Thursday, September 08, 2005
Flash slide show of 55 images from Katrina
Defining images of a disaster, from PaynterExtra.org that requires the Flash plugin.
SI.com - Olympics - Koreas agree on unified team for 2006 Asian Games
Playing well together is nice.
Generally I say that the mind leads and the body follows. Sometimes the body leads and the politicians follow too. Sports are a venue for improvements of relationships. I love to see advances in sports be transfered to other pursuits in life.
Generally I say that the mind leads and the body follows. Sometimes the body leads and the politicians follow too. Sports are a venue for improvements of relationships. I love to see advances in sports be transfered to other pursuits in life.
Sports Illustrated The two Koreas agreed to field a unified team for the 2006 Asian Games.
The agreement came during a meeting between the heads of the North and South Olympic organizations in the Guangzhou, China, the South Korean Olympic Committee said Thursday. Details are still to be worked out.
The nations also tentatively decided to form a unified soccer team for exhibition games against Brazil next spring in Pyongyang and Seoul.
Sports exchanges between the Koreas have flourished following a breakthrough meeting of the two nations' leaders in 2000. Athletes from the North and South marched together at the opening and the closing ceremonies of the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.
The 2006 Asian Games are scheduled for Dec. 1-16, 2006 at Qatar.
A geek's-eye view of hurricane relief - Science - MSNBC.com
Good ink on a project I'm assiting with -- slightly.
But now there is much more brewing -- another storm. A fork of sorts. The FEMA and Red Cross and Microsoft folks seem to want to be a uni-center for data. But there are many others who are skeptical.
A geek's-eye view of hurricane relief - Science - MSNBC.com
But now there is much more brewing -- another storm. A fork of sorts. The FEMA and Red Cross and Microsoft folks seem to want to be a uni-center for data. But there are many others who are skeptical.
Katrina: Recovery Information Protection Act (RIP A)
Dan Chaney sent an email to katrinadev. We are working on a people finder application for use in the wake of Katrina. His post is at the top, followed by my reaction.
Hi,
Dan, Good, proactive thread... Nice thinking. You open a big can of worms.
However, I don't think your proposed legislative direction makes for a good outcome. It is NOT something I'd want to push in the real world. But after slamming the core of the ideas -- I'll attempt to offer a better solution / direction / approach (perhaps we'll agree). So, Dan, nice jucy can of worms -- but no thanks. I'll take a different flavor -- say a JAR of worms.
READERS, this has NOTHING to do with "DEV" on the pressing software / network application. So, it will be my ONLY posting to this list. I'll take the concepts to the WIKI, however, and my personal blog. You can stop reading now if busy and only interested in the bits and bytes.
First off -- there is a NATIONAL Do not call database. They also exist on a state by state basis. We also have one in our state.
(FYI, I don't agree with DO NOT CALL LISTS either -- and my name and #s are not in that db. But, that is another point well beyond this.)
Plus, local state attorney generals can be at the forefront of your concerns. An attorney general could -- and should perhaps -- stand up at a press briefing (while talking about gasoline price gougers, etc.) and cover what you put forth in your concerns. The attorney general can say -- "HANDS off to the unscrupulous." Otherwise, you'll feel the wrath of my office, blah, blah, blah.
I'm fine and would even support you taking these concepts to any and all Attorney Generals of each state.
Next, in the marketplace, there is sure to be a lot of backlash to any firm who might mine for sales given these reports. Is Lands End going to do a special Down South Gulfin catalog for the fall season and try to target victims of Katrina? No way.
The data, as we'll be finding out, is going to be very, very fluid. People are on the move. A relationship with a moving target is hard to use in a direct marketing campaign.
Next there is delivery of goods purchased, etc.
But, on the other hand, the people are getting, so says the news, a $2,000 debit card. So, catalog sales and efforts would be possible.
Then there is the matter of the necessary navel gazing that needs to be done by those in office now -- as to the delays and investigations, etc. These guys need to take a long, hard look in the rear view mirror. They are in a reactive mode, sadly. This effort for new legislation is proactive and where they should be -- but they are not. I don't think it will resonate with any office staffers at this time.
This could be a good campaign point to mention in 2006 races, for sure. But it would need a lot of buzz to take root -- when roots are so frail.
Furthermore, why don't we allow the marketplace to heal when it can -- not make these people islands where there can't be outreach. Some want normal relations without "special interest" pockets of "isolation."
For example, perhaps there is a truck load of work boots for $5 a pair headed to the Gulf or a shelter -- and handbills are delivered. Who is to say that those efforts ( relief in part, commerce in part ) CAN'T occur except by special order of FEMA or some other bureaucrat.
I think the tone needs to be "buyer beware" and "protect yourself" and "don't be slopp with your personal security."
However, this does lead to the points of ELECTIONS and VOTER Registrations.
Since 2001's hanging chad fumbles and follies -- we've done more damage than good in efforts of Voter Protection, vote counting, and so on.
What if you are running for school board in Houston and there are 15,000 new neighbors -- and you gotta go door-to-door in the next month, before a November election. ???
We do need, as open-source folks, have good measures of freedom and responsibility -- BOTH are needed.
Furthermore, I think we need to elbow a few along the way in terms of "democracy" and "inclusion" and allowing every voice to count and/or be heard.
This (people finder) is a massive project where each individual needs to be accounted for. The same is true in our American society with voting. Each individual needs to be able to have the opportunity to cast a vote. Not just men. Not just land owners. Not just residents since before Katrina. There is a dignity and worth to every human that DOES not change because of situations (skin color, neighborhood,
parents, job status, etc.)
I don't think we need to be MORE controlling -- but instead insert more LIBERTY -- and have a big sense of the core justice avenues. In America -- we vote. We do JURY Duty. We are all innocent until proven guilty.
Generally, too, we have freedoms to associate and free travel -- and free trade.
We are sure to need efforts of protection -- but, IMHO, they need to be geared to inclusion -- not isolation.
More to come, I'm sure. I just thought of another option.
How about a Creative Commons License that prevents commercial use? I'll email Lessig.
The Recovery Information Protection Act (RIPA, a term I completely made up as I was typing this in...) would be legislation designed to protect the information being posted in order to find survivors from being used for any other use, such as spam, commercial interests, etc. With the best of intentions, people are providing data on themselves and other individuals in order to find them. However that same data can be used for less altruistic purposes unless there are specific prohibitions against it. As generators of systems that collate and expand that data, we need to be aware of this issue. I am NOT suggestion we scale back efforts in any way, shape or form, the priority of finding people remains the highest priority (I'm not changing FamilyMessages' input screens, for example and we're continuing the PFIF implementations.) Nonetheless, a parallel effort to protect the use of that data should begin.
1. Does anyone know of existing legislation that would cover this issue?
2. Can anyone recommend US Congressional contacts that would be helpful here? I believe this would require quick action at the federal level (and that isn't the contradiction it seems if it can be a rider onto an emergency funding bill) but federal level is the only way to make it apply safely to the Internet.
3. Is there a downside to such legislation? (Let's assume it is narrowly drawn but precedent setting nonetheless)
I recognize this isn't a key issue for most of us focused on the technological, immediate and demanding issues but I'm hoping to help them head off another set of problems tomorrow by sidestepping them today. No one in their situation needs to deal with a million telemarketers with scams designed to play on their misfortunes,
financial or otherwise.
-dan
Hi,
Dan, Good, proactive thread... Nice thinking. You open a big can of worms.
However, I don't think your proposed legislative direction makes for a good outcome. It is NOT something I'd want to push in the real world. But after slamming the core of the ideas -- I'll attempt to offer a better solution / direction / approach (perhaps we'll agree). So, Dan, nice jucy can of worms -- but no thanks. I'll take a different flavor -- say a JAR of worms.
READERS, this has NOTHING to do with "DEV" on the pressing software / network application. So, it will be my ONLY posting to this list. I'll take the concepts to the WIKI, however, and my personal blog. You can stop reading now if busy and only interested in the bits and bytes.
First off -- there is a NATIONAL Do not call database. They also exist on a state by state basis. We also have one in our state.
(FYI, I don't agree with DO NOT CALL LISTS either -- and my name and #s are not in that db. But, that is another point well beyond this.)
Plus, local state attorney generals can be at the forefront of your concerns. An attorney general could -- and should perhaps -- stand up at a press briefing (while talking about gasoline price gougers, etc.) and cover what you put forth in your concerns. The attorney general can say -- "HANDS off to the unscrupulous." Otherwise, you'll feel the wrath of my office, blah, blah, blah.
I'm fine and would even support you taking these concepts to any and all Attorney Generals of each state.
Next, in the marketplace, there is sure to be a lot of backlash to any firm who might mine for sales given these reports. Is Lands End going to do a special Down South Gulfin catalog for the fall season and try to target victims of Katrina? No way.
The data, as we'll be finding out, is going to be very, very fluid. People are on the move. A relationship with a moving target is hard to use in a direct marketing campaign.
Next there is delivery of goods purchased, etc.
But, on the other hand, the people are getting, so says the news, a $2,000 debit card. So, catalog sales and efforts would be possible.
Then there is the matter of the necessary navel gazing that needs to be done by those in office now -- as to the delays and investigations, etc. These guys need to take a long, hard look in the rear view mirror. They are in a reactive mode, sadly. This effort for new legislation is proactive and where they should be -- but they are not. I don't think it will resonate with any office staffers at this time.
This could be a good campaign point to mention in 2006 races, for sure. But it would need a lot of buzz to take root -- when roots are so frail.
Furthermore, why don't we allow the marketplace to heal when it can -- not make these people islands where there can't be outreach. Some want normal relations without "special interest" pockets of "isolation."
For example, perhaps there is a truck load of work boots for $5 a pair headed to the Gulf or a shelter -- and handbills are delivered. Who is to say that those efforts ( relief in part, commerce in part ) CAN'T occur except by special order of FEMA or some other bureaucrat.
I think the tone needs to be "buyer beware" and "protect yourself" and "don't be slopp with your personal security."
However, this does lead to the points of ELECTIONS and VOTER Registrations.
Since 2001's hanging chad fumbles and follies -- we've done more damage than good in efforts of Voter Protection, vote counting, and so on.
What if you are running for school board in Houston and there are 15,000 new neighbors -- and you gotta go door-to-door in the next month, before a November election. ???
We do need, as open-source folks, have good measures of freedom and responsibility -- BOTH are needed.
Furthermore, I think we need to elbow a few along the way in terms of "democracy" and "inclusion" and allowing every voice to count and/or be heard.
This (people finder) is a massive project where each individual needs to be accounted for. The same is true in our American society with voting. Each individual needs to be able to have the opportunity to cast a vote. Not just men. Not just land owners. Not just residents since before Katrina. There is a dignity and worth to every human that DOES not change because of situations (skin color, neighborhood,
parents, job status, etc.)
I don't think we need to be MORE controlling -- but instead insert more LIBERTY -- and have a big sense of the core justice avenues. In America -- we vote. We do JURY Duty. We are all innocent until proven guilty.
Generally, too, we have freedoms to associate and free travel -- and free trade.
We are sure to need efforts of protection -- but, IMHO, they need to be geared to inclusion -- not isolation.
More to come, I'm sure. I just thought of another option.
How about a Creative Commons License that prevents commercial use? I'll email Lessig.
Polo anyone? I hope so. Play begins this weekend at CV.
Dripping with desire -- I'm ready to re-enter the game.
In the early 1990s, I published what is thought to be the best book on water polo, authored by then four time and now five time Olympic Coach, Monte Nitzkowski.
Around the same year, I started some water polo activities at Plum High School. We played there twice a week with adults and high schoolers in a co-ed practice. We did drills and wash-scoring mini-games.
When I coached the Foxes, two of the seniors did "senior projects" with water polo. We even had a joint practice with another high school team to play polo. And, our Firday AM workouts were designed to not include lane lines. We often worked on water polo skills as a change of pace in our overall conditioning sessions.
When we went to China in May and June, 2005, I got to play twice a week with the men's squad against a college women's team. The Physical Education College was starting a water polo team for the women and they needed competition. I was happy to participate.
This weekend a new water polo program is starting in Pittsburgh, at Charties Valley High School. It is open to kids from throughout the area.
The Pittsburgh Water Polo LeagueAction and sign-ups are to start this weekend. The league presents the youth of the area an opportunity to join a water polo team and compete against other teams for the league championship. It is more like an "in-house league" as all the players come from the same location and no travel is involved. It is a great chance to learn the sport and play games against your friends.
This league is open to any boy or girl in 9th to 12th grade.
We need to have many additional water polo programs in this region. It is a great game and keeps many more kids in their respective aquatic programs.
In California, there has been a recent (last 8 years or so) trend to build mega water polo programs for kids of all ages. Some of the teams there now have a couple thousand participants.
I think a good program in the area could include adults as well. And, of course, it is a co-ed activity.
Best of luck to the participants and leaders at the CV program. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to attend, even as a spectator, one weekend in the future. I would have like to be more involved on a day-to-day basis, but our travels this fall prevent me from attending too many of the sessions.
The guys were larger, older and stronger -- but the water makes everyone much more equal.
Photo flashback: More water polo photos from June 1, 2005, while in China.
RUMOR: Show Me State converts prison into apartments / shelter for 10,000 Katrina survivors
This is a working post where the outcome isn't known -- yet. Help with insights is welcomed. Just leave a comment below, please.
I heard in Pittsburgh (from a trusted source, a grad student at Pitt with family in Missouri) that 10,000 people are taking shelter in apartments that were converted from a former PRISON.
Kwel idea. Take a closed prison, rush to convert the spaces to apartments, host your neighbors in need.
But, I can't find any news of this -- yet. Pointers would be helpful. So, in my search I wrote to a journalist with a byline in MO who had done a recent article on ways locals are helping and he replied within minutes:
Meanwhile, what has become of the old Allegheny Prison on the North Side?
I heard in Pittsburgh (from a trusted source, a grad student at Pitt with family in Missouri) that 10,000 people are taking shelter in apartments that were converted from a former PRISON.
Kwel idea. Take a closed prison, rush to convert the spaces to apartments, host your neighbors in need.
But, I can't find any news of this -- yet. Pointers would be helpful. So, in my search I wrote to a journalist with a byline in MO who had done a recent article on ways locals are helping and he replied within minutes:
To the best of my knowledge, that's merely a rumor.
Missouri recently closed an old prison and opened a new one, and I know people have floated the idea of using the old prison, but I don't believe it's happening.
Thanks!
Tony
Meanwhile, what has become of the old Allegheny Prison on the North Side?
Niagra Falls visit
There is little else for me to blog about now -- as I'm booked for a flight over the Pacific next month.
The Globe and Mail: Chinese leader still a mystery The President's latest crackdown on dissent has included the arrest of writers and journalists, tougher controls on the Internet, tighter police surveillance of activists, a clampdown on non-governmental organizations, forced propaganda education classes and verbal attacks on the 'bourgeois' system of Western democracy.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Mark your calendars: Pittsburgh Ballet picketing
Dance with musicians in the streets of the cultural district for labor and the arts!
Dear AFM Sisters & Brothers and Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra Supporters,
On August 18th we held what we believe to be a very successful demonstration and gathering of audience support at the Pittsburgh Ballet's free public performance at Hartwood Acres in Pittsburgh.
Now comes the opening of the season's performances of the Pittsburgh Ballet WITHOUT THEIR ORCHESTRA. It is our goal to flood the streets in front of the Benedum Center Theatre with as many people as possible, who feel that this situation is not only a severe injustice to the Pittsburgh Ballet Musicians, but has serious ramifications for all AFM musicians who play for Ballet and other pit productions. We believe our Hartwood Acres demonstration DID make a difference, and a large demonstration for these opening productions will go a long way towards settling this dispute.
The dates and times of the picketing are as follows (shows start a half hour later):
October 6, 2005 7:00PM
October 7, 2005 7:30PM
October 8, 2005 7:30PM
October 9, 2005 1:30PM
ALL performance will be at the Benedum Center Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh-719 7th Street, 15222. It is on 7th Street between Penn and Liberty Streets.
Please come and join with us in these most important demonstrations. If you are coming from out of town, please do advise the Pittsburgh Ballet Committee and the Pittsburgh Musicians' Union via email (see addresses in the "copy" section), so we may have sufficient signs for everyone, and perhaps arrange for some hospitality.We also hope to have a large turnout from various segments of the Pittsburgh area community.
We hope you can join us in Pittsburgh; together we can win this fight.
Nathan Kahn, Negotiator
Symphonic Services Division
American Federation of Musicians
Leave My Child Alone -- well -- what do you (running mates) think of this?
Here is a pointer for something I've yet to examine. I need to do the homework. But, how about you? What do you think?
Leave My Child Alone Opt Out!
By completing the steps on these pages, you can create letters that will opt your child out of BOTH local and Pentagon databases.
Technology News via Reuters.com talks of Wiki wildness
If you still don't know what a wiki is -- its time to learn.
Technology News Article | Reuters.com News junkies find Wikipedia more than encyclopedia
Can I take my cat to swim at the Sandcastle wave pool too?
Animal Friends has a last splash of summer. Good place for fodder for cat blog postings.
Cats attend sporting events too! Flashback: Can you tell where this photo of a cat at a sporting event was taken? I also saw a dog or two in the stands as well, but didn't get a good photo of them.
Cats attend sporting events too! Flashback: Can you tell where this photo of a cat at a sporting event was taken? I also saw a dog or two in the stands as well, but didn't get a good photo of them.
Homework -- not just for Republicans: Young Patriots Essay Contest
Go for it. Don't simply just copy my blog postings. GOPUSA - Young Patriots Essay Contest Young Patriots Essay Contest
PARTY COMMITTEES begin to fracture because of the payraise
There appears to be some backlash aimed at the incumbents - from their own party committees! One county GOP committee has publicly denounced its own incumbents for their payjacking votes. One Democratic county committee is considering adopting a resolution condemning the payjack.
Dems, see the comments for a news story from a fair petition effort at a Dem booth that got hot.
The GOP state committee has a committeeman that is to propose a resolution condemning the payjack at their meeting this weekend.
These developments are particularly important to keep our eyes on as it is these committees that endorse candidates (incumbents) year after year. As such, PACleanSweep holds these committees responsible for their role in tainting the electoral system for all Pennsylvanians.
Dems, see the comments for a news story from a fair petition effort at a Dem booth that got hot.
The GOP state committee has a committeeman that is to propose a resolution condemning the payjack at their meeting this weekend.
These developments are particularly important to keep our eyes on as it is these committees that endorse candidates (incumbents) year after year. As such, PACleanSweep holds these committees responsible for their role in tainting the electoral system for all Pennsylvanians.
PA Clean Sweep: PCN call in show at 7 pm on SEPT 7
PACleanSweep founder Russ Diamond is slated to join PCN for a live call-in show about the pay raise issue. Russ will be in-studio for an hour to field calls with host Brian Lockman.
September 7th (tonight!!) at 7:00 p.m.
Call 1-877-726-5001 with comments or questions.
PA House Democratic Whip, Rep. Mike Veon, was also scheduled to appear on the program, but backed out for some strange reason. Rep. Will Gabig, reported sponsor of a bill to repeal the "unvouchered expenses" portion of Act 44 is now slated to appear instead.
See comments for tips on good questions to ask if you call in.
September 7th (tonight!!) at 7:00 p.m.
Call 1-877-726-5001 with comments or questions.
PA House Democratic Whip, Rep. Mike Veon, was also scheduled to appear on the program, but backed out for some strange reason. Rep. Will Gabig, reported sponsor of a bill to repeal the "unvouchered expenses" portion of Act 44 is now slated to appear instead.
See comments for tips on good questions to ask if you call in.
Lieberman quits. Another one bites the dust!
How is the Lieberman bid for a gambling casino going? Didn't he show some interest in obtaining an interest in the lone city-located gambling site to open in the future?
Plus, I hate it when folks retire to spend more time with the family and the excuse is used as a smoke screen. Spending time with the family is a valid reason to not work. But, it is used by too many as a crutch and cover to save face. I expet we'll see Lieberman on the golf course -- but -- I'm not on the golf course as I'm spending time with my family. Oh well.
Suggestion to Perzel: Appoint Joe Weinroth for the open seat on the ICA. Weinroth is a Republican.
Suggestion to Perzel: Don't appoint someone who was a Democrat and helped with the downfall of the city in the past -- say like an ex-City Councilman or even Mike Diven. Here is another suggestion: Don't put a suburban Republican in the slot either.
Lieberman quits - PittsburghLIVE.com Speaker of the House Rep. John M. Perzel, R-Philadelphia, will appoint Lieberman's replacement on the board, formally known as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.
Plus, I hate it when folks retire to spend more time with the family and the excuse is used as a smoke screen. Spending time with the family is a valid reason to not work. But, it is used by too many as a crutch and cover to save face. I expet we'll see Lieberman on the golf course -- but -- I'm not on the golf course as I'm spending time with my family. Oh well.
Suggestion to Perzel: Appoint Joe Weinroth for the open seat on the ICA. Weinroth is a Republican.
Suggestion to Perzel: Don't appoint someone who was a Democrat and helped with the downfall of the city in the past -- say like an ex-City Councilman or even Mike Diven. Here is another suggestion: Don't put a suburban Republican in the slot either.
Chats: Hurricane Katrina and Schools, 3 pm Sept. 7 and last night with Find People Database
At 3 pm Eastern Time on Wednesday, Sept. 7, a web chat on the effects of Hurricane Katrina on schools and students is slated at http://www.edweek-chat.org/
Last night I was part of a group phone call among open-source advocates working hard to build a database to help locate people. This search utility should be going live today. Nearly 100,000 records from many sources were flushed into database containers. The site will spider other data sets. An XML stream and standards have been established. More to come.
EDUCATION WEEK Assistant Managing Editor Robert Johnston and a crisis-response expert from the National Association of School Psychologists will take your questions on how schools can help students displaced by the storm, how teachers and other education employees have been affected, and how states and districts in the region are responding to the crisis.
Last night I was part of a group phone call among open-source advocates working hard to build a database to help locate people. This search utility should be going live today. Nearly 100,000 records from many sources were flushed into database containers. The site will spider other data sets. An XML stream and standards have been established. More to come.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
NPR : Evacuees Find No Easy Way Locate Family Members
Running Mates and readers everywhere.... this is important. Listen to the news from NPR.
In the past days I've been doing some lifting in these efforts of a People Finder project. The problem is massive and won't go away quickly.
The solution is volunteer techies -- data managers who mold chunks into a searchable format -- and a WIKI with chats and email lists.
Tonight at 9 pm there is a conference call among tech, database and webmaster / advocates.
Should pets be included or not? Yes, if there are those that want to do the work.
Should voter databases be available for extra searching needs? Yes -- if we can get the records and not have the weight bog down the system.
Does the American Red Cross have a survivors database? Yes, sorta. Internation Red Cross has a world-wide database, but it is but a fraction of what's needed. And the Red Cross database has picked up content in the first week from this open-source effort.
In the past days I've been doing some lifting in these efforts of a People Finder project. The problem is massive and won't go away quickly.
The solution is volunteer techies -- data managers who mold chunks into a searchable format -- and a WIKI with chats and email lists.
NPR : Evacuees Find No Easy Way Locate Family Members Evacuees Find No Easy Way Locate Family Members
by Joseph Shapiro
Morning Edition, September 6, 2005 -- From the airport in New Orleans, tens of thousands of medical patients are airlifted to shelters in hospitals in often distant cities. That effort was coordinated by the U.S. military and government agencies. But there was almost no coordination to keep good lists of who was sent where.
Tonight at 9 pm there is a conference call among tech, database and webmaster / advocates.
Should pets be included or not? Yes, if there are those that want to do the work.
Should voter databases be available for extra searching needs? Yes -- if we can get the records and not have the weight bog down the system.
Does the American Red Cross have a survivors database? Yes, sorta. Internation Red Cross has a world-wide database, but it is but a fraction of what's needed. And the Red Cross database has picked up content in the first week from this open-source effort.
Which way is up to you? More give and take with The Trib. And Dave Copeland's perspectives too.
If the shoe fits... Which way is up?
Pittsburgh City Paper - Main Feature ... having two papers is supposed to be a good thing for readers.Yeah, right.
Dave Copeland was and is a great reporter. I miss his blog. The article speaks to me from a few perspectives.
The real losers are Pittsburgh’s readers, who have not one but two daily newspapers that under-serve them by remaining stuck in the past and out of touch with what’s important to real people.Furthermore, it also seems odd as hell to me that the Trib spent years working on articles that embarrass the mayor, yet can't even contact his administration's opposition. When I ran for Mayor, in 2001, I didn't get any satisfaction from the Trib. Zippo by design.
If Kwiecinski (Mayor Murphy's spokesperson) knew what we were working on, we were told, he would tip off the Post-Gazette. Of course. The PG has been a great fan of the mayor.
What I left behind was a newspaper culture that rewards ass-kissing by subordinates and maintenance of the status quo. In such a culture, two dailies in one town might be two too many. Bingo! A hope of mine is to create media as getting media coverage that makes sense is not to be counted upon.
Dave finishes the article with a Q: "The question for the Trib is: How long will readers wait?" Well, I think a better question that gets to the roots of the issue is how long can people in Pittsburgh survive? Those that are stuck here are forced into waiting. That wait will be forever. But, people are moving out of town. People might keep the Trib -- and/or the PG -- but might move out of state first.
The voters vote with their feet. Same too with customers. The readers of The Trib might hang on for some time -- but -- because of population decline in the region, the Trib is in decline. Same too for KDKA, etc.
The media and the governmental types are being brutal to Pittsburgh.
Wanted: Some new individuals to join the Elect.Rauterkus.com committee
Labor Day, generally, marks the start of the fall campaign season. Real outreach in my next campaign is ramping up.
If you'd like to be a part of the political process, locally, we should talk. I'm in an active search for new people on various committees for the future. Email me, Mark@Rauterkus.com, if you are interested or know of someone I should talk with on these matters.
The city council seat (district 3) is expected to open and a special election might happen after the first of the year. This is the time for our efforts to mobalize too.
Gearing Up for 'That Dam Ride' - a two day bike trip with Erik
Bike salesman in Chengdu.
My son and I are slated to participate in That Dam Ride this weekend. We won't be on a three-wheeled bike like we rode in China. The photo above was taken with the guys who sold and fixed our bike there, this past spring.
The trip is 69 miles on Saturday and 69 again on Sunday. Erik has a big case of "cold feet." But, I'm dragging him anyway. He'd be okay with a back seat bench I bet.
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