim team, and turned badminton into our newest family sport! An invite has been extended to a return trip in 2005.

Teachers at Philip’s Elementary School and the teachers at the gifted program are talented, patient people.

Nephew/cousin, Cameron, spent the summer in Pittsburgh, His presence was a treat for the whole family.

Aunt Debbi came to Pittsburgh and Uncle Bob made several visits throughout the year.

We rented a car and drove to Maine to visit Grandpa, Jay, and Jim and the exciting Atlantic Ocean. This year we kyaked in the ocean and Catherine went shopping.

We visited with Uncle Charlie, Aunt Pat, Sandy, and Steve, and enjoyed delicious lobster, for the first time.

Another week camp with a life affirming SUUSI and many UU friends. Thanks to our musical friends who take time with Erik, he wrote another song this year. Our year was full of music with visits from Mindy Simmons and Amy Carol Web – thank you so much!

A four day trip among family at Aunt Pinky and Uncle John’s youth hostel in eastern PA. Each year we are grateful for the Rauterkus family and once again celebrated with many of them at Nana’s annual cousins’ party.

Another undefeated summer swim season for the Green Tree Great White Sharks. The boys swim. I coach.

Year-round swimming started this fall for the boys. I'm coaching Grant as part of my duties with a club team a few nights a week. Both boys are swimming well and enjoying it.

For Grandma, she's still right across the street.

Red Sox crushing the Yankees and taking the World Series.

Others who care about the city too. Some advisors meet each morning after walking the kids to school. I've accepted the nomination to run for PA's Senate in a special election this spring.

Our old house is still standing. Home improvement is on our list for 2005.

Grant finds himself drawing in his free time. He creates a cartoon series that makes us all giggle. Dang it, Dangy. Dangy is a superhero who rids the world of people who do stupid things.

Erik currently is reading the Constitution because he finished the Declaration of Independence. It doesn’t give all the details (all inspired by the movie “National Treasure” – go see that one!).

There is so much more. We hope you have too much to be thankful for too.
With love – Mark, Catherine, Erik, and Grant

No Dice

EMERGENCY! CHRISTMAS IS COMING, AND GAMING CONTROL BOARD MEMBERS HAVE NOWHERE TO LAY THEIR REAR ENDS

Commentary #3 from No Dice, December 17, 2004 - For use as desired by Bruce Barron

The new Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board held its first meetings this week, and at least one historic event took place: the word "emergency" was redefined.

The board invoked emergency procurement procedures in order to take four actions without going through the standard bidding process prescribed by state law. One of those "emergency" actions was to rent office space.

State law says that emergency procurements can be made without going through standard bidding procedures only when there is a threat to public health, welfare or safety, or when circumstances outside the agency's control create an urgency that does not permit the use of competitive methods.

Nevertheless, the Harrisburg Patriot-News quoted a state Department of Revenue spokesman as defending the use of emergency procurement to rent office space, stating, "They have no place to sit."

That certainly sounds like a dire emergency to us.

We're sure that the honorable members of the Gaming Control Board investigated all other possible options before taking this emergency action, so we assume the following must be true:

* Governor Rendell used up all his chits fighting for the slots bill, so he can't persuade a single one of his own agencies to lend the Gaming Control Board a conference room and an office for three months.

* The Gaming Control Board members, hampered by salaries of only $140,000 a year, have no spare change available to buy folding chairs or a table, or to rent a meeting room a few times while conducting a proper bidding process.

Judging from their "emergency" need for a place to sit, none of the Gaming Control Board members could make it as a stand-up comedian, even though many of their actions may be downright hilarious.

Representatives of the gambling industry, predictably, expressed pleasure with the Gaming Control Board's willingness to bypass state law in order to accelerate the arrival of slots.

At least the Gaming Control Board, by demonstrating its ability to declare a state of emergency at the drop of a rental agreement, is getting Pennsylvanians accustomed to what Nevadans have known for years: once you let gambling into your state, the gambling lobby trumps good public policy every time.

(No Dice is a Pittsburgh-area advocacy organization opposing the proliferation of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania. To be added to or removed from this distribution list, or to receive copies of previous commentaries, contact Bruce Barron at nodicepa - at - aol - dot - com or 412-835-0614.)

No ho, ho, ho's for Santa

No ho, ho, ho's for Santa pols - PittsburghLIVE.com Shopping-mall Santas are less harmful than politicians.

End all corporate welfare here and now!

Another 'historic' day

Onorato calls row office reduction vote 'historic.' People recognize that this is a historic day.

We've had it to here in historic days .... and .... these folks are giving history a bad name. Putting something on the ballot isn't so historic, in my humble opinion. Should people vote for the measure, then, all-in-all, its like the loss of a few pimples.