Loaded for trick-or-treaters.
We've got a few hundred CDs ready. The CD has music and a scary message. Plus, it has open source software install of
OpenOffice.org 2.0 for Windows PCs.
Script for the CD's audio portions.
This Haloween message is for you – a splendid neighbor and someone with an open mind.
Something that is scary to me is a city that is on the brink of a disaster. And we don't need a hurricane to put us over the edge.
I'm not talking about any city – but out city, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
We used to be our nation's fourth largest city. We used to have more than 600,000 residents – and now we are half the size of what we were in terms of population.
And the cast of characters for this scarry story includes some elected politicians who are not willing or are not capable of making the necessary changes so we can thrive again.
I'm Mark Rauterkus, a concerned citizen from the South Side who is going to run for City Council. I want you to be safe and enjoy this song, think again.
At the end of the song, I'll further explain what's on this CD and how it can play in your computer as well.
Song
My friend, Amy Carol Webb, sang that song. Let's work together to help our city by getting everyone to 'think again' – especially at the voting polls on election day.
My name is Mark Rauterkus. I used this song and prouced some CD when I ran for State Senate in May 2005. A lot of people were excited about the music and message – and gave me their trust with their votes. My opponents spent nearly $1-million each. They were a Democrat and Republican and could get lots of money from Harrisburg for their campaigns. Most of that money came from special interests – like those who wanted to put gambling in Pennsylvania.
My campaign perked along on $3,400.
I was out-spent 500 to 1 by both of them.
But, in the minds of the voters, I was out voted by 5 to 1 from the Republican and 7-and-a-half to one by the Democrat.
I got 2,542 votes – and was encouraged with the outcome – and didn't do any negative campaigning.
The next time – the goal is to win. We need serious help on city council and I have the principles, awareness and expressed solutions to make sense out of these scary times for Pittsburgh.
We'll I'm going to steal a line from a character in a scary movie, JASON. -- “I'm back.” But fear not. I'm going to run a positive campaign that talks about real solutions – again. And this time, with the help of the local voters, we'll win in a landslide.
Oh no, landslides are scary too.
Here is what is going to happen. Before you pass along this CD to a friend, and introduce him to myself, Mark Rauterkus, feel free to pop this disk it into your computer. There you'll find a free and open source software installer for OpenOffice.org. OpenOffice.org is version 2.0 and it runs on a modern Windows PC. It has a word processor, spreadsheet, database, drawing program and presentation program called IMPRESS. OpenOffice is a lot like Microsoft Office – but better – and FREE.
In the weeks to come, I'll have other CDs available with other types of messages, music and high-tech content and tools.
For now, see my website at Rauterkus.com, and be sure to frequent my blog, Mark Rauterkus and Running Mates at Rauterkus.blogspot.com – my platform – Platform.For-Pgh.org – and my campaign headquarters at 108 South 12th Street on the South Side.
We can visit and have a cup of tea – and I'll get you a copy of the next CD. Some will have pictures of our trips to China and illustration tools. Another CD is going to have another of Amy Carol Webb's song – the campaign theme song called, Lay the Shovel Down. You gotta hear that one.
You see, those guys on Grant Street have dug a hole for our great city. In Pittsburgh's political circles it is important that we stop digging in that hole. We are getting deeper and deeper into a stickey, messy and scary situation. We need to lay the shovel down and use common sense. Time to think again. And, let's hear that song one more time.