For 93.7 FM in Pittsburgh to be taken seriously as a talk station, management must do something bold. Pioneer News talk 104.7 FM has a fabulous lineup with locals Quinn and Rose, but virtually everything else is syndicated (Ellis Cannon, of course does the sports talk thing from town). Granted, if the rumor mill is true, the introduction of both Scott Paulsen and John McIntyre will be a good start. Both are among the most talented talkers in the market.
But alas, the talk market industries’s most intelligent, most diverse—stop with the hyperbole—the unrivaled best talk show host ever to click on a microphone continues to sit on a sprawling fixer-upper estate in one of the farthest southern suburbs of Allegheny County.
Open the checkbook for Jerry Bowyer.
The NFL now has Golden Boy Bill Cowher sitting out a no-compete clause to become perhaps a $10 million dollar (a year) coach. Cowher’s legacy will only balloon; his legendary chin will jut just a little further, much like Paul Bunyan and the blue ox Babe.
Talk radio, Pittsburgh chat radio in particular, has its own Golden Boy waiting in the wings. Jerry Bowyer first appeared on the scene as the head honcho of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy ten years ago. He led the drive to knock down a ½ percent sales tax increase in Allegheny County and nearly a dozen other neighboring counties. The money was supposed to pay for two new stadiums and infrastructure around the region.
I have a confession: early on I despised Jerry Bowyer. He seemingly didn’t care that my beloved Pirates—the primary reason I declare as the reason I moved here nearly 17 years ago—would possibly leave town for greener, albeit still losing pastures.
I WAS WRONG.
Around the time of that near-debacle, Jerry started to fill in on 1360 WPTT, (although he might have started earlier on an AM religious station), and showed some real talk show chops. His personality and knowledge of virtually every hot-button talk show chestnut converted me from ideological opponent to aficionado.
Before you knew it, Jerry was on full-time. It was then you got to know him and his encyclopedic knowledge of everything from the minutia of science to politics, as well as cartoon trivia. Then there was his mastery of economic theories and business, most accepted religions, and a rather lofty insight regarding Hollywood starlets. For a guy with a complicated relationship with baseball (his father was a MLB scout), Bowyer could cover all of the bases.
On the show, Jerry would often dismantle usually adroit talk show guests who got too persnickety. Bowyer could make polished fiscal pariah “Living Wage” union boilerplaters sputter and froth, thus showing their true colors as selfish, under-educated, special-interest cretins. I was so impressed with one particular verbal disrobing that I called Jerry to proclaim the interview was a comedic send-up.
It wasn’t.
Because of that admiration and my eventual offer to write a feature story, Jerry and I became somewhat friendly. Over the next few years, I ended up writing two lengthy pieces on him and his show for a couple of periodicals. Our budding friendship expanded to the point in which we worked together to bring a business and entrepreneurial charter school to Pittsburgh’s southern neighborhoods, but were ultimately sold a bad bill of goods from our sponsor. For the record, that company never did roll out their ambitious plan for several local Charter Schools, and the one it does run here is virtually invisible of the learning landscape.
We’ve communicated about collaborating on a book about leadership and nearly got into the television business together.
And on an even more personal note, Jerry proved to me that a religious man could still enjoy those potty-mouthed brats on South Park. I don’t think I would have had the confidence to return to church had it not been for his masterful ability to make religion seem “cool.”
It was Jerry’s desire to add more religious talk to his secular radio show that ultimately made him move from his comfortable post at WPTT AM to the Christian FM-talker in town. I remember him saying that he thought he could make more of a difference in an arena where he could focus on the Good Book. Apparently, that move bit him in the posterior when management there didn’t want him to deviate from the all-religion talk, even for important regional issues.
In addition to trouble with format content, health issues have also plagued Bowyer in recent years, as a result he’s retreated to the sidelines, to be with his beloved wife Susan and seven children, who the couple home-schools and/or runs various family businesses. It’s also possible that Bowyer’s made outlandish sums of money by utilizing financial techniques he’s cultivated with some of the best brains in the marketplace.
I have no idea whether Jerry would even contemplate a return to the airwaves. Perhaps 93.7 could build him a studio in his home, ala the persistently-injured and vastly overrated Fred Honsberger.
If the folks at 93.7 want to do something incredible, and revolutionary, with its impending talk show venture, they need to at put out some feelers with Jerry Bowyer.
Seriously.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Blast from the past: Pooling your resources
The movie, Pride, is due in a matter of weeks -- and we're getting psyched. Here is an older article about a clinic that I helped to organize. This fellow visited with our kids at the city meet and at zones. He had been a swimmer in LA. But he grew up in Cleveland.
Pooling your resources Pooling your resources
Olympic hopeful urges local youths to live up to their potential
Sunday, August 15, 1999
By Laura Pace, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Byron Davis doesn't believe in victims.The 29-year-old Olympic hopeful looks into the faces of children and tells them, time and time again, that the key to life is choice.
Will lethargic GOP put up mayoral candidate in the 'Burgh? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Will lethargic GOP put up mayoral candidate in the 'Burgh? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Will the Republicans, whose mayoral hopefuls usually perform as sturdily as Silly Putty, bother to field a candidate this year?Another little asked question that I still want to have answered, before jumping to the Mayor's race, is will the City's GOP Party file papers to get a question about the reduction of the size of city council onto the ballot?
This opens up a big can of worms about ballot access -- another teachable, insightful moment.
A similar interaction happens with the postings at 2politicaljunkies and purdent spending, agendas, principles, practices and standing tall.
Colaizzi seeks seat on city council
Stepping stone. There has to be a song about this????
I don't like our kids being used as stepping stones. I think that an elected posiion on the Pgh Public School's board should be terminal. A change in the city's charter is in order. Once one is a school board member, he or she should NOT be eligible to run for any other elected post. Board members would not be eligible for the ballot for a period of five years following their exit from the school board seat. Then, people will serve on the school board for the right reasons. Then the tone and mission of the board would change to everyone's favor -- not just that of the special interests and powerful.
The move from Colaizzi is a brush back pitch to C. O'Connor. That isn't a bad thing.
Finally, for now, I can't get that whispy bangs comment (from aother blogger) out of my head given that T.C. is a hairdresser.
I don't like our kids being used as stepping stones. I think that an elected posiion on the Pgh Public School's board should be terminal. A change in the city's charter is in order. Once one is a school board member, he or she should NOT be eligible to run for any other elected post. Board members would not be eligible for the ballot for a period of five years following their exit from the school board seat. Then, people will serve on the school board for the right reasons. Then the tone and mission of the board would change to everyone's favor -- not just that of the special interests and powerful.
Colaizzi seeks seat on city council Pittsburgh school board member Theresa Colaizzi yesterday said she will challenge City Council President Doug Shields in the May 15 primary.I understand that my wish is but a fleeting prayer.
Ms. Colaizzi, 46, of Greenfield, said she would ask the Allegheny County Democratic Committee to endorse her in the District 5 council race. Mr. Shields is seeking re-election to council, but he's also running for city controller.
Ms. Colaizzi is serving her second term on the school board.
 |
| From a PIIN meeting in the past. people & vips |
The move from Colaizzi is a brush back pitch to C. O'Connor. That isn't a bad thing.
Finally, for now, I can't get that whispy bangs comment (from aother blogger) out of my head given that T.C. is a hairdresser.
Love? Nooooo. Sweetheart deal more like cheap tease. Rather have a ...
Free parking in the city on the evening of Feb 14 is one of the last things that the city needs to provide. The deed is sorta like giving an overweight, diabetic great aunt a big box of chocolates in a red-shaped box. Stupid yet sentimental.
There are a lot of bad ideas that would be slightly better than the free parking display of 'love' from the city. Let's give credit where credit is due. It is better to do something. There is merit to having bleeding heart liberals mark a day where wearing red and wishig for cupid's arrival, based upon a religious Saint's Feast, is marked.
Slightly better would be the hiring of private ambassadors from the PDP to direct downtown office workers on ways around the drunks in Market Square after making eye contact and winking at passers by.
I'm sure Ms. Mon's suggested a V.D. idea of wet kisses from crossing guards and elected politicians stationed at corners throughout the city, to stem the speeding traffic, would have been deemed too much of a gotcha / come on with drunken driver liability.
Pittgirl's ideas can't be re-typed here, as this is a family blog.
Another idea floated on Grant Street was to have political bloggers run heart shaped pretzels out to tug operators as they chugged up the river, unclogging the arteries of commerce, showing gratitude after a thaw.
Yes, I think that the Parking Authority should be sold. I've stated that plank for years.
It would be much better to sell the Parking Authority than the PA Turnpike and the water pipes under the city's streets.
Then the city could establish a parking department to manage the meters, enforcement and be accountable.
New parking garages would be built with private investments again. Parking rates would climb.
There are a lot of bad ideas that would be slightly better than the free parking display of 'love' from the city. Let's give credit where credit is due. It is better to do something. There is merit to having bleeding heart liberals mark a day where wearing red and wishig for cupid's arrival, based upon a religious Saint's Feast, is marked.
Slightly better would be the hiring of private ambassadors from the PDP to direct downtown office workers on ways around the drunks in Market Square after making eye contact and winking at passers by.
I'm sure Ms. Mon's suggested a V.D. idea of wet kisses from crossing guards and elected politicians stationed at corners throughout the city, to stem the speeding traffic, would have been deemed too much of a gotcha / come on with drunken driver liability.
Pittgirl's ideas can't be re-typed here, as this is a family blog.
Another idea floated on Grant Street was to have political bloggers run heart shaped pretzels out to tug operators as they chugged up the river, unclogging the arteries of commerce, showing gratitude after a thaw.
Getting Around: City loves yinz, offers free Valentine's evening parking Getting Around: City loves yinz, offers free Valentine's evening parkingI'd rather just tell the world that Pittsburgh's parking tax will be dropped to 15%, (not 50%, nor 45%, etc.) as soon as 75% the Parking Authority garages and assets are sold and its final 25% of assets are proven to be on the market.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
By Joe Grata, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Wednesday is Valentine's Day. Pittsburgh wants to show how much it loves yinz by offering a sweetheart deal: free parking.
Yes, I think that the Parking Authority should be sold. I've stated that plank for years.
 |
| From china - bike |
It would be much better to sell the Parking Authority than the PA Turnpike and the water pipes under the city's streets.
Then the city could establish a parking department to manage the meters, enforcement and be accountable.
New parking garages would be built with private investments again. Parking rates would climb.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Name dropping: Twice this week
So I'm watching cable cast of city council's post agenda meeting on city technology and possible plans for wi-fi at 9:45 pm, flipping back and forth with MIB II, and Councilman Bill Peduto drops my name.
At the meeting this Thursday he gave me a mention as well, when I was in the council chambers. Then they were talking about the merger of the purchasing deparments between city and county. He said citizens have an interest in how things are being done and want to offer input as I have mentioned repeatedly in the past.
Okay. Okay.
Yes, I do want to see the "Power Point." I guess it is available from Bill's web page.
So, it is clear I don't have much to do on a Saturday night with my wife and kids in New England for the first edition of a memorial for grandpa. I'm home alone. Most of the day I was coaching a swim meet, as we hosted Grove City in our last dual of the winter season.
What did I learn:
Seems that there are about 4,000 wi-fi sessions a month with the PDP's network downtown. Many are 'double-dipping' and that new software is going to come on-line to help prevent that. The system allows for 2-hours of free access. I guess spare usernames and passwords are being used, often by the same individuals. Beats me. I wouldn't use wi-fi on an unsecure network -- except to surf or stream as a faceless user.
Seems that there is a rash of vandals who bash parking meeters to rip off the quarters.
There are more than 60 police cars with wi-fi and they pay $50 or so a month. Must be via cellular connections now. The number will double in the months to come. A city-wide wi-fi might save 200 units x $50 = $10,000 per month or $120,000 per year. That puts a dent into the $5-million start-up.
However, does this mean that the vandals that are smashing parking meeters to get quarters would climb telephone poles to pinch wi-fi's digital dust?
I'd much rather use an octopus card rather than a credit card for parking meter fees. We should be doing Octupus Card technology for fares and transactions around town. Then Pittsburgh would be a leader in North America.
Bill Peduto wants to get 'credit' for the winkles they've put out in the planning of wi-fi documents that have yet to materialize in RFPs. Boston lifted sections from what was talked about in Pittsburgh. To me, that is still a good thing. To some, it isn't -- I guess. Well, if we rolled out an Octopus Card in Pittsburgh, like they already have in Hong Kong and Netherlands, then Boston could CONTRACT with Pittsburgh's tech providers -- creating an industry here.
It is nice to know when the next bus arrives, and when the next stop arrives -- via a consumer scoreboard display utility built upon GPS. But, that brings us back to those damaged parking meters. How would they last in a bus shelter? It would be better to work upon the toll collection component first, i.e., Octopus Card.
If you're not sure what I mean when ranting about Octopus Cards, search this blog.
At the meeting this Thursday he gave me a mention as well, when I was in the council chambers. Then they were talking about the merger of the purchasing deparments between city and county. He said citizens have an interest in how things are being done and want to offer input as I have mentioned repeatedly in the past.
Okay. Okay.
Yes, I do want to see the "Power Point." I guess it is available from Bill's web page.
So, it is clear I don't have much to do on a Saturday night with my wife and kids in New England for the first edition of a memorial for grandpa. I'm home alone. Most of the day I was coaching a swim meet, as we hosted Grove City in our last dual of the winter season.
What did I learn:
Seems that there are about 4,000 wi-fi sessions a month with the PDP's network downtown. Many are 'double-dipping' and that new software is going to come on-line to help prevent that. The system allows for 2-hours of free access. I guess spare usernames and passwords are being used, often by the same individuals. Beats me. I wouldn't use wi-fi on an unsecure network -- except to surf or stream as a faceless user.
 |
| Double decker isn't same as double dips Wi-Fi. From Pens Village |
Seems that there is a rash of vandals who bash parking meeters to rip off the quarters.
There are more than 60 police cars with wi-fi and they pay $50 or so a month. Must be via cellular connections now. The number will double in the months to come. A city-wide wi-fi might save 200 units x $50 = $10,000 per month or $120,000 per year. That puts a dent into the $5-million start-up.
However, does this mean that the vandals that are smashing parking meeters to get quarters would climb telephone poles to pinch wi-fi's digital dust?
I'd much rather use an octopus card rather than a credit card for parking meter fees. We should be doing Octupus Card technology for fares and transactions around town. Then Pittsburgh would be a leader in North America.
Bill Peduto wants to get 'credit' for the winkles they've put out in the planning of wi-fi documents that have yet to materialize in RFPs. Boston lifted sections from what was talked about in Pittsburgh. To me, that is still a good thing. To some, it isn't -- I guess. Well, if we rolled out an Octopus Card in Pittsburgh, like they already have in Hong Kong and Netherlands, then Boston could CONTRACT with Pittsburgh's tech providers -- creating an industry here.
It is nice to know when the next bus arrives, and when the next stop arrives -- via a consumer scoreboard display utility built upon GPS. But, that brings us back to those damaged parking meters. How would they last in a bus shelter? It would be better to work upon the toll collection component first, i.e., Octopus Card.
If you're not sure what I mean when ranting about Octopus Cards, search this blog.
Free Curricula Center
Free Curricula Center The Free Curricula Center (FCC) helps students worldwide reach their educational potential by producing and distributing university-level curricula that can be copied freely and modified cooperatively.
Low Impact Woodland Home
What would the building inspector say about this home?
A Low Impact Woodland Home ... house was built with maximum regard for the environment and by reciprocation gives us a unique opportunity to live close to nature.
Blah, Blah, Blah -- the 3-1-1 line didn't work but the Trib did
More gets done when nobody takes the credit. But when nothing is getting done, SHOUT. Shout to the MSM. Shout to the podium at city council. Shout to bloggers. Shout to opponents.
This should be the year where follow-through occurs. Two weeks ago we were to have two meetings of the defunct by design Ethics Review Board. But when the dates of the meetings arrive -- the board still doesn't meet.
They blinked.
Repeated requests of citizens went without action of the city.
This should be the year where follow-through occurs. Two weeks ago we were to have two meetings of the defunct by design Ethics Review Board. But when the dates of the meetings arrive -- the board still doesn't meet.
They blinked.
City de-ices Hazelwood house's problem leak - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh's 'redd up' crews Friday shattered a threatening mass of ice that was growing from a vacant Hazelwood home.This is sad. This is a trend. The other house in Hazlewood burned and cause damage to other houses that were NOT empty -- until then.
Fed by a leaky water pipe inside the house on Orinoco Street, the ice threatened to flood Beryl Powers' home next door on Steele Court.
Powers, 69, complained repeatedly about the problem to the city's 311 response line since Jan. 29, but received no satisfaction.
A story published yesterday in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review illustrated Powers' problem and spurred city officials to respond quickly.
Repeated requests of citizens went without action of the city.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Cash Is King thread among political calls for a slate
LibertySlate08 has been talking about 'cash is king' in terms of candidates. My reply to them:
I've got an approach with finances and being a candidate.
Rule #1. Don't burn out.
Rule #2. Don't spend what you don't have.
Keep balance in your life. Keep your day job. Keep your spouse, kids and care to your aging relations in good order. And, be prudent.
Stand for office. Don't run for it.
Announce early. Make time on your side. It is hard to play catch-up when you are so far behind but have so little to invest and such a long spot at getting elected.
If you want the job and the pay check -- get into the dominant party.
I know I can't win the seat as a Libertarian. But, I can win the war on ideas. I can win on the Internet. I can win on certain media cycles. I can win in a debate. And, many of my ideas are going to be embraced by my challengers -- if not this time, then next.
I can get into the race and make the race affordable for others.
I can get into the race and shape the discussions. When something stupid is said -- it won't be repeated when I'm in the race. They'll have to come up with new material -- and they do -- the next night or press release. I can counter then and there -- at the candidate forum. Or, with a press release of my own. And, I document things for history's sake once they get elected -- as my job isn't done after election day.
I think a challenger needs to fight the campaign on both the rational and emotional fronts. There are times for each. Schmooze at a social event. Be academic at the times when its called for. Know your audience. Go with the flow. Give respect -- and then you get respect.
Finally -- the internet is where we need to thrive.
There used to be a concept of the "paper campaign" or "paper candidate." Now it is a digital candidate.
And with podcasting and blogs -- this can be a time to put up a good challenge without going to spend a life's fortune.
Get a trusted crew of others. TRUSTED crew. Your friends hurt you worse than your enemies. Everyone needs "running mates." You'll need to lean on others and have others cover you. But you really have to have these relationships forged with strength before you go out on a limb yourself. Loyalty and dependability matters. You'll generate some heat -- and you'll want others who are well grounded and can deflect some, take some and ride the waves with a long-term zeal to giggle at this in 10 years together. Power and motivations from people can be a freak out for many. You've got to dance with trouble makers -- but keep them contained. Get their comments and input on paper.
I think we need to make history, not be a slave of it. A voter / citizen / public outrage is brewing. It is going to take a lot of folks to fan these fires. You can play a role.
Even when running isn't a good fit for you -- there are lots of other ways to help.
HOSTING CANDIDATE nights for all candidates, a PAN PARTISAN forum on issues, with church groups, with civic clubs, with library groups, with industry friends is WELL WORTH THE EFFORTS and good will that results. Collaborate with the local League of Women Voters (low priority), a radio station, a student government group, neighborhood groups, a union. Then put out the call to ALL CANDI ATES. Put the light on them -- and some will melt. That's good work. That's heavy lifting that comes from folks who are NOT candidates.
Finally -- if you want to get bold -- run for special elections. Run in a primary against an opponent -- and team up on the incumbent from the other party.
Do outreach to other candidates in the area in in different areas. I was running for PA Senate and really did so as I wanted to help with Russ Diamond for Governor and Bill Ogden for State Rep. The interplay among different candidates going for different seats in the same cycles can present a lot of fun, insights and dynamics for change.
I pulled out of the race after 32 minutes before the judge. But -- I couldn't be on the hook for court costs and attorney fees and all that B.S. from their playbook. But, this time they thought to challenge me as they knew I was a threat. There is some victory in that -- because I'm still not in debt. I bet my opponent spent $20,000 just to cause me grief. I'm still on the high road, and not in the red.
Finally, you never know what the future will bring. People die. DAs do file charges.
We all suffer greatly when there are no choices on the ballot on election days.
I've got an approach with finances and being a candidate.
Rule #1. Don't burn out.
Rule #2. Don't spend what you don't have.
Keep balance in your life. Keep your day job. Keep your spouse, kids and care to your aging relations in good order. And, be prudent.
 |
| From people & vips |
Announce early. Make time on your side. It is hard to play catch-up when you are so far behind but have so little to invest and such a long spot at getting elected.
If you want the job and the pay check -- get into the dominant party.
I know I can't win the seat as a Libertarian. But, I can win the war on ideas. I can win on the Internet. I can win on certain media cycles. I can win in a debate. And, many of my ideas are going to be embraced by my challengers -- if not this time, then next.
I can get into the race and make the race affordable for others.
I can get into the race and shape the discussions. When something stupid is said -- it won't be repeated when I'm in the race. They'll have to come up with new material -- and they do -- the next night or press release. I can counter then and there -- at the candidate forum. Or, with a press release of my own. And, I document things for history's sake once they get elected -- as my job isn't done after election day.
I think a challenger needs to fight the campaign on both the rational and emotional fronts. There are times for each. Schmooze at a social event. Be academic at the times when its called for. Know your audience. Go with the flow. Give respect -- and then you get respect.
Finally -- the internet is where we need to thrive.
There used to be a concept of the "paper campaign" or "paper candidate." Now it is a digital candidate.
And with podcasting and blogs -- this can be a time to put up a good challenge without going to spend a life's fortune.
Get a trusted crew of others. TRUSTED crew. Your friends hurt you worse than your enemies. Everyone needs "running mates." You'll need to lean on others and have others cover you. But you really have to have these relationships forged with strength before you go out on a limb yourself. Loyalty and dependability matters. You'll generate some heat -- and you'll want others who are well grounded and can deflect some, take some and ride the waves with a long-term zeal to giggle at this in 10 years together. Power and motivations from people can be a freak out for many. You've got to dance with trouble makers -- but keep them contained. Get their comments and input on paper.
I think we need to make history, not be a slave of it. A voter / citizen / public outrage is brewing. It is going to take a lot of folks to fan these fires. You can play a role.
Even when running isn't a good fit for you -- there are lots of other ways to help.
HOSTING CANDIDATE nights for all candidates, a PAN PARTISAN forum on issues, with church groups, with civic clubs, with library groups, with industry friends is WELL WORTH THE EFFORTS and good will that results. Collaborate with the local League of Women Voters (low priority), a radio station, a student government group, neighborhood groups, a union. Then put out the call to ALL CANDI ATES. Put the light on them -- and some will melt. That's good work. That's heavy lifting that comes from folks who are NOT candidates.
Finally -- if you want to get bold -- run for special elections. Run in a primary against an opponent -- and team up on the incumbent from the other party.
Do outreach to other candidates in the area in in different areas. I was running for PA Senate and really did so as I wanted to help with Russ Diamond for Governor and Bill Ogden for State Rep. The interplay among different candidates going for different seats in the same cycles can present a lot of fun, insights and dynamics for change.
 |
| From people & vips |
Finally, you never know what the future will bring. People die. DAs do file charges.
We all suffer greatly when there are no choices on the ballot on election days.
Cover story: Local Politics Goes to the Blogs - Main Feature - Main Feature - Pittsburgh City Paper
More blog buzz.
I talked about this article when I was speaking today to the Senior Citizens at the South Side Market House. I was there to recruit 'running mates' and talk politics. And, I handed out about 40 CDs with music and message about standing for office and the pending political races in 2007 for the city and region.
Many at the Senior Center won't read blogs. But, they'll listen to my CD. And, I played a snip of some music to them there as well. And, many of the seniors do read and know what's going on.
Pittsburgh - Local Politics Goes to the Blogs - Main Feature - Main Feature - Pittsburgh City Paper Local Politics Goes to the BlogsI'm listed in the web edition -- only because I left a comment or two in the talk-back.
I talked about this article when I was speaking today to the Senior Citizens at the South Side Market House. I was there to recruit 'running mates' and talk politics. And, I handed out about 40 CDs with music and message about standing for office and the pending political races in 2007 for the city and region.
Many at the Senior Center won't read blogs. But, they'll listen to my CD. And, I played a snip of some music to them there as well. And, many of the seniors do read and know what's going on.
When is Motznik Going To Resign?
It wasn’t that long ago, perhaps immediately following the last presidential election, but Pittsburgh City Council member Jim Motznik was a panel guest on the Ann Devlin-version of NightTalk, and promised to resign from public office to work on Senator Hillary Clinton’s campaign, should she run for President.
Now I like Mr. Motznik personally. I’m still perplexed as to why he sprinted away from a Channel 4 cameraman a few years ago after being posed a rather pedestrian political question. He’s always been polite and friendly in the neighborhood, flush with folksy tête-à -tête, a sewer-boot wearing Paul Harvey if you will, albeit with only a third of a vulgarity. He’s a Renaissance man for the new age.
I remember the statement about giving up his day job for the betterment of our country as vividly as yesterday and thought it peculiar even then. Why would he have make such a declaration, even though it was the Ann Devlin version of NightTalk, which promised to deliver upwards of a dozen viewers at any given time, including me for at least one minute on any given evening.
I was always amazed that the show perpetually seemed to be in rerun. We’re not talking about the “good” NightTalk with John McIntyre, an above-it-all elitist with a fairly sublime sense of humor and quick wit, but the tumbleweed installment. Ms. Devlin appeared to have the cushiest post in all of local television, and yet the show would go for weeks upon weeks without new editions. It was kind of like “Lost” with decades between new installments…but I digress.
Anyhoo, as we all know, Mrs. Clinton appeared in a web-based video to “chat” about her run for presidency, a campaign everyone knew started the minute she and the former president smashed their last collector’s plate on the way out the door of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
In the video, the Senator from New York via Arkansas and Illinois looked as comfortable as an Iranian hostage in 1979, emboldened by the muscular Jimmy Carter administration. Like some of those 63 diplomats and three U.S. citizens who were shown on tape, Mrs. Clinton exuded confident, assured that the “take no prisoners” Carter domination would soon kick down the door for freedom. Her titular “Smartest Woman in the World” gimmick would assuredly surpass even those steel-enforced days of Carter supremacy, where money flowed through the streets much like the omnipresent oil and coal mining jobs.
With that type of euphoria right around the corner (despite Carter and the first President Clinton’s salad days, minority home ownership is only now at its highest levels ever), it’s imperative that we only draft our best and brightest to assure another eight years of intern-groping and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason menopause humor.
We need Barbara Streisand to be relevant again…wait, she was never relevant outside of Broadway and Tinseltown (and yes, I am referring to the David Dukes/Kristy Swanson vehicle from 1997)…but I continue to digress.
We as a country need to assure an upswing in collective virtues and values first started by the highly-successful Governor Tony Soprano/Rendell, where taxes are nearly non-existent and competence—from the Lieutenant Governor position on down to the guy who sweeps up after the High Holy Priest’s daily cheesesteak—is once again on par with those heady Carter administration days where peanuts were as precious as the Peso.
When will Mr. Motznik hand in his two-week notice and help prepare the world for Marilyn vos Savant’s more impressively intellectual sister?
Only time will tell, but it should be any day now.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Myron Cope To Lemieux: Keep Pens In Pittsburgh - News
Triple Yoy! Money has never been my god either. You betcha.
Sports are nothing but games of time, space and relationship, so wrote a wise friend and author, Keven DeForrest.
With the floor falling at the Convention Center, I think that the Stadium and Exhibition Authority, as well as Dan Onorato, have other matters to attend to. So, I expect that the Pens will visit Houston and review the offers on the table from elsewhere.
Monkey's might come sailing out of that hole before we hear again from good old State Senator and SEA Board Member, Wayne Fontana, who said last week, "We haven't heard anything. So that must be a good sign."
This week the MSM had its video cameras targeted by the government-hired thugs -- as they more than frowned on my tiny camera in packed rooms at hearings two weeks ago.
Well, I think that the meltdown at the Convention Center is going to make for a deep freeze in the Pens talks about a new arena.
I've got a full-court rant brewing about the Convention Center for tomorrow.
Myron Cope To Lemieux: Keep Pens In Pittsburgh - News Cope continued to try to persuade Lemieux by writing, 'Perhaps unfairly, I'm asking that you disregard bottom-line offers and keep the Pens here, simply because it's the right thing to do.'Time, however, has been my master, now and then.
Cope ended his letter to Lemieux with, 'Money has never been my God. Never.'
Sports are nothing but games of time, space and relationship, so wrote a wise friend and author, Keven DeForrest.
With the floor falling at the Convention Center, I think that the Stadium and Exhibition Authority, as well as Dan Onorato, have other matters to attend to. So, I expect that the Pens will visit Houston and review the offers on the table from elsewhere.
Monkey's might come sailing out of that hole before we hear again from good old State Senator and SEA Board Member, Wayne Fontana, who said last week, "We haven't heard anything. So that must be a good sign."
This week the MSM had its video cameras targeted by the government-hired thugs -- as they more than frowned on my tiny camera in packed rooms at hearings two weeks ago.
Well, I think that the meltdown at the Convention Center is going to make for a deep freeze in the Pens talks about a new arena.
I've got a full-court rant brewing about the Convention Center for tomorrow.
Three Rivers Post & Standard -- yanked off on increased sales tax plan from Fast Eddie
I know another someone who is NOT happy with the plan to raise the sales tax. A touch of anger is in his words at this post on another blog.
The Three Rivers Post & Standard Fast Eddie can’t balance a budget and needs to raise the sales tax on all citizens. God forbid they actually cut some of the flab from the State budget.
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| From texture - misc. |
Anne Feeney's email blast -- speaking of two recent deaths, Jennifer Strange and George Becker
Snips of Anne's email blast include:
Anne is playing a house concert at 4 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2007. The Friendship House Concerts Presents Anne Feeney at Jim and LLouise Altes' House, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, Price: $10. Be there if you can.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF JENNIFER STRANGE
While I was in Sacramento I heard a story about a radio contest sponsored by KDND that reveals some interesting truths about America at the dawn of the 21st century.
the background
KDND "107.9 The End" had gotten hold of one of the highly advertised Nintendo Wii game systems. You've probably seen commercials or news stories about the lines waiting to buy these things. KDND's contest was "Hold Your Wee for a Wii."
The winner would be the person who could drink the most water without urinating.
One of the twenty contestants that morning was Jennifer Strange - a mother of three. She knew that her children really wanted this expensive game system. The contestants were given 8 ounces of water to drink every fifteen minutes for two hours. After three hours of this, all but two contestants had given up... Jennifer Strange and a woman named Lisa.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/newsroom/kdndslides/ You can listen to Jennifer joking with the DJs during the contest. She loses the contest to Lisa. A few hours after leaving the station she was found dead from "water intoxication." She had consumed 7.5 liters (almost 2 gallons) of water during the contest.
The reaction
While everyone agrees it was sad that this young mother died, there were many voices (including the Sacramento newspaper) talking about her 'free will,' her 'personal responsibility' and the 'release' that she signed. It set me to thinking.
I think it is our nature to trust others. We think, "Would the radio station invite me to do this if it could kill me?" But perhaps our trust is misplaced.
Every day United States workers are told to do things that are dangerous and unsafe. (Every year 60,000 death claims are paid to the families of those workers.) Every day soldiers are ordered to do things in Iraq, Guantanamo and elsewhere that violate the military code of ethics and the Geneva Conventions. Every day we open the newspaper or turn on the television and we hear about climate change, about the cost of the war in Iraq, about the violence in New Orleans. We certainly have more information about the life-threatening dangers facing us than Jennifer Strange did about the 'dangers' of drinking water.
Do we speak up? Do we refuse unsafe work? Do we support soldiers who are refusing to violate international law and the dictates of their consciences? Do we demand an end to the war? Do we demand responsible planning for a sustainable future? Do we demand housing and social services and law enforcement for the people of New Orleans?
Or do we sit at home and just keep swallowing, swallowing, swallowing the platitudes coming out of the White House? Why? In order to continue our lifestyle? We have the information we need to save our lives and the lives of future generations. If we ignore it and keep swallowing the lies coming to us from Washington and FOX (sic) News, how are we different from Jennifer Strange? How can we expect to avert her fate?
George Becker - died February 3, 2007 - age 78
My friend George Becker led an extraordinary life. He started on a labor gang in the open hearth at Granite City Steel in Illinois when he was 15 years old. He went on to become the President of the United Steelworkers' Union of America in 1993. He became labor's voice in the anti-corporate globalization movement. He brought thousands of Steelworkers to Seattle for the WTO demonstrations in 1999. The USWA presence was essential to the impact we had there.
I performed at the convention where the Rubber Workers Union merged with USWA (on my birthday) ... it was a really close vote. Rev Joseph Lowery spoke. Rich Trumka spoke. In the end, I think that merger was approved by seven votes. My dear brothers from Bridgestone Firestone in Decatur may have cast the pivotal votes... I'd like to think I had a small hand in that outcome.
During President Becker's tenure I worked on the lockouts at MSI and A/K steel. He never failed to inspire and empower his members. And he had a great sense of humor.
George was the voice of the rank and file. He never lost touch with them. His obituary is at http://www.postgazette.com/pg/07036/759517-122.stm
Anne is playing a house concert at 4 pm on Sunday, March 11, 2007. The Friendship House Concerts Presents Anne Feeney at Jim and LLouise Altes' House, Pittsburgh, PA 15224, Price: $10. Be there if you can.
Black and Gold pleads for Pittsburgh decision
Black and Gold Money won't make you happy; emulate The Chief and keep the Pens in Pittsburgh
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
I hope somebody reading this is close enough to Mario Lemieux to call it to his attention.
Mario, I've known you since your rookie season and have always found you a fine fellow, so I'm going to ask a lot of you. In these cynical times when the bottom line so often rules, it's perhaps silly to ask, but consider emulating The Chief -- the late Art Rooney Sr
Carbolic Smoke Ball - taking the fall for the hole in the Convention Center
Carbolic Smoke Ball Onorato consoled concerned citizens with promises that someone would be fired.
'I assure you, someone will take the fall for this,' Onorato said. 'And I can further assure you, that person will be one of Luke's enemies.' He then turned to Ravenstahl for a high five, chest bump and air guitar.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Eric Heyl's Blog Kick's Bootie
Eric Heyl's Blog - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review To summarize: We have a councilman launching a blog to defend the mayor -- who doesn't have a blog -- against attacks that surfaced in a talk show host's blog in a conspiracy allegedly involving another councilman who brings not a blog but a private MySpace profile to the table.Someone's posted on YouTube already.
That, apparently, is what passes for discourse in the mayor's race -- at least until someone posts something on YouTube.
Hometown Heros
What Happened to Yesterday's Hometown Heroes?
by Lee Wishing
Each morning my local county newspaper shows up late. Speaking with the delivery man and calling the office hasn't changed things. So, rather than canceling the 20,089 daily circulation paper I continue reading the local news with my coffee ... a day late. And I love to read it cover-to-cover. Yet, lately I'm finding I'm growing frustrated with the content. I see some of our older hometown heroes growing weak. But, not our kids.
It's Saturday, and as I read Friday's sports on page B-1, I see three brawny boys wearing "Reynolds Wrestling 600 Wins" t-shirts hoisting the western Pennsylvania District 10 AA Dual Meet Championship trophy over their heads. Reynolds is a local perennial small school wrestling powerhouse. Above them are pictures of 112-pound and 140-pound boys locked in mortal holds.
On page B-3 there are four similar pictures: one shows 125-pound Reynolds Raider Robbie Miller turning Greenville's Doug Richmond on his back with the referee lying next to the boys waiting to call the pin. Richmond must have bloodied Miller's nose earlier in the match because Miller has cotton in his nose. And Richmond isn't giving up even though he's on his back. His back is bridged and he's jamming his palm under Miller's chin. Hometown heroes, these boys. Great stuff!
And then I turn back to page B-1 to read a story about the Pittsburgh Penguins. Another hometown hero, Mario Lemieux, and his Penguin co-owner partners are wrestling with Pennsylvania's governor, Pittsburgh's mayor and Allegheny County's executive to get a new arena for their team. The paper reports that Lemieux and company leave the negotiations-they walk off the mat-because they don't want to share parking and other revenues.
But wait, my instincts tell me there's something wrong with this picture. Why are Lemieux and friends wrestling with the referees? Why are they turning to government for a $290 million deal? Aren't the governor and his team elected to create and enforce laws rather than wrestle with businesses over how much money to grant them? And what's happened to Lemieux? I don't ever remember a champion asking a referee to hand him a win or a Stanley Cup, let alone huge financial favors.
Hmmm...even though he was on his back with the referee lying just inches away, Greenville's Doug Richmond wasn't asking the referee for help. He was fighting for the win.
And then I turn to the business page on B-5 to read a story titled "Dairy Queen Gets Grant to Upgrade Equipment." Once again Pennsylvania's governor is featured. This time his office announces that the governor is giving a local DQ franchise $7,500 to install high-efficiency refrigeration equipment. The story notes that the governor has handed out $2.8 million in similar equipment grants to other small businesses since July 2004.
What is going on with America's business owners? Are they starting out tough as youngsters but growing up soft-turning to government to solve their problems with money that doesn't belong to them? And how do they learn to become weak? Do they read about hometown heroes gone soft in America's sports and business pages? There's a lot of talk today about athletes having a responsibility to be role models. What's happened to Lemieux and Pittsburgh's young mayor? The mayor was a college football player not too long ago. Are these men role models for future business owners?
I've got to shake off this mental softness that's seeping into my mind. Back to page B-3 for me. I'm cheering on young Robbie Miller and Doug Richmond. Grow up strong guys. If you go into business, remember your picture on page B-3. Frame it. Hang it in your bedrooms. Hang it in your dorm rooms. Hang it in your offices. Remember, the referee is just a referee. Don't ask him for help. Even though I'm reading about you a day late, you guys are my hometown heroes today.
Lee Wishing, an adjunct scholar with the Commonwealth Foundation (www.CommonwealthFoundation.org), is the administrative director of The Center for Vision & Values (www.visandvals.org) at Grove City College.
Permission to reprint is hereby granted provided the author and affiliation are cited.
Commonwealth Foundation | 225 State Street, Ste. 302 | Harrisburg | PA | 17101
Teacher Accused of Using Pirated Software in Classroom
Net-Gold : Message: Teacher Accused of Using Pirated Software in Classroom Former Soviet Leader Wants Microsoft to Withdraw ComplaintAnother great example why we should all use open source software.
Russian Teacher Faces Detention in Siberian Prison Camp
MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Monday asked Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to intercede on behalf of a Russian teacher accused of using pirated software in his classroom.
In an open letter, Nobel Peace Prize winner Gorbachev said the teacher, Alexander Ponosov, from a remote village in the Urals, should be shown mercy because he did not know he was committing a crime.
'A teacher, who has dedicated his life to the education of children and who receives a modest salary that does not bear comparison with the salaries of even regular staff in your company, is threatened with detention in Siberian prison camps,' read the letter, posted on the Internet site of Gorbachev's charitable foundation"
Happy Waitangi Day
This is a national holiday.
Waitangi Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaWhere we'll be in May 2007.
Value Networks Clusters
Value Networks Clusters Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything luncheon on 27 Feb 2007 in San Jose, California, USA.There might be a distant visitor element. I'll try to participate from Pittsburgh.
Wiki's are great.
Rental inspection touted as a key to blight control in city
Nanny state legislation is in the pipeline.
Furthermore, as a renter and resident, I don't want to have an inspector walking into my home. Privacy becomes a serious concern.
A building inspector might think my computer has an electrical short and seize it. Meanwhile, this computer is sending figurative darts into the heart of nanny state politicians like Len Boadack or tux buying Dan Deasy.
The state should not have invitations into anyone's home. Places should be off limits for government workers, without probable cause. Assessors shouldn't enter into homes either, and they don't.
If my downstairs neighbor has dripping water into his ceiling, then probable cause is present. But a standing invite on a regular basis sends red flags of worry.
Before I posted about the city's complete lack of responsibility for property that the city owns. After the city gets better control on its properties and once the residents are sure that public properties are kept in good condition -- then let's talk.
The city owns more than 10,000 household properties throughout the city. The city of Pittsburgh is, by far, the worst landlord east of the Mississippi.
The new law is to make big government bigger. New inspectors are going to be hired. New payoffs get to be made.
The $1,000 per month fine for each unit is going to mean that hundreds of apartment buildings are going to be put up for sale when leases expire. This will make more empty buildings and additional blight.
Landlords should get billed for repeat inspections. However, the bill should be paid to the tennant and not to the city. The city wants to punish the landlords and that screws the tennant. That isn't the city's money. Damages should be paid to the ones that suffer, the tennant.
Another problem is the chilling effect with police calls. Pittsburgh faces a serious problem in that the citizens don't want to work with the police. The witness protection program leaves many out in the cold. Crowds of people won't identify shooters. The engagement among citizens and police is frail -- to sugar-coat the stituation. Now, with this new bill, a couple calls to the police is going to get you a bill. A charge.
What about someone with a protection from abuse order and a leaking sink.
We need to do everything we can to make the police accessible to those in need. A family on the run might need a safe place to sleeep even if the bathroom floor lacks that glow of see-yourself-shine. More hoops for landlords to jump through to make a rental just cripples freedom of those who need it the most.
Here is a better solution. Pitt, Duquesne and the other colleges should begin to worry and make proactive measures to protect its students. Who is the Pitt employed, off-campus, student housing coordinator and handy man resource?
Pitt should worry about its people.
Pitt's inaction has skunked up Oakland.
Pitt should be pulled into the middle of this problem, not Grant Street.
After the city gets its act in order, and after the universities get their acts in order with great housing options for its students, then let's talk about Section 8 housing -- then we might call upon landlords for a public hearing.
I look forward to this bill's public hearing being scheduled shortly.
By the way, send a building inspector to the Convention Center. I hear they have a hole in the floor.
Rental inspection touted as a key to blight control in city City Council members yesterday proposed regular inspections of all apartments and rental houses in the city.Putting new fees and new burdens onto those that invest in the city is a sure way to curb those investments. When the punishments come, along with the red tape, the investment money will flow elsewhere.
Furthermore, as a renter and resident, I don't want to have an inspector walking into my home. Privacy becomes a serious concern.
A building inspector might think my computer has an electrical short and seize it. Meanwhile, this computer is sending figurative darts into the heart of nanny state politicians like Len Boadack or tux buying Dan Deasy.
The state should not have invitations into anyone's home. Places should be off limits for government workers, without probable cause. Assessors shouldn't enter into homes either, and they don't.
If my downstairs neighbor has dripping water into his ceiling, then probable cause is present. But a standing invite on a regular basis sends red flags of worry.
Before I posted about the city's complete lack of responsibility for property that the city owns. After the city gets better control on its properties and once the residents are sure that public properties are kept in good condition -- then let's talk.
The city owns more than 10,000 household properties throughout the city. The city of Pittsburgh is, by far, the worst landlord east of the Mississippi.
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| City owned building, vacant, blight issued. Clean up your own house first. Album: playground - usa |
The new law is to make big government bigger. New inspectors are going to be hired. New payoffs get to be made.
The $1,000 per month fine for each unit is going to mean that hundreds of apartment buildings are going to be put up for sale when leases expire. This will make more empty buildings and additional blight.
Landlords should get billed for repeat inspections. However, the bill should be paid to the tennant and not to the city. The city wants to punish the landlords and that screws the tennant. That isn't the city's money. Damages should be paid to the ones that suffer, the tennant.
Another problem is the chilling effect with police calls. Pittsburgh faces a serious problem in that the citizens don't want to work with the police. The witness protection program leaves many out in the cold. Crowds of people won't identify shooters. The engagement among citizens and police is frail -- to sugar-coat the stituation. Now, with this new bill, a couple calls to the police is going to get you a bill. A charge.
What about someone with a protection from abuse order and a leaking sink.
We need to do everything we can to make the police accessible to those in need. A family on the run might need a safe place to sleeep even if the bathroom floor lacks that glow of see-yourself-shine. More hoops for landlords to jump through to make a rental just cripples freedom of those who need it the most.
Here is a better solution. Pitt, Duquesne and the other colleges should begin to worry and make proactive measures to protect its students. Who is the Pitt employed, off-campus, student housing coordinator and handy man resource?
Pitt should worry about its people.
Pitt's inaction has skunked up Oakland.
Pitt should be pulled into the middle of this problem, not Grant Street.
After the city gets its act in order, and after the universities get their acts in order with great housing options for its students, then let's talk about Section 8 housing -- then we might call upon landlords for a public hearing.
I look forward to this bill's public hearing being scheduled shortly.
By the way, send a building inspector to the Convention Center. I hear they have a hole in the floor.
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| From Convention Ce... |
Teacher. Wordsmith. Madman. -- rips letter to editor from Tim Stevenson
Some great blogging is showing up in the neighborhood.
Teacher. Wordsmith. Madman. TURNING YET ANOTHER PAGE
Monday, February 05, 2007
New blog: Campaign 2008
Here is a guy after my own heart. He is long winded too! And, he hits upon the P-G as well.
Campaign2008 In terms of our PA state legislators, they regularly bend or break the law. One former legislative power, Sen. Frank Gigliotti, was once asked if the main point of electoral politics was not to 'serve the public interest.' His famous response, recorded on tape, was, 'F--k the public.' There's evidence he was not alone in that view.
Compare and Contrast Health Care Plans
Here is another plan: Don't get sick. (Just joking.)A chart has been made that shows, in yes-or-no replies, the two major health care options now being floated in Pennsylvania. One is from Governor Ed Rendell. The other is called FAMILY & BUSINESS HEALTH CARE SECURITY ACT OF 2007.
Thanks to Molly Rush for sending along the chart. People in Pittsburgh have been working on the later plan for a couple of years.
http://docs.google.com/View?docid=ddznxj6h_25d6sc6xGet the details in the link above, a published Google Document.
Lanz Children Fund
Mom's gone. Kids are young. Here is how to give.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/10912186/detail.html
If you are local, please feel free to either send a donation to the address below, or go to your local PNC branch office. You will only need to know the name on the account to make a deposit. They will not give you the account number, but will find it by the name.
Donations can be sent to the following address:
Lanz Children Fund
c/o PNC Bank
US Steel Tower
600 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Please, whether you send money or go to a branch office to make a donation, make sure you have the name on the account being "Lanz Children Fund", as that is the only way to make sure the money goes to the correct account. If you send a check, maybe just include a note that the check is a deposit to the "Lanz Children Fund".
National ID Card opposition from Libertarians
Opposition grows to the REAL ID driver’s licenseLibertarian Party of Pennsylvania - For Immediate Release - February 5, 2007Harrisburg, PA - The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) applauds Maine's state legislature for its overwhelming rejection of the REAL ID. Their legislature cited the grave threat to individual liberty, the increased risk of identity theft and the enormous cost of this unfunded mandate. Eleven other states are considering similar bills. The LPPa urges Pennsylvania's legislature to do the same.
For more information contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) or Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org
The REAL ID, passed by Congress in 2005 as an amendment to an appropriations bill, forces the states to standardize their driver licenses converting them into "smart cards" capable of linking to government and private databases. In theory, this connectivity permits a drivers license card to also function as: credit, debit, and banking cards; health, life, auto and property insurance cards; membership, admission and rental cards for private uses; and other applications still being devised.
The danger is that a distant computer or bureaucrat can disable the ID portion of your card and none of the functions will work. LPPa Media Relations Chair, Doug Leard, explained, "When the NICS [National InstaCheck System] system crashed, no one could be validated for a gun purchase. A computer error suspended the Second Amendment for gun purchasers. With the REAL ID system, a computer problem or government bureaucrat’s decision can shut down the day to day lives for millions of people. The Bill of Rights becomes just a list of suspendable privileges at the mercy of computer reliability and government bureaucrats."
The $12 billion dollar estimated cost of the REAL ID unfunded mandate will be passed to the states and then to the taxpayers via increased Department of Motor Vehicle fees, tolls and/or taxes.
Michael Robertson, LPPa Chair, added, "We urge the Pennsylvania legislature to adopt a resolution declining to comply with the REAL ID provisions and to call upon the Congress to repeal this mandate. The mandated concentration of personal information in the hands of a few poses a grave threat to individual liberty and should be viewed as unacceptable in any free society. Pennsylvanians should contact their state and federal elected officials with this message."
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, 3915 Union Deposit Road #223, Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.lppa.org, 1-800-R-RIGHTS, info@lppa.org
More.
Kansas City Star | 02/05/2007 | States rally against a national license States rally against a national license - Legislatures resist a federal effort that would standardize the driver’s ID and link databases.
WASHINGTON | A revolt against a national driver’s license, begun in Maine last month, is quickly spreading to other states.
China's Internet powerhouse crushes opposition, worrying government - International Herald Tribune
China's Internet powerhouse crushes opposition, worrying government - International Herald Tribune China's Internet powerhouse crushes opposition, worrying governmenthttp://qq.com
For three mayoral candidates in Phila., no B.A.
Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/04/2007 | For three mayoral candidates in Phila., no B.A. is no big deal 'Quite frankly, I can't remember a mayor of a big city who wasn't a college graduate, and I think I would,' said David Bositis, an expert in urban and minority politics at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, when asked whether he could. 'It sounds like a question from the 1950s.'Bob O'Connor didn't have a degree, did he?
Campaign funds buy many things for politicians
Campaign funds buy many things for politicians 'In our opinion, that's flat-out wrong,' said Mr. Kauffman. 'I don't think that has anything to do with influencing the outcome of an election.'Flat-out wrong.
Shame on them all.
Speaking of suits, I've been waiting for the opportunity to reveal these photos of when we got suits in Hong Kong. They were not paid for by campiagn donations.
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| From markets |
Counting the beans & counting on pots of gold - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Political story pointer.
Of interest is the mention of the kid's story, Jack and the Beanstalk. I like parables.
The main character in that story made a bad decision and traded, (gambler), his precious asset (cow) for some magic beans. He was tricked.
Sounds like selling off the water authority for cash to help build a stadium to watch 'roid enhanced ball players (S.F. Giants).
But Jack in the fairy tale doesn't really count the beans. He chucks the investment out the window. A real controller might be a bit more tight fisted.
Stealing happens in the story with poor Jack going elsewhere, perhaps suburbia, to rip off the slumbering, and wealthy.
Bandit Jack returns to his senior citizen home after burning the bridge to prospertity with a bag of gold, magic hen and golden harp. Mistick says that those are the kinds of things that it will take to save Pittsburgh.
Humm...
Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum. Watch for would-be controllers on the run.
The story doesn't work for me. I'm not interested in promoting politicians who have a history of making bad decisions and think that they have to rip off others to get ahead. By that standard, Doug Shields and Mike Dawida are OUT.
As for Lamb, Pokora and Macklin -- well -- I've yet to see ANYTHING from them.
Perhaps the watch-dog media types in Pittsburgh can spin another yarn of another fairy tail soon. Weave the names of candidates into a saga of psuedo-news based on hype and smoke. Replay to the voters how the building blocks of democracy come from the bedrock found in the book of Mistick.
Joe, the golden harp might be out of tune.
Counting the beans & counting on pots of gold - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Counting the beans by Joe Sabino MistickJoe wrote of a slugfest of blog attacks, but neither Ravenstahl nor Peduto have opened any blogs. Go figure.
Of interest is the mention of the kid's story, Jack and the Beanstalk. I like parables.
The main character in that story made a bad decision and traded, (gambler), his precious asset (cow) for some magic beans. He was tricked.
Sounds like selling off the water authority for cash to help build a stadium to watch 'roid enhanced ball players (S.F. Giants).
But Jack in the fairy tale doesn't really count the beans. He chucks the investment out the window. A real controller might be a bit more tight fisted.
Stealing happens in the story with poor Jack going elsewhere, perhaps suburbia, to rip off the slumbering, and wealthy.
Bandit Jack returns to his senior citizen home after burning the bridge to prospertity with a bag of gold, magic hen and golden harp. Mistick says that those are the kinds of things that it will take to save Pittsburgh.
Humm...
Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum. Watch for would-be controllers on the run.
The story doesn't work for me. I'm not interested in promoting politicians who have a history of making bad decisions and think that they have to rip off others to get ahead. By that standard, Doug Shields and Mike Dawida are OUT.
As for Lamb, Pokora and Macklin -- well -- I've yet to see ANYTHING from them.
Perhaps the watch-dog media types in Pittsburgh can spin another yarn of another fairy tail soon. Weave the names of candidates into a saga of psuedo-news based on hype and smoke. Replay to the voters how the building blocks of democracy come from the bedrock found in the book of Mistick.
Joe, the golden harp might be out of tune.
OpenOffice.org is blistering ahead elsewhere -- what about in Pittsburgh?
If I was mayor or county executive, we'd be hosting a big open source software pow-wow such as this. And, we'd do it often. All the 'running mates' and everyone in the region should be using OpenOffice.org. Go get it. Put it on your computer. Give it a whirl. 
The official international OpenOffice.org Conference (OOoCon) brings together people who are interested in the development, promotion, and use of OpenOffice.org.
Last year, members of the OpenOffice.org community gathered at the official international OpenOffice.org Conference (OOoCon) in Lyon, France for a superb conference hosted by the local OpenOffice.org community.
This year's proposals reflect the growing importance of OpenOffice.org in the Asia Pacific area as well as Europe, with strong proposals from:
* Barcelona (Spain)
* Beijing (China)
* Dehradun (India)
Members of the OpenOffice.org community are invited to go to the following web page to submit a vote for their preferred location:
http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2007/proposal.html
Voting will be open from 5th February - 18th February inclusive. Just two weeks - so please vote early.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Early screening review of Pride
Early screening review - Lionsgate Forums I viewed a Feb. 2 screening of PRIDE in Kansas City. Jim Ellis attended and spoke briefly about his history on which PRIDE is based. Ellis makes a cameo appearance in the early part of the film itself.
UPDATE: Wishing for that 2-hour delay call, before kick-off
UPDATE 2: School is OFF. The Two Hour Delay came and then it was changed to NO SCHOOL for STUDENTS on MONDAY AM.
How about a 2-hour delay for Monday morning school, to be called before kickoff.
It's cold. The buses are going to need time to warm up.
We're wanting to watch football and not have grumpy guys all week.
How about a 2-hour delay for Monday morning school, to be called before kickoff.
It's cold. The buses are going to need time to warm up.
We're wanting to watch football and not have grumpy guys all week.
New bullet on my resume: Poet Laureate of Pennsylvania
We had a wonderful presenter at church today, author and poet, Sam Hazo. He had been the poet of Pennsylvania, until the arrival of Gov. Ed Rendell.
He told the story that Ed Rendell, who had been friendly to the arts, nixed the no-pay role of state poet. He got a letter saying that his services were no longer needed. Asking why, he was informed that Ed Rendell thought that every poet in Pennsylvania was a Pennsylvania Poet Laureate.
There was a women from Nantucket...
You too can be a poet laureate of the commonwealth.
He told the story that Ed Rendell, who had been friendly to the arts, nixed the no-pay role of state poet. He got a letter saying that his services were no longer needed. Asking why, he was informed that Ed Rendell thought that every poet in Pennsylvania was a Pennsylvania Poet Laureate.
There was a women from Nantucket...
You too can be a poet laureate of the commonwealth.
A heaping helping of handouts
Good feature article, also blogged about at AntiRust.
It is no wonder that they use slush funds so well. They are great at giving bonus pay to staffers in Harrisburg -- and hiding it.
My favorite reason for not doing give-a-ways is its toxic nature. The subsidy puts poison into the well of the free market place. A gift, bonus, grant or enhancement to one is sure to halt the development from those who would do so otherwise, without the aid.
Furthermore, the people vote with their feet. They will invest elsewhere, in a market that is NOT so crooked, so slanted, so full of favorites.
I've seen this in coaching plenty of times. When a coach plays favorites, the team is going to crumble. People won't buy into the system when some are being rewarded and others are not. When bribes are needed to jump start anything -- then nothing will happen without a bribe. Game over.
A business person that makes an investment into an area wants to protect that equity. High risk investments are not worthy. Capital should not be leveraged in areas where others don't do the same and where capital isn't even valued.
Questions from within the article:
Are these or any businesses worth such enormous public investments?
No.
If not, is it OK to sometimes make bad investments on behalf of the taxpayers if those same taxpayers also derive tangential benefit from the overpriced product?
No.
Is it even possible these days to get something built without offering a big carrot first?
No in Pittsburgh, these days. However, it could be not only possible but certain that a windfall of development would return to the city and the region as soon as we made a drastic change of course.
Once we say, 'enough is enough' and mark a new day -- and tell the world in no uncertain terms that all TIFs and tax-breaks for the favorites have ended, then we'll see a new dawn of prosperity.
When we respect the marketplace and prove it -- then the marketplace will respect us, again.
This is more than a politician, union, business leader (ha, ha) and campaign donor issue. The voters need to be a part of this chain of command. They are the citizens, the ones with the most money, and the ones that are hardest to mobilize -- but with the best clout.
The voters are going to need to speak with their votes -- and not just once. The voters are going to need to awaken -- like never before. Or else, the special interest groups will dominate into the future.
Condos are an option now in Downtown because Downtown is so poor, depressed and poisoned. Building condos in a downtown business area isn't a sign of prosperity.
Just as the arrival of flowers at a funeral home should not signal anything but death, so too goes condos for our downtown.
Downtown wasn't meant for subsidized condos, yet we're getting condos because downtown is dead. Downtown should have a density of economic activity, commerce, business. Wealth should be created and calculated in Downtown spaces. Widgets should have places to rest on balance sheets, in downtown offices -- not empty nesters.
It is fitting that 'empty nesters' are the ones flocking to occupy Downtown spaces now.
And if it's hard to prove public subsidies are ever a really good deal, then why do politicians keep forking over millions?
The proof of the value of subsidies is hard to get a handle upon because we've had controllers like Tom Flaherty and Dan Onorato. They are players in the rat race where spending government money is a career enhancement.
Think again! The economic theory of opportunity cost means money spent on one thing means opportunities foregone on other things. That is a lesson that is lost on many. I'd rather give money and provide services to veterans who have had limbs blown off in the war than build two tunnels under the Allegheny River for a modest expansion of light rail. But then again, I'd rather not send our loved ones into war, especially after the evil dictator of Iraq has been removed, stood trial and executed.
Sports venues are the biggest drain of all, most economists agree. Come on. The cost of war exceeds the cost of sports venues.
Here is another goofy comment in the article: And unlike skyscrapers that may be underwritten with public subsidies, public arenas and stadiums almost never go on the tax rolls, meaning the city or county won't recover the costs over time. I've called upon the Steelers, Pirates and even the Penguins to own their own venues. Even the Steelers practice field should be owned by the Steelers. And tax should be collected there.
I've also called for a net reduction in the amount of land that is owned and controlled by nonprofits, including the city, county and state. I'd build a plan where the region would shrink the overall property holdings held in non-tax deeds. That long-term evolution would allow for institutional growth upwards -- as in taller buildings.
However, the skyscraper buildings that, for example, sit upon three acres of land, should pay the same tax as the surface parking lot that also sits on three acres of land in an adjacent lot. If we got back to the point where we just tax the land, not the building's value above the dirt, then we'd be rewarding the developers who bring investment into the region.
Presently, we reward those who let property values drop. We give tax breaks to those who rip down affordable housing. We punish those that fix up their properties.
Skyscrapers should not be underwritten with public subsidies because we should only worry about the footprint of the land. Then everyone gets a tax break for fixing up their holdings. Market pressures would insure that those with blight and surface parking lots either sell or upgrade to get more value to their capital and the community's gain as well.
The value of being a 'big league city' is little next to the hurt of being a place of bigots, racists, special interests, complex corruption and machine politics. On the other hand, if Pittsburgh, as a region, was known the world over for being fair, square, direct, open, healthy, caring and honest -- then the world would notice. There are plenty of other traits that should go on either side of this formula: smart, inventive, hard-working, enterprising, just, trustworthy, creative, etc., etc.
When we pin our hopes of showing the passion of Pittsburgh on a few guys with pro-sports contracts, we fail.
The public good that the Penguins own needs to be matched with the public good that the citizens, fans and world. I would hope that the governmental leaders would dance with the Penguins owners, but in much different ways than what is unfolding here. Rendell, Onorato, Ravenstahl and even S&EA members Fontana and Koch are clueless. With a bigger vision, I feel that the Penguin Village concept could flourish in Pittsburgh. The new arena could come, with private money with new, long-term income streams to the team based upon the value that they bring to a new development -- where land is cheap and available.
I do not agree that the Pittsburgh's population is not too small for its residents to make up a new arena -- from private sources. Government is too frail to carry the weight of that type of investment, I dare insist. But, the private investors could make the deal occur to everyone's satisfaction. With the Penguins Village, people would receive enough "tangible" value from the team. And, they'd like a part of that action. The public buy in for a new public arena, new housing, new village and new lifestyle opportunities would be amazing.
Public transit is almost always a losing venture -- given the way it is a monopoly, managed, priced and held accountable. However, public transit could do more in a bottom line justification if there were new system-wide checks and trust. PAT does offer an incalculable societal value to providing subsidized transportation for the people who need it.
Then sewers are mentioned. The past Dem leaders in this town sold off the most necessary public assets for a quick cash fix. The sewer lines should be public. Meanwhile, the hockey venue should be private.
"You don't have places to park your construction vehicles," ... Humm. But we've given up many roads for construction vehicles. Jeepers.
I'm flat out against more incentives for Downtown. I do not favor the Downtown historic-zone tax credits. They want to steal from the kids. I say 'no.'
The status quo politicians love it when incentives are so, so tricky. My trick is to make them simple -- by not doing any of them. No tricks. They are like tricky-dicky Nixon. The other way is without smoke and mirrors -- without a trick -- without being a whore.
All subsidies end up being good deals for the special interests. These are good deals for some. "No matter how much forecasting you do, there's no way to know the end benefit unless you take the leap." Unless, of course, you stand firm and don't leap at all.
Take the South Side Works. My biggest objection to that project was the UPMC owned football facility. Those 40 acres proved to deliver a net gain of 2 jobs. That sucks. That can't be overlooked.
The bar bill is something that I'm not going to defend as it isn't going to come into being.
Rick Belloli, the executive director of the South Side Local Development Company, can't even get the neighborhood business district with ADA accessibility and handicapped ramps. The SSLDC is worthless and that is just the way I like it.
The project may not have created a net job gain for the state or even the region. PEROID. You said it. That's something to emulate?
"It isn't a subsidy," Mr. Belloli argued. "It's balancing the cost [of development] so that it's competitive" with cheaper-to-develop land in, say, Butler County. What about Pittsburgh Mills. Cheap land. Expensive to get customers there -- and to sustain itself.
I'm a critic and I understand that subsidies aren't distributed in an economic vacuum. Duhh. The spokesman for the Department of Community and Economic Development can save his breath. They don't want to compete. They want to grow their power. They want to be deal makers instead of guardians of freedom and justice.
Westinghouse Electric's nuclear expansion comes in-state so we can build NUKES for CHINA and our kids get less funding for our schools. China finances our bonds. China gets its needed electricity. China gets next generation technology. Meanwhile, American kids and schools get less. The Westinghouse was not a competition between North Carolina and Pennsylvania. In another generation, we'll see who has the upper hand, in a vast majority of categories.
A heaping helping of handouts from the P-G by Bill T.... Politicians are willing to do just about anything to create or preserve jobs.Right. They will steal from neighbors. They will undercut. They will lie.
It is no wonder that they use slush funds so well. They are great at giving bonus pay to staffers in Harrisburg -- and hiding it.
"Once you get in the subsidy game, everybody else gets in line," said Edward Lotterman, a Minnesota economist. "And some of the people in line would be building that project anyway."Some would call this OPM -- or Other Peoples Money. OPM is easy to spend.
My favorite reason for not doing give-a-ways is its toxic nature. The subsidy puts poison into the well of the free market place. A gift, bonus, grant or enhancement to one is sure to halt the development from those who would do so otherwise, without the aid.
Furthermore, the people vote with their feet. They will invest elsewhere, in a market that is NOT so crooked, so slanted, so full of favorites.
I've seen this in coaching plenty of times. When a coach plays favorites, the team is going to crumble. People won't buy into the system when some are being rewarded and others are not. When bribes are needed to jump start anything -- then nothing will happen without a bribe. Game over.
A business person that makes an investment into an area wants to protect that equity. High risk investments are not worthy. Capital should not be leveraged in areas where others don't do the same and where capital isn't even valued.
Questions from within the article:
No.
No.
No in Pittsburgh, these days. However, it could be not only possible but certain that a windfall of development would return to the city and the region as soon as we made a drastic change of course.
Once we say, 'enough is enough' and mark a new day -- and tell the world in no uncertain terms that all TIFs and tax-breaks for the favorites have ended, then we'll see a new dawn of prosperity.
When we respect the marketplace and prove it -- then the marketplace will respect us, again.
This is more than a politician, union, business leader (ha, ha) and campaign donor issue. The voters need to be a part of this chain of command. They are the citizens, the ones with the most money, and the ones that are hardest to mobilize -- but with the best clout.
The voters are going to need to speak with their votes -- and not just once. The voters are going to need to awaken -- like never before. Or else, the special interest groups will dominate into the future.
Condos are an option now in Downtown because Downtown is so poor, depressed and poisoned. Building condos in a downtown business area isn't a sign of prosperity.
Just as the arrival of flowers at a funeral home should not signal anything but death, so too goes condos for our downtown.
Downtown wasn't meant for subsidized condos, yet we're getting condos because downtown is dead. Downtown should have a density of economic activity, commerce, business. Wealth should be created and calculated in Downtown spaces. Widgets should have places to rest on balance sheets, in downtown offices -- not empty nesters.
It is fitting that 'empty nesters' are the ones flocking to occupy Downtown spaces now.
The proof of the value of subsidies is hard to get a handle upon because we've had controllers like Tom Flaherty and Dan Onorato. They are players in the rat race where spending government money is a career enhancement.
Think again! The economic theory of opportunity cost means money spent on one thing means opportunities foregone on other things. That is a lesson that is lost on many. I'd rather give money and provide services to veterans who have had limbs blown off in the war than build two tunnels under the Allegheny River for a modest expansion of light rail. But then again, I'd rather not send our loved ones into war, especially after the evil dictator of Iraq has been removed, stood trial and executed.
Sports venues are the biggest drain of all, most economists agree. Come on. The cost of war exceeds the cost of sports venues.
Here is another goofy comment in the article: And unlike skyscrapers that may be underwritten with public subsidies, public arenas and stadiums almost never go on the tax rolls, meaning the city or county won't recover the costs over time. I've called upon the Steelers, Pirates and even the Penguins to own their own venues. Even the Steelers practice field should be owned by the Steelers. And tax should be collected there.
I've also called for a net reduction in the amount of land that is owned and controlled by nonprofits, including the city, county and state. I'd build a plan where the region would shrink the overall property holdings held in non-tax deeds. That long-term evolution would allow for institutional growth upwards -- as in taller buildings.
However, the skyscraper buildings that, for example, sit upon three acres of land, should pay the same tax as the surface parking lot that also sits on three acres of land in an adjacent lot. If we got back to the point where we just tax the land, not the building's value above the dirt, then we'd be rewarding the developers who bring investment into the region.
Presently, we reward those who let property values drop. We give tax breaks to those who rip down affordable housing. We punish those that fix up their properties.
Skyscrapers should not be underwritten with public subsidies because we should only worry about the footprint of the land. Then everyone gets a tax break for fixing up their holdings. Market pressures would insure that those with blight and surface parking lots either sell or upgrade to get more value to their capital and the community's gain as well.
The value of being a 'big league city' is little next to the hurt of being a place of bigots, racists, special interests, complex corruption and machine politics. On the other hand, if Pittsburgh, as a region, was known the world over for being fair, square, direct, open, healthy, caring and honest -- then the world would notice. There are plenty of other traits that should go on either side of this formula: smart, inventive, hard-working, enterprising, just, trustworthy, creative, etc., etc.
When we pin our hopes of showing the passion of Pittsburgh on a few guys with pro-sports contracts, we fail.
The public good that the Penguins own needs to be matched with the public good that the citizens, fans and world. I would hope that the governmental leaders would dance with the Penguins owners, but in much different ways than what is unfolding here. Rendell, Onorato, Ravenstahl and even S&EA members Fontana and Koch are clueless. With a bigger vision, I feel that the Penguin Village concept could flourish in Pittsburgh. The new arena could come, with private money with new, long-term income streams to the team based upon the value that they bring to a new development -- where land is cheap and available.
I do not agree that the Pittsburgh's population is not too small for its residents to make up a new arena -- from private sources. Government is too frail to carry the weight of that type of investment, I dare insist. But, the private investors could make the deal occur to everyone's satisfaction. With the Penguins Village, people would receive enough "tangible" value from the team. And, they'd like a part of that action. The public buy in for a new public arena, new housing, new village and new lifestyle opportunities would be amazing.
Public transit is almost always a losing venture -- given the way it is a monopoly, managed, priced and held accountable. However, public transit could do more in a bottom line justification if there were new system-wide checks and trust. PAT does offer an incalculable societal value to providing subsidized transportation for the people who need it.
Then sewers are mentioned. The past Dem leaders in this town sold off the most necessary public assets for a quick cash fix. The sewer lines should be public. Meanwhile, the hockey venue should be private.
"You don't have places to park your construction vehicles," ... Humm. But we've given up many roads for construction vehicles. Jeepers.
I'm flat out against more incentives for Downtown. I do not favor the Downtown historic-zone tax credits. They want to steal from the kids. I say 'no.'
The status quo politicians love it when incentives are so, so tricky. My trick is to make them simple -- by not doing any of them. No tricks. They are like tricky-dicky Nixon. The other way is without smoke and mirrors -- without a trick -- without being a whore.
All subsidies end up being good deals for the special interests. These are good deals for some. "No matter how much forecasting you do, there's no way to know the end benefit unless you take the leap." Unless, of course, you stand firm and don't leap at all.
Take the South Side Works. My biggest objection to that project was the UPMC owned football facility. Those 40 acres proved to deliver a net gain of 2 jobs. That sucks. That can't be overlooked.
The bar bill is something that I'm not going to defend as it isn't going to come into being.
Rick Belloli, the executive director of the South Side Local Development Company, can't even get the neighborhood business district with ADA accessibility and handicapped ramps. The SSLDC is worthless and that is just the way I like it.
The project may not have created a net job gain for the state or even the region. PEROID. You said it. That's something to emulate?
"It isn't a subsidy," Mr. Belloli argued. "It's balancing the cost [of development] so that it's competitive" with cheaper-to-develop land in, say, Butler County. What about Pittsburgh Mills. Cheap land. Expensive to get customers there -- and to sustain itself.
I'm a critic and I understand that subsidies aren't distributed in an economic vacuum. Duhh. The spokesman for the Department of Community and Economic Development can save his breath. They don't want to compete. They want to grow their power. They want to be deal makers instead of guardians of freedom and justice.
Westinghouse Electric's nuclear expansion comes in-state so we can build NUKES for CHINA and our kids get less funding for our schools. China finances our bonds. China gets its needed electricity. China gets next generation technology. Meanwhile, American kids and schools get less. The Westinghouse was not a competition between North Carolina and Pennsylvania. In another generation, we'll see who has the upper hand, in a vast majority of categories.
"It's what in game theory is called 'the prisoner's dilemma'," said Mr. Lotterman, the economist. "If you think the other guy is going to do it, and if you're a Pittsburgh and you are desperate for some jobs and some development, you have to do it, too."Good name, prisoner's dilemma. Count me among those that choose to be free.
Ending a never- ending probe
Police behavior and this lingering investigation was a point of discussion at the Summit Against Racism in January.
Ending a never- ending probe - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Video: Chillin' with the Pitts-Burrrrrgh Drowned Hogs
Dang. I missed an open water swimming opportunity. Remind me of this next year, before the fact.
Video: Chillin' with the Pitts-Burrrrrgh Drowned Hogs About 25 people jumped into the cold Monongahela River on Pittsburgh's South Side yesterday to echo Punxsutawney Phil's prognostication that spring is just around the corner.Great clip from the P-G. Well done.
FLOCKing TO MELLON ARENA
Official Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins: PENGUINS FANS CONTINUE TO FLOCK TO MELLON ARENATeam says it doesn't need a new arena. Asks city for decade worth of five annual parades instead.
The city's Labor, Veterans, St. Pats, First Night and the Great Race events are all on the table for possible name changes and possible sponsorship windfalls to the Penguins.
 |
| From Pens Village |
Development rights to land around the Civic Arena isn't nearly as attractive to the Pens management and owners. The team has more confidence of getting cooperation and cash by collecting tolls from both participants and parade marchers at the big annual events.
Projections of five parades for ten years gives the Pens 50 events to capitalize upon. If each event nets the team $3-million, they'll be able to bankroll a savings account with compounded interest, seeing its nest egg grow for a future down-payment on a new parking garage and escalators. Plus the team will still be able to splurge in the expected purchases of refrigerators to chill beer at Mellon Arena by the face-off of next season, despite the extended warranty of the present units.
Should the Pens make the NHL playoffs, all post-season games for the next 10 years are to be played in Kansas City. This clause, negotiated by Luke Ravenstahl, will save the city of costly overtime expenses.
In related news, Don Barden, owner of Majestic Star slots parlor, pledges his $350-million investment to the Hill District to go into a new trolly line. "We'll build on the idea first floated by the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, as he launched his successful 2005 mayor campaign." The line will connect the edge of Oakland, to Oak Hill, and the rest of the Hill District to a turn-around at the edge of Downtown.
The back and forth line will be built in the street along with stops, bike path and lighted sidewalks. All homeowners and students who live in the city can obtain a lifetime pass to ride the new trolly without charge after paying for a one-time $100 fee and getting its assocated retina scan.
 New trolly will provide a new backbone for increased development to the Hill and core of the city. |
| From Pens Village |
Guy takes fall in Highland Park. So sorry. South Side's next BAR BILL for pedestrian quality of life.
A posting to the neighborhood email discussion list in Highland Park:
The first snowfalls of the year generally don't stick to our sidewalks due to the Ph values of the pavement -- thanks to a year's worth of urine build-up.
Furthermore, if a guy falls around here, he has to pick his spot with care to avoid the vomit. Vomit is very slippery in and of it self. Folks have been seen doing cartwheels just to avoid stepping in vomit -- making graceful dodges risky.
Our neighbors with dogs, like the guy who wrote this post, are always great at keeping a tidy neighborhood, so no need to mention poop.
I'd like to make a new city ordinance about those that would leave human waste on our sidewalks and private property. We don't really need, nor are we going to get, an ordinance that limits the number of bars in commercial business districts. We need to curb the bad boy behaviors from the patrons of these bars. It isn't the bar that comes and drops its pants or leaves its lunch. Those without the respect are the half-brained drunks.
If you puke on the sidewalk, and don't clean up the mess within 30 minutes, pay $500. And, the friends in your party each pay $100. And, the place that served you that night, recently or prior, pays $200.
Furthermore, none of the money collected from the fines goes to the city. It goes to the property owner who files the complaint. And, that money goes as a tax free grant to be used only on on property upgrades and property enhancements.
Paint your house. Buy a refrigerator. Install a new video camera.
This would be a citizen vs. citizen case in front of the district magistrate.
I slipped on the packed snow/ice on your sidewalk while walking the dog this morning. It's nothing serious, but my ankle is sore. Unfortunately, it's not the first time this has happened on your sidewalk.Those of us that live on the South Side see folks fall on the sidewalk every weekend, generally between the hours of 1 and 3:30 am. They are drunk, of course.
You take great care of your home and your yard, so I'm asking you to extend that care to the sidewalk around your house.
Did you know that it's a city ordinance to remove snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall? (see the code below) Granted, the chances of actually getting a ticket are slim, but there are other ways your bank account could take a hit. Imagine how your insurance company might react if I were injured enough to file a claim for medical treatment.
Forget the legalities and cash costs, though. Cleaning the sidewalk should be something you do as a courtesy to the kids going to/from school, your neighbors walking to/from the bus stop, folks walking their dogs, or someone just enjoying a walk in the evening.
Am I asking you to clean the snow as it hits the concrete? Of course not! But it has been a couple days since the snow fell and your sidewalk is still covered with it, all of it now packed down and slick.
Maybe you're thinking "Did you slip in front of my house?" If you have to ask that question, then the answer is "yes!"
So why not shovel the snow today. And maybe toss down some salt or other de-icer. It's the neighborly, safe and legal thing to do.
City of Pittsburgh Code #419.03 REMOVAL OF SNOW AND ICE.
Every tenant, occupant or owner having the care or charge of any land or building fronting on any street in the city, where there is a sidewalk paved with concrete, brick, stone or other material shall, within twenty-four (24) hours after the fall of any snow or sleet, or the accumulation of ice caused by freezing rainfall, cause the same to be removed from the sidewalk.
The first snowfalls of the year generally don't stick to our sidewalks due to the Ph values of the pavement -- thanks to a year's worth of urine build-up.
Furthermore, if a guy falls around here, he has to pick his spot with care to avoid the vomit. Vomit is very slippery in and of it self. Folks have been seen doing cartwheels just to avoid stepping in vomit -- making graceful dodges risky.
Our neighbors with dogs, like the guy who wrote this post, are always great at keeping a tidy neighborhood, so no need to mention poop.
I'd like to make a new city ordinance about those that would leave human waste on our sidewalks and private property. We don't really need, nor are we going to get, an ordinance that limits the number of bars in commercial business districts. We need to curb the bad boy behaviors from the patrons of these bars. It isn't the bar that comes and drops its pants or leaves its lunch. Those without the respect are the half-brained drunks.
If you puke on the sidewalk, and don't clean up the mess within 30 minutes, pay $500. And, the friends in your party each pay $100. And, the place that served you that night, recently or prior, pays $200.
Furthermore, none of the money collected from the fines goes to the city. It goes to the property owner who files the complaint. And, that money goes as a tax free grant to be used only on on property upgrades and property enhancements.
Paint your house. Buy a refrigerator. Install a new video camera.
This would be a citizen vs. citizen case in front of the district magistrate.
Grant S has started a new blog
http://grantsstreetreport.blogspot.com/Friends, if you are going to start a new blog, it might be much easier and better to just "Come With Me" and join my blog as a Running Mate.
Of course you can form a new blog. Even Jim Motznik can do it twice in one week. And I encourage you to form you own new blog if you are going to go out to the bleeding edge in terms of nameless or wreckless content.
However, if you want to think, ponder, react, and offer solutions of our shared spaces, there is plenty of room for more running mates here, on the front page of this blog.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Community news roundup gets ink for M. Lamb
Community news roundup for Palm Beach County: South Florida Sun-Sentinel Michael Lamb wrote a letter chastising the mayor and the City Council for considering 'the wholesale slaughter of these creatures.'At least this Michael Lamb is doing something -- and it is colorful.
Reporter shared recording
Say what?
MiamiHerald.com | 02/01/2007 | Reporter shared recording ``My recorder was on the table in front of Coach Saban, in plain view, and he knew the conversation was being recorded. However, I never initially reported the material because he indicated to the three reporters present that it was not intended for print.''Whistleblowers, slurs, emailed comments, and nothing to do with players on Grant Street. Just football coaches.
Life saving tip for Marty Griffin
Weather drama is hitting the airwaves.
Marty G on KDKA-Radio had some fun with the hype.
Marty G on KDKA-Radio had some fun with the hype.
 |
| From family - travels |
Councilman Peduto wants ethics board activated - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Exactly.
We should cut the length of term of each elected office in half as long as there are overlords running the city. The term of the Mayor's office, and the term of the city council members, as well as controller, should be two years, not four, as long as the I.C.A. and Act 47 team is in town.
Councilman Peduto wants ethics board activated - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Former Mayor Sophie Masloff created the board in the early 1990s.This board never met for the duration of Bill Peduto's entire career on Grant Street. Now we have two meetings next week because there is a campaign.
We should cut the length of term of each elected office in half as long as there are overlords running the city. The term of the Mayor's office, and the term of the city council members, as well as controller, should be two years, not four, as long as the I.C.A. and Act 47 team is in town.
Port Authority urged to move to less-expensive office space
Jack opens up a new front in the war against PAT.
Port Authority urged to move to less-expensive office space The Port Authority could save money by moving out of rented office space in the Heinz 57 Center, Downtown, and going back to its partly vacant former administration building in Manchester, state Auditor General Jack Wagner said.
Jon Delano news flash: JD admits: "Truth is, you have to think!"
Jon Delano opened a blog. But it wasn't too long ago, see link below, when Jon said Pittsburgh political bloggers were a dime a dozen.
Jon, what became of the PSF e-mail newsletters and talkshoe conversations?
Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Jon Delano news flash: JD admits: "Truth is, you have to think!" My message to 'Dime a Dozen Delano:' Pittsburgh should be so lucky to have political bloggers at dime a dozen rates.If we are a dime a dozen, and he has one blog posting, what does that make him?
Jon, what became of the PSF e-mail newsletters and talkshoe conversations?
Thursday, February 01, 2007
WQED Multimedia offers turn back the clock specials
WQED Multimedia The WQED Multimedia Board of Directors is a volunteer group of people from the community who set the mission and strategic direction of WQED.Due to demand and budget constraints, WQED's board meetings in 2007 will be re-runs of past meetings of the 2005 and 2006 season.
With luck, James C. Roddey and Elsie Hillman will narrate in sweeps week.
Still scratching my head on the decision of our neighbor to the west: Don't ax Ohio's men swimming!
Ohio State got blitzed in footballs big bowl game in January 2007. The OSU band got creative with its on-field message, so goes the joke.
I'm still feeling the same with the news that the other Ohio University, my O.U. Bobcats. The bad news: Ohio University's President wants to drop men's swimming. "Oh shit!"
Now I know I'm not to lash out. So, I won't. But I really want to.
I'm still feeling the same with the news that the other Ohio University, my O.U. Bobcats. The bad news: Ohio University's President wants to drop men's swimming. "Oh shit!"
Now I know I'm not to lash out. So, I won't. But I really want to.
Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city
The slots parlor didn't fit into the fabric of the lower Hill District, so says the Gaming Board.
Furthermore, I'd say that the new arena does NOT fit into the fabric of the Hill District either.
The existing civic arena should stay where it is for more modest events that don't require corporate box seats. More development can enclose around the civic arena, and that facility can be used for other activities around the clock on a daily basis.
A new venue should be built, with private money, within Allegheny County, such as at the old airport site. The Penguins should be able to build with seat licenses, corporate boxes, and 500 acres of development rights on property that isn't as confined as is in the Hill District.
Furthermore, I'd say that the new arena does NOT fit into the fabric of the Hill District either.
The existing civic arena should stay where it is for more modest events that don't require corporate box seats. More development can enclose around the civic arena, and that facility can be used for other activities around the clock on a daily basis.
A new venue should be built, with private money, within Allegheny County, such as at the old airport site. The Penguins should be able to build with seat licenses, corporate boxes, and 500 acres of development rights on property that isn't as confined as is in the Hill District.
Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city: "'The board finds that PITG's facility design was, in the board's opinion, better than IOC's facility, that PITG's North Shore location boasts great potential for the rebirth of development and economic stimulus in that area and that PITG's ability to manage traffic was better than that of Station Square Gaming,' the opinion said."
2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye!
Within the comments of another blog comes some props and some hits. I give my reply there. But, I might as well re-post it here too.
See the comments for the rest, or go to that blog.
2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye! 3. Mark R., sometimes you bring up good points, but ...
See the comments for the rest, or go to that blog.
Happy Groundhog Day
I don't think a groundhog is going to predict the arrival of spring, given the weather forcasting for the days ahead, unless he looks like this.
The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker"
I didn't do it.
But, I blogged elsewhere that it would happen. Jim, if you had only asked me what to do yesterday when I was in council chambers. You should have put up a 'gone fishing' sign.
But, I blogged elsewhere that it would happen. Jim, if you had only asked me what to do yesterday when I was in council chambers. You should have put up a 'gone fishing' sign.
The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker": "The political laugh-track that is Pittsburgh City Councilmember Jim Motznik seems to be stuck on a continuous loop. According to a report on WTAE, Mr. Motznik is now saying that the resurrected archive version of his now-defunct blog, 'Jim Motznik Strikes Speaks Out', has been put in place by an unknown 1337 h4x0r (elite hacker)
Peduto calls for ethics meeting: Good News vs. Bad News
Humm. Here is another weird twist.
However, this board was not formed in July 2006. Hardly. The ethics hearing board was around for a long, long time. It was born more than 10 years ago -- if not longer. Historians, how long ago did that come into being?
For years, while Bill Peduto was on city council, there were no members appointed to the ethics hearing board, including the slots that should have been forthcoming from City Council.
Same too with the Citizens Police Review Board. For months and months, that organization was made nearly worthless as there was a shortage of members. The board couldn't even meet -- as there were not enough members to fill the seats and have a meeting.
Some of the members were known to occupy a seat yet refused to go to its meetings.
Crippled by design by the democrats.
Now there is an election and Bill Peduto wants to put on his reformer mask and call for action, action, action. We need action. But genuine action would have been years ago. And, it would have been relentless.
Hat tip to the City's Republicans for keeping this board alive in the minds of some. Hat tip to the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, for putting his effort, finally, into getting the board into a re-birthing phase.
We don't need more stinking boards and authorities. We've got too many of them already. We don't need Propel Pittsburgh. Well, we should not start up another board or task force or authority until we take away an dysfunctional board.
More: Platform.For-Pgh.org
Peduto calls for ethics meeting - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review City Councilman Bill Peduto today called on members of Pittsburgh’s long-dormant Ethics Hearing Board to meet next week for the first time since it was created in July.Great to have some talk of the ethics hearing board.
However, this board was not formed in July 2006. Hardly. The ethics hearing board was around for a long, long time. It was born more than 10 years ago -- if not longer. Historians, how long ago did that come into being?
For years, while Bill Peduto was on city council, there were no members appointed to the ethics hearing board, including the slots that should have been forthcoming from City Council.
Same too with the Citizens Police Review Board. For months and months, that organization was made nearly worthless as there was a shortage of members. The board couldn't even meet -- as there were not enough members to fill the seats and have a meeting.
Some of the members were known to occupy a seat yet refused to go to its meetings.
Crippled by design by the democrats.
Now there is an election and Bill Peduto wants to put on his reformer mask and call for action, action, action. We need action. But genuine action would have been years ago. And, it would have been relentless.
Hat tip to the City's Republicans for keeping this board alive in the minds of some. Hat tip to the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, for putting his effort, finally, into getting the board into a re-birthing phase.
We don't need more stinking boards and authorities. We've got too many of them already. We don't need Propel Pittsburgh. Well, we should not start up another board or task force or authority until we take away an dysfunctional board.
More: Platform.For-Pgh.org
National Fatherhood Initiative - National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative
National Fatherhood Initiative ::: National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative National Responsible Fatherhood
Capacity-Building Initiative
Request for Proposals – Deadline: March 6, 2007
CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity
CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity Talk about striking a blow - a low blow.
Getting more involed in schools -- call to committees
Parents,
An open opportunity exists to engage more parents by participating on one of the committees listed below. If you are interested, please indicate which committee you are interested in working on and send me an e-mail with your name, address, telephone and e-mail by Friday February 2, 2007.
More information regarding dates and times of these meetings will be provided to those who sign-up.
Remember, your thoughts, ideas and suggestions should represent all children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Donna
* Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate(IB) / Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS)
** Examine data on student participation in existing programs; make policy recommendations to expand or improve
* Career and Technical Education (CTE)
** Examine quality of current CTE programs; make recommendations to expand or improve career readiness programs
** Magnet Programs
** Examine success of existing Magnet Programs; make recommendations on other types to be offered
* Middle and Early College
** Examine data on current dual enrollment program; determine potential for expanding partnerships with local colleges and universities; make recommendations on a district-wide program
* Policy
** Work with current high school principals to determine priority areas for streamlining district policies across all high schools; make recommendations
* Alternative Education
** Examine statistics for truancy and drop-out populations; make recommendations on how to expand and improve alternative education
* Student Services
** Review existing counselor, social worker, and developmental advisor roles and responsibilities; make recommendations for changes that effectively service students; review current SAP offerings; provide strategies to personalize attention to all students and families; align community partnerships with needs of schools
* Grade Promotion and High School Readiness
** Examine data on current feeder patterns; make recommendations on how to increase enrollment in middle grades, improve consistency across 6-12 curriculum; look at transition from middle to high school.
* 9th grade Civics Course
** Create a new 9th grade Civics Course with Kaplan; examine ways to introduce Pittsburgh’s cultural arena through partnerships.
Donna Vlassich, Assistant Director of Public Engagement, Pittsburgh Public Schools
341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Room 207, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-622-3619 - 412-622-3624 (fax) - dvlassich1@pghboe.net
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Connecting the dots
Jim Motznik trivia: Did you know he collects political buttons?
Back at ya.
The People's Republic of Pittsburgh Raising A Glass to My Fellow Bloggers
Reach Arena Deal By Friday
Humm.... Out in the open talks. Can you say LEAK?
Who is paying for the remediation of the building of its toxic building materials now?
Kissing butt, a time honored tradition.
kdka.com - Officials Hope To Reach Arena Deal By Friday One source says there's been major discussion over just who will pay a $10 million debt the Pens owe to their former gaming partner Isle of Capri.Who is going to pay for the tearing down of the civic arena, another $7-million cost?
The state, county and city have refused to foot the bill, but the same source says the city and county may buy the central medical building from the Pens to partially off-set that cost.
Who is paying for the remediation of the building of its toxic building materials now?
Kissing butt, a time honored tradition.
PG Chat - Should laws prevent spanking by parents of children
Noon kick off on Thursday.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Chat Thursday, February 01, 2007
Should laws prevent spanking children?
www.myspace.com/chrischandlerorg
www.myspace.com/chrischandlerorg: Chris Chandler's song, Letters, (<5 minutes). Dear Mom & Dad, ... I'm being sent around the world to ... in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.The first letter is from Alex. The second letter is about Alex. Tune and story told by a Great American Storyteller.
Public comments before Pgh City Council
Introduction of a new CD, "How to Run." Welcome to Jim Motznik for starting a web page. I feel Luke Ravenstahl, Bill Peduto and Jim Motznik, since Bill said so, are all like peas in a pod. End statement with wonders about video cameras at City Planning Meeting about the Bar Bill.
UPDATE: Jim Motznik's blog had its plug pulled.
 |
| From Picassa |
UPDATE 2: Someone, hours later, re-opened the dead Motznik blog.
CHURN: Prudent people don't sanction such wasteful spending -- before deals are signed
Haste makes waste.
It makes little sense to knock down 11 buildings for a new arena before a deal is signed. Good stewardship does not look like this.
It makes little sense to knock down 11 buildings for a new arena before a deal is signed. Good stewardship does not look like this.
Arena deal or no deal? Clock is running - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority after Feb. 8 could begin demolishing 11 properties it purchased between Centre and Fifth avenues to prepare for a new arena.
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