Getting their kicks for Democracy

Press Release November 3, 2008 Contact: Larry Evans 412-445-2951

At Chatham University’s Athletic Field all day Saturday, November 1^st, 45 girls from three under 14 girls soccer teams from Mount Lebanon, West Mifflin and West Virginia competed in friendly round robin games at the second Citizen Athlete SoccerFest of 2008 (the first occurred at Robert Morris University’s Island Sports Center last August). The SoccerFest is a celebration of the historic upcoming presidential election mixing soccer play with voter education games promoting participatory citizenship and sportsmanship.

The Chatham SoccerFest was organized around the University’s Womens Soccer Team’s final home game of the season versus Westminster College during an annual Family and Friends Weekend Celebration held on Chatham’s elegant Shadyside campus. The SoccerFest benefited “EveryBody Vote”, a local coalition of non-partisan and non-profit voter education organizations.

The day of continuous soccer action began with an inspired group “Warm-up like a collegian” aerobic for the three youth teams led by Chatham star players. The University’s players and U14 girls also traded sideline ball hawking services on the plush new fieldturf synthetic grass surface on a beautiful autumn day.

In breaks between soccer games, teams participated in both athletic and academic skills contests, showing off their finely-tuned American Civics and Sports Trivia knowledge as well as their kicking and goal scoring abilities. Medals and ribbons for both physical and mental game winners were awarded. Additionally for all - mock voting and voter registration was available. In the Mock Election, Barack Obama edged John McCain by a mere 6 votes.

In the soccer friendlies, West Mifflin won the day going undefeated. The games were officiated by very capable referees from the Dynamo Soccer Association (Bob Shreve, Frank Correnti, Erik Schmidt, Alex Brown and Josh Axelrod). Participating coaches Girish Thakar (Westminister Titans), Jaime Retersdorf, (Chatham Cougars), Frank Sullivan (Mount Lebanon Kickers), Greg Bourke (West Mifflin Titans) and Cornelius Adamah and Doug Sharpe (West Virginia Fusion) - remained true to the event’s good sportsmanship theme through the 7 games played where not one yellow or red card was issued.

Winners of the Sports Skills Contests included:

Soccer Target: 1^stPlace: Nichole Hammack (West Mifflin); 2^nd Place: Jenny Evans (Mount Lebanon); 3^rd Place: Alyssa Battaglia (Mount Lebanon); 4^th Place: Chanel Burner (West Virginia) 5^th Place: Sara Allas (West Mifflin); 6^th Place: Emma Wise (West Virginia).

Radar Velocity: 1^st Place: Chanel Burner (West Virginia); 2^nd Place: Sujorden Miller (West Virginia); 3^rd Place: Andrea Racic (Mount Lebanon); 4^th Place: Nichole Hammack (West Mifflin); 5^th Place: Gabrielle Mooney (West Mifflin); 6^th Place: Lauren Allas (West Mifflin).

Sportsmanship/Citizenship Quiz: 1^st Place: Kathryn Sharpe (West Virginia); 2^nd Place: Cheyenne Smith (West Mifflin); 3^rd Place: Morgan Rubosky (West Mifflin); 4^th Place: Charlotte Vester (West Virginia); 5^th Place: Kristina Faupel (West Mifflin); 6^th Place Sara Mundell (West Virginia).

Finally, invitations to attend the games were delivered to John McCain and Barack Obama in the hope that they would drop by to show Pittsburgh and the world just who got game. Unfortunately they didn’t make it. Hopefully they will realize, as the late Senator Eugene McCarthy aptly quipped – that...“Coaches and Politicians have a lot in common. They both have to be smart enough to know the game and dumb enough to think it’s important”.

Below is the kid-friendly Citizen Athlete Quiz to rack you and/or your family’s brain over on Election Night (see answer key in comments of this blog.)

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Who is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the USA?

A) General Mills B) General Store C) President Bush D) Joe Paterno E) Major Harris

2. How old do citizens of the United States have to be to vote?

A) 21 B) 32 C) 16 D) 18 E) 25 F) 10

3. What is the highest Court in the United States?

A) The Mitchell Committee B) The Supreme Court C) Judge Judy D) Randy, Paula and Simon

4. What is NOT a right of all United States Citizens?

A) freedom of speech B) freedom of worship C) the right to drive a car D) the right to bear arms

5. Who decides who becomes President?

A) The Electoral College B) Penn State University C) The Popular Vote D) The Supreme Court

6. What National Hockey league team has gone the longest without winning a Stanley Cup?

A) Pittsburgh Penguins B) Chicago Blackhawks C) Montreal Canadians D)Anaheim Mighty Ducks

7. What NFL team was caught spying on other teams including the Steelers?

A) Denver Broncos B) Duluth Bulldogs C) New England Patriots D) McKeesport Little Tigers

8. What is the name of the current President of the United States?

A) Sidney Crosby B) Luke Ravenstahl C) Bill Clinton D) George W. Bush

9. If President Bush can no longer serve, who would become President?

A) Charlie Batch B) Dick Chainey C) Laura Bush D) Al Gore E) Simon Cowell

10. Who said to a Congressional Drugs Committee “I’m not here to talk about the past” ?

A) Jose Conseco B) Barry Bonds C) O J Simpson D) Mark McGuire E) Pacman Jones

11. Who has a tattoo on his arm of his wife’s name in Hindu but it is spelled wrong?

A) David Beckham B) Jason Bay C) Barack Obama D) Troy Polamalu

12. What NY Yankee player has his own cologne brand?

A) Reggie Jackson B) Derek Jeter C) Andy Pettite D) Yogi Berra

13. A Presidential term runs for how many years?

A) four years B) two years C) six years D) for life

14. When asked by a reporter how he felt about making more money than the President of the United States what baseball player answered: “Well, I guess I had a better year!”?

A) Lou Gehrig B) Barry Bonds C) Honus Wagner D) Babe Ruth E) Alex Rodriguez

15. A Senator’s term runs for how many years?

A) 8 years B) 6 years C) 4 years D) for life

16. In what sport does the referee have the absolute say even over the rules of the game?

A) Baseball B) Football C) Soccer E) Basketball F) Ice Hockey

17. Who is buried in Grant’s Tomb?

A) Longfellow Deeds B) Robert E Lee C) Ben Franklin D) U. S. Grant E) Lou Gehrig

18. What Pennsylvanian did NOT sign the Declaration of Independence?

A) Ben Franklin B) Robert Morris C) George Clymer D) Westin William Penn E) James Wilson

19. What was the first National Holiday declared by George Washington in 1789?

A) Thanksgiving B) July 4^th C) Columbus Day D) Veterans Day E) Labor Day F) Mother’s Day

20. Where is the Constitution and Declaration of Independence safely stored?

A) Nicolas Cage’s basement B) FBI Building C) Capitol Building D) National Archives Building

21. The Library of Congress contains:

A) Books you can take out about US History B) The President’s Book of Secrets

C) Every published piece of literature in the world D) Sticky candy vending machines

22. When do we celebrate Independence Day?

A) Memorial Day Weekend B) January 1^st C) Anytime the Movie comes on D) July 4^th

23. If there were no professional sports diehard fans would

A) Be forced to talk to our families B) become responsible citizens and maybe even vote

C) Have to pay reasonable prices for a hot dog and nachos D) all of the above

24. In what city were the 1936 Olympics held when Jesse Owens sprinted past Adolf Hitler’s notions of genetic superiority?

A) Athens, Greece B) Munich, Germany C) Berlin, Germany D) Tokyo, Japan

25. When fans booed Jackie Robinson’s appearance in Major League baseball, what Dodger teammate put his arm around him?

A) Duke Snider B) Pee Wee Reese C) Willie Mays D) Gil Hodges E) Ty Cobb

26. Michael Jordon was NOT one of these things

A) An underwear Salesman B) A professional baseball player C) The greatest basketball player D) President of the Charlotte Bobcats E) an American Idol contestant

27. Legendary college basketball coach Bobby Knight is known for his

A) Bad Temper B) Winning teams C) Charitable Giving D) all of the above

28. St Louis Cardinal baseball manager Tony LaRussa is NOT one of these things:

A) Vegetarian B) World Series Champion C) a lawyer D) sunglasses salesman

29. Jim Leyland, once our Pittsburgh Pirate’s winning manager, is NOT

A) Crusty and weathered B) a cigarette smoker C) a brilliant baseball manager

D) Available to come back to Pittsburgh

30. Who is the Governor of Pennsylvania?

A) Lynn Swann B) Matt Smith C) Ed Rendell D) Vince Gastgeb E) Bob Casey

31. What city has NOT been the Capitol of the United States?

A) Hershey B) New York C) Philadelphia D) Washington DC E) Annapolis

32. How old do you have to be to run for President?

A) 18 B) 21 C) 35 D) 45 E) 55

33. How old do you have to be to run for one of the US Senate’s 100 jobs?

A) 18 B) 21 C) 30 D) 40 E) 50

34. How old do you have to be to run for one of the US House of Representatives 435 jobs?

A) 18 B) 21 C) 25 D) 30 E) 40

35. Who is the President of the US Senate and its 101^st member and tie-breaker?

A) The Speaker of the House B) Supreme Court Chief Justice C) The Vice President

D) The First Lady

36. If you are “on the band wagon” you are

A) Riding in a parade B) Voting for whoever is ahead in the polls C) Playing the tuba

D) playing the lottery

37. What was George W Bush’s occupation from 1989-94?

A) Teacher at Harvard University B) Managing General Partner of the Texas Rangers C) Rodeo Clown D) Ambassador to Saudi Arabia E) Gas Station Attendant

38. What was Bill Clinton’s occupation before he became President in 1992?

A) Governor of Arkansas B) Saxaphone Player C) Playboy Magazine Editor D) Teacher at Princeton University E) Peanut Farmer

39. Approximately how many people live in the United States?

A) 50 million B) 100 million C) 200 Million D) 300 million E) a gazillion

40. A comedian once said that what you have in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia in the east, Pittsburgh in the west, and what in between?

A) Potholes B) Alabama C) The Steagles D) Breezewood E) The Amish

41. The supreme law of the our land is

A) Declaration of Independence B) The Constitution C) Gettysburg address D) Wives E) Pittsburgh Steeler Playbook

42. The idea of self government is expressed in the first three words of the Constitution, which are

A) Liberty and justice B) Four score and C) We the People D) It’s a Heartache

E) Strawberry Fields Forever

43. Who makes Laws?

A) Supreme Court B) Congress C) The President D) Homer Simpson E) Bud Selig

44. What former NFL QB ran for vice president on Bob Dole’s Republican ticket in 1992?

A) Dan Marino B) Jack Kemp C) Kordell Stewart D) Johnny Unitas E) Joe Namath

45. What former NY Knicks basketball superstar challenged Al Gore for the 2000 democratic presidential nomination?

A) Walt Frazier B) Wilt Chamberlain C) Bill Walton D) Bill Bradley E) Julius Erving

46. Who was the first Jewish major party VP nominee in American history?

A) Sammy Davis Jr B) Joe Lieberman C) Hank Greenberg D) Billy Crystal E) Jon Stewart

47. Who was the first First Lady to ever run for the U.S. Senate from the White House?

A) Hillary Clinton B) Sarah Palin C) Nancy Reagan D) Barbara Bush E) Betty Boop

48. Who said “Age is mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter”

A) Sachel Paige B) Abe Lincoln C) John McCain D) John Franco E) Willie Mays

49. Who said “Domestic policy can only lose elections. Foreign policy can kill us all”?

A) Richard Nixon B) John Kennedy C) Ronald Reagan D) Barack Obama

50. What coach said “Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the ‘me’ for the ‘we’”?

A) Knute Rockne B) Chuck Noll C) Phil Jackson D) Casey Stengel E) Gene Klein

51. Who said “We must scrunch or be scrunched”?

A) Charles Dickens B) Bill Bellicheck C) Sarah Palin D) Teddy Roosevelt E) Vince Lombardi

52. Who said “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you?

A) Sachel Paige B) John McCain C) Roger Clemens D) Barry Bonds E) Bonnie and Clyde

53. Who said “the trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you’re still a rat.”

A) Richard Nixon B) Lily Tomlin C) George Carlin D) Jimmy Carter E) Blaze Starr

54. Who said “Ninety per cent of the game is half mental”?

A) Yogi Berra B) George W Bush C) Bill Clinton D) Andy Van Slyke E) Bud Selik

55. What celebrity in Cincinnati has not been an embarrassment?

A) Bengals player Chris Henry B) Reds former owner Marge Schott C) former Mayor Jerry Springer D) Outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. E) Reds former player Pete Rose

56. About what basketball player and aspiring future Governor of Alabama did Danny Ainge once remark “I’ve known a lot of bad guys pretending to be good guys, but he is the only good guy pretending to be a bad guy I’ve ever known”

A) Michael Jordon B) Charles Barkley C) Larry Bird D) Allen Iverson

57. What former Baseball Commissioner said “ Unlike war, sex, religion and politics, baseball was within a young boys reach. He could read the newspaper and listen to the radio and know that this game was important and that these men were great men, and then he could go out in the afternoon and emulate their acts”

A) Bart Giamatti B) Casey Stengel C) Bud Selig D) Ford Frick

58. About what baseball player did author David Halberstam write “the timing in 1947 was impeccable. It was the perfect moment to create a broader, more inclusive definition of American Democracy. For it took place right after the victory over Nazi Germany and authoritarian Japan in a great war which was viewed all over the world as good over evil”

A) Willie Mays B) Joe DiMaggio C) Mickey Mantle D) Jackie Robinson

59. What movie star celebrity did not become an elected politician?

A) Shirley Temple B) Ronald Reagan C) Clint Eastwood D) George Clooney

60. Which celebrity athlete did not become an elected politician?

A) Jim Bunning B) Jesse Ventura C) Bill Bradley D) Jack Kemp E) Terry Bradshaw

61. What team threw (purposely lost) the 1919 World Series?

A) St Louis Browns B) Chicago White Sox C) New York Yankees D) Brooklyn Dodgers

62. Senator Hillary Clinton is returning to her “day job”. What is her “day job?”

A) Cooking dinner for Bill B) Writing a book C) Fundraising for Obama

D) Being a US Senator representing New York

63. Who said “He who slings mud looses ground”

A) Confucius B) Bill Clinton C) Bo Diddy D) Chris Rock E) Mean Joe Greene

64. PNC Park’s right field wall is 21 feet high in honor of what former Pirate player?

A) Dave Parker B) Roberto Clemente C) Paul Waner D) Ki Ki Cuyler E) Xavier Nady

65. Who was the only sitting U.S. President to attend a pirate game?

A) William Taft B) Bill Clinton C) George Bush Jr D) Herbert Hoover

66. Which Pittsburgh athlete has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated 13 tmes?

A) Dan Marino B) Tony Dorsett C) Hines Ward D) Arnold Palmer E) Barry Bonds

67. Why is having synthetic turf installed at Heinz field an improbability?

A) Global warming B) expensive geothermal heating system below field

C) The Rooneys love natural grass D) Steelers love to play in mud

68. Who was not an owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates?

A) Kevin McClatchy B) Barney Dreyfuss C) John Galbreath D) Bob Nutting E) Mark Cuban

69. What kind of balls does singer Rod Stewart routinely kick out to his concert fans?

A) Footballs B) Soccer balls C) Volleyballs D) Rugby balls

70. In what song are the words “From California to the New York Island, this land was made for you and me”?

A) America the Beautiful B) Land before Time C) This Land is your Land D) Yankee Doodle

71. In what song are the words “Beat the drum and hold the phone, the sun came out today. We’re born again, there’s new grass on the field.”?

A) Centerfield B) Take me out to the ballgame C) Who’s on First? D) Glory Days

72. In the movie “A League of their Own” what actor said “there’s no crying in baseball!”?

A) John Wayne B) Tom Hanks C) Geena Davis D) Robert Redford E) Kevin Costner

73. What dying NY Yankee player said” I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth”?

A) Babe Ruth B) Mickey Mantle C) Lou Gehrig D) Billy Martin E) Joe DiMaggio

74. When going for a foul ball in the stands you may knock over

A) kids B) elderly C) disabled D) women E) any grown man wearing a glove

75. Who wrote “For when the Great Scorekeeper comes to write against your name

He marks – not that you won or lost – But how you played the game.”

A) Mark Twain B) Bob Prince C) Harry Carey D) Grandland Rice E) Rick Reilly

True or False Questions

1. T or F Our American flag has 13 stripes because they represent the 13 original colonies

2. T or F When playing a sport becomes a job it is probably not as much fun

3. T or F Richard Nixon was the first President to witness a triple play while at a game.

4. T or F When a NY Yankees home game concludes, “New York, New York “ is played

5. T or F At 47, Barack Obama is the youngest presidential candidate since JFK

6. T or F At 72, Republican Candidate John McCain is the oldest presidential candidate

7. T or F George W Bush has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

8. T or F Vice President Martin van Buren was the last VP to bring loaded pistols to work with him while presiding over the U. S. Senate.

9. T or F When Lincoln was accused of being two-faced, he replied “Now I ask you, if I had another face, would I be using this one?”

10. T or F 1912 in America, the Titanic went down, the Boston Red Sox opened Fenway Park, the fourth down was added to football, Suffragettes marched on New York’s Fifth Avenue demanding women’s vote and there was no personal income tax. It was also the year which saw a sitting president (Taft), a past president (Teddy Roosevelt) and a future president (Wilson) in a three way battle for the White House.

11. T or F Robert Taft was the last President to keep a cow in Washington.

12. T or F In 1960, Americans chose the youngest man ever elected president – Jack Kennedy – to succeed the oldest man at that time to ever hold the office – Dwight Eisenhower

13. T or F In 1964, Ben Hur was the Best Picture, the new 50-state flag was unfurled to include Alaska and Hawaii, Red Sox Ted Williams homered in his last at bat, Yankee Casey Stengel was fired after winning ten pennants in twelve years and “The Great Debates” between Nixon and Kennedy brought presidential politics into the TV era.

14. T or F In the 1988 presidential election, all three candidates (Bush, Clinton and Gore) were left handed.

15. T or F Because of WWII, in 1943 the Steelers joined with the Eagles to become the Steagles

16. T or F Most of the Founding Fathers were actually smugglers who opposed British taxes and tariffs

17. T or F “Yankee Doodle” was an insulting term used by the British to describe American colonists

18. T or F During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington fought nine battles, winning only three.

19. T or F “Old Hickory” Andrew Jackson defeat of the British in the Battle of New Orleans in 1814 was unique because the battle was fought after the war was already over.

20. T or F In 1492, Christopher Columbus made his America-discovering voyage partly to prove that the Earth was round.

21. T or F Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, Marian Jones and Sammy Sosa probably took performance enhancing drugs

22. T or F Ted Williams not only was the last baseball player to hit over .400 but he also was the last to serve in two wars sacrificing 5 years of his career

23. T or F Soccer’s World Cup is the most watched sporting event on earth

24. T or F The Pittsburgh Pirates earned their name by stealing players from other clubs

25. T or F It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you place the blame

(see key within the comments)

Going to vote for a few Libertarians.

Women with L by their names = Betsy and Marakay = in PA races.

Mobile post sent by Rauterkus using Utterli.  Replies.

The Moral Hazard of Regulation

Congressman Ron Paul - The Moral Hazard of Regulation - Texas Straight Talk: "The Moral Hazard of Regulation

Since the bailout bill passed, I have been frequently disturbed to hear “experts” wrongly blaming the free market for our recent economic problems and calling for more regulation. In fact, further regulation can only make things worse.

On election eve, I'm going to quote Dr. Ron Paul on this blog. Go figure.

Wonder what would have happened if we were voting with a race of Ds and Rs in the Obama and Paul choice.

That story would make for a great novel.

Obama Wants To Bankrupt Coal; What's Next? Your Job?

This is Change we certainly can do without.

Now, Obama has earned the right to be rebuffed on November 4.
As they say in the movies: “Now, it’s personal.”

Barrack Hussein Obama. First off, allow me to express condolences on the loss of your grandmother. I’m sure your minions will find this blog and pass along my thoughts and prayers.

Now it’s time to go back to Chicago.

All of un-American lunatics Mr. Obama decides to associate himself with, have until this point, been character flaws at the least. At the most extreme, Mr. Obama’s choice to associate himself with reprehensible villains is dangerous to our country.

Mr. Obama would rather harm Joe the Plumber’s American dream, so Bluetooth-wearing (yet big government lovin’), snack-rationing, free gas loving, misanthropes can frolic their lives away. Even Michelle Obama’s frustrated hate of America (until votes were cast her husband’s way that is) remains quaint.

It seems that Mr. Obama would now like to crush the coal mining industry. He wants to bankrupt it because it’s not “P.C.” enough. Instead, if elected, he will wage war on the industry. Are you listening Jack Murtha?

You see, Western Pennsylvania is coal country. West Virginia is coal country. Ohio is coal country.

Did I mention that Western Pennsylvania is coal country? George Martin Leturgey, Sr., my Grandfather, worked in coal mines outside of my hometown of Portage, Pennsylvania, for 40 years. “Pap” died of “black lung” in the early 1990’s. My uncle, George Martin Leturgey, Jr., worked in the same coal mines. It took cancer three times to get “Tiny.” He passed in 2004. In pictures, people say we look alike. I’m proud of that.

My father, Thomas Richard Leturgey, worked in coal mines when I was a small child. He was lucky to get out of it and move onto construction work in the mid 1980’s. Many of my older cousins, as well as their fathers, worked in the “hole.”

Coal mining in Western Pennsylvania really dried up around the same time as the Steel Industry in and around Pittsburgh. I would have been “in the hole” as well.
That being said, there are still pockets of working coal mines in Western Pennsylvania. Every so often, someone will get trapped in a mine in West Virginia or the Midwest. It makes International news.

My cousin Justin, not long out of high school, worked a heartbeat in an area mine. While the pay was exceptional for a high school graduate (or a college graduate for that matter) the darkness, the dank and perhaps the rats were just too much for him to withstand. He got out while he could.

Regardless, it remains a great way of life for many, many people.

Barack Obama says he will bankrupt the mining industry because he just doesn’t care for it. That must be because he hates Western Pennsylvania so much. Its bible thumpers, gun-loving hunters and coal miners just aren’t the sophisticates’ cup of tea.

In a San Francisco newspaper interview that has been completely buried by the pandering left, Obama says:

“Let me sort of describe my overall policy.
What I've said is that we would put a cap and trade system in place that is as aggressive, if not more aggressive, than anybody else's out there.
I was the first to call for a 100% auction on the cap and trade system, which means that every unit of carbon or greenhouse gases emitted would be charged to the polluter. That will create a market in which whatever technologies are out there that are being presented, whatever power plants that are being built, that they would have to meet the rigors of that market and the ratcheted down caps that are being placed, imposed every year.
So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted.
That will also generate billions of dollars that we can invest in solar, wind, biodiesel and other alternative energy approaches.
The only thing I've said with respect to coal, I haven't been some coal booster. What I have said is that for us to take coal off the table as a (sic) ideological matter as opposed to saying if technology allows us to use coal in a clean way, we should pursue it.”

Of course we should pursue clean technology, but to wipe out an entire industry is unfathomable. Liberal Democrats have already indicated that they’d like to reinstate the “Fairness Doctrine” because conservatives are successful on radio, while lefties can’t keep Air America afloat. Industry driven by “markets” is of no concern to lefties. Talk radio would be destroyed.

I’m not sure if there’s been a more economically obtuse candidate for Presidency in the history of this great nation. Only if I ran would I be worse, but at least I know you cannot shut down multi-billion-dollar industries because I don’t like the bells and whistles. If that was the case, I’d shut down Interior Decorating stores.

I agree with Sara Palin. We should encourage clean coal and better coal. That idea got great response at her rally in Johnstown, mere miles from operating coal mines. Heck, folks could work in coal mines for 40 years and not get sick. But you don’t shut it down because you don’t understand it. I would have shut down the Rap Industry had that been the case.

The bigger story is why wasn’t this January, 2008 interview made public until recently? The fix is in, folks. The fix is in.

Respect the American work force, whether you like the industry or not. Vote McCain.

My oh my. Lots of people are playing goalie these days.

Here, the USA Men's Water Polo team sets up on defense as the dark caps (China) set up to shoot. This was from the first game of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Pool play.

Political Tips through the lense of a water polo game:

Play goalie -- turn off your phone. I'm hearing of some friends that are turning off their phones, or did so for much of the weekend. The auto-dialer and volunteer calls are pouring in. The election ads are washing over us all, here in PA, a battleground state.

Some tips for playing a good defense -- teamwork.

Put up one arm when approached.

Keep to the center (of the cage).

Keep your feet moving (kicking).

Keep your eye on the ball. What matters most?

Mark your man.

One vote, like one goal, doesn't make the whole outcome of the tournament (nor campaign).

Keep your head above water -- as in don't burn out. It is okay to get a break and turn to the bench for replacements.

Communicate among those on your team.

When you see something interesting, take a photo of it. Carry your camera. Witness. Document. Cross your legs when doing so. See the guy in the foreground of the photo.

Get some giggles

Pointers from Jon Delano.

Fall High School sports playoffs

Tell us what you know about the playoffs of the fall sports.

Girls' Volleyball:
Pittsburgh Schenley H.S. vs. North Allegheny at North Hills High School, Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 pm.

Girls Soccer:
Pittsburgh Schenley HS vs. Hampton at Cupples Stadium, Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 pm.

Boys Soccer:
Allderdice takes on Peter's Township at Chartiers Valley High School on Tuesday Nov 4th at 7 pm.
(Thanks to the comments.)

Net is nothing but bricks.

Time for some ping-pong politics. Our own Forrest Gump story.

 

Check out the net: bricks. The tables are made of slate (I think). They are outdoors all the time and don't warp or flake like plywood would. People arrive with their own balls and bats (paddles). And, some bring their own nets too. Otherwise, just line up the bricks, often slipped under the table.

Some parks are more geared to table tennis. Others are more for badminton. In this park the one's with shuttlecocks were relegated to the open area, without courts.

Witches Parking

Valet parking for witches, perhaps.

From clean-sweep

Here is a way to get around. Brooms are so last millenium.

So, who is going to benefit, exactly?

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents :: Electile Dysfunction: Wagner and Peduto? I'm disappointed that Bill Peduto and Chelsa Wagner have still not identified the charity to benefit from tonight's Halloween party. I'm a little more disappointed that they seem to be affronted that I would ask questions of them about a political event (we all know it is a political event). I asked some folks in the know, including someone connected to another state level official, and it does seem that there is an 'understanding' that we who identify as liberal/progressive are supposed to sort of grant more wiggle-room (for lack of a better term) to our progressives allies whom we've elected when they are doing the political/pre-campaign thing. I violated a taboo when I shared my opinion with the 57 people who read this blog, most of whom are other bloggers and already knew.

The shocker in this posting is that there are 57 people who read the blog.

But, I'd like to know too.

Keep an eye on this page, PA

http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us

Bob Barr: The Liberal Case for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party

Bob Barr: The Liberal Case for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party: "The Liberal Case for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party

Only one party has consistently stood up for the Constitution and against expansive executive power: the Libertarian Party. Only one party has consistently demanded a quick and full withdrawal from Iraq: the Libertarian Party. Only one party has demanded that all administration officials, legislators, and bureaucrats be held accountable for violating the law or the Constitution: the Libertarian Party.

Sen. Obama's impending big victory will tempt liberals to relax and celebrate. Yet the time of greatest danger will be the transition, when Sen. Obama will be deciding on who to appoint and what direction to take. The best way to safeguard our liberties is to let him know that his election victory comes with an important "but" -- in the form of a strong showing by Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party, who have placed the protection of American liberties and America's reputation in the world at the core of their campaign.

Bob Barr on NBC Nightly News

Bob Barr and Ralph Nader are in a debate tonight.

Barr criticizes Dems, GOP for gov't abuse - News

Barr criticizes Dems, GOP for gov't abuse - News 'I'm conservative, and I don't feel like there is a good choice in this election,' he said. 'But I liked a lot of what I heard tonight.'

When a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it, ...

YouTube - Rauterkus's Channel update. Now 22 subscribers

YouTube - Rauterkus's ChannelUser name: Rauterkus
Style: VLogging

On October 10, 2008, Bob Barr, candidate for US President, visited Pittsburgh. I sat in the front row and captured his talk with my video camera. I uploaded bits of it to YouTube and few came by to watch it.

I uploaded the entire talk to Google Video and Blip.TV, and few came by to watch it. Google video reports zero views for the month. Heck, I even watched it. With Rauterkus.blip.tv, 18 views. Only a couple of dozen were interested, it seems.

I've got 66 videos on YouTube. But, now, I've got 22 subscribers. Before there were less than 5.

Interesting. Either my videos stink. Or, people are not too concerned with what Bob Barr has to say. Humm....

I think that there is a bit of a problem when it comes to getting people to find and watch video content.

Former Penn Hills Football Coach Files Complaint Against District

kdka.com - Former Penn Hills Coach Files Complaint Against DistrictEx-Coach Files Complaint Against Penn Hills
PENN HILLS (KDKA) ― Neil Gordon has filed a grievance against his former employer charging the district with age and race discrimination.

The longtime Penn Hills football coach has filed an EEOC complaint against the district.

Among other things, the complaint alleges Gordon was not rehired after serving as coach for more than 20 years because of his skin color.

Push-em back, push-em back, waaaay back.

There is nothing like a good offense to take the pressure off a bad defense.

Other sports puns and jargon welcomed.

Invite in jpg for Nov 6, 2008

Click image above for a larger view.

Culture and sport

The Brits are putting in sport and taking away leisure. That's a sign that they're getting more serious. Given the outlook for 2012 Olympics, they might do much better in various sports -- beyond the one's where they have been tradition powers -- the sitting down sports.

Culture and sport: "Developing and delivering culture and sport opportunities is at the heart of a local community's interests. This importance is reflected in the shared priorities created by local and central government. The culture and sport resource provides materials relevant to policy and decision makers, as well as practitioners.

Culture and sport has replaced the 'leisure and culture' resource. For more information, visit the 'What's new?' page below.

City schools, programs receive Heinz grants

City schools, programs receive Heinz grants The Heinz Endowments this afternoon announced about $10.2 million in grants to the Pittsburgh Public Schools and some of the school district's community partners.
The gift includes $6 million over three years for the Pittsburgh Promise, which provides college scholarships for graduates of city high schools and charter schools; $2 million for the 'Fund for Exellence' supporting a number of school district improvement initiatives, such as new curricula and design of new schools; and $500,000 for the district's Culturally Responsive Arts Education Program.
Also included in the gift are grants to the University of Pittsburgh, Hill House Association and Beginning With Books Center for Early Literacy. The partners work with the school district on issues ranging from technology to social services.

Take it off in the West End

This meeting will be on Tuesday.

Proposed Strip Club

As most of you are aware, there is a proposal to open a strip club very near to the West End Circle. This being the gateway to all of our West End communities could have a negative impace on our region. After meeting with the developer/owner of this proposed establishment last evening, upon invitation by Sam Palombini he agreed to attend the Sheraden Community Council meeting tonight at 7:00 at the Sheraden Senior Center. Please try to come.

Intersteller messages from Bebo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm working on my latest business plan and uncover this news.

Bebo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bebo is collaborating with the RDF Media Group to send 500 messages to the planet Gliese C which is more than 20 light-years away but the nearest good candidate for a neighbouring extraterrestial civilisation. Some have criticised this action because it might draw unwanted attention to Earth, provoking an attack or other inimical action.

Central Catholic football player dies

Chills.

Central Catholic football player dies: "Central Catholic football player dies

Prayers too.

My call from Beijing is still getting some attention -- internet, wikis, China's Great Wall

We went to China for the Olympics. I did a lot of blogging and data collection there -- but could not put pages onto our wikis. The wikia.com domain was blocked.

Back then I posted a simple message and it is still getting kicked around a bit in high-tech circles.

But the upside of this was that our blogs were visible in China for the first-time ever in August. When we departed the US, I had heard that the blogs were not visible in China. But, by the time we got to China, they were visible. The Olympic hosts had opened up a good bit of the net to those in China.

Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:38:28 +1100
From: Victor ... @gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Wikia-l] We are now in Beijng -- and Olympics about to unfold -- without wikia
To: "Central Wikia Mailing List"

For the Benefit of Anupam.

This is the issue that was raised previously.

On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 2:13 AM, Angela ... @gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 12:52 AM, Mark Rauterkus
> wrote:
> > Hi All,
> >
> > We can NOT see my wiki from Beijing.
>
> Unfortunately Wikia.com and other Wikia-owned domains have been
> blocked in mainland China for some time. Wikipedia was similarly
> blocked for many years, but recently unblocked for the Olympics along
> with many other sites, though certainly not all. It's something that
> KJ (Wikia's Chinese-language community manager) and Jimmy Wales have
> worked on reversing, though it's really not something we can control.
> We continue to look for solutions for this, but until then, you might
> want to read Wikipedia's advice on this at http://tinyurl.com/675onp
>
> Angela
> _______________________________________________
> Wikia-l mailing list
> Wikia-l@wikia.com
> http://lists.wikia.com/mailman/listinfo/wikia-l

Hart-Altmire debate canceled

Hart-Altmire debate canceled: "Hart-Altmire debate canceled"

Song: They Lost My Vote!

Thanks to Ellen Bukstel!



Tune comes out of Florida, of course.

Ellen Bukstel, singer, songwritter, will be one of our Concert Hour acts this summer at SUUSI. Please watch her in this non-partisan break from the grueling campaign watch.

CHANNEL 11 IN-DEPTH - VIOLENCE AMONG US

Imagine a community without violence; a community where business leaders and educators work with neighborhood residents to help families feel safe and secure. Statistics show a direct link between high school dropout rates and violent crimes in Pittsburgh and across the state. Research also indicates that simply increasing graduation rates by 10 percent will prevent 150 murders and almost 6,000 assaults in Pennsylvania every year. Channel 11 searches for more solutions in a one-hour primetime special, "11 In-Depth - Violence Among Us." The 60-minute special will be hosted by Channel 11 News anchors David Johnson and Darieth Chisolm and will air Saturday, October 25th at 9:00 pm.

The program will bring together concerned citizens, experts and elected officials to look at the problem of violence, its causes and possible solutions. Among the guests scheduled to appear are Pittsburgh Chief of Police Nate Harper, William Strickland, the President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation, Director of the Black Political Empowerment Project, Tim Stevens and many others who are concerned about the rising tide of violence in Pittsburgh. Channel 11 News Reporter Vince Sims will file reports from the field and bring the street perspective to the discussion.

In the week leading up to broadcast, viewers will be able to take a "Channel 11 In-Depth" poll on wpxi.com. The results of this poll will be used to guide the discussion as the causes of our current violence problem are debated. Viewers will also be able to submit questions to the panel of guests which will be answered during the program.

"11 In-Depth - Violence Among Us" is the latest in a series of WPXI "In-Depth" specials, a series of one-hour prime-time programs, each addressing an issue of vital community importance. Channel 11 Vice President and General Manager, Ray Carter, says the program is vitally important no matter where you live. "Unless we begin together, to solve the problem; violence and fear will only become more deeply ingrained into the fabric of life here in Pittsburgh. And that bleak view of our future is something we simply cannot accept."

"11 In-Depth - Violence Among Us," a one-hour prime-time Channel 11 News special, will also air Sunday, October 26th at 8:00pm and Friday, October 31stat 8:00pm on PCNC.

CHANNEL 11 IN-DEPTH - VIOLENCE AMONG US

Imagine a community without violence; a community where business leaders and educators work with neighborhood residents to help families feel safe and secure. Statistics show a direct link between high school dropout rates and violent crimes in Pittsburgh and across the state. Research also indicates that simply increasing graduation rates by 10 percent will prevent 150 murders and almost 6,000 assaults in Pennsylvania every year. Channel 11 searches for more solutions in a one-hour primetime special, "11 In-Depth - Violence Among Us." The 60-minute special will be hosted by Channel 11 News anchors David Johnson and Darieth Chisolm and will air Saturday, October 25th at 9:00 pm.

The program will bring together concerned citizens, experts and elected officials to look at the problem of violence, its causes and possible solutions. Among the guests scheduled to appear are Pittsburgh Chief of Police Nate Harper, William Strickland, the President and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation, Director of the Black Political Empowerment Project, Tim Stevens and many others who are concerned about the rising tide of violence in Pittsburgh. Channel 11 News Reporter Vince Sims will file reports from the field and bring the street perspective to the discussion.

In the week leading up to broadcast, viewers will be able to take a "Channel 11 In-Depth" poll on wpxi.com. The results of this poll will be used to guide the discussion as the causes of our current violence problem are debated. Viewers will also be able to submit questions to the panel of guests which will be answered during the program.

"11 In-Depth - Violence Among Us" is the latest in a series of WPXI "In-Depth" specials, a series of one-hour prime-time programs, each addressing an issue of vital community importance. Channel 11 Vice President and General Manager, Ray Carter, says the program is vitally important no matter where you live. "Unless we begin together, to solve the problem; violence and fear will only become more deeply ingrained into the fabric of life here in Pittsburgh. And that bleak view of our future is something we simply cannot accept."

"11 In-Depth - Violence Among Us," a one-hour prime-time Channel 11 News special, will also air Sunday, October 26th at 8:00pm and Friday, October 31stat 8:00pm on PCNC.

Watch this!

http://www.speakmiracles.org/media/centad_students.wmv

There is a splendid video that was shown for the first time last night that needs to be put on YouTube. But, this is just a slice of it.

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents :: Am I naive about the Wagner/Peduto pairing?

Good question. What charity?

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents :: Am I naive about the Wagner/Peduto pairing?: "I wasn't even going to blog about this until it became apparent that I could not get a straightforward answer."

Business teachers in universities using hard economic times as real lessons - al.com

Business teachers in Alabama universities using hard economic times as real lessons - al.com Stephanie Rauterkus, a finance professor at UAB, has begun modifying her freshman introduction-to-business course, along with graduate classes in investments and derivatives, to reflect daily events.

Q&A about PodCamp Pittsburgh

1. What was one thing you learned at PCPGH3 that you didn’t expect to learn before the conference?

I got to meet the founder and two other workers from Blip.TV. I discovered that they have less than a dozen employees. The founder leans to the libertarian side, as do I. We'll be voting for Bob Barr and I was happy to tell him Blip.TV is the best for things like this.

2. Podcamps are notorious for inspiring creativity and generating ideas. Did a potential project spring up for you as a result of PCPGH3?


You betcha. I'm going to file for a grant at Alphalabs. But, the idea had been brewing for some time.

3. Who is one person you met (out of the many, surely) that has moved into your Reader/RSS feed, and why?

I'm going to watch Jim at Rustbelt because he is a stay-at-home dad. We rule!

4. What didn’t you get out of PCPGH3 that you wish you would have? (Session, info, topic, etc.)

I knew that very few people would be interested in a session on politics from me. Same too with sports. This crowd is too Pittgirl in their content hungers. However, SNL and other trends point to a big spike in attention to politics. So, there seems to be some gulf that needs to be bridged yet. Our political blogging landscape has seen many die out in recent seasons. That's a shame. I had a wish that a new age could take root with PodCamp Pittsburgh 3.

5. What social media goals have you set for yourself to achieve before PCPGH4? To not burn out.

I'll do the tour of my neighborhood(s) for the 11-11 RW project. I'll give $.02 as I can. I'll be happy to lead another session next time and perhaps do more to invite and include another population of possible participants, such as coaches, school teachers, church webmasters, folk singers or open water swimmers.

Candidate debate, today, 1 pm at Allderdice High School

Details in the public calendar called Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates.

Titus North, Mike Doyle. Plus others.

Pittsburgh's DePaul School - Sounds of Success - P-G article and 100th Anniversary!

Way to go DePaul, the Sisters of Charity, and all the others involved in a fantastic Pittsburgh institution.

Pittsburgh's DePaul School celebrates a century of helping hearing-impaired children: "Pittsburgh's DePaul School celebrates a century of helping hearing-impaired children"

This school and the various programs have made dramatic changes in recent times. That's progress. And, it is success.

We'll be at the gala tonight. My wife is on the board.

Catherine and I headed to a past DePaul gala.
Doing a dance for DePaul's 100th Celebration!
DSC08578
Originally uploaded by rauterkus

Council wants say on Allentown police station

We should save the Hostel. Screw the police station. Put the police station in the basement of South Side Vo Tech.

Why build into a building that isn't accessible?

Council wants say on Allentown police station Council wants say on Allentown police station
Friday, October 24, 2008
By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A proposed police station move in Pittsburgh's southern neighborhoods faces delays and procedural questions as some on City Council demand a vote on the $1.7 million project.

Announced by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl in July, the shift of the Zone 3 station from South Side Flats to Allentown was to occur by Jan. 1 but now seems unlikely to happen before late March, because of the need to get waivers on accessibility rules.

The administration's decision to run the transformation of a former youth hostel into a police station through the Urban Redevelopment Authority, rather than city government, also may complicate matters.

Councilman Patrick Dowd wrote to Mr. Ravenstahl saying the project 'clearly falls well outside of the scope of the URA's mission' and demanding that he 'immediately bring this question before City Council.'

Dowd is right. Ravenstahl is wrong, again.

Promises were made that can't be kept, as usual.

Sarah Palin Should Give Her Jacket To A Little Girl

I had to laugh today when I saw yet another smear attack on Sarah Palin. This time the "critics" took her to task for an expensive wardrobe.

Granted, the money spent on the clothes are astronomical. Everyone who donated to campaigns knows that's why they donating...incidentals, advertising, clothing.
Rush Limbaugh made a good point today (most of his points are correct, btw), in that most of the time, glamour girls are given the fanciest of duds.

Before Sarah Palin was ever on the national landscape, I was offended to see Michelle Obama's sense of style compared to Jackie Kennedy's. Normally, I couldn't give a cat's fur ball about style, but the comparison simply seemed to be a shallow attempt to but Michelle My Belle on a pedestal before she ever made it to Pennsylvania Avenue.

Michelle's $148 off-the-rack dress while appearing on The View was the only mention comparing the two (Obama and Palin) in the story featured in today's Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

What Sarah Palin needs to do is this...it should have started at today's event in Beaver County, PA...about an hour north of Pittsburgh...at the end of her speech, Palin takes off the jacket. She walks over to a young girl in the audience...hands her the coat...and says, "Keep it and wear it. Sell it. Whatever. It's yours." Palin then waves to the crowd which would be ruckus at this point...then walk away. End of discussion.

The whole wardrobe thing is bullcrap. Cindy McCain, who because of her father's wealth is probably the richest of all the players in this campaign, wore a staggeringly-expensive dress with matching jewelry. It wasn't taxpayer money that paid for the threads, so what.

Sarah Palin is the real rock star, the real cultural icon out of this campaign. Saturday Night Live won't touch Obama now. Don't think they ever did touch Michelle
Obama. Omarosa needs to join the cast just to play Michelle.

Anyhoo, the wardrobe "crisis" is anything but that. It's laughable.

Just do the right thing and vote McCain. I don't want the greatest country in the world to become just like Europe. Europeans still want to come here.

A+ Schools does good job with a paper evaluation of the PPS Plans

There is a public review and evalution of a planning document with a bunch of weenie talk from the PPS educators concerning our schools. One group already did a fine job of laying out dozens and dozens of comments with plenty of open-ended questions and calls for more clarity, understanding, justifications and objective measures.

Another group, A+ Schools, released a paper that takes aim at the same planning document. The A+ Schools evaluation is very good.

A couple of the final points in the document get reprinted here:

Strategy 5.6: The Pittsburgh Public Schools needs a transparent, deliberate, and
accessible format for engaging the community. There should be protocols for
community processes that include criteria for decision making and other
accountability measures so that the public knows what to expect from the District
and knows where they can provide valuable information.

(Add) There was a community engagement plan for high school reform
announced recently and it does not appear in this plan. Stating it as a specific
strategy that PPS intends to use would reinforce the sincerity of the plan that has
already been presented and invoke more likely public support.

Sure, PPS needs lots of transparent elements throughout the entire system. Tons and tons would be a good start.

The problem with the high school reform task force that had meetings for more than a year are many. The group was hand picked. The group huddled without notes ever being released. Votes were not taken. And, the outcome of all of those meetings amounted to zip. Mr. Roosevelt said that all the planning was tossed out the window because of the Schenley excuse.

The members of the task force that asked hard questions were not invited back for additional meetings once the plans changed.

The high school reform task force was a joke. Its outcomes if not its total being presented opportunities to blow smoke and fiddle time and divert attention.

The high school reform task force can't be mentioned in the current draft of the plans as the work product would have to also be referenced. That work product and advice is nothing like what is being orchestrated at present.

The high school reform task force is like a bad rash that Mr. Roosevelt wants to forget as quickly as possible and never hint of prior connections. So, the high school reform task force of the not too distance past is like the re-write of the curriculum by the private firm (Kaplan) with accelerated payments at inflated costs that was later dismissed only to be re-written by in-house people in recent times.

Churn baby churn -- disco inferno!

Well done A+ Schools. Well done Pure Reform. Nice try PPS, but your homework isn't complete and it needs a do-over. Perhaps its grade is 50% -- as it is unfashionable to give any lower score.

Right now I'm probably going to vote for...

As for me, I'm sorta waiting to see the 3rd party debate. The tide to Bob Barr can switch for me if Barr does not get on the stage with the other candidates tonight.

Nitpicking

Pittsburgh Council favors bill to garbage counseling for tenants

Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA

The vote was 5-1 with Mr. Kraus joined by Ricky Burgess, Dan Deasy, Darlene Harris and William Peduto. Tonya Payne voted against it, and Patrick Dowd ...

Changing diapers by flipping the radio dial

Just sent this as an instant message to KDKA Radio's Marty Griffin:

Crap or no crap?

Marty, you don't say it at home and would not accept it from your 1 and 3 year old children. Exactly.

However, your radio show plays in my home. I listen and my kids play here with me.

So, if you want an invite into more homes and have more parents tuned into the community news you discuss -- it needs to come without the "crap language." Cut the toilet talk, Not for your benefit, -- but for the kids ages 1, 2, 3, and older.

As a stay at home dad with the pleasure of parenting duties -- I hated the times when I needed to dive for the radio's station dial or radio's "off switch."

Parenting and citizenship is tough enough. Be a help -- not a hindrance.

Hart vs. Altmyer Debate switched to next week

Penn State Beaver Student Union Building Auditorium event is on my Google Calendar. Click to the left.

The event was to be tomorrow, Thursday. Due to Pailin's visit to the area, the date of the debate has switched.

Greg Palast & RFK Jnr. - Rolling Stone Investigation: It's Already Stolen

>October 18, 2008
Investigation by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Greg Palast released today

Don't worry about Mickey Mouse or ACORN stealing the election. According to an investigative report out today in Rolling Stone magazine, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Greg Palast, after a year-long investigation, reveal a systematic program of "GOP vote tampering" on a massive scale.

- Republican Secretaries of State of swing-state Colorado have quietly purged one in six names from their voter rolls.

Over several months, the GOP politicos in Colorado stonewalled every attempt by Rolling Stone to get an answer to the massive purge - ten times the average state's rate of removal.

- While Obama dreams of riding to the White House on a wave of new voters, more then 2.7 million have had their registrations REJECTED under new procedures signed into law by George Bush.

Kennedy, a voting rights lawyer, charges this is a resurgence of 'Jim Crow' tactics to wrongly block Black and Hispanic voters.

- A fired US prosecutor levels new charges - accusing leaders of his own party, Republicans, with criminal acts in an attempt to block legal voters as "fraudulent."

- Digging through government records, the Kennedy-Palast team discovered that, in 2004, a GOP scheme called "caging" ultimately took away the rights of 1.1 million voters. The Rolling Stone duo predict that, this November 4, it will be far worse.

There's more:

- Since the last presidential race, "States used dubious 'list management' rules to scrub at least 10 million voters from their rolls."

Among those was Paul Maez of Las Vegas, New Mexico - a victim of an unreported but devastating purge of voters in that state that left as many as one in nine Democrats without a vote. For Maez, the state's purging his registration was particularly shocking - he's the county elections supervisor.

The Kennedy-Palast revelations go far beyond the sum of questionably purged voters recently reported by the New York Times.

"Republican operatives - the party's elite commandos of bare-knuckle politics," report Kennedy and Palast, under the cover of fighting fraudulent voting, are "systematically disenfranchis[ing] Democrats."

The investigators level a deadly serious charge:

"If Democrats are to win the 2008 election, they must not simply beat McCain at the polls - they must beat him by a margin that exceeds the level of GOP vote tampering."

Block the Vote by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. & Greg Palast in the current issue (#1064) of Rolling Stone. [Media enquiries - Dave Falkenstein, Sunshine Sachs & Assoc, via interviews@gregpalast.com.]

Note - Kennedy and Palast are releasing, simultaneously with the Rolling Stone investigative report what they call, the vote-theft 'antidote': a 24-page full-color comic book, Steal Back Your Vote, which can be downloaded or obtained in print from their non-partisan website, StealBackYourVote.org

For updates and video reports, go to RollingStone.com, www.GregPalast.com and StealBackYourVote.org.

My good "church friend" sent me this video of a peek into the future

I got rid of the flash movie as it was set to autoplay. See link in the comments.

Invite for Running Mates

New media technology is becoming increasingly important to the jobs of political and government operatives, and even as responsible citizens. The work bloggers, wiki editors, and social media participants are doing is important to promote government transparency and to draw in more liberty-minded activists and citizen leaders.

In an effort to help generate new media based relationships, the Sam Adams Alliance is hosting a one-day event aimed at helping Pennsylvania bloggers network with each other and build a stronger community.

This invitation-only event is designed to bring activists of all sorts together to find out where their missions and goals align and create a community of liberty-oriented activists who will work together to amplify the pro-liberty message online and offline.

On Saturday (November 1st) we will host an all day workshop primarily for new and experienced bloggers where we'll help to build a more effective online community in the state of Pennsylvania.

Come participate in the new media revolution!

Please RSVP and direct questions to Ken Marrero at ken@samadamsalliance.org or call 615-589-4997.

Pennsylvania Samsphere Event
Comfort Inn Hershey
1200 Mae Street
Hummelstown, Pennsylvania 17036

Tentative Agenda

12:00p.m. Welcome to Samsphere! (Ken Marrero)

12:15 - 12:45p.m. Discussion: "Being a Blogger" (Ken Marrero)

Objectives, Strategies and Tactics

12:45 - 2:00p.m. State of the Pennsylvania Blogosphere (Panel of Pennsylvania Bloggers TBA)

Discussion: Analysis of the current situation in Pennsylvania

Discuss current strengths and weaknesses of state blogosphere, problems to be addressed, priorities for election day

2:00 - 2:15p.m. Break

2:15 - 2:45p.m. Dissection of community building/strategies from the Left (Eric Odom)

2:45 - 3:15p.m. Basics of using social media for online community (Eric Odom)

3:15 - 4:00p.m. SamSphere Game (Ken Marrero)

4:00 - 4:45p.m. Networking Dinner (Compliments of Sam Adams Alliance)

4:45 - 5:15p.m. Local Politics and the vital role bloggers play (Erik Telford of Americans for Prosperity)

5:15 - 6:00p.m. Investigative Reporting for Bloggers (Special Guest Trent Siebert from Texas Watchdog)

6:00 - Q&A and Networking Mixer (Compliments of Sam Adams Alliance)

**Dress code is business casual to casual.

Kraus is a big disappointment

I didn't even write this:

Councilman Kraus is a big disappointment to me

Now that I have had ample time to grade Pittsburgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus' performance, the only thing that I can conclude is that he has been a big disappointment.

Let's huddle. My comments in plain. The letter-to-editor author in italic.

I worked on Mr. Kraus' campaign thinking he would do a better job than his predecessor Jeff Koch. Was I ever wrong!

To be sure, Jeff Koch was a good fit for a time when Bob O'Connor was going to redd up Pittsburgh. But, that era was so brief. Jeff was in deep trouble without Bob. And, the entire folly of City Hall would change. Same "direction" but different key and different tempo, for sure.

We now have the "great moralizer," "the guardian of community ethics," as a councilperson.

We need a guardian for the community -- in that we need a guardian of freedom, of liberty, of the purse strings. We need to guard our kids too, among a few other precious elements -- like the Constitution. But the guarding is not what he has in mind as to the values I have in mind. Let's elect one guardian of freedom on city council and I'll be much more "secure."

A "my way or the highway" approach to solving public issues.

They think that they have the 'right' now that they won to do what they wish. To the victor goes the spoils so they think.

An arrogance that comes about because only he has the ability to determine what's the right thing to do.

The right thing to do as a citizen and as a government are often much different. Bruce is not acting as an elected official should act. He is worried about a lost week in the fight on rubbish -- and costing us our due process. His behavior is the trash that we should put out for pick-up.

A "crusader" for the public good who assumes that the public good comes to him through some revelation from on high.

Church-going, God-fearing, anointed --- oh, never mind.

An elected official who presumably speaks for his entire constituency not just those who make the most noise.

An office holder, who is supposed to broker differences among all residents, not be a mouthpiece for a select few.

A man who has the time to prowl Carson Street at 2 a.m. on a Sunday morning in search of a sidewalk pizza peddler while crime explodes in other areas of his district.

Bruce's "time" isn't the "problem." His investment of energy is what it is. But, he is batting at the leaves on the tree of suffering. He isn't getting close to the roots of our problems.

An otherwise articulate individual on most issues who remained sphinx-like on when it came to transferring the police station from 18th Street to the Hilltop, afraid to offend anyone.

If you get my point, he isn't articulate. Mush mouthed might fit.

A councilman, who, on his own, decided to sue a major advertising company without getting approval from a majority of city council and then expected the city tax payer to foot his legal bills because he feels he is a majority of one.

And he didn't really understand why or how it all went down around him on that saga.

A public servant who will not take a step across Carson Street to meet with property owners or shop proprietors to get accommodations on the problems that plague Carson Street, while those same business people tip-toe over a property line to sell goods.

Speaking of footwork -- understand that people often vote with their feet. Same too with investments. When projects can't be finished -- except with a lot of red tape navigation and finger wagging -- then the city gets closer to being a ghost town.

Great cities all over the world have tables and chairs on sidewalks; a vibrancy that comes with living in an alive city instead of the sterile suburbs; vendors or street performers providing variety and entertainment so that we all can enjoy the excitement all successful cities deliver.

Some politicians pontificate, some produce. Some are do-gooders some are doers. In each case I prefer the latter.

Great cities are great because they are places where people are free to be themselves and respect is woven throughout. Politicians have to give it to get it. And, acts from government to squash rights, such as property rights, are not to be tolerated.

From texture - misc.

Reminder: Tonight is both trash night and recycling. Let's all take our trash out at the same time as a protest.

Sports chat transcript: Asking for some on-campus football

Talk of Pitt is in the air. Wishing for a better on-campus option.

Jerry Micco's sports chat transcripttheWellHungarian: Also, if anyone else was in Annapolis, wouldn't it be awesome if the university could somehow, some way build a 35,000 seat stadium in the exact mold of Navy's Stadium. Heinz Field is great for NFL & Steelers but it is not College Football. I don't know how to do it, but may tear down some of the slums in South Oakland or buy some land from the city where Schenley Park is,, but it would be awesome

Jerry Micco: And that's probably a bit small, but a 45,000 to 50,000-seat stadium would be fine. And if you want a bigger crowd for WVU or when PSU comes back on the sked, use Heinz Field. Campus stadiums are much better for atmosphere, but the deal Pitt has with the Steelers for Heinz is a pretty good one.

I was in city council today, talking about some of the same things. More to come from me.

Larry Evans suggestion for Obama's campaign folks

This isn't the best place to reach Obama organizers, but, here is an interesting suggestion that makes sense to me. It comes from Larry Evans of Greater Pittsburgh.

Obama organizers:

At a recent Obama coffee at my home, our pool of supporters discussed briefly an idea that I think is worth tossing around with the campaign headquarters. It is important to be prepared after a probable election victory (also even after another possible narrow defeat) to give the army of Obama volunteers and supporters something creative and re-energizing to do after Nov 4.

To keep our grassroots interested and to grow its empowerment, here is my suggestion:

In every state, red or blue, Alaska or Pennsylvania, modestly fund each campaign office through December 31st to organize a symbolic Christmas Holidays activity (during the December 26-January 1 timeframe) that would benefit a local person/s or community organization in need.

An example of such an activity here in western PA could be the following:

Recently, the non-profit Carnegie Library of Homestead had to lay off workers because their funding took a dive due to investments gone south with the declining market. I talked to this historic library’s fitness center director Ed Child and we are considering holding at the Library’s gym, pool and lecture hall a week-long “Citizen-Athlete Sports and Music Festival” from Friday, December 26th through Thursday, January 1st where folks of all ages will contribute a fee to play basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, swim and run (on an indoor track), as well as attend concerts and public forums and participate in physical skill contests and intellectual games emphasizing sportsmanship and citizenship ideals.

This community organizer’s dream event could raise some money and a lot of publicity for this highly symbolic facility deep in the heart of Steeler Country and show the nation that this regime change is truly from the bottom up and will jump start an inspiring and hopefully on-going activism that we all know must be an essential component to a successful Obama presidency.

Glad to talk more on this idea at your convenience…

Larry Evans, Pittsburgh, PA 15243

Local Candidates Debate: Titus North, Green Party - vs. - incumbent D who voted for the bailouts

October 24, 2008 1:00 PM

League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh Candidates' Forum at Allderdice High School auditorium, 2409 Shady Avenue, Pittsburgh 15217 on Friday October 24th from 1:15 PM to 2:40 PM.

Titus North (Green Party) and Mike Doyle (Democratic Party) from 1:20-2:00 PM.

Mary "Liz" Hughes (Green Party) and Dan Frankel (Democratic Party) from 2:00 - 2:40 PM.

Arlene Levy, Vice President of Voter Services for the League of Women Voters, will be the moderator.

The forum is an important public service to the voters in the 14th Congressional District and the 23rd Legislative District.

More: http://ronpaul.meetup.com/97/calendar/9010722/

Coach Michael Lohberg' s 3K Walk/Run Fundraiser

Coach Michael Lohberg' s 3K Walk/Run Fundraiser
from ASCA
Michael Lohberg, respected and honored coach of Coral Springs Swim Club in Florida, and coach of numerous international Olympians as well as American Dara Torres, fell gravely ill in July with aplastic anemia, a rare and devastating disorder in which the bone marrow stops making enough red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. For weeks Michael received extensive treatments in Bethesda, MD and is now home in Coral Springs where he continues to receive treatments on an outpatient basis while he waits for a suitable bone marrow transplant. He has not been able to return to the pool deck since July. To help with the overwhelming medical costs the Coral Springs Swim Club and friends of Michael have organized a 3K Walk/Run Fundraiser on Nov. 16. You can read information on the Walk/Run here. To read information on making a financial donation visit the Coral Springs Swim Club Web site here .

Pull out firearms and insert handguns

Tonya Payne, D, member of Pgh City Council, was upset that news leaked from city hall that she was somehow against the proposed lost firearms bill now being discussed and voted upon.

Who leaked the false news? She has her opinions and hunches.

Doug Shields was the one who explained for the push to change the law from 'firearms' to 'handguns.'

A public hearing is expected as is a post agenda.

Question from 5th grader to visiting guest in civic's class: "Mr. Kraus, can you please take away the guns."

The answer should be, "No." It wasn't, I dare say.

Bill Peduto's intent isn't to saber rattle. He wants an enforceable law.

City council is again running out with an attempt with 'over-reaching legislation.'

At least this time, they are holding the proposed bill for community wide discussions. See you then.

More Pittsburgh council members sponsor stolen-gun bill Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA The sponsors are Council President Doug Shields and members William Peduto, Bruce Kraus, Darlene Harris, Jim Motznik, Tonya Payne and Dan Deasy. ...

Pittsburgh Council invites public scrutiny of firearm legislation Pittsburgh Tribune-Review - Pittsburgh,PA,USA But Councilman Bill Peduto said that's not the idea. "It's not my intent to just saber rattle. It's my intent to have an enforceable law. ...

Citizens Police Review Board, $.02

We voted for the Citizens Police Review Board. Its failure costs us dearly.

The Citizens Police Review Board is a way to challenge power. It is a check and balance. It has never operated as it should and could -- because those in power have not seen fit to let it act on its mission.

The Citizens Police Review Board could bear fruit after we get people into top administrative and elected offices who are willing to do their jobs -- not just grab for all the power that they can leverage.
Also posted at Bram's blog, http://PghComet.blogspot.com

Networks Police YouTube For Copyright Violations : NPR

Think again.

Networks Police YouTube For Copyright Violations : NPR: "The presidential campaigns have fallen victim to a common copyright problem on the Internet. News networks complained that campaign commercials were using their footage and they demanded YouTube take them off its site. Free speech advocates say this is a high profile case that's part of an ongoing problem.

The networks have lawyers. Ouch.

This is another great example of how it is nearly impossible to get a candidate to run for office.