Dowd enters council race. Stupid statements on day 1 occur.

Not a good way to break into the realm of city council politics, if you ask me. He talks of TIFs. That is madness, D-party madness. The vision is missing on council as it has been a rubber stamp for all the TIFs that have come down the pike. Few if any have worked. I'm not in favor of any TIFs given the unaccountability of the process and the hurt it causes for the marketplace.

TIFs do NOT encourage people to live in the city. TIFs are a good reason why people move out of the city and vote with their feet. Tax breaks for some, and not others, is a great way to was away the concern for justice.

Quotes from Mr. Dowd's campaign manager re not welcomed either. Let the candidate talk for himself.

Likewise, I feel that city council needs to do more about transportation and advocate for the benefits of the city. But, we need smart actions, not just hyper activity without purpose. What smart solutions does Patrick have about transportation? Complain louder doesn't cut it with me.

Then Patrick talks in glowing terms about the Pittsburgh Promise. It is sure to be a broken promise. The lie of that program is not something that I'm going to rest on the backs of our kids.

Patrick is leaving the school board at a bad time. The schools are NOT in a good position. The gifted education program, magnet schools, and high school situations are all on the rocks.

Mr. Roosevelt is a darling of the foundations and a foe of parental involvement. He wants to make discipline a priority for next year. Why wait? Discipline needs to take root now. I don't want to have the work of the board and administration hide behind a task force. I want that to come to the surface in real time, with real discussion, with real input from all.

The plan to rightsize called for the closing of small schools. The plan for the high schools calls for opening of small schools. What is it?

I want our educaitonal system to fit the city and the buildings that are part of the landscape. Not do more with less. Rather, start with what you got and do a splendid job with what is presented. Then evolve as necessary. Don't close 22 schools in one cut of the ax and wonder, where did all the people go?

I'd like someone to be on council that can stand up to the URA. The South Hills High School should be owned by the URA, not Pgh Public Schools. The transfer of that building is lagging. That needed to be done. We need to work between the city and schools -- and the schools are getting the short end of the stick at every turn -- and Dowd has helped that along.

Then the alternative in the D primary is Len B. He gotta go. I'd take Dowd over Len -- I think. But, neither do anything for me as a concerned citizen of Pittsburgh.

Patrick's got another opportunity to sway my opinions when he begins to speak for himself and when he publishes a web site. But thet talk so far gets him a F-minus!!!! And, he is 'experienced.'

Patrick, why are the city school sports teams not in the WPIAL yet? You could have fixed that, and didn't. Why are the city sports coaches still tied with those ugly union contracts -- forcing good coaches to retire from the sidelines just because they retire from the classroom? You could have fixed that too.

Dowd enters council race The council, he said, currently lacks the vision necessary to deal with the 'bigger issues facing the larger framework of Pittsburgh as a whole,' such as housing reform and public transportation. Dealing with these two issues, he said, will make Pittsburgh more competitive in the future by encouraging people to live in the city.

One of Mr. Dowd's initiatives for housing involves creating residential 'zones,' areas for the council to establish tax increment financing for home buyers. Such tax incentives would offset property tax payments and encourage more people to move into the city, said Abby Wilson, Mr. Dowd's campaign manager.

Mr. Dowd also sees public transportation as a crucial issue for city residents, who make up the majority of Port Authority riders.

'I definitely think City Council needs to be advocating more on this subject,' he said. 'This is a question of equality and public development.'

Mr. Dowd said he would also focus on public safety, government reform, arts and recreation, the environment and energy, and economic development.

Drawing on his experience as a school board member, Mr. Dowd said he would bridge the relationship between the board and City Council, noting that the proposed Pittsburgh Promise scholarship program was a starting point.

'City Council needs people who believe that education is a priority,' he said.

Mr. Dowd, the father of six and a history teacher at The Ellis School in Shadyside, has served on the school board since 2003.

During his term, Mr. Dowd has been a supporter of school Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and has been leading the effort to extend the superintendent's three-year contract beyond August 2008.

In searching for Mr. Dowd's District 2 successor, the same grass-roots coalition that helped him win in 2003 has backed candidate Heather Arnet, 32, also of Highland Park. The District 2 School Board Coalition voted Jan. 6 to endorse Ms. Arnet, executive director of the Women and Girls Foundation of Southwest Pennsylvania. She also supports Mr. Roosevelt.

Furthermore, I'm not happy to have a sub-group hold an election and take away democratic powers of the citizens, before the real election occurs. Perhaps there is a need for more coordination to rid ourselves of a sitting politicians who is clueless -- like Patrick did with D. Harris years ago. But the need for that type of authority and call for lock-step boosterism for an open seat is a poor way to govern.

I'm in favor of an open election. Hold forums. Hold debates. Organize point-by-point match-ups and sustain the conversation for fixing our city. Don't annoint a person as a favorite son or daughter.

Finally, what about the pledge from Patrick to NOT use the office of school board member as a rung in the ladder of political ambition? He wasn't going to be a candidate for other office. He was going to be a school board member -- and not do just what he was doing. That was a pledge that is valid. Now it seems to be ignored.

I want all Pgh Public School Board Members to NOT run for other offices -- as a part of our city's charter, if need be. They use the position for power grabbing, not for serving the needs of the kids and education. I'd rather require that the school board offices be terminal roles then we'd have a different quality of discussions and self-interest of the people on the board.

Give something better than not Len, please.

Patrick Dowd, Dr. John Thompson, then Superintendent of PPS; Mark Brently (far right). My photo from Pgh Interfaith Impact Network public event in October 2004. people & vips

UPDATE: Don't pass over these comments. One is from the Dowd campaign manager.

China's wide-open adoption door closes

China's wide-open adoption door closes China soon will bar foreigners who are single, obese, blind, deaf, over 50 or twice-divorced from adopting

Another B.M.I. article mention.

One's ability to parent may or may not hinge upon one's weight. But the measurement of being a non-smoker isn't going to fly in China where smoking is so pervasive. That's why not smoking.

The quote about no kid ever being harmed by second-hand fat is a cute. But the expression, "Pull Your Own Weight" is a bit harder when one's weight is too much. The other expression, "Do unto others as you'd do unto yourself" is put on its head when one's own treatment of oneself is too "over-the-top."

China can't afford to send so many of its girl babies overseas. We knew that this door closing was sure to occur.

The relationships in China are complicated. The values are hard to understand. I'd not want to second-guess their cultures. Thankfully, many have come to join in in the states in the past.

Wagner dynasty may line up behind ...

The Wagners might support Peduto. And, they might support me too. And, they are known to celebrate Christmas too.

Wagner dynasty may line up behind Bill Peduto - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review A run for governor is believed to be the only reason the one-time City Council president isn't launching his own mayoral candidacy.

And it would be an easier path to the governor's office for Wagner if the Pittsburgh mayor was his political ally rather than an Onorato confidant.

Point Breeze students' city design takes first - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Jarr Jarr Binks would be proud.

Point Breeze students' city design takes first - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Others, like the team from Mary Queen of Angels School in New Kensington built their cities in an equally improbable place -- under water.

Year's ago it was suggested that the new hockey arena should be built on the bottom of one of the rivers. Then getting its own t-stop would be easy.

From planning-urban

Extreme makeover: City edition - Youngstown & Pttsburgh

Extreme makeover: City edition - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- When the steel industry collapsed, a vacuum took over.

Trib now covers a story we (bloggers) visted weeks ago at AntiRust.

Gonzales Questions Habeas Corpus

Speechless.

Robert Parry | Gonzales Questions Habeas Corpus Responding to questions from Sen. Arlen Specter at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Jan. 18, Gonzales argued that the Constitution doesn't explicitly bestow habeas corpus rights; it merely says when the so-called Great Writ can be suspended.

'There is no expressed grant of habeas in the Constitution; there's a prohibition against taking it away,' Gonzales said.

Gonzales's remark left Specter, the committee's ranking Republican, stammering.

'Wait a minute,' Specter interjected. 'The Constitution says you can't take it away except in case of rebellion or invasion. Doesn't that mean you have the right of habeas corpus unless there's a rebellion or invasion?'

Gonzales continued, 'The Constitution doesn't say every individual in the United States or citizen is hereby granted or assured the right of habeas corpus. It doesn't say that. It simply says the right shall not be suspended' except in cases of rebellion or invasion.

'You may be treading on your interdiction of violating common sense,' Specter said.

The N.F.L.’s Blue-Collar Workers - New York Times

The N.F.L.’s Blue-Collar Workers - New York Times But despite all the trappings of a modern business empire, football — or more specifically its labor system — harks back to the 19th century. Like miners and dock workers of that time, the N.F.L.’s work force has little protection against job loss. Workers frequently toil outdoors in freezing temperatures. And they often literally put their lives at risk, as we were reminded last week when a neuropathologist claimed that the suicide of a former N.F.L. player, Andre Waters, was linked to brain damage he sustained while playing football.

“It brings to mind the high-risk jobs of the earlier industrial period,” said Raymond Sauer, an economics professor at Clemson University and founder of the Sports Economist blog.

To be sure, football players, with their generous paychecks, do not seem as exploited as those rail-thin miners dusted with coal. But compared with athletes who ply their trades in two other big-money sports — basketball and baseball — they’re strictly blue collar.

Pitt guys are mentioned. And, these are not Pitt stars from the gridiron. Rather, Pitt doctors.

Idealist.org - Imagine. Connect. Act.

Welcome to Idealist.org - Imagine. Connect. Act.: "Imagine Pittsburgh at the Strip's Leaf and Bean"

This is a call that is very much like the past. But, it is valid, even if it is a repeat. A person has already stepped forward to host a meeting. It is now on the Rauterkus public events Google Calendar, something that can be subscribed to.

CENSORED!!! by Russ Diamond

On May 15, 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution directing each of the thirteen colonies to develop a constitution in order to plan for self-governance in anticipation of breaking ties with England. On July 16, less than two weeks after the official Declaration of Independence from the king, Pennsylvania's first constitutional convention opened with the unanimous election of Benjamin Franklin as its president.

On September 28, the convention unanimously approved the new Pennsylvania Constitution. The document was a two-chapter affair, including a Declaration of Rights and a Frame of Government. The plan for governing the Commonwealth included provisions establishing a legislative branch consisting of elected representatives in a single chamber, an executive branch embodied in a President and a twelve-member Council, and a judicial branch overseen by a Supreme Court.

Well aware of the temptations for the abuse of power, and themselves victims of abuse under the king's rule, the framers included an important provision within the Constitution to keep ultimate control of government in the hands of the people. Chapter II, Section 47 provided for a Council of Censors to be elected from the citizenry every seven years to review the actions of those who govern.

The Council would be charged with determining if the Constitution had indeed been followed over the previous seven years, if those who governed had abused their power and if any taxes levied had been fair. Finally, the Council was authorized to determine if the Constitution, or any part of it, was so unworkable that it required a rewrite under the guise of another convention.

Throughout the American Revolution, Pennsylvanians lived and governed themselves under the Constitution, but there were some elected officials who clearly had desires to alter the established plan for government. In 1777 and again in 1778, the General Assembly passed resolutions calling for another constitutional convention.

The motives of those who wanted a new convention were apparently: dividing the General Assembly into two chambers, further empowering the executive branch, and curiously, abolishing the Council of Censors years before it was scheduled to meet. The citizenry, realizing that the power to call a convention belonged exclusively to the Council of Censors, overwhelmingly rejected the notion and the Assembly rescinded its resolutions in 1779.

In November, 1783 the duly elected Council of Censors met for the first time to carry out its duties, but it was obvious that the primary intent of some members was to follow the earlier whims of the General Assembly. The divided Council ignored or delayed most of its duties, focusing instead on altering the Constitution. In late January, 1784 the Council produced its preferred constitutional changes and recessed until June. A dissenting opinion was issued by the minority, objecting to the call for a convention, primarily on the grounds that two-thirds of the Council had not approved it, as required by the Constitution.

By June, it was clear the inhabitants of Pennsylvania overwhelmingly sided with the dissenters. Nearly 18,000 citizens signed remonstrances against a convention while less than 300 petitioned the Council in favor. Additionally, two members of the Council were replaced during the recess and another pair who did not attend the first session were in attendance at the second, allowing a new majority to steer the Council on its proper mission of judging the constitutionality of government action during the previous seven years.

The Council's findings were scathing. It found many instances of the General Assembly and the Executive Council overstepping their bounds. By far, the biggest fault it found with the legislative branch was the hasty passage of legislation. Chapter II, Section 15 of the Constitution mandated that all legislation produced in any given session first be published, with voting delayed until the next session "except on occasions of sudden necessity," ensuring that all acts "may be more maturely considered."

Modern government observers would find many familiar themes among the body of legislation passed in violation of Section 15, including massive pay raises for elected officials, authorization of per-diem payments, increases in ferry fees, government giveaways to widows, children and the poor, appropriations for questionable public projects, dubious uses of private property (including one estate appropriated as a stable - including free oats and hay - for the horses of Representatives and another as a residence for the Chief Justice), and other acts passed to favor the friends of officials.

The Council cited a "striking example of the mischiefs" in a bill which consisted of a mere 26 lines of text during its first two readings, but upon third reading was found to have been altered to include "sundry new paragraphs" establishing the collectorship of the port of Philadelphia. The bill was approved by the General Assembly within two days, yet another violation of Section 15.

The Council concluded its proceedings in late September and authorized a written address to the citizens of the Commonwealth summarizing their findings, including their reasoning for not calling another constitutional convention. They noted that those among the minority who did support a convention did so for reasons which were "highly pernicious, and utterly inconsistent with liberty."

Under the Constitution, the next Council of Censors was due to convene and sit in judgment of government after the general election of 1790. The General Assembly, perhaps in anticipation of another negative report, short-circuited the process by again calling for a constitutional convention in 1789 by a 41-17 vote in March and a 39-17 vote in September.

The dissenting opinion on the first vote noted that such power was not invested in the legislature, but instead belonged solely to the Council of Censors, and warned that "if we begin to tear up foundations, we are persuaded a much more dangerous system will be established in its stead." The second vote's dissentient declared that "this house is not competent to the subject" of calling a convention and that "this measure at once infringes the solemn compact entered into by the people of this state with each other."

Despite those warnings, the General Assembly's convention was hastily convened in November of the same year, eventually producing the Constitution of 1790, which divided the legislature into two separate chambers, established the office of Governor, and - conveniently - abolished the Council of Censors.

In form, the convention turned the Constitution on its head. While the Declaration of Rights existed as Chapter I in 1776, the plan for government took up the first eight Articles of the 1790 version, relegating the rights of the people to Article IX. This was eventually corrected in 1874, but remains as haunting evidence of the true motives of those who occupied the seats of power at the time.

In 1789, the General Assembly usurped the power of the people - via the Council of Censors - to define the structure of government. Today, elected officials continue to mistakenly insist that they and their bi-partisan committees are the best arbiters of how government should be constructed.

At any given time, a good and virtuous system of government cannot be created by those who occupy elected offices at that particular moment. Rather, those officials should prostrate themselves before the citizenry and allow for objective and independent judgment of any prospective form of self-governance.

Russ Diamond. From my photo collection called people & vips.

California here we come. Next week's mission.

Next week we're going to California. I'm going to interview as coach at Oakland Raiders. If my agent can't come to terms with them, then I expect I'll come home and be ready to run for one or all of these positions:

County Executive

County Council Member at Large

County Council Member - district 13

Mayor

Controller

City Council - district 3

For now, I gotta keep the laundry moving.

Thinking about the summit for racism

Here is a blast from the past, April 2001. It was a bit of back and forth with me and Rich Lord, reporter, now with the P-G and then with the City Paper.

Details to Rich LordUploaded on April 12, 2001

Stepping to the Serving Area

City Paper Reporter, Rich Lord sent an email claiming that he is working on an article. Yeah! He noticed that Jim Carmine, my loyal GOP opponent, and I are both actively discussing issues of interest to African-American voters.

Read the rest at the site.

I'm going to change my site in major ways in the weeks to come. Some of this digital dust might get dusted.

Onorato lacking GOP opponent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Onorato lacking GOP opponent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review GOP leaders have spoken to as potential challengers include state Reps. Mike Turzai of Bradford Woods and John Maher of Upper St. Clair, county Councilman Dave Fawcett of Oakmont, former U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods and U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan of Fox Chapel, Glancy said.

Come out swinging. Humm. Come out spending is what they want.

Celebration: Bloggers make big boom!

Loudness. Potential. Witness. Visible.

The dance on the net hit a new groove among MSM.

The pre-game thug and later shrug and specifics neither worry nor please me. But the bigger story is the observation of the big gun. Boom. The net rattled and people heard. The MSM didn't yawn. Blogging became bigger by gosh.

A Silent Cacophony: The 'larger' Army

A Silent Cacophony: The 'larger' Army Here's another interesting dilemma facing the military in terms of reaching its recruitment goals, and this one doesn't have anything to do with the war in Iraq. It's the problem of a literally growing America's ability to muster enough volunteers who 1. Want to join; 2. Meet the minimal physical and mental standards; and 3. Are lean enough.

To All Who Will Listen by Coach Chuck Klausing

Jerry S., a regional business owner who has multi-media tools for coaches, sent along this story from coaching legend Chuck Klausing.

I failed with the greatest football player I ever coached. He played for me in high school and I predicted he would be a great pro player someday. He led us to three undefeated seasons. People told me he reminded them of Jim Brown the great Cleveland back.

No player was more coachable… he believed in me and would always listen. Maybe, because of two incidents that occurred during his high school years when he played for me.

The first was when he was a sophomore linebacker. He collided head to head with a teammate and dislocated his jaw. The joint was up around his ear. No doctor was around so I used my first aid training and relocated it. The pain was terrible, but afterwards, he remarked, “Thanks Coach, I will always listen to you”.

The second incident occurred during training. We would go to pre-season camp and had no place to shower so we bathed in a small river. He wandered out too far and went under. I swam out and brought him to shore. He remarked, “Thanks Coach, you saved my life, I will always listen to you”.

With his success, he played in the Big 33 game and was awarded the Most Valuable Player. In college he was named the most outstanding sophomore in the Big 10.

At 21 years of age, he died of a drug overdose.

I went to his funeral and I prayed at his coffin. His parents told me it was my fault he died. I was stunned, “How could it be my fault” I wondered. They said he would have listened to me. He never smoked tobacco or drank liquor because I told him not to – these were my rules; no tobacco, no alcohol. I never mentioned drugs. Drugs? In the 1940’s and 50’s? I knew nothing about drugs then, but they are certainly with us today.

I am very concerned about the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco by kids. I have 12 grandkids and 3 great grandchildren. I hope to get this message to them.

If you’re a coach, don’t take the players in your charge lightly. A coach is a teacher, a role model, an authority figure and a protector. It’s a powerful role. Please learn from where I failed and respect that power.

More on Chuck Klausing

Chucks Podcast

Supporting video from one of life's sunsets.

Honz Man Spouts about Blogs

Honz is in a rant about blogs on Friday at his show -- noon to 5 pm.

He wants to hear from us. Giggle.

One of Fred's points, the mainstream media has rules. Blogs don't. For the record, I'm a grad of Ohio University, school of journalism. I understand the rules.

My last conversation with Honz ended when he said, "You have some good points. Many agree with you." Click. But trust doesn't mean anything. So if we are going to pick-up the conversation on rules and ethics, Honz has to come clean with me on this little point of 'trust.' I blogged about this and we had a good chuckle because the very next thing out of our radio, after turning up the volume, was "KDKA, news you can trust."

A blog expert is slated to be on the air shortly, I guess. Fred, I'd be glad to have serious conversations with you, any time.

The Pittsburgh Comet and its sick name-calling

The Pittsburgh Comet It's hard to blog about 'Prescription Pennsylvania.' Not even Rauterkus has tried yet, and that guy's a machine.

Machine! I'm not a machine politician. I'm sorta sick of Rendell.

Rendell was so-machine-like when the Gov let this cat out of the bad the day after starting his second term while NOT talking about these efforts for even a dying breath in the campiagn season of 2005.

But, to be honest, I did blog, slightly, about this. And, some views on healthcare are on the wiki. Platform.For-Pgh.org. Senate Bill 1085 was nice.

I'm more about wellness. But I'd love to have more detailed views into what's what.

Thanks for the pointer.

Jon Delano news flash: JD admits: "Truth is, you have to think!"

Delano's serious back-peddling came on the air with KDKA Radio today. He contrasted what he said yesterday on the very same show.

My message to "Dime a Dozen Delano:" Pittsburgh should be so lucky to have political bloggers at dime a dozen rates.

Then he asked this question on the air: The fundamental political question, does it really matter? YES!

There is more out there. Out there is out there.

In the end, Pittsburgh is going to be a better place when we are more caring, loving, open and honest -- and online. We need political bloggers to care and cover issues. Next, we need politicians to get into the game of living in the open. We need debate and dissent. We need opposition. We need a ying and a yang among all yinzers, even elected ones.

Yesterday, Jon Delano said political bloggers are a dime a dozen. To bad this value wasn't the case a decade ago. If bloggers were a dime a dozen then, news crafters would not have been able to sweep this (see example illustration) under the rug.



I'm dancing in the street because this is the week when political bloggers made a hit. We have an impact.

Yesterday I sent an email to Marty Griffin when he was talking with the old County Executive and the long-time Political Eore, James C. Roddey. I'd be happy to share my thoughts on why people will and will not run for public office in Allegheny County -- including Republicans. Dan Onorato is NOT un-touchable. Marty sent a short message about booking me on the show, and I look forward to that early next week.

Today's email to Marty was to ask MacYapper about his triumph with Betty Ford. Not the clinic, the person. Yes, J.D., you still have to think. Some things are just funny. Other things are for real. And the internet is so nice because the things that one thinks is real can be turned into what it is worth in short order. The cycles are quick. The reach is long. The depth of knowledge is way bigger than any one group of cronies.

Truth is, you have to think. And, you have to think with others. And when yo think out in the open -- like on the internet -- then soaring becomes possible. Even probable.

Now if the Pgh MSM (main stream media) would just drink from the well more often -- we'll be much more free and prosperous.

Another fitting bit of digital dust from 2001:

Humm.... I don't think that these are open souce contracts.

No longer just developing software used to let somebody ELSE make the better weapons, CMU has beat out Lockheed-Martin for a contract to actually make six prototype search-and-destroy robots.

MacWorld S.F. feedback. This is sad to have a closed phone.

Revolution Newsletter Walking around the show floor, I was struck with how commercial the show has become. It seemed that outside of Apple, there was little to see that was innovative. There were lots of people selling 'stuff' like cases for ipods. But what was missing for me was the smaller creative software companies showing the exciting new features of their products. And is it surprising? Apple has made it harder to be a part of their experience. Once they invited us in, giving us free space and promotion. Now there is discussion that the iPhone will not be open and thus all the creative people who want to express themselves by creating programs for this device may not be able to do so.

Justine, you might want to have some extended pillow talk with your husband about this.