What's the deal with the spending of millions on robots for the All Star Game???

I've got a cool video of a robot... but it isn't on line yet.

Tiger Team for Voting Machines

Tiger team....

Dave E, a professor at CMU, and a fellow board member for the Allegheny County Libertarian Party presented a concpet to Allegheny County Council months ago as they were pondering the new, electronic voting machines. Dave asked for a 'tiger team' to handle and hit upon the new voting machines to make sure that they were capable of counting the votes -- without messing up!

The new machines slated for arrival in Allegheny County don't work! This is bad news. And, the asked for 'tiger team' never got put in place.

County Executive Dan Onorato said on the radio that this is "confusing."

There is NO CONFUSION, Mr. Onorato. This is a binary decision -- OFF or ON. Work or broken. Tested or Free pass. Count or GUESS. Democracy or Kingdom.

The machines don't work. They failed in Illinois on multiple instances in multiple ways.

In Pennsylvania the other CMU prof who did some testing figured out how to screw up the results -- big time.

The new machines should NOT be deployed. Return them to the sender.

We'll use the older machines in our election in May 2006. We'd expect to need to use the OLD, existing, working, trusted, available, owned, machines in our November 2006 election, in Allegheny County's elections until we get a tiger team of testers to give a full workout to the new systems, in Allegheny County.

You never should take GOOD machines that are on hand and trusted and replace them with expensive, new machines that don't work.

So, the next step -- LET's FORM a TIGER TEAM -- and let's give that squad of testers the authority to certify our machines for our use for our elections. Otherwise, no deal.

Poor, sad, blue Pooh.

Poor Pooh. (Click image for larger view.)

This story sounds like what's headed our way... Give-aways for Penguins, give-aways for PNC Plaza, give-away for technology park, give-away for sprawl in land out by the airport, give-away for older industrial sites, give-away of 150 parking spaces for the Pirates to use near PNC Park, give-away for more than 700 new seats to be constructed within Heinz Field, give-aways for parking and housing for rich people to live downtown....

Folks, like Pooh Bear, --- there is NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE AWAY.

Keystone Review -- says follow the money.

Keystone Review Have you ever noticed how life is full of immutable truths - simple, fundamental realities that just never change no matter how much we want them to? Many such truths have been encapsulated in what are often called Murphy's Laws ('nothing is ever so bad that it can't get worse') and have become standard fare in our 21st century culture.

In Pennsylvania politics, there is one immutable truth which permeates all others, which explains why our state legislature is so corrupt, why so many of our elected officials have chosen to abandon any semblance of principle, why so many of our politicians say one thing but do another.

That immutable truth is: 'Follow the money trail.' For by following the money trail, we discover every last vice and deadly sin that mortal flesh has been warned against since the beginning of time - greed, lust, vanity.

In Pennsylvania, the higher one goes up the political food chain - particularly in the state Senate - following the money trail is not merely pastime; it is a way of life. And the tentacles of corruption eventually spread out to those people and groups we have so often considered above reproach.

Sadly, conservatives may be disturbed to learn that two prominent 'conservative' groups - one allegedly pro-life, one allegedly pro-taxpayer - have fallen prey to the financial tentacles emanating from the state capitol, and may be even further disturbed by the original source of that money.

Read the rest at that site.

The cemetery campaign: Dead for Diven - PittsburghLIVE.com

The cemetery campaign: Dead for Diven - PittsburghLIVE.com The cemetery campaign: Dead for Diven

At least Michael has a new, budding career to go to after politics -- communicating with the dead. He has a track record now, and all this free publicity.

Speaking up & Assault on the Ears -- Sunday Newspaper Ink for my wife, Catherine Palmer

Catherine was in the newspaper the other day and I failed to put the link on my blog. Enjoy the article.

Speaking up - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Catherine Palmer, director of audiology at UPMC Eye and Ear Hospital in Oakland, admits baby boomers sometimes are connected to a lifestyle of rock 'n' roll that has led to bad ears.

But she says most boomers haven't experienced the eardrum-thumping power of a concert frequently enough to make it a crucial matter.

Rather, she says, the group simply is dealing with the realities of an industrialized society where the ears always are being assaulted, by lawn mowers, trucks -- and loud music.

'It's a noisy world out there,' says Palmer, also an associate professor in the department of communication science and disorders at the University of Pittsburgh.

She says boomers are not in denial about hearing problems.

But, 'they are in denial of age,' she says. 'They are part of a very active generation and want to be able to communicate.'

She says, though, that baby boomers probably aren't having more hearing problems than other generations, but rather are more active in looking for solutions to their problems.

A larger group of people experiencing hearing problems makes the problems more visible -- and drives the quest for more varied solutions.

Turning up the volume"

Fontana is in the back seat in the Senate

GOP BLOCKS FONTANA ARENA PLAN - 3/29/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SENATOR WAYNE D. FONTANA CONTACT: Charlie
Tocci PHONE: (717) 787-5300 PHONE: (717) 787-5166
www.senatorfontana.com ctocci@pasenate.com

GOP BLOCKS FONTANA ARENA PLAN

HARRISBURG, March 29, 2006 - Legislation aimed at keeping the Penguins in Pittsburgh, playing in a new arena built with private funds was put on ice by Senate Republicans, the bill's sponsor Senator Wayne D. Fontana (D-Brookline) said today.

"We were informed that western Pennsylvania Republicans put a hold on the legislation and the bill was pulled from today's agenda," Fontana said. "The reasons for the hold were not specifically conveyed to me but I intend to find out why there is a delay and what are the specific objections. In my opinion, it's all about politics and not good government."

Fontana's measure was slated for consideration by the Senate State Government Committee today. Under the legislation (SB 1091), the Gaming Board is required to consider whether an applicant for a Pittsburgh slots parlor has included plans to provide funding for a new arena. The provision of these private dollars for a new arena would become a consideration for awarding the license.

"The plan keeps the Penguins here, builds an arena without taxpayers footing the bill, and provides clear criteria for applicants," Fontana said. "It is inexplicable and unclear why there would be opposition to this, especially from western Pennsylvania lawmakers."

As important, Fontana said, Governor Rendell recently indicated that he backed efforts to build a new arena with private dollars leveraged through gaming.

Fontana said that he does not favor one slots applicant over any others and that the legislation will assure hockey fans that the Penguins will be playing at a privately financed venue in-town for years to come.

"The goal shouldn't be moved every time we prepare to take a shot at solving this problem," Fontana said. Fontana said that he planned to ask Pittsburgh area Republican Senators today why the bill was pulled from the agenda. "We need to move forward, be innovative, leverage private dollars and keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh," Fontana said.

"This legislation would help do that and it deserves to be considered."

Fontana is a member of the Senate State Government Committee.

---

Fontana is generally clueless and also without the necessary power to get anything done. Fontana is worried about "good government" yet he couples that conversation with a new arena. Oh my gosh. He thinks good government and the Senate Government Committee should be dealing with an new arena in Pittsburgh.

To him, it is inexplicable and unclear why there would be opposition to this. DUHH.... Because Fontana's measure is all about what BAD GOVERNMENT does.

Mr. Fontana, I beg to differ. We don't need to move forward on a new arena when the city and state is in the toilet.

Swann backs casino company's arena plan

Sorry, Mr. Swann.

Swann backs casino company's arena plan ... and it's a win for the taxpayers because it doesn't cost the taxpayers a cent,' Swann said.

The building of the new arena with the windfall from the once-in-a-lifetime selling of an under-valued gambling license to an out-of-state operator can ONLY be a WIN for the taxpayers IF they BUILD IT and KEEP IT. The new arena should NOT be given back to the taxpayers nor to any government authority. Let's insist that the private owners insure, operate, program, promote, and maintain the new arena.

For example, the Steelers are putting in more than 700 new seats and a new lounge area at the public-owned HEINZ Field. The taxpayers are paying for a LARGE PORTION of the cost of that facility upgrade. Citizen taxpayers are paying -- as this enhancement is NOT being paid for fully by the Steelers.

So, don't you dare be so short sighted as to say that this is a WIN for the taxpayers unless you amend your thinking to include strong statements that the new arena should be held in private hands for the future.

And while we are making statements about sports facilities, I think it is now prudent, given the Steelers XL glory and the Pirates hosting MLB's All-Star Game to have those two sports venues SOLD to the teams. The teams should buy both PNC Park and Heinz Field -- now.

Technology - Apple Limits Volume On iPods

This is what victory looks like -- too.

The limiting of volume was being offered in France. Now it can come to the US.

WPXI.com - Technology - Apple Limits Volume On iPods: "Apple Limits Volume On iPods

POSTED: 10:04 am EST March 29, 2006

Some have claimed lately that portable music players are causing hearing problems because people listen at high volume for long periods of time.

Apple announced Wednesday a software update for the iPod nano and fifth generation iPod that allows customers to easily set a maximum volume. The software update also gives parents the ability to set a maximum volume limit and lock it with a combination code, the company said in a news release.

The software is available as a free download from Apple."

Ken, I'm waiting for the All-Star Game.

City board faces tough issues in trying to sell 27 old schools

City board faces tough issues in trying to sell 27 old schools

This was one of the challenges that I wanted to deal with, head on, and why I wanted to be elected to city council. These schools are a big issue for our city and very, very important to the overall health of the city and the city's long-term survival.

First thing: South Vo Tech's High School Building should NOT be sold. No way. The School Board should keep that building within its holdings for now.

Do NOT SELL SOUTH Vo TECH. And, I mean the HIGH SCHOOL. The Vo Tech part isn't up for sale. But, they have split the campus and the old school building is up for sale now and the sealed bids are to be opened on March 31.

---

If a school building sells to a charter schools, then that building is NOT taken off of the tax rolls. That is NOT the issue. The correct way to understand this: what is off the tax rolls can't be taken off the tax rolls. Schools are not taxed now.

The entire conversation is all mixed up with the P-G and the city's understanding. Bob O'Connor wants to take property off of the tax rolls in downtown. The URA wants to take property off of the tax rolls on Second Avenue at the Pittsburgh Technology Center, an modern office park. These are the most valuable bits of property in the region. And our elected and appointed leaders (URA BOARD) is hell-bent on giving subsidy (tax breaks) to businesses in valued areas. THAT is what is called talking property off the tax rolls.

Try this: Tax commercial properties and allow schools and nonprofits to be without taxes. DUHH.

Meanwhile, the school district is now charged with putting property back ONTO the tax rolls.

Schools shouldn't be taxed. Schools serve an important community function. Schools should be public spaces and businesses should be private spaces. You tax business and commercial spaces to pay for the public spaces.

When the URA and Mayor give tax breaks for the businesses and commercial spaces -- and at the same time take away from the kids, the schools, the education of our community -- they are SCREWED UP and they are KILLING this city.

And, I'm a big, big, big advocate of the FREE MARKET. I'm a LIBERTARIAN BOARD MEMBER.

Granted, some of the excess capacity within the schools needs to be adjusted. Some of the school buildings need to be sold. Some of the buildings need to put on the market -- right away -- as many of our neighborhoods are about to crumble and an empty school building that goes dark could be a devistation.

The Schools have a mission to educate our kids. Let's not forget that -- above all else. And, this mission is serious work and it needs to be respected. For example, I don't want the schools to be paying for the crossing guards as that is an out-of-building duty of neighborhood public safety that the city should provide. I want the schools to be teaching algebra and reading and other academic things.

Likewise, I don't want to see a big burden and duty heaped upon the schools so as to make them real estate agents. That's wrong. Richard R. Fellers, chief operations officer for Pgh Public Schools, and the school board members, should devote 99.9% of their time and energy into efforts that help the kids with scholarship. Mr. Fellers has to figure out how to staff the schools, get the kids books, keep on the lights, pay for heaters and food and school buses.

The school district should not be a re-development authority!

The school district is going to fail me in efforts to be a judge and jury on neighborhood considerations for the best use for extra property.

It is wrongheaded for the district to sell buildings as quickly as possible to buyers who will return them to the tax rolls -- willy nilly. It is wrong for this worry to be on the plate of the school district.

The district's approach already has drawn criticism. City Councilman William Peduto, claiming the district has mishandled the proposed sale of the former Regent Square Elementary School, is demanding the district use a better process for selling other buildings.

Sounds like Bill Peduto is pointing fingers at the district for not doing its job when, really, the blame should rest at the feet of city council. Peduto and Council have been masters at giving tax breaks to the wrong people.

How about if the city buys all the empty buildings from the school district. But, the city already owns nearly 20,000 bits of property throughout the city. The URA has been on hyperdrive. The city even purchased commercial property downtown just months ago. The city has been buying the wrong buildings in the wrong places for the wrong reasons to pay the wrong people.

The board will hold a special hearing at 7 tonight to take public comment on the fate of the 33,488-square-foot Regent Square building, closed in 2004. That building highlights the district's difficulties.

My $.02 is to sell the building for $3-M, as offered, and don't worry about the tax situations. If the school board really wanted to worry about the tax situations it would NOT have given approval for the $18-million tax break to PNC Bank for PNC Plaza downtown. PNC already had a $50-million grant from the taxpayers as a gift from Fast Eddie Rendell.

The board scheduled tonight's hearing because it wanted to hear the public's thoughts about the sale. But Mr. Peduto said that's too little, too late.

I don't want to swear at Bill on my blog -- but cuss words are flowing out of my mouth and my fingers are typing other statements, blah, blah, blah. Too little too late is the definition of city council and how it treats all things about kids.

School officials should NOT be worried about how reused schools should breathe new life into neighborhoods -- because it was city council who sucked the life out of the neighborhoods. Hows that for blinders, Peduto?

"They're looking with blinders on," he said, claiming school officials don't see how reused schools could breathe life into neighborhoods.

Instead of gathering input at the 11th hour, he said, the district should have sought public comment at the beginning of the sale process and sought a buyer willing to conform to community development plans.

I've been standing on my head for nearly a decade saying 'end tax breaks' (no TIFs) to corporations and developers. The 11th hour for city council was in 2004 or some time long ago past. Peduto is the guy that wants to subsidize Giant Eagle in Shadyside. That's bunk. And Peduto is the guy that wants to have the school worry about design standards of the neighborhood -- more bunk.

Here is a design standard for the school -- it is a school. Enough said. Keep it a school. Make it a charter school. Give the charter school operators nonprofit status. Keep more kids and families in the district -- rather than have them move to Scott, Peters, North Allegheny, and elsewhere in Steeler Nation (except the city, of course).

As to A+ Schools, and its effort as a Downtown education group with hooks to architects and developers to tour closed buildings and analyze potential uses, PUNT. A+ Schools should be at neighborhood meetings that gather public comment on best uses for the buildings -- but A+ Schools can't be the driving group to organize those meetings. A+ Schools needs to divest itself from the school building discussion. That needs to spin out of that organizaiton.

I want A+ Schools to worry about the kids grades in the PPS schools -- and frankly, the use of land, development, tax breaks and potential uses is a great example of taking the eye off the ball.

A+ Schools lost all its respect from me when its boss kissed butt to Mark Roosevelt's Right Sizing Plan without getting the community's input. A+ Schools had a board that wasn't even consulted before it started its propaganda machine to steamroller an agenda from a hired Roosevelt. A+ Schools is a teethless tool of the foundation community.

Does Peuto hint at a threat with this statement? Mr. Peduto said the district has little choice but to accept neighborhood advice. He noted the district cannot sell buildings without the help of city agencies that grant zoning changes and offer financial incentives to developers. WRONG!

The School District can sell the building to a charter school operator and there may not be any reason to get any city approval -- to keep the building as a school. Bill -- lots of people don't care to dig into the pockets of the taxpayers and have you agree to this robbery.

kdka.com - District Facing Criticism For School Sale PlanThe Pittsburgh Public Schools District is now facing criticism for a plan sell 27 school buildings, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

The district is trying to find the right buyer. One of the biggest problems is whether or not to sell these buildings to potential charter schools. That move would take them off of the city's tax rolls and hurt their budget.

Swim lessons anyone?

Swimming lessons happen in two week periods at Carlington. Let me know if you're interested. This photo shows Grant and Erik, from last year.

A High School with a swim pool in Illinois. Many of our schools do have pools. A swim pool is in South High School and another pool was in South Hills High School. Our pools are not like this one.

Plan for face lift of Downtown's shopping district emerging

Plan for face lift of Downtown's shopping district emerging 'We will be building a comprehensive effort,' he said. An early step will be understanding how Market Square, the Cultural District, and the Fifth and Forbes corridor interact, architecturally and economically.

Mayor, how they interact architechturally is only a bricks and mortar element that needs to be discounted. We've been too, too heavy on facades and hardware.

I'm happy to see a breath given to the connections among the economic realm. But, to make the project one that is able to florish -- the now "modest" susbsidy should be taken off the table. Make the subsidy ZERO. Then we can start to talk about who really wants to be here and what is really a sustainable effort.

Downtown needs to pull not only its own weight, but the weight of the city and region. And, downtown needs to perform -- NOW. So, we can give valuable spaces any free passes. Otherwise, the subsidy comes right out of the opportunities for the kids that are on our streets today and in our schools today.

And why not call the Fifth and Forbes area, since you want a new name, something that ties in the re-naming of the Parkway West with the same number as the Parkway East.

Fifth & Forbes could be "Junction of 376."

Or, 376's Middle-Point Rest Stop.

Or, Subsidized Shopping.

Or, Rich Get Richer Ville while Poor Get Poorer and NEVER any free lunch in Market Square.

Or, Bubble Zone Off Ramp.

The real news of this timeline article, if you ask me, is the hint that we're going to get to have a new branding exercise and a new name to dream upon. We've already gone through Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and D, E, F. Fitting, "F" came as Murphy was at a total failure.

Shall we start with the GREEK alphabet now under O'Connor's watch? Does that go, "Alpha, Beta, ????" (Excuse me, I'm preppie deprived as I went to Ohio U and didn't study the Greek A-B-Cs.)

Military man finds himself battling the GOP | IndyStar.com

Here is another story of a politically homeless that might want to consider a switch to the Libertarian party.

Military man finds himself battling the GOP | IndyStar.com Military man finds himself battling the GOP

If there's even the tiniest chance a situation can be fouled up, count on the dysfunctional Marion County Republican Party to do the job.

Consider the case of Lance Langsford, a friendly and hard-working Republican councilman from the city's Eastside.

A firefighter in normal times, Langsford and his Indiana National Guard unit were recently activated. So, as the rest of us prepare to soak in the madness of this weekend's Final Four, Langsford is living in a barren camp in Kabul, Afghanistan.
'If you find a strip of grass, you're lucky,' he said by phone from Kabul over the weekend. 'TB is commonplace. They just found avian flu.'

But Langsford didn't call to discuss life in Kabul. He called to talk about the Marion County Republicans who are abandoning him.

'I'm getting kicked in the (rear),' he said."

A kick in the rear is not as bad as a kick in the teeth.

Signature challenges prompt Rep. Diven to withdraw from May primary

On face value, I think this means that Mike Diven is going to RETIRE from the State House. Or, he'll need to RETIRE from being a REPUBLICAN.

And, if he retires from the R party, what are the chances that he'll choose to be a LIBERTARIAN? Get that.... Jeepers. That would get folks heads to spin.

Signature challenges prompt Rep. Diven to withdraw from May primary P-G article says Diven out of race as an "R"

This is big news. Mr. Diven might be in the politically homeless category. And, it is accurate news as well in terms of Diven's perspectives.

However, I don't put much value in the fact that the Rs recuited Diven to their side for the special election.

For the record, when I was in a three way race in May, 2005 against both Diven and Fontana for the PA Senate Seat formerly held by Jack Wagner, Diven, the new R, out-spent me 500-to-one and out-voted me five-to-one.

Diven could turn to become and Indie -- and that would be interesting. He didn't vote for the pay raise and didn't take the pay raise, but that doesn't matter as he didn't speak up against the pay raise either.

I think it might be best for him to turn to the private sector for a while.

Furthermore, now I understand why Bob Hillen, R, city chairman, tossed his hat into the ring in as a state rep candidate with petitions that had but 301 signatures. The requirement was 300. That had been a puzzle of mine -- until now.

I sent Michael Diven an email a week ago.

Last year when Diven was a candidate for PA Senate, I thought it was a big mistake that he didn't really campaign on behalf of the other republicans in other races within his contested district. Sam B was running for City Council and another R was in the district that covered downtown and the North Side. Diven should have done more coordination with them, even with signs and door-knocking.

Politically homeless.

This year, Diven, as a state rep with an R by his name, could have been a big force on the campaign trails in the city council race of my loyal opponent, Neal Andrus, R. I didn't see Diven once, nor did I hear of him making phone calls, doing letters or anything for him.

Diven used to be my state rep. He had an office on 13th street and I live on 12th. He has friends down here -- and some of them worked on the Bruce Krane campaign.

Diven had every excuse to engage in our race -- in one way or another -- but didn't. I even saw State Rep, Harry Readshaw, D, and his wife, at various functions in the community in the months of our city council race. I don't think Mr. Readshaw took a stance with one candidate or another in the race, but he was out in the community and listened to what we were saying. And this week, Mr. Readshaw, D, was at the ceremony to swear in Jeff Koch, D, in city council chambers.

Michael might want to gear up for the City Controller's race in 2007. He could run in that contest as an Indie. But, he had better get behind some others who are running now to get his skin in the campaign trails.

Since I'm pushing some personal advice, let me say that there is nothing wrong with being a stay-at-home dad when you have youngsters at home. Here is the first rub, I don't think Diven is a dad, yet. But he is a husband now. And, I'm getting into personal stuff that is none of my business. But Mike could put that on the back burner. Should Mike ever become a stay-at-home dad, he'll have a greatest job in the world.

Until the little one arrives, Diven can always get lots of real-world experiences with care-giving among his extended family, you know, the clan that was in the campaign brochures in 2005.

Finally, should Diven switch to the "L" party -- I'd want to buck for the job as his chief-of-staff. That would be a fun conversation.

Fainally 2, I understand that Bob Hillen, R, put in to get onto the ballot for state house -- but he didn't get enough signatures. There was a snafu with a circulator's registration and the elections department.

Penguin day is June 18

I'm not talking about the NHL team, nor this guy, Stanley.

Click the comments to find out, techie friends.

Another guy with a tux, rental not required.

First time ever -- Duquesne Club function and a rented tux

I'm renting a tux on Thursday for the second black-tie event I'll attend this century. And, for the first time in my life, I'll be going into The Duquesne Club. (oh my ....)

It is all in the line of duty with my wife's work. So, I've got a good excuse.
Tux time -- on Thursday.

Science Center Misses Deadline to Reassemble Historic Zeiss Projector; Claims "Delay"

NEWS RELEASE For immediate release: March 27, 2006
For more information -- Glenn A. Walsh gawalsh -at- planetarium.cc

A 2005 reassembly deadline of Buhl Planetarium's historic Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, promised the City of Pittsburgh by The Carnegie Science Center, has come and gone with no reassembly. Due to the 2003 collapse of the Science Center's proposed $90 million expansion project, Science Center officials claim there is a one-year "delay" in reassembly of what was the oldest operable major planetarium projector in the world.

Yet, Friends of the Zeiss Project Director Glenn A. Walsh, in prepared statements before the Board of Directors of the Allegheny Regional Asset District (March 27) and Pittsburgh City Council (March 28) expects that the Zeiss II Projector will not be reassembled this year, and Science Center " 'delays' will probably continue for many years."

Full NEWS RELEASE