Statement about MLK Day and Super Heros

I went to Grant Street today to speak about Martin Luther King day and Super Heros. I think I'll send this out as an email. The re-run is tonight at 7 pm and on Friday too, if you have city cable.

KQV poll on the date of the special election

January 13, 2006

Do you agree with the decision to reschedule the special council election after Spring Break?

Internet Results

Yes: 158....64%
No: 89....36%
Total: 247...100%

Phone Results
Yes: 41....32%
No: 87....68%
Total: 128...100%

Raises repaid to leaders' accounts - PittsburghLIVE.com

The meeting slated for 7:30 Tuesday at the Penn Hills Senior Center near Rodi and Jefferson Road is sure to have plenty to say about this latest move. I'll be there. So to will Russ Diamond of PACleanSweep.org.

Raises repaid to leaders' accounts - PittsburghLIVE.com: "
Stephen Miskin, spokesman for House Republicans, confirmed that repayments of so-called 'unvouchered expenses' go back into leadership accounts. An audit in April showed those accounts -- controlled by top leaders in the House and Senate -- contained about $135 million as of June 30, 2004.

Recap of the O'Connor team, building upon the P-G article

The O'Connor team is getting a lot of 'miles' (pun intended) about its media members.

New mayor assembles varied team to run the city
It's a role she's suited to, said her former boss, WQED President George Miles. Together they turned a 'dysfunctional' public television station into a winner, he said, by opting 'to focus ourselves back on Pittsburgh.'

QED sold QEX. QED does cooking. QED does do-whop. QED does debt even better than the city. QED does history as in what's not here any more and has its eyes trained onto the past and into the rear-view mirror.

The QED magazine, Pittsburgh, isn't mission critical. Its web portal is a yawn. The QED candidate debates, consumer affairs and public interest from that public statation are thin.

In terms of potential, QED's boss is standing on thin ice when he says they turned a dysfunctional station into a winner.

"Zero-based development" (stripping it back to its core mission and building from there) does NOT include more "green space downtown." Rather it means we take care of the parks we already have and let the cobblestones in Market Square stay as they are.

The other one to rest upon his laurels is PEN-DOT's past spokesperson. Yep, there was a time not long ago when the Ft. Pitt Bridge was being re-built (1-way) and the entire South Side could not get to the South Hills (West Liberty Ave) without first driving to downtown and getting onto the Blvd. of the Allies.

So, because one bridge was OUT one way, I had to cross TWO additional bridges rather than NONE. That was his to 'sell.'

With this rant, I sound like QED, looking into the rear-view mirror, just to kick up some recycled electronic dust.

Frankly, I'm glad to see some media types on Grant Street's team. I'm a media type and I'd like to go there to work as well. But jeepers, let's not give Ms. Leber credit for publishing THE BIBLE nor heap upon the credit to Skrinjar for being Moses' press agent during his term when he parted the Red Sea.

Then we have the "new idea person" -- one who did the flip-flop on the stadiums, perhaps. The guy spoke out for the increased taxes and for the building of the stadiums. Then he went to work for Ferlo, on the other side. So, perhaps he didn't flip nor flop, but he was certain to be in LEFT FIELD and far beyond the shaddow of #8.

I've talked about the "New Idea Factory" at the Platform.For-Pgh.org. We don't need new ideas as much as we need to distill old ideas. We need to think again. We don't need to churn and burn. But, this description is just what I am looking for, a person who can "think again." Perhaps he did it with the stadiums, after Ferlo got to him.

BERNIE Lynch! YES!

I saw Bernie Lynch on Bob O'Connor's first day on the job at city hall. She was very sorry she did not call me back. I had called her and left a message weeks prior to ask her if she would be my media coordinator for my campaign. I wanted Bernie to be a part of my campaign and O'Connor hired her with a real job. At the time she said something was cooking, and she didn't mean the polish sausague in the sidewalk of the city-county building tailgate.

I worked with Bernie as she helped to battle Mayor Murphy and his wrongheaded downtown redevelopment plans. We crossed paths again and again including with efforts at Mt. Washington, with the Duquesne Heights Community Center, with my campaign for State Senate and even with a debate on TV by the non-QED station.

I am an idealist. I think Bernie is that as well. I'm not sure I'd call her an alturist, but I'll go look it up and ask her next time we talk.

Finally, in the article, comes new Solicitor Susan Malie. I fear to write anything about her as she's a lawyer and I don't want to get sued. She's on the city's side in terms of "defending" police brutality -- yeah, I shouldn't have typed anything -- but on the winning side for all involved when it is reported that she is to vet city policies to prevent lawsuits. The city's margin of litigation is too low. It would be wonderful if the city had a great lawyer and never used her.

When I go to city council, I'll do my best to make sure she had the most boring job in the world. She'd be so bored, that perhaps we'll give her a second job. Perhaps she'd like to be the city's designated downtown shopper. She could be the one walking around the lone downtown department store in business hours.

Then if anyone on Grant Street wants to sue someone -- we'd have to weigh the consequences of lossing our shopper. We wouldn't want to do that.

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - News - 01/12/2006 - Three small political parties challenging signature threshold

Democracy matters.

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - News - 01/12/2006 - Three small political parties challenging signature threshold HARRISBURG - Third-party political candidates are complaining that Pennsylvania law is making it nearly impossible for them to get their names on ballots.

It was the Sports Illustrated JINX hitting The Bus

OMG....

Take a knee.

Make a prayer.

Lots to say about green space in downtown

New Mayor O'Connor made some statements that ran in the P-G about green space downtown. I have plenty to pine about on this topic. But I'll save it for another day.

Downtown needs more green, mayor says Downtown needs more green, mayor says
He wants to tear up Market Square, close it off to vehicle traffic

Saturday, January 14, 2006, By Ed Blazina, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If Downtown Pittsburgh is going to have several thousand new residents, it needs more of the amenities that make residential living pleasant, Mayor Bob O'Connor said yesterday.

Headed to Butler to morn and figure out how to better the situations

Today, we were at a swim meet at Blackhawk. Good meet. Nice swimmers from both squads. We won.

But, a group of swimmers was gathering to remember Eric Namesnik in Michigan.

In Western PA, friends will be received at the Martin Funeral Home, 429 Center Ave., Butler, Monday morning from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. A funeral mass is slated for 11:00 am on Monday (MLK Day) at Saint Paul's Catholic Church, 128 North McKean St., Butler. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, 1004 North Main Street, Butler.

Memorial donations may be made to:

Snik's Kids
The Eric Namesnik Memorial Fund
United Bank and Trust
2723 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

---

I want to see if there is something more to do. The spring Dapper Dan or the scholar athlete YMCA banquet should be engaged. Coach Mike said, "Knock yourself out Mark." So, I've got a green light in that more could and should be done.

Where is the MLK event hosted by Pgh Public Schools

The MLK Day special event that I've attended a number of times in the past -- mostly at Westinghouse High School -- isn't on the agenda this year. Why is there no big event for MLK Day within PPS? Are the folks who were pivotal just gone? (i.e. Westinghouse has a new principal and PPS has a new superintendent). Or, was the event nixed so as to not allow for citizens to gather and compare notes about the "right-sizing" plan. ??

Hummm.....

Job posting at Bloomfield Garfield Corp

An interesting job posting is in the comments.

Eric and Tom --- swimmers ---

An article that is worthy of a read by everyone who loves sports and the race.

Mayor hesitant to pass on health costs - PittsburghLIVE.com

Six of one, half-dozen for the other?

Mayor hesitant to pass on health costs - PittsburghLIVE.com: "His attitude mirrors that of former Mayor Tom Murphy, whose $418 million 2006 budget proposal was shot down twice by the state-appointed board because he refused to saddle those workers with a $130,000 increase in health care costs this year."

When Murphy and O'Connor were and are at the helm -- the same outcomes persist. The men are different. But, in this instance, the policies are the same.

Let's see if this is a trend, or not.

Those on Grant Street need to "Think Again." The oversight board said so. A re-do is needed to please them. Some other solution has to come forth from Grant Street budget brokers.

So, the question boils down to creativity. Is Bob going to have a clever solution that protects the low-paid, hard-working employees from taking that punch in the health-care co-pay? Or, does Bob linger in the same rut, already cut by others, but without enough energy to fix a different course?

We need new perspectives to fix these ills. I can bring those long-range visions to council and to Grant Street. This is a fitness, wellness, health-care issue. This is a time for MORE creativity and prudence in the pocket-book. Think again, and we'll be watching.

Blogger: Post a Comment

The county is not ready to buy these voting machines. This deadline should be ignored. I'd not like to take the matter to court. Rather, just blow off the pork from the Feds.

Blogger: Post a Comment But under some interpretations, counties that don't do so by the May primary could forfeit the federal money.

There should be an on-going effort to look at many of the problems with electronic voting and our existing machines.

Once again, those in charge have funbled their duties. How many weeks or days or even minutes in the past year has our county executive worked on this problem? What about county council? Some, I'm sure. But we are not ready to plunk down the cash for the new machines, untested, unsupervised and under prepared.

Front page Pitt News Coverage: Advocate for inclusion of college students in city elections

We won! Election date was changed away from spring break.

Partial Schenley High renewal costs less

We should SAVE Schenley at its present location.

Partial Schenley High renewal costs less An architectural firm's preliminary report yesterday suggested that the asbestos-plagued Schenley High School building could be kept open for less work and expense than originally thought, giving new hope to school supporters.

Disclaimer: my sons are slated to attend Schenley in the future.

Second Pitt News - Spring break elections alienate student voters

Today is a two-for with The Pitt News. Great!

The Pitt News - Spring break elections alienate student voters Spring break elections alienate student voters

By JESSICA LEAR, Editor in Chief

Well, Pittsburgh, you just never learn, do you?

Here’s a hint: If you want young people to stay in the city, you need to make them feel like they matter, at least a little bit.

In true hometown fashion, City Council has decided to hold the special election to fill the District 3 seat on March 7. District 3 includes central and south Oakland.

Yep, March 7, right in the middle of Pitt’s spring break. That means most students won’t be around to vote for their representative.

I know, I know, most students don’t vote, anyway. And Pitt students have a tendency to leave the city right after graduation.

Something tells me, though, that the way to get them to vote and to hang around after college — which this aging city desperately needs — isn’t excluding them from the election.

Council President Luke Ravenstahl was out of town on business yesterday, and therefore unable to comment. So I don’t know yet why the Council tentatively chose March 7 for the election. There’s a press conference this morning to address the issue and announce a final date.

I’d really like to believe it isn’t some underhanded attempt to disenfranchise students. So, why not change the date?

There has been some pressure to make the election fair. Libertarian candidate Mark Rauterkus has been pushing Ravenstahl to move the election to Feb. 28.

He and others, including Councilman William Peduto of District 8, plan to attend a rally today in front of Hillman Library at 12:30 p.m.

Peduto ran a failed campaign last year against Bob O’Connor for the Democratic nomination in the mayoral election. The refreshing thing about his campaign was his attention to — and almost desperate plea for — the young vote.

What strikes me as odd about the District 3 special election is that Ravenstahl is a young man himself; he’s 25 and finished his undergrad degree at Washington and Jefferson just three years ago.

So maybe there is hope for Pittsburgh. Maybe the decision to hold the election while students will be away really was just an oversight.

In any case, the city’s leaders won’t know we care — we do, don’t we? — unless we tell them. So if you’re not registered to vote, register. If you are registered, vote.

And if you’re pissed off about possibly being excluded from this election, say something. Then, if that still doesn’t get them to change the election date, vote anyway. Don’t forget about absentee ballots.

One of Ravenstahl’s assistants told me yesterday that he expects a lot of phone calls about this, which seems to indicate he’s aware that holding the election during spring break is a bad idea. So let’s not let him down.

The City Council’s Web site is www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council, and Ravenstahl’s phone number is (412) 255-2135.

E-mail Jess Lear at editor@pittnews.com.

Of big interest was the fact that Luke was "out of town" as some of this shook down. Luke went with the others, I think, to Columbus, Ohio, to check out a HOCKEY ARENA. Columbus, home of OSU.

Luke, Pitt needs a hockey arena too. Let's re-open the closed indoor ice rink on the South Side -- once Pitt's home ice. And, we can put Pitt's women's hockey team into the CIVIC Arena. Mario can build his own new arena, but we want to keep and re-open the other places too so we have a NET GAIN.

The Pitt News - Special election could be held during spring break

Good ink come from The Pitt News about this date with the special election.

The Pitt News - Special election could be held during spring break: "The city Clerk’s Office confirmed yesterday that a special election is currently planned for March 7, when many students will be on vacation.

The special election was called after District 3 representative Gene Ricciardi left his position to become a district judge. District 3 includes parts of Oakland and most of the South Side.

Pitt’s spring break is scheduled for March 5 to March 12.

Luke Ravenstahl, city council president, could not be reached for comment since he was out of town.

But according to a press release from Ravenstahl’s office, he will hold a press conference today at 10 a.m. to announce the final date for the special election.

Mark Rauterkus, a libertarian seeking the now empty seat, wrote in his blog that the city does not pay attention to the needs of students, including health care needs, and that is why many of them leave the city after graduating.

“Too many students have graduated and departed. They vote with their feet later in life because they are not welcomed and because government is not doing a good job at the basics,” Rauterkus wrote.

Rauterkus wants the city to hold the special election on Feb. 28.

Anyone want to help in putting in an application for this open-source event for the future?

It might be fun to get with some other techies and put in an application for this special event.

I've been giving out CDs on the campaign trails and with our family Christmas letter too -- and they all have the OpenOffice.org installer as well. So, when and if you get the CD, it has extra value. But, you all, blog readers, I'm sure are able to download and install your own copy of OpenOffice.org from the site, without the need of the CD.

Dear OpenOffice.org community members,

The first three OpenOffice.org conferences in Hamburg, Berlin
and Koper/Capodistria were a huge success. The highlight so
far was this year's conference which, for the first time, was
organized by a team of volunteer community members. Now we are
wondering if this outstanding event can actually be bettered.
Therefore, we are searching for the perfect location for the
OpenOffice.org Conference in 2006.

We are collecting applications from teams who are willing to
organize OOoCon 2006, just like we did last year. To give you
an idea about what we are looking for, you can take a look at
last year's proposals:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference/ooocon2005/proposal.html

Interested teams should send their applications to the mailing
list conference@marketing.openoffice.org in the following format:

Key Question
============
In 200 words or less, answer this question:

* Why is your location and the date you propose the best for
the OOoCon 2006?

Your application MUST INCLUDE:
==============================

* Location (country, city, conference center/university)
* Proposed Date(s)
* Team Lead (main contact person)
* Team Members (all members should be willing and able to
commit at least 3 hours per day to planning the conference
during the last two weeks before OOoCon 2006)
* Local events that are taking place in parallel (or right
before/after)
* Special visa or entry requirements, e.g. vaccinations

Your application COULD INCLUDE:
===============================

* Large local OpenOffice.org deployments (for user keynotes
and success stories)
* Names of local OpenOffice.org developers (for developer
sessions)
* Names of local OpenOffice.org vendors/partners
(potential sponsors)
* Travel costs (e.g. flight costs from the following cities:
London, Paris, Rome, Beijing, Sydney, New York, Hamburg,
Dublin, San Francisco, Cape Town, Tokyo)
* Accomodation costs (youth hostel, hotel)

According to the OOoCon 2004 attendee survey and some feedback
about last year's conference, proposed locations should meet
the following requirements as much as possible:

* attract the largest number of community contributers
* be near enough to allow a large number of Sun's
OpenOffice.org developers, who are in Hamburg, to attend
* low accomodation costs
* cheap flight and train tickets
* the conference venue is for free
* alignment with large IT event (e.g. CeBIT, Systems, Comdex)
* strong local OpenOffice.org community
* strong sponsor support
* offer a central meeting point where people will easily
run into other people between sessions
* short walking distances between session locations
* provide simple ways to get to the conference location

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2006. Shortly
after that date we will publish the applications on the
following page and call for votes:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference/

Information about the last three OpenOffice.org Conferences
can be found at:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2005/
http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2004/
http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference/OOoCon2003.html

Thank you and best regards,
The OpenOffice.org Conference Team

Eastern Michigan University Athletics - Swimming Assistant Eric Namesnik Passes Away Following Car Accident

Eastern Michigan University Athletics - Swimming Assistant Eric Namesnik Passes Away Following Car Accident Swimming Assistant Eric Namesnik Passes Away Following Car Accident
Information regarding funeral arrangements will be forthcoming

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Eastern Michigan University volunteer assistant swimming coach and two-time Olympic silver medalist Eric Namesnik passed away this morning (Wednesday, Jan. 11) following a traffic accident"

So sad. This guy was an inspiration.

Tonight's date with the Bishop

Tonight: concert by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in celebration of the centenary anniversary of Saint Paul Cathedral. It will feature Haydn’s “The Creation” with Maestro Gilbert Levine, Conductor. We are invited guests of The Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl. We assume this invite came because of our service to the community and the DePaul board.