Bike Tour -- No War

Dirt Rag {Web Rag: News} Darryl Purpose and Kevin Deame, the men behind the 2006 Coalesce Bike Tour for Peace, left Los Angeles on April 23rd and plan to pedal into Washington, DC on June 23rd to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Great Peace March for Global Nuclear Disarmament.

The purpose of the trip is to promote peace and an end to the war in Iraq. The ride is not a fundraiser for any organization, but rather an educational tour and 'a good way to get back in shape' according to the riders, although there will be several events to raise money for local peace and justice organizations. Coincidentally, the tour is visiting Dirt Rag's home town of Pittsburgh, PA on June 19th.

Rider Darryl Purpose is a musician and he is using the bike ride to promote his new live CD, Live at Coalesce. Darryl will be performing a free concert in Pittsburgh at a gig that runs from 6:00-9:00 p.m. on June 19th at the Union Project Great Hall, corner of Stanton and North Negley in the Highland Park section of town. The gig also includes additional musical acts and speakers. There will also be an opportunity to ride with Darryl earlier in the day. Click here for more info on Darryl's Pittsburgh visit.

The crew of the Coalesce Bike Tour for Peace are posting the gory details of life on the road on their official blog.

Tentative OK given to Lincoln-Lemington strip mall plan

Tentative OK given to Lincoln-Lemington strip mall plan - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Members Jeff Koch and Tonya Payne were not present for the vote.

Is this a trend or just my worst fears?

Jeff -- where are you on this vote? Do you side with the community groups? Or do you side with the developers?

Jeff was absent in the first moments of the revealing of the office expense accounts. But, then again, Jeff has hardly been there to spend any money in the office. But since, he has put up his sending in an on-line fashion so all can see -- so I was told.

Think again --- there they go again, using my 'slogan.'

Think again!

Pop City - Selling Pittsburgh: "Think it’s hard to recruit the best and brightest talent to Pittsburgh? Think again.

(giggle)

Have you heard the song, "Think again?" on my campaign CD -- by Amy Carol Webb?

Strip mall showdown

Strip mall showdown - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review A Squirrel Hill developer is trying to exclude a Lincoln-Larimer nonprofit it once partnered with from plans to build a new a strip mall anchored by a Family Dollar discount store.

Alex Enterprises and the Lincoln-Larimer Community Development Corp. have worked since 2002 to plan a 2.8-acre strip mall at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Deary Street, but a resolution proposed Tuesday by Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle would give Alex Development full control of the site.

So, is this an example of more cronie-ism, more backlashes for those that have gotten out of line, more sweetheart dealings?

It smells bad. It seems like another insider's deal.

The city shouldn't be working to cut deals that should be working in the marketplace. But, of course, the city has put in roadblocks in the marketplace.

Irreverent blogger to leave Microsoft

Could you picture anyone in Pittsburgh, with power, enjoying a 'naysayer?' Critics are outcasts here, sadly.

Irreverent blogger to leave Microsoft Robert Scoble, 41 said Sunday he's going to miss the company, which seemed to love him the more he criticized it.

For Nonprofit Organizations: How to Handle Online Criticism

For Nonprofit Organizations: How to Handle Online Criticism You must address the criticisms directly and promptly. If you cannot respond immediately, then at least immediately acknowledge that the complaint has been read by the organization and a response is coming promptly . A week or more is not prompt in online community conversations.

Great points.

Prisuta: Arena gamble - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

If everyone thinks that a new arena is needed for the region -- then whoever is doing the counting can't.

Prisuta: Arena gamble - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The news last week that the state will lend the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority $25 million to $30 million to begin securing land for an arena represented another significant and positive step toward the realization of a project everyone from Gov. Ed Rendell on down agrees is needed for the region.

Then the notion of a "Plan B to Plan B" confirms my hunch about the lack of counting skills from the writer, Mike. Give us a break. Plan B for Plan B is called Plan C. That is the third letter of the alphebet.

To hear that Rendell, Onorata and O'Connor are betting on anything is great irony as they are the ones who are bringing us legalized casinos. There are no bets, however, with HOCKEY -- unless you do it on the internet and that can't be stopped.

The grass isn't always greener -- even with a new arena when the upside is with such a downside.

To take the $290 M from Isle of Capri is one thing. But, then I want them, or some other private company to OWN and OPERATE the new arena. I don't wan them to build it and give it over to the public. KEEP IT. Furthermore, I want the OLD ARENA to say put. Don't tear down the existing building for the new one as 1 + 1 = 2 and that is a net gain. Meanwhile +1 - 1 = ZERO.

Disney on Ice, Carrick's HIGH SCHOOL Graduation and a high school basketball tournament, or even college hockey game, does NOT need sky boxes. They can be played in the existing venue.

QB with a trademark

Jim McMahon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia He is also known for his trademark sunglasses. He wears them for medical reasons; in a childhood accident, a fork was stuck in one eye. While his vision was saved, the accident left that eye overly sensitive to light.

Rauterkus set to make run at state Senate seat in 42nd | YourSouthHills.com

Rauterkus set to make run at state Senate seat in 42nd | YourSouthHills.com Rauterkus set to make run at state Senate seat in 42nd

Michael Cristiano, Staff Writer, Thursday, June 8, 2006

South Side resident Mark Rauterkus looks to unseat incumbent State Sen. Wayne Fontana from his 42nd District perch in November.

Rauterkus, 47, a South Side resident and Penn Hills native, believes issues such as property tax, hefty tax incremental financing for large businesses and city and suburban recreational areas have been neglected by elected officials.

"The assessment system is a debacle," said Rauterkus, a swim coach with Carlynton School District. "If you fix up your home, they come out and punish you -- your taxes go up."

He favors a tax on land, based on square footage, instead of on homes, similar to the system Maryland has in place where assessment numbers would change over a three-year period.

TIFs are another sore spot with Rauterkus from the tax breaks for Lazarus to proposals to fund a new brewery in Latrobe.

"The government doesn't need to come in and spend millions of our tax dollars to open a new brewery," said Rauterkus.

The graduate of Ohio University and former candidate for mayor and city council also believes parks and recreational areas in the city have been neglected for too long. He criticized state legislator's attempts to fund repairs to Dormont Pool as short-sighted.

"We need to be looking globally at our resources not just worrying about one ... if we're going to put that much money into one place it should be used year-round," said Rauterkus, a married man with two sons.

Rauterkus, vice chairman of the Allegheny County Libertarian Party, who will run as an Independent cited disappointment with Fontana's policy.

He believes Fontana to be a vote for the status quo.

"He's been in there for more than a year and he hasn't done anything," said Rauterkus.

Fontana won a special election for the 42nd District in May 2005, beating out both Michael Diven (R-22) and Rauterkus, after Jack Wagner vacated the seat to become state auditor general.

Rauterkus, who holds a bachelor's degree in journalism, said he would work to bring accountability and transparency to state government if elected.

He needs 500 signatures to get on the November ballot.

"I think a vote for me is a protest vote. The guys in Harrisburg have abused the taxpayers."

The 42nd District encompasses parts of the City of Pittsburgh, Baldwin, Kennedy, Neville, Robinson, Scott and Stowe townships and Bellevue, Brentwood, Carnegie, Castle Shannon, Coraopolis, Crafton, Dormont, Green Tree, Heidelberg, Ingram, McKees Rocks, Pennsbury, Village, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg boroughs.

The first interview and bit of press about the race for PA Senate, 2006, is out. Nice job Michael.

He won't be eating solids for months

Sigh.

For NBA owners, a contrast in style

Nice article about two people -- except the Mt. Lebo blue collar mention. How pedestrian and "blue devilish."

MiamiHerald.com | 06/11/2006 | For NBA owners, a contrast in style Mark Cuban, at 47 a decade younger than Arison, grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood of Pittsburgh. His ancestry is Russian. ``The name was shortened to Cuban [from Chopininski, a Texas newspaper reported] when my grandparents got to Ellis Island.''

Wuerl bids farewell - Fred gets some ink!

Fred gave the press some interesting quotes in today's newspaper, after the final mass of our departing Bishop.

Wuerl bids farewell - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Later, after the applause subsided and scores of people made their way across the street to a reception for Wuerl, Frederick Winkler remained seated in a pew 'just to soak it in.'

Winkler embodies the spirit that Wuerl cultivated during his time here -- he's of Lutheran faith, attends a Presbyterian church and considers himself a follower of the soon-to-be-departed bishop.

'As he puts it, we're all one in the body of Christ,' said Winkler, a South Hills architect who regularly tunes in to Wuerl's Sunday morning television show to learn more about the Catholic faith. 'He's done a lot to bring together all denominations.

'He has a very uplifting spirit. He's an inspiring kind of person.'

That inspiration was obvious, as people began filing into St. Paul an hour and a half before the noon service.

Pending bill -- drop the state-wide signature requirement to more realistic levels

INSIDE THE CAPITOL: "Rep. Paul Clymer, R-Bucks, plans on introducing legislation that would lower the number of signatures required for third-party candidates to get on the November ballot. In a memo to lawmakers last week, Clymer said the law requires third-party candidates seeking a statewide office to obtain at least enough signatures to equal 2 percent of the most votes cast for any candidate in a statewide election. That sets the bar at 67,069 signatures. The number is based on 2 percent of the more than 3.3 million votes cast for state Treasurer Robert Casey Jr. in the 2004 election. Clymer proposed capping the signature requirement at 2 percent of the largest vote cast for any statewide candidate in the last election, or 45,000 signatures, whichever is less. He based the number 45,000 on the average statewide requirement for minor parties over the past 10 election cycles. Robert Small, founder of the Ballot Access Coalition, said the bar is still too high. 'While we appreciated Mr. Clymer working on it, the political reality is basically what we have right now are Cinderella candidates,' Small said. 'On Aug. 1, these candidates might be turning into pumpkins.'"

'Trust us.' Yeah, right -- and fill out this test or else

Privacy takes another hit on the chin.

'Trust us.' Yeah, right - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Anyone with a history book knows it doesn't matter what governments promise. All governments, even American ones, have broken their word, ignored their laws or violated their constitutions at the drop of a hat -- or a bomb. Mining the data collected in ACS surveys will be inevitable -- and far more dangerous than collecting a few billion phone numbers.

City, developer eye single appraiser for Fifth and Forbes project

So much for the concept of two heads are better than one. Same too for bio-diversity. We're not getting stuck with big-plans from single sources that block the marketplace. This is what failed us in the past and what Tom Murphy was known for. Now we've got it again.

City, developer eye single appraiser for Fifth and Forbes project The value of 19 city-owned properties Downtown, to be sold to a Washington County developer as part of its plans for the Fifth and Forbes corridor, could be decided with the help of a single appraiser.

The city's Urban Redevelopment Authority and Millcraft Industries Inc. are considering the use of a mutually-agreed-upon appraiser to help set the fair market value of the parcels the URA has paid $13.8 million for over the last seven years.

The appraisal process likely will be part of a pending agreement between the URA and Millcraft to give the developer exclusive rights to the properties for at least a year, with options to extend those rights beyond that point.

This is a pet payoff.

All the king's horses and all the king's men won't fix Pittsburgh again -- just like they failed at Humpty Dumpty.

Technology Sharpens the Incumbents' Edge

Technology Sharpens the Incumbents' Edge Technology Sharpens the Incumbents' Edge

By Jim VandeHei and Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 7, 2006; Page A01

In Ohio's 1st Congressional District, Republican incumbent Steve Chabot is running up against his toughest reelection challenge in years. But his Democratic opponent is running up against Chabot's computer.

SI.com - More Sports - China, U.S. Olympic Committees sign sports pact - Friday June 9, 2006 9:05PM

SI.com - More Sports - China, U.S. Olympic Committees sign sports pact - Friday June 9, 2006 9:05PM IRVINE, Calif. (AP) -- China and the United States on Friday signed a groundbreaking document that will increase athlete and coaching exchanges and anti-doping cooperation between the nations in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Games.

Photos later... I'm bushed.

Serious sleep is still needed. I am recovering from the three day 5th grade camping trip.

Rant about third party politics from another state

This was posted to an email discussion list where I lurk and listen.

I do not buy the argument that the only way to have real political influence is to belong to one of the two biggest parties. First, if I have to compromise my beliefs against Evangelical Christian extremism (to support the Republican party) or excessive government spending (to support the Democratic party), then I'd rather drop out of all involvement in politics (as many, many Americans are doing). Second, the argument that the best strategy is to join one of these parties and try to change it from within strikes me as baloney - you are far more likely to just get pandering comments from the powers-that-be within the party, while meanwhile you're effectively supporting the gay-bashing or trial lawyer protection that you actually oppose. Finally, there is plenty of evidence that third parties can make a difference - the Republican party in 1860 was a third party, the Farm Labor party that dominated Minnesota politics in the 1930's and 40's was a third party, the Reform Party changed the national dialogue about deficit spending in the 1980's and 90's was a third party, and the Independence Party that elected Jesse Ventura is a third party.

When I ran for State Representative, I did so as an Independence Party candidate because the IP is the only party with the values that I can support - fiscal responsibility and social tolerance. For people who believe that government should spend within its means and that the government doesn't belong in our bedrooms, the IP is the only party. It makes far more sense for those of us who hold these values to work for the success of the IP then to compromise our values simply to pretend we're "winning" by being part of a party that elects more candidates, but doesn't support values that we believe in.

-- David Allen, Bloomington, MN

Video -- putting the "NO" in casinos. Russ Diamond in Philly at anit-gambling rally

Watch this --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZlzQNaa_HM

Neighborhoods groups and political leaders from all over Philadelphia and elsewhere in PA gathered on June 1, 2006, to oppose casinos proposed for Philadelphia and to further demand the repeal of the casino licensing law. See and hear the remarks of Russ Diamond, independent candidate for governor.

Russ is going to be in Allegheny County on July 4th -- attend our annual open house. He'll be attending an event in Westmorland County on July 3.

Fester's Place puts some numbers to the ROI (return on investment) for the Pens new arena

Fester's Place: "So is this a good investment? Given that the debt service on a $290 million dollar arena (assume no cost overruns) works out to be between to be about 21-25 million dollars per year (dependent on interest rate and term lengths, assumes no roll-over of debt), the ROI can be calculated --- 2.1% to 5.7% for the entire project. If the Penguins are the only new revenue and profit stream generators, then this is a horrendous investment. To economically justify a new arena from a social CBA perspective, (disregard who actually pays for it) the argument needs to be made that the new arena will generate two to three times the profit levels that the sales price of the Penguins would imply.

Yes, this is a HORRENDOUS investment -- even if the Pens were to make it.