School Board Member to give a talk on Thursday night

Patrick Dowd, will be at Tazza D'Oro on Thursday, 10/27 from 7-8:30PM. He will be there to give a "State of the School District" address. Please come to hear about the new direction that we are headed in the Pittsburgh Public Schools as well as the hopeful "age of accountability" for our school board and superintendent. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Keep city school closing plan whole, board told

Keep city school closing plan whole, board told Mr. Matthews is taking the novel step of proposing that board members vote on the plan without additions or subtractions when Mr. Roosevelt puts it before them.

I and about 40 others went to a meeting with Mark Roosevelt last night in Oakland at Frick Middle School. Great session, not like the one the prior night in Banksville -- so we were told.

The more novel idea came up in the conversations. Why not have the board vote on the plan without even reading it. They can't tinker with the plan by makng any adjustments at the board table, so is the hope of Matthews. Why not just vote it up or down based on its looks from the outside. Don't even read it -- just vote for it.
Standing tall behind a fence to deal with those who might tinker.

That would remove horse trading.

Some honeymoon!
Inspecting...

I agree. We should not cut up the plan. Don't butcher it! Keep it whole.

Comments before city council

Statement before Pittsburgh's City Council

My name is Mark Rauterkus. My family and I reside at 108 South 12th Street on the South Side. My home on the internet is at Rauterkus.com. Please check my blog frequently. My email address is simple: Mark@Rauterkus.com.

A supporter of mine emailed me with tragic news while my family and I were in Hong Kong for two weeks in early October. That's how I learned of the death of your son, Sala. I want you to know that we all payed. We were not able to attend the funeral – but my heart breaks too with all of this violence and shooting. You know I've got two sons. I think that must be one of the worst fears in life.

Welcome back to council. Count me and my family as one of the many who really care.

The other night's meeting about gun violence that was organized by Ms. Carlisle is another that I did not attend – but was there in spirit. I did listen to the proceedings the next day on the internet at the Post-Gazette site. The PG gets a welcome nod in its recording of the meeting. Well done, by in large.

My brief hope and observation goes to the matter of guns. Our Second Amendment and the US Constitution – as well as the PA Constitution still matter. I wish the Constitution had more weight – but this is American. That meeting was NOT a beginning. We are with this legacy of rights and guns are here. It is my hope that we don't start to bark up the wrong tree and get into an impossible situation where advancements can not be made.

We can't ban guns from the streets of Pittsburgh and expect that legislation to hold up, be enforced, and really work. Let's not fool ourselves. Nor, try to fool the public.

Even the weed and seed program, something I respect, is like two legs of a chair. That formula, with two prongs, isn't going to be the entirety and be expected to stand up to make a platform for prosperity and wonderful places for raising our children. Weed and Seed needs a third leg to work. If you just weed and seed, weed and seed, -- who is going to harvest? We are going into Thanksgiving season. The fruits of the seeds don't just plop onto you tables to feed ourselves.

I worry about that third leg, most of all. I think that is the missing part in our government. You can't (as government officials) manage how one should flourish. But, you can, and you have, managed to mess up the capacity for allowing others to flourish.

You can crack the back of freedom, pathways to prosperity, and kill the harvest.

You can let the field turn to seed – prevent the harvest – and be rotten by blocking and bumbling and taxing and subsidizing and sustaining the floundering ways.

That's scary. And the fact of the matter is that some around here (Mayor's office mainly) just don't get it.

Halloween, -- a scary time of year. I want everyone to come to my hose for trick-or-treat. I've got CDs as our treat.

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This is like 'candy for the mind.' You'll be able to play this on a CD and hear music and a message from myself. Plus, put the CD into your computer and get OpenOffice.org. A free-and-open software package that is now at version 2.0.

Furthermore, if you'd like to give-away these treats to those that come to your house – or your circle of friends – that can be arranged.

We've never given out candy at our house for Halloween.

You can give out CDs – and they'll only cost you fifty-cents each. Or, come to the house with your spindle of blank CDs and we'll burn them for you while we have a cup of tea.

I live at 108 South 12th Street, South Side. You can place an order by sending me an email: Mark@Rauterkus.com. Give me your phone # and I'll get back to you right away.

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Voters: Please vote “NO” on the retention vote for the PA SUPREME COURT. Retention votes are being called for because the bench played an important role in getting the pay raise. And, the bench ignored the fact that the raise (unvouchered expenses) is unconstitional. The raise is not legal in terms of the PA Constitution. But the judges wanted to get a part of the pay-raise cash grab.

My (Rauterkus) advice to Ludwig and others in the Whack Pack: Pick your time and bail!

Today I talked with Les Ludwig in a hallway on Grant Street as city council was in session. On Saturday I talked with David Tessitor at the WPLUG.org meeting at CMU. On both instances, I asked these candidates for mayor to resign their race. The wise thing for them both to do is to make an exit statement and toss their support to another candidate who has a chance of getting more than 1,000 votes.

My generous predictions say that Tessitor will get less than 1,000 votes and Ludwig will get less than 50.
G.W. and David Tessitor in front of news cameras with efforts on the North Side some years ago.

This same advice was given by me to Ludwig as soon as I heard that he was not going to quit his race for the general election after his poor showing in the Dem's primary. I feel that Ludwig is doing the wrong thing.

I am a realist.

These two, Ludwig and Tessitor are not helping the city's discussion in the final weeks and are not going to have any impact at the polls with voter results.

I am going to make a rash statement as well about the Socialist Party candidate as well and put him in the same category. But, so what. That's their history of being harmless, once every four years. The Socialist Party has a long-standing practice of running a candidate for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh. It happens all the time. Four years ago the Socialist candidate was a coal miner. Frank has since moved out of town. To some degree, the Socialist does not get under my skin because he is on the ballot, nor on the debate stage. Likewise he was full of national views.

I think that Ludwig and Tessitor could make more noise and have a bigger impact for the good of the city as they exit the race than they could if they were in the race. They both have some decent ideas -- be they hidden under a mountain of other burdens. But the ideas are not catching on in the minds of the voters when it comes to election day. The election avenue, at this time, for them, is a dead end!

On another matter, the Green candidate won't cave to the Republican.

Finally, sadly, I don't think Joe Weinroth has done much waving an olive branch of peace in the directions of his loyal opposition on the ballot, yet alone the masses of voters in the city.

Pittsburgh Media Has Done It's Job With "Whack Pack"

In today's Pittsburgh Post Gazette there is a story about the "debate" among all six candidates for Pittsburgh Mayor.

First off, Les Ludwig shouldn't have been there. He's NOT on the ballot, AND he lost in the Spring. The folks who invited him to Tuesday's debate were extremely generous.

Then there's a candidate who talks exclusively about things national...and wants "to end capitalism" from the Pittsburgh landscape. Again, above and beyond acceptable levels of generosity.

Bob O'Connor, the presumptive next Mayor of Pittsburgh, did all the right things to make these candidates look even kookier: he talked about the "basics" like keeping the city clean and safe. Bob's plan is overly simplistic and in some ways naive, despite his years in office.

Joe Weinroth, the Republican candidate who on paper should be the next mayor, was in debates in the spring despite having no opposition, received similar generosity. However, Joe earned his place on the spring ballot AND fall ballot.

The media in Pittsburgh has featured all of the characters on the ballot--and with Ludwig--those who aren't. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to continue this trend.

Any future TV debates should only include candidates who could win (and truly deserve to be on the ballot)...O'Connor and Weinroth.

This mayoral race is about the future of Pittsburgh and not liberal showbiz.

Utility talk

ACORN, a nonprofit political group, is doing work on utility matters. They are worried about the high price of gas, electric and such for residents.

See that comments below for more insights and to leave your comments too.

Techies meet with Damian Conway: Sufficiently Advanced Technologies

Pittsburgh Perl Mongers meet with Damian Conway: Sufficiently Advanced Technologies on Saturday Oct 29, 2005 at 18:30

CMU, Wean Hall Room 7500, Pittsburgh, PA

In module design, interface is everything. Going one step beyond this
dictum, Damian demonstrates and explains several practical applications of
Clarke's Law ("Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable
from magic") by presenting a series of useful modules whose interface
is...nothing.

Aviary asks state to help feather much larger nest

Stanley and Grant.

We love the aviary. Love it. But here comes some tough love advice.

Aviary asks state to help feather much larger nest The aviary is not releasing details of the proposed expansion until it is known how much funding the state might provide. The capital campaign pitch to the public will begin after state officials make a funding decision, she said. Ground breaking could be as early as spring.

Heard enough.

Don't put plans under a basket and release them only in Harrisburg. That is like putting your head in the sand.

You can't be afraid to ruffle some feathers by releasing plans and hopes to the public, the taxpayers, the neighborhood activist -- FIRST. Don't run to Harrisburg first.

No sheep.

Hundreds rail against violence at meeting in Homewood - Chief does a classic CYA routine.

Hundreds rail against violence at meeting in Homewood Police Chief Robert W. McNeilly Jr. says statistics show violent crime is falling in Homewood.

Zone 5 leads the city in the reduction of crime, so says the chief of police. Unreal.

Hundreds rail against violence at meeting in Homewood -- and break out web page from the PG

Hundreds rail against violence at meeting in Homewood Wonderful web page. This is what we've been looking for in terms of coverage of community meetings.

Check out the audio buttons! Well done editors of the PG.

Rosa Parks Passes

Rosa Parks, the woman whose refusal to move to the back of a segregated bus helped launch the civil rights movement, dies.

Musical friend, Amy Carol Webb, a singer/songwriter, has a great, great song about Rosa. It plays now.
Amy Carol Webb sings about many, strong women, including Rosa. She did the song, "Think Again" too.
Amy Carol Webb and I were on a radio show together with Chris Moore of KDKA.
Radio gig with Amy Carol Webb and Chris Moore. Both have roots in Oklahoma.

Bugging for a name. Help with research, please.

Name this bug, if you can. I can't, but would like to.


Another view. Click photo for larger view.

The Speaker and the Limo Kids deserved an honest answer

This letter comes to Pittsburgh from Philly -- city to city.

Philadelphia Inquirer | 10/23/2005 | Editorial | The Speaker and the Limo Kids deserved an honest answer Editorial | The Speaker and the Limo Kids deserved an honest answer

A public apology to the fourth-graders of Pittsburgh:

It has come to our attention that Rep. John Perzel, a Republican from our hometown of Philadelphia, visited your fair city recently to deliver books to Beechwood Elementary School. The speaker even stopped by a class of fourth-graders to read stories to you. These were good things for him to do.

That's why, boys and girls, we didn't think anything bad could happen while the speaker was sitting on a bale of hay, reading stories. But we're sorry to say the speaker did a bad thing. He told you a white lie.

Have your parents explained to you about white lies? They are like a 'fib.' Lies are bad and lies are wrong, but white lies are not quite as bad as other lies. They can be defended if, for example, their goal is to protect children from things they're not ready to deal with. But it's bad to lie to a kid to protect yourself.

When the speaker finished reading stories, a little girl asked him a question: 'Did you come in a limo?'

This would have been a good time for the speaker to tell the truth to you fourth-graders. He could have said, 'I came here in a chauffeured Lincoln Town Car, which is a really nice, big car. It's not a stretch limo, but it does have limousine license plates, so you could say yes, it is a limo. This is why my job as speaker is way cool.'

Instead, the speaker got huffy with the little girl. 'Did I come in a limo? I came in a car,' he said dismissively.

To your credit, boys and girls, the speaker's little white lie didn't fool you. Your next question to him was: 'Could we go see the limo?' Some of you would make good journalists. An important rule of journalism is: When the speaker tells you there is no limo, ask to see the limo.

But then the speaker told you another white lie!

'Yeah, if there was a limo out there, we could go see it,' he said.

There was a limo out there, boys and girls! We're sorry that the speaker did not take you out to see it. Maybe he was afraid that you would get chewing gum on the seats.

Please forgive the speaker, boys and girls. He has been having a bad year. He keeps getting grief for giving himself and his friends in Harrisburg a big pay raise in a really, really sneaky way. The attention has him frazzled. He's been telling weird stories about dairy cows.

We are sad that the speaker felt the need to tell white lies to kids.

But, in a way, we are also glad. The speaker is one of the most important men running our state. If a class of fourth-graders can match wits with him, and win, we are very hopeful for the future of our great state.

So, kids, thank you. Go Steelers!

Sincerely, Philadelphia

This is the team Diven is playing with now. No back bencher any more.

By the way, the speaker got into another car for the ride away from the school.

Today, I was in my kid's school. We were not there to give away books, but I've got a basement full of them. Rather, I pushed the buttons as my son made an audio-visual presentation of our recent trip to Hong Kong. The 99 slide presentation is now in a PDF (3 megs). If you want it, I'll send it to you in an email attachement. I'll try to get it onto my web site in the next 24 hours.

Perhaps I should go back to that Banksville school, on a bus or bike even, and pass out CD-ROMs with photos from China? That might make for a good handout and a offer a good contrast to what the Harrisburg Republicans do when they come around.

Free workshop on WED - International Network of Schools - Advancement of Arts Education Conference

Please get this information out ASAP, to as many parents as you can. A “FREE” workshop that parents can attend is slated for 9 am to 4 pm on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel – 1000 Penn Avenue – Downtown.

WORKSHOP TITLE: Advancing the Language of Youth Development: Facilitating the Developmental Process to Complete And Maximize Achievement

PRESENTER: Y. Mustafaa Madyum, Director, Washington, D C - B.E.S.T. Program (Building Exemplary Systems for Training Youth Workers). The workshop will provide an overview of the youth development framework, a way to think about young people that focuses on their capacities, strengths and developmental needs.

This last minute request comes because registration is low. Whatever we can do to increase participation for this workshop would be helpful. In addition, if one of us are interested, we can also attend for free, even if we can’t stay all day.

Where's Wilma's Ice?

Wilma's wrath is weaker than what was delivered from Katrina and Ritta, thankfully. Now we're left to wonder: Where's the ice? Do you think that some of that ice that started in St. Louis and went to Cayjun country and ended up in Maine -- yes Maine -- some weeks after Katrina -- is headed south of Atlanta?

Many taxpayers, myself included, knocked on the doors of the US Representatives and US Senate to insist upon a Hurricane Katrina No Pork Pledge. For a spell it seemed as if we were going to spend every nickle in the world -- and then go to the mints and make more. The aftermaths of hurricanes should not be a chance to write big checks.

The new trend shows the introduction of some legislation to offset the cost of hurricane relief with tens of billions of dollars in spending cuts.

Speaker Dennis Hastert has put forward a four-point plan that would find at least $50 billion in savings in mandatory spending programs; hold the line on spending in appropriations bills; bring forward additional spending cuts or a rescissions package; and permanently eliminate 98 duplicative, wasteful, and unnecessary government programs. Source, CAGW.

The arrival of the hurrican has changed the rules and the game the politicians have been playing. We finally have leverage and a new sense of priorities. Waste-cutting is mandatory -- otherwise we need to NUKE the Gulf Region.

While it seems like common sense to you and me, offsetting the costs of hurricane relief with cuts in wasteful and non-essential spending faces powerful opposition - from the special interests who benefit from this spending, the big-government advocates who oppose any and all spending cuts, and those in Congress who want to raise your taxes to pay for the hurricanes' cost.

Operation Clean Sweep visits South Side on Nov 14

Clean mop, clean sweep -- same thing. Photo from a park in Chengdu, China.

Come on at 7:00 p.m. on Nov 14, 2005, at the Brashier Assn, 2005 Sarah St., Pittsburgh PA 15203 to hear from Bruce Krane (local advocate) and Russ Diamond (Operation Clean Sweep) for an informational evening about the PACleanSweep effort and what you can do to help.

PCTV show from Bruce Krane that features Joe Weinroth

The show schedule for PCTV21 (community access TV). I'd love to get a full transcript of this long interview show.

PCTV21 viewers can also catch the inaugural effort of "Finding Our Voices" this month - this is the pilot project for a soon to be formalized non-profit corporation. The first episode features Joe Weinroth, Republican Candidate for Mayor of Pittsburgh. Mr. Weinroth is saddled with a 5 to 1 Democratic disadvantage in terms of registered voters in his quest for the mayoral office. Hopefully, that fact alone helps explain the concept behind "Finding Our Voices".

Air dates/times are as follows:

Thursday 10/06/05 12:00 PM
Wednesday 10/12/05 1:00 PM
Friday 10/14/05 3:00 PM
Tuesday 10/18/05 7:00 PM
Friday 10/21/05 11:00 AM
Monday 10/24/05 4:00 PM
Friday 10/28/05 7:00 PM
Friday 11/04/05 7:00 PM

Great word finally mentioned: "Stewardship"

I love that word: Pay raise adds to benefits - PittsburghLIVE.com 'When you see the private sector struggling every day to renegotiate and make modifications to plans, this raises questions in my mind about stewardship,' Dreyfuss said.

Crossing guard in Chengdu, China.

Colaizzi and Baker get ink in school board race -- that covers South Side

I know each of these two. I'm not sure what is going to happen. And, for now, I'm not going to say much else. Election 2005: Colaizzi has challenger for District 5 school board seat

Your feedback is welcomed.