Told ya!

Today's "told ya" goes to Mr. Jeff Koch.

I told ya Jeff. I knew you'd have a very short honeymoon.

As soon as Jeff won the special election on March 14, 2006, I knew that he'd need to make instant progress. He'd need to show results. He'd need to do something big. He'd need to be credited with doing a number of big somethings so as to hold onto that position.

I felt that Mr. Koch won last time, in the special election, because Bob O'Connor made it so. Bob, in 2006, had weight. It was Bob's time. To make Bob's time smoother, it was time to put in Bob's people on council. That was logical. It played well to most voters' sensibilities.

Times change. Bob's gone. Luke in 2007 isn't the heavyweight that Bob was in 2006. Jeff Koch's top supporter with political sway was gone.

The other thing that slowed Jeff Koch was that he was alone on the campaign trails. Jeff Koch in a nine person race, as a newbie, isn't the same as him in a two-person race as the incumbent.

Jeff Koch said some things in last year's special election that were silly. They were nearly -- well -- now sense in hitting a man when he is down. But, I'll give examples that come to mind.

Flashback to early 2006: At a candidate's forum, Jeff was asked about the number one thing he'd do once he was on council. The question was directed to his HIGHEST priority. Jeff said he'd want to be certain that Arlington Avenue was re-paved. There were a lot of pot holes on Arlington Ave. The T goes up Arlington Ave, as do cars. The street isn't a typical asphalt road. It is cement, mostly. PAT owns it and PAT needed to maintain the road too.

Another flashback illustration from the first time that most of the candidates got together, at UPMC South Side Hospital. The question of gambling came. Jeff thought it was good to have the new casino in town as people on the South Side couldn't gamble now. Lots of people from Pittsburgh drive to West Virginia to play the slots there. So, a casino would keep the locals here, not needing to travel. That was his general statement.

I pointed out to Jeff and the rest of the audience, when it was my turn to speak, that there were a dozen places (or so) on East Carson Street where one could go that very moment, before the casino opens, to gamble. We already had gambling on the South Side and throughout Pittsburgh.

People expect more from a guy who is in office. People can sigh and take a statement or two with a grain of salt from a newbie politician. Jeff was given a chance. Jeff was Bob's guy. Jeff would, we all hoped, turn out okay. And, most of all, with the nine way race, there was a circus of excitement with plenty of other statements that pinged the senses.

Jeff's folly wasn't much to note or dwell upon then.

Plus, with nine in the race, others could come down on the double-speak. Jeff could say nothing in combat mode and still score points as others were talking.

In a two person race that only covers one party -- the dynamics of the discussion and the demographics changed.

Face it, the Dems want things given to them. The Dems say 'we, ours, mine.' The Dems are old-school types who take. Envy drives much of their discussions when it comes to city hall. Most of these voters want sheet cake with ice cream served to them at their weekly bingos.

In the one-on-one race, Jeff Koch got out-flanked by both the double-talk and the willingness to make sure that everyone who wanted seconds on desert had it.

Jeff had a year to deliver big time results and he didn't.

Jeff sits on council and says little in meetings. Jeff pulled together a request for proposals for the still closed indoor ice rink. That's a yawn. If I had been on council -- it would be opened by now. The RFP was progress -- but nothing to hang a career upon. The Bar Bill had some buzz and energy about it associated to Koch -- but the bar bill morphed into a do-over. And, the bar bill wasn't sold well by the bill's prime sponsor. Red tape got the best of situation so far.

Jeff needed to fix the South Side parking problems -- and he didn't. If he only fixed South Side parking issues, and nothing else, Jeff would have won the nomination with the votes. But, he didn't.

But, most of all, "I told ya" back in March 2006. I told Jeff that things could easily shift and break another way in May of 2007. Jeff needed to produce on council. Jeff needed to produce in the neighborhoods. Jeff needed to produce like a rock star in presentations. Jeff needed to bring his "A game" every day, every evening, every event -- because he was a 'rookie' in a time of crisis.

Finally, I told Jeff that he needed to have a back-up as well. He heard me because I told him -- told ya -- and he didn't have a chance to ignore me. But, now what?

I ask as I'm not too sure what's going to happen with him and the district in the months to come. I'll talk to Jeff in June. Until then, I'll ponder upon what words should be said after 'told ya.'

Ohligarchy: Having Fun Is Never A Waste Of Time

Here is a guy who has his a smile on his face and his marbles in the bag. Sharp post. Thanks for the vote and insights.

Ohligarchy: Having Fun Is Never A Waste Of Time County Executive race was a joke, but my vote was not. This weekend, Councilman Matt Drozd -- whom I have heard speak on several occasions and is a very smart, impressive man -- encouraged Republican voters to cast a write-in for his young son and namesake, who doesn't even want the office but will act as 'placeholder' for anyone else who would want to step in and take his place. Naturally, I wrote in Mark Rauterkus. Of the many races in which he has thrown his hat in this year's ring, County Executive was the only one in my jurisdiction. I hope enough Republicans voted for him to earn him the nomination. He could teach them a few things about standing for office.

Summer Swim Team registration -- info for Scott

See the comments for more details. Scott has a nice swim team in the summers. They are in our league.

To be honest -- report with some sense of truth -- Voters Head To The Polls For Primary Election Day

kdka.com - Voters Head To The Polls For Primary Election Day Meanwhile, voters in Pittsburgh will choose a controller plus four city council seats are up for grabs.

No they won't.

Election day, May 15, 2007, is a primary. Voters are only going to choose party nominations for controller and city council slots. The seats are not up for grabs until the general election in November. The winner of the general election gets the seat. The winner of the primary only gets onto the November general election ballot.

The election on May 15 is a closed, state-run, subsidizd primary for the old parties.

There is plenty of "grabbing" going on in Pittsburgh political circles. Take, take, take. They grab with gusto. But on election day -- in the primary -- it is time to punish, not grab.

The outcome of the votes on the primary is about the loyalists getting to measure their level of distain. Other loyalist are present trying to take the nomination so that they can be more loyal to the residents in taking more in the years to come.

Grabs and clutching are key concepts for doing well in the Pittsburgh Democratic Party.

There IS an election tomorrow

There IS an election tomorrow 'One thing I would point out about filing a complaint with the Ethics Hearing Board is that it's a very lengthy process,' she said, estimating it at 'up to a year' if the allegation is complex.

She repeated that all complaints are filed 'under penalty of perjury.' Translation: if the complainant is found to have lied on their complaint, they can find themselves on the wrong end of a prosecution.

Under the ethics code, she said as a reporter sat a few feet away, the complainant is not allowed to make their filing of a complaint public. Mr. Phillips' concerns have already made newspapers and the TV news, but Ms. De Simone said that didn't necessarily bar him from pursuing a complaint -- as long as he doesn't specifically tell anybody that he has filed it.

The Ethics Hearing Board has been around for longer than a year. It was hatching for more than a decade!

Lord of the Rings tour was a big success. They came back with a four pack of beer -- 1% beer -- "SoberRing Thoughts"

More than 100 photos of the tour and NZ country are now in the album. Erik and Grant should get more details and messages in due time.

From lord of the r...

From lord of the r...

Write on: Republicans are on the right track in mayor's race

Write on: Republicans are on the right track in mayor's race but for Republicans in the city, it should also be about restoring pride in their local party.

Except -- what kind of pride does it show when the Allegheny County Republicans are telling people to vote for Dan Onorato?

What does it say when County Republicans are pushing a guy who the City Republicans are not? Furthermore, he isn't pushing himself.

Republicans would be better served to write in Pierogie rather than drive the wedge further between different factions of the GOP party.

Oh, by the way -- so much for the 48 hour rule. Told ya, again.

County GOP Party calls on Republicans to write-in Onorato, D

Oh my gosh. This is the stuff of legend.

OK, I’ll Vote For One Democrat | PAWaterCooler.com: The Republican Party of Allegheny County just called and asked me to write in Dan Onorato for Chief Executive tomorrow. The wimpy local GOP hasn’t even bothered to run a candidate, so the contest is between incumbent Onorato and some other guy named Rick Swartz.

The in-fighting among Republicans is now everywhere. The move to put a son onto the ballot is getting opposition from the committee.

Where is Roddey?

I'd love to hear this call -- or read the script.

Advice to voters about the City Council District 3 primary race -- Kraus vs. Koch endorsement

In the hours to come, voters of the D party from the South Side and throughout the nearby neighborhoods, are able to go into a private space and make a decision. They'll have the option of pushing one of two buttons.

One is marked, Bruce Kraus. The other is marked Jeffrey Koch. These are the two options for the Dem party nomination for Pittsburgh City Council District 3 seat.

Humm.

Put on your thinking caps.

I predict, but am not certain, that Jeff Koch will win.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, many of the toilets have two buttons. How nice. One is for a full flush. The other is for a partial flush.

Or, I guess, you could choose to not even vote at all.

THE NEXT PIG THING

THE NEXT PIG THING:

Then comes this:



So, the next became the prior.

Travel quiz: Name this bird. What are some of its behaviors?

Another bird from another day -- but the same species. See the comments for more insights.

Dunedin - We're going to a swim meet there. Entries are in

Dunedin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: "Dunedin"

The boys are swimming in a meet in Dunedin. This is going to be fun.

The local team, Wharenui, is sending down a squad. We'll travel by bus. Stay in a hotel for two nights. The meet is pre-lims and finals -- but a different set of events than what we have in the US.

The meet will be in a 25-meter pool.

The 50-meter races are 'timed finals.' But, some of the finals are in the afternoon session. Most of the other events are pre-lims and finals.

Catherine is going with us on the bus and all. However, she has already booked a tour for Saturday, while the meet is being contested. The meet goes for two days. She'll be looking for penguins and long-winged albatross. The only mainland Royal Albatross colony.

Rauterkus, Erik (12) WHAREP101094

# 7 Male 11-12 50 Free 32.80S

# 12D Male 11-12 200 Breast 3:25.25S

# 15D Male 11-12 100 Fly 1:34.34S

# 16D Male 11-12 100 Breast 1:36.36S

# 24 Male 11-12 50 Fly 38.10S

# 42D Male 11-12 200 Free 2:45.00S

# 44D Male 11-12 100 Free 1:13.30S

# 53 Male 11-12 50 Breast 45.00S

# 58D Male 11-12 200 IM 3:15.15S

Rauterkus, Grant (9) WHARGP041297

# 5 Male 10 & Under 50 Free 41.41S

# 15B Male 10 & Under 100 Fly 2:20.20S

# 16B Male 10 & Under 100 Breast 2:10.02S

# 22 Male 10 & Under 50 Fly 51.41S

# 30B Male 10 & Under 100 IM 1:49.49S

# 35 Male 10 & Under 50 Back 51.40S

# 43B Male 10 & Under 100 Back 1:51.20S

# 44B Male 10 & Under 100 Free 1:30.90S

# 51 Male 10 & Under 50 Breast 53.53S

[412] Take the nomination papers to the polls with you today - gearing up for a fall day to come

[412] Take the nomination papers to the polls with you today - gearing up for a fall day to come

Hi,

Today is the primary election day in Pittsburgh. I'm sitting this one out, sorta.

Pennsylvania's voting laws include the hosting of closed primary elections. As a Libertarian -- a 'third party' -- I'm not voting. Today the Ds and Rs get to do their thing and the rest of the citizens do ours. Trust me, I'll be in the majority -- by a landslide.

A recent push for write in candidates among the ranks of the GOPers is of interest to me. If you are going to the polls, you can always do a write in. And, if you'd want -- you could write in my name, "Mark Rauterkus." I've said I'll stand for office, raise issues and sustain conversations that impact our public lives Others are less interested in doing those tasks. Few are willing to worry about liberty and freedom as well.

But more precious to the cause -- beyond a write in vote -- is your help in getting onto the ballot. I'd love for you to print out a copy of the nomination papers and get a few signatures for our ticket of candidates. Election day is a great time to gather signatures.

http://elect.Rauterkus.com/papers

The form needs to be printed on legal sized paper -- front and back.
Various forms are for county residents and others for city residents
by city council districts.

County Voters sign:
http://elect.rauterkus.com/papers/petition-county.pdf

City Voters sign:
http://elect.rauterkus.com/papers/petition-city.pdf

City voters who reside in city council district 7 sign:
http://elect.rauterkus.com/papers/petition-cc-7-pdf.pdf

City voters who reside in city council district 9 sign:
http://elect.rauterkus.com/papers/petition-cc-9.pdf

City voters who reside in city council district 3 sign:
http://elect.rauterkus.com/papers/petition-cc-3.pdf
(and get page 2 here) http://elect.rauterkus.com/papers/2nd-page-petition.pdf

Since I'm not going to the polls myself, I'm going to enjoy a wonderful fall day. Yes, it is fall here. I'm on the other side of the world presently, in Christchurch, New Zealand. I've already been to a swim practice and on a bike ride. More to come of both. My family is on a Lord Of The Rings tour today. We've been busy seeing wild birds including the kiwi, exploring different lands and appreciating different cultures.

Thanks for your efforts so far on helping to get our ticket onto the ballot in November. Rest assured that when we get back to the states, we'll be we'll be in top shape and ready for additional action-packed adventures in our own community

Ta.

Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com

7-7-07

Jerry Bowyer writes with an invite to ask

Where will you be on 07-07-07?

FreedomFest 2007!

My good friend Mark Skousen is a financial economist with many wonderful books to his credit, including: The Making of Modern Economics[1] and The Compleated Autobiography by Benjamin Franklin[2]. Many of you have heard him as a guest on my radio program and also as a guest on some of the shows that we produce on the Leadership Radio network. Dr. Skousen is also putting one of the most creative conferences imaginable, with 7 themes (investing, geo-politics, science & technology, philosophy, history, healthy living, and economics), with 77 speakers and over 777 attendees from around the world. It’s called FreedomFest, to be held July 5-7, in Las Vegas (where else would you want to be on 07-07-07?). You’ll find a link for more information below. I urge you to attend and enjoy the greatest show on earth in a fun city. It’s going to be unforgettable.

Regards, Jerry
http://m1e.net/c?30089296-FKJXyX2GqmXQ2%402465922-hX1ouKJZXDH/s

Looks like a great event. I'll be coaching and gathering signatures, I expect.

KQV Newsradio Pittsburgh

KQV Newsradio Pittsburgh Does the local Republican Party have a solution? If it does, we have yet to hear about it!

Mr. Dickey. The solution comes in one word, "Libertarian."

The Pittsburgh May 15th Primary Ballot...Verifies That It's a One-Party Town!

One of the saddest commentaries on our city of Pittsburgh is a review of the upcoming May 15th Primary Elections on a number of offices. If you want confirmation that it's a one-party town, just take a look at the offices that are in the mix.

Here's how it shapes up...Mayor of the city - no Republican candidate filed...Controller -no Republican candidate filed...District 3 - no Republican candidate filed...District 5 - no Republican candidate filed...District 7 - no Republican candidate filed...District 9 - no Republican candidate filed!

Are you getting the message? It's coming across loud and clear - Pittsburgh is a one-party city and unfortunately, we're all paying the price for the lopsided Democratic registration majority...6 to 1 and we've been paying the price since the 1930s. In our opinion, a tenured and dominant one-party control of a city, regardless of which party it may be, is a real prescription for trouble.

Pittsburgh, of course, is not the only city in America with this problem, but we're certainly one of the major cities having this albatross around our necks for more than 70 years!

In our opinion, without competition at the ballot box, there is no serious debate on the city's vital issues; no exchange of ideas; and no development of problem solution strategies or philosophies.

Just take a look at the financial problems that have been haunting our city for decades and will be for decades to come. The root of many of those problems can be found in our city's one-party hang-up and its back room political cronyism.

But our major concern - as reflected by the absence of Republican candidates on next Tuesday's ballot - is that nobody seems to care and no conscious effort is being made to rectify the problem. Over these many years, the Republican Party in Pittsburgh seems to have surrendered and shown the white flag.

We think the Republican Party of Pittsburgh, if there is one, needs to get off its padded posterior and at least make an effort. Otherwise we're going to continue to sing this swan song forever while the city suffers the stifling consequences of one party dominance!

Does the local Republican Party have a solution? If it does, we have yet to hear about it!

Robert W. Dickey, President, KQV Newsradio

Broadcast: May 11, 12, 13, 2007

We have a ticket, a Libertarian line-up, that covers all the spots you mentioned above. Candidates have been recruited. Nomination papers have been drawn up. http://Elect.Rauterkus.com/papers. Now we need KQV to alert the public so signatures can be obtained.

You can do a sack dance on the shell that was the GOP -- or -- you can help to make viable opposition elsewhere.

Reason Magazine - Pittsburgh: Livable or Leavable?

Reason Magazine - Pittsburgh: Livable or Leavable?: "Since 1985, despite bleeding people and slowly converting to a sluggish service economy based on health care and organ transplants, the region has always been ranked among the almanac’s Top 20 most livable cities. That’s mainly because the ranking system favors the area’s many priceless assets, which include an abnormally low crime rate, a populace of regular-guy, smart-ass Michael Keaton-types (Keaton's a native), great old city neighborhoods and big suburban homes so cheap they’d make a Washingtonian weep. Pittsburgh also has top universities like Carnegie-Mellon and Pitt, major league sports teams, and a beautiful green landscape of hills, hollows and wide rivers. Sure, pay scales are low and the populace can be a little bigoted, too Democrat, and too working class. The two unofficial regional religions—unionism and Steelerism—can be annoying. And pop culturally, it's at least 5 years behind L.A. But Pittsburgh is a good city to raise a family in, grow old in and die in."

GOP puts up name to oppose Onorato

Too little. Too late.

GOP puts up name to oppose Onorato 'Not having a candidate in the fall does a disservice to all the people of Allegheny County, because it doesn't give them a chance to hear the issues,' he said.

Pittsburgh City Council candidate brings honest cents to campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh City Council candidate brings honest cents to campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "YANKEE CLIPPED. California University of Pennsylvania has one of the top graduate athletic training education programs in the country, but don't tell that to the New York Yankees.

With a slew of Yankees suffering muscular injuries this spring, General Manager Brian Cashman decided Wednesday to eject the team's new strength and conditioning coach, Marty Miller, 34, CalU class of 2004.

The last straw was 12 days ago when the Yanks' phenom pitcher, Phil Hughes, suffered a left hamstring injury after keeping the Texas Rangers hitless for 6 1/3 innings.

Miller earned a degree in exercise science from the Washington County school and is scheduled to appear at the university for two sports 'performance enhancement' camps in July. Miller had been in the position only a couple of months."

Talking with ... The Riverlife Task Force's Lisa Schroeder

I hope Antirust blogs about this article.

Talking with ... The Riverlife Task Force's Lisa Schroeder She's helping to make her vision of city riverfronts a reality

My quick reply: The international city that best uses its rivers: Vienna. Another good one, Prauge.

I'm thinking and dreaming of a wake-board tow line in a big rectangle between two bridges.

The Citizens Voice - City chooses Wi-Fi provider

The Citizens Voice - City chooses Wi-Fi provider WILKES-BARRE - Telecommunications provider Frontier was selected to build and maintain a wireless Internet service throughout the city.

Surrounded by Frontier employees on Public Square at a press conference Thursday, Mayor Tom Leighton and City Administrator and Wire-Free Wilkes-Barre CEO J.J. Murphy announced the wireless initiative will enhance public saftey.

re-public: re.imagining democracyRe-public : re-imagining democracy - english version � Pete Ashdown - Open source politics

re-public: re.imagining democracyRe-public : re-imagining democracy - english version - Pete Ashdown - Open source politics The Internet is blind to wealth, ability, race, creed, gender, and background. A good idea presented through collaborative technologies will rise to the top and be implemented, regardless of the source. That is good for all including the minority.

I'm not okay with that statement. The internet isn't blind to ability.

San Francisco WiFi agreement said to save internet users $9 to $18 million annually

The Pittsburgh controller, as well as the Pittsburgh wi-fi deal, are poor. I've not been happy with either. Meanwhile, here is what they have cooking in S.F.

San Francisco Sentinel � Blog Archives � San Francisco WiFi agreement said to save internet users $9 to $18 million annually San Francisco internet users stand to save from $9 milliion to $18 million annually if an agreement between the City and EarthLink is adopted, according to a study by San Franicsco Controller Ed Harrington.

The agreement, proposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, also would reduce the digitial divide by “helping to incorporate low-income and disadvantaged populations into the economic mainstream,” according to Harrington.

Download YouTube Videos

Download YouTube Videos: "Web based"

Pokora: Tax-exempt UPMC, Pitt 'bleed' city of $23M - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pokora: Tax-exempt UPMC, Pitt 'bleed' city of $23M - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pokora: Tax-exempt UPMC, Pitt 'bleed' city of $23M

Bleeding -- bull.

Well, to use the same expression, then, in my not so humble opinion, Pokora should call for a stop of the bleeding.

The bleeding is expanding. The bleeding needs to be understood. Tony Pokora just wants to tax the bleeding.

A study and inventory of all nonprofit properties and a call to halt to all growth of nonprofits is prudent.

Tony wants to target the largest and most profitable -- an act that is similar to eating one's young.

Tony should pile on upon the city and the property tax breaks that they get. The city's land is not performing, has never performed and is growing as well.

Where is the list of the properties where the tax liens were acquired?

City: Nonprofits pay fraction of tax rate of what their taxes would be

Plenty of other places -- such as Evanston, Illinois, home of Northwestern University, have a larger percentage of its space devoted to nonprofit ownership. Pittsburgh has a bunch of nonprofits, to be sure. However, those nonprofits are nonprofits by design. The benefits of the nonprofits are too great to calculate -- by the likes of Tony Pokora.

City: Nonprofits pay fraction of tax rate of what their taxes would be Large, cash-rich universities and hospitals are paying the city of Pittsburgh small fractions of what they would if they were taxable institutions, acting city Controller Tony Pokora said in releasing an audit yesterday.

Mr. Pokora looked at the property owned by eight institutions of higher learning and 14 health-care concerns, in an effort to find out what they would be paying in taxes if they weren't exempt. Some are members of a group called the Pittsburgh Public Service Fund that channels voluntary contributions to the city, but has not agreed to do so beyond this year.

Tony wants to tax the Cathedral of Learning. Tony is barking up the wrong tree.

When I'm in charge, I'll change the tune.

First, how much space is owned by nonprofits. I want to know the square foot space. Value doesn't matter. Value changes. Let's inventory the nonprofit space and make a list of the parcels and total the size of each.

What is the nonprofit footprint of space in Pittsburgh and in each municipality of Allegheny County.

With this research, we'll also begin to get a handle upon how much space and how many spaces are owned by governmental agencies. The city, the county, the URA, the Parking Authority, the Stadium Authority (they still are paying on Three Rivers Stadium I think) and others have lots and lots of space.

Then the mission would be to greatly reduce the governmental ownership of land throughout the city and the county.

Furthermore, at the same time, a moratorium on nonprofit land expansion must be put into place for the city and the county.

UPMC should be able to grow all it wants -- if the growth is upward on land it or another nonprofit already owns.

Lots of nonprofit space in the city and county are used poorly. That's the big crime. That is what needs to change. The nonprofit sector has been taking more and more space, year to year.

Pokora doesn't get it. He needs to clean up from within -- and look at the city's holdings first and foremost. Then he can look at the bigger trends of nonprofit expansion.

Super 14: Bulls defeat Crusaders 27-12 - International Herald Tribune

Our team is the Crusaders. They lost. The theme has been infringements, rucks and mauls -- on the field and off. The night after their last home game -- a few of the players punched up a few others on the steets of Christchurch -- at a bar (of course) -- because of "cheeky" comments.

Super 14: Bulls defeat Crusaders 27-12 - International Herald Tribune: "The Bulls were then able to take advantage of errors the opposition made in trying to break the stranglehold.

Crusaders captain Richie McCaw was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes at the start of the final quarter for repeated infringements at rucks and mauls, and Hougaard kicked the resulting penalty to stretch the lead to 24-12.

The game was played in South Africa and was on the air at 3:30 am (local time). It was on "sky tv" -- a station that we don't get here at the house. So, we didn't watch the game.

I had offered to the swim coach to open up a swim team party and hold it at the swim pool in a 'lounge' -- where there is a TV. Then we could have had a half-time basketballl game and a morning swim practice. Martin said I was full of many 'wild ideas.' Then he pointed out how he isn't into rugby, much. He likes the world cup. His sport is soccer. And, he is from the UK.

I asked a dozen kids on the team if they were going to get up to watch the game -- and none were psyched about the game and none were going to miss sleep to watch. A few parents or siblings were expected to watch.

Whistleblower fired from campaign job

Whistleblower fired from campaign job 'I'm the only person in this scenario who didn't break the law, but I'm the only one who loses their job,' said Jason Phillips, who on Wednesday showed media evidence of a political phone call made on city time from a city office by a member of Mr. Koch's staff.

Bummer.

The Conversation: A foundering ship

The Conversation: A foundering ship

J.Potts talks about the void in Pittsburgh political circles among those now hired on Grant Street.

Thanks for the mention at the end of the post. Read it on his blog.

Steelers President Demands Casino Traffic Study, Threatens To Sue - Sports News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Steelers President Demands Casino Traffic Study, Threatens To Sue - Sports News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh Sue-i!



Art Rooney II -- you are a renter. You don't own Heinz Field. You don't have standing.

At least the owners of Majestic Star Casino are going to buy the land and build the casino with their own money.

If Art Rooney is worried about the land around the stadium -- he should start by buying the stadium. Take it off of the backs of the taxpayers. Make it his own.

Then, let's talk.

tonight's practice and activites from our day

We'll play a bit of catch-up.

Yesterday the boys had a violin lesson. The teacher came to the house. She was good and teaches for many home schooled children. The boys have a new song to learn -- a tune from the N.Z. tradition.

Today we went to the bike shop and got a new bike for Grant. His was giving some troubles in the shifting of gears and a rattle on the chain often between gears. So, a new (to us) yellow bike is his ride.

On the way, we hit a big rain and wind storm. They said that the rain comes and goes if the wind is with it. Without the wind, it will rain for a long time. We had wind today. Sure enough, the rain stopped about an hour later. With the dark sky and wind and rain -- we used the time to play in the gym at Wharenui. The boys and I played basketball for 90 minutes or so.

After Grant's swim practice he got to go with a swim buddie to the mall and KFC.

I coached the 'development group' and then hung around with the national group too. They had a spring workout.

The group I'm coaching has done a great job with a few of the challenges I've given them so far. Yesterday we devoted some time to dive 25s with fins -- kicking fly underwater in a streamline -- trying to get to the other end of the pool without a breath in as few kicks as possible.

At the start, some of the kids were hitting 15 to 20 kicks. After a few, they were 12 and 10. Then a few more and some were at 5, 6, 7 kicks to get the length of the swim pool.

Today we reviewed a bit. Then the swimmers were asked to go as far as possible after a dive with fins and only TWO kicks. One swimmer was able to get nearly to the flags at the other end. All of the swimmers were past half-way.

In the national group, I helped with some starts. On the last start the swimmers went underwater, streamlined, kicking breastroke, counting the kicks for a length. They were asked to get as few kicks as possible. Some kickers were at 7 and 8. Most were around 10.

The head coach, Martin, is going to swim in the AM practice and I'll lead the session. We train from 7 to 9 am on Saturday mornings. We'll have a combined group with National and Developmental kids in the water.

I got a good bit of video and some photos tonight of the swimmers so as to pull together a technique presentation. But, I'm not going to post that to the web. And, I'm going to avoid speaking about any one swimmer.

We're going to Willowbank tomorrow. I went there with Erik and Grant the other day on bikes. But we'll go in the evening and see a Maori Cultural Show with a Haka, I expect. Then a tour. The kiwi (a bird) is nocturnal. They run around in the day as they have a darkened room. So we saw them the other day -- but it was way to dark for cameras and there were lots of signs about no cameras too.

California Republican debate transcript - The Debates - MSNBC.com

California Republican debate transcript - The Debates - MSNBC.com: "California Republican debate transcript"

So, National City's credit card doesn't work any longer -- and we're in New Zealand

Sux to have a snafu with a credit card while on a trip to New Zealand. Way to go National City. Putting a new credit card in our mail box at home isn't going to help us while we're in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Jeepers.

Councilman puts roadblock on potential Onorato gubernatorial bid - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Councilman puts roadblock on potential Onorato gubernatorial bid - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato could be forced to leave office to seek the governor's mansion if a potential referendum being advocated by County Councilman Matt Drozd gets support at the polls this November.

Drozd said he plans to introduce an ordinance calling for the reform at a County Council committee meeting tonight. The measure, if passed, would require a chief executive to resign if he or she sought any other public office.

'I can't accept these people that are governor and want to be president ... and they're still being paid to be governor,' said Drozd, R-Ross. 'I don't want to be paying (a campaigning politician) on taxpayer dollars.'

Onorato, a Democrat running for reelection this year, has not announced plans to succeed Gov. Ed Rendell, though many speculate he will enter the 2010 gubernatorial race.

Go Mr. Drozd. Great idea. Onorato should run for governor as a private citizen.

Koch's campaign for council faces new questions

Humm...

Koch's campaign for council faces new questions Mr. Phillips said Ms. Conroy 'basically told me she was calling me to ask if the councilman could use my name on a mailer that his campaign was producing. Apparently the campaign is attempting to put together a piece that shows all of the former candidates in the March special election support Jeff.'

My phone number is 64-03-364-2715. You'll need to call New Zealand to speak with me.

I don't think that Jason, as the article said, will put his name on the list.

I don't think Mike Walagorski will put his name on a list for Jeff Koch either.

I won't put my name on a list as well -- but -- I'd be willing to take a phone call at a decent hour to talk about the matter. I'm going to run against either Jeff or Bruce -- depending upon who wins the D party primary. Or, I'll get another to do so under the Libertarian banner.

I do have the strong impression that in 2006, headed into the March 14 special election with nine candidates, that Bruce Kraus was the lone man out. Had any of the other eight had broken with Kraus -- he could have won the race. But, Kraus had been double-talking throughtout the campaign and wasn't getting any love from any of the other candidates.

I was very happy that Jeff Koch beat Bruce Kraus. Kraus is much like Tom Murphy -- a double talker who offered too much to everyone -- and it was always a different offer. And, those offers were only empty promises that would have never been kept.

Kraus has no sense of what government is about and what it should be doing.

Kraus is not worthy to serve in public office in my humble opinion. IMHO, Kraus would be a wedge and source of underhandedness on council.

Even the quote in the P-G from Kraus is a load of crap. Mr. Kraus yesterday said there is "a pattern of behavior" of using city resources for his opponent's campaign. "People under his authority are using city time and resources for his campaign," he said, adding that he thought the involved workers were not at fault and were "caught in the middle here." So, Kraus doesn't want to peg the employees. What's up with that. Kraus is the one who is always caught in the middle.

Meanwhile, I am not impressed with the folks on city council nor with the leadership from the mayor's administration. They are driven by spite and envy. The sense of purpose is absent. Principles are down the drain.

Mode of transportation

 

We've been doing most of our travels on bikes. We wear these bright vests. Erik has leg straps to help keep his pants out of the chain. Grant's vest was purchased at a recent trip so we could get one that wasn't so large (adult sized). Generally I go first. Grant is in the middle. Erik brings up the rear.

People on bikes MUST wear helmets in New Zealand. It is a law.

I packed our bike gloves from home.

My bike has two saddle bags on a rack off the back. That's where the swim bag, camera and spare tire goes.

Getting into the game at Wharenui

Tonight, I coached.

In the photo, Martin is coaching the national group on the left. I'm starting our practice with the development group on the right.  

PDF 2007 UnConference

PDF 2007 UnConference* Got an idea for a hands-on workshop?
* Eager to hash over your latest project?
* Dying to dig deep into the latest technology tool or trend?

At the PDF unConference, there is no audience, only participants. There are no 'official' sessions; you drive the agenda. We'll provide the space, the food, the caffeine and the wifi; you do the rest.

Come Saturday and be part of the solution.

Sounds a lot like PodCamp.
alt="PDF Conference/UnConference" width="183" height="187">
Too bad there does NOT seem to be a wiki to organize the event before it begins -- until after you pay the $35. What's up with that. Why not open the wiki for all before they sign up?

To provide the space, wi-fi, lunch and engine from the day before is nice. To help with the PR is great too. But, I would hope that this would be a real grass-roots tool with the ability to make for associations in advance of the meeting. But, nice try and effort. Hope it becomes fruitful.

Koch gets full time campaign workers now

We've been watching public works crews here in Chirstchurch -- thinking about you all in Pittsburgh. It is fall, so there is a lot of leaf collecting. The gardens are everywhere and are still blooming with plenty of different flowers. Plus, it is rugby season and there are fields everywhere. All are in great condition too.

Now I notice that Jeff Koch has picked up some fulltime campaign workers now that a few from the public works crew have been given a five day suspension. When they were on the job -- they needed to work.

If I was Bruce Kraus -- I'd be careful for what to wish for. Kraus should ask that the suspensions begin on May 16.

Watching the money

Watching the money The mayor's five-figure fans

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl finished out April with $695,906 in the bank, and nobody to spend it against, since his Democratic rival Councilman William Peduto dropped his mayoral bid in March.

Ron Paul's debate performance is setting the net ablaze

Great news starts to fill the sails of the campaign for the guy who should be the next US President.

ARLINGTON, VA – Congressman Ron Paul's support has soared since the first Republican presidential debate. Conservative commentator John McLaughlin, host of "The McLaughlin Group," cited Ron Paul as having given "the best performance of the debate." In fact, the Paul campaign's apparent strength has many other pundits scrambling to explain it. Paul campaign officials offer the following examples of the candidate's rising success.

Since the debate on May 3, Ron Paul:

1. Handily won two post-debate polls posted by event sponsor MSNBC.

2. Placed a close third (18%) in a post-debate poll on the conservative Drudge Report.

3. Won an ABCNews.com online debate poll with 84%.

4. Won a C-SPAN online GOP candidate poll with 69%.

5. Became the third most-mentioned person in the blogosphere, beating out Paris Hilton, according to the reputable Technorati.com.

6. Produced a YouTube.com video that was ranked the 8th most popular overall video, and the most-viewed political video.

7. Was featured, by popular demand, on the front of Digg.com.

8. Generated so many bulletin posts on MySpace.com that the site owner News Corp. blocked all additional posts about Dr. Paul.

9. Became a "most searched" term on Google and Yahoo!.

10. Saw a quadrupling of daily visitors to RonPaul2008.com.

"These figures speak for themselves," said campaign chairman Kent Snyder. "Ron Paul has quickly become a strong contender for the GOP nomination because of his powerful message of freedom and limited government."

Mayor, Police Chief Address String Of Violence - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

Mayor, Police Chief Address String Of Violence - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh Added Chief Harper, 'In addition, we will beef up our police presence in high crime areas and saturate the neighborhoods with bike patrol. In order to stop the cycle of violence, we must eliminate the target.'

The campus police in Cantebury use segways. The segway is a two-wheeled scooter that has computer chips to balance, big left and right wheels and an electric engine -- so speed is very good.

Police on bikes is a good thing for many reasons. However, the police on bikes need to stay off of the sidewalks while on their bikes. All zipping bikes need to be off the sidewalks.

Weekly swim plans for the national squad

By Martin, the head coach.

How sad is it to have a ribbon cutting for this

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Marmaduke Park is slated for Thursday, May 10, 2007 at 2:00 pm for the new concession stand and bathroom facilities.

Great news. A place to get hot dogs and take a whiz opens. Let's cut a ribbon and have a ceremony. Wonder if the ribbon looks like a roll of toilet paper.

About the Southern Trust

At our swim pool in Christchurch, there are two major sponsors. One is McDonalds. The other is the Southern Trust. I looked at the logo and name and thought it must be a bank or a credit union or some sort of financial organization for consumers. Well, it is -- kinda. And, it plays a role that Pittsburgh is trying to get a handle upon too -- with hockey arena funding and Hill District residents.

About the Southern Trust About the Southern Trust
Funding the Community

The Southern Trust works on behalf of the community in two important ways. We play an administrative role both in the generation of revenue from gaming machines and the returning of these revenues to local communities in meaningful ways.

Community Grants ...

Read more at the site.

Staff schedule for coaching

Hungary for hockey coverage and international sports

Posted by Steve Klein

NHL Capitals to Make News by Reporting It

It's no longer news to anyone that the Internet makes everyone a publisher. But does mainstream media fully understand the implications, and that alternative sources are becoming the news provider of choice -- especially when there is no choice?

The Washington Capitals (http://www.washingtoncaps.com/index2.html) plan to send four reporters to Moscow to offer hockey fans unprecedented coverage of the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship (http://live82.ihwc.net/english/) now underway through May 13. The Capitals will partner with Clearspring Technologies (http://www.clearspring.com) to deliver audio, video and text content to their site for Caps fans, as well as to local, national and international media outlets via a specialized widget.

The Capitals have five players and two prospects participating in the tournament -- including their leading scorer and star, Alex Ovechkin (http://www.washingtoncaps.com/team/player.asp?player_id=17) , who will play for Russia. Although coverage will focus on the Capitals players and prospects, the reporters will provide coverage that will appeal to a world-wide audience.

The coverage team includes Mike Vogel and Sean Parker from the Capitals along with John Keeley and Mike Rucki of On Frozen Blog (http://www.onfrozenblog.com/) . Vogel and Parker produce the majority of the editorial content on the Capitals' site (http://www.washingtoncaps.com/index2.html) , named the NHL's best team site last year by Forbes.com. Vogel also writes the blog Dump 'n Chase (http://www.dumpnchase.blogspot.com) .

Keeley and Rucki are part of a four-person group that launched "On Frozen Blog" in October 2006 as "a haven for the hockey malnourished." And that's what this initiative by Caps majority owner and chairman Ted Leonsis is all about: Providing content and coverage in under-covered niches that mainstream media ignore for a variety of reasons.

"Our local media -- either because of lack of interest or lack of budget due to declines in circulation, ad revenue decreases and newsroom layoffs -- are not covering the World Championships of Hockey in Moscow," Leonsis wrote May 3 on his blog, Ted's Take (http://ted.aol.com/index.php?ID=873) . "The tournament is big news around the world so we have decided to invest and send four people to cover the event and then put all coverage on the Web for free. We will share the news with new and traditional media outlets and syndicate it far and wide.

"Web 2.0 makes it possible for us to get our coverage out to millions and millions of people, promoting our sport, our team and our players. Our coverage on the Web and in the blogosphere is starting to look like a well heeled major media enterprise compared to many traditional media outlets that must curtail their coverage due to lack of budget based on the fragile state of their old business model."

The Capitals have not made the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs for several years and often are treated like an afterthought in the NFL-Washington-Redskins-crazed D.C. metro area media. Leonsis is probably best known for his longtime significant relationship with AOL. But the Capitals are no plaything as far as Leonsis is concerned. He's obviously tired of waiting for the media to come to him and the Caps.

The coverage will include stories, audio and video interviews, photos and podcasts. The Capitals, through their relationship with Clearspring Technologies, will deliver the content directly to interested media and online outlets via a specialized Web-based widget. Media outlets and individuals with blogs or social networking pages can post the widget directly to their sites, where others can access the information.

I love the fact that there will be expanded coverage of international sports in the US. Generally, the US is way behind the rest of the world in all understandings of global discussions -- including sports.

Furthermore, I ask about the weirdness of the journalists that hail from the Washington Capitals. This crew to cover the games is not from the Washington Post. They are working for the NHL team.

Wonder what Mark Madden has to say about this?

The hotel rooms in Olympic Villages have never been the same since the hockey teams have come, crashed and departed. Now, perhaps, the apartment managers are going to need to watch out for the journalists too.

Newcomer challenges Onorato for Allegheny County post - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Newcomer challenges Onorato for Allegheny County post - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review And when a friend complained to him that Onorato was getting a free ride because no one -- Republican or Democrat -- wanted to take him on, Swartz, a Democrat, started his first political campaign.

No one. Well, there are some.

It is bad when the MSM (mainstream media) can't do math. And, when the math is only on one hand -- it is even worse.

One is bigger than none. Two is more than one.

Mayor's tax plan leaves out some city locations

The Luke plan is a bad plan. Luke's plan is a plan that plays favorites. Luke's plan is typical Pittsburgh. Luke's plan was hatched because Bill's plan was seeded. Both are bad.

Mayor's tax plan leaves out some city locations At a recent City Council hearing, Brightwood advocate Ed Brandt, fired by frustration, called the applications 'capricious and arbitrary. I have spent 15 years working on the North Side, and nothing tells me the logic of why Spring Garden and not Troy Hill, why Fineview and not Perry Hilltop [Perry South], why Manchester and not Brightwood?'

The way to fix this unfair plan, the Luke lie, is to give everyone a tax break.

A sift back to the land-value tax is a move in the right direction. It is fair. It is universal. It promotes freedom. It respects the marketplace. It works to insure a dense, urban landscape.

Move afoot to return marathon

Move afoot to return marathon In some incarnation, the Pittsburgh Marathon might be coming back next year.

Christchuch has a marathon. It will be held soon.

Where in the world is Grant?

From NZ train-trip

How many kids do you see?

The gang, (Catherine, Erik, Grant, and the two Pitt grad students) took a trip via train into the center of the south island to the Southern Alps. Then they had a four hour tramp. Then took a return train ride back to Christchurch. Some of the photos are now on in a Picasa album.

From NZ train-trip

Ron Paul on the debates

Part of BootCamp Pgh and our media + internet + politics session

Jennifer England from the League of Young Voters and I gave a presentation for an hour at the recent BootCamp.Pgh.org event about politics, media and internet. Here is a bit of that talk.

Pittsburgh - Swartz And All - Just don't say you didn't have a choice this May 15 - Views - Potter's Field - Pittsburgh City Paper

Pittsburgh - Swartz And All - Just don't say you didn't have a choice this May 15 - Views - Potter's Field - Pittsburgh City Paper

New Zealand has a certification level for assistant coaches

Not your typical rugby play. From last night's game

Enjoy some football!

Tickets for next week's game go on sale at 9 am on Tuesday. Let me know if you'd like to come and tailgate for the playoffs.

All aboard

From New Zealand

Saw a kiwi today

On the way to QEII swim pool today, on my bike, and passed a wetland area next to a park. There on the edge of the bike path -- none other than a small flock of kiwis. Kiwi's are birds. They are sorta rare. Nice treat.

Today I took in an aquatic class. More tomorrow.

On the way home -- I got our second flat tire on the bike. Called home and got a lift as we had some guests over for a family party. Now to fix the flats.

At the pool we got to see some canoe water polo too.

Libertarian in limelight in MSNBC poll -- by 5 %

Ron Paul steps into national spotlight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2007

ARLINGTON, VA – Congressman Ron Paul finished first in the MSNBC poll following the GOP primary debate last night held at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. Dr. Paul received 43 percent, beating the second-place finisher by five points, and crushing the rest of the field.

"Last night, Americans met Ron Paul and loved what they heard," said Ron Paul 2008 campaign chairman Kent Snyder. "Dr. Paul's message of freedom and limited government resonates with Republicans hungry for a return to their party’s core values."

"Ron Paul is the only true conservative in the GOP race. Americans saw that last night," continued Snyder. "The campaign looks forward to further debates and opportunities so even more Americans will discover Dr. Paul's message of freedom, peace and prosperity."

My tunes are already picked and on the CDs

Allegheny County officeholders invest in future political roles - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The continued fundraising could show how special interests are trying to peddle influence with regional leaders, say watchdog groups.

'He who pays the piper picks the tune,' said Meredith McGehee, policy director with the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign Legal Center. 'Those who can afford to play ... buy one thing for sure, and that's access.'

I love the musical element found within the quote.

Playground for hearing-impaired opens

Playground for hearing-impaired opens 'In a city that can't afford to maintain playgrounds, let alone build them, this is a great win for Shadyside,' said city Councilman William Peduto.

Got a point. Lost the game. Saw the horses. To host a semi finals next week.

Rugby!

We saw the Christchurch franchise in action tonight. Our team lost, but, they scored a touchdown at the very end of the game. Those points were needed to secure a point in the match. That point insures that the home team will play a home match next weekend -- the first round of the playoffs.

This is a league of 12 teams -- some from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

We were told that the Crusaders squad tonight has have or had 10 players who were also on the All Blacks.

At the start of the game, a lone horseman rides around the field, banishing a sword. He's a Crusader, of course. Then after one lap, he goes to the castle and calls out nine others to join him. They gallop around the field, like the USC Trojan, sorta. But, ten times better as there are ten of them. And, they exit a castle with gas fired lanterns at the draw-bridge / gate.

We took a cab to the event. Came home via bus.

Still got in our swim practices too. That ended at 6:30 pm. Home by 7, on our bikes. into a quick jacket change. Good luck with the taxi. And we, all 6 of us, got to the stadium by pre-game to see the horses. Game began at 7:30.

Tickets for next week's game go on sale at 9 am on Tuesday. Tonight's game was NOT a sell out. The stadium holds 30,000 or so. Had about 22,000 in the place.

My take on the game -- being I hardly know the rules -- ball handling. The Crusaders just didn't make great passes nor handle the ball well. Too many fumbles and turnovers.

There were some big-time hits. One was right at our corner of the field. Ouch.

Next up, playoffs. The squad better do better talking care of the ball, if you ask me.

We'll cheer against the Chiefs tonight

Our squad is the Cruisaders -- black and red. They play against the Chiefs. Tonight's game is in Christchurch. We hope to attend.

Crusaders Home - Canterbury Rugby Football Union The Chiefs pose a real threat on Friday night as Jade Stadium hosts the final round of the Rebel Sport Super 14, with semi-final positions and home seedings on the line.

Viewing our clan before we dunk ourselves in the Pacific to swim with wild dolphins at Akaroa, New Zealand

Viewing BCAK705038294543 Daily Photos

Family photo is BCAK705038294543

Or, here it is at my Picasa site.

From NZ - dolphins

The Finance Coach, LLC

Travis has opened his new web site.

The Finance Coach, LLC: "The Finance Coach LLC"

NPR : Rethinking How Title IX Is Applied

NPR : Rethinking How Title IX Is Applied Column by Frank Deford: Sweetness and Light

Rethinking How Title IX Is Applied

Listen to this story...

Morning Edition, May 2, 2007 -- As more young women go to college, funding for some men's sports will be reduced to comply with Title IX. That's the federal law requiring schools to offer athletic programs in proportion to gender population. Should the law be tweaked to address inconsistencies?

My heart has been broken by the cutting of swim programs -- and of other teams -- at my ex-univeristy, Ohio U, -- and elsewhere. This is bad news for all of America.

Pittsburgh - City Council District 1 - Two challengers take on a controversial incumbent - Main Feature - Main Feature Extra - Pittsburgh City Paper

Pittsburgh - City Council District 1 - Two challengers take on a controversial incumbent - Main Feature - Main Feature Extra - Pittsburgh City Paper Another way to invest, she says, is to reach out to the 'braintrust' of university students who often leave the city after earning their degrees. 'We should be marketing our neighborhoods to the students,' she says, many of whom never leave campus or the immediate neighborhoods. 'If anyone had not been to the North Side, they'd never know about our parks -- you can buy a house on the North Side and live next to a mini version of Central Park.'

Hummm....

The Pittsburgh mini version of central park is but a nice place for you and your dog to walk while on a leash. What we've got isn't going to please those with brains. If you want to get to the 'braintrust' folks, you need to have something more than a green space for you and your dog.

You want to talk about city parks -- let's visit Christchurch. Oh my gosh.

Once again, Pittsburgh's problem isn't a hardware thing -- it is about the 'software.'

I'd like to see a robust race in November between the winner of the D primary (and I hope that isn't D. Harris) and David S.

A 'female Bob O'Connor' -- oh the things that get reported by the MSM.

Steelers Nation extends -- even behind bars

Talking Sports from Death Row with Kevin Cooper By Dave Zirin

Kevin Cooper is a sports fan. Kevin Cooper loves the Steelers. Kevin
Cooper makes his home on death row at the notorious San Quentin Penitentiary in California. Cooper awaits execution for a crime many observers are convinced he did not commit. He was to be injected with poison until his heart stopped on February 10th, 2004 but received a stay after massive public pressure was brought to bear. The holes in his murder conviction were that egregious, that shocking. As one federal judge put it days before the execution, "When the stakes are so high, when the evidence against Cooper is so weak, and when the newly discovered evidence of the state's malfeasance and misfeasance is so compelling, there is no reason to hurry and every reason to find out the truth."

Here I interview Kevin Cooper about his love of sports. There are two reasons why I wanted to hear Cooper's thoughts. The first quite simply is that I oppose the death penalty. Kevin Cooper's case exemplifies everything that makes my stomach turn about capital punishment: it's racially biased. It punishes the innocent. And every last person is on death row -- innocent or not -- because they couldn't afford the representation that would have saved their lives. As the saying goes, "Those without the capital get the punishment." When we actually read and hear the voices of those on the row, it makes it that much harder for executioners like Schwarzenegger to sell the idea that they are somehow less than human and should be put down like dogs.

The second reason is that Kevin Cooper through his writings and public statements has proven himself to be a sharp and thoughtful observer of society. Often with writing, vantage point is everything. Cooper takes his status as "Dead Man Walking" and refuses to let his mind die. Spike Lee said, "If you want to learn about the world, start with the sports page." Here we learn about the world of sports by talking with
a man who refuses to be defined by death.

DZ: How able are you to keep up with sports? Are there particular teams or players that you follow?

I am able to keep up with sports by way of radio, TV, and newspapers. I follow the Pittsburgh Steelers football team because Pittsburgh, PA. is my hometown.

KC: What are your earliest sports memories? Are they positive?

All of my earliest sports memories are positive, and that's because during the 60s when I was growing up the only positive Black people who were seen in the media were sports stars. I looked up to black athletes, and not just black athletes; my earliest memories are trying to play baseball like Roberto Clemente.

DZ: How have you seen the world of sports change over the course of your life?

KC: The inclusion of women in just about all sports has changed the world of sports in my lifetime, as has the fact that Black men are no longer seen as "unintelligent" and therefore "unable" to be quarterbacks, head coaches, baseball managers, or front office people or any other job that requires them to think. AND that people have, for the most part, stopped calling Blacks "natural athletes."

DZ: What are your earliest memories of some of the most political athletes, like Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, or Billie Jean King?

KC: Some of my earliest thoughts about Jackie Robinson changed after I found out that he spoke out against Paul Robeson and others who were doing their part in their own way to fight for Black people. Doing their part in their own way just as he did in 1947 by not just going in to play pro baseball but signing an agreement saying that he wouldn't fight back or speak out when he was disrespected by white ball players. He signed that pledge in order to do his part to help Black people.

Concerning Muhammad Ali: he's simply the best and the greatest, and my thoughts and earliest memories of him have only gotten stronger after all of these years. In fact, I honestly use him to help keep myself strong and focused as I fight for my life and try to end the death penalty here from this cage on death row. Billie Jean King is someone I didn't really know about growing up, but I do know about her now. Her contribution to women's equality in tennis is truly a great thing. Because of her doing what she did back then, standing up for her rights, women today in tennis get paid a hell of a lot more respect than they did when she played. And of course they make more money, too.

DZ: Can sports be a site of resistance today, given how commercialized the culture has become?

KC: If the athletes of today had the same mindset that people like Ali had, or John Carlos and Timmy Smith had during the 1968 Olympics, then, yes, today's athletes could make sports a site of resistance. The only athlete that I know who is of the mindset of Ali, Carlos, and Smith is Etan Thomas, though there may be others. Sometimes it seems to me that today's athletes are too worried about getting paid for the most part, and in getting that they're losing out on what's really important. Especially since sports provides a platform for them to make positive change that not many other professions do.

DZ: Why has sports, in your mind, become such a central part of the Black experience in the United States?

KC: Throughout the history of America, white people have always loved to be entertained by Black people, especially Black men. The masters of certain slaves would put their slaves up against other slaves from another plantation and they would fight, sometimes to the death. Just as dogs or roosters did. This evolved into sports such as boxing and wrestling. As new sports were invented, and more white people wanted to be entertained, more Blacks were either forced to participate against their will, or they joined in because they found some type of respect if they were good at it. The master's prize fighter got good food, access to women, and was respected and treated pretty good -- That is until he lost.

As time went on, and the white man refused to give jobs -- at least good-paying jobs -- to Blacks because of racism, a Black man found that, through sports, he could make a decent living. Just look at Jack Johnson and the opportunities the Blacks had in society when he was alive. These same conditions exist today, in so much as that a Black person, male or female, knows that in this country if you can make it in sports, you can make it big, and can become rich. That is our collective experience in this country.

DZ: What do you think of NBA commish David Stern's efforts to impose a dress code on players?

Imposing a dress code on NBA players is stupid to me. It's not the outside of the players that matters, it's the inside. If anything needs to be changed, it's their mentality. The deadliest person of all is a police officer in a suit.

KC: In New Orleans, when Katrina hit, the only place available for emergency shelter was the stadium, the Superdome. What does that tell us about our world today?

After Hurricane Katrina hit and the poor people of New Orleans found themselves in the Superdome, it showed the world that, in this country, if you are poor then you are shit out of luck. Nobody will help you when and how you need help, and if you can't make it on your own you are in trouble.

DZ: The last one is all you, Kevin. Is there anything you want to share about sports and life?

KC: Sports and life are both full of contradictions because both have rules and sometimes the rules are broken and ignored. Mistakes are made but not admitted to. Certain people make calls in both, and for the most part it is the ordinary people who suffer because of the calls made by the leaders or owners. It's the people at the bottom who pay for the mistakes made by the people at the top. It's a dog eat dog world, the winner takes all, and too many people are set up to lose from the get-go.

In struggle from death row,
Kevin Cooper

For More Information on Kevin's case, visit freekevincooper.org

Dave Zirin is the author of the "The Muhammad Ali Handbook" (MQ Publications) and the forthcoming "Welcome to the Terrordome:" (Haymarket). You can receive his column Edge of Sports, every week by going to http://zirin.com/edgeofsports/?p=subscribe&id=1. Contact him at edgeofsports@gmail.com

Nickers in a knot about a meeting at Peabody without many participants

The Principal at Peabody and Rick F. of the Bloomfield Garfield Corp, as well as others around town, have their nickers in a knot concerning a public meeting slated for 1 pm on Friday, May 4. at Peabody High School. The pow-wow is to talk about the planning for a larger community meeting about schools. Not many are signed up to attend. I think there is a planning meeting on May 4 and a big meeting slated for May 12th. I could be wrong.

Here at the University of Canterbury, students wanted to know if they should get their nickers in a knot about a pending quiz today in the course my wife is teaching.

I've posted two email follow-ups below that hope to drive more community members and parents to the meeting.

My angle of attack for Peabody and Westinghouse, to benefit the entire city and region, would be to kick-start a discussion to make both schools single gender. Pittsburgh should have an all boys public high school -- and an all girls public high school. Take one campus, either Peabody or Westinghouse, and devote it to one gender and, of course, the other to the other gender.

When I've talked about this in the past, the strong feeling from some is that the time to turn to same gender education should not be at 9th grade -- but sooner. Many have told me that they would like to see the single gender campus open for those in middle school as well as high school.

If the "excellence for all" had some 'red meat' visible -- such as a push to single gender schools -- then there would be standing only attendance at the meetings, perhaps.

Here is what they posted: R. Flanigan:

WE CAN SUCCEED--ALL WE NEED TO DO IS WORK HARD AT IT...

We agreed to hold ourselves accountable for turnout for the Excellence For All: East End Community Building Event. We agreed at out last planning meeting that we would have 200 registered by the May 4th (Friday) final planning meeting that begins at 1 p.m. at Peabody High School. The 200 number was not to include Peabody students.

If you take out the Peabody students we have about 60 people registered.

Few registrations have come in from the "Planning Agencies" that comprise the leadership group conducting the event. Are you registered?

All of us need to spend some quality time--lots of it--or we are going to fail.

RECRUITMENT IDEAS: (Personal Invites Are Critical)

1) Attached is a letter that you can change to meet your needs. Send the letter and brochure out to a targeted group you would like to recruit. Call everyone you send the letter to. Register the people that commit.

2) Take these same materials and email them out to as many people as you can.

3) Meet at my office (Youth Development Center, 5129 Penn Avenue) at 9 a.m. on this coming Saturday in order conduct door to door pass out of the brochure.

4) Have all your staff register and Board of Directors register.

5) Call all your program participants. Get their approval to register them.

6) Call everyone you know that could benefit by this event. Register them.....

PLEASE RECRUITMENT-- NO EXCUSES--WE NEED 500 PEOPLE AT THIS EVENT...

See you Friday.

Rick Flanagan (cell phone cut by blogmaster)

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The next letter came from the Principal at Peabody:

Hello Valued Community Partners:

The 12th is almost upon us! We are progressing nicely. The only thing missing are participant registrations. I'm confident that with your help, we will meet our goal of 200 participants for tomorrow.

As you know, the final planning meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, May 4, at 1:00 P.M. here, at Peabody. We will devote much of our time to turn-out and last minute details and expectations of participating organizations. We will have all the procedures in place for drop-off and set-up of materials. Additionally, Breakout Rooms and procedures will be provided so everyone knows exactly what needs to be done.

We will be working feverishly at the school today and Saturday, calling the homes of all our students. Additionally, three of our office staff will be making an East End Business Blitz on Friday to garner last minute donations. Please call the school if you wish to join us.

Cle Sloan is scheduled to be on WAMO at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, May 11, 2007. Please tune in. We also have another addition to our program - the Frick Middle School Steel Band scheduled to perform during the 8-9:00 A.M. registration period. They will provide us with light background music in the gym prior to the 9:00 Kick Off.

Mr. Flanagan has also sent out emails detailing strategies that have been proven successful for recruitment. Please take advantage of this advice. Let's make this a truly memorable Event because of the excellent turn-out, not a disappointment because we had a wonderful program but limited participation. WE NEED YOUR HELP!

John Vater, Principal, Peabody High School

515 North Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15206
email: jvater1@pghboe.net
phone: (412) 665-2050
fax: (412) 665-2077

Let me know what's going on. And, most of all, let me know what they think about two single-gender schools in Pittsburgh's mix of schools.

Central Catholic and Oakland Catholic do well, it seems to me. How about if we had public-school options to match those Catholic schools.

City Police Officer Uses "Ignorant Of Law" Card In Residency Sting

What in God’s name is going on here? Philip Dacey, 54, the former acting commander of the East Liberty police station, believes he is entitled to a $35,000 annual pension, even after quitting a job he was patently unqualified for in the first place.
You see Dacey got caught with a phony “home” city address, all the while commuting to the posh northern suburbs. Ignorance, he said on television. “Everyone else is doing it.”
What a goof-ball, dishonest answer from a police officer who has heard that same argument from criminals on the street, presumably for his entire career. Arrogance is more spot-on.
Pittsburgh requires that municipal employees reside full-time within city limits, just like the Mayor, city council, and other elected officials. The same is true for fire fighters. Somehow a few years ago the city schoolteachers union used its vast, hulking leverage and had their residency requirement waived. As a result, they pulled up stakes faster than a senior citizen will yank on the “one armed bandit” at any casino in the country.
Statistics prove that all of these professionals receive extravagant pay, especially firefighters. How else can you explain all of the expensive homes? That being said, firefighters explain that they are “the good guys” who save people from burning homes and everyone wants to be their neighbor. Cops say that neighbors always have an eye on them. Who knows about teachers, as most of them need the highway to get to their desks each morning.
Rumor had it that Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who presumably lives somewhere on the North Side and not in an expansive Butler County farm as former Mayor Tom Murphy was often accused, had plans to fire 100 city workers with the unmitigated audacity to receive city tax monies in the form of paychecks, all the while digging their financial resources in far-off, sidewalk-less lands.
If Ravenstahl has any pluck whatsoever—and why should he since everyone with any influence whatsoever has paved his way to sit in the fifth-floor Grant Street West Wing for at least 10 years—he would immediately terminate anyone who sets foot across city lines five minutes after clocking out. He won’t.
Now Dacey finds himself playing the victim. Favoritism, he says, has disallowed him from a fancy new promotion. Perhaps one paying him enough to sell his squalor in one of Allegheny County’s nicest digs for a Joe Hardy-worthy castle in tax-light Washington County. That, and not being embarrassed by a residency sting operation, has forced him to turn in his badge.
Perhaps Dacey can move onto his life’s work as a small-town detective making $9 an hour. A 27-year veteran, it would be curious to see how long Dacey has been perpetrating fraud on the city payers within the city of Pittsburgh and, in essence, cashing illegal paychecks?
I’ve heard from numerous city police officers who don’t want to run into people they’ve locked up while grabbing ice cream with their family on the South Side, catching a movie off of Carson Street, or digging into a lobster on top of Mt. Washington. As if those same criminals don’t attend the latest Adam Sandler flick in groovy Pleasant Hills, grab a coffee along cosmopolitan McKnight Road, or swing by the Barnes and Noble bookseller near George Romero’s Monroeville Mall.
Dacey deserves to have his pension revoked. He’s lived deceitfully on the city dime for long enough. So have at least 99 others. We’ll see if anyone has the political might to do what’s right. In Pittsburgh, where city officials blatantly shell out thousands upon thousands of dollars to family friends for plagiarized white papers and barely register a blip on the newsmaker radar screen, I sincerely doubt it.

We swam with the wild dolphis today -- and it was great

Big day. Too much to post about. But, we had a wonderful day and got to swim with the hector dolphins. Wow. More photos and insights later.

Ron Paul to mix it up with others on the debate stage

The first debate among the candidates for the Republican nomination for president will take place on Thursday, May 3rd at 8:00 pm EDT.

Congressman Ron Paul will be on stage standing between Senator John McCain and Rudy Giuliani. The 90-minute debate will be broadcast live on MSNBC, and streamed live on politico.com. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library will host the event.

First swim practice at Wharenui

From NZ Wharenui pool

Can you pick out Erik in the water? We can blend in a bit more with the locals on this trip, until we open our mouths.

Some photos from our house in Christchurch

From NZ home

Kennywood's open = code words for check your fly

When you are told, "Kennywood's open" -- it means you should zip up your fly -- and not on your tent.

Well, Kennywood is really open now. I look forward to seeing what's up with their efforts to use local media and video. They put out an interesting call a few months ago. I didn't reply, but, it seemed very kwel.

Sandcastle is still growing. Next year it will be the location of the I.C. Light Tent, we hear. That is a music venue in Station Square.

Speaking of "code" -- I posted a bit about the DVD code over at one of my other blogs -- devoted to techie evote elements. http://eVote.Blogspot.com.

Dude! South Side video store gets sued over Ninja Turtles trademark

Dude! South Side video store gets sued over Ninja Turtles trademark Dude! South Side video store gets sued over Ninja Turtles trademark

Hector Dolphins, here we come

We might have a dolphin experience tomorrow.

It rained all day today. But, we still got to a welcome tea via bikes. Then we went to the local bike shop and got some reflector tape/bands for Erik. He wanted them for his legs to keep his pants out of the pedals.

Tonight both Erik and Grant had swim practice with their respective groups. Each are in with about 36 others of similar abilities. Erik's group was 6 to a lane (4 lanes). Grant's was slightly smaller. Both the boys swam well.

Both are doing very well on the bikes as well.

We booked a bus ride and dolphin adventure for tomorrow. The van / shuttle will pick us up at 7:45 am and take us to a 'French' village, Akaroa. The names are French, but not much else. We'll see.

Glad it is raining here and not in Pittsburgh, as our house is without a roof. So, we'll take the bitter weather pill here. Plus, Australia is in a massive dry spell.

Catherine discovered that when you go to the market, you can't order a pound of turkey breast.

Got a $.5 coin today that is worth $0. I'll do a video blog on that soon. Quiz time.

The class began on campus today as well. And, it seems we'll be in some swim meets as well.

Saturday and Sunday, I've signed up for training.

Our phone # is 03 364-2715. Please don't call. Send email.

Final quiz; The swim team -- how do you say it? Wharenui is how it is written.

Swimming Pool Christchurch - Wharenui Swimming Club & Sport Centre

Swimming Pool Christchurch - Wharenui Swimming Club & Sport Centre Welcome to the Wharenui Sports Centre, the home of the Wharenui Swim Club in the heart of Christchurch.

We swam here yesterday. Will return tonight.

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

The big boot of enforcement now has a new patron saint.

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board today announced that local law enforcement agencies will soon be able to apply for grants to enforce and prevent the unlawful operation of slot machines.

The grant program was developed and approved by the Legislature as part of the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act and funded with $5 million annually from money generated from slot machine facilities.

David Adams, candidate for city council in NOVEMBER, gets a TV interview

David Adams, a candidate for Pittsburgh City Council in district 9, (Twanda's old seat) is slated to be PCNC's TV show on 8 pm on Friday -- live.

Peace and Blessings from the invisible man, (nick named for the obscurity in this political process)

I thought I would share with you all my opportunity to "step-out" as a candidate will be live Friday on the cable news station PCNC, as I will be part of a panel discussion. P.J. Mahony from 1410 KQV will be the host at 8:00pm until 9:00pm with encore presentations 2:a and Monday 5/5 at 5-6p.

With the few days we have left I wish all my colleagues godspeed in their endeavors.

Dave Adams

David had been registered as a "republican" but switched to 'no party' affiliation recntly (before the deadline). He is going to be on the "Libertarian ticket" I've been helping to establish.

Appeals court allows smoking in bars, for now

Appeals court allows smoking in bars, for now Enforcement of the smoking ordinance in taverns and restaurants is on hold again.

Johannes Ernharth posted:

Re: PG Editorial: "Disarm America? Here's how"

Sorry for poaching your observation on the 1st being protected by the 2nd. but it can't be said enough...

Someone else should target their moronic insistence that the right to bear arms is extremist. What? As extremist as an Orwellian door-to-door confiscation?

Also, make sure to post LTEs to the lppgh.org website.

---

Before accepting Dan Simpson's gun abolitionist suggesting outright, I ask readers consider these points before rallying to such short-sighted causes.

1. How ironic is it that Mr. Simpson's right to his own career is protected by the 2nd Amendment he wants to shred? All individual freedom to say "no-thanks" to government force (even in a democracy) is similar.

2. With over 200 million guns in the U.S. alone, its fantasy to believe a meaningful ratio of guns will be confiscated. Only the law abiding will comply (although this proposition would meet stiff resistance) and criminals with guns will have an easier time with crime.

3. Disarmed people are potential victims entirely dependent on others for their safety. Experience shows us the police mostly curtail V. Tech-like events long after they start. Often, they arrive only in time to count the dead and start an investigation, as it is with most any murder. Even an armed, uniformed guard could have been an easy, unsuspecting target for the well-planned Seung-Hui Cho.

4. Imagine the V. Tech outcome if, after Cho shot his first, he was greeted by 5 randomly drawn pistols operated by trained, decent individuals? What if Cho knew this was a possibility beforehand?

5. History shows that individuals can only kill a limited number before they are stopped. Governments have killed hundreds, thousands, even millions at a time.

The truth is we'll all be safer if more trustworthy people trained to safely operate and carry guns vs. some Orwellian confiscation.

Pirate's to host technology night at PNC Park - Sept 7

The Pirates are going to host a 'technology night' at PNC Park on Sept. 7, 2007. This should be fun. More news later.

Takes $25,000 to get onto the ballot in S.C. for President

The debate is on May 3. Should be interesting. The fee to file to be on the ballot in S.C. is $25,000 -- for candidates for president.

Ron Paul Files in South Carolina

Republican takes important step toward securing GOP nomination

May 1, 2007

ARLINGTON, VA – South Carolina Republican primary voters will be able to choose Congressman Ron Paul when they vote for the Republican nominee for president. Today, Dr. Paul filed the necessary paperwork with the South Carolina Republican Party and paid the required $25,000 fee.

“With Ron Paul on the ballot, South Carolinians will now have a true conservative they can support,” said Ron Paul 2008 campaign chairman Kent Snyder. “We know that Dr. Paul’s message of freedom and limited government will resonate with the citizens of the Palmetto State.”

Officially joining the field in South Carolina comes in the midst of exciting times for the Ron Paul 2008 campaign. Dr. Paul recently returned from successful trips to New Hampshire, Arizona and Iowa. He will participate in the first Republican presidential debate at the Ronald Reagan Library this Thursday, May 3.