Extended Obit on Grandpa in Boston Globe: Robert Palmer, 73; played key role in reforming state prisons

More on Grandpa (my father-in-law). Great article. Click Boston.com link and see the photo of the man in his prime.

Robert Palmer, 73; played key role in reforming state prisons ROBERT PALMER

By Bryan Marquard, Globe Staff | January 17, 2007

Fix the problem, not the blame, Robert M. Palmer used to say. He spoke those words so often that Mr. Palmer and his proverb of choice became fodder for an editorial cartoon.

Guided by that management maxim and a sense of compassion, he was a force behind efforts in the 1970s to implement prison reform in Massachusetts. Friends and family say he also helped Polaroid Corp. become a pioneer in the emerging concepts of corporate commitment and responsibility, serving as spokesman when the company cut off shipments to South Africa during apartheid.

"He really cared about making the world a better place," said Frank Hall, who was Massachusetts commissioner of correction in the 1970s when Mr. Palmer chaired the Governor's Advisory Committee on Corrections. "We all like to say that, and to have other people say that about us, but he really was that way."

Mr. Palmer, who retired to Maine about a decade ago, died of heart failure Jan. 4 in his Ogunquit home. He was 73.

"He had an enormous understanding of human frailty," said Chet Atkins, a former US representative from the state's Fifth District. "He could hold people to very high standards, but could appreciate their frailty and help them get back on track and help them pick themselves up and restore their dignity."

Born in Boston, Mr. Palmer graduated from Brookline High School and Columbia University and served in the Army before marrying in 1957.

He went to work for Polaroid Corp. and rose to director of corporate relations, becoming the public voice of the company.

Edwin Land, the company's founder, "encouraged Bob to involve Polaroid in the community," said Mr. Palmer's former wife, Barbara of Pittsburgh . "Dr. Land insisted that Polaroid reach out and do good things in the community, and I mean important things, not just playgrounds."

Part of that outreach included Mr. Palmer's work with the state's prison system. As chairman of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Corrections, he became an instrument of change in the early 1970s when the riots at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York prompted systems across the country to contemplate reform.

"I think Bob really understood what was going on in the system," Hall said. "He helped bring about some of the reforms in corrections in Massachusetts, and he was immensely helpful to me."

Mr. Palmer's advocacy, he said, helped lead to the prerelease programs for inmates that significantly reduced recidivism.

"He was very much of an advocate for having a balanced parole board," said Paul Chernoff, a Superior Court judge who was chairman of the state Parole Board in the early 1970s. Mr. Palmer, he said, pushed for a parole board that included members "from many walks of life, not just law enforcement," and which included lawyers and treatment professionals.

"He was also an advocate of due process hearings," Chernoff said, adding that Mr. Palmer helped bring about changes now taken for granted.

"In a way, he was ahead of his time in a lot of things that he attempted to do," Barbara Palmer said.

She said Mr. Palmer, who formerly lived in Boston and Concord, brought a quality of mercy to his work.

"He didn't think we needed to blame people, he thought we needed to fix what went wrong," she said. "That pretty much sums him up. He didn't have any time for witch hunting. He wanted people to settle down, look at what was going wrong, and remedy it."

"He didn't care who you were or where you were from," said his son, Robert, who works in Connecticut. "He was a big believer that everybody makes mistakes, but you try to fix it. In my daily life, in the management work I do, I quote him every day."

"He had such a positive way of looking at people," said his daughter, Catherine, a physician in Pittsburgh. "He could really see what was the best in people and their potential and what they had to offer. And then he would step back. He didn't want to take credit for it; he just wanted to help them have the opportunity to do what they wanted to do."

Whether he was working with inmates or speaking with his children and grandchildren, Mr. Palmer did not condescend because of age or social background, his daughter said.

"He was very funny and had a quick wit. As kids, we always enjoyed him because he treated us as thinking people," his daughter said, adding that her father developed a warm bond with his three grandsons by taking the same approach.

"I think he left an extraordinarily lasting impression," Atkins said. "He was a man of enormous compassion and with very, very strong values."

In addition to his son, daughter, former wife, and three grandsons, Mr. Palmer leaves two brothers, Charles of Wayland and E. Samuel of Arlington, and a sister, Judith Muggia of Winchester.

The service will be private.

One tiny correction. His daughter, my wife, Catherine V. Palmer, of Pittsburgh, works with physicians as Director of Audiology at UPMC's Eye and Ear and Pitt. She has a Ph.D, not a M.D.

Answer to questions on Early Returns

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Local News - Early Returns And does Patrick Dowd, running for council against incumbent Len Bodack, draw money and volunteers away from his old ally Mr. Peduto, or do their bids complement each other?

Depends. Plus, you really need to dig a bit deeper to find out all that is there. The school board race for Dowd's present seat might be a good one too.

On face value, Peduto and Dowd can be great for each other. However, teamwork isn't a strength of either nor with anyone in the D's party. They might swap post-cards. But, I don't see them working hand in hand as they could and should.

Red Light Cameras and a public hearing, next week

BS-010: "You think all those little cameras are for traffic control, don't you?"

Schools + Swimming and Weight

Talk about B.M.I. and schools.

Kim L, a reporter for the Trib, is working on a story about the new state mandate requiring parental notification of their child’s body mass index, or BMI number. What do parents think? Good information, not enough information, too much information? Are parents even aware that the figures were being reported?

CollegeSwimming.com :: View topic - Swimming and Weight It is an interesting way to look at the top swimmers, but the BMI is rarely ever used anymore, and when it is used, it's used for the general (non athletic) population.

BMI is not a measurement that I would want to hang my hat upon. It isn't that valid. I would rather go to percent body fat or a functional fitness test, such as number of pull-ups. Pull ups can be done with weight assistance as well, say from a stand with 30-pounds of assistance.

A once a year measurement isn't as good either. If done well, it should be more seasonal and more frequently. Kids grow at such different rates and different speeds that a hight and weight chart with a lot of data points would be more helpful to the kids understanding of themselves -- and that of the parents too.

Once a year benchmarks might be fine for a vision and hearing screening -- but not for real understanding of growth and development.

Putting kids on a scale for weight records is okay with me if it is part of the learning that should happen -- and not a 'contest.' A meaningless task of stepping on a scale to satisfy a state mandate is just nuts. Teacher and principals without the dedication and seriousness for the duty should just do nothing rather than provide a bad lesson for the students.

The numbers of one person should not be ranked against that of another. Rather, the points on the chart of the same kid over time is where the real value resides.

This should all be part of a decent course of study for phyical education. I feel that physical education should be part of the school day. We've ignored PE on many instances. Beefing up PE programs (pun intended) is fine with me.

However, we've really got to use athletics and additional after-school activities, beyond school, for our kids and their health.

Advice to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl -- and my comments to Pgh City Council

I spoke for three minutes, again, today in City Council Chambers.

Headline: Luke should fire Mr. Specter, the city's solicitor. Luke's been getting bad advice. Next, Luke should settle the case with the police commander now. I don't want my mayor to be in a court battle with a police commander. Finally, Luke needs to nominate and appoint a person as the boss of public safety. Luke in a rush to appoint a political cronie but the post is still empty. Did care and concern for the public's health die?

Another speaker was before City Council to ponder and plead for the re-deployment of Commander B, formerly of the east end and recently at Zone 3. She's been put to another area of the city.

I don't want to micro-manage decisions on the police force and with the administration. That isn't a job of those on city council. However, those decisions do reflect upon the administration. Having a revolving door of police commanders in the zone sends a message.

Cry-baby talk of 'mine, mine, mine' isn't going to prove to region that the zone is getting back on its feet. Spare the tears Bruce Krause.

In other points:

The South Side is going to be home to a running club for kids. They meet at 3 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays at Ormsby Rec Center.

The South Side Market House is going to come back to life with indoor hockey again. The season starts this week for the little kids. The fall season of indoor soccer was nixed, sadly. Good that the tykes and kids are getting some organized programming and gym time.

From Market House

A public hearing in city council chambers is slated for Wed afternoon. See the Google calendar called Pittsburgh City Hall. This talk about the PAT service cuts is a big issue that needs attention.

Today is a sad day on other transportation news as they are advancing the under river tunnel for light rail. I've spoken out against that project for many years. When asked about 'transportation' a year ago as I campaigned with Jeff Koch for the city council seat -- Mr. Koch said he wanted to re-pave Arlington Avenue. I said I wanted to not build the tunnel under the river, saving more than enough to re-pave Arlington Ave.

Going underground. Digging to China might make for a better Return On Investment.

Signature requirements to get onto the November 2007 ballot

Blast from the past. Mechanical voting machines.

To run as a third party candidate for an Allegheny County office that is 'county wide' (such as County Executive and At-Large member of Allegheny County Council) one needs 2,345 signatures.

To run as a third party candidate for City of Pittsburgh offices that are 'city wide' (such as Mayor and Controller) one needs 804 signatures.

To run for City Council, district 3, (my district) in the election slated for November, one needs 100 signatures.

To run for Allegheny County Council in district 13, (my district), one needs 270 signatures.

Allegheny Institute: Issue Summaries

The think tank, Allegheny Institute, pulled together a meta page of issue summaries. Nice work.

Allegheny Institute: Issue Summaries Issue # Title

Enjoy. Now I've got to blend them in with the Platform.For-Pgh.org/wiki.

Steelers coach sure to trump the mayor

Cute comment, except the part about the coach making more money. I'm a coach. I don't make more money than the may. But, as a coach, I have much better rewards and job satisfaction.

Steelers coach sure to trump the mayor - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (T)here are more candidates for the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coaching vacancy than there are for the Pittsburgh mayoral opening.

Tom Murphy used to say that being mayor was the best job in the world. He was wrong, yet again. Ex-coach, Bill Cowher now joins the ranks of the few who have the best duties that life can deliver. That's the calling to be a parent.

When coaching and parent mix within the same realm, then being a candidate for mayor but just a pain in the ass and yet another deed and investment of effort for the sake of the next generation of Pittsburghers.

We had a great time at Pine Richland's swim meet this Saturday and Sunday. Erik and Grant are evolving into swimming athletes. Erik won today's 100 breast and was second in yesterday's 400 I.M. Grant scored in the 100 fly. I've got some video to share shortly.

Whizenhunt out as Steelers' Coach Running Mate and in at the helm of the NFL Cardinals.

Grandpa's (my father-in-law) Obit from Maine

York County Coast Star Obituaries: Robert Palmer

OGUNQUIT -- Robert M. Palmer, 73, died Jan. 4, 2007, after a brief illness.

Mr. Palmer was born in Boston, Mass., and grew up in the suburb of Brookline. He graduated from Columbia University and served in the U.S. Army. Most of his career was with the Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge, Mass., where he became Director of Corporate Relations. For six years he served the Commonwealth as Chairman of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Corrections, first appointed by the late Governor Francis Sargent. He left Polaroid in 1981 and after several positions in the field of corporate relations, left Boston and settled in Ogunquit, where he became an active participant in the community. He joined the York County Coast Star where he wrote a weekly column, "Just Neighbors".

He leaves a brother, Charles of Wayland, Mass.; a sister, Judith Muggia of Winchester, Mass.; and a brother, E. Samuel of Arlington, Mass. In addition, he leaves his former wife, Barbara and their son, Robert of Conn.; and daughter, Catherine of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and three grandchildren, Cameron, Erik, and Grant.

Services will be private.

Contributions may be made in his name to Beacon Hospice, 42 Brickyard Road, York, ME, 03909.

The obit will run on Sunday in the Boston Globe. A story might also come from Boston too.

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Update from Boston.com from Sunday, Jan 14, 2007:

Boston.com / News Robert M. Palmer

Age 73, Jan. 4. Died at home in Ogunquit, ME. Born in Boston, MA. Graduated from Columbia University & served in the U.S. Army. He was employed at Polaroid Corp. He leaves a brother Charles of Wayland, MA, a sister Judith Muggia of Winchester, MA, and a brother E. Samuel of Arlington, MA. In addition, he leaves his former wife Barbara and their son Robert of Connecticut and daughter Catherine of Pittsburgh, PA and three grandchildren. Services will be private. Contributions may be made in his name to Beacon Hospice, 42 Brickyard Road, York, ME 03909.
Published in the Boston Globe on 1/14/2007.

Another candidate joins crowded city Council District 9 race

Another candidate joins crowded city Council District 9 race A third challenger to City Councilwoman Twanda Carlisle emerged yesterday, as K. Chase Patterson, 23, of North Point Breeze announced plans to join what is shaping up to be a crowded field.

How do these journalist count? The lead says a THIRD challenger. Humm.

In no particular order:

K. Chase Patterson

Rachel Cooper

Ricky Burgess

Ora Lee Carroll

Judith Ginyard

Why the blind spot in the math?

In my race on March 14, 2006, there were NINE on the ballot. But, we were not working to take down an incumbent council member.

Tribune-Review editorial on ballot access

The Nader case: Pay up, Ralph - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review It is even clearer that Pennsylvania's political duopoly rigs ballot access against third-party and independent candidates.

See my video statement below.

City broadens path to police command

City broadens path to police command New Cmdr. Ross, 50, of Lincoln Place, will run Zone 3, which covers the South Side and South & West areas of the city. The 27-year veteran of the bureau rises from the rank of sergeant, which has long been a launching point to commander.

Cmdr. RaShall Brackney, famous for making Duke's Tire do a re-model of the building so as to not change the tires on the street as had been the practice for 30+ years, is headed back to her former stomping ground in the East End.

Could Plan C Keep Pens In Pittsburgh? - Sports

Let's be clear about Plan Z vs. Plan C:

Could Plan C Keep Pens In Pittsburgh? - Sports Pittsburgh is going to have to go further than Plan B to keep the Penguins in town.

Pittsburgh is going to have to go further than Plan C to keep the Penguins in Allegheny County.

As the web article and video snip from WPXI reports, the goal is to keep the Pens in "town." Plan Z's (my 'think again' plan) hope is to move the discussions further and inject a sense of long-term health of the team, fans, city, and region by thwarting a move out-of-state and insisting a move occurs from the lower Hill District to elsewhere within Allegheny County.

Bill Peduto's Plan C does offer the team more profits. At least Bill Peduto put a light on this topic. Dan Onorato said that "Delvelopment rights has always been up for negotiations."

Onorato wants to discount what Peduto put on the table and ignore Plan C as a step forward because of three reasons. First, Onorato would be happy to rip off the taxpayers and provide a give-a-way to the Penguins that wasn't disclosed. The more complicated the dealings, the less attention from the media and taxpayers. That's all good for Onorato who is a live-in-the-moment politician and care's little about the long-term ramifications. Peduto's Plan C shines a light on this type of dealmaking that Onorato had up his sleave. Tricks should be out on the table.

I also advocated this 'trick' concerning development rights. It could be injected into the dealings with the Penguins.

More talk about 'development rights' needs to occur in the mainstream media and the past stadium deals on the North Side (of Three Rivers Stadium), existing civic arena site, North Shore (between PNC & Heinz with Pirates and Steelers) and elsewhere in Allegheny County (Hazelwood, old airport site, Neville Island, and even around the new Convention Center).

The number of properties that have been ganged together, the amounts of investments and the public foolery that occurs is outlandish and hardly reported.

The Steelers and Pirates have broken their side of the deals to develop the land around the stadiums on the North Shore. They fumbled their duties. They have let time pass and little has been done. The outdoor concert venue is but one example that did get attention, more than two years ago, when Gov. Rendell promised $4-million in a state grant to get that project done. It isn't done. It's design is bad. Progress has choked. The public interest has been given the shaft in a complicated dealing.

To prove my point, do you know how much land the county owns around the new Greater Pittsburgh Airport? Remember the boom that was to happen in the airport corridor?

New highways have been built. Vacant land sprawls.

Remember the Pittsburgh Motor Speedway fiction? It was to be an indoor Indy oval.

Onorato also wants to discount Peduto's Plan C mentions because of political buddies. Luke Ravenstahl and Dan Onorato are connected at the hip now. This jazz of Plan C gives a wedge and spotlight where they don't want buzz.

Finally, Onorato wants to be the quarterback in this deal and be able to huddle in private. When huddles happen, the main guys turn their backs to the rest of the world.

Don Barden, winner of the lone Pittsburgh slots parlor license, pledged $350-million to Pittsburgh for development of the Hill District. That money goes along in addition to the $7-million per year for 30-years to help finance a new arena in Plan B.

My Plan Z called upon the use of some of Don Barden's pledged money, perhaps $20-million, to be used to acquire the property that is presently owned by Mario and the Penguins. They had purchased a bit of land near the present arena. The one building is getting aesbestos removed now.

Who is paying for that remediation, by the way? I think that it might be the Stadium and Exibition Authority, back-room deal. I'd like to see some journalist / watch dog investigate the letting of that contract.

Buildings will be demolished, of course. Buildings around the arena and the civic arena, to the tune of $7-million. This tear down that Plan A, Plan B, Plan C advocates is NOT a part of my Plan Z. We should keep the Civic Arena. We could even keep the buildings slated for demolition up on the hill if possible.

Years ago my position was to turn five floors of the old hospital into an International Youth Hostel. They let the building rot. Pittsburgh's Hostel in Allentown closed due to weenie board members lack of creativity. It still sits empty I think.

Perhaps a garden, Hostel with its safe warm beds and the lunch program that is already in place at the near by church could do wonders for many people and go a long way to helping to clean up Market Square.

As much as possible, we've got to insist that the Barden investment earmarked for the Hill District go up into the neighborhood. Let's not churn the lower Hill District. Rather, see it flow like an artery all the way into Oakland and Oak Hill. Much of the hill needs a lot of attention.

Consider $350-million. That's enough to build a street car line on Center Ave from the edge of town to Oakland. Sure, you can't run it all the way to the basement of USX, crossing the highway, and avoiding the Hill District until it pops back out again at the Merry-go-round in Schenley Plaza as some would want. But screw them.

Consider a street car line with back and forth service running along the spine of The Hill District with street treatments modest stops, mini shops, vendors, lighted, coffee counter, ajacent bikeway, ramps, occasional footbridge over traffic.

This is the time to allow the entire Hill District to bloosom.

Finally, two additional points before this wrap up to go to a two day swim meet at Pine Richland. Blog postings are needed to dive into the realm of giving away prime property to the Penguins for their profits -- rather than for the overall economy of the city. You don't cut off your nose despite your face.

I think that the Pens should have development rights and a property value upside when they create the investment energy. The windfall isn't theirs to capitalize upon if it is in The Hill District. But, if they made an Olympic Village by the Airport -- then they should get the mega profits and potential that they'd create.

Ororato and Peduto want to give away one of the jewels of the city with their profit windfalls to the Penguins. No. They get it and the public doesn't. We, collective public, lose, there -- forever.

Give them what isn't a jewel now -- and allow them the opportunity to create another. The Pens team is an asset. It can spawn more value for the region if they build elsewhere -- in a bigger, more grand, more diverse setting for our region.

To some, I admit, the civic arena is like a pimple on the landscape of Pittsburgh. But, to others, it is like a birth mark or dimple that makes us unique. The existing arena is there and it can be used as a point of strength.

People, investors, small business and home-owners will want to be near the existing civic arena once the Pens depart from their lease and the uses can be made civic again. The fitness and culture of the Hill Distrct and central city depend upon a wholistic re-use of the public spaces in and around the Civic Arena.

Democracy is important. Flashback from September 2004

Watch the Video of my (Mark Rauterkus) public address on 9-28-2004.

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The following news story is recent.

Supreme Court hits Ralph Nader with $89,821 bill for his 2004 Pennsylvania ballot bid upholding first-of-kind ruling

News by Michael Richardson

The U.S. Supreme Court, by refusing to review a decision of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, has upheld a hefty $89,821 penalty levied against Ralph Nader for his failure to obtain ballot access in 2004 during his presidential campaign.

Nader has been ordered to pay the costs of the nineteen lawyers hired by the Democratic Party to challenge his nomination petitions in the Keystone State. This ruling will have a pronounced chilling effect on future candidates in Pennsylvania concerned about large legal bills if they lose. The original bill was $81,102, but has swelled because of interest accrued during the appeal.

Many Democrats blame Ralph Nader for the outcome of the 2000 presidential election where he supposedly siphoned off Democrat voters from the candidacy of Al Gore. Because of that animus, the Democrat Party waged a powerful war of attrition on Nader's 2004 candidacy bringing litigation against Nader in twenty lawsuits in seventeen states. Nader won fifteen of the lawsuits but lost after a hard-fought legal battle in Pennsylvania.

Around the nation, the Democrat Party hired eighty-nine lawyers from forty-eight law firms for the battle to keep Nader off the ballot. Coordinating the legal army was a command group called The Ballot Project whose stated goal was to "neutralize" Nader's campaign by forcing him "to spend money and resources defending these things."

Pennsylvania's restrictive ballot access law required Nader to submit 25,697 nomination petition signatures. Nader doubled that number up and turned in 51,273 signatures. The Democrats sued to challenge Nader's petitions and eleven Pennsylvania judges were assigned to hear the case in courtrooms around the state. Judge James Colins led the judicial team and eventually decided that Nader only had 18,818 valid signatures.

Dissenting from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court majority, which upheld Judge Colins, was Justice Saylor who found that 8,976 of the disqualified signatures should have been permitted, enough to have placed Nader on the ballot.

Emboldened by the state high court support for unbounded discretion, Judge Colins has since assessed the 2006 Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate, Carl Romanelli, with another punitive penalty of $89,668 for failure to make the ballot in a challenge brought again by the Democrats. This new doctrine of imposing stiff financial penalties to losing candidates is expected to sharply reduce candidacies of independent and minor party candidates who can little afford to take the risk of bankruptcy to run for office.

Romanelli had the additional burden, due to a quirk of the election cycle, of needing a whooping 67,000 signatures to place his name on the ballot under Pennsylvania's restrictive election code.

The ruling against Nader is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and since followed by a similar ruling against Romanelli signals a new method of attack against political opponents that will have a chilling effect on candidate's First Amendment rights. Whether the two major parties start using the tactic against each other, or save the punitive penalties for independent and minor party candidates remains to be
seen. Nader's attorneys argued in their brief to the Supreme Court that the Pennsylvania ruling would spread to other states and greatly diminish voter
choice in future elections.

Michael Richardson is a freelance writer based in Boston. Richardson writes about politics, election law, human nutrition, ethics, and music. In 2004 Richardson was Ralph Nader's national ballot access coordinator. "The way to be happy is to make others happy."

Mr. Zober of the Ravenstahl administration earned his experiences in law doing this type of work -- and he's proud of it.

It makes no sense to burn $1 on a campaign in Pennsylvania given their crooked ways. Some are willing and ambitious and want to spend $1-million to get, perhaps, 30,000 votes.

Bogger Upgrade: I'm so nervous. Is it painless? Is there any risk?

Move your account to use the new Blogger

This is scary. The data on my blogs can't go away. What's the risk?

Director of Policy and Research at Elect.Rauterkus.com to depart South Side and Pennsylvania

Wilburn Hayden, Ph.D. -- moving to Toronto.

He is both a "Yellow Dog Democrat" and my friend who has held the role of "Director of Policy and Research" in my two recent campaigns. This semester he took a sabatical from Univ. of California of Pennsylvania, where he is in charge of the social work program. Cal U: About the Director California University of Pennsylvania MSW Program Director
Now he is in transition to the University of York where he'll be in charge of a much bigger program.

Furthermore, I'm to blame for showing him the job posting. I sent him the announcement / lead via email. Weeks later Wilburn had touched up his professional vita, was interviewing, giving job talks and negotiating a contract.

Now he is in Canada for meetings for a few days. He'll move there with his family at the end of the school year.

Are you ready for the new swim movie, "PRIDE" -- to run in March? These guys are swimmers. One is from Philly! I had a good meeting with those at the South Side Works Cinema about some special events. More news later.

PA Gaming Control Board posts week summary of $ and slots

Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has begun a weekly posting on its web site of gaming revenues from licensed operators. The reports provide a breakdown on wagering, payouts to patrons and the amount of machines operating.

Gaming Control Board Executive Director Anne Neeb said these reports are another step by the agency to provide information about Pennsylvania’s newest industry.

Isn't this PA's new monopoly, rather than "industry."

Monopoly Shop

Family & Business Health Security Act of 2007 = GOOD

Watch for this: Family & Business Health Security Act of 2007. I like it.

Meanwhile, Gov. Rendell's plan at health care reform is something different. His plan might be unveiled next week. All indications are that it will fall short. Rendell's plan fails to address key components.

Hospital in China.

Gov. Rendell says one thing yet does another.

The Busman's Holiday: Mayor Ravenstahl Q&A & New McNeilly Case Documents

The Busman's Holiday: Mayor Ravenstahl Q&A & New McNeilly Case Documents Podcast: Mayor Answers Reporters Questions

My memo with both praise and constructive remarks to Bob Mayo about yesterday's coverage is posted at his blog in the comments section. And here:

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Well done Bob. I don't need to listen to the podcast, as I was there in person. But I'm very glad to see you are doing this type of collection of digital dust -- and putting a light on matters.

We need watchdog journalists.

Too bad, at that event, there were not questions about the Pittsburgh Promise. I was wondering, how much money the Pgh Federation of Teachers gives to candidates each election cycle (all endorsed democrats, and 99% in office already) vs. how much it gave to the college scholarship fund. Was the ration 5 to 1 in favor of money to status quo politicians vs youth in the city.

How many of the 4,000 members of the PFT have kids in the Pgh Public Schools?

Would LUKE, a product of Catholic School, like it when only public school kids get college scholarships?

What about North Catholic, Luke's old school, moving outside the city? Can't he do something about getting them to stay here. He did talk about getting families to move back into the city. -- because of this Pgh Promise.

The Pgh Promise is sure to be a broken promise. Do the math. The student has a brother looking to spend $60,000 for an undergrad degree. Plus, there are two others in the family.

This venture, Pgh Promise, does NOT even have a bank account yet. Why not? Did they think it through?

Finally, the Pgh Promise is nothing but a bribe to get students to move to Pgh. It won't work. It didn't work for Lazarus either. And they got millions.

The journalist were at the event to get in some digs about this case, and missed a golden opportunity to cover the real news. More wool is going to be pulled over the eyes of the city -- and watchdogs are needed. Cover all sides of the Pgh Promise, please.