The Racial Equity Monitoring Project needs volunteers to monitor official meetings and hearings whose stated purpose is to provide equal opportunity and treatment for. Due to the high rate of regional disparities for African Americans, this will be the primary focus population.
WHY?
We deploy citizens to bring the processes of official agencies, offices, and bodies back to the community in order to ensure that meetings, policies, agencies and events designed to provide equal opportunity serve their established purpose. WHERE? REMP monitors public agencies including those related to employment, health, criminal justice, education, elections, economic development, construction and trades, and any agency that affects quality of life for the citizens of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.
WHO? YOU!
You don’t need to be an expert, just be willing to devote a few hours to helping ensure transparency and opportunity. We will provide you with training and supplies.
HOW? To get involved, contact Project Coordinator:
Celeste Taylor at talyor.celeste@gmail.com or 412-670-0937
The Racial Equity and Monitoring Project is an initiative of the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) has received funding from a Heinz Endowment seed grant.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Then you win. Sorry, this isn't a post about the Super Bowl and the MVP brothers
A group of people are working on a new title called with the working title of, "Then You Win." It is a documentary film project about non-violence movements in India. The aim is a release with the rights to copy, modify and distribute under Creative Commons license. To get them over the goal line -- now is the time for everybody’s help.
http://thenyouwin.yooook.orgFirst they ignore you.
Then they laugh at you.
Then they fight you.
Then you win.
Mahatma Gandhi.
Chad's rant included some sideline cheers about schools
Chad made a rant and hits everything under the sun -- including schools.
Opinion 250: The view from on high: "We're leaving more children behind than we (or they) can possibly count? Close a couple more schools, tinker with the curriculum, reassign some teachers and make noise about trying to save Schenley High School to shut some people up.I love the self-reliance theme.
We can barely keep up with our medical premiums and co-pays? Put your initials and your helipad atop the USX Tower, your phony Minutes on TV and your auditors on the trail of even more claims to deny. Instead of good schools and affordable health care, give the kids a couple of bucks for college, so long as you don't get double-dipped and other people pony up, too.
Sunday, February 03, 2008
MTV looking for activists - News
Sound check.... 1, 2, 3. Check, 1, 2, 3...
MTV looking for activists - News: "The popular MTV show has returned to Pittsburgh looking for 'activist types,' rather than the usual fun-loving characters, for its 21st season."
Why Ron Paul Doesn't Matter
The Republican candidacy for President of the United States has been a "different" type of process in 2008. It wasn't that long ago that we heard that the race to supplant President George W. Bush started too soon.
Now it's almost over.
A few weeks ago I wrote about how Ron Paul could raise untold millions in contributions and still mean absolutely nothing to the national election.
Last summer, Paul had his apex of importance. His fundraising outled John McCain's. He was roundly cheered on the Bill Maher "Love equals liberalism, no tolerance for conservatives" HBO program.
Ron Paul owns the "outsider" vote. Conservatives consider Paul a crackpot. Not quite the Dennis Kucinich crackpot, but an unviable candidate nonetheless.
And moderate Republicans have embraced John McCain. What's interesting is that some Conservative pundits would rather vote for Barack Obama before they'd vote for McCain.
Lost in the political pantheon is Mike Huckabee, who a mere month ago was considered the front runner. Conservatives, who have not had the luxury of a conservative candidate they could truly embrace, have begun to rally behind Mitt Romney; however, McCain is largely considered a lovable scamp by others like Rudy Guiliani (who inexplicably operated a non-existent campaign) and Arnold Schwazzeneger (who quietly championed amending the U.S. Constitution to allow a Terminator in the White House...or so the urban myth goes).
As the field of Republican candidates continues to dwindle, Romney is getting the true Conservative vote. Super Tuesday will determine whether or not Conservatives are disenfranchised enough to avoid the election altogether.
Paul is about a year older than McCain. That's something the Conservative base can't grab ahold of anytime soon. Paul is not a commanding figure. As argued previously, Paul does not exhibit a religious...read Christian...backbone. His biography is a nothing but a blueprint for a spiritual carpetbagger. Without those who take religion seriously, Paul doesn't come close to registering.
Paul's supporters are not Republicans. They are on the fringe. In many ways, they are the "anti-war," "marijuana" vote. They complain that Paul doesn't get coverage from mainstream media. He has done nothing to earn the coverage. He has not boasted a swell of support from voters.
Paul's "run away" from Iraq philosophy also doesn't resonate with conservative voters, and only mildly with moderate Republicans. "Cut and Run" is the John Murtha/Nancy Pelosi plan of no-attack. It is not conducive with Republicans, most of whom won't abandon our fighting men and women, here or overseas. That may be Ron Paul's biggest philosophical anchor in the Republican party. Had Paul stood up in the War on Terror, he might have recorded some conservative support.
In the election of 2008, Ron Paul should have made a difference. He hasn't and he won't. That's quite the mystery.
Sports and Exhibition Authority Reviews Recent Case of a Pirate's Sweatshop Monitor Detained in Bangladesh and Race Discrimination at New Era Cap
Original Posting from Feb 1 at 3 pm. Updated below:
Different worlds merge on Monday, from baseball to The Hill to Bangladesh and snuffing out a whistleblower. We are all connected in our big blue planet.
Different worlds merge on Monday, from baseball to The Hill to Bangladesh and snuffing out a whistleblower. We are all connected in our big blue planet.
February 1, 2008Update on Feb 3, 2008:
Pittsburgh Anti Sweatshop Community Alliance, Contact Kenneth Miller
412-241-1339
The Workers Rights Consortium (WRC) investigator in Bangladesh has been illegally detained, effectively disappeared. A description of events, confirmed by the US Embassy in Bangladesh:
Mehedi Hasan, a Bangladeshi national and a labor rights investigator for the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), was detained on January 24, in Dhaka, by the Bangladesh intelligence service and is being held for interrogation. The WRC, based in Washington, D.C., monitors labor practices at apparel factories on behalf of universities and government entities in the United States; it is clear that Mr. Hasan's arrest is related to the labor rights monitoring work he has performed on the WRC's behalf. It appears that the government plans to bring a number of bogus criminal charges against Mr. Hasan. Labor rights advocates in Bangladesh are very concerned that he will be physically mistreated while in custody.
In a letter of July 6, 2006 Ethan G Orlinsky of Major League Baseball wrote,
It appears that virtually all of MLBP headwear and apparel licensees authorized to distribute apparel in the United States are members of groups such as the Workers Rights Consortium…
Major League Baseball is NOT cooperating with the WRC. If they were, they would be requiring licensees to report the location of all factories and be actively supporting monitors like Mr. Hasan.
Companies like New Era, American Needle and Nike produce Pirates apparel in Bangladesh in the area where Mr. Hason is working. In some cases, Pirates apparel and university apparel is manufactured in the same factories.
In an earlier letter to the Pittsburgh Anti Sweatshop Community Alliance (PASCA) on April 2, 2006 Mr. Orlinsky brags about New Era baseball caps and Majestic baseball jerseys being manufactured in the United States. Unfortunately, many of the US factories are sweatshops as well. On Martin Luther King Day of this year, New Era workers at the plant in Mobile, Alabama protested a pattern and practice of race discrimination and a wave of illegal firings. Alongside them marched the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and United Students Against Sweatshops. New Era Cap has rejected the investigative efforts of the WRC.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, whose logo and apparel represent the City of Pittsburgh and who participate in Major League Baseball Properties Revenue Sharing Agreement, can have an appropriate impact by speaking out at this time. PASCA urges Frank Coonelly to represent Pittsburgh effectively:
Issue a statement expressing concern for Mehedi Hasan and demanding his immediate release. Assure WRC monitors access to factories sewing Pirates apparel.
Frank Coonelly should go to Mobile, Alabama himself and meet with the New Era workers. Deliver solidarity, as Roberto Clemente would do. Talk to the workers and demand that New Era's disclose the names and locations of ALL it's factories, and those of its subcontractors, sewing Pirates apparel.
Members of PASCA are hopeful that Frank Coonelly's tenure with the Pirates will be more productive for workers sewing Pirates apparel than was Kevin McClatchy's. PASCA is not asking him to collaborate with an already negligent Commissioners Office, but to take a stand for workers rights that will make Pittsburgh proud.
In a letter to participants at the 10th Annual Summit Against Racism, Dennis Brutus said, "The Pittsburgh Anti Sweatshop Community Alliance is asking for a Civil Rights Bridge…the Pirates use Pittsburgh as a platform to represent themselves. That representation is not sincere without accepting a responsibility, an obligation, to reflect our values."
Sports and Exhibition Authority (SEA) should use the anti sweatshop standards encoded in the City and County anti sweatshop ordinances. It should rely on the All-Star 2006 Anti Sweatshop Proclamation signed by then City Council President Luke Ravenstahl. The Sports and Exhibition Authority has a mandate, and precedence, to address these worker rights violations at its meeting on Monday.
The SEA Board will meet Monday February 4 at 1:30 on the 3rd floor of the David L Lawrence Convention Center. Call the SEA on Monday morning to confirm that no changes to the schedule have been made. 412-393-0200
The Chair of the SEA (joint appointment) is John Chalovich. Luke Ravenstahl's appointees are Jeff Koch, Tony Ross and State Senator Wayne Fontana. Dan Onorato's appoints are Rev. William Curtis, Dr. Edie Shapira and State Senator Sean Logan.
Members of the One Hill Coalition will be at the meeting to discuss the role they would like the Board to play in their negotiations with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Volunteers from the Black Political Empowerment Project's Racial Equity Monitoring Project will also attend.
www.iww.org and www.sweatfree.org/baseball
Dear Colleagues,
I am very happy to report that Mehedi Hasan was released on Sunday afternoon, Dhaka time. We have confirmed it directly with Mehedi himself. We also understand that the pending charges against him have been dropped; this is what the police have told Mehedi’s lawyer. Documents confirming this have not yet been received, however. We hope to know more soon about the government’s official position on the case and their intentions going forward. As you know, we have also been very concerned about how Mehedi was being treated in custody; we are awaiting information on this question.
We want to thank all of you for your efforts on this. Unquestionably, it was the pressure from foreign governments, buyers, and NGOS both in Bangladesh and around the world that secured Mehedi’s release. Your help is deeply appreciated.
As we know you are all aware, there are other labor rights advocates and worker leaders in Bangladesh who have been arrested and/or are facing unfair charges similar to those to which Mehedi was to be subjected. Police and judicial procedures under the state of emergency raise grave doubts about whether any of these cases will be adjudicated justly. There is also the ongoing problem of the government’s broader effort to repress labor rights advocacy and the exercise of associational rights by Bangadeshi workers. It is our hope that the energy mobilized on Mehedi’s behalf, which has been so effective in securing his release, can be maintained and directed toward the broader goal of protecting labor rights advocates and worker representatives throughout Bangladesh. We look forward to working with you toward that goal.
Please contact us if you have questions about this update. We will provide more information about the status of Mehedi’s case as we receive it.
Thank you again for your timely and effective action.
Best,
Scott Nova
Jeremy Blasi
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Some Bush budget details begin to leak. They don't look good for local economic drivers -- UPMC.
The AP has a good news article on the budget summary. Some of this is yet to hit. It is due on Monday.
Look at what GWB wants the US to spend on: India and China.
Plus, there are some big hits that might play out in Pittsburgh, with UPMC and the mega funding from medical grants.
You don't have to read between the lines to know who this could impact. ... The Bush budget would eliminate a $302 million program that gives grants to children's hospitals to subsidize medical education.
Look at what GWB wants the US to spend on: India and China.
Plus, there are some big hits that might play out in Pittsburgh, with UPMC and the mega funding from medical grants.
News from The Associated Press: "Funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program, the subject of an intense battle with Democrats last year, would increase by almost $20 billion over the next five years. An additional $6 billion is requested to finish a massive project to protect New Orleans from flooding. And the Food and Drug Administration would get a larger-than-average budget increase to send FDA staff overseas to inspect food and drugs imported into the United States.
Bush also backs $2 billion over three years to help get cleaner and more efficient energy technology to big polluters like India and China.
You don't have to read between the lines to know who this could impact. ... The Bush budget would eliminate a $302 million program that gives grants to children's hospitals to subsidize medical education.
Onorato's plans to privatize part of county's parks does NOT wash well with me
Most of all, I have no faith in Dan Onorato.
One can go 'outside the box' and be 'dead wrong.' After death, they put people in the box. Frankly, our region is dying -- because we are too often outside the box in a sense of doing what should NOT be done and failing to do what needs to be done.
Parks maintenance is 20 years behind the times -- so says Onorato. Well, Dan, that means as Allegheny County Executive -- you have been a total failure for the past five years. And, as county controller before that, you were a failure as well.
I agree that the parks are down and out in their conditions today because of neglect. Dan Onorato is to blame, mostly. Same too for the others on the Allegheny County Council.
Even when Onorato was on city council back in the late 1990s, Onorato did NOTHING for our parks.
They never give enough attention, effort and support to parks programs. And Jim Roddey thinks Onorato has been doing a wonderful job. Jim Roddey's big upgrade to the parks system was the addition of a jersey barrier at South Park in the wake of a senior driver who smashed up some pedestrians walking along the side of a road.
Well, at least we are not talking about Onorato's killing of the Geese.
The last time there was a 'parks master plan' with city government (not county), I went to a number of meetings. At the final meeting I made one very important suggestion. I suggested that the name of the final document be changed. They did not deliver a 'Master Plan' as titles and advertised. Rather, so as to stop fooling ourselves, the document should have been called a 'Parks Lesser Plan'.
Those were the days before there was much blogging.
We had a park facility very near to our house that was handed over in an effort of privatize its operations. The private owners invested in the physical building. They had a great partner too, as well as a boom market where the activities were wildly popular. Furthermore, there was a city-wide exclusive woven into the deal.
The city gave a 99-year lease to a guy name Paul S to operate its lone, indoor ice rink that is located in a large city owned park that is just behind South Side Hospital. A roof was constructed over the once outdoor ice rink and the Pittsburgh Penguins were tenants. They held their practices as the rink. Once, when the NHL held an All-Star Game in Pittsburgh, most of the NHL All-Stars went there for a practice too.
Today, that park and its rink is closed. It has been closed for years.
Dan Onorato could have -- and should have -- stepped up to the task of getting the County Parks to work a deal so as to 're-privatize that rink and its operation.'
Hell, Dan and Luke can't even come up with a Community Benefit Agreement for the NEW Penguins Arena so it blends well with the hopes of the city residents.
When the ice rink on the South Side started to 'skate on thin ice' -- and look weak around the edges, I made a few calls. I pushed our city council member, Gene Ricciardi, then chair of the Citiparks Committee, to investigate the situations. The lease called for a certain number of hours of public access to the facilities. That had been broken. The lease called for local hockey teams to have access to the rink for both games and practices. That was fleeting. They started to turn the rink into a place for concerts.
I asked for some city oversight. This was city property. There was a lease. Terms were not being upheld. And those in city government did NOTHING. They turned a blind eye on the folly that would happen. Who else remembers seeing the Zamboni driving down East Carson Street one night?
The city and county offer nothing in terms of management in this realm.
This is so frustrating.
To this day, the ice rink on the South Side sits vacant. And, every other month, I get phone calls -- yes, they call me -- from around the nation asking about the rink. Most recently, in December, a group from Florida wanted to send in a letter of understanding to the city to get the operation back on-track with that ice rink. I told them, 'good luck, and don't hold your breath.'
They are clueless.
Here is what I'd do. Call for a global discussion about the parks. Put everything on the table. Hell, I'll be happy to debate Onorato and Ravenstahl in five different parks in five different night to start off the discussions. The best outcome will include citizen engagement. And in short order, we should rip the ownership of the parks out of the grasp of those who work on Grant Street. We should wrestle the park's control and ownership away from Onorato and the rest of them by forming a NEW, consolidated, governmental entity -- the REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
I want elections, open meetings, Sunshine laws and public process for these public spaces with PARK TRUSTEES making all the decisions.
The state of Illinois, Barack's home state, has this model of government with PARK DISTRICTS. That is a good model and one that needs to be understood here.
The we take the RAD TAX and re-do it with an eye to the new Regional Park District. Two or three years later, we take ownership of the Stadium and Exibition Authority too. That should operate, as well as the stadiums -- under the umbrella of the Park District.
If Onorato really wants to promote "private ownership" of parts of these parks, then he should insist that the Pittsburgh Penguins own the new hockey arena. The Penguins are only going to lease the new building. Yet, the Penguins are going to call the shots. Everything in their world is upside down.
Onorato should sell Heinz Field, PNC Park and the new arena NOW -- before he sells off parts of Boyce Park, North Park, South Park, Settler's Cabin and Deer Lakes Park, etc.
Onorato discusses plans to privatize part of county's parksHere we go again. It wasn't too long ago when I railed against the 'thinking outside the box' plan of the PDP (Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership) in its efforts, along with Bob O'Connor originally, then Luke Ravenstahl, to put up WiFi in certain areas of downtown. Everyone else, mostly, thought that this was a great thing. Mindless boosterism can't be healthy either.
By Allison M. Heinrichs TRIBUNE-REVIEW
About 150 people gathered at Boyce Park this morning to discuss plans with Allegheny County officials to privatize part of all nine county parks. Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said he plans to put out for bids operation of ski slopes, golf courses, wave pools, horse stables and other amenities in the county's 12,000 acres of parks.
"There's no reason we shouldn't be making money on these facilities," said Onorato, who spoke at a town hall meeting in the Boyce Park ski lodge. "We need to think outside the box."
Onorato said the parks are 20 years behind on maintenance. He said he has set aside $10 million to match dollar-for-dollar any private money raised for park improvements in the next year.
For more information visit www.alleghenycounty.us and click on the Parks Action Plan.
Allison M. Heinrichs can be reached at aheinrichs@tribweb.com or 412-380-5607.
One can go 'outside the box' and be 'dead wrong.' After death, they put people in the box. Frankly, our region is dying -- because we are too often outside the box in a sense of doing what should NOT be done and failing to do what needs to be done.
Parks maintenance is 20 years behind the times -- so says Onorato. Well, Dan, that means as Allegheny County Executive -- you have been a total failure for the past five years. And, as county controller before that, you were a failure as well.
I agree that the parks are down and out in their conditions today because of neglect. Dan Onorato is to blame, mostly. Same too for the others on the Allegheny County Council.
Even when Onorato was on city council back in the late 1990s, Onorato did NOTHING for our parks.
They never give enough attention, effort and support to parks programs. And Jim Roddey thinks Onorato has been doing a wonderful job. Jim Roddey's big upgrade to the parks system was the addition of a jersey barrier at South Park in the wake of a senior driver who smashed up some pedestrians walking along the side of a road.
Well, at least we are not talking about Onorato's killing of the Geese.
The last time there was a 'parks master plan' with city government (not county), I went to a number of meetings. At the final meeting I made one very important suggestion. I suggested that the name of the final document be changed. They did not deliver a 'Master Plan' as titles and advertised. Rather, so as to stop fooling ourselves, the document should have been called a 'Parks Lesser Plan'.
Those were the days before there was much blogging.
We had a park facility very near to our house that was handed over in an effort of privatize its operations. The private owners invested in the physical building. They had a great partner too, as well as a boom market where the activities were wildly popular. Furthermore, there was a city-wide exclusive woven into the deal.
The city gave a 99-year lease to a guy name Paul S to operate its lone, indoor ice rink that is located in a large city owned park that is just behind South Side Hospital. A roof was constructed over the once outdoor ice rink and the Pittsburgh Penguins were tenants. They held their practices as the rink. Once, when the NHL held an All-Star Game in Pittsburgh, most of the NHL All-Stars went there for a practice too.
Today, that park and its rink is closed. It has been closed for years.
Dan Onorato could have -- and should have -- stepped up to the task of getting the County Parks to work a deal so as to 're-privatize that rink and its operation.'
Hell, Dan and Luke can't even come up with a Community Benefit Agreement for the NEW Penguins Arena so it blends well with the hopes of the city residents.
When the ice rink on the South Side started to 'skate on thin ice' -- and look weak around the edges, I made a few calls. I pushed our city council member, Gene Ricciardi, then chair of the Citiparks Committee, to investigate the situations. The lease called for a certain number of hours of public access to the facilities. That had been broken. The lease called for local hockey teams to have access to the rink for both games and practices. That was fleeting. They started to turn the rink into a place for concerts.
I asked for some city oversight. This was city property. There was a lease. Terms were not being upheld. And those in city government did NOTHING. They turned a blind eye on the folly that would happen. Who else remembers seeing the Zamboni driving down East Carson Street one night?
The city and county offer nothing in terms of management in this realm.
This is so frustrating.
To this day, the ice rink on the South Side sits vacant. And, every other month, I get phone calls -- yes, they call me -- from around the nation asking about the rink. Most recently, in December, a group from Florida wanted to send in a letter of understanding to the city to get the operation back on-track with that ice rink. I told them, 'good luck, and don't hold your breath.'
They are clueless.
Here is what I'd do. Call for a global discussion about the parks. Put everything on the table. Hell, I'll be happy to debate Onorato and Ravenstahl in five different parks in five different night to start off the discussions. The best outcome will include citizen engagement. And in short order, we should rip the ownership of the parks out of the grasp of those who work on Grant Street. We should wrestle the park's control and ownership away from Onorato and the rest of them by forming a NEW, consolidated, governmental entity -- the REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
I want elections, open meetings, Sunshine laws and public process for these public spaces with PARK TRUSTEES making all the decisions.
The state of Illinois, Barack's home state, has this model of government with PARK DISTRICTS. That is a good model and one that needs to be understood here.
The we take the RAD TAX and re-do it with an eye to the new Regional Park District. Two or three years later, we take ownership of the Stadium and Exibition Authority too. That should operate, as well as the stadiums -- under the umbrella of the Park District.
If Onorato really wants to promote "private ownership" of parts of these parks, then he should insist that the Pittsburgh Penguins own the new hockey arena. The Penguins are only going to lease the new building. Yet, the Penguins are going to call the shots. Everything in their world is upside down.
Onorato should sell Heinz Field, PNC Park and the new arena NOW -- before he sells off parts of Boyce Park, North Park, South Park, Settler's Cabin and Deer Lakes Park, etc.
Thomas Jefferson Think Tank gig -- Melissa Hart
FWIW.
Come Meet and Listen to Melissa HartA mention here does NOT imply an endorsement. For additional insights on various events and dates in the region, be sure to check out my public google calendar.
Last month, we began our series that addresses the question of the proper role of government in the 21st century. Is it the same as our Founding Fathers envisioned and if not, how and why?
We began to outline a view of the role of government as described in the Federal and State constitutions. The comments, questions, and suggestions came fast and furious for the whole evening. This month’s should be no different because….
This month, former Congresswoman (and current Congressional candidate) Melissa Hart will join us to give her views on the proper role of the federal government. Perhaps we will gain some insights from her time in Congress on how others (from both sides of the aisle) view the subject. This is your chance to hear how government works from someone who’s been there, and plans to be again.
So please join us for what promises to be an informative and enjoyable evening with Melissa Hart.
Come early to enjoy the food, drink, and bring a friend. We will see you Wednesday, February 6, 2008 located at Silvioni’s, 2125 Babcock Boulevard. Dinner will be served until 7:00 pm. The meeting will start at approximately 7:15 pm.
'08 Hopefuls To Talk With MTV, MySpace and The Fix - The Fix
Thanks goodness. I hope that McCain and Romney do NOT show up. Then, perhaps, they will get some time to the good doctor.
'08 Hopefuls To Talk With MTV, MySpace and The Fix - The Fix: "Tomorrow night marks the culmination of those dialogues with a 90-minute extravaganza featuring four of the six candidates still in the race -- Sens. Barack Obama (Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) for the Democrats, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) for the Republicans.
Mark C's LTE @ ski slopes at Boyce
I had a LTE in the Pittsburgh Trib today (2/1/2007) where I resurrected an older LTE from another paper about the funding of ski lift renovations to a county park. The Trib reported on the reopening of those ski slopes.
My angle was that this older story has something in common with a very recent controversy where bus transit is subsidized in Allegheny County by additional taxes on poured alcohol and on rental cars.
They must have liked that angle because they made it the lead LTE and highlighted its quote "What's next? Will we ... mine reclamation?" at the top of the LTE section.
Mark
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/letters/send/s_550244.html
Misappropriations
Boyce Park improvements cost about $1 million ("Dozens take to renovated Boyce Park slopes," Jan. 27 and PghTrib.com), but about $550,000 came from the Growing Greener 2 program.
The May 2005 ballot referendum authorizing GG2 asked:
"Do you favor authorizing the Commonwealth to borrow up to $625,000,000 for the maintenance and protection of the environment, open space and farmland preservation, watershed protection, abandoned mine reclamation, acid mine drainage remediation and other environmental initiatives?"
Magic carpet lifts, snow tubing and other renovations sound like fun, but I can't find mention of them in the above referendum.
We tax alcohol and rental cars to pay for bus service. We "re-appropriate" money for acid mine remediation to pay for ski lifts and snow tube slopes.
What's next? Will we raise bus fares to pay for acid mine reclamation? Will we increase Boyce Park lift ticket fees to pay for targeted bar and rental-car tax relief?
Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato will be at the Boyce Park Ski Lodge on Saturday for a town hall meeting. Maybe
he can explain it, unless the meeting is re-appropriated as a gubernatorial campaign rally.
Mark Crowley of Plum
Edge of Sports tackles wellness on Super Bowl Weekend
Edge of Sports Apparently it’s not killer bees, sleeper cells, or flesh eating viruses we are supposed to fear this week. According to the mainstream media, it’s the Super Bowl that’s hazardous to our health.
The LA Times ran an article this week titled, 'Sports is a strain on fans' hearts'. 'In Germany,' the piece opened, 'a study finds a spike in heart attacks on soccer game days. Super Bowl viewers, take heed.'
Friday, February 01, 2008
Life in the dial-up lane - Pennsyltucky Politics
How good can a hard-hitting blogger be if he can't tread water while wearing cement boots? See, it pays to be a swim coach and a political blogger stirring for a revolution or two -- in the same lifetime.
Life in the dial-up lane - Pennsyltucky Politics: "Since we prefer our swimming to be without cement blocks and DeNaples supposedly has ties to the Bufalino crime family, we're going to be nicer than usual and let you read all about the charges elsewhere.
Gov Workers Devote Time to Wikipedia
Team 4: See How Govt. Employees Waste Time On Web - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh: "Now there's a way to see who's making those edits, and Team 4 found thousands of edits done by government employees on government time using government computers. And few of those edits have anything to do with government business.I run a wiki. I have not been updating it as much as I should. Perhaps I could contract with the government workers to keep the content more up to date.
They might look like busy bureaucrats, but some of them have been obsessing over Ben Roethlisberger, Beyonce and James Bond. Those names are among the hundreds of Wikipedia pages Team 4 found to be favorites of local, state and federal government employees.
On the other hand - who in this story has too much time on their hands?
Lurch, the character in the TV show, The Munsters, may NOT play the harp. But, the real point is who cares? This is NOT newsworthy. The media professionals are worried about wiki edits and making them newsworthy.
The day that wiki edits are newsworthy -- then we should all celebrate because there wasn't an ice storm, schools operated so well that everyone was educated and the rest of our political troubles have been eliminated.
Get back to work government workers. And, most of all, we need journalist who are real watchdogs. The Paul Van Osdol's of the world at WTAE Challen 4 Action News needs to become more clever with understanding what's what. His nose for news needs an overhaul.
It seems to me that there is shit all around the region -- and -- we've got the mainstream media looking for, counting and slaving on a few of the most meaningless pimples on the butt of life.
By the way, does Dr. Cyril Wecht need anything, such as a lift to the airport or else his wikipedia page updated?
Message from Ron Paul
America became the greatest, most prosperous nation in history through low taxes, constitutionally limited government, personal freedom, and a belief in sound money. We need to return to those principles so our economy can thrive once again.
Other candidates talk a lot about stimulus packages, but my record stands alone. I have fought for these measures in Congress as the Ranking Member on the House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology, and as a member of the Joint Economic Committee, and will fight for their passage as president.
My plan entails four points: Tax Reform, Spending Reform, Monetary Policy Reform, and Regulatory Reform.
Tax reform means reducing the tax burden and eliminating taxes that punish investment and savings, including job-killing corporate taxes. If we cut spending to the level it was at under the Clinton administration, we can permanently do away with the income tax and the IRS. No true conservative would say that government was too small during the Clinton years!
There are several steps we can take to immediately ease the tax burden. I have proposed H.J. Res 23, which would repeal the Sixteenth Amendment and thus eliminate income, estate, and capital gains taxes. H.R. 191 would repeal President Clinton's 1993 increase in taxes on Social Security benefits, while H.R. 192 would repeal all taxes on Social Security benefits. I also support legislation to accelerate depreciation on investment and end the practice of taxing forgiven mortgage debt.
In the area of spending reform, I want to eliminate wasteful spending, reduce overseas commitments, and freeze all non-defense, non-entitlement spending at current levels. I never vote for pork-laden bills, and I will veto them and any unbalanced budget as president. We need to refocus our national defense so that we guard our own borders, instead those of other nations. We can save billions if we stop subsidizing our trading partners in Europe, Japan, South Korea and other nations. Congress does not have the constitutional authority to send out foreign aid, and our current foreign policy of nation building is bankrupting us.
Monetary policy reform means expanding openness at the Federal Reserve and requiring the Fed to televise its meetings, as well as returning to sound money. Washington's disastrous fiscal policies, marked by shameless deficit spending and Federal Reserve currency devaluation, are some of the greatest threats facing our nation today. It is this one-two punch — Congress spending more than it can tax or borrow, and the Treasury printing money to make up the difference -- that threatens to impoverish us by further destroying the value of our dollars. It's time to end the fiat money system, legalize competing currencies, and restore soundness to our dollar.
Finally, we need to institute true regulatory reform by repealing Sarbanes/Oxley's regulations that push companies to seek capital outside of U.S. markets. Congress' rush to action after the Enron scandal gave us a bill that has heavily burdened small businesses and driven companies offshore. I also support repealing federal regulations that prevent financial institutions such as independent and community banks and credit unions from fostering economic growth.
A true package to stimulate the economy not only puts money back in Americans' pockets, it deals with the underlying causes of our current situation - an out-of-control foreign policy, runaway deficit spending, and currency devaluation brought on by the Federal Reserve's inflationary policies. When enacted, my plan will provide both short-term stimulus and lay the groundwork for long-term prosperity.
Racial Equity Volunteers to Monitor Monday School Board Committee Meeting
Press Contacts: Celeste Taylor, 412-670-0937 & Tim Stevens, 412-758-7898I think that this is one of the first significant sightings of Michael Lamb since he was sworn into office. Well, to be fair, so far Mr. Lamb has:
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Pittsburgh -- In response to the Pittsburgh Public Schools reluctance to enact recommended improvements in Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) practices, Racial Equity Monitors will be deployed to Monday's School Board Meeting.
Monday's PPS MBWE meeting provides the first full discussion of recommendations made to the board by Dr. Ralph Bangs in June 2007. These recommendations would move the district forward in ensuring that employees and contractors for PPS reflected the diversity of the population it serves. Most municipalities, including State and Federal levels, have such hiring/contracting stipulations.
The Racial Equity Monitoring Project (REMP) will deploy observers in order to monitor the meeting. The monitors will not only gather information but serve as a conduit to the community so that the Board can be held accountable for both progress and delays. "Though the meeting is an important step, we need to make sure that it represents a step towards real and tangible results," stated Celesete Taylor, Project Coordinator. "We will have monitors there to ensure that the School Board knows the public expects them to honor these commitments, as well as to keep these proceedings in the light of public scrutiny."
Also attending Monday's meeting will be Michael Lamb, City Controller. The controllers office is planning an audit this spring of the Pittsburgh Public Schools specific to facilities management and MBWE compliance. This audit will go hand in hand with REMP's efforts to create transparency and accountability.
The Racial Equity Monitoring Project (REMP), helps bring the processes of official agencies back to the community in order to ensure that meetings, policies, agencies and events designed to provide equal opportunity and treatment for minorities (particularly African Americans) serve their established purpose. The project, an initiative of the Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) receives funding from a Heinz Endowment seed grant.
What: Monitoring School Board MWBE Committee Meeting
When: Monday, February 4, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Board Committee Room
341 South Bellefield Avenue, Oakland
1. On election night, he claimed he wanted to hire outside consultants.
2. The outside consultants were to do an audit of the city's auditors.
3. Spoke after talking the oath of office and told everyone of meeting his wife -- and how he picked her up at a bar -- but is very good with numbers!
4. Made mention somewhere that the workers in the office will look professional. Did they get the new threads yet? Logo shirts drive productivity in Grant Street offices, right?
5. Showed up at the Black & White Reunion. Good.
6. ... what else ... ???
Ronald Regan Quotes
"Here’s my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose."
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I’m here to help."
"No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."
"I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress."
"The taxpayer: That’s someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t take the civil service exam."
"Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other."
"If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."
"I’ve laid down the law, though, to everyone from now on about anything that happens: no matter what time it is, wake me, even if it’s in the middle of a Cabinet meeting."
"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first. Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book."
"Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong."
The American Dream — 51st wedding anniversary is today
A wonderful American story, with deep Pittsburgh roots, is shared.
The American Dream — Ron Paul 2008 Ron delivered newspapers in grade school early in the morning. You had to put the newspapers inside the screen doors and not just throw them in the yard. And speaking of yards, he mowed a lot of lawns, and he didn't have a self-propelled lawnmower. He paid for his first year of college with newspaper and lawn-mowing money.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Proposal for citywide wireless Internet aborted
Told ya.
Bob wanted WiFi for the All Star game -- so Pittsburgh could show itself off like Spokane and about 30-other cities that had wi-fi for limited coverage at sidewalk levels for 120 minutes of use without charge in an unsecure network.
I called for and wanted free wifi for everyone in the city -- not just downtown locations.
We need wifi in neighborhoods where kids do homework and where people who don't have upscale condos reside.
Putting wifi downtown was the best way to guarantee that it would NOT go anywhere else. They got to pick our cherries -- taking a grant to do so. We got screwed.
And, the downtown wifi carrier deal dried up a few months ago anyway. It went bust. It has failed in a miserable fashion. Use is light. Others have scrambled to pick up the pieces.
The city administration does what it generally does -- nothing. They'll wait. They'll do too little, too late. They'll keep squandering the opportunities. They'll let the digital divide grow wider and deeper.
Plus, they are not meeting about it. They are not calling for open RFPs. They are not trying to instigate anything with open conversations.
There is a new push to make cameras spy on citizens -- at red lights, on public streets -- but no push to make the infrastructure work for citizens, just against us.
Proposal for citywide wireless Internet aborted: "Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's administration has shelved an effort to extend wireless Internet access to computer users citywide.First off, when Bob O'Connor goes down in history as the one who took Pittsburgh out of the dark ages in the information world -- we've got problems.
Bob wanted WiFi for the All Star game -- so Pittsburgh could show itself off like Spokane and about 30-other cities that had wi-fi for limited coverage at sidewalk levels for 120 minutes of use without charge in an unsecure network.
I called for and wanted free wifi for everyone in the city -- not just downtown locations.
We need wifi in neighborhoods where kids do homework and where people who don't have upscale condos reside.
Putting wifi downtown was the best way to guarantee that it would NOT go anywhere else. They got to pick our cherries -- taking a grant to do so. We got screwed.
And, the downtown wifi carrier deal dried up a few months ago anyway. It went bust. It has failed in a miserable fashion. Use is light. Others have scrambled to pick up the pieces.
The city administration does what it generally does -- nothing. They'll wait. They'll do too little, too late. They'll keep squandering the opportunities. They'll let the digital divide grow wider and deeper.
Plus, they are not meeting about it. They are not calling for open RFPs. They are not trying to instigate anything with open conversations.
There is a new push to make cameras spy on citizens -- at red lights, on public streets -- but no push to make the infrastructure work for citizens, just against us.
Detroit's mayor has issues with lies and other horizontal conditions
Is anyone in Pittsburgh following the life in the big-city turn of events of Detroit's mayor? We all know Detroit -- home to SuperBowl XL, The Bus, Don Barden and one-party folly with economic conditions not too distant from our own.
Class Dismissed - cover story in Pgh's City Paper on Pgh Public Schools
This is an excellent news feature and cover story.
Class Dismissed - Everyone knows the risks of keeping Schenley High School open. But school supporters say little thought is being given to the dangers of shutting it down. - Main Feature - Main Feature - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh Class Dismissed - Everyone knows the risks of keeping Schenley High School open. But school supporters say little thought is being given to the dangers of shutting it down.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
A Time of Reckoning for Us All -- Tom K's call to action, again -- with his outlook in for the long haul
Tom Kawczynski posted:
Good Evening,
Like many of you, I spent this evening watching the debate on CNN. What really struck me about what I saw was that outside of the ideas being expressed by Ron Paul, the Republican Party has a complete lack of vision. It comes across as a party of convenience, where its own candidates do not support its core principles, and where all it has to offer is haggard endurance in an interminable conflict. It is a party breaking at the seams, because it has lost itself.
I don't know how many of you know this but the first convention for the Republican Party was actually held here in Pittsburgh in 1856. Although imperfect then, people were drawn together by the dual love of their nation and their liberties, and knew that something better could be created. It seems to me that a similar opportunity may present itself here.
While we cannot know precisely how and when this election will end, we do know that the Ron Paul chose the Republican Party as his vehicle, and has stated publicly that he did so because of respect for the tradition of respecting individual liberty. We know that he brought forward his message to reach us and to try to change things. We know that he gave thirty years in this fight for the chance he has earned to get the message out there. What we don't know is just this: What will we do with this gift?
The time of testing is coming for us all where we will each and every one of us have to ask what this movement has meant. Was it about one man from Texas talking about liberty and the Constitution and some kids and some outcasts thinking that this sounded pretty good? Or, was it the birth of something greater: An American renewal and a generational fight to reclaim the liberties that we have allowed to disappear?
From watching tonight, from having been within the party, from having spoken to the public, and from seeing how much we all care, I know that what we are saying is needed. Maybe the message isn't getting through as clearly yet as it should, but when it does, and when people understand that we are offering not only the best, but the only chance to live free, they will stand behind us. But it will not be decided this election, in any one election, and if we are to succeed, we have to accept this.
The opportunity exists for us to accomplish something locally that is both audacious and necessary. We can take the message of Ron Paul, of limited government, personal responsibility, and respect for the Constitution, and transform the political network within the Republican Party to reflect that desire. It will not be easy, but working together, we can do this and I believe we should.
Right now, I know this isn't the question on all of your minds, but I want you to think about this one thing. What does the message mean to you? I cannot answer that for others, but I will tell you that I am here for the long haul fight, as hard as that will be, and I know that others feel the same way. I've seen it, and I have faith. I have faith in our ideas, and I have faith in all of you, because I know you know the truth, and you can't look away from that once you've seen it.
You might get your heart broken. You might cry. You might scream. You might get angry at the whole world for not understanding. But you can't give up, because if you do, you give up who you are, and there is nothing worth that cost. So we fight, but we get smarter, we get stronger, and we make the difference. Whatever happens on Super Tuesday, it is one day, and only one day in a battle that will be fought over many years.
On February 7th, I'm going to host a meeting to talk about where we go through and beyond this campaign, and I hope as many of you as possible will attend. If we let all the strength we have built go to nothing, only then will we truly be done. I hope to see you then.
Until then, keep spreading the message.
Yours,
Tom
Let's talk about an Olympic Pig in a Poke
SI.com - More Sports - Beijing, Olympics going Kosher - Wednesday January 30, 2008 4:09PM Beijing and the Olympics are going Kosher.So, we learn that the Olympics are going Koser, in Beijing. Meanwhile, there is ONE small Kosher restaurant in the Olympic City of more than 17-million people. Oh, a second may open too.
"Sometimes I just think too much," so said Bruce A. Kraus
Ugh.... It is hard to watch the city cablecast of council meetings. It has always been painful. Now it is more unpleasant.
Edwards Is Dropping Out
Edwards Is Dropping Out - The Caucus - Politics - New York Times BlogEdwards Is Dropping OutWe were wishing for Rudy to exit. But, John Edwards beat him to the punch.
Rudy G, the ex-gov of NYC, the guy who speaks with a subject, verb and 9-11, spent from $35 Million to $50-Million and got ONE delegate (from Nevada). That's some expensive delegate.
I'd say Rudy has 1,000 times the press coverage of Ron Paul in this campaign. He was the front runner for months. He was getting great press when he was getting last.
If Rudy had gone full-speed in the earliest states, he would have been bonked out by now. He put all the eggs in the Florida basket if you don't count the other ones he already cooked elsewhere -- hence that $50-m price tag.
Aother school suggestion. I could live with this.
Regarding the news about schools in today's paper, this email came in.
The press release from PPS:
Doesn't mean they aren't going ahead with moving programs here and there (see below), but saying they'll look harder at saving the building is a first step to, well, making sure there's still a building available there!
One of the suggestions made to the school board by parents was to consider putting University Prep and the IB High School together (at a renovated Schenley). Two rigorous programs with a college emphasis, but more choices of classes, greater chance of integration and maintaining a Schenley spirit, and enough kids for sports, musicals, and extracurricular activities.
The press release from PPS:
District Recommends Opening University Prep
School With Only a 9th Grade Academy for 2008-09 School Year
Pittsburgh Vann and Pittsburgh Miller Remain K-8s for 2008-09 School Year
Pittsburgh Frick to Add 9th Grade; Current Schenley Students to Move Intact to Reizenstein
PITTSBURGH, January 29, 2008 – At its workshop today, the Board discussed details of the District’s vision for Year Two of Excel.9-12, The Plan for High School Excellence. Excel.9-12 is a multi-year plan focused on the redesign and restructure of the District’s high schools and improvement of student achievement. Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and Chief of High School Reform Derrick Lopez provided an update on the District’s Excel.9-12 Year Two recommendations. Tonight, the District recommended the adjustment of Year Two plans to phase in the creation of the University Prep 6-12 school, beginning with the 9th grade, for the start of the 2008-09 school year. Additionally, it is recommended that Pittsburgh Vann and Pittsburgh Miller remain K-8 schools for the 2008-09 school year.
“9th grade is a pivotal year in terms of high school success or failure,” said Superintendent Roosevelt. “Beginning a university partnership school with a 9th Grade Academy will be critical to creating a culture of success and a truly substantive District and university partnership.”
9th Grade Academy - High School Readiness
In September 2007, over 2,300 of the District’s 9th grade students gathered at Heinz Field for a kick off event celebrating the 9th Grade Nation. The 9th Grade Academy will be used to bridge middle years instruction to the higher level instruction students will face in secondary school. The District plans to institute 9th Grade Academies at all secondary schools.
Pittsburgh First University Prep School
The District is currently formalizing plans with the University of Pittsburgh to create Pittsburgh’s First University Prep School 6-12 at the Milliones facility. Upon completion, this school will become a national center for excellence in public education and a model for school district/university partnerships. Additionally, this school will provide an opportunity for the University of Pittsburgh’s faculty to have a meaningful impact on Pittsburgh Public Schools students. Upon Board approval, the District recommends opening the school with only the 9th grade non-magnet Schenley feeder students for the start of the 2008-09 school year. For the start of the 2009-10 school year, the school will house grades 6-10 adding the middle years 6-8 and 10th grade. Each year that follows a grade will be added until the first class graduates in 2012.
The following is also recommended:
• Pittsburgh Vann K-8 to remain a K-8 school for the 2008-09 school year.
• Pittsburgh Vann will close at the start of the 2009-10 school year requiring the relocation of Pittsburgh Vann K-5 to either Pittsburgh Weil Pre-K-8 and or to Pittsburgh Miller PreK-5.
• 6-8 students from Pittsburgh Vann will relocate to either Pittsburgh Weil or the new University Prep 6-12 for the start of the 2009-10 school year.
• Pittsburgh Miller PreK-8 will become a PreK-5 school in 2009-10. 6-8 students from Pittsburgh Miller will attend the University Prep School for the start of the 2009-10 school year.
Additional Excel.9-12 Year Two Recommendations
Current Pittsburgh Schenley Students to Move Intact to Reizenstein
Year Two plans for Excel.9-12, The Plan for High School Excellence have been adjusted to phase in the creation of the District’s four new 6-12 “learning communities.” New plans include the relocation of current Pittsburgh Schenley High School students intact to the Reizenstein facility, delay the closure of Pittsburgh Frick 6-8 until the start of the 2009-10 school year and phasing in the District’s first University Prep school with a 9th grade class.
Current Schenley students will graduate with a Pittsburgh Schenley diploma.
In addition to the relocation of the current Schenley students to Reizenstein for the start of the 2008-09 school year, the Year Two plan reassigns incoming 9th grade students scheduled to attend Pittsburgh Schenley to the following locations:
• International Baccalaureate and International Studies program students to attend Pittsburgh Frick
• Robotics Technology magnet students will attend the Robotics Technology Magnet program at Peabody
• Non-magnet Schenley feeder students will attend the University Prep School at the Milliones facility.
The approximately 174 students currently enrolled at the Robotics Technology magnet at Pittsburgh Schenley will relocate with their classmates to the Reizenstein Facility and take Robotics Technology magnet courses at Pittsburgh Peabody.
Additionally, the Plan calls for:
• The consolidation of Pittsburgh Rogers CAPA 6-8 and Pittsburgh CAPA High School into one 6-12 thematic learning community to create Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 for the start of the 2009-2010 school year.
• The opening of a Science & Technology program for 2009-2010.
• Reizenstein to House 6-12 International Baccalaureate Program for the start of the 2009-2010 School Year
The District will open a fully accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) Program in the Reizenstein building to create Pittsburgh IB World 6-12 for the start of the 2009-10 school year. Currently, the District has an IB Diploma Program at Schenley High School for 11th and 12th grade students and is currently in the application process to institute a Middle Years Program (MYP) at Pittsburgh Frick 6-8. These two programs will merge to create one of the first comprehensive international baccalaureate middle years and diploma programs in a U.S. urban district. Pittsburgh Frick 6-9 students will relocate to Pittsburgh IB 6-12 School beginning in the 2009-10 school year. Additional classes will be added each year as current Schenley students graduate.
Pittsburgh Rogers CAPA 6-8 to Combine With Pittsburgh CAPA High School
Combining the District’s total Creative and Performing Arts curricula will optimize the state-of-the-art resources currently deployed at Pittsburgh CAPA’s downtown location. The Board approved the purchase and renovation of three additional floors at the downtown facility to house all of its 6 -12 CAPA students in one location, thus creating a cohesive learning community to be completed for the 2009-10 school year.
Board Votes on Excel.9-12, the Plan for High School Excellence
At today’s workshop, the Superintendent shared with the Board anticipated items that will be brought forth for a Board vote in February. These items include:
• Movement of Pittsburgh Schenley student grades 10-12 to Reizenstein for start of 2008-2009 school year;
• Opening of Milliones facility to house a 6-12 University Prep School;
• Addition of the 9th grade to Pittsburgh Frick;
• Movement of the robotics program at Pittsburgh Schenley to Pittsburgh Peabody for the 2008-2009 school year.
The Board will not be asked to vote on the closing of the Schenley facility at its February legislative meeting as additional time is warranted to explore renovation possibilities.
District Recommends Opening University Partnership School with 9th Grade Academy
Public Participation in the Process
There are several other ways for the community to share their comments regarding the Year Two plan for high school reform:
• Write to the Division of Communications, Pittsburgh Public Schools, 341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh,
PA 15213; or,
• Phone or email the Parent Hotline at (412)622-7920 or parenthotline@pghboe.net.
Additional Information
The public can also review plans for Year Two of Excel.9-12: The Plan for High School Excellence by visiting the Pittsburgh Public Schools web site at www.pps.k12pa.us, visiting the Division of Communications, Room 201, or by requesting a copy by calling the Parent Hotline at (412)622-7920.
Marty's Army call to action
So, a property tax cut for seniors means everyone else will pay more. A property tax cut for seniors means that the school districts will have less income and the future generation gets the shaft again.
I need your help right now! This is what we’ve been waiting for! Here's our opportunity to create change in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians.
In what’s being called a “dramatic turn,” the state House just last night voted 159-36 to eliminate school property taxes for low income seniors.
Remember, the House was supposed to discuss raising sales and income tax. House members dropped that idea and finally followed the will of the people!
Folks -- this is a big deal! But here’s the catch: It needs another favorable vote before it moves to the Senate.
This is what we want: TAX CUTS, not TAX INCREASES!
We all need to call our state representatives TODAY! Call ten times if necessary! Tell them you support the tax cut plan.
If you don’t know who your state rep is, ask someone! Look in the phone book! But do it.
Folks, you know our elected leaders respond to phone calls. They respond to pressure. Please take five minutes out of your day and call or e-mail them. Beg them to follow through!
Please do me a favor and forward this e-mail to ten of your friends. Then listen to The Inside Story with Marty Griffin 9 am-noon on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA. Let's make out leaders listen!
We can make a difference and we can create change. We MUST do it together.
Remember one voice a whisper, but our voice a roar!
Thanks again….
Marty Griffin
Kids do not vote. Kids don't listen to Marty's Army either.
I would make a better deal, a different offer. I too like low taxes.
The state should eliminate the deed transfer tax. That way Seniors can easily sell their homes and reclaim its value and downsize without a huge sums of money going out of the transaction to the state for taxes. Penalties associated with the deed transfer tax keep seniors in their homes way too long. We should be able to have a more fluid market so that the value of the people's possessions are not diminished so.
The policy we have now results in the need to bulldoze 60 houses in an older community such as Hazelwood. That is a loss of lots of value. The houses were worn down. The people lost value. The community suffers. The taxpayers pay on multiple instances in the deals now -- by design -- because of bad public policy.
NUKE the deed transfer tax for everyone over the age of 50 who is a part of the sales transaction. I'd want to nuke the sales tax on property for all people, but this gets to the heart of the matter of trying to do something good for the seniors.
Pittsburgh school board delays vote on Schenley closing - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Pittsburgh school board delays vote on Schenley closing - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The Pittsburgh Public Schools board will not be asked to vote next month on Superintendent Mark Roosevelt's proposal to close Schenley High School.Asbestos is not a problem at Schenley. Old water damage has caused some plaster damage that has since been patched. The problem has been poor stewardship of a classic structure. The building got new windows recently. The building has a gym and swim pool addition that isn't that old. And, the buildings components are NOT to be found elsewhere.
Roosevelt recommended the closing of the 91-year-old building in Oakland because of asbestos problems and an aging infrastructure that would cost $64.4 million to fix.
The board, which had planned to vote on the proposal at a meeting on Feb. 27, decided Tuesday night to postpone the vote to give members time to explore various renovation possibilities.
Moving a high school into a building that has a cafatorium (part cafeteria part audiotorium) is nuts. Moving a high school into a building that has a three lane pool that can't host swim meets is nuts. Moving a high school that serves the entire district into a location at the edge of the city is nuts.
Breaking apart one of the few star programs in the district for the sake of the superintendent's ego is nuts.
The I.B. program at Schenley works. The International Studies at Frick Middle School works. Those programs should be replicated -- duplicated -- copied. They want to make massive changes, disrupt, hijack and basterdize programs for no good reason.
Making kids in grade six go to high schools with those in grades 11 and 12 is nuts. Building schools that span from grade 6 to 12, by design, and calling it an economic justification is dollar dumb and penny foolish. Lots of that fussing about is just to mask the failures from recent years with the move to other schools that span from grade K to grade 8. Still other report cards are out on the ALAs -- the much hyped Accelerated Learning Academies.
And most of all, the cost to fix the falling plaster, already fixed in an uncosmetic way. is inflated to include things like whole building air-conditioning. But, that is just half the story. The costs to fix up the other schools is NOT being reported upon. Reisenstein High School does NOT have any windows. They'll put windows in a school that does not have them -- and that will be expensive. The middle school that was Milliones and Frick need to be made into high schools. That is expensive. The downtown school that is CAPA needs to be expanded to have kids from another working school, Rodgers, when there isn't enough room.
The entire effort of the high school reform committee from two years of toil was tossed out the window after one meeting this fall. They operated at crisis mode for the sake of a crisis -- at everyone's expense.
Talk of a Vo Tech School has not happened. That is what should be reported upon first. That should be a top priority -- as it was taken away from the school landscape years ago with promises that it would be re-born in a better way.
What about the 'drop out factories' and efforts to give good to great -- if not excellent educations -- to those at Oliver, Peabody, Carrick, Langley and Westinghouse. Those schools need intervention. Put the high school / university partnership in Peabody, for example. Put the hoped for new science and technology program into the recently renovated Westinghouse. Make them city-wide magnets. Put together an all-girls public school -- such as at Oliver. And then put an all-boys public school at Langley (for instance).
The delay is welcomed. The delay is needed. But, what we crave is real common sense in the reform. We have questions that need to be answered. We are the ones who pay for the schools, send our children to the schools, and are going to be here long after this administration departs.
Amy reacts:
According to this morning's Post-Gazette, the vote on the decision to close Schenley has been delayed (see B-4 of PG). While this certainly isn't negative news, I am not sure that it is positive either. Mr. Roosevelt is still saying that the students cannot be in the building next year and we have known throughout this process that he can move the IS/IB program to another location. Hopefully, we will have more time to strengthen our position: no changes should be made without thoroughly thinking through the options and repercussions of the change. Long range plans need to be carefully thought out before any money is committed. Parental and teacher input is crucial.
Thanks to the various committees who continue to work to ensure our kids the best education possible. This has not been an easy task but saving Schenley and strengthening the IB program will be worth all of the effort.
amy moore
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
interview with Mitt by a Florida guy named Mark -- who says they are all on the same page
VAT = Value Added Tax
Some taxes in Europe are VAT. They are not used in the US. With a VAT, a smaller percent is applied at every stage in every transaction. Here, the taxes are applied at the final sale to consumer, not at wholesale, not at production, not at raw goods, etc.
Russian rowing officials banned after dopes pirate boats
SI.com - More Sports - Russian rowing officials banned - Tuesday January 29, 2008 10:58AM: Officials of the Russian rowing federation received a one-year ban after seven rowers committed doping violations in a 12-month period.
The penalty, announced Tuesday by the International Rowing Federation, bars all administrators, coaches and medical personnel of the Russian body from attending any FISA competitions or meetings.
Humm.... With this type of thinking, would the Pirates ownership be able to be fired after another bad year of baseball?
The penalty, announced Tuesday by the International Rowing Federation, bars all administrators, coaches and medical personnel of the Russian body from attending any FISA competitions or meetings.
Humm.... With this type of thinking, would the Pirates ownership be able to be fired after another bad year of baseball?
Some outstanding school questions, ... await the answers
Reform/Alternative Options Committee
Questions Regarding the Pittsburgh Public Schools High School Reform Plan
Submission to PPS Board of education
Reform Options Committee Members (names deleted)
After the announcement of tentative high school reform plans as well as the tentative breaking up of Schenley High School, a group of concerned parents formed a committee to try to sort out the complexities of High School Reform. Representatives from this group contacted Mark Roosevelt, who welcomed the opportunity for parents to engage in a dialogue with the administration to ask questions and voice concerns about the proposed changes in our schools.
Over the last several months, our group has met twice with Derrick Lopez, Director of High School Reform. Below are the questions that have resulted from many hours of reviewing the information presented by the administration over the last year as well as the information given to this group by Mr. Lopez. Although much valuable information was gleaned from our two meetings with Mr. Lopez, answers to the questions below remain elusive. We hope that you, as school board members, will find these questions helpful while gathering information regarding the reform of our schools.
1. Is there an overarching plan that addresses the remaining district high schools?
a. Are there 2, 5, and 10 year visions of the district?
b. When will these be widely disseminated in the media and to parents directly?
c. Could you please provide specific data supporting each of the components of the proposed reforms (eg themed high schools, eliminating middle schools, smaller high schools, separating poorly performing students into their own facility)
2. During our meetings with Mr. Lopez, he stated that community councils would be formed while assessing the districts needs for school reform. He also stated that there are currently steering committees addressing the new IB and University Prep High Schools.
a. What is the process for member selection of these committees/community councils? Who are the members? When will they start meeting? What will be the frequency of meetings/agenda?
*Parents have continually expressed concerns that we are not getting a voice at the table regarding the massive changes proposed. We have suggested that each school PTA should elect one representative to be a member any community council or steering committee that is formed regarding all aspects of PPS reform.
3. What are the citations of research regarding 6-12 configurations? Since Brashear is currently configured as a 6-12 High school, can there be a comparison done regarding drug use, drop-out or transfer rates, suspension/referral rate, test scores and staffing considerations between Brashear and another demographically similar high school/middle school set?
Please review attached analyses regarding increased/decreased transitions. This is a google document.
4. One component of the reform plan will create a predominately African American high school at the Milliones Middle School site.
a. Is integration a priority in the reform plan? If so, what will be done to ensure that Milliones will not remain predominantly African American? How was the racial make up prediction (80%-20%) calculated? Has there been discussion of recruiting at risk students from throughout the district to attend University Affiliated HS?
b. Are smaller classrooms for low achieving students a priority? How will the goal of smaller classrooms for at risk student population be achieved? (more teacher hires?) Has there been consideration/discussion regarding smaller classrooms district wide?
c. What is the reaction from the Hill community and the rest of the African American students/parents in the district to this component? Who, specifically, has been contacted for input? Has there been an effort from the administration to reach out to the community at large? If so, when? What was the response?
d. Is there a signed deal with Pitt? What is the time frame of their commitment to “University Prep”?
e. What are the specifics of the “University Partnership” with Pitt?
f. Is this a replicable model or a one-time, one-place model? Who is on this steering committee? How were they selected? Has anyone contacted the educators involved with the successful Spartan Classics program that was discontinued due to lack of funding to incorporate the best practices from this program into HS reform? What are the state’s requirements regarding hours for student teachers?
5. Has the alternative of housing the University Prep and IB/IS high schools in the the Schenley building, thus creating a new Schenley University Prep HS and a new Schenley IB HS? (Schenley is big enough to accommodate both schools in the 6-12 format, thus creating everything that the administration is proposing (new IB, University Prep, and getting Frick for the Science and Technology HS while preserving the unique social integration that works so well currently at Schenley.
a. Please see attached alternative proposal for revised cost analysis
b. Please go to http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/pdf/govpub/2130small_schools_final3.pdf for data regarding housing two schools in one building.
6. What are the plans for assessing the success of changes at the elementary/middle school levels?
a. How are the problems in the Homewood K-8 schools being addressed? Should we move forward with new reforms when others seem to be foundering?
b. What are the results of the America’s Choice evaluation of the elementary/middle schools?
c. What methods of assessment will be put in place for the new reforms and how will these be reported to the public?
7. What will be the mechanism for the high school choice component of the reforms?
a. If feeder patterns are completely eliminated, how will the district deal with over requesting of certain schools (for instance what if all of the students in Squirrel Hill choose Allderdice as their high school)?
b. What will be the mechanism for student assignment regarding the HS choice component of the plan?
c. How can the community be involved in this process before rather than after the fact? What are the plans for developing acceptance of this plan?
d. How will this be addressed? Can there be a regular newsletter that will update parents on reform plans/progress? Can there be a dedicated section of the website to reform plans/parent updates? Can school board members hold community meetings regarding reform plans in their districts?
8. A large component of the reform plan seems to rest on teacher/principal/professional development.
a. What can be done to ensure complete and rigorous evaluation of teachers in the three years BEFORE they acquire union protections?
b. Will the review process of teachers/principals be open to review change with input from all parties involved (teachers, principals, parents and administration)?
c. How can a parent/student component for evaluation of teachers/principals be incorporated into the process?
9. How will the transportation issues of moving students from Hill to Reizenstein, as well as future high school choice, be resolved?
Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen (video)
Must see video that says, 'think again.'
The speech is hilariously entertaining, informative about world demographics, and demonstration of shockingly amazing software, a example of how massive information can be conveyed efficiently, and a call for making publicly funded databases avialable for analysis - all at the same time and in 18 minutes. It will leave you stuneed. No visualization software has ever made me feel so inadequate.
A great mention in the talk is that you have to have health before you can have riches.
TED | Talks | Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seen (video) Hans Rosling: Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you've ever seenThe first comment sums it up well.
The speech is hilariously entertaining, informative about world demographics, and demonstration of shockingly amazing software, a example of how massive information can be conveyed efficiently, and a call for making publicly funded databases avialable for analysis - all at the same time and in 18 minutes. It will leave you stuneed. No visualization software has ever made me feel so inadequate.
A great mention in the talk is that you have to have health before you can have riches.
Student Dispute Threatens Montclair State’s Paper - New York Times
Student Dispute Threatens Montclair State’s Paper - New York Times The dispute started in November, when The Montclarion’s editor in chief, Karl de Vries, protested at a meeting of the student government that it kept some of its sessions closed to the press. Before that meeting, a lawyer retained by The Montclarion had advised the student journalists about their rights under a state open meetings law.Goofy people with power and the tricks that they'll use to create FUD.
After Mr. de Vries spoke, Mr. Chicken demanded copies of correspondence between the lawyer and the newspaper, Mr. deVries said in an interview, adding that he refused to provide it. The next day, Mr. Chicken sent a letter to the lawyer — whose fees were paid with student funds — firing him.
Ron Paul's message
January 28, 2008
When I started this campaign more than a year ago, I was a somewhat reluctant candidate. I knew our message of freedom, peace, and prosperity was the right one for our country, but frankly, I didn't know how many people today would have ears to hear it.
Well, did I learn a lesson! Millions of Americans understand what ails our country, and what is needed to fix it. So, with you at my side, I am in this effort to win. Not only by building the ideas of liberty, but by getting the nomination. Our opponents would call that nuts -- you know, the advocates of more inflation, more spending, more taxes, more war. But let me explain why they are, as usual, all wet.
For one thing, for the first time since 1952, we are headed towards a brokered convention. Instead of a coronation of one of the establishment candidates, the delegates, influenced by the people, will decide. And I am afraid that this will take place in a time of heightened economic crisis. That means even more Americans will be ready to hear our message. But it also means I am really going to need your help.
One would never know this from the mainstream media, but we've only had a few primaries and caucuses, and even after the extremely important date of February 5th, we will still have more than half to go. And the Republican nominee will not be decided by the popular vote among the "leading candidates" in a few states also handpicked by the media. The nominee will be decided by the delegates. So let me tell you a little about our "under-the-radar" strategy to get those delegates.
On "Super Tuesday," February 5th, there will be 22 primaries and caucuses. I have a hunch that we're going to do very well. But, of course, the media and the rest of the establishment refuse to recognize that. It's the attitude of the small child who covers his eyes to make something scary go away. But we are not going away.
While the media focus on the couple of states they claim are important, we're competing everywhere. And the reason that we're able to do that is because of your grassroots support. You all are an asset that no other campaign has: donors, and activists who want no special deals from the government, just the Constitution.
We're competing very strongly in all the caucus states, and in all other states where delegates are up for grabs. And we're going to keep picking up delegates. Our strategy's already working.
And we're committed to winning states. I have little doubt that if we can double our efforts in this coming week, we're going to grab many delegates from other candidates. Then we'll start getting ready for the biggest moment of all - the convention in September.
The path to the convention is twisty, however. When we were in Iowa, we got 10% of the vote. But no delegates were awarded that night. That's because voters didn't directly choose national convention delegates; they selected the county and state delegates who will make that decision. And if another candidate like Mike Huckabee is no longer in the race at the time of the state convention in June, his delegates are free to support whomever they want. If we work extra hard, we can convert them into delegates for our campaign!
A similar thing happened in Nevada. We won 14% of the straw poll vote that the media reported on, but what they didn't tell you was that we may have gotten up to a third of Nevada's delegates to their county conventions! I always laughed when I heard some people say Nevada didn't matter. Nevada chooses more delegates to the national convention than South Carolina.
So, while the media will focus on the results from Florida, and probably take down the campaign of my friend Rudy in the process, those results are less important to you and me. Let them fight in Florida while we bring our message to Americans in other areas, like the economically hard-hit state of Maine.
We want to win as many delegates to the Republican National Convention as possible, even if other campaigns don't see some areas of the country as "important. But in this work, I need your help. Help me get many, many delegates to this historic convention, by these three methods.
1. Donate. Your generous contributions are essential if we're going to keep going until September. We need, frankly $5 million by February 5 to run more TV and radio ads in the Super Tuesday states. Your help means everything: https://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate.
2. Canvass. You can help us identify those who support our message in your precinct. You can help us to convert others, too. After all, your neighbors pay attention to you. I am going to visit as much of the country as I can, but I need you as my partner in your area: https://voters.ronpaul2008.com.
3. ASK others to sign-up on our website. I meet so many people on the campaign trail who don't even receive my letters! I've told my campaign to make communication with you, the engine of all this, much better. But if people don't sign up for my e-mails, that won't happen. If you could just get one extra person to sign-up, that would be great. More would be tremendous.
Help me by forwarding this e-mail to every other Ron Paul supporter you know, and urging them to join our efforts! https://www.ronpaul2008.com/join.
We've come so far, but now the fun is really starting! I have a feeling the mainstream media will move from ignoring us to attacking us. But that will be a sign of our success. Join me as we continue this great movement into year two, and to a hot convention in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. We can do it!
Sincerely,
Ron
buzz about schools (from Jen and Amy)
Now that a strike has been averted and we assume that attention can and will turn back to Schenley and High School reform.
-- Tonight, Tuesday, January 29, 2008, the Administration is scheduled to give another “workshop” about High School reform (including Schenley) to the School Board. This isn't a public hearing, but the public can go and see the meeting (6 pm at the BOE building). If you have questions you'd like your board member to ask, please contact him or her tomorrow. Here's the generic email address for all board members: boardoffice@pghboe.net. (Though a phone call couldn't hurt, either.)
My concerns focus on postponing all decisions about building closings/openings and hiring of architects and contractors until the board itself feels it has a clear vision of where the district is heading. Most of the plans focus on the East End currently. What are the plans and vision for reforming the other high schools in the district?
Here's hoping this workshop will have more of these sorts of details, rather than more discussion of “excellence” and “rigor” - I think we've all signed on to those ideas!
A group (of which I'm a part) that developed out of interest/concern about the big picture of reform continues to meet. If you'd like a copy of the document that lists our initial and follow-up questions as well as the answers we've received and the questions we still have, let me know and I'll mail it out. One of our main concerns is that committees get formed and plans get made with no parent or community input sought until after the fact. If you're on a committee, let us know, we'd love to hear how that happens!
-- Interesting find on the A+ Schools website - meetings about the new high schools are planned: http://www.aplusschools.org/excel.html.
The IB, University Prep, CAPA, Science and Technology all have meetings listed, as well as two different listings for career/vocational education information sessions. However, the first of the meetings isn't until the end of February and others aren't scheduled until May. While they are described as seeking input, I imagine that most plans for the fall will have already been made.
-- Next public hearing is scheduled for February 18th, at 7 pm. That's the last public hearing before the scheduled vote on closing Schenley on the 27th. Of course, that vote could be tabled by the board or by the superintendent at any point to allow for more information to be presented and planning to take place.
Jen Lakin
One semester down, one to go! Hard to believe that we are at the halfway mark. A few things that I wanted to point out:
Schenley parents who have problems getting information from your son or daughter can check the daily bulletin on the Schenley web site. It looks like they are updating it now. It has information about testing, school visitations, etc.
Athletics: Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge sports fan and the Schenley teams could always use some more support. Apologies to the wrestling team; I think that I missed your season. The swim team is doing very well. They have a home meet against Allderdice this Thursday at 3 pm. Allderdice has DOMINATED city swimming for 30 years but Schenley has some excellent swimmers this year and has a GOOD chance to beat them. It would be fantastic to have the stands filled with Schenley supporters.
Basketball: the boys team deservedly gets a lot of publicity but the girls' team this year also deserves some notice. Wednesday's games are against Oliver (girls at home at 7:30, boys at Oliver at 3). I haven't managed to see any of the boys' games but the 2 girls' games were a lot of fun. The girls dominated their city opponents with some really exciting moves.
Theater: this is slightly off-topic but I wanted to bring it to your attention. Schenley parent, Larry John Myers, is appearing in the Public Theater production of Amadeus. I have been a Public Theater subscriber for more than 20 years and think that this is one of the best plays that I have ever seen them do.
IF you have any news to share concerning Schenley, Frick, elementary language magnets or international studies, send it to me and I will share with the group.
amy moore
Monday, January 28, 2008
No school = blog break
We're running around for the next two days on a school semester break and won't expect to update the blog.
The state of the union ... yawn. Err... stimulation!
The state of the union ... yawn. Err... stimulation!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
FiftyOneYears.com - Home
FiftyOneYears.com - Home: "Please join us this February 1st for the Ron and Carol Paul 51st wedding anniversary mass donation day. Our goal is to bring together 100,000 people to donate $51 each, creating a one day donation total of $5,100,000.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Mainstream Media Gleefully Celebrate Nonexistent “Recession”�
Mainstream Media Gleefully Celebrate Nonexistent “Recession”�: "Mainstream Media Gleefully Celebrate Nonexistent 'Recession'
Liberal Commentators Commence Undeniable, Brazen Effort to Depress Americans and Cheerlead Electoral Change
McCain: Romney Favored Iraq Withdrawal
How is this for spin?
McCain: Romney Favored Iraq Withdrawal / QCTimes.com: "SARASOTA, Fla. - John McCain accused Mitt Romney of wanting to withdraw troops from Iraq, drawing immediate protest from his Republican presidential rival who said: 'That's simply wrong and it's dishonest, and he should apologize.'American Treasure. Isn't that the name of a Hollywood pretend movie -- oh... it is "National Treasure."
The fight for Florida grew ever more intense Saturday ahead of the state's pivotal primary as a fairly civil debate over economic records and leadership credentials spiraled into an all-out showdown.
As the two candidates campaigned along the state's southwest coast, McCain sought the upper hand with a new line of criticism, telling reporters in Ft. Meyers about Iraq: 'If we surrender and wave a white flag, like Senator Clinton wants to do, and withdraw, as Governor Romney wanted to do, then there will be chaos, genocide, and the cost of American blood and treasure would be dramatically higher.'
National Treasure Photos: "Still photographs of 'National Treasure'"
New mayor vows 'high-caliber' Games
SI.com - Olympics - Beijing mayor vows 'high-caliber' Games - Saturday January 26, 2008 1:18PM Beijing's new mayor took office Saturday and promised the Summer Olympics would make China proud.Humm. Bob O'Connor was mayor and the Steelers won the Super Bowl. That was a quick score to a young term in office. Some five or six months later came the US Open at Oakmont. That was a rush -- for the mayor, of course. And, I understand that Oakmont is NOT in the 'city.'
In brief remarks to reporters after being appointed by the legislature, Mayor Guo Jinlong twice mentioned the Olympics in August, underscoring the event's importance to the city and China's Communist Party leadership.
Well, how about the guy who steps into the job in Beijing -- and the whole world is due to show up for the Olympics on August 8, 2008. This is sure to put a spotlight -- and pressure -- on the host city.
Of interest is the word to describe the pending games -- 'high-caliber. Gun laws aside, understand that they invented fireworks in China!
High School Highlights: Schenley's streak hits 69
High School Highlights: Schenley's streak hits 69:This gives another good reason why the Pittsburgh City League needs to be eliminated.
In swimming, there are no teams at Oliver and Westinghouse and Perry.
CAPA has NO SPORTS.
It is not any fun to go through years of play with league opponents and always win.
Let's raise some standards. Let's get the city kids playing in the WPIAL on a day to day basis.
Let's have a city league tournament, or tip-off classic, or all-star post-season match. The city teams would still play against each other from time to time. But, the city league squads need to have 'competition' that makes sense.
Fact Check of GOP debate in Florida
By Calvin Woodward of the Associated Press on Thursday's GOP debate.
Fact Check: Misfires in GOP Debate
WASHINGTON - A number of assertions in the latest Republican presidential debate went unchallenged because candidates spent more time criticizing Democrats from afar than challenging - and correcting - each other face to face.
THE SPIN: John McCain took issue with a questioner's statement that he favors "mandatory caps" on greenhouse gas emissions.
"No, I'm in favor of cap-and-trade," McCain said.
"And all we are saying is, 'Look, if you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions, you earn a credit. If somebody else is going to increase theirs, you can sell it to them.' And, meanwhile, we have a gradual reduction in greenhouse gas emissions."
THE FACTS: McCain has proposed mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions.
The Arizona senator has been among the most vocal supporters in Washington of capping greenhouse gases, proposing legislation to do that several times, and criticized the Bush administration for resisting mandatory measures.
In a cap-and-trade system, companies that outperform pollution requirements could sell the right to pollute to companies that don't meet the limits. But overall emissions would have to come down, and ever more stringently as years pass.
The bill McCain co-sponsored with Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman last year proposed that pollution allowances be cut by two-thirds between 2012 and 2050. A section of the bill is titled: "Mandating Emissions Reductions."
THE SPIN: Mitt Romney boiled down Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's health care plan to what he regarded as its essence: a government giveaway.
"Her health care plan, quite simply, is one which says, 'Look, we're going to give health insurance to everybody by the government.'"
THE FACTS: Clinton's plan does not propose that the government give everyone health insurance. Most people and companies would pay for it, like now.
The New York senator proposes that the government help those who can't afford the insurance to buy it, so that everyone can be covered, and uses tax credits to small business and other spending to try to make that possible. Existing health insurance plans would be preserved for those who want it, while people could choose to join other programs she proposes to create.
THE SPIN: Rudy Giuliani again talked up his record as New York mayor.
"I'm the only one who's actually turned around a government economy. I mean, the reality is, when I became mayor of New York the economy of New York was in very, very bad shape - tremendous deficits, 10 1/2 percent unemployment, 300,000 jobs gone. We turned that around, cut unemployment by more than half, brought in 450,000 new jobs, and we cut taxes by 17 percent."
THE FACTS: The unemployment rate fell from about 10 percent when he took office to a little over 6 percent before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, rising after to 7.6 percent. The rate did not fall by more than half.
On deficits, an analysis by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania found that he inherited a $2.3 billion deficit in 1994 and produced surpluses during his mayoralty, but projected a $2.8 billion deficit in his last budget, released the spring before the attacks.
THE SPIN: Mike Huckabee aired his proposal to eliminate federal income, investment and payroll taxes in favor of a national sales tax, an idea he has likened elsewhere to "a magic wand relieving us from pain and unfairness."
Questioned about a 30 percent sales tax, he said "it's 23 percent" if the government is to bring in the same money it is getting now. He said his plan "untaxes the poor, untaxes the elderly."
THE FACTS: A mathematical exercise is required to understand why 30 percent and 23 percent are both applied to the plan.
If an item costs $100 before tax and $130 after tax, that's $30 more, which most shoppers would consider a 30 percent rate.
But proponents of the sales tax cast it another way. They say that because $30 is 23 percent of $130, the rate is really 23 percent.
Huckabee does not exempt the elderly from the tax, despite claiming he "untaxes the elderly."
By that, he means that he thinks most retirees keep their spending under the poverty-line level, and so would be sheltered.
Friday, January 25, 2008
clever comments @ Fred08.com: An Outside Insider's View
techPresident – Fred08.com: An Outside Insider's View The Internet candidate is the one who embodies the authenticity, accessibility, and responsiveness of the medium not just in what he or she does online, but in what he or she does offline.
Property Taxes, Rauterkus / Palmer, 108 S. 12th Street and Dan Onorato's ploy
Got this letter in the mail that goes to the heart of our Dan Onorato's claim that he doesn't raise property taxes.
We live on the South Side.
We live on the South Side.
Parcel ID: 0003-M-00383-0000-00
108 S. 12th St
Legal Description: Fred Bausman Plan 22 Lot 20x80 S. 12th St Cor BR
Adish
2 1/2 STY FRA HSE 108
17th Ward
Tax Status: 20 - Taxable
Notice is hereby given that the real estate assessed / Market Value for the above mentioned property has changed as shown below for the year 2008.
This change is a result of a building permit change.
Comparison to Prior Market Value
Land Value from 11600 to 17300
Building Value from 94500 to 124900
Total Value from 106100 to 142200
Please be advised that you have the right to appeal the Office of Property Assessments determination by filing a Special Appeals Form with the Board of Property Assessment Appeals and Review (Appeals Board) within thirty days of the date of this notice.
The Assessed/Market Value listed above does not include any exemptions. If you qualify for any Special Acts Abatements, the Office of Preoperty Assessments will make the adjustments for county tax purposes only.
This notice pertains to Assessed / Market Value only. Your property tax bills are calculated and determined by separate taxing bodies. Questions about your tax bill should be directed to your school district, municipality or the Allegheny County Treasurer.
Primer on Delegates and the Conventions. Will be interesting.
McClatchy Washington Bureau | 01/25/2008 | Could tight election races in both parties lead to brokered conventions? Republicans don't have super-delegates, but the rules on how delegates vote are basically left to the state and territory parties. More than 650 GOP delegates could arrive at the Minneapolis-St. Paul convention unpledged to any candidate, while more could be only informally bound to vote for a candidate, according to Jay Cost, a University of Chicago political science graduate student writing for www.realclearpolitics.com. Republicans require 1,191 delegates for the nomination.This year the national conventions for both old parties might be interesting. I'm sure, according to my hunch, that the GOP convention will be wild. I was talking to someone on the phone and he said he expects fists to be flying on the floor of the Republican convention.
eVote Blog pointer. The same machines are used in Allegheny County
eVote Blog: The iVotronic voting system failed to count over 100,000 votes in various races across the state of Florida in the November 2006 election.Dan Onorato was the one who insisted that Allegheny County purchase the iVotronic machines. This week he also insisted that there are no problems with these machines.
The voting machines used in Allegheny County are junk.
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