What are you giving out for your trick-or-treaters this year? I'm doing CDs with OpenOffice

Trick-or-treat fun is right around the corner.

Come to trick or treat at our house, 108 South 12th Street, on the historic South Side, and you'll get a CD with OpenOffice 2.0.

OpenOffice.org 2.0 Is Here

20 October, 2005

OpenOffice.org 2.0 is the productivity suite that individuals, governments, and corporations around the world have been expecting for the last two years. Easy to use and fluidly interoperable with every major office suite, OpenOffice.org 2.0 realises the potential of open source. Besides a powerful new database module and advanced XML capabilities, OpenOffice.org natively supports the internationally standardised OpenDocument format, which several countries, as well as the U.S. state of Massachusetts, have established as the default for office documents. More than any other suite, OpenOffice.org 2.0 gives users around the globe the tools to be engaged and productive members of their society.

Available in 36 languages, with more on the way, and able to run natively on Windows, Linux, Solaris, Mac OS X (X11) and several other platforms, OpenOffice.org banishes software segregation and isolation and dramatically levels the playing field. And, with its support for the OASIS standard OpenDocument format, OpenOffice.org eliminates the fear of vendor lock in or format obsolescence. The OpenDocument format can be used by any office application, ensuring that documents can be viewed, edited and printed for generations to come. OpenOffice.org 2.0 is a breath of hope for small economies that can now have a local language office suite well adapted to their needs and to their economical possibilities, reducing their dependency on the interests of proprietary software vendors.

"OpenOffice.org is on a path toward being the most popular office suite the world has ever seen and is providing users with safety, choice, and an opportunity to participate in one of the broadest community efforts the Internet has ever seen. As a member of that community, I'd like to offer my heartiest congratulations." - Jonathan Schwartz - President and CEO of Sun Microsystems.

Built by a community including Sun Microsystems, its primary sponsor and contributor, Novell, Red Hat, Debian, Propylon, Intel, as well as independent programmers, translators, writers, and marketers; OpenOffice.org 2.0 demonstrates the success, dedication and proficiency of the open source software community.

That community now includes the City of Vienna, which recently started deploying OpenOffice.org throughout. "We are very happy about the functionality and quality of the OpenOffice.org software. We are confident that OpenOffice.org will be made available to all of our 18,000 workstation users." - Brigitte Lutz, City of Vienna.

Louis Suárez-Potts, OpenOffice.org Community Manager, commented that "OpenOffice.org 2.0 is the culmination of a collaborative process involving thousands working in dozens of languages everywhere in the world. It shows that open source can produce software of the highest quality and assure the robustness, usability and security that users expect in their office suite."

In addition to the OpenDocument format, the redesigned user interface and a new database module, OpenOffice.org 2.0 also adds improved PDF support, a superior spreadsheet module, enhanced desktop integration and several other features that take advantage of its advanced XML capabilities, such as the ability to easily create, edit and use XForms.

For more detailed information regarding OpenOffice.org 2.0, please refer to the Press Kit at http://www.openoffice.org/press/2.0/index.html .

Congratulations All,

The OpenOffice.org Community

Debate gets all participants in Mayor's race. See ya on Tuesday night.

To organize a debate is a lot of work. Hats off to the these fine citizens for the opportunities to improve our discussions and make smarter voter decisions. We need debates more frequently. Come out and support this event if you can.

Urban League Young Professionals -- Pittsburgh and PUMP are sponsoring a Mayoral Candidate Debate on Tuesday, October 25 from 6:00 - 8:00pm at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, 5941 Penn Avenue in East Liberty. Six mayoral candidates have confirmed attendance. Duquesne University Law Professor, Joseph Sabino Mistick will moderate the debate.

Come and hear the candidates debate issues important to our community such as: urban development, transportation, public education, community relations with law enforcement, municipal consolidation, and fiscal issues.

Local candidates are encouraged to bring their campaign literature.

Debate organizer and recent campaign manager, K.B.
One of the debate organizers is a green party activist, Katrina B, recent campaign manager at Elect.Rauterkus.com.

Western PA Linux Users Group

Western PA Linux Users Group will be hosting a Special Event - Double Header were we will feature two talks: "Soap" and "Linux for Non-profits."

Meeting: Saturday October 22, 2005 from 10 am to 3 pm at Carnegie Mellon University, Newell Simon Hall 1507. This meeting is free and open to the general public. No RSVP required.

Maps and Directions page

Please note that our phone number is currently 412 268 7564. If you've never been here before make sure you print out the directions!

"Soap" Speaker: Bill Moran
"Linux for Non-profits" Speaker: Mike O'Connor
Host: Beth Lynn Eicher

Soap Talk Abstract:
"SOAP, commonly referred to as "web services", is one of the current buzzwords right now. I'll cut through the buzz and give a overview of what SOAP really is and what can be done with it. In the second half I'll present some example of how SOAP can be used to allow different systems to inter operate."

Linux for Non-Profits:
Mike will discuss how to sell Linux to a small non-profit such as a church.

Schedule:
* Doors will open at 10am to NSH 1507
* Coffee and Donut Hour 10am-11am
* Soap talk, part 1 11am-Noon
* Geeks Eating Pizza Noon-ish - 12:30pm
* Soap talk, part 2 12:30-1pm
* Break 1pm-1:15pm
* Linux for Non-profits 1:15pm-1:45pm
* General Socialization 1:45pm-2:45pm
* Cleanup and adjournment 2:45pm-3pm

Upcoming Events:
Saturday November 5 10am-2pm Annual Membership Meeting CMU NSH 1507
Saturday November 12 10am-5pm Installfest CMU NSH 1507
wplug.org

Good governement from Philly -- use of GPS 'an at

Envy.

Atwater Kent Museum Information How Philly Works, a four-part series about how city departments use the Geographical Imaging System (GIS) to provide city services in the 21st century.
A four-part series in partnership with the City Records Department

October 20 and 27, November 10 and 17
Free and open to the public

How does Philadelphia provide complex city services to citizens for every neighborhood every day? How does the Water Department find the right-sized pipe to fix a break? How does the Police Department spot crime patterns? How does the Department of Streets know where to send crews to close ditches or coordinate all the work within the street? How does the Department of Public Health track disease outbreaks and find kids who need immunizations?

I was at the ICA meeting the other day and Dr. Murray, the ICA Chair, was talking a bit about IT (information technology) and the lack of progress among city and county mergers. We all know that IT is one of the best places to start the merger process as other systems rely upon the computers talking to one another.

However, Doug Shields was there to represent city council. Doug made the point that the investment to merge the computer operations was reported to be $23-million. And, the city has $0 in its capital budget. To be fair, there is no capital budget. None. So, upgrades to systems are impossible.

The ICA Chair was clueless. If you just merge it, with a target, a goal, it will just happen. You're spending money already. Just start spending it on this instead -- or some other sillyness in a reply.

I want to spend a lot of money on OPEN SOURCE software. It is free. But, it costs something in terms of effort and money.

That ICA meeting was one of the most frustrating sights I've ever seen. It is so bad, I still can hardly bring myself to blog about it.

I expect the ICA to reject Mayor Murphy's budget. But, it will be done as a pass-the-buck-kinda way without any real hope of real solutions.

The line, "told you so" was mentioned a few times at the meeting. I too was think of that mention. I told you we should not have taken our city in the Act 47 situation. I told you so. We knew that the state was going to muck up the bail out. We don't need a bail out as much as we need to fix our own mess. And, those that made the mess are not qualified to resolve it.

Angry Drunk Bureaucracy quote of note

Former DC Insider Lashes Out

'When you cut the bureaucracy out of your decisions and then foist your decisions on us out of the blue on that bureaucracy, you can't expect that bureaucracy to carry your decision out very well and, furthermore, if you're not prepared to stop the feuding elements in that bureaucracy, as they carry out your decision, you're courting disaster,' Wilkerson said.

In Pittsburgh, we have a lot of feuding elements in our bureaucracy. Controller's office just settled. DA and Coroner are at appeals court. Not one, but two oversight boards. Worse than a Red State vs. Blue State fight is a bunch of blue staters in childish fights because there isn't any balance in the system.

Rulings Are for Officials, Not Reporters

Rulings Are for Officials, Not Reporters Back in Journalism 101, among the first principles ever driven into our young and fertile minds was the concept that reporters should never become part of the story. We're there to report and write about what we witnessed, but not inject ourselves into the action or contribute to altering the basic facts of what we've just seen or heard....

... governing bodies of golf that allow television viewers to call in and report possible rules violations also ought to cease and desist in permitting such nonsense.

Soffer Organization to Make Important SouthSide Works Announcement

Soffer Organization to Make Important SouthSide Works Announcement: "Soffer Organization to Make Important SouthSide Works Announcement

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 20, 2005--Soffer Organization
MEDIA ADVISORY

Soffer Organization, a leader in commercial real estate and developer
of Pittsburgh's SouthSide Works, invites local media to attend an
important news announcement regarding their development on the South
Side.

WHO: Soffer Organization Executives, Governor Edward Rendell and
other State Officials, Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy,
Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato, and other
local leaders.

WHAT: A Significant SouthSide Works Announcement from Soffer
Organization

WHEN: Friday, October 21, 2005
Remarks begin at 11 a.m.

WHERE: SouthSide Works' Town Square
Corner of S. 27th and Sidney Streets
Pittsburgh's South Side"

Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared For Full-Scale Zombie Attack | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Spooky stuff.

Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared For Full-Scale Zombie Attack | The Onion - America's Finest News Source: "Study Reveals Pittsburgh Unprepared For Full-Scale Zombie Attack
October 19, 2005

PITTSBURGH -- A zombie-preparedness study, commissioned by Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy and released Monday, indicates that the city could easily succumb to a devastating zombie attack. Insufficient emergency-management-personnel training and poorly conceived undead-defense measures have left the city at great risk for all-out destruction at the hands of the living dead, according to the Zombie Preparedness Institute....

Go and read the whole article.

Another pointer

Wages of greed III - PittsburghLIVE.com

Mark Crowley, a Libertarian friend from Plum wrote, and was published as a letter to the editor:

It's commendable to see state House Speaker John Perzel delivering books and reading to the children at Beechwood Elementary School in Pittsburgh.

To further encourage reading and an appreciation for civics, perhaps we could update some popular stories for elementary school students here in Pennsylvania. A few updated titles come to mind:

The Little Limo That Could
The Lying King
Pirates of the Susquehanna
Harry Potter and the House Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Unvouchered Expense
How the Leadership Stole Christmas
And for high school students:
Get a Wonderful Life
Interview With a Legislator
253 for the Money
We Know How You Voted Last Summer

There are also two new stories that everyone should read. The first, PaBallotAccess.org, is a lesson in how people can put aside their vast differences and work together for a better tomorrow. The second, PAcleansweep.org, is a classic struggle against greed and power. These last two stories aren't finished yet. Let's hope both have happy endings.

Young Patriots Essay Contest. The deadline is nearing.

Here is a building block for a resume.

GOPUSA - Young Patriots Essay Contest In the second Young Patriots Essay Contest, GOPUSA seeks to deliver a message of patriotism through the words of America's youth. The contest will consist of an essay on the topic 'What it means to be an American' and will be open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders across the country. The contest will run from Labor Day (September 5, 2005) to Veterans Day (November 11, 2005).

We have two judges to toss off the bench on November 8.

Vote NO to Newman and Nigro.

Ending the tenure of these two Supreme Court justices is Job #1 in the effort to take back Harrisburg. Don’t count on someone else to do it.

Paul Sentner's statements about No WEHAV make sense -- and are technical

Paul S makes some great points about the saga of WeHav and how the city has operated. The gist of the matter, from my perspective, is that the people on City Council (in the past) have not been great watchdogs. We need great watchdogs because the Mayor has been so bad. We needed a counter force to be strong and reasoned. We have had city council members who have let things slide. And, we've had council members who have been fine to turn their backs on other sections of the city because this isn't their responsibility.

The seat is up for election now. Dan D is now there with a mini-term for the rest of the year as there is a four-year election set for November. Dan D has been able to move the matter along to resolution. But, this has been a citizen action above all else and Dan needed to do this or else he would have lost all hopes of being on council. So, Dan gets some credit, but he doesn't yet get a lot of earned respect for being a champoin of the people. Time will tell.

It seems as if I always bash the mayor, and for good reason. Here is another time when we need to show how the corruption has worked. Paul makes a good point of saying that this matter is resolving but the money for the fix must be flowing from some other account. The WeHav failures cost us all. The failure's ringleaders are still on the loose.

pjs' no_wehav home page: "I Note a few things:
- Mayor Murphy did not sign the Resolution.
- There has been no mention that I know of regarding requiring a public disclosure of the West Pittsburgh Partnership's WE-HAV bookkeeping, nor any investigation thereof.
(the 'Partnership was involved in John Peth's lawsuit when it permitted the spending of approximately $15,000 of the illegitimately-collected WE-HAV tax funds.)

- There has been no mention that I know of regarding holding accountable for re-imbursement, the persons and entities responsible for the short-fall of the tax funds,

--instead, other public funds are apparently being used to make up the difference
(this seems to me like using public money to repay someone who has been swindled, while letting the swindlers off the hook.)

What kind of message does this send to those who are looking to pull a fast one on the public? try, try again?
- No City Council member that I�m aware of has ever publicly spoken to
-- the matter of the passing of Bill No.5-2002,
in defiance of the NID Act procedures, in July 2002;
-- the matter of the blatant unanimous persistence of Council through May 2005, blindly(?) following Mr. Hertzberg's lead, desires, and stubbornness in ignoring the details of the State NID Act, the opposition of the unquestionable majority of the targeted District 2 residential property owners, and outright trampling of the due process rights of those owners.

- No one that I�m aware of has ever publicly questioned the motives behind the irresponsible and reckless hell-bent-for-leather attempt by the Mayor, Mr. Hertzberg, and Council to perpetuate the exposed illegitimate WE-HAV scheme through 2002-2004.

Does the mentality of trying to get away with whatever gets past the people continue as usual until “next time”?

It is only the dense grassroots opposition of most of those District 2 owners that protected the rest of the neighborhoods of the entire City of Pittsburgh from their own WE-HAV schemes.

Bob O'Connor makes the news in Aurora, Illinois

The bloke I hear speaking about Japan is North. Our Bob is doing a Where's Waldo act it seems to me.

Konnichiwa, Aurora They also met with various city leaders, including Mayor Tom Weisner, Alderman-at-large Bob O'Connor and Director of Community Outreach Tess Wackerlin, in hope of learning from the successes and failures of local government here.

Italian senate opposes Turin doping proposal

This story is another interesting time when sports, government and media are mixing. The 2006 Winter Olympics are in Italy and the IOC (International Olympic Committee) wants the locals to relax their laws.

SI.com - Olympics - Italian senate opposes Turin doping proposal - Wednesday October 19, 2005 1:53PM

Under International Olympic Committee rules, athletes face disqualification from the Olympics for any doping offense but no legal penalties.

Mario Pescante, an IOC member and government supervisor of the games, is trying to get the Italian Parliament to adjust the law for the period of the games to comply with the host city contract signed seven years ago.

'Penal sanctions are OK for those that peddle (drugs),' Pescante said. 'For athletes, sporting sanctions are much more severe.'

Fiorello Cortiana, a senator representing the Greens Party, voiced the sharpest opposition.

'Every state determines its own penal code,' Cortiana said. 'To the contrary I believe it's the IOC that must adapt to the states where its games are held.
'We understand that as an IOC member, this could be an embarrassment for Pescante. But Pescante is also a member of the Italian government and you can't be in the Italian government if you don't support its laws.'

Will there be any Penguins on the US Olympic Team? What about the teams of other nations?

At least local hockey fans might be able to cheer for a "home team" that wins a game or two, given the recent rash of losses from the NHL team. You know, the beggers for slots.

Speaking of hockey, at last night's Libertarian Board Meeting, as a 'door prize' of sorts, there was a give-a-way of two Pens tickets to tonights game. Nice perk for being engaged and showing up for a political meeting.

Meanwhile, back in Italy, I think it is nuts to say that the Italian Police are going to be 'stormtroopers' and raid the Olympic Village looking for roids.

Dr. Chuck Pennacchio to talk at Pitt

Perhaps some Libertarians and Greens could go to this event and ask the candidate what he thinks about the Voters Choice Act.

When this race becomes real, expect to see a Libertarian in the race as well.

At the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Chuck Pennacchio will be talking to Democrats about the stakes of the upcoming election for U.S. Senate race. Come meet the candidate and here what he has to say. Chuck is a strong supporter of equal rights for GLBT Americans, including hate crime laws, and civil unions with the full federal and state benefits of marriage (i.e., adoption rights). He opposes the federal "Defense of Marriage Act".

At 5 pm on Wednesday, November 9.

University of Pittsburgh: exact location is pending.

Infighting -- How much is this costing the taxpayers of the county?

There will be winners and loosers. But I'm sure the real looser in all of this is the taxpayers. These folks are fighting among themselves. Both are Democrats. Both are costing us a lot of money. This provides three great reasons to quit the Democratic party: Wecht, Zappala and Infighting that goes to the courts.

I don't expect that this will be settled until they go to the PA Supreme Court.

Who is paying for this?

How much does it cost

?NEPA News PITTSBURGH (AP) _ The ongoing legal feud between Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. and Coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht found itself in front of the state Commonwealth Court.
A three-judge panel heard arguments Monday on Wecht's appeal of a lower court ruling that prohibited him from convening an open inquest into the Aug. 28, 2004, death of a 91-year-old woman at a suburban Pittsburgh nursing home.
Prosecutors argued an inquest would force investigators to discuss the case publicly and they want to preserve testimony for a pending criminal probe.
The coroner's attorney countered that any pending charges do not address the manner of death in this case. The lower court ruling halting the inquest intrudes on the coroner's powers and duties, he argued.
Zappala has accused Wecht of overstepping his authority by ordering open inquests into cases after the prosecutor ruled no criminal charges were warranted."

Gaming sparks emotions

It is good to see that these meetings have come alive.
Gaming sparks emotions - PittsburghLIVE.com A Monroeville woman suggested the board go even further. Saying her ex-husband had lost more than $50,000 gambling at horse tracks, she asked the task force to recommend setting aside money for college scholarships, baby sitters and anti-depressants for the families of addicted gamblers.

Board Nominations for 2006 for the Allegheny County Libertarian Party

At the recent chapter meeting, the following individuals were nominated for positions for the County Libertarian Board to serve in 2006.

for Chair - Dave Powell
for Vice-Chair - Mark Rauterkus, Joe Presley
for Treasurer - Rich Loether
for Secretary - Henry Haller
for at-large directors: (need up to five)
- Mark Rauterkus
- Jerry Gloekler
- Tom Gillooly
- Tim Crowley
- Joe Presley
- Rob Willis
- Dave Eckhart

Ballots will be sent to all current members within the next two weeks.

The full minutes of the meeting are to come from the secretary in a few days.

COALITION OF THIRD PARTIES PLAN MASSIVE "VOTERS' CHOICE ACT" DISTRIBUTION in Harrisburg

For more information contact: Ken Krawchuk at 267-496-3332 or David Jahn at 610-461-7755

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition will be holding a news conference this Wednesday morning, October 19th, at 10 AM in the Capitol Newsroom, Room 524, located at the rear of the E floor in the central wing of the Capitol building in Harrisburg. Immediately following the conference, Coalition members will hand-deliver copies of their Voters' Choice Act to all 203 State Representatives, all 50 State Senators, and Governor Rendell.

"It is our goal to bring an unintended and intolerable situation to the immediate attention of our lawmakers," said Ken Krawchuk, a Libertarian member of the Coalition. "Because of a fluke in the existing ballot access laws, third party and independent candidates will need to collect approximately 100,000 signatures in order to appear on the statewide ballot in 2006, as compared to fewer than 3,000 for candidates from the two old parties. The Coalition is seeking sponsors for their Voters' Choice Act which promises to institute a fairer process for third parties and independent candidates to appear on the ballot."

"For those legislators who believe in fair ballot access and democracy, our Voters' Choice Act will serve as their rallying point,", Krawchuk continued. "Representative Paul Clymer, Chairman of the House State Government Committee, is already talking about holding hearings, so we know there's a constituency among lawmakers for fair ballot access."

Once the White Paper distribution is complete, the Coalition plans to allow lawmakers a few days to review the Voters' Choice Act, then follow up via phone calls, letters, e-mails, and personal visits. "Every one of Pennsylvania's third parties that we could find has signed on to the Voters' Choice Act", Krawchuk said. "And all of us are mobilizing our respective forces to do whatever it takes to bring about fair ballot access. When people of such varied political backgrounds can stand shoulder-to-shoulder on a single issue, you can bet it's an idea whose time has come."

"Grassroots democracy is one of the Ten Key Values of the Green Party", said Jennaro Pullano, former state chair of the Green Party. "The Voters' Choice Act puts democracy back within reach of all of Pennsylvania citizens."

James Clymer, national chairman of the Constitution Party, asserted, "It's time we held our legislative representative's feet to the fire, insisting that they amend the election code to conform to the Constitutional mandate of free and equal elections."

Thomas McLaughlin, state treasurer of the Reform Party, stressed how the Voters' Choice Act will result in more choices for the voters on Election Day. "In many instances, without us, the voters would have NO choice!"

John Murphy of the Ralph Nader campaign pointed out, "The burdensome and archaic ballot access laws in Pennsylvania which encourage discrimination and political chicanery against third party and independent candidates must come to an end."

David Jahn, chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, summed up the thinking of the Coalition. "This is a solution that is already being used in Delaware, and the result there has been higher voter turnout. If it works there, it will work here."

The Voters' Choice Act reforms Pennsylvania's draconian ballot access laws by leveling the playing field for third parties and independent candidates. Under the current law, Democrats and Republicans must collect 2,000 signatures to have their names placed on the statewide primary ballot, and none at all for the November ballot. However, to have their names placed on the November ballot in 2006, third party and independent candidates will be required to collect a minimum of 67,070 signatures, more than 33 times as many, despite a Constitutional provision that "Elections shall be free and equal".

The Voters' Choice Act would change the definition of a "minor political party" from the current district-by-district electoral formula (2% of a recent winner's vote total) to one based upon statewide voter registrations (0.05%), and allow minor parties to nominate candidates for all offices directly according to their party rules, and at their own expense, rather than by the existing, taxpayer-funded nomination papers process. Independent candidates would continue to nominate candidates for all offices via the current nomination papers process, but using the same signature requirements required of the two old parties rather than the current district-by-district electoral formula (2% of a recent winner's vote total).

A copy of the Voters' Choice Act and its accompanying White Paper can be found on the Coalition's website at www.PaBallotAccess.org.

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition is an association of representatives from Pennsylvania's largest political third parties and independent campaigns, including the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, the Constitution Party, the America First Party, the Reform Party, the Prohibition Party, the Socialist Party, the Unified Independent Party, the New American Independent Party, and the Ralph Nader campaign, among others.

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition
PO Box 309
Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081
www.PaBallotAccess.org
PBAC@PaBallotAccess.org
Voice: (610) 543-8427
Fax: (215) 572-9248