Slots panel's wish list is vague

Slots panel's wish list is vague Mayor's task force gives casino hopefuls no specific demands

Of course. The appointed pannel has the 'authority mindset.' They have no mandate. They have no standing. They have been pulled to a dance with a date with a nice body and little else.

Interaction is not this administration's stength. Weakness rules. So too are the outcomes.

The fire, passion and conviction that resides in the citizens has been snuffed in the past. Most of it has departed this town as well. Those with real interests elsewhere are not willing to devote more time to hitting one's heads against a wall of do-nothingness that is now rooted in Grant Street.

There are three reasons why I won't get what I want out of this gambling saga. One of those reasons is the lack of "will." There isn't a political will for insuring that the best process and best outcome happens.

Do NOT subsidize housing for rich people -- anywhere. No TIFs either, give their saga.

PIIN should be on this. Progressives should be on this. Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com Lance: To PNC Financial Services Group. This very wealthy banking giant is looking for $48 million in public money to make its proposed $170 million Downtown office, retail and residential complex a reality. Normally, we'd call this an obscenity. Because it's a bank trying it, we'll call it what it is -- pornography. Taxpayers are not venture capitalists. Given the history of public subsidies and failures in the Golden Triangle, PNC should be ashamed of itself. As should the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority and Gov. Ed Rendell for entertaining this latest attempt at a public molestation.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances, The FIX flap with Mayor, but where was he 1, 2, and 3 years ago, yet alone 12?

To forgive and forget is fine, but I'm not yet able to let a top official off the hook, yet. Where was Murphy years ago as gambling-interests rolled into town and jacked up river-front property values? That land-speculation along with the city's heavy handed pipe-dreams with stadiums and Fifth & Forbes, plus undue taxes in parking (50%), etc., have squashed the hopes of a sensible marketpace.

The marketplace rebounds, but the marketplace has been beaten repeatedly.

Every system, institution and family in the city is much more frail today because of the lack of dynamic leadership and bad policies on Grant Street.

The "real fix" that has "been in" has been the "decay fix" of the marketplace from public officials who are so self absorbed that they believe they have the sway to fix markets.

The 'fix is in' line of Murphy's wasn't the whopper of that day. The Mayor said, "Evan is right." The past leader of the anti-gambling group, No Dice, knows of the ills to our society and culture and has spoken about about them for years. Now, Mayor Murphy agrees with Evan and gives him direct credit. Evan's reply was, "Where were you, (Mayor Murphy) five years ago?"

nd Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com It's about time: On Oct. 27, Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy claimed 'the fix' was in regarding the city's lone slots casino license. He offered no evidence; he blamed the media for not doing their job. On Wednesday, a full week later, Mr. Murphy, pummeled in the media and by the state Gaming Control Board, retracted his allegation. Which only affirms the recklessness of the mayor's behavior. January can't come soon enough.

Vietnam Study, Casting Doubts, Remains Secret - New York Times

Vietnam Study, Casting Doubts, Remains Secret - New York Times N.S.A. officers deliberately distorted critical intelligence to cover up their mistakes, ...

World Peace -- coming to a mogul near you soon.

Olympic flag, white for peace.
SI.com - 2006 Winter Olympics - UN proclaims Olympic truce for Turin Winter Games

The U.N. General Assembly adopted by acclamation on Thursday a resolution encouraging all nations to observe an Olympic truce during the 2006 Winter Games to be held in Turin, Italy, in February.

Weinroth sent a spokesperson to PIIN, thankfully

Bob O'Connor was absent from the PIIN meeting. Fine. But Bob, you could have sent a representative.

A standing-room-only crowd gathered at a church in Manchester on the North Side. The meeting was organized by the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network.

Joe Weinroth was represented by Markie Bilkie, Republican.

American teens devour and feed Web's content

This is why we need a YOUTH Tech Summit to occur in Pittsburgh and be the largest annual event in the Convention Center.

American teens devour and feed Web's content American teenagers are doing more than just passively surfing the Web: More than half are adding their own content to the Internet, through blogs and other interactive means, according to a new survey.

Double posting?

I seem to have double-sent the 412-public-campaign email just now. Buggers.

Analogy of Cookie Jar and Football Game

The Cookie Jar Analogy
When children are caught stealing from the cookie jar, the first thing they do is drop the cookie. That's where we're at right now (almost). As good parents, we must offer a stern lecture. Then we need to put the cookie jar on a higher shelf where the children can't reach it, followed by a bit of discipline.

No cookie after dinner, either. Send them straight to their room to read the Constitution. Twice for good measure. While they're at it, maybe we should ask for a book reporte or spring a pop quiz.

We don't care that they put the cookie back; we're worried that they thought they could get away with it in the first place. It's a matter of trust. It can't go back to the way it was, because we don't have any faith in them. They've lost our respect, a difficult thing to earn a second time.

The Football Analogy
We're in the first quarter. After receiving the opening kickoff (the pay raise), the CleanSweepers put together a long and determined drive toward the goal line. The Incumbents defense was confused and thought the scoreboard (the media) wasn't working properly. Oddly, the refs (the Supremes) are now playing for the Incumbents.

We introduced the forward pass (the internet). They were left flat- footed. We muscled into the end zone with the aid of their collapsing defense (the Day 118 repeal). The extra point (dismal polling) was good. CleanSweepers lead 7-0.

Time for an onside kick (Newman & Nigro). We'll get the ball right back and start another drive down the field. It's still the first quarter and we've come out of the box like Super Bowl champions. Let's keep it up.

Feel free to 'high five' each other, but this is no time for a victory dance. The game is far from over.

City Council tentatively OKs nonprofit groups' 3-year pledge

Can beggers do anything more than smile and bear it? Sadly, the council has put itself in the lower role of simple handout taker.

City Council tentatively OKs nonprofit groups' 3-year pledge A slim majority of Pittsburgh City Council members tentatively approved a pact with nonprofit groups yesterday, and several said they'd need more information before a final vote Monday.
At stake is at least $13.2 million in pledged contributions from universities, hospitals, foundations and other charities to the cash-poor city, including $4.6 million this year.

Packers News - After cell rings, Packers hang up

Hold the phone, we have a game to play.

Packers News - After cell rings, Packers hang up Today's scheduled post-practice press conference with Brett Favre will not be conducted until someone takes responsibility for his or her cell phone going off during Mike Sherman�s press conference earlier.

Hang up personified.

All this focus on Math and Science -- does it mean we won't be teaching history -- so asks Tracy L

At two recent meetings I had the opportunity to interact with Tracy Links of Duquesne Heights (next to Mt. Washington). She has raised some good concers about the teaching of history, good old American history and civics. The following stories fit as a way to extend that discussion.

My best hope is that the push for literacy in the school day is going to include lots of classics texts.

IS TEACHING TRADITIONAL "HISTORY" HISTORY AT CARSON HIGH SCHOOL?

Meet Joe Enge.

Joe is an award-winning, 15-year veteran history teacher in Carson City who has, among other things, written two history textbooks and served on the 1997 task force which drew up Nevada's history standards. But according to school district administrators, he's a "bad" teacher.

You see, Joe has this crazy idea that American history should include our colonial period, as well as the Revolutionary War period. You know, where the Founding Fathers fought for independence from England and wrote the greatest governing document the world has ever known - the United States Constitution. You know, that period of time which gave us patriot heroes such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Tom Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, John Paul Jones, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John
Hancock.

And Joe has REALLY ticked off the local school district bureaucrats and the education establishment.

You see, unbeknownst to most parents in Carson City, the school district believes that high school American history should start with the Civil War era, not the days of America's Founding. Indeed, the curriculum forced on history teachers at Carson High School ignores pre-Civil War history completely - other than a little optional
"refresher" at the beginning of the school year or if you're in an Advanced Placement class.

Joe Enge has fought the district's History-Lite curriculum for the past three years by teaching ALL of his students ALL of America's history, starting with the colonial period (remember the Pilgrims?).

In addition, Joe believes...get this...that the teacher should teach and the students should learn. He embraces and practices the "traditional" teacher-centered method of education, as opposed to the fashionable student-centered "discovery learning" method currently all the rage in San Francisco and Portland. What a trouble-maker.

So the school district wants to get rid of him.

Joe's supervisors - including Carson High's principal, Fred Perdomo - have given Joe unsatisfactory evaluations in retaliation for his refusal to teach a Founding-free version of American history. And although Joe's a "tenured" teacher , three such bad evaluations would be grounds for running this maverick out of town on a rail (students would have to read Revolutionary War-era history to know just what this
phrase means). So Joe challenged the administrative evaluations; however, the Carson City School District Superintendent, Mary Pierszynski, sided with the principal. Big surprise there.

Last month as part of a mediation effort, Ms. Pierszynski offered to buy Joe off by paying him one year's salary if he'd quit. And considering the pure hell this one-man fight has put his family through, Joe actually considered it. But at the last minute, Pierszynski withdrew her offer, and now the dispute is moving to binding arbitration. Which means if Pierszynski's ruling backing Perdomo's evaluations stands, this Fulbright Scholar and Madison Fellowship award-winner will likely be tossed out on his kiester - and his Carson High students will finally be taught that American history began when Lincoln freed the slaves.

Of course, the teacher's union could always ride in and defend this experienced, professional classroom educator. Yeah, right. Fat chance. You see, Joe has chosen not to join the teacher's union, so these "principled" defenders of teaching professionals are more than happy to see the guy thrown to the wolves.

This entire episode is an outrage. Joe Enge is the kind of teacher we should WANT educating our kids. He loves history. He knows history. And he's darned good at teaching history. Indeed, Enge's spirit of resistance to this great injustice would make our Founding Fathers - who the Carson City School District would prefer to pretend never existed - proud. Especially Thomas Jefferson who (not that Carson City high school students would know it) once said, "The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept
alive."

It's time for Superintendent Pierszynski, Principal Perdomo and the entire Carson City education establishment to call off the dogs and let professional American history teacher Joe Enge do what he's been trained to do and has been successfully doing for 15 long years: TEACH AMERICAN HISTORY. The FULL American history, not the district's "Reader's Digest" version.

Please help keep American history IN ITS ENTIRETY alive at Carson High School by signing our online petition urging the Carson City School District to allow Joe Enge to do what he's been trained to do: Teach ALL of American history.

Just go to the "Online Petition" page at www.citizenoutreach.com

Chuck Muth President, Citizen Outreach

Pondering a new blog feature: Long Project Gutenberg repost

Dear Faithful (and some Faithless) Blog Readers,

Last month for Haloween, I published the lead in to the classic story of Icabod Crane. See Sleepy Hollow. This month, I'm thinking of posting another longer story, but from Mark Twain on diplomacy. But, I'm going to wait until after election day.

The works of Twain from Project Gutenberg (PG) and thousands of others available in Project Gutenberg's fine library as text documents are free to read and repost.

Question: Should I repost the entire 10 pages in the blog -- or just the first couple of pages?

We are pulling together some Project Gutenberg titles for the CDs that are being passed along with the campaign.

Furthermore, we do want to support lifelong learning.

Reactions welcomed.

Mayor regrets talking of 'fix' -- link to the P-G story

Mayor regrets talking of 'fix': "Mayor Tom Murphy yesterday said he regretted saying the 'fix is in' on who would be awarded a casino license for Pittsburgh.

'I should have chosen my words more carefully,' he said. At the same time he affirmed his right as mayor 'to demand an open, honest and transparent selection process' for the city's casino."

In a couple of years, when the gambling interests have really trashed this town, Mayor Murphy will again stand up and say -- "told ya."

"Should-a, would-a, could-a don't mean squat."

Be Caring, Be Loving, Be Open and Be Honest. Humm.... CLOH. Those are characteristics to live by.

However, people don't really like "honesty." And, it's hard work to be honest. It is easy to dodge and drift and go with the flow. You have to care enough to put your heart and spirit on the line. You have to be open enough to have the faith and support of the others who are around. Plus, being open builds faith for those who are not so near as well.

It's a tough combination. Life is tough.

Why not online? Allegheny Institute airs conversations with O'Connor and Weinroth

I would love to have these interviews go online, not only on the radio. Can they be turned into a podcast or put into MP3 files for download or streaming?

The Allegheny Institute will air a conversation with City of Pittsburgh Mayoral candidates Bob O’Connor and Joe Weinroth. Institute President Jake Haulk sits down with each candidate to gauge their positions on the city’s financial position and specifically their take on workers’ compensation, selling assets, and economic development. Don’t miss their responses. The special episode of the Allegheny Institute Report will air twice before the election—Sunday November 6th at Noon—and at its regular time, Monday November 7th at 7:30 PM. Tune in to KQV 1410 for this special edition of the Allegheny Institute Report.

What about the transcripts of the interviews? Can they be made available?

Otherwise, thanks for the efforts. Keep up the good work.

To bad WQED didn't hold a mayor's debate. Shame on them.

Special Meeting for Pgh Public School's Key Communicators

School closings and Accelerated Learning Academies will be the talk of the town for the next few weeks, if not the next year. If you are engaged in the community and think that our schools play a role in community --- duhh --- , then you'll want to attend this presentation. The Pittsburgh Public School District (Right-Sizing) Reorganization Plan, directed by the new superintendent, Mark Roosevelt, is slated for its community roll-out from 6 to 8 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2005 in Conference Room A, at the Board of Education Building.

All parents are invited and encouraged to attend!

RSVP to Donna Vlassich by calling and leaving a message, 412-622-3619.

I attended a meeting with Mark Roosevelt at Langley yesterday. The other speaker was Dr. Martin Johnson. Last week I was at another meeting with the superintendent in Frick Middle School.

The slides from yesterday's presentation about the new types of schools that are going to be rolled out for next year should be on the PghBOE.Net site. (not yet) The RAND presentation about school performance is working.

Editorial: Herb Ohliger for county sheriff / Only the voters can clean out a corrupt office

Must reading for voters of Allegheny County. The Post-Gazette endorsement for the sheriff's office, a vote on November 8.

Editorial: Herb Ohliger for county sheriff / Only the voters can clean out a corrupt office Editorial: Herb Ohliger for county sheriff / Only the voters can clean out a corrupt office

Allegheny County voters face a crucial choice for sheriff next Tuesday. Although the race has some of the typical markings of campaigns past -- a well-known, deep-pocketed Democrat challenged by an underfunded upstart Republican -- much is different in 2005.

Sheriff Pete DeFazio's office has been under federal investigation since January for macing, abuse of power and other illegal activity.

Sheriff DeFazio, who is seeking his third four-year term and has worked in the office for 35 years, was called as a witness but, incredibly, invoked the Fifth Amendment to protect against self-incrimination. His executive assistant and one of his sergeants also took the Fifth.

Sheriff's Capt. Frank Schiralli was found guilty of perjury for telling a grand jury that he never kept lists of deputies who bought tickets for political fund-raisers for Sheriff DeFazio.

Sheriff DeFazio's employees testified that his commanders pressured them -- with implied threats about their jobs -- to buy tickets, some costing hundreds of dollars, for the sheriff's Mother's Day brunch, golf outing and other political events.

Sheriff DeFazio's deputies did landscaping work on county time at the home of his chief deputy.

Sheriff DeFazio has been a budget buster, off and on, and has routinely spent beyond his limit. Part of the reason is that he has sought to enlarge the scope of the sheriff's office beyond its core functions of securing the courthouse, moving prisoners and serving court papers.

It's a wonder, with this shameful litany and an investigation still in full throttle, that Pete DeFazio, 56, chose to run for re-election at all. Although the Post-Gazette advocated, unsuccessfully, that the sheriff be among the county row offices that the public voted to consolidate under appointed managers, the county Democratic hierarchy wanted to keep it elected and autonomous. Given all of the political activity recently revealed there, to support not only the sheriff but also other Democratic candidates, it's no surprise that the party felt a need to protect this fund-raising outpost.

On Nov. 8, however, county voters can impose reform -- by voting for challenger Herb Ohliger.

A Republican from Scott, Mr. Ohliger, 45, owns an information-system consulting business that specializes in security. He worked in Iraq for the federal government in July and August to train Iraqis in various security methods.

Though he served the public for two years while filling a vacancy on the township commission, he does not deny his lack of experience as a sheriff's deputy. He sees the role of sheriff as manager, and a job that, at the moment, is being mismanaged.

"I don't think the county sheriff should be fleecing his employees," he said. "There shouldn't be 300 people out there with honorary sheriff's badges, and he needs to meet his budget." He also said the sheriff should be consolidating the office and preparing it for merger with the county police, under the appointed police chief.

Herb Ohliger, who has earned the Post-Gazette endorsement, deserves not only strong support from his party in the final week, but also the votes of everyone who goes to the polls next Tuesday. "This is not Pete's government or my government," he said, "but the people's government" -- words not suited to the kind of sheriff's office being revealed by federal prosecutors.

I know Herb from running in political circles. He is trustworthy and direct. He is a good guy who is easy to read and would be able to manage the department and all the dealings there with a frank, calm, reasoned authority. We are very fortunate to have him step up to meet the challenge and run for this position.

Sadly, but as expected, DeFazio is not going to debate the challenger. DeFazio in a debate with a worthy opponent would be a real sight to see -- and something that should be on WQED.

Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition

Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition: "Voters Choice Act"

Tonight I spoke as part of the discussion at a local DFA meeting and had warm reception when passing along info on the Voters Choice Act.

We will win! The pay raise is moving closer to becoming a historical milestone.  

I vote at the South Side Market House -- and I'm looking for helpers to spread the word on election day and post signs about voting "NO" for the PA Supreme Court Judges.