Life saving tip for Marty Griffin

Weather drama is hitting the airwaves.

Marty G on KDKA-Radio had some fun with the hype.

From family - travels

Councilman Peduto wants ethics board activated - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Exactly.

Councilman Peduto wants ethics board activated - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Former Mayor Sophie Masloff created the board in the early 1990s.

This board never met for the duration of Bill Peduto's entire career on Grant Street. Now we have two meetings next week because there is a campaign.

We should cut the length of term of each elected office in half as long as there are overlords running the city. The term of the Mayor's office, and the term of the city council members, as well as controller, should be two years, not four, as long as the I.C.A. and Act 47 team is in town.

Port Authority urged to move to less-expensive office space

Jack opens up a new front in the war against PAT.

Port Authority urged to move to less-expensive office space The Port Authority could save money by moving out of rented office space in the Heinz 57 Center, Downtown, and going back to its partly vacant former administration building in Manchester, state Auditor General Jack Wagner said.

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

Jon Delano opened a blog. But it wasn't too long ago, see link below, when Jon said Pittsburgh political bloggers were a dime a dozen.

Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: Jon Delano news flash: JD admits: "Truth is, you have to think!" My message to 'Dime a Dozen Delano:' Pittsburgh should be so lucky to have political bloggers at dime a dozen rates.

If we are a dime a dozen, and he has one blog posting, what does that make him?

Jon, what became of the PSF e-mail newsletters and talkshoe conversations?

WQED Multimedia offers turn back the clock specials

WQED Multimedia The WQED Multimedia Board of Directors is a volunteer group of people from the community who set the mission and strategic direction of WQED.

Due to demand and budget constraints, WQED's board meetings in 2007 will be re-runs of past meetings of the 2005 and 2006 season.

With luck, James C. Roddey and Elsie Hillman will narrate in sweeps week.

Still scratching my head on the decision of our neighbor to the west: Don't ax Ohio's men swimming!

Ohio State got blitzed in footballs big bowl game in January 2007. The OSU band got creative with its on-field message, so goes the joke.



I'm still feeling the same with the news that the other Ohio University, my O.U. Bobcats. The bad news: Ohio University's President wants to drop men's swimming. "Oh shit!"

Now I know I'm not to lash out. So, I won't. But I really want to.

Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city

The slots parlor didn't fit into the fabric of the lower Hill District, so says the Gaming Board.

Furthermore, I'd say that the new arena does NOT fit into the fabric of the Hill District either.

The existing civic arena should stay where it is for more modest events that don't require corporate box seats. More development can enclose around the civic arena, and that facility can be used for other activities around the clock on a daily basis.

A new venue should be built, with private money, within Allegheny County, such as at the old airport site. The Penguins should be able to build with seat licenses, corporate boxes, and 500 acres of development rights on property that isn't as confined as is in the Hill District.

Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city: "'The board finds that PITG's facility design was, in the board's opinion, better than IOC's facility, that PITG's North Shore location boasts great potential for the rebirth of development and economic stimulus in that area and that PITG's ability to manage traffic was better than that of Station Square Gaming,' the opinion said."

2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye!

Within the comments of another blog comes some props and some hits. I give my reply there. But, I might as well re-post it here too.

2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye! 3. Mark R., sometimes you bring up good points, but ...

See the comments for the rest, or go to that blog.

Happy Groundhog Day

I don't think a groundhog is going to predict the arrival of spring, given the weather forcasting for the days ahead, unless he looks like this.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker"

I didn't do it.

But, I blogged elsewhere that it would happen. Jim, if you had only asked me what to do yesterday when I was in council chambers. You should have put up a 'gone fishing' sign.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker": "The political laugh-track that is Pittsburgh City Councilmember Jim Motznik seems to be stuck on a continuous loop. According to a report on WTAE, Mr. Motznik is now saying that the resurrected archive version of his now-defunct blog, 'Jim Motznik Strikes Speaks Out', has been put in place by an unknown 1337 h4x0r (elite hacker)

Peduto calls for ethics meeting: Good News vs. Bad News

Humm. Here is another weird twist.

Peduto calls for ethics meeting - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review City Councilman Bill Peduto today called on members of Pittsburgh’s long-dormant Ethics Hearing Board to meet next week for the first time since it was created in July.

Great to have some talk of the ethics hearing board.

However, this board was not formed in July 2006. Hardly. The ethics hearing board was around for a long, long time. It was born more than 10 years ago -- if not longer. Historians, how long ago did that come into being?

For years, while Bill Peduto was on city council, there were no members appointed to the ethics hearing board, including the slots that should have been forthcoming from City Council.

Same too with the Citizens Police Review Board. For months and months, that organization was made nearly worthless as there was a shortage of members. The board couldn't even meet -- as there were not enough members to fill the seats and have a meeting.

Some of the members were known to occupy a seat yet refused to go to its meetings.

Crippled by design by the democrats.

Now there is an election and Bill Peduto wants to put on his reformer mask and call for action, action, action. We need action. But genuine action would have been years ago. And, it would have been relentless.

Hat tip to the City's Republicans for keeping this board alive in the minds of some. Hat tip to the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, for putting his effort, finally, into getting the board into a re-birthing phase.

We don't need more stinking boards and authorities. We've got too many of them already. We don't need Propel Pittsburgh. Well, we should not start up another board or task force or authority until we take away an dysfunctional board.

More: Platform.For-Pgh.org

National Fatherhood Initiative - National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative

National Fatherhood Initiative ::: National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative National Responsible Fatherhood
Capacity-Building Initiative
Request for Proposals – Deadline: March 6, 2007

CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity

CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity Talk about striking a blow - a low blow.

Getting more involed in schools -- call to committees

Parents,
An open opportunity exists to engage more parents by participating on one of the committees listed below. If you are interested, please indicate which committee you are interested in working on and send me an e-mail with your name, address, telephone and e-mail by Friday February 2, 2007.

More information regarding dates and times of these meetings will be provided to those who sign-up.

Remember, your thoughts, ideas and suggestions should represent all children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Donna

---

* Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate(IB) / Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS)
** Examine data on student participation in existing programs; make policy recommendations to expand or improve

* Career and Technical Education (CTE)
** Examine quality of current CTE programs; make recommendations to expand or improve career readiness programs

** Magnet Programs
** Examine success of existing Magnet Programs; make recommendations on other types to be offered

* Middle and Early College
** Examine data on current dual enrollment program; determine potential for expanding partnerships with local colleges and universities; make recommendations on a district-wide program

* Policy
** Work with current high school principals to determine priority areas for streamlining district policies across all high schools; make recommendations

* Alternative Education
** Examine statistics for truancy and drop-out populations; make recommendations on how to expand and improve alternative education

* Student Services
** Review existing counselor, social worker, and developmental advisor roles and responsibilities; make recommendations for changes that effectively service students; review current SAP offerings; provide strategies to personalize attention to all students and families; align community partnerships with needs of schools

* Grade Promotion and High School Readiness
** Examine data on current feeder patterns; make recommendations on how to increase enrollment in middle grades, improve consistency across 6-12 curriculum; look at transition from middle to high school.

* 9th grade Civics Course
** Create a new 9th grade Civics Course with Kaplan; examine ways to introduce Pittsburgh’s cultural arena through partnerships.

Donna Vlassich, Assistant Director of Public Engagement, Pittsburgh Public Schools
341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Room 207, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-622-3619 - 412-622-3624 (fax) - dvlassich1@pghboe.net

Connecting the dots

Jim Motznik trivia: Did you know he collects political buttons?

Back at ya.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh Raising A Glass to My Fellow Bloggers

Reach Arena Deal By Friday

Humm.... Out in the open talks. Can you say LEAK?

kdka.com - Officials Hope To Reach Arena Deal By Friday One source says there's been major discussion over just who will pay a $10 million debt the Pens owe to their former gaming partner Isle of Capri.

The state, county and city have refused to foot the bill, but the same source says the city and county may buy the central medical building from the Pens to partially off-set that cost.

Who is going to pay for the tearing down of the civic arena, another $7-million cost?

Who is paying for the remediation of the building of its toxic building materials now?



Kissing butt, a time honored tradition.

PG Chat - Should laws prevent spanking by parents of children

Noon kick off on Thursday.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Chat Thursday, February 01, 2007
Should laws prevent spanking children?

www.myspace.com/chrischandlerorg

www.myspace.com/chrischandlerorg: Chris Chandler's song, Letters, (<5 minutes). Dear Mom & Dad, ... I'm being sent around the world to ... in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The first letter is from Alex. The second letter is about Alex. Tune and story told by a Great American Storyteller.

Public comments before Pgh City Council

Introduction of a new CD, "How to Run." Welcome to Jim Motznik for starting a web page. I feel Luke Ravenstahl, Bill Peduto and Jim Motznik, since Bill said so, are all like peas in a pod. End statement with wonders about video cameras at City Planning Meeting about the Bar Bill.

Hear the audio at Rauterkus.blip.tv.

UPDATE: Jim Motznik's blog had its plug pulled.

From Picassa

UPDATE 2: Someone, hours later, re-opened the dead Motznik blog.

CHURN: Prudent people don't sanction such wasteful spending -- before deals are signed

Haste makes waste.

It makes little sense to knock down 11 buildings for a new arena before a deal is signed. Good stewardship does not look like this.

Arena deal or no deal? Clock is running - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority after Feb. 8 could begin demolishing 11 properties it purchased between Centre and Fifth avenues to prepare for a new arena.