Impact Lab - Amazing 3D Sidewalk Art Photos

A friend of mine wanted me to do something like this -- but a bit different -- for the election. The South Side is such a friendly place for walking and sidewalks. We pondered the notions -- but didn't.

In the future, there will be more and more political art on sidewalks -- and less and less on lawn signs.

Impact Lab - Amazing 3D Sidewalk Art Photos These unbelievable photos are chalk drawings done by Julian Beever. Beever uses his drawings to create an amazing 3D illusion.

Click the link about to check out these images -- for fun. They are 3D.

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Our 2-D story of sidewalk art follows. (Click image for larger view.)
Artists at work on a sidewalk in front of a Lotus garden.


Little nudity -- we call these "split pants." When you see a puddle -- you don't generally want to walk in it.


Artists notes...


From the back with Lotus in the foreground, artist in middle and the tea house, found in People's Park, in the background.

Upclose... Mom, we're headed home.

Really, it was a call to the artists daughter for help in translating what was to come next.

Editorial: Altmire in the 4th / This Democrat would give Hart a real fight

I'd love to get the details (and all of them) of what Altmire has to say about healthcare. He used to work at UPMC.

Editorial: Altmire in the 4th / This Democrat would give Hart a real fight Mr. Altmire has a different view and would expand health coverage with a more incremental approach. He'd push for legislation to allow all Americans to buy insurance through Medicare, which has low administrative costs. He'd seek to cut medical costs by reimbursing doctors and hospitals based on quality, not quantity, of care. And he'd place all privately insured people in the same community-rated pool and make it difficult for insurance companies to raise their premiums.

Bon Jovi to headline concert at Heinz Field

Bon Jovi to headline concert at Heinz Field Steelers World Championship Celebration Concert.

Perhaps we'll not need to be in such a rush to get all the redding up done by this summer's All Star Game -- as we'll have a fall-back -- the Steelers concert with Mon Jedi. :)

2nd casino bidder pledges arena, Hill District funds

On one hand we have Franco, another Mario and now The Bus. Plus, we've got #88 in a run for PA Governor.

2nd casino bidder pledges arena, Hill District funds

2nd casino bidder pledges arena, Hill District funds
Taps Bettis to head consortium of business, civic leaders

Monday, April 17, 2006
By Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A Detroit businessman competing for the Pittsburgh slot machine license is expected to unveil plans for a $350 million redevelopment of the Hill District as part of his bid at a press conference this afternoon.

Don Barden, who heads up PITG Gaming LLC, also is expected to pledge $7.5 million a year toward a new arena. The amount is what Gov. Ed Rendell had requested of slots applicants in his Plan B funding package for an arena.

He has picked another person who hails from Detroit, Steelers star Jerome Bettis, to lead a consortium of business and civic leaders that would oversee the Hill development.

Bunny for sale.

Lawmaker: Let $13,000 surcharge on new homes pay for schools

Here is a new idea. New ideas are worth talking about.

PennLive.com: NewsFlash - Lawmaker: Let $13,000 surcharge on new homes pay for schools Lawmaker: Let $13,000 surcharge on new homes pay for schools

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state lawmaker wants to tack a $13,000 fee onto new homes in some high-growth areas to help fund public schools.

The goal is to spread growth more evenly across the state and encourage the renewal of homes in older town centers, said Rep. Stephen Maitland, who introduced a bill proposing the surcharge this month.

The bill would let municipalities in six midstate counties impose the fee.

'Somebody builds 100 houses down the road, and my grandmother's taxes go up. It's not fair,' said Maitland, R-Adams. 'Here's a way to get cash in hand so if you have to build a new school, you're not automatically raising taxes on current residents.'

But real estate agents and builders say the fee would stifle growth in the state's relatively few boom areas.

Residents 'should be happy that they have something happening in their economy,' said Brad Elliott, president of the Pennsylvania Builders Association.

The average cost of a new home in the midstate area is about $276,000, according to Coldwell Banker.

The bill would apply to Adams, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties but not to slower-growing Dauphin and Perry counties. The fee for a multifamily unit would be $15,500 or higher.

The bill would exempt farm and government construction and let officials waive fees for low-income housing and other projects deemed in the public interest.

Hearings could be held this summer.

I don't endorse the idea, but I'd love to speak at the hearing and get to know more of the details and reactions from others.

Johnsmith sings, "Don't Put Me in a Box" at an event hosted in Pittsburgh for a past Rauterkus campaign.

Swann's hour of crisis - PittsburghLIVE.com

Swann's hour of crisis - PittsburghLIVE.com Yet it appears no one around him is thinking inside or outside the box.

Harsh. Not thinking inside or outside the box. Wow.

They need a song, "Think again." And, they need another song, "Don't Put Me in a Box."

Great news: A Lt. Gov debate at CMU

The Heinz School at Carnegie Mellon, is pleased to announce the Democratic Lt. Governor Primary debate, Wednesday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m., co-sponsored by the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh, the Heinz School, and the local League of Women Voters chapter. Candidates who agreed to participate: Valerie McDonald Roberts, Gene Stilp, and Bill Hall.

The debate will be held in the Hamburg Hall Auditorium, Room 1000, at 4800 Forbes Avenue, between Craig Street and Morewood Avenue, directly across the street from the large Morewood Parking Lot.

The great news of this event is the fact that the local institutions, educational institutions, are going to engage. We need that engagement in Pittsburgh and for the sake of our state.

CMU, Pitt, RMU, PPU, CCAC, DU and the Cs (Carlow and Chattam) -- you gotta engage.

Every department. Every academic organization. Every faculty senate, student government organization.

And let's not stop with these core to Pittsburgh institutions. Grove City, Slippery Rock, California, Gannon, -- you name em. We need em. We need faculty, staffers, students and parents of students to give a darn by hosting part of these discussions.

Even nonprofits -- don't be shy. If a nonprofit gets PAN-POLITICAL, by putting a seat at the table for ALL contestants -- then its okay. We can't have nonprofits give favorite treatment to some and unfavorite treatment to others. But, show respect to all, show inclusion, show it all -- under bright lights.

Benchwarmer -- Call to Action -- Voter Registration Technical Insights

Anyone (who is alive and a registered voter in the Commonwealth) can help an Independent candidate for PA Governor by signing that candidate's petition. And, anyone (it still helps to have a pulse) can circualte a petition for an independent candidate as well.

Signing is okay. Being a curculator for nomination papers is okay too.

Likewise, the same applies to a candidate who is an Independent for PA Senate. But, the only extra restriction is the border for the PA Senate district. If the person is a registered voter, lives in the district, all is fine for your help.

However, there is another level, beyond getting a signature for nomination papers from now until the end of July, and beyond getting help from fellow citizens in efforts to get those signatures. The next level is being a candidate.

Those that are now registered voters in the D and R parties MUST OPT OUT of his or her party NOW if he or she wants to get onto the ballot and BECOME A CANDIDATE for the general election in November. It isn't too late to run -- yourself -- for office in November's General Election, as an canddate (under the heading of Independent, Libertarian, Green, or even Disclosure Party) if you are registered those ways now. But, soon, that deadline passes.

For example, perhaps your state rep is a Dem, like Harry Readshaw. Harry does NOT have any D nor R opponent. So, he'll be getting onto the General Election Ballot -- without any opponent, unless someone steps up to run against him. And, that someone would need to NOT be a D or R as this deadline comes.

Well, this call for action is well put.

Attention all benchwarmers -- 04/14/2006

Tony Phyrillas , Pottstown Mercury

There's a new movie out called "The Benchwarmers." It did pretty good at the box office last week. The movie will be a distant memory a month from now when Pennsylvania voters go to the polls in the May 16 primary.

Unfortunately, many Pennsylvanian voters have chosen to be benchwarmers instead of getting into the game. Thousands of Pennsylvanians who belong to minor parties (Libertarian, Green, Constitution, Socialist) and others who have registered as independents will sit out the May 16 primary, arguably themost important election in the state's history.

All the talk we've heard since last July's outrageous pay raise about voting out the bums won't matter if voters don't follow through with threats to oust incumbents.

The best way to toss out incumbent legislators -- in many cases, the only way -- is to vote for challengers in the primary election. Incumbents have spent decades gerrymandering districts to the point where both major parties have "safe" districts, where Democrats may outnumber Republicans 2-1 or vice-versa. It's nearly impossible to vote out the incumbent unless somebody from his or her own party challenges them in the primary.

More than 60 primary challengers gunning for incumbents have survived the petition-gathering and court-challenge phase of the process. Now they need your vote to get rid of the career politicians in Harrisburg.

But third-party voters (the ones who claim they are pushing for reform) stubbornly refuse to change their voter registration to one of the two major parties, which is the only way to vote in a primary. You may be disgusted by what the Republicans and Democrats have done to this state. But until you join reform-minded Republicans and Democrats to remove the career politicians, your voice will never be heard.

March down to your county courthouse Monday and change your party affiliation for one day -- May 16 -- so you can join the people's revolution to take back Pennsylvania from the 254 self-serving career politicians (Ed Rendell and the 253 legislators).

While "benchwarmers" is a nice term I use for third-party candidates who will bury their heads in the sand on May 16, Russ Diamond is a little more blunt.

Diamond, the founder of PaCleanSweep and newly announced independent candidate for governor, issued a statement this week to Pennsylvania's "sore losers."

Pennsylvania's "sore loser" law mandates that any individual who runs as an independent or minor party candidate may not participate in the primary election as a voter or a candidate, according to Diamond.

"This is the last chance for those who are truly dedicated to changing government in Pennsylvania," Diamond said. "Once the deadline passes, registered Republicans and Democrats can't run as an independent or with a minor party affiliation. There are a lot of races across the Commonwealth where the incumbent currently has no challenger whatsoever. No one should breeze through an election cycle without a challenge. That's why we have the sorry state of affairs that brought us the pay raise and other horrible legislation."

An ongoing informal poll on the PACleanSweep Web site reveals that more than 95 percent of respondents indicate they would be willing to vote for a credible independent or minor party candidate if there is no other competition for their incumbent in November, Diamond said.

Independent and minor party candidates have until Aug. 1 to file petitions in order to get their names on November's general election ballot. Unlike the requirements for major party candidates, any registered voter may sign a petition for an independent or minor party bid.

Diamond urges those interested in changing their registration to do so by visiting their local Board of Elections by April 17.

"While we have great expectations for our Republican and Democratic candidates and we're confident they'll fair well in the primary, credible independent and minor party candidates present an opportunity for a second wave of electoral pressure on a legislature which is overdue for massive institutional change," Diamond said.

So let's review. If you live in a legislative district where the incumbent is a Democrat, you must be a registered Democrat to vote for a challenger. Otherwise, the incumbent gets a free pass to the Nov. 7 general election.

If you're not planning to run as a third-party candidate, then your best recourse is to change your voter registration for one day so you can have a say in who governs Pennsylvania. You can change your registration back the next day.

E-mail Tony Phyrillas at tphyrillas -at- pottsmerc.com

Main Page - Pittsburgh Platform

Platform.For-Pgh.org -- still going like the Energizer Bunny. Main Page - PittsburghPlatform This page has been accessed 69,077 times.

Independent Enters Pa. Governor's Race - CBS News

I'm for Diamond. Hope you consider lending your support to him too. Reform looks like this.

Independent Enters Pa. Governor's Race - CBS News Independent Enters Pa. Governor's Race

HARRISBURG, Pa., Apr. 13, 2006
(AP) Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and his likely GOP challenger, former football star Lynn Swann, got an independent challenger on Thursday for November's gubernatorial election.

Russ Diamond, who created PACleanSweep to try to oust legislators over their botched attempt to raise their own salaries, disclosed his candidacy in an interview with The New York Times and then announced it in a statement Thursday.

He must collect signatures from 67,070 registered voters by Aug. 1 to enter the race.

Diamond said his platform includes calls to put limits on lawmakers, repeal a 2004 law that legalized slot-machine gambling and reduce property taxes.

'Let's talk about term limits ... part-time Legislature, eliminating the pensions and perks after they retire, and eliminating the career politician track,' Diamond told reporters.

The pay-raise law, which increased incimbent lawmakers' salaries by 16 percent to 54 percent, was repealed in November.

Voting machine efforts from elsewhere

I am not happy with the way the voting machine saga has come down the pike in Allegheny County as well as at the Federal level. We saw this unfold years ago. It stinks.

From the get-go, I was in favor, and still am in favor, of OPEN SOURCE Voting Machines. That is the golden key.

EVM2003: "A worldwide group of scientists, engineers, political scientists, legal scholars, and voting-rights activists are working on developing a PC based voting machines that will be easier to use, more secure, cheaper, and provide greater democratic transparency than commercially available voting machines. All EVM2003 voting stations produce a voter-verifiable paper ballot"

Plus, even without an open-source solution, I still want to have an Allegheny County Tiger Team to work over those (any and all) voting machines.

FWIW: Recruiting the Next Generation of Political Leaders

From antoher source, pgh.opinion, FYI:

The Center for Progressive Leadership is actively recruiting highly motivated leaders from a variety of backgrounds throughout Pennsylvania who will be ready within the next 3-10 years to:

Run for office - from local level to state or federal office Run an organization - political, issue, or community group Run a campaign - political, advocacy, or neighborhood effort

CPL is looking for emerging leaders - at an inflection point in their careers - who are eager to gain the skills, knowledge, and networks they will need to successfully reach a career in politics.

PA Springboards: A Key Step toward your Future in Politics CPL offers emerging leaders throughout the state a two-day intensive Springboard training on becoming an effective political leader. Expert national and local trainers will sharpen your message development and delivery, campaign strategy, volunteer recruitment, and political fundraising skills.

· Southeastern, Pa: June 24th and 25th (Application deadline: Friday, June 16)
· Southwestern, Pa: July 8th and 9th (Application deadline: Monday, July 3)



PA Fellowship: 9 Months of Intensive Political Training

The Pennsylvania Political Leaders Fellowship - the first long term political leadership development training in the nation - is 9 months of one on one coaching, group workshops, personal mentorship, and political networking.

The Pennsylvania Political Leaders Fellowship is a 9-month, part-time, comprehensive political leadership course designed to equip 40-60 future candidates, organization heads, and campaign operatives with the specific tools that will propel them through the political pipeline. Tuition is $750 per Fellow. Partial scholarships are available.

· Fellowship start: January 10, 2007 (Applications Accepted July 1-
September 15)

To apply go to www.progressleaders.org/pafellowship

WHO SHOULD APPLY:
Our task, as leaders in the progressive community, is to search out and identify new, yet untapped, emerging leaders across the state who are ready for this type of advanced political leadership development. CPL is looking to find the leaders who have never before been identified - who may not yet know if they want to run for office. We are looking specifically for emerging leaders with:

· A Vision for Personal Achievement and a Commitment to Social Change
· A History of Community, Civic, Political Involvement
· A Willingness to be Coached

Fareeda Mabry, PA Recruitment Director
(215)923-5165 #Office

PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE:
325 Chestnut Street, Suite 915
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Hoppy Easter

Hope all is well with you and yours.

A time of rebirth is here!

South Side Reporter was in bed with Bruce

Exact date uncertain. Bruce would NOT win that election. He would win later.

You don't want to start the season with new shoes.

Get em now and break them in. It is always good to have some grip under your feet in the fall, in gridiron and in politics.

HAT in the ring for PRESIDENT: Phillies 2008

You saw it here first! The Libertarian who is seeking the White House.

Phillies 2008

America is in real trouble, and most Americans know it. The great majority of Americans agree: We are on the wrong track. The things that matter are getting worse, not better.

Our budget deficit this year is over $700 billion on an accrual basis. ('accrual' means the money we owe the Social Security Trust Fund is a real debt.) The trade deficit is another $750 billion a year. We are selling our grandchildren into de facto debt slavery.

American civil liberties are in a state of collapse. The President believes he can ignore any law, so warrantless wiretaps of your phone conversations and email, and warrantless searches of your homes are now widespread conversations. The President believes that there is no longer a right to trial by jury, so Jose Padilla was thrown into a military prison for years without trial or access to lawyers.

We spend billions and billions on airline security, while ignoring the most basic precaution, namely allowing the vast numbers of former military pilots now flying airliners to carry a firearm that they all know how to use. Meanwhile, millions of people are crossing our borders illegally. If every member of Al Qaida were to cross the border illegally this year, they would be needles in a haystack.

Medical care costs are soaring via cost transfers, under which when you go to the hospital your medical insurance pays for care for anyone who lacks insurance.

Just as in the 1950s, when the Russians surprised us with the first earth satellite, American education lags other places. Particularly disturbing is the lag in college graduates in science and engineering, the fields that will eventually create the new products and services that mean jobs for the rest of us.

The Federal budget is under the control of spendthrift profligates who spend money as though there will be no tomorrow. For February and March 2005 of this year, Federal spending exceeded 3 trillion dollars at an annualized rate, while the national debt was climbing at 1.2 trillion dollars a year.

I could go on.

We're the Libertarian Party. We have the positive, people-friendly solutions to those problems. We have the solutions that America longs for.

Now all we need to do is to put our Libertarian solutions into effect and Save America.

However, those solutions are worth nothing until they are presented to the American people and put into effect.

We need effective spokespeople who will deliver our message in a way that will be heard. Those spokespeople are called candidates. Message delivery is called the campaign. Real campaigns are based on advocacy, activists, and advertising.

How do we advocate for our issues? How do we energize our friends to become active in politics? How do we justify those issue and campaign ads?

We run candidates. Lots of candidates. Candidates at every level. In particular, in every election, every American should have the chance to vote Libertarian. (For more on candidates and campaigns, read my book "Stand Up for Liberty" from Third Millennium, now available from Amazon Dot Com .)

I'm going to do my share. In 2008, I'll be 61. I have already had a long and successful professional life as a physicist and author. I've run for Federal office before, Congress in 1998. I won my debates.

I've been active in our Presidential nominating and general election campaigns at a high level. I've seen what needs to be done. In fact I wrote a book one what we did in past cycles, and how we might do it better next time. And I can see where we are in the election cycle.

It's time to get moving! If a much stronger candidate came along, I will be delighted to withdraw and turn my energies to building her or his campaign and our Party. However, I don't see that happening.

At some point, you have to stand up and be counted.

I am therefore seeking our Party's nomination for the 2008 Presidential Campaign.

My preferred Vice Presidential candidate, Karen Kwiatkowski, has agreed to be my running mate.

Please join us. Help build a Libertarian future for America.

The preliminary Phillies 2008 web site http://phillies2008.org has just been uploaded.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com Laurel & Lance: To Dormont. Its deteriorating public swimming pool dating from 1920 will require millions in repairs. Perhaps a patch job is possible for now. Perhaps not. Residents are setting up a grass-roots campaign to raise private money. That's great. Now politicians are falling all over themselves to find public funds. Our question: Why should providing for summertime frolic be a taxpayer duty?

Because a 50-meter swim pool -- or one that is even bigger -- can't fit under you bed like an exercise rower.

Because our children are obese -- and same too with too many of our adults. Hey, I got to shed 10-or-15 pounds too. And, I hope to do so as I'm gearing up for the Pittsburgh Triathlon -- and its river swim.

Because we don't swim in the rivers any more, as often as we did.

Because swimming, as a skill, can one day save your life.

Because swimming is a community builder and experience for learning how to play well with others.

Because a community assets such as a swim pool not only make life better for the people of all ages, but the facilities can increase home values and property demands. And, because the facility, all in all, should be able to pull its own weight as well.

Case in point: The Dormont Pool was slated to cost the municipality $37,000. I'd say that if it was run better -- it could be an asset that costs nothing to operate. The user fees should and could pay for the facility's operation, year in and year out.

But, sadly, the Trib editors are correct. The patch job for the pool and for the bath house is NOT possible for now. The expenses are too great. The time is too short. The season is lost.

That grass-roots campaign to raise private money had earned just $3,500 early in the week. That is nice, but 50-times less than what is needed.

Furthermore, don't put me in the realm of falling all over self and other politicians to find the public funds for a fix up. I'll stand tall, talk, think, share and plan. But, not fall over.

I don't think summertime frolic should be a taxpayer duty.

The brand could be, "Richer & Redded." Downtown's watch-ya-ma-call-it

"Rich and Redded" works as well -- so as to not need to use the Fifth and Forbes handle.

Redded, you know, as in the past tense of "redd up." (i.e., "Mom, I already redded-up my room.")

This week an event was held and the mayor attended -- so as to "cut the ribbon" for a new downtown concept. Downtown is a 'neighborhood' now. The event was by invitation only.

Humm... I think we've been there and done that.

Are we seeing the birth of a Duquesne Club Block Watch?