Panther Rants: Pitt Narrows AD Search Pitt Narrows AD SearchI lead some of my plans for the job in the comments there.
Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation is now accepting applications for the 2008-09 Koch Associate Program and Koch Internship Program.
Koch Associate Program is a year-long, paid program designed to develop promising leaders and entrepreneurs interested in liberty and help them develop the knowledge, skills and experience necessary for careers with market-oriented think tanks, policy institutes, and other non-profit organizations. During the program, Associates work in non-profit roles four days a week and spend one day a week at the Foundation learning Market-Based Management®. Associates range in experience level from recent graduates to those with a decade of work experience. The Koch Internship Program is a condensed version of the Koch Associate Program and it is offered in the spring, summer and fall.
http://www.cgkfoundation.org
Virginia Okamoto, Talent Coordinator, Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, 202.393.2354 = phone: 202.393.2355 = fax
Letters To The Editor: Sept 26 - Oct 3, Epistles of Paul
In the commendable piece on Ron Paul ["Ron Paul: Libertarian Apostle," Sept. 12] there was a statement objecting to Ron Paul's libertarian philosophy:"I think his stance against sending troops to Darfur is perfectly in keeping with his libertarian philosophy about caring more about tax burdens than any burdens, including genocide, that actual people have to face."Any decent and compassionate person wants murder and oppression of innocent people stopped, but consider how well government force accomplishes that. In that quote, replace "Darfur" with "Iraq" -- then with Bosnia, Kosovo, Waco, Vietnam, Cuba and Korea.
If you'd rather replace "troops" with "food," then try "food to Zimbabwe." Robert Mugabe replaced Zimbabwe's private farm system with systematic famine. When we sent "food to Zimbabwe," Mugabe channeled it to supportive tribes and regions, thus controlling or starving his opposition. Even intervening with food can backfire.
The problem with government intervention is that it becomes a government program developing hidden agendas overwhelming the original objective. Libertarians usually prefer private voluntary intervention because if things turn south an individual can immediately stop his support without an act of Congress.
At the dawn of the Iraq war, Ron Paul pleaded for non-intervention, but George Bush and Dick Cheney used "Iraq" in their version of the above quote. Conservatives and liberals today all sound so much alike.
Mark Crowley, Plum
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Thank you for the great article on Ron Paul by Charlie Deitch. He obviously put a lot of time into it and talked with a lot of people to produce a well-balanced piece. I would like to point out a subtle distinction in Dr. Paul's reasoning for his Congressional votes that is apparently lost on most people. He is accused of being indifferent to human suffering because of his opposition to foreign aid, among other things. He is opposed to using tax dollars for charity, both at home and abroad. The distinction is this:
If a person sends his own money to a charitable organization, that is considered a donation. If a person takes money from someone else and sends it to a charitable organization, that is theft, unless done by a politician, for which he is considered compassionate. It's easy to be generous with other people's money. However, government has no authority -- constitutional, moral or otherwise -- to operate as a charity. To force U.S. taxpayers, whether or not they have the inclination or the financial ability, to support relief efforts all over the world is immoral.
In addition, the abortion issue is one that is easy to confuse. I am against abortion but I am also pro-choice. Similarly, I am against skydiving and boxing, but I recognize that others may enjoy those activities and that I have no authority over them to prevent them from doing what I think is risky and dangerous behavior. It affects only themselves. For those who defend the right to abortion, however, do they believe that a mother has the right to kill her 2-year-old child? I hope not. Do they believe that a mother has the right to kill her 1-minute-old child? I hope not. Do they believe that a mother has the right to kill her child who is one minute from being born? I hope not. Now, keep backing up into pregnancy asking that question. My moral guideline is that no one has the right to kill any being who can feel pain or experience awareness. I don't know exactly when the central nervous system and the brain develop to that level, but that's the point after which abortion should be considered murder.
Nicholas Kyriazi, North Side
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It was good to see coverage on Dr. Ron Paul, Pittsburgh native. The racist card was unneeded; right or wrong, Paul has attacked government-supported racism and the staffer that wrote said comments was promptly fired. Paul is a constitutionalist and therefore he is right to allow state's rights to be in control of some social issues we may have strong opinions on. We are to be set up under "We the People" and if the federal government can control our diverse country, we all lose.
When it is all said and done, Paul is the only candidate that actually follows his oath of office and can restore honor to our lost government.
Philip Haddad, RonPaul2008.com
PJStar.com - Journal Star News... ratings ... have fallen off from past highs, said DeSantis ...The answer is here. Mark DeSantis won't play in Peoria.
Allegheny County goes after private help for parks Calling system a priority, Onorato creates a nonprofit board to foster public-private partnershipOnorato talks about the parks by saying how many geese got killed. That's it.
Friday, September 28, 2007Hold your nose and run.
By Michael A. Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato yesterday unveiled plans to create a nonprofit board to raise private funds for the county's nine regional parks and to establish public-private partnerships to operate some of the parks' major attractions and amenities.
The board, to be named within two months, initially will be funded with $1 million from the county's capital budget. Mr. Onorato pledged to match dollar-for-dollar with county funds any private monies the nonprofit organization raises. He put no cap on how much the county would match.
Mr. Onorato said the parks, totaling more than 12,000 acres, are among the county's major assets, noting that it likely amounts to the highest acreage per capita in any county in the United States. So large is the county's park acreage, he noted, that the smallest of the nine, Harrison Hills, with 500 acres, is larger than the city's Schenley Park, with 420 acres.
Mr. Onorato said the parks need an infusion of private money to adequately fund deferred maintenance, recreational improvements and facility enhancements. He pledged that the time of county government treating parks as a frill to be ignored in tough economic times has ended.
"First and foremost, this is about the quality of life in Allegheny County," he said at a news conference unveiling the plans. "These parks are among the biggest assets we have.
"We are now going to make the parks a priority for this government going forward. We are serious about getting our assets up and running."
The action plan outlined by Mr. Onorato stems from recommendations in a "revenue sources management study" completed a month ago by the American Institute for Leisure Resources. The $25,000 study was funded by a grant from the Richard King Mellon and Benedum foundations.
"The existing and proposed service levels for park maintenance, recreation programs and environmental facilities have outstripped the available sources of revenue, creating a major unfunded backlog of current and future needs," the study reported.
In reality, the report said, there can only be two outcomes regarding the county park system -- "either lowering of the standard of living or the generation of new sources of revenue."
Among the report's recommendations the county will explore is requesting proposals from private companies for adaptive uses of the North Park Boathouse, Hartwood Stables, South Park Fairgrounds and Boyce Park Four Seasons Activity Center, including the skiing and tubing areas.
The county also will seek a private operator for tennis courts in Boyce, North and Settler's Cabin parks and will secure the services of the National Golf Foundation in Jupiter, Fla., to review the county's golf course operations in North and South parks.
Mr. Onorato said new, creative uses would enhance and expand what the parks already provide while creating new funding for them.
He gave assurance there will be no "tacky" or inappropriate uses, noting that County Council and the chief executive will maintain final say on what happens in the parks.
As an example of the potential of private-public partnerships in parks, he pointed to a lease agreement he announced in May 2006 with the Horticultural Society of Western Pennsylvania to provide a 452-acre parcel in Settler's Cabin Park for the Botanic Garden of Western Pennsylvania.
The agreement will allow the Horticultural Society to develop, construct and operate the garden on the county-owned land after first undertaking a massive land reclamation project to deal with underlying mines and mine drainage. Removing the mines and compacting soil on the site will effectively end acid drainage that has been polluting the groundwater and two local streams for years.
It is estimated the Botanic Garden will draw more than 300,000 visitors annually, ranking it among the region's most visited attractions, he said.
Also being explored as a new funding generator for the nine county parks is the possibility of selling naming rights, he said.
As a cost-saving move, Mr. Onorato has directed staff to explore working with the justice system and law enforcement agencies to establish a supplemental labor force to perform special maintenance projects in the regional parks. This work force could include minor offenders, community service workers, welfare workers and juvenile work crews.
Mr. Onorato said he plans to have "town hall" meetings at each of the parks to facilitate local input about what's desired and needed and to "re-engage" the friends organizations at each of the nine parks.
To illustrate his commitment to the parks plans, Mr. Onorato noted that he has named a County Parks Action Plan Implementation Team of top county officials including Deputy County Manager Kathleen McKenzie, Parks Director Andrew Baechle, Public Works Director Tom Donatelli, Economic Development Director Dennis Davin and Administrative Services Director Tim Johnson.
Ravenstahl touts work; DeSantis says public ignored - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "DeSantis said he wants to 'reclaim Pittsburgh's riverfronts,' perhaps by asking railroad companies with tracks along the rivers to move them elsewhere."No. You don't look at the rails and wish to move them. Rather, look at the rails and know that they are an opportunity to be used as they are. We need those rails to be put to use to move people.
Ravenstahl touts work; DeSantis says public ignored - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Both stressed the need to make Pittsburgh -- specifically Downtown -- more pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly."We don't need downtown to be bike friendly, however. When you are downtown, you can walk. And, downtown, we need to keep all the bikes off of the sidewalks.
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| From signs |
Have you ever wanted to run for public office but weren't sure of how to go about it? Maybe you'd like to help someone else get on the ballot, or even run their campaign, but lack the knowledge and experience? If so, then here's the opportunity that can benefit you.Running Mates -- you need to attend. But more, everyone needs to start to shake their networks of friends for possible candidates.
This October, the Reclaim Our America Foundation is sponsoring a one-day seminar, How to Run for Public Office, at several locations across Pennsylvania.
The seminar covers everything you need to do to organize your campaign, get on the ballot, and get your message out. The material is applicable to Democrats, Republicans, delegates to their National Conventions (such delegates pledged to support Ron Paul), third party candidates, independents, even those who want to start their own political party.
Among the topics covered are:
* GETTING ON THE BALLOT, including how to get the necessary forms, collect signatures, file all paperwork, even substitute candidates, if necessary;
* PENNSYLVANIA CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTING, including forming a political committee, how to file reports, and what to expect should you be audited;
* GETTING YOUR MESSAGE OUT, including writing news releases, handling the media, creating your own news, speaking effectively in public, and the basics of designing websites, literature, and signs;
* CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION, including managing volunteers, establishing campaign communications, fundraising, and staging events.
The material is being presented by Ken Krawchuk, a two-time candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania, past chair of the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party, and a professional public speaker. In 2006, Ken was a co-trainer of the candidates for Russ Diamond's PaCleanSweep.org, with 109 out of 110 candidates ultimately making it on the ballot for the Pennsylvania legislature.
The seminars are being held at the following locations:
Pittsburgh -- Saturday, October 20th
Monroeville Holiday Inn
2750 Mosside Blvd
Monroeville, PA 15146
Harrisburg -- Sunday, October 21st
Harrisburg Holiday Inn
148 Sheraton Dr.
New Cumberland, PA 17070
Valley Forge -- Sunday, October 28th
Michael's Deli
130 Town Center Rd.
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Each seminar runs from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Admission price is $60 in advance, $70 at the door, and includes copies of all handouts and a buffet lunch. To register online, or to download a snail mail registration form, visit www.ReclaimOurAmerica.org.
The 2008 elections are just around the corner. The time to start preparing for your campaign is right now!The Reclaim Our America Foundation is a non-partisan, non-profit educational organization whose mission is to enrage and engage the average American and their elected officials by educating them about the Constitution to encourage its enforcement. For more information, visit www.ReclaimOurAmerica.org or e-mail ReclaimOurAmerica@gmail.com.
SI.com - More Sports - World anti-doping chief praises Beijing Olympics preparations, help in U.S. steroid raids - Thursday September 27, 2007 12:49PM The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday praised China's assistance in massive U.S. raids on illegal labs that recovered millions of doses of steroids, much of which originated in China.
Dick Pound also endorsed new Chinese drug-control measures and said the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics were on track to be the most doping-free in the event's recent history.
From the Office of the Adams for the 9th Campaign Team
Press Release:
David Adams, independent candidate for the 9th district city council seat, expressed frustration with Ricky Burgess’ obvious apprehension with meeting him to discuss an opportunity to debate informally, in order to provide the constituents of the district an opportunity to view the candidates and base their decision upon their plan, or in Adams’ case strategies for the district.
“I am sending this press release in order to satisfy 9th district residents Adams said, everyone I come in contact with wants to see us together discussing what we believe are the important issues.
Hiding as he is will not keep him from discussing the issues. We both will face the editorial board of the Post Gazette on October 10th. The residents of the 9th district have suffered from this kind of under cover, underhanded scheming for far too long; Burgess has no plan, other than opening the door to the corrupt developers, who sit in wait licking their lips to take over our district land. Through my investigative team the Conscience Group, I have received serious information about the true nature of Burgess’ agenda; it may not be his at all!”
“If Ricky Burgess does not come forward, by calling the office of the Adams for the 9th campaign team, by Monday October 1, I will personally challenge him in his church during a service, or resort to Marine tactics which will definitely force him out in the public,” Adams stated.
“The choice is his, Adams said, I represent the youth, the young adults, progressive seniors, and the residents who wish to preserve and rebuild our community, and especially our neighborhoods. We may not have the big money everyone outside of our community continues to throw in our face right now, but I swear before my God, this city will not push us out of our district! They may have purchased “Burgess,” thinking they have the key to the 9th, but I send this out to all that may hear… THE 9th DISTRICT IS NOT FOR SALE!!!! Under the Adams administration, residents can count on something similar to the Harlem Project.
Peduto floats Pittsburgh parking plan - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh City Councilman William Peduto is asking state lawmakers to require the city's parking authority to reduce rates in line with a parking tax reduction.Gosh darn. Peduto is running to state lawmakers. Talk about hopelessness doesn't want to go away.
Wal-Mart gives up on Kilbuck development: Wal-Mart gives up on Kilbuck development
Click for larger view. Check the Google Calendar for events.
Would Mayor Motznik hire Michael Diven as his Denny Regan / Yarone Zober? Would Mayor Motznik call County Executive, Luke Ravenstahl, 'the boss?' Would Mayor Motznik call for more bailouts from Governor Dan Onorato?I doubt that Motznik would get far in his big-government circle with talk of liquidation.
Tom, Grant, Erik and #86, Simon. Grant took off his helmet for the photo, as they exited the ice. Senate Endorses Plan to Divide Iraq: "Senate Endorses Plan to Divide Iraq By Shailagh Murray The Washington Post Wednesday 26 September 2007A few years ago, I talked about this same concept. The US power-players have been trying to 'hold together the nation of Iraq' for some time. So stupid on many levels.
Action shows rare bipartisan consensus.
Showing rare bipartisan consensus over war policy, the Senate overwhelmingly endorsed a political settlement for Iraq that would divide the country into three semi-autonomous regions."
Program aims to get city fit - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The city closed the bridge for the event, which began with 30 minutes of dodgeball. It's great exercise, which is exactly what Pittsburghers need, officials said.No. Playing dodge ball on a closed bridge in the middle of the day is NOT exactly what Pittsburghers need, Mr. and Mrs. Official.
The Busman's Holiday: The Busman's Holiday's HolidayUberblogger this week. Last week I was called a 'Fixture.'
By the way, new postcards arrived yesterday. The headline: "Elect a Fixture for Freedom."
From Mark Rauterkus
Full text of the postcard:Guess I'll need to make up some Uberblogger postcards next.
Elect a Fixture for Freedom
Mark @ Rauterkus . com
Libertarian candidate for Pgh Controller and City Council, district 3.
As an elected official, I promise to do more for the families, kids and youth of Pittsburgh than all the others combined.
back
Elect.Rauterkus.com
Vote on November 6, 2007
We need aggressive watchdogs that care. Mark has the capacity to communicate solutions on the internet with a modern, open, network for all.
412 298 3432 = cell
Mark @ Rauterkus . com
This video comes via an interesting route. It was shot while I was on the other side of the world, in New Zealand. It comes after the polls close following the primary election , May 2007. It shows the arrival of a city council person, Jim Motznik, to a victory party of Bruce Kraus. Kraus was excited. Kraus won the D party primary election over the endorsed Dem, Jeff Koch.
Scaife demands documents from Post-Gazette: "The Scaifes filed for divorce Feb. 8. The court ordered the documents sealed in March, but, according to Prothonotary Michael Lamb, the seal was broken Aug. 28 when an employee in his office may have neglected to make the necessary computer step when scanning in a new filing in the case. The window remained open for several days after that, he said."And, the P-G reported upon the video clip of the embrace, so, it must be news:
Catty council
When Pittsburgh Councilman Jeff Koch put the last claw in the kitty coffin of colleague Jim Motznik's cat licensing legislation today some in the chamber thought immediately of primary election night, May 15.
That's when Mr. Koch's brief political career came to an apparent end with his defeat at the hands of Bruce Kraus. Blogger Agent Ska caught on video a touching moment, when Mr. Motznik walked into the victor's party wearing a Kraus campaign shirt, and got a warm shout out and a big hug from the future councilman from South Side.
Now, Early Returns isn't saying that Mr. Koch's no vote deciding the fate of Mr. Motznik's signature legislation was payback. It's our understanding that Mr. Motznik did little to help the Kraus campaign, though he later implied that he was glad there would be some turnover on council. And far be it from us to suggest that Mr. Motznik's Sept. 5 characterization of Mr. Koch as one of the "weak links" on council would ever play into the outgoing councilman's decision involving an important civic issue.
But on council, it's often personal relationships and diplomacy that win the day as much as the merits of the issue, so who knows?
And if one of Mr. Koch's two pet cats is seen prowling around Mr. Motznik's backyard fish pond any time soon, we may alter our judgment.
First published on July 24, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Kraus in District 3: Democrats should seek independence on councilMay 03, 2007 Pittsburgh Post-GazetteJimmy!
Just when Pittsburghers in City Council District 3 were getting to know their new councilman of 13 months, voters will go to the polls May 15 to decide if he deserves a full four-year term.
Although the face-off between incumbent Jeffrey Koch of Arlington and challenger Bruce Kraus of South Side Flats is technically the Democratic primary, the eventual nominee will be heavily favored to win in November since no Republican is on the ballot. That nominee should be Bruce Kraus.
We say this although we've seen growth by Mr. Koch, 45, since he joined council in March 2006, after winning a special election that included Mr. Kraus and six other candidates. This time it's a one-on-one affair for Democrats in Allentown, Arlington, Arlington Heights, Beltzhoover, Carrick, Knoxville, Mt. Washington, South Oakland, South Side Flats, South Side Slopes and St. Clair Village.
Mr. Koch, a former employee of the city public works department and a party committeeman, arrived on Pittsburgh council by the traditional route. He has familiar allies, with endorsements from the county Democratic Committee, Allegheny County Labor Council and various units of the United Auto Workers, Teamsters, Fire Fighters and Fraternal Order of Police -- all of which gives us pause.
Pittsburgh is a city that requires courageous decisions on spending. Public-employee contracts, pension debt and streamlining the workforce are live-or-die issues for a government in fiscal distress. What happens when the needs of a councilman's powerful backers collide with the interests of taxpayers?
Councilman Koch clearly has a desire to work for the district. He is pushing legislation to limit the number of liquor licenses in dense business zones like Carson Street, lobbying the Port Authority to complete the East Warrington Avenue resurfacing project and working to obtain federal Weed and Seed funds for anti-crime programs.
But Mr. Kraus, 53, is the more independent choice.
The challenger is a forceful and articulate advocate for the district. As the operator of an interior design firm, he knows the city both as a resident and as a business owner. He has grown impatient with city government's approach to bar patrons whose drunken revelry trashes the neighborhood around Carson Street and he finds the councilman's liquor-license legislation poorly crafted and timed for election-season benefit.
Even without being on council, Mr. Kraus has rolled up his sleeves on behalf of the community -- as chair of the Pittsburgh Anti-Graffiti Task Force, an original member of the Clean Pittsburgh Commission, a board member of the South Side Community, president of the South Side Chamber of Commerce and a player in the United Way Neighborhood Leadership Program to promote healthy living habits.
The candidates agree on many issues, but we give the edge -- and our endorsement -- to Bruce Kraus because of his citizen involvement and his independent voice.
First published on May 2, 2007 at 5:59 pm
108 S. 12th Street, South SideBiographical
412 298 3432
Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com
PRESS RELEASE, Yardley PA , Sept 25.
With information obtained under Pennsylvania's Right To Know law, StopTeacherStrikes, Inc. today posted the individual names and compensation details for all teachers in the Cumberland Valley school district in Cumberland County, on its web site www.stopteacherstrikes.org
StopTeacherStrikes President, Simon Campbell, commented:
"The Cumberland Valley teachers union issued an implied threat with their recent informational picket. The threat is that the union will launch a full strike if taxpayers do not meet their demands. This type of coercive behavior that hurts children is illegal in thirty-seven (37) other states. The posting of the teachers' salaries is designed to remind public employees that they are public servants who are accountable to taxpayers. It provides for public transparency, accountability and oversight. Despite the outrage from the union, we will continue to post teachers names and salaries in strike-threatened districts"
For more information about StopTeacherStrikes, Inc. or this press release, please contact:
Simon Campbell
President, StopTeacherStrikes, Inc.
668 Stony Hill Rd #298
Yardley, PA 19067
Tel 215-586-3573
you may be interested to know that the gertrude stein club of greater pittsburgh has endorsed MARK DeSantis for mayor. some of his responses that we liked were positive for domestic partnership benefits, and firmly pro choice. please continue to engage with us, even though you have not received our endorsements. at least you are current, updated and obviously care about government.I'm sure a more formal press release is being crafted somewhere. I hope and expect that my sources are on the mark. (Pun intended).
PA Daily Report September 25, 2007The above email was from Aaron of NVCCA from Restore The Republic 4 E. Ogden Ave #126 Westmont, IL 60559.
Yesterday was a GOOD day! The rally went well, and the majority of those present for the speeches came into the building to learn the ropes of practical political action. As a group, we met with a number of the "power broker"staffers (McCall's office, DeWeese's office, and others).
One of the rally attendees, a constituent of Rep. John Payne, helped us make an interesting discovery. Rep. Payne has consistently introduced legislation to UNTIE the Social inSecurity Number from all PA licenses (hunting, professional, etc.). I plan to make a proposal to him that he incorporate a simple statement as an amendment to Rep. Rohrer's bill to accomplish that goal! In this way, two VERY important items can fall under the scope of "identification" situations covered.
There is yet another meeting at 11 am today. Rep. Rohrer's staffer arranged a pow-wow between me and Curt Meyers. Curt is the Deputy Secretary of Safety Administration in the Transportation Department (tied to PENNDOT). In South Carolina, the DOT's administrator was a critical cog in the wheel, bringing the Executive Department to bear on the legislature in subcommittee hearings on Real ID. If we can get the Governor's staff to come down against implementing Real ID, it will go a LONG way to helping get 1351 unglued from the committee. We hope to have at least one PA Senate Staffer in that meeting, with another strategy to be having the Senate introduce a companion bill there.
The next day we have arranged a meeting with the Speaker of the House, to try to get 1351 on the agenda.
To help us, PLEASE make a phone call or two! Priority #1 MUST be to get to House leadership. Chairman Thomas (717-772-9854) (Intergovernmental Affairs Committee) needs to hear from YOU! Call in, and request that HB 1351 be put on the committee agenda ASAP. Request (if you can make it) to be contacted to testify at this hearing.
Call Rep. DeWeese (Majority Leader) asking for 1351 to be put on the committee calendar (717-783-3797). The same message should come in to Majority Whip Keith McCall (717-783-1375).
We are also going to be trying to get more people on-board as CO-Sponsors. These include Karen Beyer (Veteran's Caucus chair)(717-783-1673); Keith Gillespie (on the subcommittee involved)(717-705-7167); and Scott Hutchinson (717-783-8188). We met with these people today, and they seem somewhat amenable. A few choice calls would help. If you are a VETERAN, call Rep. Beyer to have her make this bill an issue for veterans! (Vets should also become a part of the NVCCA at www.nvcca.net -- forward that info to any veterans you know!)
(Since Jim and I started working, a number of new sponsors have come onto the bill. We want to increase the number by the end of this week by an additional 10+)
There is much more that happened on the first day of the reunited legislature, and only so much time for me to write it all up and still be able to keep going.
YOU are a critical part of our operations. Your calls greatly increase our value when we are actually in the capitol, meeting with these people. Call YOUR rep. and have them CO-SPONSOR HB 1351! More sponsors mean more pressure on leadership to "run the bill." Every voice on this bill becomes a louder and louder SCREAM from the public that it should be a TOP PRIORITY of the legislative agenda. While they pass item after item dedicating a road to some dead person, the living are going to be living with REAL ID, unless we slam the door on it NOW!
We are throwing everything we have into this effort. There are hundreds of people receiving these e-mail alerts. Hundreds of calls from YOU make our work all the more likely to succeed. PLEASE MAKE SOME CALLS, and encourage your church groups, business associates, and neighbors to do likewise. Post these messages onto political blogs, meet-up groups, etc. and continue bringing others into the battle. Sportsmen's groups, jewish/religious, and others will support our efforts when they KNOW ABOUT THEM! We can't be everywhere. But we are in Harrisburg. Your support is critical.
Metroblogging Pittsburgh: Propelling Pittsburgh The official bylaws of the Commission say that we're not supposed to reveal Commission business to the media without the Chair's permission (that'd be the Mayor), so I'm going to confine myself to vague generalities.Okay, if the Mayor came into the meeting with no preconceived notions about what should be done and what should NOT be done, then how do you explain the first part of the post -- not revealing business of the Commission.
Carbolic Smoke Ball: UPMC RESPONDS TO HILLARY CLINTON’S CALL FOR MANDATORY HEALTH CARE WITH AFFORDABLE FACELIFT PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE: "UPMC RESPONDS TO HILLARY CLINTON’S CALL FOR MANDATORY HEALTH CARE WITH AFFORDABLE FACELIFT PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME PEOPLE"
Post-Gazette NOW - Local News - Early Returns of Sept. 24, 2007Let's go back in time with a short two article refresher course on the early returns of the Ethics Hearing Board. These other matters linked and quoted below from the recent past were not generated by me. I didn't play any role with what follows. These two set-up articles below, plus what I'm putting into play now rounds out the bulk of the body of knowledge except for the whole Luke Ravenstahl golf outing. Almost everyone has heard about Luke's golfing.
Can't muzzle Mark
Pittsburgh controller candidate Mark Rauterkus has filed an ethics complaint -- against the city Ethics Hearing Board.
The Libertarian Party standard bearer's complaint targets the board's policy, which is written into the city's ethics code, of barring those who filed complaints with it from speaking about those complaints. It apparently exists to keep confidential information, or unfounded accusations, out of the media. The policy first manifested itself when the very first city ethics complaint of the modern era was filed and continues to be in place.
Mr. Rauterkus' complaint demands that the board "strike down the concept of imposing secrecy onto citizens who file complaints." Why? "Sins to the soul of the city should be heard with the Ethics Hearing Board so citizens are able to gain with an increase of empowerment, not a decrease of rights."
He also rails against provisions in the ethics code that could make the complainant liable if they make wrongful use of the ethics process.
Besides filing against the board, Mr. Rauterkus filed complaints against two other candidates for city office, neither of whom is yet a city employee. Of course, by disclosing his filings to Early Returns, he may have rendered them moot by running afoul of the confidentiality rule -- but maybe that was the point.
There IS an election tomorrow It seems the city Ethics Hearing Board still isn't quite ready to take complaints. The five-member board finally mustered a quorum Friday, more than a year after the late Mayor Bob O'Connor pledged to revive it from a decade of dormancy.The next Ethics Hearing Board meeting is in October and it is on my public Google calendar.
That meeting led some less-jaundiced observers of city politics to hope that it would start scouring a political landscape that has, this spring, been littered with accusations and questionable campaign practices. Our write-up of the historic meeting is here.
But today Jason Phillips, the erstwhile campaign staffer for Superior Court Judge Debra Todd who was fired after blowing the whistle on Councilman Jeff Koch's aide, tried to lodge a complaint and met with mixed results. Assistant City Solicitor Kate De Simone, obviously caught a little off guard by the effort, was nice as can be, offering to make up an ethics complaint form, pronto, and e-mail it to Mr. Phillips. But her offer came with three warnings:
"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.
After leaving the solicitor's office, Mr. Phillips wouldn't say whether he will file a complaint, but said he wasn't deterred by what Ms. De Simone said. "The length of the procedure seems untimely," he said. "I have no concern with perjury, because I don't plan to perjure myself."
But, he noted, "It definitely seemed the city is unprepared for something it has been working toward for a year."
OpenOffice.org 2.3 has been released. OpenOffice.org 2.3 is a *must* download. It not only includes a security fix, but also has some very cool new features. And, it works nicely with our growing number of extensions, hosted on our splendid
new extensions site.
* To download: http://download.openoffice.org/2.3.0/
* Extensions: http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/
* New features: http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/
New_Features_2.3
* Release notes: http://development.openoffice.org/releases/2.3.0.html
* Security bulletin: http://www.openoffice.org/security/bulletin.html
The Club for Growth 2008 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'Look,' laughed Toomey, 'Hillary Clinton will energize Republicans like nobody's business. ... Just wait until they hear Hillary Clinton give her acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention next summer.'
Salena Zito is a Trib editorial page columnist. Call her at 412-320-7879. E-mail her at szito@tribweb.com
The Open Minds Conference is the first national K-12 gathering for teachers, technicians and educational leaders to share and explore the benefits of open source in education. Virtual Learning Environments that provide 24X7 access to teaching and learning resources, cutting-edge and easy-to-use desktop applications, coupled with powerful management tools and low-cost computer strategies make the classroom of tomorrow available today!If I was controller, or if I was on city council, Pittsburgh would be hosting events and conferences like this throughout the year.
http://www.centerdigitaled.com/conference.php?confid=378
Pennsylvanians, others will rally outside U.S. Supreme Court on decision day Ballot Access News
On September 24 (Monday), the U.S. Supreme Court will hold an internal, private conference, to decide which cases to accept. On the agenda is consideration of the Pennsylvania ballot access case, Rogers v Cortes, 06-1721. The Court probably won?t announce what it has decided until a week later, October 1, the first day of the new term.
The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition will hold a rally on the Maryland Avenue side of the U.S. Supreme Court on September 24. The hope is that members of the Court will notice the rally. Speaking will be Bill Redpath, national chair of the Libertarian Party; Brent McMillan, national political director of the Green Party; any many Pennsylvania activists. A documentary film-maker is planning to film the rally.
Rampant Cronyism and Corruption: Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
As Republican Mark DeSantis presses on in his race against incumbent Democrat mayor Luke Ravenstahl, he must be more DeSantis and less Republican. Since just the thought of voting for a Republican for mayor is anathema to many local Democrats, DeSantis would have been better positioned as an independent.I've asked DeSantis to come clean on his R-ness. What kind of "R" is he, we all want to know.
In some areas, party affiliation means little more than embracing a party of convenience. Often, success comes as a result of merely running as a Republican and not being a Republican. It is a critical distinction when Democrat support is essential to victory.
Incumbent Ravenstahl's backers tout progress made - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The test will ratchet up a notch Monday, when Ravenstahl officially kicks off his general election bid to win the two years remaining on the unexpired term of the late Bob O'Connor.How does a former place kicker make a kick off? Is Ravenstahl kick-off a PUN?
CNews: Russian OS to be installed in every school: "Experts and market participants believe the terms stated by the Ministry of Communication are quite real. “Software distributives, developed on the basis of Linux and tested within 2007-2008 might actually be installed in schools by 2009 end”, "So, throughout every school in Russia, they are trashing Microsoft Windows. Bang. Gone. Nuked.
[412] Ethics, Schools, my P-G editorial board meeting, and a standing date to start "33 plan" (Thursday at 3:30 pm)If you don't get my email blasts, sign up at http://Rauterkus.com/mailman/listinfo/412-public-campaign.
Ron Paul’s Internet Blitz Continues: Campaign to Stream Live Video of Chicago Rally Saturday: "Presidential candidate Ron Paul will stream video on his website of a rally in Chicago this Saturday 3 PM CT. The campaign is expecting there to be a large crowd for the event.
Paul’s campaign has been doing an end around of traditional media by posting video of events on their website. This time the video will be live and has the potential to start a new trend in presidential campaigning.
Paul wrote on his website Thursday, ‘The world's elites are busy forming a North American Union. If they succeed, as they did in forming the European Union, the good ol’ USA will only be a memory. We cannot let that happen.’"
Former New York City Mayor and Republican Presidential contender Rudy Giuliani said this week that he was "liberals' worst nightmare." However, the truth is, Rudy Giuliani is everyone's worst nightmare.
That Rudy Giuliani is currently trying to cast himself as a conservative is beyond laughable--it is hilarious. This is a man who is unabashedly pro-abortion. He has been seen walking down Fifth Avenue with thousands of homosexuals demanding "gay rights." He himself is a cross-dresser. He has had numerous marriages and only God knows how many sexual affairs. He has been one of the country's most radical proponents of gun control. He made New York a sanctuary city for illegal aliens and is a strong proponent of amnesty for illegal aliens. As a prosecutor, his abuse of power and disregard for law are legendary.
(See http://www.lewrockwell.com/roberts/roberts208.html )
In addition, Rudy Giuliani is a senior partner in the law firm that "represents CITGO, the oil company controlled by Venezuela's anti-American and terrorist-supporting ruler Hugo Chavez." Giuliani's law firm also acts "as the exclusive legal counsel for Cintra, the Spanish firm that has been granted the right to operate a toll road in the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) project."
(Please read Cliff Kincaid's entire column for more on Giuliani's shady and untoward activities at http://www.newswithviews.com/Kincaid/cliff149.htm )
Yes, my friends, the umbilical cord connecting the SPP, NAFTA Superhighway and burgeoning North American Union is also connected to Rudy Giuliani.
Yet, Rudy Giuliani wants people to believe that he is "liberals' worst nightmare"? Who is he kidding? Giuliani is a liberal. Actually, Rudy Giuliani is worse than a liberal. He is a liberal that likes to hurt people. I tell you the truth, Rudy Giuliani scares me far more than Hillary Clinton does. Far more. I'll say it right here: if the 2008 Presidential election comes down to Hillary vs. Giuliani, Hillary is the "lesser of two evils." That's how bad Giuliani is.
Any Christian who would vote for Rudy Giuliani needs to check out his or her salvation. And before a conservative could vote for Giuliani, he would have to surrender every conviction and principle he ever held.
As for the Republican Party, if it nominates Rudy Giuliani as its Presidential candidate next year, conservatism will be forever vanquished from the Party. George W. Bush has already just about destroyed conservatism within the GOP. A Giuliani nomination would finish the job.
Rudy Giuliani likes to paint himself as being tough on terrorism. The truth is, Rudy Giuliani is a warmonger. A Giuliani Presidency would mean an expansion of military interventionism and preemptive war like you can't imagine. One can call me what one wants, but I am warning the American people, just as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Martin Niemoller tried to warn the German people about Hitler: Rudy Giuliani is a monster. Anyone who is paying attention knows this is true.
For example, just two days ago, Giuliani urged expanding NATO to include Australia, India, Israel, Japan, and Singapore, along with "a whole group of others that we could put on that list." As originally designed, NATO's purpose was to counterbalance the former Soviet Union's influence in Europe. However, Giuliani wants to expand NATO into a "global body." He also said he wants to "redouble" the war in Afghanistan. He further said the U.S. should consider the possibility of a "large war with a nation state." So, could Giuliani be planning a preemptive "large war" with other countries? One can only wonder.
Furthermore, if anyone thinks that George W. Bush is obsessed with domestic spying and surveillance, just wait until Giuliani becomes President. You can count on him pressing his anti-Fourth Amendment and anti-Second Amendment agendas to the nth degree through all sorts of executive orders and signing statements.
You can also expect amnesty for illegal aliens to be quickly achieved under a Giuliani administration, along with the completion of the North American Union and NAFTA Superhighway. Of course, this will also be the case if Hillary is elected President, except that if Hillary is leading the charge, many will oppose it; whereas if Giuliani leads the charge, they won't.
This brings up the other thing that makes a Giuliani Presidency so dangerous: the total lack of resistance that rank-and-file conservatives (including Christians) have demonstrated when Republicans control the White House. Absent resistance from his own
party and from grassroots conservatives, a Giuliani administration would be left free to perpetrate radical fascist and imperialistic policies completely unfettered.
Everything about Rudy Giuliani smacks of fraud, indecency, greed, and power-lust. Even the wave of 9/11, which Giuliani is riding to the Presidential election, is fraught with duplicity. In fact, New York City firefighters are so fearful their former mayor might succeed in his quest to become President that they came out against his candidacy in a dramatic video. I urge all my readers to watch this moving video presentation. See it at http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3367581&page=1
Yes, Rudy Giuliani is a nightmare all right. But not just for liberals. He is a nightmare for conservatives, Christians, independents, constitutionalists, and for people the world over. Furthermore, Rudy Giuliani is a threat to freedom, constitutional government, the rule of law, traditional morality, and to national sovereignty and independence. As I said, Rudy Giuliani is everyone's worst nightmare.
Teacher. Wordsmith. Madman. DAN CAN'T ADD or speak.
After Governor Ed Rendell announced this morning that the Penguins had signed a lease to stay in Pittsburgh through June of 2040, County Commissioner Dan Onorato told reporters:
If there was any doubts, they're here now for twenty-five years.
First of all, Dan, that should be were. If there were any doubts.
Second, and perhaps more importantly: this is 2007. The Penguins' lease runs through 2040. That means -- you know, in case there was any doubts -- that they're here now for thirty-three years.
You can see why people are already touting him for a run at the governor's mansion. With arithmetic and oratorical skills like those, he's ready for the White House.
CollegeSwimming.com::CSCAA's Whitten Calls for Head of Syracuse AD The Executive Director of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) called for the resignation of Syracuse University Athletics Director, Dr. Daryl Gross today.Great quote: "The arrogance of this man knows no bounds."
Circuit City shopper, city of Brooklyn resolve dispute over arrest - cleveland.comBrooklyn - The city prosecutor on Wednesday dropped a misdemeanor charge of obstructing official police business against Circuit City shopper Michael Righi.
And Righi agreed that a police officer did nothing wrong in arresting him after he refused to show his driver's license outside the store Sept. 1.
The agreement Wednesday brought to a close the case of the Pittsburgh man, who refused to produce a receipt to a store employee after leaving the store.
www. Michael Righi .com - Blog Archive - PPG: Photography Not Allowed: "I then proceeded to Third Avenue which runs between a few of the buildings. Here I took notice of two security guards relaxing outside a parking garage. Standing on the street about twenty feet away, I took two pictures of the towers around us before one of them shouted, “No pictures of the buildings!”
I could not believe it. Not that I don’t believe everything I read on the Internet (of course I do), but some things are just too stupid to believe if you don’t witness them for yourself. I mean, there I was standing on a public street taking pictures of a building in plain view from anywhere in town, and I was being told that this building was off-limits to photography. I wasn’t peeking through windows on a ladder, and I wasn’t crawling through the building’s ventilation system with a hidden camera in my shoe."
Steel City ladies love the grid iron - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "But female fans have their own way of watching the game. On The Burgh Blog, an online diary of sorts where an anonymous 'PittGirl' jots down her observations of her favorite city, anything with the words 'Big Ben' or 'Troy's Hair' is sure to get a big response.Steely McBeam should be re-named to Leaky McPipe and made to work to fix water main breaks.
'On my blog, the women tend to be more vocal when it comes to Steelers posts, I think possibly because I'm not writing about the 'spread' or the '3/4 versus 4/3' or other such 'huh?' topics,' PittGirl wrote in an e-mail. 'I'm writing about the players, the plays, the goof ups, the sights, the emotions of it all ... Sure there are plenty of female Steelers fans that could hold an intelligent conversation about the 'sweep,' but for a lot of women it's just a love of the game, a love of the rich and storied past, and a love for the honorable men that play it here in the Burgh.'
That love for the game is almost as hot as Steely McBeam's bushy eyebrows."
kdka.com - DeSantis Lays Out 5 Point Anti-Crime Plan
The Pittsburgh Comet: The DeSantis Anti-Crime Plan at a GlanceWTAE headline, DeSantis says he'd be tough on crime. That type of talk makes me wonder and be glad I'm running for city controller.
Pittsburgh Mayoral Candidate DeSantis Outlines Public Safety Plan - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh
City takes 'unfortunate' stance on police PFAsPFAs are a civil matter, ...
Jason laces em up.He has started a bid for his bib.
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