Concert with Johnsmith for Elect.Rauterkus.com

Johnsmith entertained with pointed messages in Pittsburgh.
Photo by Mark Rauterkus. Click image for enlarged view.

Songs included:
Kicking the Stone,
Don't Put Me in a Box,
Rooks in the Castle,
Put the Pedal to the Medal and Go Straight Ahead.

Stakes grow for state Senate seat

Stakes grow for state Senate seat 'The stakes are very high in this race. It would be a significant defeat for the Democrats if they can't hold onto Wagner's seat,' said pollster G. Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster.

Froth Slosh B'Gosh: Cafeteria Libertarian?

Froth Slosh B'Gosh: Cafeteria Libertarian?: "Cafeteria Libertarian?

I didn't catch this posting until now. My reply, posted here and at Froth's site. Thanks for the positive mentions too.

What if, 35 years ago, the then private transportation operators went bankrupt? What if they were not merged into the PAT?

Or, what if the 2005 band-aid recently applied to the public transit situation hit a snag and was NOT delivered at all? Plus, the recently saved PAT is presently with a two-year extension. PAT's long-term health is still set to expire.

Some 35-years ago we were moments away from a total system shutdown. Today the region is still just months away from a possible (if not probable) tansit melt down. Some were calling for ongoing operations until $0 was left. They wanted no service changes until gasoline and payroll could not be covered. No nights and weekend service was a build up to NO SERVICE at all.

The crisis 35 years ago was avoided, perhaps, but replaced with a bigger crisis that is knocking at our doorsteps.

For the past 35 years, we've given a lot of $ to transit and transportation. This just makes the real bust a crisis that is millions of times worse.

I don't want a total privitazation of the system of mass transit. I do think an evolution is necessary -- and it has to happen. We need to let it happen.

The brink of failure is still here. It is time to diversify in measured steps. And, as with the sell off of the schools -- I think the public has a place for doing the harder to handle jobs we confront in our communities.

DFA Endorsement

A progressive Pittsburgh group held an endorsement meeting. I had spoken to the group in the past and showed up tonight to plug the community concert I'm hosting tomorrow. Plus, I mentioned that I'm strong on democracy (small "d") skills and perspectives.

My Dem opponent spoke at the outset of the meeting, and I missed his pitch.

Then a ballot was taken -- among a number of races and a number of candidates.

Neither I nor Fontana got the endorsement. No endorsement is being made by the group for the race in the PA Senate 42nd district.

I'm fine with the outcome.

The one discussion point that seemed to resonate with everyone among the audience was the displeasure with the "Rs."

I'll leave the results for the other races to the DFA blog. The leaders there hosted another well run meeting.

62% Say Union Not Helpful With Bad Bosses

62% Say Union Not Helpful With Bad Bosses

Pittsburgh firm gets ink with BadBossology.com.

Republicans won a seat in state senate in eastern PA

A special election for the PA Senate was held on April 5 -- and the Republican won.

Elect.Rauterkus.com schedules April 7 concert and rally for South Side Venue

A Rally for Rauterkus and concert that includes the song, "Don't Put Me In a Box" by Johnsmith that is set for 7 pm on Thursday, April 7, 2005, is to be held at the Holiday Inn Express on the South Side on 10th Street. The hotel is next to the Oliver Bath House and the 10th Street Bridge.

This South Side venue is within easy walking distance of many dinning establishments and is non-smoking, handicap accessible, with parking and will also be home to the victory party on election night after the polls close for both the primary and the special election for the PA Senate 42nd district on May 17, 2005.

At the monthly meeting we had not secured the location.

Furthermore, a host of other events is going to occur that weekend. On Friday morning we'll hold a breakfast fundraiser. The fundraiser will begin at 6:30 am at a downtown location on Grant Street. On Saturday we'll hold a breakfast fundraiser at a neighborhood location. On Sunday we'll assocate with a park-based event.

That weekend in April is the same weekend that the Allegheny County League of Municipal officials gather in Seven Springs. While the cat is away, the mice will play -- big time.

Original posting was Feb 18.

Cosby: Parenting is serious stuff

Cosby: Parenting is serious stuff - PittsburghLIVE.com Cosby: Parenting is serious stuff

Of course parenting is serious. People know this. Pittsburghers know this. The media, well, they might not know the value and importance of parenting.

I've called myself a stay-at-home parent. Now, officially my role is "coach." So my at-home parent title isn't current. Nonetheless, there are few anywhere that take are more serious in parenting and advocacy for parenting.

Citizens for the Advancement of Democracy

A new blogger wrote:

Citizens for the Advancement of Democracy How about a man who gets re-elected in November as a Democrat and then in January switches to a Republican so he can run for State Senate? That's what Michael Diven did. He's an underhanded politician on every level.

Who are these folks, other than die-hard Peduto fans?

Daryl Metcalfe pushes Right To Work in PA

Daryl Metcalfe What simple change could the legislature make to Pennsylvania law that would promote a better economic atmosphere for job creation and restore an important individual liberty?

Answer: Pass House Bill 50, which would make Pennsylvania a Right to Work state.

Who is going to talk about laws that make it illegal to pay a CEO 100-times, or 1,000-times, what a person on the shop floor earns?

The right to work push is fine. But, I would want to open up the conversation on both ends of the spectrum at the same time.

Same too for a salary cap on sports teams. (The sports example is less of a threat to talk about. How about a salary cap that applies not just for the players, but for the owners as well.

The windfalls and golden parachutes and stock options are places to look for the real money.

South High School - getting a new lease on life, we hope

A requested zoning change and a conditional use application involving redevelopment plans for South Hills High School received unanimous approval March 22 from the City Planning Commission in their positive recommendation to City Council.

The now vacant high school building was built in 1916 and closed to students in 1986. Plans call for renovation for residential and limited commercial use.

A previous hearing on March 8 drew about a dozen Mount Washington residents who said the plans, if realized, would increase tax revenue, create more jobs and attract more young families to move to the area. “Most of Mount Washington seemed to support this,” Bob Reppe, zoning administrator, told the planning board at their more recent meeting.

A number of schools are sitting around, idle. We should look to turn the hardest to use properties into projects that are put at the front of the line. The easy projects should be mothballed as possible schools for the future.

Election Day -- May 17 here. Today in Eastern PA

Today is an election day in the eastern part of the state. A special election is being held to select a state senator. The race has been nasty, so I hear. There is NOT a third party candidate in the race.

I think that my arrival to the race is going to help keep the race here more on issues and more with a tone of civility.

Our state senate special election is being held on the primary day, saving the taxpayers $250,000. That is right and just. I pushed for that date to be selected.

Wonder what the turnout will be in the special election there?

Wonder what the turnout will be for our special election?

March Madness Ends. Sadly, Murphy's Madness Sustains

They cut down the nets at the end of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament last night. The Final Four became a single victor, North Carolina Tarheels.

March Madness ends, but sadly, the madness at the hand of Mayor Tom Murphy sustains itself with a new bond deal for the city. The city, already in great debt, is racking up more debt.

This time of recent unpleasantness is what we might call this era.

The Tarheels won in 2005 while all of the city lost. Some might look to the sky blue, while others think of the black heel, the tar and convert that to the asphalt plant, the pedestrians, the potholes, the destruction of stairways that this bond might help to fund.

Murphy wants to borrow money to better destroy the city. Some of the money to be used after it is taken on load, is for the removal of city steps, already in decay. These are projects from the WPA that won't ever be rebuilt. And because they are done with debt, the progress for the future is but a wish away wiht a lottery ticket in hand.

But this isn't only Murphy's trouble. It is Diven's as well. Diven would do the same thing. He'd borrow the money. Diven and Murphy would act the same. They generally have.

Here is a chance for either of my opponents to stand tall and say what they think should be done.

Councilman dislikes bond fee - "Go Doug Go"

Councilman dislikes bond fee - PittsburghLIVE.com The team of underwriters, lawyers and advisers figures to earn about $2.3 million on the deal.

Doug doesn't like this deal as he isn't in the drivers seat. And, the deal puts the next mayor, perhaps Bob O' (Doug's past mentor) into the back seat once he is mayor. The debt and bond agents are going to be in the front seat, with some others, for some time yet to come.

But the more debt that is racked up by Murphy and the present council, the more our children are going to need to pay down. And, the more the bain-drain and exodus is to occur.

How that money is to be spent is another matter, to be dealt with in additional messages.
The other concern is the intention of Peduto to really walk his talk -- or not. This is a pay-to-play concern. Insiders, cronies, are getting the deal. The payout for them is high.

I hate no-bid contracts. This is a no-bid contract.

Pittsburgh is a patronage town. Pittsburgh is in the hole because we have contract patronage -- such as this deal.

This deal hurts a number of people: children who need to pay back the debt, older people because the children are not staying around to pay off the debt, families who are sure to move in and then move out again because of the debt, the marketplace who is going to shrink and go elsewhere where things are fair, etc.

The deal helps cronies who get the windfall, Mayor Murphy, and those on city council who have driven this city into its crisis.

The money from the bond's income is going to keep a new coat of lipsitck on the pig for another year so that the riots in the street don't happen while this group is still in office. This is worse than band-aid politics, as it is a band-aid on a credit-card.

These are the ones who are worried about zoning laws for quick cash bandits and neighborhood retail zoning ordinances that prohibit preditory lending outfits.

Bond deal corruption cases litter the landscape of American politics. City by city, there are bad deals that are being done. This is a prime example of what not to do.

Doug Shields, I'll stand with you on this one. We share some of the same motivations. Sadly, I think we'll stand alone.

---

A small vicotry came as the vote was delayed, for at least a day.

City residents get street cleaning schedule alert

City residents get street cleaning schedule alertCity residents take note, street cleaning began Friday and parking restrictions will be strictly enforced, says the Department of Public Works. Parking restrictions are posted on street-cleaning signs, but a grace period for ticketing cars will be in effect through April 18 to give residents a chance to adjust to the schedule.

The parking restrictions will be enforced beginning April 19 through Nov. 30.

The city needs to make up some of the income from the missed Penguins season. So, expect to see a lot of tickets and few street sweepers. Its an income thing. And, it is another way to spank the citizens.

The entire street sweeping program needs a serious evaluation. Alerts to residents should be simple, if a network was operational. But, these governmental officials don't think about customer service nor outreach nor modern communications.

Women say gender inequity not biggest issue for startups

Women say gender inequity not biggest issue for startups: "Mary Del Brady and Angela Kennedy have no time for hand-wringing over the fact that they are anomalies -- veteran female entrepreneurs in Pittsburgh's male-dominated high technology industry.

This points to the fact that we need a high-tech youth technology summit. If I was elected State Senator, I'd be able to help start such events.

http://Summit.CLOH.Org

Furthermore, a look at the number of women in the high tech field is only outpaced by the lack of women in politics. We need good candidates who are women. We need good campaign workers who are women too.

If you'd like to help, or if you want help -- ask.

I could use more women on my side as well.

Legislature expected to tweak new $52-a-year municipal tax

Legislature expected to tweak new $52-a-year municipal tax'We didn't dot the i's and cross the t's on this legislation,' said Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe. 'We've opened up a Pandora's box with this thing.'

They need to "think again." Imagine that. They also includes my opponent. They should be moved to the private sector for doing such sillyness.

Venue: Holiday Inn Express, South Side on 10th Street

Johnsmith played at the Holiday Inn Express on the South Side on 10th Street. The event was organized by Mark Rauterkus.

Bill Godshall and others are to tackle campaign finance reform on the county level

Bill wrote:

To: Allegheny County Campaign Finance Advocates

At its meeting scheduled for 5PM tomorrow (Tuesday), Allegheny County
Council is scheduled to consider Doug Price's Campaign Finance legislation,
which now includes three amendments offered by Rich Fitzgerald that were
approved at last week by the Council's Committee on Campaign Finance
(see news article in the comments).

April 5th's County Council meeting agenda.

Those testifying are encouraged to:

1. Urge council to support effective campaign finance legislation.

2. Urge council to lower the limits (that were amended into the bill) for individual contributions to County candidates.

3. Remind council that Rich Fitzgerald's stated intent to amend the legislation to also apply to federal, state and municipal candidates would conflict with federal law, state law, and the City of Pittsburgh's Home Rule Charter. It's uncertain, however, whether Fitzgerald's amendments would actually apply to federal, state and muni candidates.

4. Remind council that Rich Fitzgerald's intent to amend the legislation to limit a candidate's contribution to his/her own campaign (at $5,000/year) would violate the Buckley vs Valeo decision by the US Supreme Court. Once againg, however, it's uncertain whether Fitzgerald's amendment would actually limit the amount a candidate can contribute to himself/herself.

If anyone wants a copy of the amendments that were approved at last week's committee meeting, please let me know and give me your fax number. Following is last week's Tribune Review article on the bill.

Bill Godshall
(W) 412-351-5880

I am for sensible campaign finance reform. I'm most interested in legislation that is going to work and still allow the region to soar.

Homeowners haven't shown passion for tax plan

Homeowners haven't shown passion for tax planm Sunday, April 03, 2005

One of my favorite rules in politics comes from Senate GOP political guru Mike Long:

'If you take the folks who are mildly for your candidate, and give me a smaller number that are passionate for my candidate or issue, I will beat you every time. Because passionate people show up, they work and they vote. Folks who don't have a compelling reason to vote, often don't.'

Long's 'passion wins' theory seemed particularly appropriate to me after listening to Gov. Ed Rendell stump for his property tax reduction plan Thursday night.

See the rest of his remarks in the comments.

Rendell Watch: Using Rendell's Money to Bash Rendell's Tax Increase

Giggles mount.

Rendell Watch: Using Rendell's Money to Bash Rendell's Tax Increase: ... switched parties and is the Republican nominee against Allegheny County Councilman Wayne Fontana in a special election for [Auditor General Jack] Wagner's old district of Pittsburgh and its suburbs.

'The Democrats, trailing in this one, are using funds raised by Rendell to attack Diven for voting for the governor's tax hike. What does that tell you about Rendell's popularity in the southwest?'

That's sweet, sweet irony -- using money raised by Mr. Rendell to criticize a man for supporting Mr. Rendell's tax increase. Amazing.

Blogs, Everyone? Weblogs Are Here to Stay, but Where Are They Headed? - Knowledge@Wharton

Blogs, Everyone? Weblogs Are Here to Stay, but Where Are They Headed? - Knowledge@Wharton: "Recently, blogs have been credited with everything from CBS News anchorman Dan Rather's departure, to unauthorized previews of the latest Apple Computer products, to new transparency in presidential campaigns. The big question is whether blogs, short for weblogs, have the staying power to become more than just online diaries. Will bloggers upend the mainstream media? What legal protections should bloggers have? Is there a blogger business model? While no definitive answers exist just yet, experts at Wharton advise questioners to be patient. Blogging, they note, will be around for a long time.

Riverlife Task Force plans competition to design footbridge across Ohio River

Is this a bridge or just some different treatments to the access to the West End Bridge?

Riverlife Task Force plans competition to design footbridge across Ohio River

Wired News: FEC Eyes Bloggers' Political Ties

Nice insights Mike:

Wired News: FEC Eyes Bloggers' Political Ties 'The real question is where do we go from here,' said Mike Krempasky, co-founder of conservative blog RedState.org. 'There's not a real understanding of how politics and the internet works at the Federal Election Commission.'

Too bad none of the others on the GOP slate are working on their ideas at Red State.org.

Joe Weinroth, Sam and others should have a blog at RedState.

Lamb details development plan

Lamb details development plan
Sunday, April 03, 2005 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

County Prothonotary Michael Lamb, a candidate for mayor of Pittsburgh in next month's primary, yesterday said the city can reboot itself economically if established businesses are supported, new ones developed and housing stock replenished.

Lamb said a $50 million blight-relief fund, as well as community development block grants and other economic development funds could be used to pay for such efforts.

He said women-owned businesses must be encouraged because area women are among the best educated in the state, make up 60 percent of the local workforce and are the least likely to leave Pittsburgh.

The use of the word, reboot, is interesting. To reboot gives us areas to ponder -- like the crash or frozen climate we must be in now.

Use Linux -- rather than Windows (or M$ WinDoze) -- and rebooting is so common. The open-source world provides Linux, and stability.

If established businesses are supported -- then the reboot will work. But, we've already been supporting established businesses. To some, that's called corporate welfare. We've been down that route. We supported the Pirates, the Steelers, PNC, Heinz, US Airways. We've given them what they wanted for years.

If those efforts can be paid for by the spending from the other piles of money -- then the reboot works. Blight grants!

---

Lamb's star credential as a reformer, however, was his role as campaign manager of the 1998 movement to adopt the county's new home-rule charter form of government led by a chief executive and a 15-member county council.

While Lamb has lofty goals, voters will want a more concrete plan before Election Day, said Jerry Shuster, who teaches political communications at Robert Morris University and the University of Pittsburgh. "He's got to get off the ideal focus and get more specific in terms of programs that are directly related to the needs of the constituency, such as street repair," Shuster said.

Lamb contends that he's laying out a platform of what voters can expect of him through a series of position papers, including his views on consolidation of services, transportation, education and other topics.

"You'll always know where I stand on an issue," he said. "You may disagree with it, but you'll know where I am.

Objection 1: The important role of ombudsman is missing from our county's charter. It was in there, and it got lost in the get-along. The reform continues.

Objection 2: Lamb didn't see anything wrong with Fontana's lack of resignation from County Council when he was a candidate. Lamb was asked to stand with me in the call to reform -- and he didn't.

Objection 3: Lamb spoke to a group on the South Side a few months ago. I was there. When the question of the Mon-Valley Toll Road was raised, Mr. Lamb, the "you'll know where I stand on an issue" candidate, said nothing. His statement of the voters always knowing where he stands on the issues is thin, at best.

Slate will revitalize city

Great to see a sate of GOPers. Great to read of a few of these issues. Great to see some press coverage too.

Not so great to see such hype.

Yes, the URA shoud be liquidated. Yes, the development fund should be nuked. No, this isn't gonig to be easy. The work to unravel the URA is going to take a decade or more. Heavy lifting will be necessary.

Slate will revitalize city - PittsburghLIVE.com ... the candidate promised to sell all assets held by the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority and liquidate its development fund.

'When I say I'll make the change,' said Weinroth, of Squirrel Hill, 'you can count on it being done.'

The candidate proposed cutting city spending, slashing the nine-member City Council to five and eliminating the city's parking and stadium authorities.

In 2001, Weinroth lost the race for the District 8 City Council seat to Democrat William Peduto.

Peduto, Allegheny County Prothonotary Michael Lamb and former council president Bob O'Connor are the leaders among seven candidates seeking the Democratic nomination in the mayor's race.

Pittsburgh, where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 5 to 1, hasn't produced a Republican mayor since the early 1930s.

The GOP is also fielding candidates for three City Council slots and a seat on the city's school board:

# Sam Berninger, 28, an information technology professional from Sheraden, will run for the District 2 seat, vacated by Alan Hertzberg last month after he was confirmed by the state Senate to fill a seat on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

# Bob Hillen, 47, of Beechview, chairman of the city's Republican committee, will run -- for the third time -- for the District 4 seat. This time, he will face Councilman Jim Motznik, an Overbrook Democrat seeking a second term.

# If Councilman Sala Udin, the Hill District incumbent, survives a primary challenge from Tonya Payne of the Hill District and city school board member Mark Brentley Sr. of the North Side, he will face Republican Alan Perry, 59, of Manchester, founder and owner of an insurance company.

# Tom Baker, of Squirrel Hill, a career counselor at Carnegie Mellon University, will seek to unseat Pittsburgh Public Schools board member Theresa Colaizzi.

Violet Law can be reached at vlaw@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7884.

Great to see Violet covering politics as well.

The oversight lawsuit: Account, please - PittsburghLIVE.com

The oversight lawsuit: Account, please - PittsburghLIVE.com Isn't it time that Gov. Rendell, Mayor Murphy and a subservient City Council account for themselves in the light of day and against the objective standards of the law?

Onorato spars with critic over assessments

Onorato barks for state help - PG article Onorato repeated his plans to lobby the state Legislature in Harrisburg to make assessments revenue neutral.

Onorato needs the help of the state. So much for self-reliance.

The barking from Onorato should switch away from the stance of being "revenue neutral" and to "assessment buffering." To the home owner and tax-payer -- being revenue neutral throughout the entire county is meaningless. To the taxpayers, having assessment buffering means the world.

BUILD YOUR OWN POLITICAL POWER from Jonathan Robison

Jonathan is ramping up some new activist-classes, it seems. I post it here without an endorsement. J.R. is a staunch Dem.

J. R. is at 154 N. Bellefield Ave. # 66, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412-683-0237, jonmary1@juno.com

Here’s how you can build your own personal political power.

Many people are active politically for various candidates and for causes such as peace, the environment, economic justice, lesbian and gay rights, reproductive rights, and civil liberties. Especially in the wake of the extreme right victory last year, there are many new people.

People want to do politics effectively. If you are in it for the long haul want to increase your own personal political power so that they can better help their candidates and their causes. Building you own political power can help accomplish personal goals for you and your community, and also can be fun

How? There will be a series of seminars to discuss various tactics and techniques.

The first session will be Monday, May 2, at 8 p.m., at St. Andrews Lutheran Church 304 Morewood Ave., corner of Centre Ave.

We will discuss how you can use your involvement in the upcoming May 17 primary to increase your own political power. The session will NOT discuss and recruit you for any individual candidates. We assume that by May 2 you will already have a candidate in whom you are interested. We will discuss how you can help that candidate in ways that do the most for that candidate and also build your own political power. The session will be right after the MoveOn May meetup, which is at that church at 7. However, you are welcome regardless of whether you are associated with MoveOn, DFAPittsburgh, the Sierra Club, the Thomas Merton Center, or anyone or no one.

There will be more sessions later. Possible topics include: the Democratic Party Structure, Duties and Responsibilities of Committeepeople, Circulating Nomination Petitions, Turnout - “Pulling” Voters, The Structure of a Winning Campaign, Electoral Politics and/or Direct Action?, Third Party or First?, Anarchism - the Third Thread in Progressive Politics Today, the Internet and Electoral Politics, Absentee Ballots/Provisional Ballots, and From Paper Ballots to Touch Screens. The seminars will be planned to be especially useful to new committeepeople and people considering running for the Democratic Committee next year. Please share any ideas for topics.

The “Build Your Own Personal Political Power” seminars will be led by Jonathan Robison. Jon is a long-time activist in politics, the peace movement, and the community. He has worked in over a hundred campaigns, going back to Gene McCarthy in ’68, and ran three times for Pittsburgh City Council. He is an attorney and vice-chairperson of the 4th Ward Democratic Committee in Oakland.

The sessions may be on a regular monthly basis, structured so that people can attend ones that interest them. Interested groups will be consulted on the schedule, and those at the May 2 seminar will be asked about dates and a place.

We might have to ask for a contribution of $10, possibly to the Thomas Merton Center, primarily to make people’s RSVP’s meaningful. The introductory session May 2 will be free. There will be no charge of materials distributed at the sessions.

Please pass this on to anyone interested. For further information or comments, contact Jon at 412-683-0237 or jonmary1@juno.com.

NAN tip

NAN is the neighborhood awareness network. The group is building an "amber alert" type of rapid response chain to get messages around the South Side Flats.

WARNING TO BUSINESSES
Zone 3 officers were dispatched to the Beechview area for a man standing in the back of a pick up truck going through garbage that he retrieved from a drug store. The actor told police that he was going through the garbage to get receipts to give to another person. He refused to give the name of the person he was doing this for. LET'S GET THE WORD OUT TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITIES OF THE IMPORTANCE OF SHREDDING PAPER AND RECEIPTS THAT NEED DISPOSED OF. THE CRIME OF IDENTITY THEFT IS ESCALATING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU!

Ramblings #12 - Why Am I A Libertarian? Rambling views of The Common Libertarian:

A small snipt from a site called The Common Libertarian.Ramblings #12, elsewhere

I love this country. But this country is not the government in Washington, or in Arkansas, or in Jonesboro. This country is the people that live here, work here, no matter where they were born. All are included in the first words of the Constitution: We the people.... This document sets forth the form of government we should have. A limited, small government whose only duty is to protect my God-given rights of life, liberty, and property from infringement by others...including the government itself! This country became great and prosperous because the people worked hard with little or no government interference in a free market that allowed any single person to be rewarded for his hard labor, ingenuity, and persistence. It wasn't perfect, but it worked. Now, starting with the beginning of the 20th Century and continuing today, the government has taken powers for itself that We The People never gave it. The government run by the Demopublican duopoly is taking away our very God-given rights of which a few were enumerated in the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution (which for all intents and purposes should be considered a part of the original document). I want to see this country returned to the principles that made it great, preferably in my lifetime, but if not in mine, in the lifetime of my children. I was raised with the belief that we were put on this Earth to steward it and pass it on to our children as good as or better than when we received it from our parents. This is not happening and I want to change that.

Can I do this on my own? No, of course not. But if all of us band together with a common purpose, we become an army that can take back our country from those who have usurped the power of We The People. That is why I am a Libertarian.

Here we go again: Murphy rebuffs oversight board's threats

Murphy rebuffs oversight board's threats Tom Murphy yesterday sent the city's fiscal oversight board a missive with a message about the firefighters new contract: Back off or we will beat you in court.

In a strongly worded letter to the board, Murphy defended the cost cuts in the contract and vowed the city will win any court battles with the oversight board, which criticized the plan and voted to sue the city.

In the most simple terms, Murphy does not play well with others. On another level, he is happy to fight it out in court.

We don't need to go to court like he has done. And, we need to work much harder at working it out.

I'm willing to deal well with others that are not willing to deal well with me.

I'm not a push over that is full of agreement, just to make nice. I can stand fast in my resolve in matters where I justifications. However, throughout, I stay with an open mind.

I can be proven wrong. I can listen to those that are in disagreement. And, I don't give up.

Prosperity report, given big air at QED, draws scorn

See the comments section for the press release from another outlet.

Up & Down - and finger pointing on a vile message board system

PoliticsPA.com has a web site and the site has some message boards. This was noticed in an article there:

Up & Down Bad news for the users of the PoliticsPA Scranton/ Wilkes Barre anonymous message board, as a court order will force us to reveal the identities of all users.

The Pittsburgher in me says, "Get-out!"

Jeepers, creepers.

Some bad boys are going to be decloaked -- perhaps.

I wonder what Mike from Pittsblog has to say about this?

FYI, I don't think I've even peeked at the message board in question.

April First -- and I'm not fooling around. I'm serious about public endeavors that lay ahead.

Happy April 1. I'm not fooling. Providing serious concerns for public endeavors. (Concert: 7 pm on 7th)

I sent out the following email today. The letter went into the message body, and it went as a PDF attachement as well. This is the first I've sent along a PDF. The letter prints on two pages and could make for a simple pass along note to others who you come in contact with throught the next weeks.

---

Open letter to residents of Western Pennsylvania
From Mark Rauterkus, Libertarian Nominee,

Citizen Candidate for Jack Wagner’s vacated State Senate seat in the Special Election on Primary Day, May 17, 2005


April 1, 2005

Dear voters,

As a parent, community activist, professional swim coach, and former publisher, my career life has been dedicated to performance and meaningful improvements.

I have coached state-record breakers in four states.

I’ve edited, published and marketed more than 100 books for athletes participating in cutting-edge competitive sports. I can write, communicate in technical terms, and interact among a broad spectrum of citizens. Anyone can offer their own opinions on numerous issues at my website: Platform.For-Pgh.org.

I believe my abilities and acquired skills would stand me in good stead as a legislator in our modern, crisis-driven times. I can provide a strong voice for new regional leadership. I understand that our system of local and state government is broken -- and, financially “broke”, as well.

Career politicians have put the Pittsburgh region in a tailspin.

As necessary, I will buck established authorities and demand personal and fiscal accountability, sacking the practice of “done deals,” promoting fair and competitive bidding, and encouraging the participation of a fully-informed public in government affairs.

Winning, in sports and life, entails being prepared, showing up, and scoring more points. We should aim to thrive, not merely survive.

As a citizen candidate, and not a political machine player, I intend to represent the broad socio-economic diversity of the multi-generation, multi-cultural population of the entire 42nd district, ranging from the city neighborhoods to the suburban municipality boundaries.

Misuse and abuse of state laws in schemes such as the attempted WE-HAV tax on Southwest Pittsburgh neighborhoods, and the practice of TIFs such as Deer Creek Crossing in northern Allegheny County do not advance the prosperity of all.
Public funds should be applied to maintaining existing public roads, pedestrian walkways and trails. Public funds should provide affordable and efficient mass transit, not be squandered on things such as the Mon Valley Tollway, which will wreak havoc throughout neighborhoods.

I've actively struggled for preservation and re-use of our historic sites and valuable local resources, including St. Nicholas on the North Side, the Pittsburgh Public Libraries, WQEX 16, the now-closed and lone indoor ice rink in the city (Neville), city recreation centers, and some swimming pools.

I battled against corporate give-a-ways that loomed in Fifth & Forbes (plans A, B, and C) and pushed for pedestrian-accommodating design, reliable transit funding, and internet-accessible property assessment listings.

Assessment buffering and land value taxes work for the benefit of regular taxpayers, while the unified tax plan, taxing freezes, and the deed transfer tax cripple the economy and harm the region.

I questioned UPMC's expansion to the South Side Works by calling a public hearing in city council and releasing my first position paper. I fought eminent domain with emails to the Institute for Justice and in public testimony. I fought the loss of Pitt Stadium with former Pitt players and networked with the Women’s Sports Foundation to raise Title IX concerns. I fought the stadium tax.

I raised alarms with the red-carpet arrival of dual Oversight Boards. I want self-reliance from elected officials, not bailouts.

I say no to wrongheaded spending on a merry-go-round in Oakland that is to replace a parking-area and vendors. Yes, a real merry-go-round is in the works; it’s not a figure of speech.

My critical editorial ran in the Pgh Park’s Conservancy newsletter and my objections are know from public hearings and my direct communications. As the city administration, planning officials and the community gathered for the proud release of the park’s master plan, I simply objected to the document's title. Their document should not have been called a master plan. A more fitting name would be lesser plan. Other concerned citizens shared in the process and were also in disbelief.

Wasteful spending, in my opinion, includes the glass-enclosed subway station re-do in Gateway Center, the one-way HOV-ish Wabash Tunnel, and the under-the-river route of light-rail T-expansion to the North Side.

I fought the elimination of the City's two rodent control workers who hunt and trap rats from empty lots and work to keep rats from our homes.

Downsizing the City’s lone traffic engineer was more folly. Likewise, the Citizens' Police Academy got my support as I helped in the crafting of a plan that could have moved the program to into a money making entity.

I spoke to the Pittsburgh Public Schools' board and to community meetings about saving vo-tech opportunities. I suggested new courses and methods for increasing outreach to Community College of Allegheny County departments.

At the end of 2004, when public comment at City Council was under attack, I called a public hearing and the sponsoring member took the bill off the table.

In my opinion, lawful efforts of bounty hunters shouldn't be hindered when we have a police shortage and an abundance of criminals that need to be captured.

We should liquidate the parking authority, then lower the parking tax to 15%. Let's create a yearly Youth Technology Summit. Let's organize a new Pittsburgh Park District and have it come with a replacement of a portion of the RAD tax and RAD Board so as to spur cooperation among volunteers and operate under the sunshine laws and with democratic participation.

As a member of a 12-week task force established by a city council memeber, I'm supporting campaign finance reform that has a prayer of working as intended. I support "political debates" that include ALL candidates.

Pittsburgh's greatest treasure is its people. I always support human investment and shy away from governmental giveaways to corporations. I'll struggle hard to better the environment, health care and wellness efforts for all.

With respect,


Mark Rauterkus, Candidate, Mark@Rauterkus.com

Please make an informed vote on May 17.
Resident of South Side, Pittsburgh http://Elect.Rauterkus.com 412 298 3432

What did you think of the debate?

What did you think of the debate? I'd love to get your written reactions in the comment section here.

Debate in East Liberty

O'Connor picks up Onorato's support - PittsburghLIVE.com Asked if he supported an elected or appointed Pittsburgh Public Schools board, O'Connor said he favored the current arrangement in which board members are elected.
Lamb called that a 'flip-flop,' contending O'Connor has said he favors an appointed board, even though the mayor's office has no authority over the schools.

The mayor does have a bit of authority over the schools. Our current mayor cut the school crossing guards. That move cost the schools a few million dollars.

The school board in Pittsburgh has been appointed and has been elected. Both have been with ups and downs and one is not clearly the right way to operate in terms of being effective. Both have some merits. We've seen them both over the years.

If I was in charge, I'd want an elected board. The power should reside with the people. I'd love to strengthen our democratic ways, not weaken.

I'd also like to have a role in making more educated voters in the process of school board elections. I've hosted school board candidate forums and would love to do more of them in the futue, even online.

However, the one school board point that I'd love to see come into place in the city deals with the power hungry. Too often our school board members are in those positions to seek personal power, not help with the education. Various candidate manuals encourage people to run for school board first. Then run for other offices later. Even AT&T, and perhaps some other large corporations, used to encourage its employees to run for school board offices. Support was given with work-release time.

In Pittsburgh a number of our school board members, past and present, used the board as a stepping stone to other offices. Valerie, Barbara, and now Mark B are easy examples.

I don't want our schools to be stepped upon. I don't want to see relationships (say with contractors, construction firms and unions) in the school realm be leveraged for political power and gain.

Case in point: Pgh Public Schools has a number of its buildings up for sale. If a developer was to get a sweetheart deal to obtain a property, such as the former South Vo Tech High School, then a payback might be crafted to finance that board member's re-election campaign.

These board members are working all the angles, and that scares me.

To curb the problem, a simple change could be constructed, much like exists in County Council now. Similar rules apply to those who work at the White House.

I don't think school board members should be able to run for other elected office while on the board and for a period of time after exiting the board.

The quality of the performance of the school board members and the untainted judgements of their actions would skyrocket as soon as everyone understood that the school board members were in a dead-end political job.

What Patrick, Alex and Jean (present PPS school board members) say now could be for the benefit of a political posture or the benefit of the students in the district. Everything they do is suspect to a degree.

Most of all, those that want to serve on the school board would serve on the school board. Those that want to use the school board as a stepping stone to advance a political career would go elsewhere.

Michael Diven, ex-D, present opponent in the state senate race, worked with others in his old party to fund certain school board races in the past. The band of cronies used their influence to advance friends and gain their politcal capital. Their PAC, while legal, floundered, as did the board itself. An eventual retraction of foundation support to school programs came because of school board divisions. Political wrangling has trashed the trust of the citizens.

A new rule would defuse the situations with overt political gimics that Diven helped to worsen.

Finally, don't think for a minute that an appointed board would be less politically charged than an elected board. They only would be less accountable.

Pittsburgh needs to get out of its authority madness. We need to get rid of all appointed boards that have powers to govern. I'd also like to see elections with retention votes for PAT board members, the URA board, etc.

Irony in Lending and Ferlo's April Fools Day Efforts

This past Tuesday State Senator Jim Ferlo was before city council in advance of a program that is slated for today on Grant Street. Ferlo, staffers, and others are trying to raise public awareness and provide new governmental regulations to PREDATORY LENDING.

This is a bad problem where nasty events can unfold. Citizens can sign away their house by taking a loan that is worth more than the property. Then when trouble arrives, and it is often built into the contracts, equity is lost and more.

A Pittsburgh Community Investment Board has looked at this problem. Statements from its director presented the topic to those in the audience including the Oakland Catholic championship basketball team and myself. As the team was to depart the floor and return to school, I had an opportunity to speak quickly to the players and coaches and provide a quick civics lessons.

To start, I admit that predatory lending is a serious problem. This problem is growing like crazy. And, the present public officials have been trying very hard to fight it.

With the team meeting in the hallway of city hall I put the situation in a sports context. I asked them what would happen if a squad worked very hard, season to season in tireless training. However, the record and margins of defeats got worse and worse. With defeats mounting by bigger and bigger margins, season to season, in something taken seriously -- I expect that the coaches would be fired.

These governmental officials are spinning their wheels and the problems are getting much worse. They see the problem as a market problem or as a dumb-citizen problem. Sadly, the failures are never hitched to the people in charge of dealing with the problem.

Some type of accountability is necessary, for the governmental leaders. Sala Udin is on that board. He works, but it gets worse. Perhaps he is not able to be effective. Perhaps are doing the wrong things. I'm certain that they have NO ACCOUNTABILITY.

Goals should be tied to results or else other actions need to occur. When things get worse, fire the executive directors. Fire the board members. Nuke the organization. Make the organization a volunteer status, without pay, until certain benchmarks are established.

Athletes underestand how performances are hooked to measured results and to tenure.

Of course this is a poison pill from Fitzgerald

Officials eye campaign bill - PittsburghLIVE.com When the bill came up for consideration at a campaign finance reform committee meeting last night, council President Rich Fitzgerald, D-Squirrel Hill, added an amendment to have the legislation cover all candidates for local, city, county, state and federal offices.
Price called the amendment a deliberate attempt to make the bill illegal. 'I think this is, in essence, the poison pill,' he said.

Fitzgerald is going to try to look like he cares -- but he is really taking the issue and killing it in a backhanded way. He had five amendments last month. They were all suspect.

From what we are seeing, Doug Price from County Council gets it. He gets two thumbs up from me on these efforts.

Hope that Bill Peduto sets a date for a public hearing for the city's version of campaign finance reform. It should be in mid-April. That bill was put into a 10-week task force. It is time for that work to come public.

I was named to the campaign finance reform task force. Not much work has been done in recent days as there is no known reaction from the legal beagles within the city. Oh well. We've waited long enough for their input. It can come at a later date.

GOP legislators defend fiscal oversight board

GOP legislators defend fiscal oversight board Republican legislators support the Pittsburgh oversight board's effort to nullify the city's new 'budget-busting' firefighter contract, but still hope that a nasty courtroom showdown between the board and city officials can be avoided.

AP Wire | 03/31/2005 | Analysts unclear

AP Wire | 03/31/2005 | Analysts unclear on effect: "Analysts unclear ...."

So this newsworthy. They don't know. Duhh.....

Of course they are unclear. Furthermore, of course the clarity comes within the reading of such insightful news editorial / commentarty / feature / profile -- not.

The only thing that we do know is that we don't know these other guys. And, the only thing that I'll be certain to repdict is that with two weeks to go in the campaign, the voters are sure to score a high percentage as "undecided" -- despite the wishes of the front-runner.

With Bob and Tom four years ago, the undecided percentage with two weeks to go exceeded 20-percent.

Skews go to FUD, (fear, uncertainty, doubt). Pile on brother. Kick up some FUD. Make a career of it here.

Campaign for Wagner's Senate post heats up - PittsburghLIVE.com

Campaign for Wagner's Senate post heats up - PittsburghLIVE.com Mark Rauterkus of the South Side is running as a Libertarian.

My photo directory isn't hard for the Trib to find. My cell phone is obvious too: 412 298 3432.

uComics Web Site featuring Tom Toles

Welcome to uComics Web Site featuring Tom Toles -- The Best Comic Site In The Universe! Toles

Cool political cartoon sent to me by a friend.

Other friends have just completed a "green book." I can't wait to read it. More on that later.

When it rains, it pours. Michael Lamb shows up for another job. But again, this isn't OUR Lamb.

Michael Lambs are everywhere. Too bad our Michael Lamb isn't everywhere. I'm sure Michael is a lot of places, so I don't mean to be critical in a mean-spirited way. It's just a chuckle.

Library director taking Ohio job Michael Lamb will take over while they look for a permanent replacement.

Tip to the Lamb for Mayor campaign. Invite everyone named Michael Lamb to Pittsburgh and hold a rally. Perhaps a whole flock could form?

In another type of chuckle, I was amazed to hear from the United Jewish Federation as they were searching for Joe Weinroth, R, candidate for Mayor and Jew. They couldn't reach Joe to invite him to a debate to occur in the future at the Jewish Community Center. The amazement builds as they contacted me in homes of trying to reach Joe.

Furthermore, when I was a candidate for Mayor in 2001 in a contested GOP Primary, I spoke at the event. I took that opportunity to scold the leaders of the organization for only inviting a few of the speakers on the Dem's primary ballot.

The chuckle turned quickly into an event that got my blood to a boil.

The United Jewish Federation is repeating the same mistake. Four years ago, Josh Pollock was on the ballot and litterally cut his teeth at the Jewish Community Center. He wasn't invited to the candidate's forum. Same too this year with Les Ludwig. With friends like that, no need for an enemy.

The UJF is part of the blame and explains why Pittsburgh is bankrupt.

We are getting Bob O'Connor in 2005 as a front-runner, who is in dodge mode, because he can take cover with the help of the UJF. The PDP fits the same mold. (pun intended)

When it rains, it is going to pour.

Ombudsman - A concept that is missing from our public landscape in western PA -- for now.

OmbudsmanAn ombudsman is a government official charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints reported by individual citizens. The term arose from its use in Sweden, with the Parliamentary ombudsman instituted in 1809 to safeguard the rights of citizens by establishing a supervisory agency independent of the executive branch. The word ombudsman and its specific meaning has since been adopted in to English as well as other languages, and ombudsmen has been instituted by other governments and organizations such as the European Union.

We don't have any ombudsman. None in the school district. None in city government. None in the county. None in house or senate districts or even with state government. Zippo.

The recent matter when the citizens entered into the struggle to remove the WE-HAV program makes a perfect illustration for the need of an Ombudsman.

The citizens can mobalize, organize and defeat poor governmental programs. However, it is always a long-shot operation. It is painful for the champions of the cause. It makes for burn-out and hard-feelings among neighbors.

This call for the the creation of an ombudsman is a splendid way to give the citizens more leverage to control government officials and the process of self-government.

As a state senator, I will push for the creation of an ombudsman on various levels.

As a citizen of Allegheny County, I'm putting out a call for others to join in efforts to introduce the concept of an ombudsman to be injected into the county charter. First, we need to eliminate row offices. But soon after, we need to retool our offices and make an ombudsman part of our public landscape. We can put out an educational campaign that is matched with a petition and a ballot question before the county council or if necessary, with the voters.

Open Letter from Candidate Mark Rauterkus

Open letter To residents of the Western Pennsylvania, especially the PA Senate 42nd district

From Mark Rauterkus

Libertarian Nominee

Citizen Candidate for Jack Wagner's vacated State Senate seat

in the Special Election on Primary Day, May 17, 2005

March 30, 2005

Dear voters,

As a parent, community activist, professional swim coach, and former publisher, my career life has been dedicated to performance and meaningful improvements.

I have coached state-record breakers in four states.

I've edited, published and marketed more than 100 books for athletes participating cutting-edge competitive sports.

I can write, communicate in technical terms, and interact among the broad spectrum of citizens.

I get along well with others. Anyone can discover and provide their own opinions on numerous issues at my website: Platform. For-Pgh.org.

I believe my abilities and acquired skills are important qualities suited to any legislator's responsibilities in our modern, crisis-driven times.

My candidacy for community service and elected office is a call for the emergence of a strong voice for new regional leadership. I understand that our system of local and state government is broken --and, financially "broke”, as well.

Career politicians have put the Pittsburgh region in a tailspin.

As necessary, I will buck established authorities and will demand personal and fiscal accountability, sacking the practice of "done deals," promoting fair competitiveness, and encouraging participation of a fully-informed public in the affairs of their governing.

Winning, in sports and life, entails being prepared, showing up, and scoring more points. We should aim to thrive, not merely survive.

As a citizen candidate, and not a political-machine player, I intend to represent the broad social-economic diversity of the multi-generation, multi-cultural population of the entire 42nd district, ranging from the city neighborhoods to the suburban municipality boundaries.

Mis-use and abuse of state laws in schemes such as the attempted WE-HAV tax on Southwest Pittsburgh neighborhoods, and the practice of TIFs such as Deer Creek Crossing in northern Allegheny County have no place in the prosperity of all. Public funds should be applied to maintaining existing public roads and pedestrian-ways and trails; and providing affordable efficient mass transit; not squandered on the Mon Valley Tollway which wreck havoc through our neighborhoods.

page 2 

 I've actively struggled for preservation and re-use of our historic sites and valuable local resources, including St. Nicholas on the north side, the Pittsburgh Public Libraries, WQEX 16, the now-closed and lone indoor ice rink in the city (Neville), city recreation centers, and some swimming pools.
I battled against corporate give-a-ways that loomed in Fifth & Forbes (plan A, B, and C) and pushed for pedestrian accommodating design, reliable transit funding, and internet-accessible property assessment listings.

Assessment-buffering and land-taxes work for the benefit of regular taxpayers, while the unified-tax-plan, taxing freezes, and the deed-transfer-tax cripple the economy and work against the benefit of the region.

I questioned UPMC'S expansion to the South Side Works. I fought eminent domain, the loss of Pitt Stadium, and the stadium tax. I raised alarms with the redcarpet arrival of dual oversight boards.
I want self-reliance; and I say no to wrongheaded spending on an Oakland merrygo-round in place of parking-area and vendors. Yes, a real merry-go-round is in the works. Its not a figure of speech.
Wasteful spending, in my opinions include the glass-enclosed subway station re-do in Gateway Center, the one-way HOV-ish Wabash Tunnel, and the under-the-river route of T-expansion to the North Side.

I demanded rodent control, a traffic engineer, Vo-tech opportunities, citizens' police academy, Community College of Allegheny County outreach, public comment at public meetings,
In my opinion, lawful efforts of bounty hunters shouldn't be hindered when we have a police shortage and an abundance of criminals that need to be captured.

Liquidate the parking authority, then lower the tax to 15%. Create a yearly Youth Technology Summit and a Pittsburgh Park District replacing a portion of the RAD tax and forcing cooperation among volunteers with sunshine laws and democratic participation by citizens.

I'm supporting campaign finance reform that has a prayer of working as intended. Political debates should include ALL candidates.

Pittsburgh's greatest treasure is the people. I always support human investments and shy away from governmental investments to corporations. I'll struggle hard to better the environment, health care and wellness efforts for all.

With respect,

Mark Rauterkus, Candidate

vote as you see fit on May 17.

Resident of South Side, Pittsburgh http://Elect. Rauterkus.com Mark@Rauterkus.com 412 xxx-xxxx

Letter for politics

Johnsmith's music on iTunes

Called into the Jerry Bowyer show today and got to talk with Ron Morris who was a sub host and his guest of MacWorld. Ron is a big Macintosh fan, as am I.

This iTune button takes you to Johnsmith's song, Kicking the Stone.



The title track for the concert, however, is called, Don't Put Me in a Box.



Check it out. Come to the concert at 7 pm on April 7 at the South Side Holiday Inn Express on 10th Street.

As the weather breaks -- guard your bike.

Stop Head Start, says the Trib editorial

Stop Head Start - PittsburghLIVE.com Stop Head Start

Monday, March 28, 2005

The scandalous mismanagement of the misnamed Head Start program is another reminder that a village cannot raise a child.

Humm....
The one quote that stands out like a sore thumb, "Parents must be allowed to reclaim their children."

That line makes a show stopper and doesn't wash well enough. I'm okay with the headline. It is my feeling that we need more attention paid to the middle school and high school kids than we do to the tiny tots. My other hunch is that the school teachers unions have been making a push to head start as a way to grow their base and influence.

I want to keep schools out of the lives of the youngest kids as parents and other care givers are better suited. Private day care centers are great, not just mom, dad and grandma.

I'm scratching my head when the editorial speaks about parents being allowed to reclaim their children. That's a big stretch.

I've been very fortunate to be able to stay home with my children for most of the past ten years. My kids are 10 and 7. These have been the best times of my life. It is, without a doubt, the best job ever. I'd wish the same on nearly every couple. But, we are lucky for these choices.

It takes a good bit to stay home with your kids. But I'm thinking that it takes a good bit more to get your kid through ninth grade algebra too. More parents are capable of keeping a 16-week kid in a smooth setting with the right stimulation than a 16-year old kid.

I'd want to lean lightly on the governmental programs for the wee ones -- and dedicate more energy and coaching to the more difficult years between 6th and 11th grades.

In an ideal world, those in 10th grade would get a good glimps of what it means to be with a baby so as to take out the glamor of having one at such a young age.

Our first kid came when I was 35. Patience pays dividens when it comes to parenting. And we could all use more of it.

Michael Lamb, senator, and parade switch-a-roo. Who would have thunk this long-shot?

File this in the "say what" category. Perhaps it fits in City Paper's news of the weird as well. And, put a little humble pie on my plate too. But, check out this final giggle.

Herald and News: Klamath Falls, Oregon Under the watch of the Jaycees, the theme of the Fourth of July parade had been 'Horse and Buggy Day' since the 1970s, said Michael Lamb, senator for the Jaycees. A Jaycees senator is a member who has passed the age limit - the group is open to people age 21 to 40 - but stays active.

Today was the deadline. I had not only predicted, but also suggested a different pathway for Michael Lamb (of Pittsburgh). I was one of many who said in private that Lamb should have joined the race for PA Senate (42nd district). Furthermore, I was one of the few who also gave the same suggestion in public.

The suggested move (pulling out of the Mayor's race and into the PA Senate special election) needed to be made by today. The deadline for putting in petitions to get onto the ballot as an Independent was March 28. Lamb could have done both races and tossed aside the need to get the Dem's endorsement by putting in a switch to "I" and re-directing his effots to the PA Senate race.

Well, the closest to the truth comes today. Seems a Michael Lamb is a senator -- and is in the hub of a 4th of July parade switch with the Jaycees and Chamber. But, we have to go to Oregon to make the prediction have any sense of slight of name irony.

Michael Lamb of Pittsburgh is the son of a PA State Senator. Perhaps he'll be able to run for the State Senate in two years.

Oh well.

"... Lamb said ... isn't calling it quits."

"We certainly hope to rebuild," he said.

Well, I was wrong. Munch, munch, munch. I'll eat the humble pie.

As for the 4th of July, come on down to the South Side. We don't have any pony rides, but we do host an annual 4th of July party. Then we'll serve up some real pie. Tonight it is just that weird tasting digital humble pie bytes.

Next up, since operation musical chairs didn't materialize, is a real musical event. Our concert is on for 7 pm on April 7, 2005. Be there. Music to be delivered on the web shortly.

Peduto mentions the "B" word.

The seldom mentioned "B" word is BUDGET!

Our Budget is BROKEN.

Furthermore, we've got a two-stage problem: One, the public purse is broke. Two, the budget process is broken.

One of Tom Murphy's greatest weakness, followed only by that of City Council -- was the management of the budget. They all failed. Murphy faild. And, City Council failed too. All the players let Pittsburgh's budget slip right into the toilet. The city is NOT in the toilet, but the budget efforts have been.

Most of all, I talk about the new Pittsburgh Park District, and the Youth Technology Summit. But more of an impact is the proposal I wrote about months ago to hold a citizens budget process.

The Platform.For-Pgh.org has a page devoted to Citizen Budget Summit.

KDKA's Jon Delano ended his TV news segment by saying this is a battle of who can cut more.

Meanwhile, Lamb says he is qualified when it come to shrinking a budget. Great confidence there. Vote for Lamb as he'll shrink the city to a better degree than the others.

Vote for Peduto as he'll put a chain saw to the budget. Frankly, I think our kids and the public has already been through a buzz saw. Is a chain saw to impress us? What about a cut with a lazer beam or a light sabre?

Vote for O'Connor as he has experience cutting to the bone with his driving of extra-crunchy Popeye's Chicken.

If feels like a gray Monday in March in Pittsburgh. I don't really want to have a campaign for the city's mayor office based upon who can manage the decline better than the other one who wants to put a fork in the city more quickly.

The way to get out of this, and even Tom Murphy will agree with me on this, is to grow our way out of it. But, how to grow is where Tom Murphy and I are at such drastic odds. Murphy wanted to grow the city with stadiums and convention ceners and downtown retail. I knew that his plans would fail. I want to grow the city with sandlots, not stadiums. I want to put people first, not special interests.

Peduto and I agree that special interests are killing the city. But Peduto has another suite of those with special interest who are not in the drivers seat. He'll want to switch out the special interest group in control now with another set who are on the outside looking in. Pick your poison, pinstripes or loafers. The same outcomes are expected. Either way the city is going to be but a fraction of what it was in the past. None of the folks are really getting to the pathway we need to get to prosperity for Pittsburgh.

The budget is a mess and O'Connor, Peduto and Lamb all share a good deal of the blame. They all were in office and they all let matters coast.

North Side Connector may have chance - PittsburghLIVE.com

This is a big deal issue for me. I hate the idea and so do the people of the county. We need to stop this project. It needs to stop dead until other more pressing things happen.

North Side Connector may have chance - PittsburghLIVE.com Three months behind schedule -- and counting -- the Port Authority of Allegheny County's under-river subway to the North Side finally has a chance to get under way.

Tougher penalties on teen drinking and DRIVING. Okay by me.

Legislators seek tougher penalties on teen drinking "Legislators seek tougher penalties on teen drinking..."

In Norway, you never drink and drive. The DUI (driving under the influence) ramifications are much, much stronger and harsh.

I would never want to drug test a kid to have them on the school band. But, if that kid was behind the wheel and not 100% sober, watch out. I'd be in favor of a removal of the drivers license for kids for at dusk and beyond.

In another interesting twist, however, is the backlash. I'm well aware of this, I hope.

For example, today there are kids who pass out at a party and drop into a coma like state and are in serious health trouble. These kids need to be rushed to a hospital. However, they are left without aid because of the stiff fines, penalties, and other ramifications that are sure to follow. If an underage kid goes flat at a house party, the home owner is going to have some explaining to do and might be behind bars. So, the hope and gamble is to wait it out. That deep sleep with be a hangover in the morning -- or it could be a coma in another 30-minutes. Decisions were impaired long ago.

"It's one of those issues that people don't like to talk about, especially parents, but it's a serious problem,'' Logan said last week.

I care to talk about these issues. I'm not sure who doesn't want to talk about them -- other than career politicians, school officials and teens (perhaps). I welcome such conversations.

Some of the parents I know have been very concerned about drinking and drugs in light of their life with teenagers.

These would be great sideline conversations and presentations at a proposed Youth Technology Summit that I'm calling for to begin in earnest as soon as I'm elected. It could start in late 2005 or early 2006.

FYI, I was never an underage drinker. I'm too squeeky clean. I would never drive while drunk.

Political conditions could be ripe for Republican revenge

Political conditions could be ripe for Republican revenge - PittsburghLIVE.com He said his decision to switch his party affiliation paved the way for like-minded constituents. He claims that 200 people came into his South Hills office asking for the forms to switch their registrations in the first two weeks after he became a Republican.

And, I ask, how many of those converted and changed their party?

The numbers within the voter registration data are part of the public record. A few of us here can figure it out. Conte can figure out the facts from the fiction as well.

I'd not want to call it a "retraction" -- but perhaps a clarification would seem very wise for the Diven camp in the next 48 hours. They could tell us how many became GOPers and do a time line on the switch of parties. Diven switched when? In week # 1, how many switched to the GOP side. What party did they leave? In week #2, and so on.

When I ran for Mayor in 2001, I switched 100 (+/- 5) people to the GOP party. About 90 came from the Dems. Some, I know have switched back. Some have not. I know that these people switched because I took the voter registration forms into the county election department myself.

Here is a hypothesis: To date, given 2001 and 2005 numbers, I imagine my impact on recruting to the GOP party is three times as great as that of Diven's. Said another way, I do not think Diven was able to get more than 30 new GOPers to the party since he switched his party registration.

Prove me wrong. I'd be glad to eat my words. But, the data has to be from the voter database. Not from some form handouts in the office.

Mr. Conte, you, or Dave Brown even, can be the judge.

The real spirit of the story, as I see it, isn't about becoming a Republican. The real buzz is about the frustration of the voters and citizens with both of the old parties.

Case in point: Have you seen the wonderful rant from J of PennF? She began a draft Barbara H for Gov site. She is angry and with justifications. But, she isn't gonig to run to Diven's camp as one of her core issue is a woman's choice.

I think that the real action for real change won't be able to be delivered by a back-bench party switcher who is really a buddy of Mayor Murphy's ways.

As if teens don't talk enough, now there are blogs

I'm all for free expression, free speech, free travel, free trade, free markets.

Funny, the best way to get free expression is to do boneheaded moves such as these -- dragging kids into the principal's office.

Blog on.

As if teens don't talk enough, now there are blogs North Allegheny students, posting messages on their online forum, www.nasucks.com, ping-ponged back and forth over a report that school officials had called students into the office to question them about the site's content.

And a controversy over a school administrator's alleged ban on same-sex couples and friends holding hands, hugging or kissing at Downtown Pittsburgh's Creative and Performing Arts High School prompted a furious and instantaneous call for protest on another student-fed forum, >www.livejournal.com/community/anticrapa/.

'Find a buddy of your own gender, hold hands with them whenever possible,' one CAPA student wrote on March 17. 'Make out in the halls with anyone you can find.'

Govenor's Election Reform Task Force: Public Comment Opportunity

On THURSDAY, March 31, 2005, the PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION REFORM TASK
FORCE will meet in Harrisburg to discuss the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and how its requirements are being implemented in Pennsylvania. This meeting is open to the public. Celeste Taylor of Project Vote, Larry Frankel, Legislative Director, ACLU-PA, Paul W. O'Hanlon, Disabilities Law Project and Bonita Hoke, Co-Chair of the PA Voters Coalition are all scheduled to speak, and the Agenda includes an opportunity for the public to be heard.

This is an excellent opportunity to let the Governor's Task Force know how you feel about voter-verified paper ballots and other elements of transparent, reliable, publicly verifiable elections. You may only have a few moments to speak, so prepare something very brief in advance.

Some good talking points:

a. Voter-verified paper ballots (VVPB) can help ensure our votes are counted as cast, and we deserve that much

b. E-voting systems without VVPB have irretrievably lost votes in other states; let's not make that costly mistake here

c. Nothing in HAVA prohibits VVPB; other states have used HAVA funds to pay for VVPB systems

d. We can achieve both accessibility and auditability by choosing wisely

e. The most reliable --and cost-effective-- option is precinct-based optical scan, made accessible with ballot-marking devices

f. Accessible VVPB systems build voter confidence and increase voter participation

North Office Building, Hearing Room #1, Ground Floor, Commonwealth Avenue, Harrisburg, PA

Thursday, March 31, 2005, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

http://verifiedvoting.org/stateview.php?area=39

With your help, we can make history in Pennsylvania and create meaningful election reform - this year! Please join us in Harrisburg on Thursday.

City 'at a crossroads'

Long article:

Next mayor to inherit city 'at a crossroads' - PittsburghLIVE.com

Roads are a minefield of potholes.

Residents deserve better -- especially after paying more in taxes this year. Furthermore, residents deserve better from the elected officials. The first major milestone on the serious pathway to improvement begins at the ballot box. Don't elect career politicians who have made this mess. Don't vote for Diven nor Fontana as both have been big parts of the problem.

I agree: Taxes have gone up, and they (old school politicians) don't do nothing for you. Furthermore, now they can't do anything at all. They are broke. They can't advance and agenda other than that of power containment.

In the past, the politicians could do something for the fat cats. Sure, politicians generally do little for the citizens and voters. Now, without any money left in the public treasury, politicians can't even help the special interest groups as much.

No time like the present. Now is the time to strike back and take back various offices. Let's make gains in the city and region with new people and new purpose in various elections.

And, sad to say, the hard facts of the matter are that there isn't much that the next guys and gals will be able to do for you either. My pledge is to do what I can for the citizens, shun the corporate interests, and pledge self-reliance efforts. We'll need to fix this ourselves. We'll need to engage as volunteers. We'll need to take charge on our own. We'll need to interact like never before.

The next mayor and the next wave of elected officials get to inherit a broken system. The fix isn't with the same old same old.

It is great to read how Andrew Conte of the Trib writes that "conditions are not likely to improve, either. " Sadly, he is on the money. We've been talking about these matters in realistic terms for years. Folks, it is going to get worse before it gets better.

Mayor Murphy's positive spin on his legacy is a joke. Don't even interview the guy. I don't even need to waste the recycled electrons on this blog to talk about the failed policies he and his type have championed. But, sadly, Diven and Fontana are from the same pod. Diven has been a Murphy buddie for years.

The Diven legacy and the Murphy legacy are nearly identical. The abrasive part with enemies in Harrisburgh and elsewhere is dead on identical.

Meanwhile, Fontana sat on County Council and approved TIFs. The TIFs (Tax Incremental Finance) deals are text book Murphy. The moves come right out of Murphy's playbook. Deer Creek Crossing was something I stood up against. Fontana voted for it, and many others. (As did Diven.)

I said, "NO TIFs, period." when I was running for Mayor in 2001! I still have the same resolve in 2005. TIFs hurt us on many dimensions. It's like cocaine. The career politicians are hooked. Perhaps in some remote way, under the care of experts, they'd have some value in theapy. That view isn't our reality.

These TIFs won't expire for years to come. And, I'm only one voice.

Murphy's reform of taxes is his biggest joke. His new tax policy is going to kill Pittsburgh for decades to come. There was no real reform. And, the changes are generating less money and providing more shelters. Wait until we see the results and the failout. That might come in a few months. The schedule is way less than what is to come.

Murphy is proud of the EMS tax -- so people making less than $12,000 have to pay and then get a refund for next year? Same and scorn is what's due.

Pittsburgh is open for business if you discount the tallest office towers, ignore how USAirways, a top employer is going, and all the other woes.

More to come. Good job Andrew Conte!

Streetwise group gets great ink in effort to head off city violence.

Great service. Nice ink.

Streetwise group trying to head off city violence ... soldiers tackle some common goals -- mentoring, resolving conflicts, intervening in crises and guiding clients through the human services system.

The group also has had impact with the launch of Community Days, neighborhood picnics in Manchester and Beltzhoover, and summer basketball programs, most notably a revived league at the Hill District's Kennard Park, which drew thousands.

Garland said it was critical that One Vision, One Life continue to work closely with churches, community groups and schools. 'We're not the solution to all the violence in Allegheny County, but we do hope we can slow things down.'

L.B. is doing his part. He supervises basketball teams in Northview Heights and volunteers at Shuman Juvenile Detention Center.

'I was one of those people that was the problem,' he said. 'Now I'm trying to solve the problem.'

Programs such as this are fine. We need them because of the crisis.

We've ignored the leagues, the basketball, the coaching, the youth. We've let the kid's fend for themselves -- and trouble results. We have not been healthy.

This program is about prevention -- and some of it is about wellness. We need an attitude that services those who are going to hang at the sandlots and those at the stadiums can fend for themselves for a while.

Those 20-year olds who were part of the problem and are now trying to to help solve the problem need people like me who have never been part of the problem and are keenly interested in helping to solve the problem too. This is a teamwork approach. This is a winning approach.

Together we need to fix this -- not just with the king's horses and king's men. All of us need to be part of the solutions. And, its hard and messy.

Sadly, those on Grant Street have been okay with their shutdowns. They close a rec center and don't care. They punt and hope Elsie Hillman will come up with some cash and "save our summer." Trouble brews as many on Grant Street who do want to help don't want to help in ways that make the most sense. They want to help in their feel good kinda ways.

I want good grief and response from trusted, valued, buddies on the streets in day to day instances. Sure, we need to give these guys a raise. Let's engage. Let's find common ground in accountability on all sectors.

But, by all means possible, let's not stop there. These in the trenches operations are NOT going to be able to get us to prosper.

We also need others on other fronts but in the same neighborhoods to be planting seeds that allow opportunities to soar. We need to get these kids to live past next summer. And, we need to know that some are going to Cornell, Princeton and Case Western.

By the way, when is the next picnic? Perhaps we'll toss one for you in the summer. Call me, 412-298-3432, and we'll set a date. How about a China theme? We'll do noodles or dumplings, and something with authentic spices. Want to help? Leave a comment or send an email.

Demolish. That word is what I want to hear from the Mayor's office only about itself. Nothing else.

Could this be an April Fools Day story, just a bit early?
Sadly, I think the story is truthful. I fear the worst. And, the worst is yet to come.

City of stairways may lose some of its character - PittsburghLIVE.com By mid-summer, the Public Works Department expects to provide city officials with a list of 60 to 100 staircases it recommends be demolished, said Rob Kaczorowski, the assistant director of public works.

Demolish! Stop already.

The city is being taken apart, step by step.

Don't demolish the steps. Don't do anthing else Tom Murphy, except leave.

The city's steps are a treasure. These people don't know how to be stewards.

We need to take care of what we have. We need to make infrastructure repairs a top priority.

These steps are a transportation issue.

The steps matter greatly. The steps need to be repaired. The roads need to be repaired. We need to take care of what we have. We don't need to be doing wrongheaded projects elsewhere such as a rebuild of the Gateway Center T-Stop to make it "glass enclosed."

The steps are a great example of what we need to do well and do right. The steps are not going to be as sexey as Michael Diven offering to give away a big cardboard check to a new umbrella development company in Beechview. Diven has his priorities in the wrong places. The steps crumble. The neighborhoods crumble. The character of Pittsburgh is being destoyed. The urban density is being hijacked.

Bloggers and Politics: Online politicking rules under debate

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Thursday proposed new ways of apply campaign finance rules to political activity on the internet, asking for public input on limited regulations for the medium.

The FEC, which is beginning to consider restrictions on political advertising, blogs, and other online activities. A pending document may describe the legal issues it plans to take on over the next few months. The agency plans to hold a public hearing on the issue and then vote on the final regulations later this year.

Members of congress concerned about possible new regulations have sent letters to the FEC urging that a press exemption apply to the net. Senator Harry Reid, D-Nev., has also introduced legislation that would exempt internet politicking from most of campaign finance regulations.

Netizens have likewise been actively trying to persuade the FEC on the issue. In preparation for the FEC's expected vote, a group of bloggers and political activists have organized a petition to the commission through the website Online Coalition . The petition has received more than 3,200 electronic signatures as of Friday morning.

NY Times: Election Commission Urges Finance Rules For Online Politics

Washington Post: FEC Signals Light Hand On Internet Campaigning

News.com: Bloggers Have Rights Too

ZDNet: Bloggers Narrowly Dodge Federal Crackdown

Rules Could Be Blocked

FEC Draft Rules

Of course I've signed the petition. You should too.

The war on copyright communists

I'm an open source software advocate. I've been a part of that movement for some time. It is more of a lifestyle and can have great benefits for our public endeavors.

Additionally, I've been a small business owner, publisher and netizen. Plus, I'm a Libertarian. Furthermore, I've been to China and expect to go again. So that mix of politics swirls around in my realm, as well as being a "free market advocate."

Now comes one of the more interesting article of the season.

Guardian Unlimited | The war on copyright communists The war on copyright communists

Bill Gates wants software patents to protect his profit, not the public

Andrew Brown, The Guardian

Bill Gates is an intelligent man who has done a great deal of good in the world. So when he gets caught out in a bare-faced lie this should matter to all of us; and last week, when he called the opponents of American intellectual property law a 'communist' movement he was encouraging a mistake that could impoverish the entire world.

He said: 'Of the world's economies, there's more that believe in intellectual property today than ever. There are fewer communists in the world today than there were. There are some new modern-day sort of communists who want to get rid of the incentive for musicians and moviemakers and software makers under various guises. They don't think that those incentives should exist.'

The argument in principle that Gates makes against 'communism' starts in exactly the right place. But his vested interests lead him to drag it in the wrong direction. It is as if the Sheriff of Nottingham were to announce that it's enormously important that your property was protected from criminals - so he'll take everything you have that might be stolen and lock it up for safety in his castle.

I'm jazzed about OpenOffice.org and its 2.0 release with XML. As soon as it is avaiable, I'll be putting it onto some CDs and passing them out around town.

This brings us to another point. I need to get blank CD-Rs. They cost money. We'll need to raise some money. Not a lot, but a little. This effort should yeild fruit in many areas.

Just today I pulled up a document needed for a presentation for my wife with OpenOffice.org's software that could NOT be opened with the M$ stuff. It works well.

Open Source is ruling the world!

The New Zealand Herald dumps on Microsoft's Gates

The New Zealand Herald If you wondered how Bill Gates topped the Forbes rich list for the 11th year with a personal fortune of US$46.5 billion ($63 billion), look no further than the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office.

Patent 525484, accepted by the office and now open for objections until the end of May, says Microsoft invented and owns the process whereby a word-processing document stored in a single XML file may be manipulated by applications that understand XML.

It is one of a raft of patent applications Microsoft has dumped on the overworked staff of the office, and on patent offices worldwide.

Some of them might have more merit than this particular piece of junk, but they are part of a strategic effort by Microsoft to control another generation of technology, just when its grip on the personal computer is being undermined by the Open Source movement.

Taxes foot bill for board members' cars

Transportation is one of my key platform points in my campaign. This isn't what I think the taxpayers want to hear about.

A Dormont supporter / advisor suggested a future press conference outside of a West Liberty Ave auto dealership selling luxery rides -- to talk about transportation. She is "on the money" as to what is going to resonate with voters and this campaign.

Taxes foot bill for board members' cars - PittsburghLIVE.com

I've got some music that goes very well with this theme as well. But, first I've got to get the Johnsmith tunes online. I'm close. But the song is from Dave Nachmanoff -- "Waiting for the Light to Change." It is very much a song about peace, patience, anti-road rage. The spiritual is uplifting. Baby, we are just sitting here waiting for the light to change.

Dave is going to be in Cleveland in May. Cross your fingers. But first, we need a nice turn out for April 7. Are you going to be able to attend? Come to the Holiday Inn Express, South Side, on 10th Street at 7 pm on April 7.

Contract controversy, of course. Grant Street envy and buyers' remorse yet to settle in for taxpayers.

Contract doesn't extinguish controversy - PittsburghLIVE.com

So, the ICA, the Act 47 coordinators, the mayor's office, city council, a big union, and the governor's office are having another fight. There are winners and loosers.

The mayor does NOT play well with others.

Their teamwork stinks. Never expect anything else from them. New people can give different results.