Russ Diamond - founder of PA Clean Sweep -- on the South Side

Russ Diamond, presenter at a South Side meeting, talked about PA Clean Sweep and more.

I have most of his presentation on tape. If you'd like to get a copy of the MP3, email me.

Music for the season!

Nanna, Grandma, Pop Pop, Grant and Erik -- following a violin concert. The boys are my sons. My mom and dad are on the left and right and my mother-in-law is in the middle.

We were all together at Thanksgiving, except for one sister, Geri Ann. Her family called in to the feast as they were at the swim pool all day in Florida, just north of Orlando. It was 77-degrees there. Meanwhile, we passed about a half-dozen accidents on 279 headed north in mid-day ice.

Drivers need to give the wind and cold more respect. Slow down a bit. The bridges and overpasses freeze first and worst.

Barbara, my mother-in-law, lives just across the street from us. She made five great pies!

All is well with us. Hope you have the same good fortunes too.

Talking about the legislature. Brutal.

PennLive.com: Search The recent record of the Legislature suggests it is far too timid to tackle a challenge as large as bringing sanity and affordability to health care in the commonwealth. This is most unfortunate, inasmuch as Washington shows the same lack of interest.

Pa. lawmakers eyeing spending limits on state budget

Pa. lawmakers eyeing spending limits on state budget a spending cap that would make it harder for officials to enact a new state budget that exceeds the annual rate of inflation. ...

Another way to cut state spending is to elect a few Libertarians.

Turkey Trot - Mindy A - OU Band

Mindy A., a swimmer I coached in the early 1990s while she was at Plum High School, teaches in Richmond, Va. She is home for Thanksgiving and ran in the YMCA's Turkey Trot!

I went to the Blvd of Allies to cheer on the runners and those who trot!

The winning of the Y's Turkey Trot, a gentleman from Spain, was interviewed on KDKA with his girl friend, a local from Carnegie. I know the family now as we talked at the race due to my swim coaching connections. She put in a great dig. "One day we hope to have him come back to Pittsburgh and win the PITTSBURGH MARATHON.

The Ohio University Band got some national tv coverage with Matt L on The Today show (NBC). Go Bobcats. They looked great at the head of the parade and "getting down."

Have a great weekend!

Mayor O'Connor has his work cut out for him

Mayor O'Connor has his work cut out for him - 2005-11-14... O'Connor said his No. 1 priority was attacking the city's financial problems. Without detailing exactly what he would do, O'Connor says the city has been mismanaged and that he will hire professionals to clean up the mess.

Gov. Rendell, already saw to it that Pittsburgh hired some professionals to give financial oversight to the city's budget. We have two oversight boards. They are 'hired.'

We don't need "hired guns" -- we need "elected leadership."

Bob should hire professional managers. He is going to need them. The city needs to get on the right track. The city is a mess. The mayor can turn to plenty of sources for advice, consultants and bond agents in getting new lines of credit.

We also need to make sure great, new, creative perspectives are part of Grant Street and city council in the years to come. Hence, this is why I want to be elected to city council in 2006.

West End Pedestrian Bridge Competition

The West End Pedestrian Bridge Competition The West End Bridge is a gateway to the city, framing Pittsburgh's great skyline. It crosses the Ohio River approximately one mile below Point State Park, which marks the union of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. From the downtown approach, the West End Bridge serves as the portal to the Ohio River, the Gateway to the West.

Beaver County Times - Why wait?

Beaver County Times Allegheny TimesThirty days hath November, and Pittsburgh's budget for 2006 is still but a dream.

Last week, the state-appointed fiscal overseer rejected Mayor Tom Murphy's spending plan - for a second time.

Murphy has set up the city for state sanctions, which might hold up an expected $3.5 million reimbursement.

Why not wait a little longer, Murphy and friends? After all, the city has only two eyes that can be blackened. They're both starting to look pretty darn dark.

World's Smallest Political Quiz

Give it a whirl.

World's Smallest Political Quiz

Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition -- our state reps and state senators are AWOL on this!

Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition Where do your state legislators stand on free and equal elections?

Guys, Gal, and Babes of the future -- where do you stand on the PA Ballot Coalition?

Chat with PPS boss -- retro technology and unsound logic

In the wake of yesterday's comments in my open letter -- here are a few points form the chat with the new Superintendent of Pgh Public Schools.

pittparent: I work in the technology industry here in Pittsburgh and have worked across the county in the field. I commend your use of data and the data-driven decisions. However, I do wonder how accurate the data is PPS. Without a CTO, how do plan to address data integrity and the technology infrastructure?

mark_roosevelt> I think that the data capacity here is amazing. With Rand's help it enabled us to use rich. deep student achievement data to drive our right-sizing decisions. No one has brought any inaccuracies to my attention as of this time.

Wait!

The data is closed. The lack of inaccuracies is because the data has not been put into the open. The deep student achievement data needs to be put out into the open, as in an open-source software model.

This is not a good answer. Thw lack of a CTO is sticking out like a sore thumb. RAND is not well suited to be a CTO for the district.

---

sethmad: What are PPS's plans for closed school buildings? Will they be sold? Razed?

mark_roosevelt> We must be much more aggressive about dealing with the closed facilities. Sold to a tax-paying entity will be the priority....

Wait again. Think again. A sell off of the buildings to a tax-paying entity is hardly a sound-bite. A sell-off where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer is NOT an option that is going to work for me and our communities.

---

One of my six questions got put up to the chat board. By the way, the Post-Gazette chat is so retro. I saw better chat applications with 1985 vintage.

Mark_Rauterkus: I think it might make great sense to turn Peabody and Westinghouse High Schools into SINGLE GENDER Schools. Then we'd have public school alternatives to Central Catholic and Oakland Catholic.

mark_roosevelt> We will be looking at high school reform next. Consideration of single-gender schools at various grade levels is on our list of inquiries as well.

Classes, new devices can help - PittsburghLIVE.com

Classes, new devices can help - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Classes, new devices can help

Have you heard?

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Audiology and Hearing Aid Services offers a free, three-part class for people with concerns about hearing loss. Sessions cover how the ear works and why hearing declines; various types of hearing aids and where to find professionals to help you choose; telephone usage, including cell phones (which often don't work well with hearing aids); and alerting devices such as alarm clocks, smoke alarms and sound detectors for people with impaired hearing.

The next set of classes will be held 12:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday at Eye & Ear Institute, Oakland. To register, call 412-647-2030.For online information about hearing loss and UPMC's audiology center, check audiologycenter.upmc.com.

The center also offers a free hearing screening test over the telephone; call 412-647-2400.

The inability to communicate can be frustrating for people who are deaf, and for their loved ones. Even those who suffer from partial hearing loss may find communication to be a formidable challenge.

One mission of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Center for Audiology and Hearing Aid Services is to educate the public on ways to cope with hearing loss. In addition to private counseling sessions, the center offers a three-part class that focuses on how hearing loss occurs, and on advances in hearing aids and other technology.

'We offer the course to educate people, and they can go from there,' said Dr. Catherine Palmer, the center's director. 'A lot of people don't understand how hearing loss occurs. As for consumers, people feel very confused.'

At some point, most people will experience some degree of hearing loss, she said.

'The funny thing about hearing loss in adults is it's a gradual process. So often you lose quite a bit of hearing before you realize (you're having) communication problems.'

The center's monthly educational sessions are free. The classes explain how the ear works and how hearing can decline. Participants learn about the various types of hearing aids and where they can find professionals to assist with their purchase. And speakers address telephone usage -- especially cell phones, which don't work well with some hearing aids.

The classes also explain alerting systems that use visual cues to indicate when the doorbell rings, a baby cries or a smoke detector sounds. The discussion even covers alarm clocks that shake the bed or use lights instead of sound.

'The reality is, to be an independent person, you have to be able to use an alarm clock,' Palmer said.

In addition to classes, the center offers a free hearing screening test over the telephone. People who call 412-647-2400 are asked to listen for a series of faint tones designed to check their hearing.

'It's just a screening,' Palmer explained. 'If you can't hear all four tones, there may be a problem.'

The next educational session on hearing loss and hearing aids will be held 12:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday at Eye & Ear Institute, Oakland. To register for the free class, call 412-647-2030.For online information about hearing loss and UPMC's audiology center, check audiologycenter.upmc.com.

independent solutions -- new political blog from Steve Karas, D candidate

These are Steve's words, independent solutions I believe government can be a positive and unifying force in the lives of people.

Good luck. Idealist are fun. But, I'd say something else.

I think government has been a negative and dividing force in the lives of people of Pittsburgh. Government could be turned into a positive force, rather than negative, if we NUKE much of it, including the greed. But, to NUKE big chunks and attitudes in our public realm isn't going to happen with one trigger point.

I think the best way to get to a place where the people obtain their wishes -- "wish to live" -- is for self-reliant people to be self-reliant. Hence, government needs to get out of the way. That's the right track, in the real world of Pittsburgh today.

What happens when we don't have "educated constituents" -- nor "educated politicians?"

We need to be concerned with our schools. We need to make sure those we elect have the capacity to make intelligent decisions.

Good to see the blog. Let's talk....

Statement about Schools -- from Mark Rauterkus -- delivered to meeting hosted by B-PEP

From: Mark Rauterkus, Mark@Rauterkus.com
Candidate for Pittsburgh City Council, District 3
cell = 412 298 3432

To: Fellow Citizens of Pittsburgh

November 21, 2005

I care greatly and want to make positive impacts!
I have a number of concerns about our city and our schools. I care a great deal about our schools and their interaction among our communities. I hope to serve the residents of the city as a dynamic leader on City Council who is known to put kids at the top of the priority list. My two sons go to public schools. I coach and have been in many school settings.

RAND and PPS must build trust by publishing all the data and formulas for all to see.
Trust is suspect with reports. But trust and confidence can soar, after the data is published. Peer review is powerful. Open source ways are invincible. The data on schools and the logic in the formulas need to be published on the web.

A robusts and visible job-ticketing system should document all comments from citizens. This would lead to a valid change log to display tinkering from administrators.
All requests for features and changes should be automated by the district. One citizens' comments should be documented for all to see. If a job-ticket process was deployed, then the district would be able to make replies to all issues. Outstanding issues and suggestions would be visible.
Versions and evolutions of the major plan need to be made.
A problem for one might be a feature for another. Statements from the administration should be charted on each matter. A change log is needed to clearly document the 'tinkering' with the plan by the administrators. Perhaps some changes are needed for next year.

Closed School Buildings have serious implications for our neighborhoods. We must think again about those interactions.
Schools in neighborhoods that are in transition or are in great decline need to be given the highest priorities for re-use. The overall approach to the liquidation of the various buildings must be put into a holistic plan for the good of all the city and region. We run the risk of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer if the wrong course is charted in the months and years to come.
The building and land opportunities at some places, such as Schenley High School, South Vo Tech and even (perhaps) Connelly Tech are prime. A quick sell off of those assets might saturate the market and then other, more complicated, more deserving projects won't ever have a hope of getting completed. Beltzhoover, Arlington, Hazelwood and other areas of the city need new investments and new energy to enter more than a place such as the South Side.
The school district and the city need to invest a lot of attention to these details and establish a reasoned philosophy. Jobs, community needs and the stability of neighborhoods have to be factored into the discussions. I would love to play a leadership role in these efforts, and as a city council representative, I'd embrace this challenge.

Peabody and Westinghouse could be turned into single gender High Schools.
Central Catholic and Oakland Catholic are private, single-gender schools that do well in academics. The trend to single-gender schools shows great promise. Getting families more choices for their students, such as single-gender public-school, might make fantastic sense. Girls and boys from throughout the city who desire single-gender schools could attend, while those who want a co-ed setting could still attend the other schools.

Teams within the city need to migrate to the WPIAL.
After school activities, recreation, community use of our public buildings and the interscholastic elements within our schools in the city need a major overhaul. Our kids are not getting the same chances to excel as their suburban counterparts. Boosters, coaching, schedules and sportsmanship need increased attention. Volunteers are kept at arms-length in the city as well. Much more can be done. The best way to advance the sports system is to have the city kids play, day-in and day-out, against the suburban schools by being within the WPIAL.

The Pgh budget, not PPS, should pay for Crossing Guards, as the policy had been before Murphy's crisis.
School resources needs to focus on reading, math and history, not sidewalk patrols in neighborhoods.

Pitt lecture: “The Ethics of Dissent in National Security”

University of Pittsburgh: News From Pitt Pitt's Johnson Institute Sponsors Dec. 1 Lecture.

The individual rights of free speech and the freedom to dissent are sacrosanct elements of American democracy, but what happens when these rights clash with issues of national security? That is the conundrum that Pitt professor of international affairs Janne Nolan will tackle during a free lecture, “The Ethics of Dissent in National Security,” sponsored by the Johnson Institute for Responsible Leadership in the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 1 in the Bigelow Room of the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, 4215 Fifth Ave., Oakland. The event, which is cosponsored by Pitt's School of Information Sciences, is open to the public, but reservations are required by Nov. 28 at www.johnsoninstitute-gspia.org/events.asp.

Recyle the cycle in the West End by Citiparks

This is not another photo from China!

The event was on Sunday morning. I unloaded about five bikes there.

If I'm on City Council and I'm chair of the Committee on Recreation and Youth -- we're going to hold the Recycle the Cycle program two times a year. It has been held seven times in the past 14 years.

So, is it safe to say that I'll be four times as good as what they've been doing?

The program relies upon volunteers too. A staffer or two help. But the project run with donations and good working people.
A tiny bike donation being cleaned by a big-time volunteer. That bike model is GREAT for kids. Both Erik and Grant loved it. I loved the handle, like a 'tail' that keeps us flowing around the city's less than smooth sidewalks.

Barnestormin hits upon a FAQ & A

Barnestormin How many lobbyists does it take to pass a gambling law?

Single gender high schools for Peabody and Westinghouse

Go there and click a vote on the poll. But, see if you can or not??? I can't figure out if you can even register a vote with the poll. Weirdness. Perhaps the poll was shut? Perhaps the button is locked to me as poll author? Thanks for giving it a whirl and reporting back.

aplusschools.org :: View topic - Single gender high schools for Peabody and Westinghouse Should Pgh Public Schools consider the options of making single-gender high schools?

Recycle a cycle. I'm going to drop off a bike or two at the event on Sunday at the West End. They are seeking bikes for gifts.

Where is the "Tiger Team?" asked Dave E?

Tiger team...

David Eckart, a CMU Computer Professor and fellow board member of the Allegheny County Libertarian Party, spoke up at the recent public hearing hosted in the Gold Room with Allegheny County Council concerning the purchase of new voting machines.