Education Week: A Digital Decade

Education Week: A Digital Decade “Billions of dollars are being spent each year in an effort to prepare schools and students for tomorrow’s technological demands and challenges,” we wrote. “And the fast-changing landscape of educational technology only complicates the task for policymakers and administrators who seek to make ‘smart’ decisions about how to proceed.”

That was the news from 10 years ago. Today is is worse.

Twanda and two others, staffers, are in hot water

Humm.

If the Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board was functional, perhaps some of this could have been avoided sooner.

Regardless, Twanda is toast. She is sunk politically, I expect. So, let's not spend too much time wondering about her when we need to spend more time looking ahead. Who is the best qualified to be on council to take her place? Who has the best statements and vision for council district 9? Who is going to win the D primary? Who is going to enter the general election? Who can beat David Adams? And, isn't he, David Adams, the best for the job?

I'm name dropping here as he isn't in the D party primary. And, he wants to be on council. And, I know that the winner of the general election is the won to take the oath of office come January 2008.

Seminar for those interested inthe Pgh Gifted Center

Wed. April 18, from 3:30 to 7 pm, a seminar is being hosted by the Pgh Gifted Center.

Details here and on the Google Calendar for that date and time.

Excel 9-12. Slides, news release and video from Pgh Public Schools

In case you missed it:

Excel 9-12: "Education Committee Presentation

April 10, 2007

Florida and Puerto Rican manatees may be removed from 'endangered species list' - Wikinews

Great news.

Florida and Puerto Rican manatees may be removed from 'endangered species list' - Wikinews The Unites States Fish and Wildlife Service or USFWS has announced that the Florida and Puerto Rican manatee will most likely be removed from the Endangered Species List and have their status upgraded to 'threatened.'

Handling the panhandlers. Anyone home?

Return phone calls to the media and to citizens.

Handling the panhandlers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Councilman Jeff Koch, who represents Central Oakland including the main drag leading to the University of Pittsburgh, did not return phone messages.

Dick Skrinjar, spokesman for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, referred questions to police and said those who are complaining should call the city's 311 help line -- 412-255-2621.

California authorizes $250M for L.A. Olympics - Tuesday April 10, 2007 4:12PM

SI.com - More Sports - California�authorizes $250M for L.A. Olympics - Tuesday April 10, 2007 4:12PM Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Tuesday that authorizes $250 million in state money to underwrite the 2016 summer Olympics if Los Angeles is picked as the host city.

Just $250 Million. Heck PA could pay for that with slots income and still have money left over for property tax relief.

Widespread Panic -- has hearing protection

Ever hear of Widespread Panic? They are playing in Pgh.

Pointers and reviews are welcome.

Gordie Howe Statue

Gloveside Zen Photo - Gordie Howe Statue Just in time for the playoffs. This guy, even without a helmet, can absorb a hard body check.

Pennsylvania health care leadership committee action conference #6

April 13, 2007 – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Kearns Spirituality Center, La Roche University, Pittsburgh

co-sponsored by: Health Education & Legislative Action Fund of Pa (HELP), Just HealthCare - PUSH, and the sisters of divine providence

Hundreds of leaders of the health care reform movement from all corners of the Commonwealth have attended these action meetings. This is the first time the meeting will be held in western Pennsylvania and you are invited.

10 AM to Noon Open Strategy Session

noon – lunch available $7.50 (please RSVP*)

1 PM to 3:00 PM – “The Great Health Care Debate”

Proponents of the Governor’s private insurance based “Prescription for Pennsylvania” (HB 700) will debate supporters the public health trust single payer based “Family & Business Health Care Security Act” (SB 300).

All agree that something bold must be done. Both proposals are pending in the General Assembly – which of these two competing plans deserves your support?

Two weeks before the first round of voting and FRANCE has 12 candidates

Did you see the photo in the PG that showed pedestrians 12 posters in a row of frames that featured the dozen candidates for President of France.

With nearly two years to go, the US has that many candidates. But, how many will be around with 2-weeks before the election?

Consider local races and the depth of candidates.

I don't dream of ballot clutter. However, I think we should have "NONE OF THE ABOVE" in all races where there is only one candidate. I'd love to see "ALL THE ABOVE" as a built in option in all elections.

Hot scoop, exclusive insights on High School Reform Report

From planning-urban

You heard it here first. The long awaited report on high school reform for Pgh Public Schools is about to be released. A group of hand-picked weenies were locked away for months and months. They slaved at the request of Superintendent Mark Roosevelt. They didn't allow for any leaks -- until now.

They will report to the Pgh Public School Board within hours.

They want the students to learn more. They think it would help if the students were nicer to each other and had an environment where discipline isn't just a four-letter word. Plus, they'd like 'rigor' to become the new drinking word in all academic settings.

From people & vips

Hill hopes: The new arena can revive a community

Hill hopes: The new arena can revive a community The Hill District, potentially one of the most dynamic areas of growth and investment in the city, is fortunate to have committed activists speaking on its behalf on a variety of issues.

The Hill District can be and should be a dynamic place. Its modern-day potential is not realized. There is a long way to go.

However, I feel certain that The Hill District will always be in a state of flux, bad flux at that, when the NHL uses that neighborhood as a venue for the Pgh Penguins.

In my not so humble opinion, the Hill District will flourish and thrive once the Penguins play somewhere else.

Putting 18,000 people into your neighborhood for three periods makes for a lot of checking, a lot of slashing, a lot of bone crushing hits on quality of life issues.

The way to flourish is to buffer the special events by using the existing Mellon Arena as a civic arena. Drop the top decks. Hold more modest events. Squeeze 5,000 into seats there for non NHL events.

Put the Penguins into another area of Allegheny County.

That's the key to turning the Hill District one of America's greatest neighborhoods.

Onorato2007.com has opened AND it ain't all good.

Meanwhile, this blog, http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com, got a score of 65% good. So take that! Blow the trumpets!

Anyone want to blog with me about the 'redd up tour' as Onorato goes to China?

From china - sculp...

Dan Onorato is headed to China. I'm looking for some bloggers and others to help stitch together some content while he travels and nat.

Interested?

I've got a space reserved: http://Allegheny.blogspot.com.

Campaign 2007/City Council: District 3 race presents voters with varied styles

Campaign 2007/City Council: District 3 race presents voters with varied styles: Mr. Koch is counting on his just-get-it-done attitude to win a full four-year term, even if some of his efforts haven't yet come to fruition. Last month, for instance, he got the city to ask for proposals from groups that would reopen the Neville Ice Arena, which has sat empty for five years. But proposals aren't due until after the May 15 primary.

Jeff Koch speaks of the ice rink. Yes.

I don't vote in the D primary. But, if I did, I'd rather vote for a ZERO than a minus eight, according to my score. My range goes from plus 10 to minus 10. Sure, Koch is a zero. But, a zero is about eight points higher than Bruce A. Kraus.

Since Koch got the RFP out of city hall, after taking a year's time to do so, his stock is climbing. He might score a .25 soon.

Do Democrats Own the Internet?

No. Especially not in this town, with your help.

Patrick Ruffini :: Do Democrats Own the Internet? Following the Q1 money reports, bloggers and the pundits are all atwitter about Democrat online fundraising numbers. My friend Robert Bluey pens a column rounding up the story in Townhall. Other places with good thoughts on this debate are Kung Fu Quip (authored by ex-RNC Internet director Mike Turk), David All and the Bivings Report.

I have my own perspective on this issue, having led the RNC’s Internet operations in 2006 and now serving as an outside advisor to one of the GOP campaigns (Rudy Giuliani). And as someone who monitors trends on this daily (in my post last Sunday, I actually expected Obama’s Internet number to be higher), I think much of the commentary on this is missing the point.

Dems around her do NOT embrace open systems. I do.

But the article's author and I agree about the merit of comments being only a few short strokes away from a windfall of cash donations.

In their world, at this time, most of the talk is driven by money. Money, money, money.

In Pittsburgh, the talk and buzz does NOT need to be driven by money. Issues, trust, knowledge, solutions, relationships and deeds can count for 70-percent of the buzz. Money, machine, and media account for the rest.

The value of an open system approach on the internet is to build 'value' that won't show on the fiscal balance sheet.

Another article, same message.

Survey Gives Good Reviews to Online Product Reviews: "marketers should take away from the survey is that the brands that exploit the two-way communication potential of Web 2.0 will gain an edge over competitors. 'You want to find a way to engage with the community in a dialogue,' said Murray."

Federal Reseve Monopoly over Money. Ron Paul's latest newsletter hits home run for opening day discussions

The Federal Reseve Monopoly over Money Few Americans give much thought to the Federal Reserve System or monetary policy in general. But even as they strive to earn a living, and hopefully save or invest for the future, Congress and the Federal Reserve Bank are working insidiously against them. Day by day, every dollar you have is being devalued.

There is no 'inside baseball' in Ron Paul's statements. But, he does talk a good game of inside politics and inside economics.

Check out the article on his site, or in the comments.

18-seconds of video that is still giving fits to Pgh's Planning Board and now its Legal Department

Here

We are still waiting for an official policy from on the use of video cameras and recording devices for city planning meetings. Now the legal department is making sure the pending, unreleased policy is valid.

Oh my gosh.

Kiski Area needs a swim coach

Kiski Area is accepting applications for the position of Head Varsity Swimming and Diving Coach. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, three letters of recommendation, and clearances to: Ryan Berberich - Athletic Director, Kiski Area High School, 200 Poplar Street, Vandergrift, PA 15690 Deadline: April 16, 2007

Lou Dobbs interviews Ron Paul tonight

Congressman Ron Paul will be interviewed on CNN's Lou Dobbs program tonight between 5:30 - 6:00 pm CT.

This Wednesday, Congressman Paul will make his first campaign trip to Iowa. Here is the schedule of public events as posted by the Republican Party of Iowa.

Public comment to City Council, April 7, 2007. Handing voter registration form to Bill Peduto

On Wed, April 4, 2007, I spoke to both city council in the morning and county council in the evening.

I'll move these posts in the days to come, to the day that they were delivered. But, this one just got uploaded.

If the image or file does not play, hang tight. It will. It takes YouTube some time from the upload before the link becomes active.

Judges make a smack down of ballot access. On to the US Supreme Court

Ken K, past candidate for PA Governor and a leader in the ballot access movement wrote with some bad news:

I just received word today that the 3rd circuit federal appeals court has denied our request for an en banc rehearing of our ballot access case to have the 67,000-signature requirement ruled unconstitutional. (Background and other info regarding the ballot access lawsuit can be found at
www.paballotaccess.org/news.html.)

Our only recourse now is to appeal to the US Supreme court, which (of course) we are doing. We have 90 days to file the appeal, and extensions are routinely granted, I'm told.

So the courts have struck yet another blow for tyranny and against the plain meaning of the Constitution. No surprise. Another reason to vote Libertarian -- as if we needed any more!

Health Care takes center stage tonight in a debate

PA Gov. Ed Rendell has said that he'd sign the universal, single-payer "Family and Business Healthcare Act" once it passes the House and Senate. He agrees that that legislation is superior to his own set of health care bills.

To date, the story has not been told by the MSM. So far, SB 300 (the superior, citizen driven bill) has been ignored while the Governor's legislation, HB 700, has received the lion's share of attention. The two approaches are NOT similar. The two bills would have different impacts on PA.

At 9 pm on MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2007, PA Health Care, and a TV show, Progressives for Pennsylvania (host) are to stage a conversation with Gov. Ed Rendell (Prescription for Pennsylvania) and a leader of HELP Fund PA's Chuck Pennacchio (Family and Business Healthcare Security Act). Tune in to: http://www.pcntv.com/

More insights at http://www.helpfundpa.org.

Advance coverage.

Presently, a dozen states are considering universal, single-payer healthcare. Pennsylvania presents the greatest confluence of factors favoring passage: demographics, economics, and politics. There are 31 co-sponsors in the PA House and PA Senate among both Democrat and Republican.

Zen and the art of Nonprofit Technology: How do we do make change if we keep doing things the same way?

Zen and the art of Nonprofit Technology: How do we do make change if we keep doing things the same way? In other words, don't make a copies for a workshop, or for a colleague who isn't inside your organization, and definitely don't make a copy for your mother to read.

But it's a journal about technology and social change! This goes back to my constant refrain - the means are the ends. How can we talk about technology in social change, while, at the same time, publishing in a format that limits the availability of this knowledge to people privileged enough to pay for it? How can we talk about promoting change when we're not pushing this content into the commons?

The Public Library of Science is a wonderful example of a reputable, respected peer-reviewed journal where articles are freely available to the public. They say:

Published research results and ideas are the foundation for future progress in science and medicine. Open Access publishing therefore leads to wider dissemination of information and increased efficiency in science ...

President of Pgh FOP talks against paying $85 to police commander

Chicago awaiting decision on 2016 Olympics

From family - travels

I love Chicago. Because of that love, I'm not sure I want the Olympic Games to land there. I coached state record breakers in Illinois. I coached a girl who was named the best athlete of the Prarie State Games as well. Chicago is a city with broad shoulders.

Most of all, for me, Chicago is where I fell in love -- with my wife.

Stir the soul. But don't drip or spill down the drain.

SI.com - More Sports - Chicago awaiting decision on 2016 Olympics - Sunday April 8, 2007 8:32PM Architect Daniel Burnham planned the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, and famously reminded Chicagoans: 'Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood.' His words are now part of the city's Olympic slogan: 'Chicago 2016, Stir The Soul.'

If Chicago does get the games, athletes and spectators will walk in the footsteps of fairgoers. The games would be centered on the downtown lakefront and the South Side at some of the same spots used in the 1893 exposition and the 1933-34 Century of Progress.

From Mark Rauterkus

Mayor Luke doesn't play well with voters his own age - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Mayor Luke doesn't play well with voters his own age - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The Pennsylvania League of Young Voters is upset that Ravenstahl has decided not to attend an April 16 youth forum the 27-year-old pol previously said he would attend. Coincidentally, the withdrawal came after Ravenstahl's only opponent in the May primary, Councilman Bill Peduto, quit the contest.

The real question is how will the League of Young Voters play with Libertarians?

I've asked. I've waited. Time will tell.

The leadership of the League of Young Voters to go to idle or put efforts into overdrive.

People often like to play fast and hard when the sandbox is in their comfort zone. Otherwise, when the characters are not from their ranks, little happens.

Slovenian man ends 65-day swim down Amazon - Saturday April 7, 2007 3:47PM

Get out!

SI.com - More Sports - Slovenian man ends 65-day swim down Amazon - Saturday April 7, 2007 3:47PM After 3,272 miles of exhaustion, sunburn, delirium and piranhas, a 52-year-old Slovenian successfully completed a swim down the Amazon River Saturday that could set a world record for distance -- something he's already done three times before.

After nine weeks, Martin Strel arrived near the city of Belem, the capital of the jungle state of Para, ending a swim almost as long as the drive from Miami to Seattle. Strel averaged about 50 miles a day since beginning his odyssey at the source of the world's second-longest river in Peru on Feb. 1.

And we worry about swimming in the three rivers.

Pet Food Recall Database

Great resource

Pittsburgh Penguins and Neighborhood Concerns

P-G "We anticipate having meetings with community members in the Hill District on the redevelopment of the Lower Hill," said new Penguins President David Morehouse yesterday. "It's far too early to anticipate what the outcomes of community meetings will be."

The Pittsburgh Penguins had a hand in the South Side, some years ago. The team needed a practice facility. So, a deal was hatched to have the team put a roof over an outdoor ice rink in a park, South Side Park. The park sits behind what is now UPMC South Side Hospital and is below Quarry Field, home to the South Side Sabers football team.

The Pens would host an NHL All Star Game and one of the practices for the players before that game was even held at this rink.

The rink would be home to a few local hockey programs as well. Pitt played there as well.

Well, the Pens got out of that deal. The support of the team departed and the rink would eventually close due to poor management and a lack of oversight from the city officials.

The Pens would then have a hand in an impressive fitness and ice facility built at Southpointe. The new facility was out of the city and it was nice. After a while, the team pulled its support out of that program as well. The Pens has a one-time ownership stake in that facility -- and then it went away.

I don't think that the Pens have a presence in a region when it comes to neighborhood efforts and venues. Sure, there is the Mario golf classic and a wing in a hospital -- but nothing with a 'facility.'

Folks in the Hill District are now looking to the Pens to shell out some money for neighborhood programs. A small sliver of that pie could be obtained for a re-do of the city's lone indoor ice rink. I'm not sure that this is what the folks in the Hill have in mind -- but they'll hear from me in the days to come.

Traffic camera contract process detailed

Times Picayune - New Orleans,LA,USA
article
... she met with council members... The meetings were held in the members' individual offices under ...

Statistics

Thirty four percent of the American people believe that chapter nine verse eleven of the Koran predicts the 9/11 attack by referring to the awakening of a fierce eagle. Thirty nine percent believe Elvis is still alive. Eighty-seven percent believe that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and was responsible for 9-11. Seventy two percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Thanks Chandler.

Summit. Or, and elitist pow-wow photo opportunity for those with tall hats and rabbits

All the king's horses and all the king's men won't be able to put Humpty together again. In this case, Humpty's crack comes from stresses of pensions.

I love the line in the article, "anemic pension funds."

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is calling mayors together from 17 cities statewide to brainstorm solutions to a common problem: anemic pension funds.

The mayor plans to hold a summit on the pension problems next Thursday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. In addition to the other mayors, Ravenstahl has invited state Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato.

The Mayor's Office will release a list of those attending no later than Wednesday, according to a news release.

"Our goal for this summit is to look at the best practices among various cities and develop a workable, realistic plan to address the situation," Ravenstahl said in a statement.

This isn't a summit. It is a photo opportunity.

Luke, if you want to hold a summit, the mayors might be a good start for licking stamps and stuffing envelopes. The mayors might make a good start for testing the will for the quest to find a fix. But, the mayors are not holding the keys to our salvation.

Look to see who has been stealing from the pension funds. Has it not been the case that the politicians have been taking money from pension funds. They grab. They take. They spend. They do it under cover.

Here are some of my proposals as to what to do about this mess these guys have gotten us into.

First off, those that make the problems are often the worst to turn to at fixing it. If you've had a hand in making the mess, you are not the best suited at cleaning it up. Luke, you're so young you don't have too much dirt on your hands -- unlike Dan Onorato. But, since he's your mentor, hopes for you have been dashed.

To fix the problem, make an open summit. Everyone who is interested should be able to attend. All can bring their own video cameras. The entire event should stream to the internet. Invite the world to sit and watch and participate.

The mayors should be given a homework assignment before their arrival. Get them to contribute as soon as they arrive. I want them to put real numbers and real situations into a shared well of knowledge. I want contracts opened. I want past dealings revealed. I want a real listing of liabilities.

I want the pre-summit homework turned in and screened by hard-nosed watchdogs who check the homework and give out grades. This is urgent and should come before the first in person meeting. Everyone's response should be up for review by everyone. Honest, brutal, critical, fact-finding and reporting is necessary.

So, the first period is a return of homework to the mayors and a chance for them to reply and re-tool their advance submissions.

Peer review should fill the second period. Mayors need to rip into reports and reactions of other mayors -- in public -- on the second hour. Citizens should be able to dive into the fray with specific statements about specific pensions and programs.

The third period should be devoted to tutorials and educational efforts. Coursework on pensions should be done in an open university setting. Best practices, meta data, case law insights, tragic outcomes, and a wide range of other 'classes' should be prepared, developed, delivered and documented. Academic deans and professors should self identify.

Testing, benchmarks and evaluations should be part of the fourth period. Putting mayor's together and there is a threat of the blind leading the blind. Proven levels of understanding should become obvious to all in the open network.

The first efforts of pre-summit and periods 1, 2, 3, and 4 was about reporting, reviews, and basic fact finding of the past and present.

The fifth and sixth periods of my pension summit concept comes after the lunch break. Talk about the future come here. The next steps of the fifth and six period go to both policy proposals and integration efforts.

Give attention to specific solutions, period five. Some may have strong feelings as to what could and should be done. Those leading opinions need to be put out into the open to stand or fall on their own merits. Be sure to put solutions under the spotlight for standing or melting on their own merits.

Period six is to give cycles to systems, networks, process and organizations. I'd love to see organizational charts, concept maps, charts, and all sorts of graphics that frame various issues and understandings.

Some global questions:

What are the various types of pension funds?
What are the various health conditions of pension funds?
How many pension funds are in the state?

Some micro questions:

How does a pension fund help a retiree -- with social security, etc., by age group by income.
Where are the retired school teachers, firefighters, police, etc.
How does the VA fit into the lives of various people.
Spouse impacts.
Enron impacts.
Taxation impacts.

Here is my point: Gathering the mayors together might be a valued exercise if it leads to a grand effort of accountability, openness, reporting, and dedication to the necessary thinking involved from informed leaders.

However, I'm not interested in getting mayors together so that they can share tricks on how to further break unions, rob trust funds, destroy infrastructure and re-mortgage our future with adjustable rate burdens for our kids in the decades to come.

Let me use another example, TIFs, (Tax Increment Financing). Our former mayor, Tom Murphy, became a master at establishing TIFs. Those TIF deals were masterful, complicated, rip-offs. Murphy's TIF approach is perhaps Pittsburgh's greatest export of recent times. Other mayors and other county governmental officials have taken his strategy and plugged them into other settings. Developers and politicians alike love TIFs as they profit and the ones that get hurt are the non-voting school children.

I'd hate to see a summit on pensions occur and backfire. Don't get hoodwinked Luke. And, Luke, don't hoodwink the public. I'd hate to see a number of fast-talking weenie finance folks, sorta like PNC executives who have sold bonds to the city in the past, make a number of presentations. They'd be sure to 'uncover' a suite of new loopholes that tap into hard earned retirement money so politicians can buy new votes in the next election cycle. Meanwhile, the future gets darker and darker.

The mentality of a one-time fix is mighty. One-time fixes allow for more spending now and kill the future. They were clever and sold off the water lines. They are getting clever and are getting set to sell the PA Turnpike. Tax leins, slot licenses, bond deals, you name it... the list is long.

Pension funds should be able to pull their own weight. Pension funds can't float when the weight of politicians lean upon them.

Final goodie: I think it might be time to NUKE all pensions for all elected government officials. Let's put that on a referendum.

Return of the Bar Bill

Bill to limit South Side bars advances The city planning commission took the first step yesterday toward returning 'civility' to Mary Ellen Lee's South Side neighborhood.

The board voted unanimously to recommend that City Council approve an ordinance prohibiting new liquor licenses within 150 feet of any two other liquor licenses along East Carson Street.

City Planning did NOTHING to help return 'civility' to the Streets of the South Side. Nothing.

What do they mean by civility?

I want civilitity as much or more as the next person. But, this "bar bill" is not going to be a guarantee for a return to civility. You can't connect those dots.

The "bar bill" is a campaign ploy by Jeff Koch. The bar bill is a way to allow Jeff Koch to get re-elected. The bar bill's help for the South Side, in the end, remains to be seen and may never be seen.

The bar bill is a perfect bill for Kock as it pleases everyone yet does nothing. It attacks those that are not here yet. Those with bars love the bar bill as it limits competition. Those who want action love the bar bill as it kicks up a cloud of dust. It is something. It is better than nothing. But, it is one step better than the worst possible decision -- nothing.

Everyone loves a tax when the tax is paid by those who don't live or vote here. Taxing out of town visitors is the best tax for any politician. This is a tax on those that are not here yet. If you don't have a bar on the South Side -- this bar bill hits you between the eyes. That's it.

Bars don't come to the side streets on the wee-hours of the night and piss on the sidewalks. Bar patrons do.

Ordinances on the books in council chamber minutes and planning commissions, don't enforce bad-boy behaviors. Police enforce. We need peace keepers. We need officers of the peace.

We've got a long way to go. And when we take detours keep everyone happy but sidestep the real problems, we'll never get to where we want to go.

I have my doubts about the 'bar bill.' I'll give it good consideration and investigation. Time will tell. More opinions later.

Pittsburgh people are voting with their feet. They are departing -- still. Told Ya!

Jobs are elsewhere. Taxes are lower there too. Pittsburgh is shrinking -- still.

I've known that the downward slide has not changed its course. The downward spiral continues. People are leaving -- still.

The folks that are moving downtown won't save this city.

The boosters won't save this city. Nor the region.

For starters, all the seniors around here are NOT having babies. They are growing older and departing. And, I don't want you to think that they're going to Phoenix. I dare say that more people are leaving Allegheny County to reside in Heaven than anywhere else. And that is a long spell beyond Moon.

People vote with their feet. This is a core concept that we all need to understand. When things don't square, and things are not fair, not just, not with balance -- it doesn't smell right. People notice. Practices and policies have a slanted tint. The earth we walk on often seems to have been undermined. Things crumble quickly for unknown reasons or justifications. Corruption is just below the surface.

This is unsettling. This is what drives people away.

Corruption. Goofy relationships. Back-room dealings. Done deal mentality that defies logic. Labels that are worn like anchors around the necks of neighbors. Glass ceilings.

I would not go so far as to call this a 'racist city.' But, there are pockets of that. But, there are system wide styles where ugly treatments of some are the norm.

I would not say that the fix is to 'be nice to one another.' That would go a long way, but we've got friends and family and plenty of wonderful people that would give you the shirt of of their backs. Being 'good' isn't too much of a problem. But, being great and expecting greatness is a HUGE problem. Pittsburgh settles for survival and stops. Pittsburgh's leaders have been quick to weed and seed repeatedly, but never (or seldom) choose to thrive.

From signs

The drinks that quench sky-high ambitions can't be poured in the corner tavern. When there is a thirst to thrive, when a drive to excel arrives, when folks mature past high school -- the time to look in the mirror arrives. The mirror says -- 'move.' The message is 'get out of town.' The future pulls the young people out of Allegheny County with the hope of a richer maturity and opportunities that better match one's own confidence and passions.

From signs

The brian drain is real. Thank God we've got CMU and Pitt and other institutions.

From signs

Another time to depart Pittsburgh comes when you have kids. When a parent looks at his or her child and sees talent, character and hope -- the voices of a parental conscience speak and urge an exodus from the city. By the way, moving downtown isn't the solution that these folks appreciate either.

From signs

There are times when it makes sense to pack up and move. And those are very hard decisions. Very hard.

There are some cultural points (not culture district) when Pittsburgh just seems to jettison its folks out of here. These departures are not quick. But, they are deliberate and deep. Checking out can take seasons.

From signs

The sky isn't falling. But, it is still raining. And too many of us are in shelter where the roof is leaking. The reign of the overlords still depresses the landscape of Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's decline is still unfolding.

I know we need a different mindset. I know that new civic attitudes that stress honesty and inclusion are part of these solutions.

If we redd up Pittsburgh throughout 2007, 2008 and 2009 I'm sure we'll be 50,000 fewer. St. Pete, here we come. And I don't mean to call ahead of our arrival to Florida. I mean St. Peter, the guy at the pearly gates.

The (more than) Semi-Annual (often) Autoharp House Concert Series

When does the O'Hara Township hold its meetings? I'd love to go there and inject a sense of freedom into their meetings and offer a clue as to the right to assemble.

Check this out.

The (more than) Semi-Annual (often) Autoharp House Concert Series Things are moving along with our Federal civil rights complaint against O'Hara Township. The case is now on appeal to the Federal Third Circuit Court of Appeals. More information and documentation is available here. And of course we're continuing to accumulate legal bills to support the suit. So we're asking for help from everyone who hosts house concerts, performs at house concerts, or attends house concerts. There are at least two ways you can help.

Presented to Allegheny County Council with Erik

Tonight, Erik, my son, and I went to Alleghney County Council's meeting and gave a public comment at the end of the meeting.

I talked a bit about red tape. Dan Onorato is going to China, and I'll blog about it from Pittsburgh. We've been to China three times in the past couple of years.

But I've been running into 'red tape' here in Allegheny County with the Dept. of Elections and especially in Harrisburg. I've been trying to obtain a form as an email attachment, DSBE 210-C PB (rev. 2/07). I'm sure it is on someone's desk top in Harrisburg, perhaps as a WORD file. But the only copy I can get here in Pittsburgh is on paper.

I really need an electronic version of the form.

To create it has been a pain.

In talking about the form, I passed around a copy of our nomination papers that show the various offices we're running candidates.

Erik talked about Single Payer Health Care. He did a much better job at speaking than I did, so everyone says.

I think you can watch the meeting online. We were at the VERY end of the meeting.


Another mention, but I didn't get to it, was about swimming elsewhere in the meeting. The swimmers of B.P, N.A. Oakland Catholic, and even a diver got notice for winning WPIALs.

IceRinkEvents - interested in Neville Ice RFP

IceRinkEvents

Petition thing resolved -- I THINK

I'M EXCITED.

I think I got the petition thing resolved. It is now being tested by others. If you can, send me an email and I'll send you a petition to print on your legal sized paper.

I know that there were some out there helping on this. Thanks! I think we got it now.

It goes down to a 720k PDF file. Must be printed front and back.

STEEL CITY DERBY DEMONS PRESENT THE SPRING FLING-HER!!

Saturday, April 21st, doors 5:30 / game 6:30
BladeRunners in Harmarville

TICKETS ARE GOING FAST!! OUR FIRST TWO BOUTS SOLD OUT!! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!! SEASON TICKET PACKAGES NOW AVAILABLE
Tickets and more information are available online: www.steelcityderbydemons.com

Tickets also at: Brave New World, 406 S. Craig Street in Oakland, 412-682-5007. Hot Rod Piercing, 95 S. 16th Street, South Side, 412-431-6077.

2007 SEASON SCHEDULE:

Saturday, April 21st, Wrecking Dolls vs. Bitch Doctors

Saturday, May 19th, Slumber Party Slashers vs. Wrecking Dolls

Saturday, June 16th, Hot Metal Hellions vs. Bitch Doctors

Saturday, July 7th, Slumber Party Slashers vs. Bitch Doctors

Saturday, August 18th, Hot Metal Hellions vs. Wrecking Dolls

Saturday, September 8th, Championship bout

Clarke Thomas: The elections aren't over yet

Clarke Thomas: The elections aren't over yet Clarke Thomas: The elections aren't over yet
Even without a race for mayor, hot issues remain in the local May primaries

UNREAL. The elections are NOT over yet. Pinch me. Is he really talking about 2007 or does he mean 2009? I got to meet this guy. Why is he a "senior editor" at the P-G and has a verizon.net email address? Perhaps he hacked the P-G site?

My Comments to City Council - Wed, 4-4-2007

Notes from my statement to city council today:

1. Thumbs up to Michael Phelps and the rest of the USA Swimmers for such a great performance at the World Championships. Phelps won seven gold medals and set a few new world records.

I'm entering the election on November 6, 2007, in multiple events. I too hope to set new records.

A goal of mine is to make history, not be a slave of it.
I wore a red Beijing Olympic polo shirt. We hope to attend the 2008 Olympic Games and see witness some of the competitions ourselves.

2. At 7 pm on Tuesday, April 17, 2007, I've called a community meeting to be held at the Phillips Elementary School to talk about the RFP and the now-closed city-owned ice rink on the South Side. The RFP has finally come, thank goodness. The facility has been a dark hole in the neighborhood, if not the county, for nearly a decade. All are welcome to attend and share insights.

3. The Pittsburgh Promise is a big lie. Others have been to council chambers recently. When they tell lies, it hurts everyone. People are skeptical of politicians for good reasons. The money is not there and it is not going to materialize. If people on council want to worry about the future of our schools, there are many other better things that should be done.

• Worry about school buildings. Work with the URA and be certain to take over the closed school buildings. The URA has been dragging its feet on taking the responsibility of the closed school at the back of Mt. Washington, South Hill High School, for YEARS. There are plenty of closed school buildings that are in the city that are a major drain to the school district now.


• Worry about city-wide transportation. Focus on PAT. Make sure our kids can get to school and back. Get our teachers and staff to school as well. Busing is a major cost and the flow of traffic on our roads is bad.


• Worry about after school. Get the city to join the WPIAL. But that means folks in suburban districts will need to and want to come to the city after dark. Oh my. We need our kids to compete in a global marketplace but can't ever play sports against the others in Allegheny County. An iron-curtain circles our kids and we need to play together. Raise the bar there.


• Work on access to our facilities. Back in Save Our Summer efforts of 2004 we pointed out that there were dozens of great indoor swim pools, gyms, computer labs that are closed to our kids and our communities throughout the summers, weekends and evenings.

4. Nearly an hour of online debate coverage from the Dem candidates in the city council district 9 race is now posted at my blog. Blog readers know this, but the word needs to spread to others in the community.

5. I've been in a battle to get election forms from Harrisburg and Allegheny County in a digital format. They still have not been provided. Dozens of hours have been sunk into this project trying to battle the 'red tape.' More time is still necessary to get the forms into the hands of eligible voters with the correct information. These efforts could have been resolved in about 15 seconds if the person in Harrisburg would only send out the Word file as an email attachment. The struggle to get onto the ballot is monumental.

6. Citizens who want to run in the November general election have only a week or so to change their party registration. They can't be either "D" or "R" past mid-April. So I provided a form to a few in the audience and I also gave a form, in a public way, to Bill Peduto. We'll see if he changes his registration shortly.

I'm still waiting for a reply from Councilman Peduto about my open letter to him about the revival of campaign finance reform legislation.

MySpace to Hold First-in-Nation Presidential Primary

MySpace to Hold First-in-Nation Presidential Primary MySpace to Hold First-in-Nation Presidential Primary
America's Most-Trafficked Site to Host Virtual Primary January 1 & 2, 2008 Online Straw Polls Will Launch in May in Anticipation of the MySpace Primary

Hey kids, go get your MySpace pages if you want to vote.

I'm at http://www.myspace.com/rauterkus. I could use some friends.

Candidates Confirmed for First GOP Presidential Debate

Candidates Confirmed for First GOP Presidential Debate Candidates Confirmed for First GOP Presidential Debate

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., April 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation (http://www.reaganlibrary.com), in conjunction with MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.com) and THE POLITICO (http://www.politico.com), announced today that
nine GOP Presidential candidates will participate in the May 3, 2007 debate held at the Reagan Presidential Library.

The following candidates have accepted Mrs. Ronald Reagan's invitation to participate in this debate: Sam Brownback, Jim Gilmore, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, and Tommy Thompson.

The May 3, 2007, debate will air exclusively on MSNBC cable, with full coverage on http://www.MSNBC.com. THE POLITICO will stream the debate live on http://www.politico.com, providing an exclusive and unprecedented opportunity for viewers to question the candidates via the internet.

This debate will be the first of two GOP Presidential Candidate Debates that will take place at the Reagan Presidential Library during this campaign cycle. The second debate will be held on January 30, 2008, the
final GOP Presidential debate before the 2008 'Super-Tuesday' primary in California and several other key states.

I'll need to tune into this from New Zealand.

So, we have debates lined up for the 2008 election. But, who is going to talk about debates for the 2007 general election?

Pop City - The Moving Guide to Downtown

Pop City - The Moving Guide to Downtown

Sell you house in the city. Cash out quickly.

If you can't cash out on your city property in another neighborhood, (i.e., not downtown), go to Home Depot and buy plywood, screws and paint. Button down the old homestead. Paint the windows the same color as the walls so you don't get a bunch of weenie bills.

Might as well pour salt on the earth. Scorch it with bleach or something so that the grass and weeds don't grow. You don't want to cut the grass. You don't want to give places for the rats to breed.

Show up now and then in City Council Chambers to fight against the vacant building ordinaces.

Do swing buy the old home's lot the week after ever election days to remove all the campaign yard signs that are sure to show up next to the for sale sign.

Open up six or more free wi-fi accounts for your computer use.

Get a building permit so you can make your front door a loading zone so you'll always have a place to park, besides the free garage subsidy.

As you move, don't toss any furniture, even if the older dinning room set isn't a 'kwel' as you'd like in your new flat. You'll need the chairs to save parking spots for the next few years.

Sala Udin can stuff his license where the sun doesn't shine

Sala Udin is a cry baby.

Sala Udin took a gamble and lost. Get over it Sala.

Sala Udin should take his middle-man license that is worthless -- and use it as toilet paper. Or, frame it and sell it on eBay. Or, make a paper airplane out of it and toss it off the West End Bridge. Or, Sala could take the license and give a share of it to all the CORO Fellows as a puzzle piece. Then in 10 years they can have a reunion and being to put together all the components and trade notes as to how they learned and applied their lessons of milking the system.

Casino Plans Presented To City's Planning Commission - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

So, did any video cameras show up? Was any news agency blocked from pointing their cameras at the people doing the work of the public?

Casino Plans Presented To City's Planning Commission - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh Casino Plans Presented To City's Planning Commission

Bob Mayor, what happened? Anyone?

Ron Paul gets asked a bunch of tough questions from Bill Maher

Questions on CIA, Civil War, Global Warming. We go to war to subsidize more oil and buy more oil. FAA.

Help: Calling Computer Graphic Gurus - I need to use GIMP to Open a PDF file

Error message:

From signs

I need to open a PDF file. Make some changes by inserting simple text elements. Then resave the document as a PDF.

The GIMP should be able to open a PDF as a graphic. I can't get it to open. What does this error message mean? How do I fix it?

Anyone -- please call or email.

Or, anyone who wants to hand-hold with me, let me know. I've got to do this on a semi-regular basis.

Thanks! Now more on my own:

Don't Back Down: Reading PDF Files with GIMP: "So I browsed about some more, and found this page, which talks about the very issue, and recommends placing a single executable file (gswin32c.exe) into The GIMP's bin folder, usually somewhere like:

C:\Program Files\Gimp 2.0\bin

So I did. Voil�. It came right up the next time I tried to open the PDF (I did exit the GIMP first and restart, not sure if that is necessary). Since only a single file was installed, I figured I would play with it and see if it only needed that file for some reason, or if the entire Ghostscript needed to be installed. When I uninstalled the program entirely, leaving only the executable in the bin folder, it got further than without anything installed - but it didn't load the file. Presumably this means that the exectuable can 'find it's way' back to the libraries that are needed to render the file, which in turn means the whole thing needs to be installed (fonts don't appear to be necessary)."

I did get this to work for me. Works fine, but is very, very slow due to the large size of the file. I'm really pissed at Harrisburg and Allegheny County for the red tape I'm trying to cut. Some 20 hours of effort has been lost in this ordeal, and it isn't done yet -- because some government worker in Harrisburg won't take 20-seconds to send out a WORD file as an attachment. Furthermore, those who work on the 6th floor of the election department downtown in the Allegheny County office building won't insist that it get sent. So, they are little help as well.

Thanks to Mike, Dave, Tom and others who have helped this running mate just show up to the starting line.

City Council Candidates, district 9, Dem's candidate forum in 3 parts

A few weeks ago I went to a city council candidate debate held at the Homewood branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The wonderful event was hosted by a black media organization.

More than 10 people entered the race. This event gave a clear understanding of the candidates who wanted to be the city council member for district 9.

Three frames are posted below. First is the opening statements of those who took the stage. The opening statements were uploaded to both Rauterkus.blip.tv and YouTube.com/rauterkus. Part 1 covers questions 1, 2 and 3. Part 2 covers questions 4 and beyond.

YouTube is rejecting the files because of length. So, all have been put at Rauterkus.blip.tv.







Another candidate, David Adams, was at the event. However he is NOT a Democrat. He is expected to join the race for the general election. More on that effort shortly.

Comments welcome.

Inside baseball comments from Mark Rauterkus:

The incumbent, Twanda Carlisle, did not show up. The event organizers had expected her to attend. I scolded her at the next city council meeting for skipping the event. Debate participation is an important component of a functional system of democracy, in my humble opinion.

Randall Taylor, a member of the Pgh Public School Board, is in the race but he came at the very end. He might have given one answer and closing statements. His late arrival was what it was.

Rachael Cooper, 22, a graduate from Howard University, would go on to win the D party endorsement. But, she didn't get her financial disclosure forms filed by the deadline and the judge would toss her off the ballot. She has a strong voice and was impressive to watch.

Rev. Ricky Burgess has plenty of community experiences. He made a few home runs within his statements including one about "land." That snip of video would be part of a highlights film, if I ever had the time to prepare that. Burgess is the front runner going into the primary election because he was the victor of the second D-party endorsement vote.

Ora Lee Carroll is super strong on family. She also put out a rather strong call to the others for cooperation. She was looking for loyalty and seemed a bit bent out of shape that there were so many on the stage. She knows that it will take a bit of teamwork to unseat the existing councilperson.

Eric -- or is it Erik -- may have pulled out of the race and is offering help to another candidate.

Everyone on the stage did a good job. Stepping up is a hard task. I'm not going to fuss about what was said to a great degree. First, lets just celebrate the will of the participants to mount a campaign against a sitting member of city council.

Sudan: The Passion of the Present: Darfur attracts attention throughout Pittsburgh this month

Sudan: The Passion of the Present: Darfur attracts attention throughout Pittsburgh this month The coalition's rally will kick off on April 28 at 2 p.m. at Freedom Corner, Hill District. It will be a gathering of organizations from the mid-Atlantic region. Actress Mia Farrow is scheduled to address the Pittsburgh marchers.

The next day, the coalition will host a citywide letter-writing campaign and divestment workshops.

Mr. Rosenberg is pleased to see so many join the effort, but he remains cautiously optimistic.

'I'm excited to see the advocacy, but in all the time [that] it's taken, there has been a terrible toll on Sudan. We need a solution.'

For more information on the Pittsburgh Darfur Emergency Coalition's Weekend of Action, visit www.pittsburghdarfur.org.

Put the brakes on the Pittsburgh Promise -- voices from educational advocates

Please see below for my thoughts on City Council’s activities around the Pittsburgh Promise. I urge you to get involved to stop this program from proceeding until it has been defined beyond a press release. Please contact your city councilperson to express your thoughts, even if they’re not in consonance with my position.


Thanks, Salvador Wilcox, CEO, Education Innovations, Inc.
6435 Frankstown Ave., 2nd Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412.661.8751 ext. 150
www.educationinnovations.org


Please table Pittsburgh Promise resolutions and hold public hearings

Bill and Lenny,

(I don’t have the emails to the other City Council Persons, so could you forward this to them, please.)

I’m writing you to request that bill relating to the Pittsburgh Promise be tabled until such a time that:

1. public hearings are had to discuss the merits of the program; and

2. the program is actually designed and goes beyond a press release released by a mayor running for office and a superintendent who has yet to prove any of his programs actually work

I have many concerns.

1. A solution follows from the problem it tries to solve. In this case, since the solution is money for college, the problem would be defined as a lack of resources to pay for college. However, that is not the problem in Pittsburgh. At least not the primary problem. The problem is that we don’t have enough kids who graduate or get accepted into college. The Pittsburgh Promise does not solve that problem. And the programs that supposedly solve them are yet to be proven. By giving to this hollow promise, we do not focus on the achievement problem.

2. When the Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools complains of financial stress, it is not a time to be adding another bloated program to the already bloated bureaucracy. The City and the School District should be looking for revenues to bring the school district back to financial health. Aside from adding more staff to the District, no other details have really been thought out. Neither big business nor the foundation community in Pittsburgh is running to support this. We should ask why before we appeal to good nature of tax payers to give to a program which has yet to detail how the money would be spent.

3. The school district is in as bad shape, in part, to a historical and continued overstaffing in the administration level. It took decades to address the decline in population. It took decades to close buildings. It has not sufficiently addressed uncontrolled changes in work orders. It is paying for two Deputy Superintendents of Instruction, one of which does no work for the District.

4. It seems unfair that the District, who already receives nearly ½ Billion dollars per year in tax revenues should dip into tax-payers good will again. Especially since it has yet to actually prove that it can educate the majority of our minority population. There are many other organizations that actually do provide results. Council could start with a charter school fund to introduce more competition for the District. Charter schools and charter applicants have been orphaned by foundation’s support of only the superintendent. A charter school fund would bring about innovation in the district. Philadelphia has embraced public schools and Pittsburgh should also. In Philadelphia, charter schools boost the District’s average achievement!

5. The District has not released any details on how children will qualify for the scholarship, nor how much children will get. The school district has not analyzed what the overhead for this program will be. If the financial health of the district is any indication, I’m not convinced that the District can handle such a large program. If the intent is true, perhaps a local foundation like the Pittsburgh Foundation would be better able to handle the program.

6. Charter high school students are in spirit and in law, Pittsburgh Public School students. They should not be left out of the program. So far, no indication has been made about their participation. If the District is allowed to have a tear-off coupon but excludes charter school students, then tax-payers should also be given the option to designate their funds to a particular charter school, or a general charter school graduation fund.

The idea in principle is a good one, though the problem to access to higher education seems to me lack of academic skills and not a lack of resources to pay for college. Were that we had so many students accepted to college with no means to pay for it.

Since the details have not been developed and since no time line has been given for those details, surely we should be apprehensive about passing City Council resolutions blindly.

Salvador Wilcox

PAT Audit Promised: Controller awakes from his slumber

Marty Griffin, KDKA Radio, was wondering why there will be a new audit of PAT. He was scratching his head thinking, perhaps, it was because Jack Wagner had done audits and there might be a race in 3 years for the Governor's office.

I give him the real reasons in an email.

---

Hi Marty,

Mark Patrick Flaherty, Allegheny County Controller, became aware, last week, that he'll face an opponent on the ballot in the general election. That is why he woke up and came to life with PAT.

The opponent is a Libertarian, doctor from Hampton. He is a 'running mate' of mine.

Furthermore, we're starting to gather the thousands of necessary signatures.

Plus, I told you a few weeks ago about Rich Swartz, the Dem on the ballot who is running against Dan Onorato. Well, Dan's lawyers could NOT toss him off the ballot. That went down on Friday afternoon.

So, Dan Onorato has an opponent in the primary, Swartz, and the winner will face me in the general election.

I'm now running for FIVE offices, not six, as I stated on the show with you a few weeks ago. Another guy from Chartiers City is standing in my place (that's the placeholder element) for the slot for Allegheny County Council Member At-Large.

If you'd like an update, give me a call. There is a lot to talk about. For example, I want to sue the Allegheny County Election Department as they will NOT provide an electronic version of the nomination papers. Red tape that they could fix in about 15 seconds with a simple email of a state form.

Did you ever listen to the CD I left with you???? It has a great campaign theme song. We should play that on the air.

I could use the ARMY to lend signatures to get access to the ballot.

PRESSURE comes now and then with elections. Dan Onorato is on the record saying he thinks elections are a DISTRACTION.

Kennywood has a new feature and is looking for videos -- RUSH for the April 30 deadline

Welcome to Kennywood - Funzone Kenny TV is an information and entertainment closed circuit TV system that makes its debut this summer at various locations around Kennywood including a big screen at the Kennyville Stage. At the Kennyville Stage, various types of video entertainment will be shown to park Guests such as concerts and funny videos. And that's where you come in.

We're hoping you will submit your FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS or, in the case of local bands looking for exposure, A VIDEO OF YOUR BAND PERFORMING so that we can show them all summer long to our Guests. Who knows - this may be your first step towards becoming a big Hollywood producer?

Here's a sampling of the types videos we're looking for:

* High School Marching Bands performing
* Funny Pet Tricks
* American Idol wanna-be's
* Funny Home Videos
* Upstart local bands (rock, country, etc) performing original material or someone else's with permission
* Your Kennywood Memories (stills or video)

Submission is simple! Here's what you do:

Rendell: Hijacking the Reform Train

Great insights, as always, from PA Clean Sweep:

Governor Ed Rendell should step aside from his bid to become the state’s reformer-in-chief. While some of his ideas may have merit, the Governor has no more right than the average citizen to prescribe the structure of state government in Pennsylvania and his viewpoint is distorted by his position.

Perhaps his goal of a better open records policy is desirable, but his suggestion of creating an Office of Public Records Advocate might be just another plump patronage position to be filled by political pals. Maybe the people can come up with a better plan for making government more transparent.

Perhaps merit selection for state appellate judges is an idea worth considering, but what if the people would rather make all judicial races non-partisan affairs and ban contributions to those races by lawyers?

How could Rendell’s proposed Appellate Court Nominating Commission, dominated by a majority of legislative and executive appointees and confirmed by the Senate, improve the independence of the judiciary? Independence from the other two branches should be encouraged, but independence from the sovereign people at the voting booth should not.

Perhaps the Governor’s suggested campaign finance limits appear to level the electoral playing field. On the other hand, maybe the people of this Commonwealth realize that the voter revolt of 2006 would not have been possible under those limitations and that no financial ceiling could ever negate the current incumbency protection program.

Perhaps Rendell’s legislative term limits sound like a good idea, but reality in Pennsylvania suggests that if the General Assembly was truly part-time and was stripped of the unconstitutional perks it now enjoys, term limits would be utterly unnecessary.

Perhaps Pennsylvanians want a smaller legislature, but maybe they’d like a larger one, or to keep its size the same, with some of the above mentioned features and fewer expenses. Maybe they want to look at the other 49 states to see what others are doing before deciding which path is best for the Commonwealth.

Perhaps the time has come for citizen redistricting, but Rendell’s 11-member commission would include four legislators and three appointees of the governor, two of whom would be legislators. The remaining four would be appointed by - you guessed it - the four legislative caucus leaders. Pennsylvanians just might have a slightly different notion of how a citizens’ redistricting commission should look.

On constitutional issues in Pennsylvania, the governor’s opinion has no more real or deserved weight than the average citizen’s. Perhaps the Governor has some good ideas. Perhaps he doesn’t. Either way, today’s climate dictates that constitutional change should not be viewed only through the myopic lens of the chief executive.

The merit of Rendell’s ideas have should be discussed openly among citizens, not quietly between the three branches of government. Other citizens should be able to discuss their ideas as well. The proper forum for such a discussion is a constitutional convention. Surely, the Governor would be free to provide his vision for consideration at such a gathering.

“Citizens will not rest until there is an end to perks, an end to control by private interests and an end to political rules that shut them out of the process,” the Governor said in a press release. But his plan eliminates no perks, suppresses the freedom of speech in political races and utterly shuts the people out of the process of structural change.

Nearly two years after the reform train left the station as Ed Rendell signed the pay raise, the Governor is using his bully pulpit to try to hijack it. Perhaps he doesn’t realize that many other citizens were on board well ahead of him. Their voices on constitutional matters deserve an equally fair hearing.

In announcing his preferred reforms, Rendell expressed trepidation at the prospect of a constitutional convention, but if he truly believes in the right of self-governance as enumerated by Article I of the Constitution, a carefully crafted citizens’ convention provides no cause for hand wringing, anguish or hesitation of spirit.

A plan for such a convention of the people is available at www.PACleanSweep.com.

Citizens’ Constitutional Convention Act of 2007

Read the Governor's Proposed "Reforms"

Make a loan. Change a life.

Best American athlete. Hint: it isn't Big Ben.

The best American athlete - Sports - NBCSports.com One of the marks of a truly great champion is that he (or, as the case may be, she) is willing to compete fearlessly against other elite athletes, even when it's not seen as his or her signature event. That's what champions do. They test themselves.

At the Athens Olympics, Phelps swam the 200 free even though he had to know beforehand it probably meant the end of his attempt to better Mark Spitz's haul of seven swimming gold medals, set at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Phelps is especially deadly in the butterfly and the medleys, where a swimmer is asked to swim -- all in one race -- the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Phelps finished third in the Athens 200 free, in what swim aficionados now call 'the race of the century,' behind Ian Thorpe of Australia and Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands.

Kudos to Phelps. He tried. He won 'only' six gold medals in Athens, eight overall.

One of the marks of a truly great champion is that he (or, as the case may be, she) is willing to compete fearlessly against other elite athletes, even when it's not seen as his or her signature event. That's what champions do. They test themselves.

At the Athens Olympics, Phelps swam the 200 free even though he had to know beforehand it probably meant the end of his attempt to better Mark Spitz's haul of seven swimming gold medals, set at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Phelps is especially deadly in the butterfly and the medleys, where a swimmer is asked to swim -- all in one race -- the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.

Phelps finished third in the Athens 200 free, in what swim aficionados now call "the race of the century," behind Ian Thorpe of Australia and Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands.

Kudos to Phelps. He tried. He won "only" six gold medals in Athens, eight overall.

In that same manner, this January at a meet in Long Beach, Calif., Phelps undertook an extraordinary challenge.

In the space of 41 minutes, he swam the 100-yard fly, 100 back and 100 breast against Crocker, Peirsol and Hansen, among the best in the world in their events.

The race against Hansen in the breaststroke marked Phelps' 15th, and final, event in 50 hours. Hansen won, in 52.81. Phelps came in second, in 54.67 -- more than a second lower than his previously best time.

In the butterfly, Crocker -- with whom Phelps has had a great rivalry -- went out fast and won in 45.23. Phelps came in second.

Phelps beat Peirsol, winner of the 100- and 200-meter backstroke events in Athens.

In all, at that meet in Long Beach, Phelps won four races and finished second in three others.

Three second-place finishes? That's America's greatest?

Very funny insights to the World Championships 400 IM

CollegeSwimming.com :: View topic - World Championships Almost as impressive as Phelps WR was Marin, who was dead last at the 100 by about a body length, and then worked back and almost beat Lochte for Silver. The splits are intersting

Phelps
55.05
1:03
1:11
57

Marin
59.05
1:02
1:11
57

If only Marin could swim butterfly, things would be real interesting. He was so far behind in the first 100, I thought he had lost his suit on the dive or something.

Pride: Music: Original Soundtrack

Amazon.com: Pride: Music: Original Soundtrack
1. Dare To Dream - John Legend
2. Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
3. Express Yourself - Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
4. I'll Take You There - The Staple Singers
5. It's Your Thing - The Isley Brothers
6. Let's Clean Up The Ghetto - The Philadelphia International All-Stars
7. Slow Motion - Johnny Williams
8. I Love Music - The O'Jays
9. Love Train - The O'Jays
10. Strawberry Letter No. 23 - The Brothers Johnson
11. The Payback - James Brown
12. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Aretha Franklin
13. Sizonqoba Simunye - Aaron Zigman

French Connection - Tennesse Signs Agreement With National Federation

CollegeSwimming.com::French Connection - Tennesse Signs Agreement With National Federation CollegeSwimming.com contacted several coaches to gain comment on what is already a contentious issue. No program would go on record with their comments, though each articulated disgust with the move. At least two programs, however, have already begun pursuing similar agreements with other countries. One coach, who asked to remain anonymous explained that the agreement isn’t an entirely new, “We’ve been working on it [securing an agreement] for two years but have only found interest from Bolivia….and let’s be honest there aren’t many world beaters coming out of Bolivia.”

Our trip later this month to New Zealand is now with more urgent purpose.

Recruit Chooses College over Pros

CollegeSwimming.com::Recruit Chooses College over Pros “Andy’s got a limited time frame to strike while the iron’s hot,” the agent said. “Five years from now, you won’t see Huggies offering this kind of money.”

April Fools Joke. Cute.

From playground - usa

Onorato To Challenge Property Tax Ruling

kdka.com - Onorato To Challenge Property Tax Ruling Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato says he'll go to court to overturn a ruling that will allow county property owners to appeal their assessments based on sale price.

Chief Executive, Dan Onorato, has a history of making threats and then blinking at the last minute. Then he tells the lawyers to pull back as it becomes clear, right before the judge enters the room, that he'll loose. Onorato's efforts spend the money. He pays all the lawyers, and doesn't get the outcome he desires. Well, he does get one desired outcome: A pay day for his cronie lawyers.

But, that isn't what I'm looking to do.

Dan's bluffing. Dan's without a solution.

When the judges are called into the mix, nobody wins. Dan is not going to win. The taxpayers are not going to win.

We need more creativity and less legal attacks. We need better solutions and less posturing.

The bleak picture for property owners is being painted by the hands of Mr. Onorato himself. He is not able to lead the county out of this downward spiral.

The ones that make the mess are generally the ones that are least capable of fixing the mess.

Dan made the mess. Dan can't clean it up.

Which brings us to the next postings, below. Humpty was an egg. Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty was a big man and all. But the bigger they are the harder they fall.

All the king's horses and all the king's men could NOT put Humpty together again.

Tribune Review Editors again at odd with the truth

Are these guys clueless, stupid, or what? Who can be so wrong with such ease?

Awkward times for Santorum - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review With no opposition for Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl in the upcoming Democrat primary, the most compelling local primary race is for -- of all things -- city controller.

Dan Onorato has a challenger in the May 2007 Dem party primary. His name is Rich Swarts. Dan Onorato, if he wins, will have a challenger in the November 2007 election as well.

It would be different if I didn't call Dave Brown, reporter for the Trib who covers politics. I called him twice this week and left him voice messages. He didn't call back.

I think these guys can be saved. They could be born again. And, these guys are not only guys, for what its worth. One of the worst is a women editor who has killed a number of stories in the past.

I would LOVE to meet with the editors and reporters of the Tribune Review. Call me: 412 298 3432.

We often miss the circus in our house. Good reasons in this blog posting

Our life is a circus. So, we don't get out to them often. My mother has taken the kids to the circus in the past. I don't want to spoil that memory for them by taking them there again.

Renovating Parenthood: The Financial Circus: "We surprised the kids today with a visit downtown to see the Shrine Circus. My wife found a 'great deal' on tickets, so it wasn't too expensive. Sure, great deal. Once we walked in there I was robbed of every dime I had.

It's a good thing the Shriners are a charitable organization. Because there is NO reason a visit for four to the circus should have cost us over $120.

It started with the $9 for parking. Well, The folks that run Mellon Arena obviously need to maintain the parking lots somehow, at least until they are all torn up in six months when the new arena for the Penguins starts construction. Once inside, they really had us cornered."

The rest of the post gets better. Read it over there.

Two other points from my end can be blended upon his story. First, the parking situation is NOT going to get any better. When the construction happens, the entire hill area is going to become a big muddy mess. Parking has got to shrink in significant ways as they are going to build the new arena on part of the existing parking lot.

So, getting to the games in the next couple of years, as well as to the circus, is going to be more difficult.

Furthermore, I've said all along that there is NO NEED to build a new arena for the folks that go to the circus. None. Keep the existing arena with the existing parking lot as is. Then build a new arena in another part of the county. Then we can have a circus the same time there are NHL Playoffs. And, we can have a circus the same time there are high school graduations.

New Pittsburgh: High-tech growth starts at home, group says

From texture - misc.

CMU is going to host a high tech conference in November 2007 that is meant to be a way to get the word out about technology education as a great opportunity for girl students. Today, guys still have a large percentage of seats in high tech academic programs.

Blast from the past news article from May 1, 2003 and the P-G:

New Pittsburgh: High-tech growth starts at home, group says Pittsburgh's efforts to attract more young high technology professionals are well known and documented.

Jeannette Blosel/Post-Gazette

Photo of Mark Rauterkus and Diane Durand at Alphachimp Studios in Oakland.

But some local high tech enthusiasts believe that if the region really wants to build its reservoir of high tech talent, the best place to start is with children who already live here.

One of the ways to use the now closed indoor ice rink owned by the city is to turn part of it into the year-round home for the Youth Technology Summit. The entire building and park would not need to be devoted to technology. However, it would be great to have a youth-driven space where open-source tools are always "on."

From family - travels

Hard to blog about Phelps in the final event as it didn't occur

Michael was on the road to eight gold medals. The last race was to be a relay. But, the USA team had a false start in the heats of the semi-finals. As a result, Phelps didn't get into the water. Number eight will have to come at another meet -- perhaps the Olympics.

What Phelps and the USA swimmers have done in the last couple of weeks has been amazing. The men and the women had great meets.

The stage is set for Beijing.

WCSN.com: News Nothing tops his 50-meter title in Australia, even if it means he had to beat his friend and U.S teammate Jones, a heavy favorite in the race, to attain it. 'Cullen's an amazing swimmer,' he said. 'We enjoy each other's competition.'

Look for that pleasant rivalry to continue on the road to Beijing in 2008.

Swimmer in the sprint go on record saying, "We enjoy each other's competition." That's what I'm used to. That's the way it should be.

Humm. Wonder if it will work that way in politics in Pittsburgh in the weeks and campaigns to come?

Signature gathering has begun in earnest. And, it pays to advertise.

From people & vips

Anyone can sign our nomination papers to get us onto the ballot for the November 2007 general election.

Well, any eligible voter that resides within Allegheny County.

Officials estimate $7B in revenues, 70,000 jobs to city - Sunday April 1, 2007 1:46AM

SI.com - More Sports - Officials estimate $7B in revenues, 70,000 jobs to city - Sunday April 1, 2007 1:46AM: "Landing the 2016 Olympics would bring in more than $7 billion in revenue and create nearly 70,000 jobs, Los Angeles officials said."

400 IM Record and 7th Gold Medal.

Phelps update from World Championships: Lucky Number Seven: Michael Phelps Crushes World Record in 400 IM

MELBOURNE, Australia, April 1. SUPERMAN Michael Phelps did it again, this time claiming his seventh gold medal of the meet by crushing his world record with a time of 4:06.22 in the 400 IM at the FINA World Championships. The previous record of 4:08.26 stood since Phelps set it in Athens in 2004. Ryan Lochte made it a 1-2 for America with a silver-winning time of 4:09.74, while Luca Marin of Italy claimed bronze in 4:09.88.

The Pittsburgh Comet: District 9

The Pittsburgh Comet: District 9 UPDATE: Burgess 39, Kirkland 32, Carlisle 21, Taylor 3

The dems did a re-do on the endorsement for city council, district 9. They had an endorsement before. But the winner, 22-year-old Ms. Cooper, got tossed from the ballot by the judge because of a failed deadline for the financial disclosure forms. Ouch.

Many were happy to see that Twanda Carlisle got third in the first election. Some of us are hungry for change. Thankfully, she got third again in the re-do.

3 way, 2 way, 1 way -- highway

One can fight, fold or flee. Everyday citizens see this (see the letter to the editor below) and wonder why in the world would anyone want to enter this pile of poop. Most of the time, after it is seen once or twice, people understand. It just isn't worth it. Political life can really stink around here. So, "at the end of the day," as the cliche says, most folks resolve to say little, do little and seek the next available opportunity elsewhere. Then when the time is right and something better is evident, they leave. They flee. They vote with their feet. They hit the highway and move away.

Thanks for sharing the insights in the letter to the editor.

Speaking of tactics

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07090/773997-110.stm

I wish to respond to Dennis Roddy's statement in his March 22 article "City Candidates Removed From Primary Ballot," in which he insinuates that I, as attorney for the Patrick Dowd campaign for City Council, might have been "engaged in a tactical maneuver to winnow the field and give their candidate better odds against
the incumbent."

Apparently the incumbent's political maneuvering seems to have escaped Mr. Roddy's attention. It should be clearly noted that Leonard Bodack Jr., through Anthony Lisowski, initiated ballot challenges against both Patrick Dowd and Tom Fallon on the basis of errors in their statements of financial interests. (How much better can the odds be than to remove all challengers?)

When Mr. Bodack learned that his effort to knock Mr. Dowd off the ballot was unsuccessful, he then withdrew his challenge against Mr. Fallon. Did he suddenly change his opinion about the value of information omitted from Mr. Fallon's statements of financial interests? Or did he decide that, with Mr. Dowd now remaining in the race, a three-person contest would be more advantageous to his campaign?

These tactics, sadly, are an unfortunate misuse of the judicial system for political purposes. Mr. Bodack should be ashamed of himself and the voters in City Council District 7 should remember this on May 15.

ISOBEL STORCH, Highland Park

Pittsburgh has a brain drain, in part, because of the acts described in the letter.

The the second play in the playbook from the un-democratic democrats is shown above. The first play in their un-democratic playbook is to knock off the top challenger. Second play: don't knock off a minor challenger when there is a major challenger on the ballot. Two challengers are easier to beat than one.

Bodack's play didn't work. It backfired.

Bodack is very good at counting when you only need to use one hand.

U.S. women top Aussies for water polo gold - Saturday March 31, 2007 11:01AM

SI.com - More Sports - U.S. women top Aussies for water polo gold - Saturday March 31, 2007 11:01AM Coach Guy Baker jumped fully clothed into the pool to congratulate his team Saturday after the United States edged Australia 6-5 to win the women's water polo gold medal at the world championships.