[412] Ho, ho, yo to Running Mates and beyond. Post Festivus. Yet no Octopus

Finally. I sent out an email blast to my 412-list.

I had gone about six months without using the blast list. That was a long time.

[412] Ho, ho, yo to Running Mates and beyond. Post Festivus. Yet no Octopus [412] Ho, ho, yo to Running Mates and beyond. Post Festivus. Yet no Octopus

The message twists and turns -- as does life. Oh well. Still waters run deep, from time to time.

R.I.P: You don't get to choose when you die, generally.

We remember Bob Palmer, Catherine's father.

Catherine went to Maine this afternoon. She flew into Boston and her brother picked her up at the airport. They drove together to Maine. Twenty minutes after they arrived, Mr. Palmer passed.

My father-in-law, but much more importantly, my wife's dad and my kids' grandpa, was 73. He had some hard weeks, physically. Word from New Years' Weekend was that he had take a turn for the worst. He was in the care of hospice and at home. His two children are at his side along with his friends in Maine.

The plans were to have Catherine return to Pittsburgh on Saturday night. A memorial will be held in the weeks to come. Details unknown now.

This is the first grandparent to pass for my kids. They've been blessed to know them all.

One classic line from Mr. Palmer -- "Fix the problem, not the blame."

Peace.

The "Pride" Mentor Sweepstakes

Can't wait until March, 2007.

Pride - The "Pride" Mentor Sweepstakes The “Pride” Mentor Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is intended for viewing and participation only in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia (“U.S.”)

Modern PRIDE guy(s).

Photo was taken of Pitt's recent co-captians in Irvine, California, in August 2005 at Nationals. D (left) is a swimmer from Philly. J (right) is now doing his student teaching at CV and made his cuts to the Olympic Trials. He's been the summer coach at Green Tree.

Movie Trailer. The story of PDR (Philadelphia Department of Recreation), which created a number of top 16 swimmers, National and NCAA finalists, and Senior/Junior National qualifiers. One year the team won Junior Nationals. Brielle White, Michael Norment, Atiba Wade, Valerie Patterson, are all products of PDR and the program led by Coach Ellis. There was a really good article on this team in The New York Times Magazine back in the mid 1990s.


Hosea, Pittsburgh's version of Philly's PRIDE story. Coach H.H. coaches at the Kingsley Center and Carrick H.S. Here he is coaching in the summer at Highland Park Pool.

Take the LCB and pull the plug on the entire agency

Pennsylvania does not need the LCB. (Liquor Control Board)

Thanks for your courage, outgoing chairman.

Fire the new CEO. Close the entire organization. Ed Rendell messed up again to benefit his cronies.

To spend more time with his family. Parenting becomes a priority for coach!

Is his wife going to have another baby?

No, he's a dad to a high school sophomore. His baby is a sophomore.

Good for you Coach. Too bad you can't retire in Carnegie or Crafton.

We need more 'full-time dads.'

But this line, to spend more time with the family, gets abused. Michael Jordan used it, poorly. Be like Mike was the marketing slogan. We stay-at-home dads were excited when M.J. said he was going to join our ranks. Then a few weeks later, he moved into team ownership roles and beyond in D.C. He pimped himself into the parenting parade for cover for a career venue switch.

Time will tell.

Parenting is a tough job. It is tough when the kids are babies. It gets tougher as they grow. Often parenting is toughest as the kids enter high school.

Pittsburgh Jack's Place -- Zooming into the bloggers' domain with facts and insights

He's back. Not Jason. But Jack!

The blog, Pittsburgh Jack's Place, saw a posting that looked very much like a comment on my blog about the ex-pol Dwadida. I too was about to blog about the cover story in the present Pgh City Paper -- but it was lurking in the drafts folder.

Well, his rant as an unsigned comment must have tickled his calling back into the blogger life.

Good to have you back, Jack. He posted today, Jan 4, 2007. His last posting was October 25, 2004.

So, what did you do on your summer vacation?

PittsburghJack's Place Out with the Old
Regarding the cover story in the current issue of the Pittsburgh City Paper about the generational shift in Pittsburgh party politics, there is at least one glaring issue that requires clarification.

I sense that Pgh Jack, like me, would be happy if Mike Dawida, stayed only as a fleeting memory in our shared political history -- and didn't freshen his resume with a run for office again in 2007.

My comments on the sperm to cronie cover story -- beaten to the punch -- will come later.

WP: New Orleans repeats mistakes - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com

WP: New Orleans repeats mistakes - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com 'There are areas where it doesn't make any sense to rebuild -- they got 20 feet of water in Katrina,' said Tom Murphy, a former Pittsburgh mayor who served on an Urban Land Institute panel for post-Katrina planning. 'In those places, nature is talking to us, and we ought to be listening. I don't think we are.'

Logic Trip concerning a caller about the Civic Arena

He said he worked for 31 years at the Civic Arena. He said he loves hockey.

The City and County has been acting like a slum landlord in its handling of the Arena in recent years.

So, he feels it makes sense to tear down the arena and build a new one.

Hold the phone, pal.

If the arena has not been managed well, who is to blame? Is that the Stadium and Exibition Authority? Is that the city and county? Is that the managers of the civic arena? Who manages the arena now?

If the arena was run down -- do you think the poor treatment should be rewarded? Run things down and trash things -- then it gets an upgrade??? That's churn. That's not healthy.

The city starved many things in the past. They city starved Fifth & Forbes district without washing the streets, without fixing sidewalks, without allowing for facade fix-up funds to building owners -- as provided to all the other sections of the city.

And if the city and county is a slum landlord, whey not fix this concept. Let's make sure that the new arena is owned and operated by another entity other than the public. The public agency has proven to be a slum landlord then we don't want to allow that to continue. Don't build a new arena and put it into the hands of these slum landlords. Put the new venue into the hands of those who are going to care. Put the team in an ownership role, not the city.

A big downfall of the IOC plan was the building of the facility with the windfall of the cheap slots license and then the giving of the facility to the public agency.

Billionaire Mark Cuban asks President Bush to cancel inauguration parties - Wikinews

Blast from the past:

Billionaire Mark Cuban asks President Bush to cancel inauguration parties - Wikinews January 4, 2005

United States – Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, has asked U.S. President George W. Bush to cancel the inauguration parties that are planned in his honor and redirect the cost to aid for Tsunami victims.

'It’s up to President Bush to set an example,' Cuban said in his web blog. 'Could there be anything more confusing and shocking than to read that our country was offering $35mm in aid to the areas affected by the tsunamis, but that the cost of inauguration parties would be about $40mm?'

Elevator Points for Dan Onorato, now on KDKA radio with Marty Griffin

Encourage the Pens to play 10 games a year in other cities until the new arena is built in Allegheny County.

Take the Pens off their game.
Build good-will.
Drive new fans to the Pens & Pgh elsewhere.

We (Pens, public, local goverment officials) must find a better location for the new hockey venue: Building off the lower hill delivers more profits and customer satisfaction.

Airport corridor, Neville Island, North Shore, next to the Convention Center, Parkway Center Mall, Settlers Cabin vicinity are possibilities.

PAT needs to quickly deploy E-Z Pass technology -- electronic, debit-card bus passes -- for all ridership. Data on efficiency and capacity is absent. Route cut factors are on a whim. PAT needs real-time and accurate data on the system. An electronic bus pass overhaul, first, ends fare jumpers, fraud, theft, and subsidizations can occur to those who need transit allowances (needy, seniors, students, special populations).

Road trip..... Bye, bye, birdie?

Poll: Who should be the Miami Dolphins next coach? | naplesnews.com | Naples Daily News

The NFL's Miami Dolphins are in the hunt for a new head coach now that the ex-LSU coach is headed to 'Bama -- Roll Tide Roll!

Talk goes to assistants with the Steelers as well as a throw back contender: "Bring Don Shula back." Is that the same Don Shula, and NOT his son who was coaching elsewhere recently???

Poll: Who should be the Miami Dolphins next coach? | naplesnews.com | Naples Daily News Possible candidates to replace Saban include Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera, former Green Bay head coach Mike Sherman, San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, Indianapolis assistant Jim Caldwell, Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow and Pittsburgh Steelers assistants Russ Grimm and Ken Whisenhut.

Perhaps they could get Jim Leyland to coach the Dolphins too as he won them (Marlins) a World Series once.

Then there is Chuck Noll, former Steeler coach, who picked up a vote or two as a write-in at the November 2006 general elections.

Young Stanley, the Penguin, checking the shoe leather of the fan base. (That's Grant in front row on the right.)

Pittsburgh Penguins STATEMENT from Mario

Penguins and "We, The People."

Official Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins: STATEMENT FROM PENGUINS OWNERS MARIO LEMIEUX AND RON BURKLE best ensure the economic health and long-term future of the Penguins franchise

Dear Luke, Dan and Ed,

The line above, from the Pen's web site, is your hook. That's your focus. Mario wants economic health. Mario wants long-term prosperity.

Staying in Pittsburgh is going to deliver more prosperity for the Pens and its owners.

Mario wants an "upside." He wants ROI (a Return on Investment). Mario has a business.

Furthermore, Mario doesn't trust you. Nor should he. Backslapping isn't going to work here as the opportunities have soured.

Tell Mario he can own and operate the Convention Center and we'll do a deal to get a new venue next to the Convention Center in The Strip District.

Tell Mario we'll fit a new venue on the North Shore. Fans in the region, Mario's customers, are familiar with the North Side venue for sporting facilities. Put the hockey arena on the footprint of the proposed, state subsidized outdoor concert venue that the Steelers wanted. The Pens and Steelers can cooperate. Besides, the Steelers don't like the new slots parlor. They'll like the Pens.

Tell Mario we'll give him plenty of land out by the airport and the new highways there. He can build a Penguins Village, like an Olympic Village.

Tell Mario he can build out on Neville Island, near another highway, near customers.

Mario's land purchase of recent years in the Civic Arena's neighborhood can be leveraged into the package as Don Barden said he'd devote money to The Hill.

When we talk about the big picture -- getting long term economic health for the franchise -- there are plenty of great options that offer a much better situation than re-building in the same area of the city.

My other post from earlier today offering him games elsewhere and cooperation with the civic arena can be like the cherry of your discussions.

Preview of a welcome from Luke to Mario:

Hi Mario. Hope Kansas City's trip went well. How about if the Pens play 10 games a year in KC until you get to move into your own brand-new venue in Allegheny County. Let's draw up a more flexible lease for Mellon Arena for next year so you can play some of the home games in other cities in 2007-2008 season.

Take them off their game, but don't stray from their goal, profits.

Honz Man won't run for ACE -- asked by GOP to run against Dan Onorato

Honz Man like Dan Onorato. Honz Man won't run for the Chief Executive slot. And, he says, he was asked by the Allgheny County GOP to run for the office.

Honz Man is injured. He has a bad leg or foot. He is doing his show form him home in recent weeks.

I'd say it would be hard for Honz to run when we can't even walk.

This isn't the year for a Honz Man Campaign. Get well first. Furthermore, don't pull a Lynn Swann. Honz should run for PA Senate. Honz might do well to run for PA House. Or, run for both in the same year, 2008.

I was at the Allegheny County Election Department today doing some research on the write in votes. I know that the Honz Man got some votes. Same too for Marty Griffin. Also, Rob Louge got a good number of votes. Some for Governor, some for US Senator.

Honz should get into politics. We need to keep putting attention into the local races.

My prediction is that the Honz Man might do as well as Bill Green did in his recent election for D.M.

stay at home, lockstepping local leadership

Rep. Dennis O'Brien became speaker of the PA General Assembly by defeating former speaker Rep. John Perzel in a 105-97 vote.

O'Brien, R, got nominated by the D. And, O'Brien got six Republicans to break ranks with the R leadership. These voted for O'Brien: Reps. Kerry Benninghoff (R., Center), Jim Cox (R., Berks), Brad Roae (R., Crawford), Sam Rohrer (R., Berks), Curt Schroder (R., Chester) and David Steil (R., Bucks).

Meanwhile, three Democrats in the House split from D leadership and voted for Perzel: Reps. Thomas Caltagirone (D., Berks), Angel Cruz (D., Phila.) and Rosita Youngblood (D., Phila.).

Summary: All the locals went with leadership -- lockstepping into the future without breaking ranks. None of them were original.

Furthermore, should a Libertarian, or a Green, or an Indie be in the PA House in Harrisburg, then more interesting deals would get made with these 'lone wolf reps.' Kings would be made by these lone voices, as I'd expect.

It only took a few to topple the log jam. I'd rather see the few be real thinkers and real reformers -- other than the backstabbing among cronies.

You Tube from 2004 - faded messages with faded protests

Big cuts are here from PAT. Duhhh....

Launch point from years ago.

Concept Map of Transit, a starting point. Link to transit pages at my Platform.For-Pgh.org.

SOS & Save Our Transit with Silly Old Slogans

Protesters marched downtown today and had a few fleeting moments before tv news cameras today outside of the city-county building on Grant Street. I counted no more than ten protesters. And, they are the regulars, as pointed out by a security guard inside the building working at the medal detector.

My message to them: Change the message and you'd have 100 others standing with you. For years, you've been barking and taking a beating. For years, the strategy has been failing.

They say:

Save Our Transit

No Service Cuts

No Fare Hikes

Dumb, dumb, dumb. They've been there with the same messages and it isn't working.

I don't even want to march with them these days.

They should be saying:

Stop the Tunnel!

But no. They defend the tunnel. They don't want to be real advocates for real reform.
He wasn't at the rally.




The screen on the top of this green box is what we need. The Octopus system in Hong Kong is wonderful. Think of E-Z Pass as used on the Turnpike but for all transit riders.

Dealing with the Pens and Politicians in Pittsburgh

The arena in Kansas City is not done. The building is not yet finished. So, no building sits waiting for the Penguins or any other NHL team, yet. The waiting might begin in the fall.

The lease for Mellon Arena for the Penguins expires at the end of this season.

Advice for Dan Ororato, Luke Ravenstahl and Jeff Koch, of Pittsburgh's City Council and a member of the Sports & Exhibition Authority, PA Senator, Wayne Fontana, also a joker on the SEA:

+ Invite the Penguins to sign a one year lease for Mellon Arena. Make the lease extension offer.

+ Invite the Penguins to play up to ten games per year at other venues until a new venue is built in Pittsburgh. And, the Penguins want to play 10 games in K.C. and 10 in Houston each year, let them do it.

The Penguins should be free to move. The Penguins should be free to stay and scout around a bit.

Should the Penguins build a fan base in Houston and Kansas City, they'll be building bridges back to the city of Pittsburgh too. Hell, let the team play games in Hamilton too. Play 4 in each town. Play in 4 different towns. That might get people in those towns hooked on the Pens and get them to future games in Pittsburgh. I think it would be cool to have the Pens play some home games in other cities while we work through this venue crisis.

That's cooperation.

That's a community solution.

That's a win-win solution.

That buys good will. And, the politicians deserve nothing from the Pens in the category of 'good will.' The politicans have done nothing.

Yesterday a member of city council, Tonya Payne, told me that she does not want to see the Penguins move off the the hill. Well, Tonya's wants and the reality of the situation are not the same. She is out of touch and too selfish. If anyone insists that the Pens stay in The Hill -- the Pens will depart. The grass is greener elsewhere when staying put means the upper downtown area and lower hill.

I want to be sure that the Pens have a long-term home in Pennsylvania. I want to have a solution that won't be back in the faces of the city and its fans again in 10-20 years.

A new public financed arena owned by the public authority with a 10, 20 or 30 year lease is going to mean we repeat the same old story again in 10 or 20 years. The Pens should have the juice to design, build, upkeep and own its own facility forever. And, the deal for the Pens needs to be one that makes that organization healthy too, without tax subsidization.

The leaders are going to need some creativity. And, this is what I fear most.

Dan Onorato and Luke Ravenstahl and even Governor can not begin the conversation with a re-hash of "Plan B finances." That isn't what any sales person would do. That isn't what Mario really wants to hear.

The sales process begins with questions to qualify the buyer. Overcome objections. Don't jump to finance matters.

Furthermore, it is the public officials job to tell the Pens that when they leave the Civic Arena, it is NOT their building. They'll leave their lease and the building will remain. So, if the Penguins want to come back and play 10 games a year as turn-back-the-clock games at our Civic Arena -- fine. We might be able to work out that deal.

Then the Pens could build a new arena out by the airport and make lots of money in multiple deals. Plus, a few times a year the Pens could have a golden opportunity to hold a special game in the city at the Civic Arena.

The Civic Arena isn't the best venue for the mega rock shows. Fine. But, there is a future for that building beyond the Penguins. And, if the Pens are willing to craft a deal and venue in the area, the Civic Arena might be a perfect venue for supporting other activities associated with the team and its fans -- beyond game-day hockey nights.