They are trying to tell us what to think. Gallop Polling Sucks

Ken wrote, in part:

Pajamas Media has decided to rig their own poll. Despite the fact that Ron Paul has come in first for the last several weeks (43.3% last week, with #2 getting only 20.1%), they have changed their policy to say, "From this point on, our weekly poll will be updated to those national candidates of both parties that score at least one percent on the previous month's Gallup Poll." Of course Gallop has not been including Ron Paul in their poll. Ergo, no Ron Paul.

This is the exact same dirty trick that was used against me in 2002 when
I ran for Pennsylvania governor. It's deja vu all over yet again.

Ken was a candidate for PA Governor in 2002. He didn't post that Gallop Polling sucks. That is my opinion.

Assessment appeals delayed while home improvement records sorted out

On hold. No, this is a FUMBLE. This is a botched play.

Assessment appeals delayed while home improvement records sorted out Assessment appeals delayed while home improvement records sorted out

Onorato's plan is a lame, silly, goofy plan. It isn't honest. It isn't even modern.

Creative Commons UK : Mix and Mash Film Contest

Creative Commons UK : Mix and Mash Film Contest The Mix and Mash Film Contest invites you to create and remix Creative Commons and Public Domain digital content into a short video. All entries will be judged by a panel of experts and the best films will be screened at the National Film Theatre and featured on Google Video UK.

Mayor appoints development head - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Where is the RFP for the still closed, lone indoor ice rink in the city?

The city planning director has had a hand in not ever getting this out to the public.

Mayor appoints development head - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl named City Planning Director Pat Ford to a newly created position in the Mayor's Office that will oversee economic and community development.

Happy New Year

The Year of the Pig is here.

My boys each picked up a $1 as a gift from a gift shop cashier yesterday. They were greeted as they walked into a small hotel lobby gift store with an expression from the women who seemed to be from China who said, "Happy new year." Erik and Grant replied back to her, the same expression, but in Chinees.

Zodiac plate for sale in an art-market in China. I can't even begin to express what is being communicated with the signs and characters. (Click image to see a larger view.)

$2M tag for Garden Theatre a 'bargain' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Bargain Fart. Garden Tart. Whatever. We got screwed and Zober expects us to send him roses.

$2M tag for Garden Theatre a 'bargain' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Nearly $2 million later, the city of Pittsburgh is soon to be the proud owner of a smelly old porn palace.

Water-damaged black ceilings, peeling red plaster walls and musty carpeting notwithstanding, city redevelopment leaders say the $1.1 million price tag to buy the X-rated Garden Theatre in the central North Side -- coupled with more than $700,000 for a decade of legal fees -- is money well spent.

'We got a deal, considering what our expected costs would (have been), even in the face of a victory at the (U.S.) Supreme Court level,' said Yarone Zober, chairman of the board of directors of the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

Yes. The legal climate in our city, our state and our nation has made a big shift in terms of eminent domain.

If I'm elected, I'm going to work in tireless ways against any and all efforts of eminent domain. Eminent domain stinks. It should never be used in this region. Property rights need to be respected.

Plenty of empty land and spaces exist to do the projects that need to be done without going to court. Eminent domain isn't necessary.

This city is very creative. The payment for court costs for eminent domain cases is now going to flow out of TIF windfalls. They over reach. They complicate. They do what should not be done. They spend today and borrow against the future. They work for the benefit of the special interest friends and against the taxpayers.

The Garden was taken so developers can profit from the spaces. They (city administrations) rob from Peter and give to Paul. (The 'Peter pun' was intended.) This is a clear case where eminent domain was leveraged by the government for the benefit of a private individual. The ownership of this space is being taken and the government is NOT going to build a highway, not building a school, not building a public building. There is no urgency for government ownership of that property. This building is not going to be a government owned facility. We paid for it but it is going to be given away to another to make the profits.

Stubborn barrier. Jeepers, "just say no." I'll be a stubborn barrier to all efforts at eminent domain.

Are any would-be purchasers in this deal named "John?"

The once-elegant Victorian-era commercial buildings have been boarded up for decades thanks to those who over-reach, like Tom Murphy and others in city government like him.

If theaters are so important for redevelopment, how come nobody cares about the space in the North Side's Carnegie Library?

From planning-urban

From planning-urban

They want, (get this quote), "bustle and action" -- and had the Garden Theater. They had action, hustle, bustle and muscle yet didn't realize it.

Honz Man, a Salvation Army guy, KDKA-radio big-government conservative, has been calling for a new tax on porn. Perhaps in a few months he'll be calling the loss of the Garden a loss of a new income source. They want to tax to hit 50-percent, greater than the cost of the parking tax, now at just 45-percent. They do it in Utah.

The city has taken the property by eminent domain and the city does not even have another use for the building. The city aims to keep the building as it is, as a theater. No wet labs are being built. No bio-tech incubators are on the horizon. Nope. We'll get productions like V* Monologues or something with Sienna Miller.

Also see: Pgh Dish blog.

Way to go Wilburn. A PA Award

My friend, Wilburn Hayden, Ph.D., the director of policy and research for my campaign(s) for public office, has been chosen to receive the Social Worker of the Year Award for Pennsylvania by PA-NASW (National Association Of Social Workers, Pennsylvania Chapter).

From people & vips

Way to go! The news of the award came as a delightful suprise. It will be presented to him on March 3, 2007, in Harrisburg.

Wilburn and his family is on the verge of moving back to Canada where he'll be in a new role and lead an academic department at York University.

He, his wife, and son, are going to be missed in many ways.

Ex-aide for Michael Diven, an ex-State Rep and ex-member of Council and ex-Dem, gets probation

Ex-Diven aide gets probation - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Ex-Diven aide gets probation

I don't see the word "guilty" in this news coveage.

Furthermore, I don't see the other bit of background info that should be present. Debora Lynn Romaniello is the wife of an elected Pgh Public School Board Member, Mr. Romaniello, D.

Was this a plea? The judge granted.

I'm still not sure who did the deed? Did a volunteer sign the names and she just had the bad luck of being the one to take them to the notary? Did she sign the bad names?

This entire dead person on a petition ordeal has a chilling effect for folks getting onto the ballot. Meanwhile, election fraud happens and is serious. However, it seldom comes with punishments and real investigations.

I'll email Bobby Kerlik and ask what's up -- really.

Details.

Home

Travels for the memorial service of my father-in-law in Boston kept us busy and off-line since Friday.

Next up, sadly, the funeral for my uncle, my mom's brother.

Did I miss anything?

More on our trip later.

Think Again

Pondering questions

Is the Steelers' ex-coach Bill C. still going to be able to spend more time with his family?

KDKA TV (CW, whatever) at 10 pm ripped the coach as being hostile to the media and now he'll be part of the media. The segment was short but a big dig. And, he'll be working with CBS too.

The PA Turnpike free ride for today is stupid. Ed Rendell is going to pick up the tab! Oh my gosh. It goes to 8 pm tonight then they'll re-examine the policy. What's really up with that?

Did the hole in the convention center floor impact the pending talks with the Penguins? I think so.

Penguins and politicians now haggle

Before it got drafty at the Convention Center, arena talk was to sweeten. Now it is haggle.

Penguins, officials haggle over arena cost - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Penguins, officials haggle over arena cost

None of the remaining issues are insurmountable, as the loading dock at the convention center being unmountable.

Libertarians calls on Democrats and House Republicans to stop bonus dole

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania issued a press releases.

State Senate Republicans end bonus payouts

Harrisburg, PA – Responding to growing criticism, Pennsylvania State Senate Republicans recently ended their practice of handing out special bonus payouts to their staff.

Over the past two years, the legislature has handed out more than $3 million in payouts, including $2.3 million by state Democrats. Individual amounts ranged from less than a hundred dollars to more than $40,000.

Mik Robertson, LPPA Chair, said, "the Libertarian Party endorses the fiscal constraint shown by State Senate Republicans. I urge the Democrats and House Republicans to demonstrate the same fiscal responsibility."

James Babb, Libertarian candidate for State Representative in 2006, took a different perspective. "This should be another wake up call for Pennsylvania voters. As if the pay-raise scandal never happened, the arrogant incumbents continue to find ways to reach into the taxpayer cookie jar. Electing Libertarians to the Pennsylvania legislature is essential if we are to restore fiscal restraints in Harrisburg."

Tom Andrews, spokesman for House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese indicated that the bonuses were an internal personnel matter.

Freshman Senator John Eichelberger of Blair County disagrees and is asking the attorney general "to investigate any possibility of political payback with taxpayer funds for a select group of individuals typically involved in campaign work."

Gene Stilp, leader of a citizen’ group called Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, has gone further, filing a lawsuit in Commonwealth Court calling for full disclosure of the names of the people who received bonuses, whether the bonuses were given for campaign work rather than legislative work, and what the source of the money was.

Robertson summarized "By ending the bonus payouts, Senate Republicans have sent a positive message about the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest and cutting government spending. This is an important issue for Pennsylvanians. All members of the General Assembly should show they endorse this action by providing full disclosure on past bonuses while ceasing undisclosed payout of public funds."

Dixville Notch's victor in 1992's Presidential Election

From: http://www.realcampaignreform.org/willis_test.html

In 1992, Libertarian Party candidate for president, Andre Marrou, defeated all of his Democratic and Republican rivals in the Dixville Notch voting that kicks off the New Hampshire primary Election Day.

This victory was the lead news item all across the nation the following morning, but when voters called into TV networks wanting to learn more about Andre Marrou and the Libertarian Party they were repeatedly told that it would be a waste of time to do any additional reporting about Marrou and the LP. The networks argued that the Dixville Notch vote was clearly a fluke. NBC even said this on the air in response to one voter who called in, asking for more coverage of Marrou. Our campaign staff pointed out to the networks that Dixville Notch, because of its small population, had represented a rare opportunity for Libertarians to have their views heard by voters to the same extent as the Democrats and Republicans. Therefore, the Dixville Notch result was indicative of how other voters might respond to LP candidates if the media were to inform the public of who the Libertarians are and what they believe. The established corporate news media rejected this reasonable argument out-of-hand and provided no additional coverage at all.

Libertarian Party of Allegheny County features site and video pointer.

Libertarian Party of Pittsburgh - We’re Government… And You’re Not.

The Local Libertarian Party has had a site upgrade and a new video from YouTube graces its front page. It is well worth the time. This is a citizens guide for America today.

City seeking displaced high-rise residents -- finally - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper

Often, people vote with their feet. Does the city just think that the people are going to get kicked out and then hang out?

Pittsburgh - City seeking displaced high-rise residents -- finally - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper More than three years ago, to make room for new development, the city's Urban Redevelopment Authority displaced nearly 300 families from the low-income high-rises in East Liberty. Today, new housing is going up in the neighborhood, but city housing officials are wondering where the people are.

Former residents have first claim on the rent-subsidized units in the new housing complexes. They filled up the more than 30 units in Penn Manor, which opened in January at North St. Clair Street and Penn Avenue. But officials have lost contact with many of the displaced families -- about 150 by URA estimate. As more than 100 new housing units become available at the former high-rise sites by this fall, officials are anxious to hear from those who wish to return.

The URA wants to do outreach, but people don't know about LERTA. When the URA does outreach to the people, duck. History says, URA outreach is more often a smack down.

Too little, too late.

It is no wonder that the police have a hard time getting witnesses to come forward when crimes occur.

Education expert talking about giving intensive, relentless instruction

Humm.

Expert swims against trend of special ed students in mainstream classes Although more schools are enrolling children who have disabilities in regular classrooms, an expert in special education made the radical suggestion yesterday that they be 'separated from the general school population and given intensive, relentless instruction.'

It is a sad, sad day when it becomes radical to provide students with intensive, relentless instruction.

This is why I'm a swim coach and not cut out to be a classroom teacher in today's setting. I'm too radical. I expect intensive and relentless instruction. And, it should be for the special education kids and the average kids and the gifted kids and -- all kids. Sure, the lessons are not always the same. But, the expectation of being pushed, pulled and challenged with instruction should be universal.

Mark Roosevelt, the Pgh Public Schools Superintendent, says that he wants to put discipline into the schools -- next year. We'll be radical and begin to talk about discipline in eight months. Eight months.

These statements present additional justifications for great and inspiring after school programming for the kids. It needs to happen after school because the schools have given up the struggle for excellence within the school day. So, a longer school day that is filled with soft structure and casual instruction on hit-or-miss basis is much more like child care than schooling.

Pittsburgh's Rec Centers are running on empty. Even when they operated with decent staffing levels, the coaching and relentless building of community and character based upon technical instruction in sport that transfers to life was not a universal priority.

Sharyn Denhan of Harrisburg is an executive board member of LDA and parent of a son with a learning disability. Her son was taught in regular public school classrooms, but benefited from support services. Now 29, he has a degree in civil engineering from Drexel University.

Everyone benefits from support services.

"My son is basically a success story and I'm very proud of his accomplishment," Ms. Denhan said.

"The problem with learning disabilities is it's this huge broad spectrum. It's not one size fits all. It's a very hard issue to deal with and very unique to the child."

This is a moment and lifetime of PRIDE. That sounds like a good title for a movie, but that is for another thread. Kids present a meaningful opportunity to build pride.

If we want to put pride in our community again, I think that the best way to do that is with our kids. Our children are the keys.

Schools are a part of that formula, but only a part. Parks and programming matter too. As does parenting. Mentoring, instructing, teaching, and even modeling all matter greatly.

I hate it when the leaders (Roosevelt and Luke Ravenstahl) sit on stage and tell our kids and families that they should come to Pittsburgh Public Schools and get a college scholarship when they graduate from 12th grade if they keep their nose clean -- but only have $10,000 in the bank.

That's modeling that doesn't work.

Show us relentless on that promise.

Ten-thousand dollars might get everyone a back pack, calling card and a ticket home if they flunk out in their first semester. That's about it.

One size does fit all. In our public life it is liberty and freedom. That fits. In educational settings, the size that fits all might well be relentless, intensive instruction.

It will be a happy day when those concepts are not so radical.

disinter: Pennsylvania Libertarian to run

Rather say, to STAND for office vs. to RUN. But, perhaps that comes with the next breath and conversation.

disinter Pennsylvania Libertarian to run for six offices…simultaneously
February 15th, 2007

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

A 47-year-old swimming coach, he said he will run as a Libertarian for Allegheny County chief executive, county councilman at-large, county councilman for District 13, mayor, city controller and city councilman for District 3.

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Ink in the P-G.

Signal Item - News

Signal Item - News Rendell at library far from certainty

Education Crusader: Objections to PA Secretary of Education

Education Crusader: Letter to Dr. Zahorchak, PA Secretary of Education As is widely known, it is impossible for a charter school and a charter applicant, such as the Education InnovationsLAB Charter School, to be treated fairly by the Pgh Public School District.

By the way, at least a two-hour delay for Thursday.