Pop City - Pittsburgh ranked as a "City of the Future"

Happy Hype:

Pop City - Pittsburgh ranked as a "City of the Future" In addition, it ranked as one of the five most “cost effective” cities for business and landed among the top five cities with the best infrastructure.

“The Cities of the Future is not your average list by your average publication,” notes Michael Langley, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “This recognition indicates the growing prominence of southwestern Pennsylvania as a key area for global investment.”

Our city infrastructure has landed alright. It landed in the toilet that doesn't flush and flows along a hillside that slides.

Our growing prominence comes as a shrinking city. What's worse -- our growing cluelessness from those who are in prominent offices.

Write-in candidate on fence as GOP hatches campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Write-in candidate on fence as GOP hatches campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review But in an e-mail message yesterday, DeSantis wrote, 'I love this city and am flattered that some of my fellow citizens think me worthy (of) being mayor of this great city. However, I have no formal plans at this time.'

I'm torn about this.

First of all, the guy doesn't want to run. Don't write him in.

Second, the effort is coming from the Allegheny County GOPers, not the city committee. Heck, the county guys could not find anyone for the County Executive Race, County Controller Race, County D.A. Race, County Treasurer Race, and a host of other offices where they have not fielded a candidate.

Perhaps the Republicans should focus on races where they have real candidates who want to enter the race and want to win. Put that phone calling efforts into the Sheriff's race. Put it into the county council at-large race. Heck, start calling all the old folks with money and see if they need new attorneys to manage their trust funds.

Seriously, there are some real school board races with real republicans, in the city and beyond. Help them get votes. They need the help.

The County GOPers should work on, rather than with a bogus race for mayor, getting Lynn Swann a phone that works and email that works so he can run against Jason Altmire in 2008. Or, talk with any of the other dozen candidates who want to go to congress in that district, from the GOP ranks.

But, on the other hand, a Republican in the mayor's race might help me in the mayor's race. The Republican and I could demand debates. The Republican and I could raise some issues. The Republican and I could hold our own debate. The Repubican and I could stress different themes. For example, he could call Luke a liar while I just call for a shift to honesty.

But most of all, a Republican in the Mayor's race could mean that I won't finish in last place.

The Republicans in the city could write in Les Ludwig. Or, they could write in Mark DeSantis, 47, who doesn't want the votes. Or, they could write in me, Mark Rauterkus, also 47. I'm actually out in the community and on the internet raising a voice of opposition to the status quo they've been offering on Grant Street.

I've been a candidate for mayor in 2001 -- as a Republican -- because I hated the leadership from Grant Street then. It hasn't changed much in the past six years, sadly. Some, but the city is still on the brink.

Mark DeSantis isn't serious. He hasn't returned my calls. Nor is the RCAC serious. They too don't return my phone calls.

There is a fourth and fifth option for Republicans in the May 2007 primary: Don't vote. And, write in the City Paper's Pierogie.

That fence sitting is a bad place to be.

Might as well just sign my petition and help me get onto the ballot and support a Libertarian.

May 10 school board forum

See the Google Calendar for details.

Honz Man hosted Rick Swartz from 2-3 pm. Where is the web archive?

I hope the producers at KDKA radio will post the one-hour interview and phone call from the 2-3 pm hour when Rick Swartz was with Fred, the Honz Man. Swartz is a candidate for Allegheny County Chief Executive in the D primary.


Presently, the KDKA Radio site, kdkaradio.com, has two major stories devoted to the 2008 election, not the 2007 elections.

Mystery of Downtown Job Growth and Total via A.I. concerning PDP hype

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) acts as the administrative agency for the Downtown Improvement District and as a booster of the Downtown area and it’s attributes to workers, visitors, and residents. By all accounts, it is doing a good job in both roles.

But things might have become a bit overzealous in the booster department. The PDP recently released a study showing that the number of people working in Downtown Pittsburgh (considered as the Golden Triangle, the North Shore, South Shore, Strip District, and Uptown) has increased 23 percent between 1996 and 2006 to stand at 136,928. The study also notes that this number is a substantial portion of the region’s overall workforce and that much of the growth came from the sectors of finance (up 10,000 jobs) and services (up 5,000 jobs).

The study used a mixture of 2000 Census data and surveys conducted by private firms to build a model that estimates the counts in years before (1996) and after (2006) the latest Census information. It is interesting to note that for all of the fanfare and coverage surrounding the report, the job count is different from the number listed on the PDP’s website which places Downtown employment at 140,000. That number has been around for several years.

Nevertheless, there is a troubling aspect of the growth reported by the study: how are we to believe that there has been a 23 percent increase in Downtown employment when almost every economic indicator connected to Downtown as well as the County and region is moving in the opposite direction or holding flat?

For instance, let’s look at vacancy rates, transit trips, tax collections, regional job growth and population changes in the City and County.

* Downtown Vacancy rate—Our 2005 report showed that the vacancy rate for office space in the Golden Triangle (where there is 20 million square feet of office space, about 50 percent of the region’s total) was around 18 to 20 percent for Class A office space. The overall vacancy rate had increased 37 percent from the third quarter of 2001 through the third quarter of 2004. Recently released numbers show that the vacancy rate has risen to 20.7 percent at the end of March, 2007. Obviously, the rising office vacancy rate does not support the notion that jobs are growing let alone at a pace of over two percent per year.

* Public Transit Ridership—As measured by the National Transit Database indicator “average weekday unlinked trips”, it is hard to see how there could be such a significant uptick in Downtown employment. Since the majority of trips carried by the Port Authority are commuters (the study mentions that 4 in 10 Downtown workers use PAT), how do we reconcile the reported Downtown job growth with an 8 percent drop in trips during the ten-year period? The Database shows there were 253,000 weekday-unlinked trips in 1996. By 2006, daily trips had fallen to 233,000. Note that the peak year was 2001 when there were 258,000 daily trips, a modest rise from the 1996 level. Are substantially more people driving and parking in the City? Possibly. But it would seem highly unlikely given the big jump in gasoline prices since 2004 and the very high cost of parking Downtown.

* Tax Collections—A fairly good indicator of the number of people working in the City as a whole is to look at the collections of the $52 Emergency and Municipal Services Tax, which falls on every worker regardless of their place of residence. Collections from the tax and its predecessor, the occupation privilege tax ($52 now, $10 from 1996 through 2004), indicate that about 316,000 people are working in the City. That’s up 9 percent from the 1996 total of 289,000, but down since the peak year reading of 324,000 in 2000. In fact, 1996 and 1997 were the two lowest years of collections in the past thirteen years. It certainly does not seem reasonable to argue that Downtown employment would far outstrip the rate of job growth Citywide as measured by the revenues from this tax.

* Regional Growth Levels—The PDP study states that the 23 percent growth came in large part from just two sectors: finance, up by 10,890 (34%) jobs over the ten years, and services, up by 4,734 (12%). Compare these growth figures to the official data for the seven-county metropolitan area as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: A 7 percent growth rate in financial activities (4,700 jobs) and an 11 percent increase (33,000) in service jobs. In short, the study is essentially arguing that the increase in Downtown financial jobs has exceeded gains in the region as a whole. If true, that would mean that the region outside Downtown Pittsburgh has lost 6,000 financial jobs. Meanwhile, the study’s services job increase is fairly close to the regional gain and credible. Finally, bear in mind that there has been no net gain in private sector jobs in the Pittsburgh Metro area between February 2000 and February 2007.

* City and County Population Changes—Over the past 12 years or so Allegheny County has seen its labor force and number of jobholders shrink by 30,000. Meanwhile, the City of Pittsburgh’s population has shrunk by more than 30,000 since 1996 and its labor force has undoubtedly fallen, although proportionately less than the population. Since Allegheny County residents make up an overwhelming majority of jobholders in the City, it is hard to imagine that with the amount of County shrinkage we have seen that Downtown payrolls would have jumped 23 percent.

It could be that since the PDP study is only concerned with five Census tract neighborhoods at two points in time that a major portion of the Downtown job growth is the result of jobs moving from other parts of the City or region into Downtown. But there has been little in the way of news of such moves until the recent UPMC announcement. And those jobs were obviously not in Downtown in 2006.

The real problem is that we cannot be totally sure what the actual current job number is. We can, however, reasonably argue that in light of all the factors described above, there has not been a 23 percent gain in Downtown jobs since 1996. There was some growth between 1996 and 2001 from the 1996 low point. On the other hand, all signs point to a lower job total since 2001.

Source: April 24, 2007 Volume 7, Number 22 from Allegheny Institute.

[412] Your Autograph is desired. Collecting signatures from everyone in Allegheny County

[412] Your Autograph is desired. Collecting signatures from everyone in Allegheny County

---

Dear Eligible Voters of Allegheny County,

Your autograph and the autograph of your immediate family, friends, neighbors and co-workers is wanted on the attached form to insure that the democratic process lives for the November 2007 general election.

A concentration of power along with a lack of opposition is increasing our downward decline of both our population base and opportunities for other voices.

Your actions with this email and these forms will go a long way to insure voter choice and integrity in local elections in 2007 -- at a time when we need it most.

I've pulled together a slate of people to stand for office with me. Alternatives are needed as I don't want to give the ones in office now a "Free Pass" and further ignore accountability.

When you sign the petition, you agree we should be on the ballot and nothing more. You don't have to vote for me.

Money is not necessary. Just print the form (front and back) and just pay return postage -- or drop off to -- Mark Rauterkus, 108 South 12th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.

The "official" election form is legal sized. Sadly, it only prints on paper that is 14-inches tall. Ouch. If you don't have paper like that loaded in your computer's printer, email me and I'll mail or drop of a form to your home or workplace. Provide your address. Furthermore, the form must be printed on front and back. Ouch again.

Directions: Sign the first box, P R I N T, the second box, so letters are apart. Include middle initials and Jr./Sr./etc. as registered on election department records. Otherwise, you are deemed less than human and your signature won't count. Ouch. Your street number and address plus boro and municipality is needed (i.e., Castle Shannon, NOT Pgh). Finally, the date.

One omission and the un-democratic lawyers will attack. Dragging me into court -- again is something I want to avoid. I hate that scene. The goal is to get 10,000 valid signatures to have a buffer against a legal challenge. More is better. Deadlines are in July.

Next hurdle (ouch) is to match signatures to the proper form. People in different voting areas need to sign different forms to make this more difficult.

I've limited this email to two choices:
+ voters in CITY OF PITTSBURGH (or) (petition-city.pdf)
+ voters in ALLEGHENY COUNTY. (petition-county.pdf)

If you can't print the form but would like to sign, send me an email with your address.

Return signed forms to:

Mark Rauterkus
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Thaks for your help.

Full County Smoking Ban Kicks In Next Week - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Full County Smoking Ban Kicks In Next Week - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh Until July 1, first-time offenders will get off with a warning.

Get out of jail free cards are available by ...

MSM insights. Bill Moyers on the selling of the war

Must see TV, it seems.

Best Practices in eDebates from MN - and Plans for 2008

Steven Clift, fellow netizen and hero of mine, has a wonderful web movie that covers some best-practices for online education for voters from various ventures he's helped to organize throughout the years. These efforts center upon web debates. I've loved being engaged in some of these past efforts as a citizen and consumer of the process.

His recent blog post.

Now Yahoo! et al are talking about holding Presidential online debates. How nice.

The press release from Yahoo! makes an important announcement. However, there have been plenty of online candidate debates. It is a bad practice to say that you are the 'first' in anything.

Web White & Blue hosted a debate in 2000. Check out this web movie,
http://www.e-democracy.org/movies/presidentialedebate.html


"Slugging it out" is the wrong theme. Internet formats should be designed to allow more in-depth answers and a substantive exchange and not to promote a flame fest. Cable television new political punditry can hurl insults there. Don't bring that shock and awe to the internet.

Nomination Papers to download, print, sign and return to us

These links to PDFs hold the keys to the necessary paperwork for the nomination papers so we can get onto the ballot in November 2007.

Any eligible voter in the county can sign. But, the right paperwork must be matched with the right location of the voter.

Those that live nearest to me, on the South Side, in district 3, sign this paper:
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers/petition-cc-3.pdf (PDF, 112k)

Those that live in city council district 7, (Len vs. Patrict in D primary), sign this paper:
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers/petition-cc-7-pdf.pdf (PDF, 719k)

Those that live in city council district 9, (home of Twanda), sign this paper: http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers/petition-cc-9.pdf (PDF, 110k)

Anyone in the city can sign this paper:
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers/petition-city.pdf (PDF, 720k)

Anyone in the county can sign this paper:
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers/petition-county.pdf (PDF, 720k)

Second page (flip side):
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers/2nd-page-petition.pdf (PDF, 614k)

Summer Wardrobe

This t-shirt is now for sale.

We didn't have swim practice tonight. Sadly.

A link from the Carlynton School District web site reads as follows:

April 23, 2007

Dear Parent/Guardian:we

On Monday, April 23, 2007, a hand-written message was found on a bathroom partition of a boys’ restroom in the Carlynton Junior-Senior High School. The message suggested the author was going to ‘blow up’ the school on Tuesday, April 24, 2007. Unfortunately, this type of behavior is occurring on a regular basis in schools throughout Allegheny and the surrounding counties.

The police were immediately notified and are investigating this information.

While we may question the credibility of this threat, we always want to err on the side of caution. As a result, all activities occurring at the Junior-Senior High School for Monday evening are cancelled. The Allegheny County Police Department will complete a search of the building on Monday evening and the building will remain locked until 7:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.

No students are permitted to drive to school on Tuesday. An officer will monitor the driveway to ensure that only school personnel drive onto or near the school. All backpacks will be subject to search upon entrance to the school.

This message was specific to the Junior-Senior High School and no other building is involved. Still, we will continue to take our normal precautions in all of the buildings.

The search for the person(s) responsible for this behavior continues. Anyone with information regarding this matter is encouraged to contact the district at 412-429-8400 ext. 117 or the Robinson Township Police at 412-788-8115.

Thank you for your support and cooperation. School will be open and students are to report as usual.

Sincerely yours,
Michael A. Panza, Ed.D.
Superintendent

Steelers fear. Steelers are RENTERS. Buy Heinz Field and then let's talk

Steelers fear casino traffic on game days 'There's a whole different picture on the North Shore that needs to be looked at,' he said.

The Steelers rent Heinz Field. The team has no sway unless it buys Heinz Field.

I think we should sell Heinz Field to the Steelers. And, let's sell PNC Park to the Pirates. And, let's keep the Civic Arena too, while we're at it.

These teams rent. If they were owners, we'd have another discussion.

Don Barden is going to own his casino.

Sun Microsystems chair touts open-source education for K-12 kids

This is the Pittsburgh Promise that I've been talking about for years. Back in 2000 I was asking for Open Source Software for our schools.

Sun Microsystems chair touts open-source education for K-12 kids Sun Microsystems chair touts open-source education for K-12 kids

SUN is a great company. SUN has some great tools. You can help by taking the plunge and getting and using OpenOffice.org for your office productivity suite.

As I pass out CDs to the community members I see on the campaign trails, an installer of OpenOffice.org is generally contained.

Personal Democracy Forum – Technology Is Changing Politics

Running Mates and readers of this blog should not let this pass without putting your skin in the game.

Personal Democracy Forum – Technology Is Changing Politics: Google Personal Democracy Forum Scholarships: Free Registration for Politicos and Non-Profit Professionals

Are you a campaign staffer blazing a new trail in online politics? A non-profit professional trying new technologies with great results? An activist with ideas about the next big thing to change elections?

Then we want you to participate in the Personal Democracy Forum, where the nation's leading technologists, campaign organizers, politicos, bloggers, activists and journalists come together in New York City for a high-level conversation about the new tools, sites and practices that are transforming politics and democracy.

Take Your Father to School Day -- planning and event

I can't attend this meeting:

Committee Members:
Mr. Mark Brentley, Board Member would like to invite you to a Take a Father to School Day Planning Meeting on Friday, April 27, 2007 at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Office located at 341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Oakland on the 2nd floor. Please enter the Administration Building on the Bellefield side. Please RSVP at 412-622-3770 or via email at boardoffice@pghboe.net. We look forward to seeing you on Friday.

Robin Wenger, Board Executive Assistant, Pittsburgh Public Schools, Board of Directors - Room 245, 341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 -- rwenger1@pghboe.net - 412-622-3770 (Phone)

If you want to go, lend a hand, assist with the planning, take some action.

My reply:

---

I wish you all the best on Take Your Father To School Day. But..... I'm not going to be any help to you all. My family and I are going to go to New Zealand on April 28 -- and return around June 9.

We subscribe to the "leave no child behind theory" -- so we take our kids abroad when we go. :)

My wife is going to be teaching a course there and help them with some issues in her field. We'll explore, study, swim, play music and soak it in.

My advice:

I'd love to see a FALL version of Take Your Father To School. When the dads get into the school after the school year has finished, the impact isn't as great, I dare say. I'd love to see dad's get a leg up on knowing teachers, classmates, parents of classmates, and such. By May, the years is behind us.

Could we build upon the tradition and hold FALL take your father to school day as well as a spring session too?

Perhaps there can be a survey taken this year asking that question and some open-ended questions. We did that once, but it sorta got taken into the realm of the administration and out of the hands of the volunteers. Oh well.

Ohligarchy: Candidates At Large

Ohligarchy: Candidates At Large

Check out the bottom line of this post. One word.

New National Fatherhood PSA

City aide's cosmetics sales pitch rebuffed

City aide's cosmetics sales pitch rebuffed: P-G article.

This doesn't look good. When you put lipsick on a pig, you still have a pig.

Candidate disclosure rules in Pa. brew court battles

PennLive.com: NewsFlash - Candidate disclosure rules in Pa. brew court battles: "At the center of the ballot-access cases is disagreement over what must be reported on the one-page 'statement of financial interests' that candidates must file with the state Ethics Commission as a condition for having their names listed on the ballot. The other condition, imposed by the state Election Code, requires them to gather enough voters' signatures to qualify for the office they are seeking.

Candidates can be challenged for failing to meet either requirement — putting them at risk of being thrown off the ballot only weeks before an election.

The required disclosures on the financial statements are relatively superficial — only the names of companies or other sources of income, for example, not dollar amounts or other details."

Diaspora Developments

Mike M and others at Pittsblog.Blogspot.com and elsewhere are talking about a manifesto.

Diaspora - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Diaspora

Bridges are nice. But, the notion that I'd love to use as a story of Pittsburgh would be 'gang planks to Pittsburgh.'

From planning-urban

Think of a large ferry boat, pulling up to a pier and in about 30-seconds, 200 people spill, from two levels, into the city's streets.

I'm not talking about those dinky foot bridges that take 40-minutes to empty the Majestic before or after a ball game. I'm thinking big, wide, mulit-level gang-planks to transfer mobs of pedestrians.

Okay, here goes my mind dump to take the conversation to another level. All in all, part of the charm of being Pittsburgh is our attraction everywhere else. But, part of the harm is to only talk about and only focus upon ourselves. We need to look beyond our borders. But, we also need to look within and allow others that come to raise their colors from time to time. I think that this diaspora can and should go both ways.

I'd love to see Pittsburgh's "REUNION HALL." Or, better yet, five such "reunion halls."

From DHCC - mt-was...

I'd love to see a CMU club. We've got a HYP (Harvard, Yale, Princeton) Club. But this doesn't need to be 'stuffy' -- just a Tartan kinda-place. Build it in Hazelwood.


I'd love to see other cities and regions have Reunions Days here in Pittsburgh. Folks from Cinci, NY, Boston, Chicago, Canada, etc., could have a places and times to gather -- monthly. Of course these could be commercial venues. Folks with a St. Louis connection meet at Bar Louie on the first Saturday of the month, for example.

Every parade, festival, road race (i.e., Great Race, etc.), and event must cross the river in some shape or form.

Small city rivalry among small sports teams should occur. First, the city schools need to be a part of the WPIAL. Furthermore, sports teams, such as swimming, rugby, ultimate, golf, tennis, etc., etc. should have regional teams to battle on regular basis. This takes the sister-cities notions to new heights. Little leaguers in Brentwood could play against Youngstown. Divers in the South Hills should dive against Bowling Green. Footballers from West Mifflin should play against a squad from State College.

The largest event in the Convention Center each year should be a youth technology summit.

A new magazine, Teacher from Pittsburgh, should be created. We've been exporting teachers to the rest of the nation. They all have classrooms. They should get scholarships to travel back home.

Every college in PA should have a new scholarship to attract Pgh Public School grads to their campus -- Pittsburgh Promise like.

AND, every grad at every college in PA, if not the region in future years, should be given big-brother/big-sister/mentor opportunities and housing / home ownership options to move to Pittsburgh with their degree and perhaps for grad school / start of career.

Grads from Slippery Rock, Westminster, Nova, PSU-Johnstown, should all have clearly marked homes in The Burgh.

Pittsburgh needs urban campgrounds.

Pittsburgh needs a few new youth hostels.

Pittsburgh needs out-of-town newspaper deliveries - news stands.

Pittsburgh should open a "Metro High" that would be for transplants to Pittsburgh.

Time shares happen at the beach in N.C. I think that a few high rise time shares could flourish in the city. Many people from around the world would be happy to come to Pittsburgh for one week a year, if they had a nice place to stay. They'd take in ball games, shop, and visit.

Think urban time shares for Pgh. From planning-urban

Three or more of the area Pittsburgh Catholic High Schools should open dorms and present prep schools options. Resident students could be part of the mix at Bishop Canevan, Seton LaSalle, OLSH, Quigley, North Catholic, etc.

Pittsburgh should open all its schools to school choice so students and families can choose whatever school fits best with the person.

Pittsburgh's Westinghouse and Peabody should be turned into single gender schools, and open to the regional students. (Think Oakland & Central, but public.)

Every High School in Allegheny County should be encouraged to host reunions.

Venues on Grant Street and throughout Pittsburgh -- in quasi public settings -- should be made to be much more accessible for weddings, wedding anniversary celebrations and family reunions.

Activist planning education rally, May 17

Activist planning education rally An East Liberty activist yesterday said the Pittsburgh Public Schools' restructuring efforts aren't enough to lift black, poor students out of 'subservience' to white, higher-income peers, and he called on residents to join him in an education rights campaign.

Salvador Wilcox, chief executive officer of Education Innovations Inc., has planned an 'Education Crusader' rally for 11 a.m. May 17 outside school district offices in Oakland. 'Education Crusader' is the name of Mr. Wilcox's blog.

While he said students and teachers should consider walking out of their classrooms to take part, school district and union officials cautioned against that.

This would be a good time to rally against the broken promise of the Pittsburgh Promise. I won't be there.

2 strong women seek nomination to school board district 2

2 strong women seek nomination to school board district 2 Mrs. Tecza, 44, of Polish Hill, is an employment specialist at Achieva, an organization for people with disabilities. In her previous role there as an education advocate, she helped disabled students get instructional programs meeting their needs.

The Conversation: Vote for Rick

The Conversation: Vote for Rick

Fidelis of Sigmaringen - Happy Feast Day St Fidelis

Fidelis of Sigmaringen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia His feast day in the Roman Catholic Church is April 24.

Michael Badnarik on internet radio

When Michael Badnarick was a candidate for US President, he came to an event I hosted in Mt. Washington. It was a busy night, and I didn't take video or photos, sadly.

Passion.

A powerful or compelling emotion or feeling.

Boundless enthusiasm.

As far back as I can remember, I have always loved Liberty. The first memories I have are of me wearing my navy blue Cub Scout uniform, marching in a Fourth of July parade. I remember being very proud, waving to my mother and father as they watched from the curb.

Since then, my passion for Liberty has grown exponentially, motivated in large part by the realization that most of what my government does is unconstitutional. I knew that somehow, some way, I was going do something about it. I ran for Texas State representative, and then surprised myself by running for President of the United States. My fellow Libertarians surprised me even more by making me their 2004 Libertarian nominee in a stunning "come from behind" victory. That success led me to devote two more years attempting to win a seat as the first Libertarian in Congress.

Today - disallusioned with "politics as usual" and the corrupt elections foisted upon us by the use of electronic voting machines - I have decided to attack the problem from a different angle. I am going to combine my freedom of speech with my burning desire to restore our Constitutional republic to its original standard of ethics. Tomorrow, April 23rd, I begin a new career as the host of a new radio talk show called Lighting the fires of Liberty!

The purpose of my program will be to share the love I have for freedom, and the ideals upon which the founders created this great nation. Naturally, I will talk about the Constitution and quote frequently from many of our early patriots, but I want my program to be different. I want to inspire people! I want to instill an all consuming and burning passion for Liberty! I want my listeners to experience the same level of patriotic fervor that Patrick Henry experienced when he exclaimed, "Give me Liberty, or give me death!"

I want you to laugh and share the joy I feel, knowing that we live in the greatest country the ever existed on the face of the earth. I want you to get angry when you realize that the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the REAL ID Act are blatantly unconstitutional, and threaten the very lifestyle we love so much. I want you to be moved to tears when you listen to Ray Charles singing "America... America... God shed his grace on thee!"

I am very proud that I will soon be a member of the WE THE PEOPLE RADIO NETWORK, along with other Liberty activists such as Alex Jones, Dr. Katherine Albrecht, Jack Blood, Peymon Mottahedeh, Mark Koernke, Debbie Stevens, and others. Not only that, but I've been given the very prestigeous "morning drive time" slot every weekday from 7:00am until 9:00am, Central Time. I invite you to listen online at www.WTPRN.com, and call in to express your passionate views on the air. The call-in number is 512-646-6449.

The guest for my very first program will be my mother, Elaine Badnarik. She is the person who taught me to read, to love learning, and to pursue every adventure and activity with all of the passion I could muster. In all of the ways that are truly significant, I am the person I am because of the example that she set for me. Tomorrow is your opportunity to call in to speak with her personally on the air.

Finally, this is the very last time I will broadcast a message to every eMail address I have collected during my last two campaigns. I know that many of these address are now obsolete, however I haven't had any way to know which ones those are. Now that my website newsletter program has been modified to successfully distribute messages to the thousands of addresses I have collected, I will make this announcement - and then delete everyone from the list! Therefore, if you want to continue receiving my newsletter, you will have to visit www.ConstitutionPreservation.org and re-subscribe to the newsletter one last time.

Thank you for your past support of my political campaigns. I am honored that so many people thought I was worthy of their time and endorsement. I hope that many of you will now become avid listeners of my program. Fortunately people in the Pacific Time Zone will not be required to wake up at 5:00am to hear me because my program will automatically be archived on the website the moment my program goes off the air. I am no longer a candidate, however as long as I am able to breathe, I will continue...

Lighting the fires of Liberty, one heart at a time!

Michael Badnarik

Think Free Be Free - Welcome to ThinkFree.ca

Think Free Be Free - Welcome to ThinkFree.ca ThinkFREE is dedicated to helping achieve a freer and more just society, where authority is achieved without deception and exercised with restraint, understanding, accountability and compassion. We employ educational seminars, guerrilla videography, Notarial justice, advocacy, public action and dance. (Seriously, never doubt the power of dance)

Film extras ad ruffles feathers in Christchurch

Film extras ad ruffles feathers in Christchurch - New Zealand's source for entertainment news, gossip & music, movie & book reviews on Stuff.co.nz Christchurch Public Domain Authority

Perhaps I'll announce that I'm a candidate for another office. I could run for the board of an authority: The Christchurch Public Domain Authority.

DVD handouts at BootCampPgh.org

At yesterday's event at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, I passed out some DVDs of a movie.

From ads - political

Hope you enjoy the film.

six days and counting

From family - travels

We're now in a panic.

Concept map of the wiki of the platform on the blog

From maps

Luke pimps Les Ludwig's slogan again

Les Ludwig coined the slogan, "Do more with Les." Les ran against Bob O'Connor. Luke -- this quote rubs me the wrong way.

Health-care switch to save city millions 'It is a significant savings for us, as a city that continues to do more with less,' Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said while unveiling the arrangement yesterday.

How about if the city just does what it must with what it has. I don't really want Luke to do more. No more property tax abatement. No more boneheaded spending.

A single payer health system, as designed by people in Pittsburgh already, would do wonders to the city's budget. It could give PA a competitive adantage and it makes for a system-wide fix helping small business, large business, government workers and every citizen.

Getting all the health insurance from one provider also has the risk of sinking the city when the contract comes due in a couple of years.

There is some security in diversity.

Getting all the health insurance coverage from one provider is like a single, bigger band-aid.

A fitness program too!

City Ethics Board Still Can't Get Together - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

City Ethics Board Still Can't Get Together - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh 'I think you look to what's important for this commission to do going forward,' said board member Kathy Beuchel.

Why We Think We’re Unhappy and What Not to Do About It

Cato Unbound � Blog Archive � Why We Think We’re Unhappy and What Not to Do About It One obvious reason for our willingness to believe in widespread malaise is the proliferation of books, movies, articles, and other media that tell us how horrible things are these days. Part of the story has to be that bad news sells better than good news. “If it bleeds, it leads,” as they say. University of California, Davis psychologist Michael Hagerty suggests that this is one reason most Americans think that their life has improved, while most other Americans’ lives haven’t.

Recent City Homicides Raise Public Safety Concerns

kdka.com - Recent City Homicides Raise Public Safety Concerns

Water Pork from Taxpayers for Common Sense

WATER PORK BILL FLOATS THROUGH CONGRESS
Volume XII No. 5 - April 30, 2007

Lawmakers this week passed a $16.5 billion water project bill (H.R. 1495), containing more than 800 parochial pork barrel projects for virtually every Congressional district in the nation. This bill has it all: from $1.8 billion to build seven unnecessary new navigation locks on the Upper Mississippi River (pdf) (Sec. 8003) to studying the navigation impacts of building the infamous “Don Young’s Way” bridge project in Alaska (Sec. 4005), to $55 million for pumping sand (pdf) to maintain Imperial Beach, CA for the next 50 years (Sec. 1001 (9)).

In a race to get this long stalled bill approved (they've been working on it since 2002), congressional leadership seemed to forget about the fundamental flaws that Hurricane Katrina exposed in the way the Corps of Engineers develops, designs and constructs this country’s water resource projects. In the starkest terms, Katrina showed us (pdf) that the time is long passed to end the political spoils system that has driven water project investment for more than a century. We need a modern, accountable and prioritized system to develop and award projects. It’s a message that Congress has failed to grasp.

Almost as an afterthought, lawmakers passed an amendment by Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Tom Petri (R-WI), and Peter Welch (D-VT) that directs the Corps of Engineers to update archaic rules (pdf) that govern how water projects are developed and selected. The outdated current rules (Principles & Guidelines), for example, encourage the Corps to build levees that protect undeveloped low-lying areas to spur economic development rather than building higher and stronger levees where there are actually people and property to protect. Disco died, come back to life and died again since 1983, the last time these rules were updated.

The Senate will now consider its own bill, which includes an amendment by Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and John McCain (R-AZ) that would make the Corps more accountable to the public through truly independent peer review for costly, controversial or critical projects. That’s the good news.

The bad news is that Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is looking to add to the $15 billion price tag by including more projects in the bill for “acute needs.” (pdf)

But there is no acute need for billions more in water projects. The Corps already has a whopping $58 billion backlog of projects they haven’t built yet, and will get only $2 billion in construction funding this year. To add more than $16 billion in new projects will just add more competition for the precious few construction dollars lying around. The acute need is for serious reform. Congress should require the Corps to prioritize projects and funnel money to the projects that will benefit the nation the most. Absent such a system, Congress and the Corps don’t even know which projects should be first on the list. When that happens, decisions are based on politics rather than need.

The Administration, which has rattled the veto saber recently, left it sheathed for this bill. Considering the well deserved public relations hit this Administration took for its Katrina response, you might think reforming the agency that built the New Orleans levees would be a top priority.

Breaking the nearly two-century old iron triangle of water pork in this country (we have a copy of an 1836 House Ways & Means Committee report documenting 25 wasteful Corps projects) is going to take a lot more. Katrina exposed the costly consequences of our existing parochial water project system. Now Congress needs to take the necessary steps make the Corps of Engineers more accountable.

Going on at Taxpayer.net This Week

The Senate this week introduced its own standards regarding how it will handle earmarks in appropriations bill.

Big Idea Book | Engage Pittsburgh

What happened to the promise of the funding of ideas from the fall of 2006? Spout Fund -- what's up?

Big Idea Book | Engage Pittsburgh
The Big Idea Book is an aggregation of the ideas and projects that were discussed at The Sprout Fund's September 9, 2006 Idea Round Up event and the online discussions that will continue on engagepittsburgh.org throughout the fall 2006.

Ideas are grouped in general topic areas like chapters in a book. Currently, the only features enabled for engagepittsburgh.org users are the abilities to view, comment and rate (vote) the ideas. Additional features to modify and add to the idea pages will be forthcoming.

The Movies of Campus MovieFest

An easy way to kill some time.

The Movies of Campus MovieFest The Campus MovieFest International Grand Finale, showed phenomenal short movies, music, and more. CMF provided Apple laptops, camcorders, and training to over 25,000 students this past year and on June 10th, hundreds experienced the best short movies of 2006 submitted by students at schools throughout Atlanta, Florida, Boston, California, and Scotland, plus a fascinating Q&A session with the top filmmakers.

New arena could displace synagogue in Hill District - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

New arena could displace synagogue in Hill District - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: The only synagogue that serves Downtown could be moving again to make way for a new arena, an official said Thursday.

The arena could be built around Beth Hamedrash Hagodol-Beth Jacob, but the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority would prefer to relocate the synagogue to make more space, said Executive Director Mary Conturo.

'It would work much better, in terms of the loading dock and access to it, if the synagogue relocated,' Conturo said. 'Possibly we could design around it, but it's not preferable.'

This makes me mad. The congregation is going to move. Move out of the city.

They didn't think about this before? There is far to much that they didn't tell us.

The church buildings are going down now.

Duhh. Why didn't we build the new arena out by the airport. Then, perhaps, there would be a new development there. And, with the new development, new residents. And, furthermore, new places of worship.

We are tearing down and churning. We are not growing the region.

Make Internet TV

Make Internet TV: "Make Internet TV
You Make the News"

In ONE DAY: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Events Calendar

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Events Calendar: Boot Camp Pittsburgh
Art Institute of Pittsburgh
4/21/2007 9am

This is a free one-day introductory event for internet users comprised of 25 sessions that will cover the basics of blogging, podcasting, and 'social networking' (i.e. making social and business contacts using websites like MySpace).

Presenters include a wide range of experts, including popular podcasting musician Matthew Ebel, online entertainment guru and PodCamp co-founder Chris Brogan of Network2, the creator and cast of local web series 'Something To Be Desired', and Pittsburgh-based internet personality iJustine, runner-up in Yahoo's recent national Talent Search.

For more information and to register for free, go to www.bootcamppgh.org.

More Testimony from the Legislative Reform Hearing in Pittsburgh

Yesterday, I got to speak to the Harrisburg lawmakers about legislative reform. (scroll down). Here are the words from another (running mate).

Testimony on legislative reform in Pennsylvania, hearing in Pittsburgh, April 19, 2007.

My name is Al Bennett. I live in Representative Chelsa Wagner’s district at 956 Pine Avenue in Castle Shannon, located in the south hills of Pittsburgh. I retired here with my wife Linda after working for almost 20 years for the California State Library in Sacramento. My wife is from the south hills and missed Pittsburgh every day she was away. I spent my high school years in Beaver County and am also very glad to be back in this extraordinary area.

While leading the California Literacy Campaign throughout the state of California beginning in 1983, I interacted regularly with the California State legislature. Although reform was an ongoing agenda item during those years, one change that occurred in the 1990s led to positive change in a particularly profound way. That reform was the imposition of term limits on both the State Assembly and the Senate.

I have been surprised since we moved to Castle Shannon in 2001 at the extreme need for reform in the Pennsylvania legislature. It is clear that the present structure has made election to the legislature an opportunity for personal gain that greatly interferes with the objective of serving constituents’ needs. By the time a legislator has been reelected enough times to gain substantial power, the temptation to put his or her personal benefits above those of constituents has become very great.

I saw a similar pattern when I started working with the California state legislature in the early ‘80s. But when an initiative was introduced to limit the number of terms a legislature could serve, I felt the loss of experience and wisdom would make lobbyists’ and staffers’ power even greater and I voted against the measure.

I must report, however, that I was wrong. Within the very first year that legislators became “termed out”, a change for the good occurred. The most powerful member of the Assembly, speaker Willy Brown who would probably never have been voted out by voters in his district, had to step aside. An amazing breeze of fresh air started to blow into the Assembly. I saw the cynical attitudes of old pros replaced by the enthusiasm of new, frequently young and often children of immigrants, newly-elected legislators grab hold of the legislative process. Instead of “that’ll never work”, we began to get “let’s give it a try”, and changes that could never have happened before began to occur. And they are still going on.

There are many reforms that could be introduced in Pennsylvania, and many of them would undoubtedly be beneficial. But one that I believe would have profound benefits quickly is limiting numbers of terms that an individual can serve. I urge the legislature on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania to make term limits its highest reform priority.

Thank you for this opportunity to testify this morning.

---

He speaks of his experiences in California about term limits. My position on terms limits is the same. I'm okay with term limits.

I'd vote in favor of term limits. I even said in the past that I'd term limit myself. You can hear that pledge in my background audio from 2001 at TalkShoe.com. Give us term limits as they'd make for a remedial measure that would serve us well.

Most of all, we need term limits in the mayor's office and with other executive offices. We have it with the PA Governor, and that seems to work well.

I wonder: What do the ones in the Pgh Contoller's race -- and the Allegheny County Controller's race say about term limits?

Rutgers special event: Journalist David Z to visit campus

The event seems like it is well on its way and won't be nixed due to my blabbing about it. But, I'd love to see David take a few moments and talk about the cutting of men's swimming at Rutgers -- as he is oncampus.

CollegeSwimming.com :: View topic - Rutgers special event: Journalist David Z to visit campus: "A favorite journalist, author, sports-mind, netizen is due to go to Rutgers to speak at an event this week. Can Phil or others from NJ take the lead on this and be sure to get some from the swim community there to hear him -- and raise issues about the team's looming cut.

And, I've emailed David directly asking him to look into this before he steps on campus. A call or email from a swimmer at Rutgers directly to him might go far, before he arrives.

He just did a book on Ali. I love his social and sport insights.

Dave Zirin - edgeofsports@gmail.com

A Ho Ho no no - Homework for Mr. Zober. Well, it is really an in-class assignment. Don't take it home. All work should stay in the office.

From china - foods

A Ho Ho no no: "A Ho Ho no no" Friday's P-G business page article.

For Yarone's next homework assignement, tell us how many slices a pizza folks in Pittsburgh eat, on average, a day -- or a year.

Then, we want to know about pretzels.

Then, tell us about pierogies.

Then, do the research and math into the consumption of -- say -- iced tea and super-charged energy drinks.

Then, root bear. I think we've got more root beer drinkers than anywhere else.

We want real reasearch. We want press events, peer reviews, urban website coverage, and national and international talk-show interviews.

Take two or three weeks, if not months, on each topic area. Research a few other competing markets on each product too. Leave the wings, chili, sliders, fish and cones to others to research for now.

From china - foods

This will give you something meaningful to do. I know I'd rest better at night knowing that this mission was your top priority. And pull Mr. Skrinjer into this for three time a day meetings as well.

Finally, find out, again, as a follow-up, how much bottled water they are drinking on the other side of the all within City Council. That's always a very pressing concern.

From china - foods

Upper St. Clair citizen are rocking

We are very excited to be working to elect five members to the USC School Board who will make decisions for the benefit of our children and our community, protect the township's investment in its outstanding schools and Restore Unity, Sense and Civility to the USC School Board!

As you may know, we are publishing a weekly e-newsletter featuring one of our candidates each week, as well as campaign updates and issues. We have added your e-mail address to the list to receive the e-mail, and hope that it will keep you up to date and informed. If you have not received these newsletters, please check whether they are being delivered to your bulk/junk mail folder or being marked as spam. To ensure that you receive emails from RestoreUSC, please add newsletter@restoreusc.org to your address book today .

If you would rather not receive these occasional e-mails, you may unsubscribe at the bottom of any newsletter, or e-mail us via our web site at http://www.restoreusc.org .

We hope you will join us in our effort to Restore Unity, Sense and Civility to the governance of USC's finest asset - our schools.

Sincerely, Amy Billerbeck

May 1, 2007 - Important PUBLIC Hearing to combat Luke's tax give-a-way: City Council Meeting Schedule

Stay tuned. Save the date. Be there to speak. Call the City Clerk's office to get onto the agenda, 412 255 2138. Or, Call to get onto the agenda, either "in favor, AGAINST, or only with "statements." 412 255-2138.

I'm going to be in New Zealand. However, I expect to submit my statement to the city clerk for the record before I depart.

When you look on the city's web site, you notice these scant details.

This is a public hearing. So, folks will be given, if you call in advance, up to three minutes to speak. If you don't call, they still often allow you two minutes after all the speakers have gone.

City Council Meeting Schedule Tuesday, May 1, 2007
1:30 PM - Public Hearing - Bill No. 2007-1285
Ordinance amending and supplementing the Pittsburgh Code, Title Two, Fiscal; Article & IX, Property Taxes; Chapter 265, Exemptions for Residential Improvements: Section 265.01, Definitions; Section 265.03, Exemption for Improvements; and Section 265.04, Exemption for Residential Construction, so as to create a new ten-year exemption covering residential improvements and construction in areas defined as the Uptown District, the Downtown District and Targeted Growth Zones for exemption applications filed on or after July 1, 2007 and through June 30, 2012.

Also:
Public Hearing - Bill No. 2007-1286
Ordinance amending and supplementing the Pittsburgh Zoning Code, Title Two, Fiscal; Article IX, Property Taxes; Chapter 267, Exemptions for Industrial and Commercial Improvements; Section 267.01, Definitions; Section 267.03, Exemption Schedule; Section 267.04, Exemption Conditions; and Section 267.09, Participation by Allegheny County and Pittsburgh Board of Education, so as to create a new tax exemption for the conversion of industrial, commercial or other business property into owner-occupied residential use in deteriorated underutilized transition areas and also to increase the exemption for improvements constituting a qualified conversion to commercial residential use as to properties which are located in deteriorated underutilized transition areas for applications filed on or after July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2012.

This amounts to a tax give-a-way for ten years. People who speculate on property will benefit and the rest of the city will pay more.

This provides a benefit to those who have already been able to benefit by being around extensive public infrastructure investments. Those around the new arena are going to get a tax break. Those around the new tunnels under the rivers are going to get a tax break. Those around the new Point State Park are going to get a tax break. Those around the new Market Square are going to get a tax break. Those around the new Convention Center are going to get a tax break. Those around the new slots parlor are going to get a tax break. Those around the new PNC Park are going to get a tax break. Those around the new African American Cultural Center, the Grayhound Bus Station, the Garden Theater, PNC Plaza, etc., -- you get the idea -- get tax breaks. It is backwards thinking and backwards policy.

A massive amount of big-ticket spending has gone on with government money. They've been digging holes in the ground. These development projects are sinks themselves. Plus, these development projects are such that the areas around them need to be subsidized too -- so they think on Grant Street.

They are tossing good money after bad. They need to "Lay The Shovel Down." They need to stop digging the holes in the ground. Rather, they need to be finished with the hole digging and let everyone have a chance at a more level marketplace.

The great big sucking sound that Ross Perot talked about with Mexico is also known as this downtown area.

The new housing that will be squeezed into downtown spaces where it doesn't really belong needs to be subsidized for rich people to move there. That means that other neighborhoods will see valued residents depart for downtown. Other neigbhorhood see their taxes rise so tax breaks can be given to the rich that move to downtown. The poor get poorer and the rich get richer. The rest of the city gets punished for its years of hard work trying to sustain itself and the downtown cronies get rewarded for their political connections and sway.

Furthermore, this policy of putting upscale condos and rich people into homes in commercial spaces means it is going to be harder for commercial operations to come back into areas where they have the most chance of success. Downtown is our business brain center and our finance and law and government and board-room hub. Pittsburgh's rebound into a prosperous, vibrant, center of commerce and innovation is going to be more difficult to achieve in the years to come. Small business is getting elbowed out of places where they should be able to move to and sprout.

We don't want our business upstarts to need to move to Green Tree nor Hayes nor Troy Hill nor Betlzhoover. Green Tree is too finished and too expensive. That's a decent place for US Air expansion but not "Joe's High-Tech Widget Marvels" an early stage company. I want them in flex office space near downtown, on public transportation where the region's best and brightest can mingle. I don't want them to need to recuit the first 20 employees into a space that fits their needs in Hayes, Troy Hill or Betlzhoover -- but employees can't and won't want to work there as buses are impossible.

Summary: I want to have workers work downtown where access to services and capital is a stone's throw away. And, I want to have residents and workers live in Troy Hill, Betzhoover and Hayes.

Summary: I want to see tax breaks given to everyone, especially those who have lived a hard life keeping frail neighborhoods alive despite the shifting tides against them.

Summary: If downtown is such a hip place and is about to boom -- let it do so on its own. Don't subsidize what is already about to bloosom. Let them pull their own weight.

Legislative Reform: Talking about Transparent PAC Accounts and the Scarlet Letter provisions

	Transparent PAC accounts and the scarlet letter. Idea from Mark Rauterkus about legislative reform.
From ads - political

The talk of reform in Harrisburg is starting to buzz. Two ideas presented to lawmakers at a hearing in Pittsburgh on April 19 have roots in a business and free-market mindset.

First, show us the money. Lets abolish campaign financial disclosure deadlines in favor of transparent PAC accounts. Second, if you cheat, we'll never do business with you again. Cheaters get cut off until the ones that benefited is out of office and off the the public payroll.

In banking, 'trust funds' can be established that provide unlimited, real-time witness to every deposit and withdrawal. This real world, marketplace solution could be applied to all political action committees (PACs). This solution comes without any cost to the government. It saves money by putting all the reporting of political money transactions off of the backs of the election departments.

Let's use on-line banking to a wider degree when it comes to public money. All candidates and political action committees would have a bank account at any state-sanctioned commercial bank with a public account number so all transactions could be witnessed over the internet. Campaign disclosure forms would be a thing of the past as everything would always be out in the open.

These new TRANSPARENT PAC ACCOUNTS could be used beyond campaign efforts too. Let's plug them in for governmental line items. The Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission has a fund. How much money is in it? When was the last deposit? Where did that money come from? Where was the last payment? How much? What is the balance? How does that compare to past years? How come the donuts for staffers cost so much?

But let's not stop at shade trees. Let's consider real-time reporting for all sorts of governmental income and expense streams. Today's deposit of lottery funds, gambling incomes, dog licenses, parking tickets and everything else can be made open to anyone to anywhere with the internet and the right type of banking transactions – if there is a political will to make things transparent to citizens. That's our money. I want to shine a light on it all and watch it. Banks do this all the time.

Should campaign finance reform come to pass, the new laws may put a cap on the amount of money any one citizen can contribute to a candidate. But how do you address those that choose to not play by the rules. I think a scarlet letter sanctions on rule breakers would help. Those that break the law and are unethical in our political process should wear this scarlet letter. That designation would eliminate all eligibility for that company and individual for any government money from any governmental agency for as the duration of the tenure for the rule-breaker.

This goes to pay to play antics.

Let's say a new rule comes into being and that no citizen can give more than $1,000 to any candidate. But, a developer or a bridge contractor really wants to build a tunnel under the river for half-a-billion dollars. Buying off four or five city council members and paying a $10,000 fine for each is worth it. Even with the fines,
it is a good investment.

We should choose to not do business with the people and companies that break the rules of the political process.

The way to get rid of the scarlet letter designation is to have the person who benefited, i.e., the candidate / politician, to resign and get out of public office.

But, a rich uncle wants to spend $200,000 on a candidate's campaign, and that guy doesn't ever deal with government contracts, no problem. You can't prohibit individual wealth from entering the process. But you can block it from pay to play folly.

Busy week.

This week I made three different Public Statements: April 17, 18 and 19, 2007. Hear what was said with this raw footage from my camera. I'll make a nicer package when time permits. The first two parts were given to to Pgh city council. The third statement was delivered to PA lawmakers considering legislative reform. View Video

Messages from Mark Rauterkus at three public comment periods.

Copy to your browser:

Tonight's Meeting about the closed indoor rink -- online at TalkShoe - to start at 9:30 pm

I've got to adjust, slightly, the time for the meeting tonight, online, via TalkShoe.com. I advertised it as a 9 pm meeting. We'll start, in earnest, at 9:30 pm.

Pittsburgh - Carlisle hitting campaign trail following criminal charges - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper

Call backs are nice.

Pittsburgh - Carlisle hitting campaign trail following criminal charges - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper 'I have been very dissatisfied with the job she has been doing for a very long time,' says Point Breeze resident Joni Rabinowitz of Just Harvest, who is supporting challenger Ricky Burgess. Carlisle, Rabinowitz says, 'is never available to talk to you when you call, and she's never sponsored any legislation.'

More on Rutgers

From china - sculp...

Seems Imus, the radio shock jock, picked on the wrong folks at Rutgers. He should have put the President, McCormick, into his sights.

CollegeSwimming.com::More on Rutgers a living, breathing portrait of an institution run by individuals who have risen to their level of incompetence.

The Busman's Holiday: Oh, The Places You'll Go: The Reporter-Free Zone

The Busman's Holiday: Oh, The Places You'll Go: The Reporter-Free Zone For one, it's a window into what reporters sometimes face in gathering the most simple information from public officials.

Public life should not be closed like this.

If I'm the mayor, and anyone behaves like this to you or to others in the public realm -- they'd be put on probation.

This is "OUR HOUSE" -- this is the house of government. This is where the people's business occurs.

All restricted hallways of City Hall should be made un-restricted. If folks want to lock up an office, fine. But hallways don't need to be closed to the people and the media.

Rant: It is too hard for me to not be insulting to council when they dare talk about aquatics and swim pools

The political will for swimming and aquatics shown by city council and the mayor in recent times has not been strong enough to float a turd in a toilet.

The vision for aquatics and swim pools from those in elected office on Grant Street has been worse than the vision of that turd as it swirls down the drain.

And to sustain the insulting metaphor, I don't blame the staff and directors, such as Dwayne Ashley and Mike Radley, as it is impossible to make chicken soup when your only given chicken poop.

It is insulting to see what could have been done, and it could have been fixed.

For me, this goes back to 1999 when the city pulled the permit for the age group competitive swim team that used to practice at the Oliver Bath House. We went to council, and nobody lifted a finger.

When SAVE-OUR-SUMMER '04 came, I was clear as to what could and should be done. Zippo came from the mayor's office and council.

If I was in charge, there would be drastic changes. Volunteers would be accepted. Interns from around the world would come to Pittsburgh as coaches. Cooperation with the private sector would flourish.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we should give more or even any money to Citiparks. The plan I put forth years ago called for the formation of a Pittsburgh Park District, http://Play.CLOH.Org. The treatment of our kids is too important to leave to the folly of those on Grant Street.

What is unlike the city vs. the suburban areas is the coordination among public schools. There is NONE in the city.

The County Parks system should merge with Citiparks. Then we'd have a Park District. There is much to talk about with ring of services and facilities that are not in the city. Let's start by talking about the city owned ice rinks, outdoors at Schenley and indoors on the South Side.

Some topic's I'd advance from drawing board to programs would include:

swim lessons (yes, some)
Water polo (boys, girls, men, women, co-ed)
Swim teams
swim meets
Syncro
springboard diving
platform diving
syncro diving
distance swimming
snorkel swimming
fin swimming
open water swimming
underwater hockey
scuba
Lifesaving competitions
Jr. Lifesaving
Lifeguard camps
EMS training
boating
toy boating
canoe water polo
science day at the pool
water carnivals
intergernerational programs
water running
jump training
hydro training, strength (tiny)
water aerobics (yes)
coaching training – teach the teacher
stroke analysis – video taping -
baby swimming
baby video tapes (very popular in Austria)
Re-opening of YWCA downtown
Re-opening of Gladstone Middle School's pool
Re-opening of swim pool at South Vo Tech, and many other pools in closed schools. And, they'd have purpose.

State panel hammers out vital ethics reforms. I'll be there

I'm speaking at 11:20 am, Thursday, in the Gold Room, Allegheny County Courthouse. The topics: Term limits, open government/records, campaign finance reform, and size of legislature.

State panel hammers out vital ethics reforms The Pittsburgh hearing is planned for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Gold Room of the Allegheny County Courthouse, 436 Grant St., Downtown. Speakers will be limited to 10 minutes and must sign up by sending e-mail messages to reform@speakerobrien.com or by calling Bill Patton at 1-717-787-4610.

Carbolic Smoke Ball talks of access to the Mayor

Carbolic Smoke Ball MAYOR: ABSENCE OF MEANINGFUL ELECTION WON'T CHANGE ACCESSIBILITY TO VOTERS, PRESS

He’s inviting all of them to stand behind the barricades along his coronation route next January.

Recent Discussions: Insights into BootCamp Pgh (today's noon conversation) + last night's meeting with classmates from Penn Hills '77.

Click for the iTunes selection in the iTunes store (still free) for my TalkShoe.com TalkCast called Take Your Mark.


More than 20 people joined into a TalkCast at noon today, Wed, April 18, to further organize and prepare for the Saturday technology event called BootCampPgh.org. The event begins at 9 am and ends after 4 pm. Free Food. Free Information!

Listen to the one hour show as organizers fine tune the schedule and the sessions are talked about, class by class.

This is a day you don't want to miss.

---

Last night a dozen or so used a TalkCast to gather energy for a 30th class reunion. Penn Hills Class of 1977 is getting its act together so we can toss a party in November -- for up to 500 people.

---

You can listen into either show as you desire.

Ismail Ax: The Shooter Was Another 'Son of Sacrifice'

Jerry Bowyer gives his insights.

TCS Daily - Ismail Ax: The Shooter Was Another 'Son of Sacrifice' This morning I read that the Virginia Tech shooter died with the name Ismail Ax written in red ink on his arm. The mainstream press doesn't seem to have a clue as to what this might mean. To quote Indiana Jones, 'Didn't any of you guys go to Sunday School?'

Signature requirements for 3rd party candidates for Allegheny County Council

County Council District # + Number of Signatures Required

District 2 = 362

District 5 = 356

District 6 = 266

District 7 = 261

District 9 = 250

District 10 = 273

District 11 = 341

District 12 = 250

District 13 * (District of Mark Rauterkus) = 270

Today the kids in Beechview don't swim like they used to.

Yesterday, Pgh's City Council hosted a post-agenda about swimming pools. A post-agenda is a meeting where onlyl invited guests can speak and the public can't. And, it is a meeting where no votes are taken. They huddle without a care about any specific legislation.

The meeting was on TV, and that might have been the reason why they met at all. The meeting started 30-minutes late and went 30-minutes too long. Most of the other members of council had already left before some of the long-winded folks even came up for air.

A few bits of information was interesting and worth repeating.

A candid observation was made by Jim Motzink. He said that the kids in Beechview don't swim like they used to. They can't because they don't have a swim pool to go to any more.

The city has about 20 swim pools that are empty. There isn't any hope of putting them back in use. These are vacant properties on vital points in our neighborhoods. They are generally in prime locations. They have become maintance headaches where the grass needs to be cut, fences need to be mended and so on.

Nobody knows the conditions of these empty pools. It might take $40,000 to re-open some and $500,000 to re-open others. Right now little is known. Nothing seems to be documented. Assets are not detailed. No plan is being presented.

I'll be talking about this lack of plan today in city council chambers when I have three minutes to offer public comment.

Audio of Important Blast From the Past from 2001

Slashdot | Daylight Savings Time Puts Kid in Jail for 12 Days

Slashdot | Daylight Savings Time Puts Kid in Jail for 12 Days 'Cody Webb was jailed for calling in a bomb threat to his Hempstead Area high school (near Pittsburgh). He spent 12 days in lockup until the authorities realized that their caller-id log was off an hour because of the new Daylight Savings Time rules and that Cody had only called one hour prior to the actual bomb threat. Perhaps it took so long because of the principal's Catch-22 attitude about Cody's guilt — she said, 'Well, why should we believe you? You're a criminal. Criminals lie all the time.''

Say what? Where's Hempstead Area? What jail?

In tragedy, digital media came into its own

In tragedy, digital media came into its own In what media blogger Jeff Jarvis calls the 'new architecture of news' in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, there is this question: Who gets to own the story? The professional journalist from a traditional media organization, or the 'citizen journalist' posting on YouTube.com and elsewhere?

Mr. Steele adamantly believes the answer is the former, not the latter.

'CNN used [the cell phone video] as part of its story, but to call [Mr. Albarghouti] a citizen journalist is a misnomer and a mistake,' he said, noting that journalists have used witness accounts in their stories for decades, even centuries.

Interesting article. But, I beg to differ as to ownership. Nobody owns the story. Nobody should care about ownership. Things unfold in public and the public owns it. We all have a stake in the story, the dealings, the lives.

Of course there is a place for journalists. But, the journalist that want to own stuff will own nothing of value.

Workshop on APRIL 27 & 28: Understanding White Privilege

You are cordially invited to join members of the First Unitarian Church’s Anti-Racism Working Group to explore the issue of white privilege in our everyday lives and our society.

Join us for a respectful, probing examination of white privilege and its consequences for all of us—black, white, brown, yellow, red or in-between.

Led by Wilburn Hayden, Jr., PA's Social Worker of the year for 2006, PhD, ACSW, CMSW and SCWM, an accomplished facilitator workshop leader, this session will take place

FRIDAY, April 27 6 to 8 p.m.—Panel: Up Close and Personal—Shared experiences

SATURDAY, April 28 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Sessions covering: History, Definition of white privilege, discussion of racial, social and economic injustice and the often invisible role of white privilege, dismantling white privilege—taking action as a community

First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, corner of Ellsworth and Morewood in Shadyside, Friday 4/27 6 p.m. (light supper included), Saturday 4/28 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (breakfast and lunch included). Fees: $10 to cover food and materials ($5 for students)

ALL WELCOME! Please RSVP for planning materials and meals. EMAIL: jjwmlr@earthlink.net or call 412-441-3586

Wilburn is a great and will do a wonderful job in this role.

Mark Rauterkus and Wilburn Hayden, Ph.D. from people & vips.

The Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh announces its endorsement of Richard Swartz for County Executive.

The Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh announces its endorsement of Richard Swartz for County Executive. A longtime neighborhood activist, the members were very impressed with both his knowledge of and commitment to our issues.

At the Club’s endorsement meeting of April 12, 2007, the member considered questionnaires from 26 candidates. For County Council we endorsed two good friends of the G / L / B / T community, incumbents Rich Fitzgerald and Brenda Frazier. Brenda Frazier, a primary supported of the County needle exchange program, is opposed by a party endorsed candidate. Losing either of these County Council members would be a real loss for our community. For Sheriff we endorsed Damon Brown.

For County Court Cathleen Bubash, Mike McCarthy, Jack McVay and Wrenna Watson were endorsed for the four open seats. We endorsed Ms. Watson two years ago. We were also very impressed with the questionnaires of Kelly Bigley, Arnold Klein and Joe Williams.

In the City of Pittsburgh the Club endorsed Michael Lamb for City Controller. He was our candidate for Mayor two years ago. Our second choice for City Controller would be Douglas Shields, who we did endorse for City Council. We were also very impressed with DaMon Macklin. For City Council, in addition to Mr. Shields the club endorsed Patrick Dowd and Bruce Kraus. All three candidates were endorsed by the Club last time they ran, Mr. Shields and Mr. Kraus for City Council and Mr. Dowd for School Board. Mr. Dowd’s opponent Leonard Bodack is a strong supporter of L / G / B / T rights. Club members wish he was a stronger supporter of a woman’s right to choose and civil marriage. For School Board we endorsed Sherry Hazuda and Heather Arnet. In the Downtown Pittsburgh Area the club endorsed Justin Lewis for District Justice.

In Wilkinsburg, we endorsed Paige Trice, Vanessa McCarthy-Johnson and Michael Lefebvre for Borough Council.

For Pennsylvania Supreme Court the members endorsed Debra Todd and Seamus McCaffery, both currently Superior Court Judges. The Club has supported Justice Todd before, but this is the first time we endorsed Justice McCaffery.

It is the policy of the club not to endorse candidate who will not commit themselves to support our issues in writing through the questionnaire. For Superior Court we endorsed Anne Lazarus and Christine Donohue for two seats. In addition we will also endorse Ronald Folino if we receive an acceptable questionnaire from him. The Club has endorsed him in the past.

Everyone was very pleased not only with the number of responses the club received, but also to the extent the candidates understand our issues. We urge you to vote on May 15th. For more information contact: Richard Meritzer – Chair, 412-404-7609, rmeritzer@yahoo.com

Invite: Scarlet Letter at Open Stage

Hawthorne’s classic tale in a heralded new adaptation by Phyllis Nagy is directed by David M. Maslow.

What determines right from wrong? Who and what determine morality?

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story of lust, adultery, hypocrisy and personal transformation comes excitingly to life in this highly acclaimed new adaptation daringly re-focused through the eyes of Hester Prynne’s bastard daughter, Pearl. While carefully preserving the familiar story of Hester, Roger Chillingworth, Arthur Dimmesdale, and the Puritan times in which they live, this decidedly contemporary deconstruction of the novel will surely be eye-opening and thought-provoking for all.

Performs Fri. April 27 through Sun. May 13 at Open Stage Theatre in the Strip District in the round.

Fridays & Saturdays at 8PM; Sundays at 2PM

Info at (412) 281-9700
Get Tkts via ProARTS at (412) 394-3353

A 'running mate' is in the show. It looks great. Makes you want to 'think again.'

KidsVoice presents Kites for Kids, April 21 at Station Square, To recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: King Communications, 412-661-5411

Pittsburgh, PA (April 2007) – KidsVoice, a local non-profit organization that advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court and beyond, is presenting Kites for Kids at Station Square on April 21, 2007 as part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Many organizations work hard to prevent and treat child abuse. What makes KidsVoice different is its mission and unique model of advocacy. KidsVoice advocates in court and in the community to ensure a safe and permanent home for abused, neglected and at-risk children through collaborative teams including attorneys and other child experts.

A startling number of children are abused in our community. Each year, KidsVoice represents 5,000 children who come from every zip code in Allegheny County. KidsVoice vigilantly guides each child through the court process and coordinates every agency involved to meet the full range of the child’s needs, ensuring that the most appropriate services are in place to protect children from future harm, with the ultimate goal of providing a safe and permanent home for every child.

KidsVoice teams attorneys with in-house experts trained in such areas as mental health, education, child development, case management, and substance abuse. These professionals can recognize the signs of abuse and neglect among children and coordinate assistance to the family.

According to Scott Hollander, Executive Director of KidsVoice “Kites for Kids is an opportunity for KidsVoice to communicate a message of hope and advocacy and familiarize people with our role in protecting our most precious resource, our children. The kites symbolize hope, a happy childhood, and a chance to soar, which unfortunately many local children do not experience. We hope that thousands of people will join us and help send the message to our clients that the community supports and believes in them.

Kites for Kids will be held at Station Square as part of its Spring Fling on April 21, 2007 from Noon – 4pm. The event, which will feature demonstrations, crafts, games, kites and much more, is free and open to the public.

For more information on KidsVoice.

About KidsVoice
Founded in 1908 as the Legal Aid Society of Pittsburgh, KidsVoice is team of diverse professionals committed to creating possibilities for abused, neglected and at-risk children to achieve their fullest potential. KidsVoice advocates for the rights and well being of children in the courtroom, classroom or wherever their voices must be heard.

KidsVoice is a leader among child advocacy organizations, providing a voice of hope, a voice for rights and a voice of experience for children who otherwise who cannot speak for themselves.