Ravenstahl site drops photos thanks to bloggers

Nit or NOT? (And I don't mean WVU in the NIT.)

Ravenstahl site drops photos - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's campaign on Wednesday removed at least five photos from its Web site because they look a lot like pictures taken by city employees that appear on the city's official Internet site.

'We're trying to be scrupulous in following the letter of the law,' said Damon Andrews, Ravenstahl's campaign manager.

Well done fellow bloggers. Well done.

Richard Swartz hit by challenge to nomination petitions

Ugh.

PDF of document showing the details.

Shame on Dan Onorato and his cronies.

Screen capture of PDF form include:

From Art from friends

Video tape policy of the Planning Meetings is still not completed

We are still hanging with a Freedom of Speech issue. Heads up to WTAE and others. The video tape policy of the planning commission meetings is still slated to be on the agenda, again.

We've got ghost voting in Harrisburg. We are looking for reform. We need it on Grant Street -- and Ross Street.

Pi Day Statement: We got pucked.

Statement delivered to Pittsburgh City Council on Pi Day, March 14, 2007.

The Penguins / multi-purpose arena deal is behind us. Now it is time to begin to look at the deal, its costs and promises. I've urged others to "think again" throughout this entire ordeal. Frankly, I crave something much better. I think, "We got pucked."

This should not be an US (taxpayers) vs. THEM (elites of governement and sports) face off. Often, life isn't about two sides. I want the third, more creative, best deal -- not one step better than the worst.

The worst thing would have been to offer a ton of subsidization to the Penguins and have them still leave and still build the new arena without a tennant.

Better than the worst is to offer a ton of money to the new arena and have them take it and destroy the Civic Arean in the process.

To grow the region, we've got to expand. Keep the Civic Arena, its pie-like shape and all. Build the new arena elsewhere.

The video above has a different persepctive. What do you think?

Photos and Video of South Side meeting about Bars in Market House with Mayor Ravenstahl

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl spoke at this meeting, held on Feb 28, 2007, just before it concluded. See the mini-slide show in photos.

D-primary challenger, Bill Peduto, did not attend this meeting because he was speaking at another event, a candidate's debate, hosted at the Union Project. It was to be a candidates debate, but the Mayor didn't attend. Other candidates in other races debated, but not Luke.

From planning-urban

At the meeting, Luke said he'd come to the South Side and walk the streets on a weekend night to experience what we see on a regular basis. That got him some applause. He spoke of follow-through too. But, he didn't come to walk the streets in the wee-hours (pun intended). He didn't follow through.

We're still waiting.

Could New Arena Spark Develoment In Hill District

kdka.com - Could New Arena Spark Develoment In Hill District(KDKA) HILL DISTRICT Now that the new arena is going to be built just across the street from the silver-domed Mellon Arena many residents of the Hill District are beginning to wonder if it could spark new development in their neighborhood.

In the �50s, the construction of a new arena had many Hill District residents excited. But that promise never really materialized.

However, now, a new arena is in the Hill District�s future.

"Now that the Penguins are here for the next 30 years we're hoping that we're going to have some good relationships," says Reverend Johnnie Monroe, of Grace Memorial Church, in the Hill District.

The answer to the question is clear to me. In my humble opinion, the new arena will NOT be a boost to the area's development in terms of what is most desired and needed.

Who wants to live next to a NHL hockey venue? Some 50 nights a year, you can't get home after work or go out for a loaf of bread. These nights you'll be sure to have cars wedged everywhere, so having guest is out of the question. Futhermore, the flow of fans, not always quiet and with empty blatters is in your face.

It has been my belief that the Hill District would thrive again after the Pens depart. Homes would come and so would small business. Residents and workers don't appreciate the headaches so they'll not arrive. They vote with their feet.

So, the Hill District is going to stay much like it is. More glitz and debt will come to one tiny section, but that's about all I expect.

Carbolic Smoke Ball: RENDELL CAPITULATES, WILL GIVE PENGUINS NEW ARENA

Carbolic Smoke Ball: RENDELL CAPITULATES, WILL GIVE PENGUINS NEW ARENA

kdka.com - Site Preparations Underway For New Arena

Haste makes waste. They were over reaching for months.

kdka.com - Site Preparations Underway For New Arena The Sports and Exhibition Authority has spent the last several weeks buying up buildings around the site; and preparations are already underway as a contract has been put out to demolish those buildings to make room.

In all, 12 buildings will come down to make room for construction.

Some of the structures coming down to make way for the arena include the old Labor Council District building and the aged St. Francis Central Hospital.

The new arena will be built on a six and a half acre site, which is right across the street from the old Mellon Arena.

Not only do we have the loss of the Civic Arena, but there are a dozen buildings going to vanish as well. Those buildings are being replaced by tax-free properties owned by the public authority. Less taxes are going to be collected as more of the city goes to 'non-profit status.'

The SEA already paid for the asbestos removal of one or more buildings.

Historic Review Commission - PittsburghPlatform

The boss got axed by Luke. Was it votes? No. Hey P.L. of the P-G. He got fired from the role because of the historic Civic Arena.

Historic Review Commission - PittsburghPlatform Media

* Places: Did vote doom commission chairman? - Post-Gazette, March 2007, Michael Eversmeyer, chairman of the city's Historic Review Commission, got a Dear John letter from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl last month."

The new multi-purpose arena deal needs to NUKE the historic civic arena.

Citizens’ Convention Would Address Crisis in Confidence

After 133 years, the Pennsylvania General Assembly should approve an enabling act for a true citizens’ constitutional convention.

In 1872, the citizens of Pennsylvania agreed to convene in a dedicated review of the frame of government. At that constitutional convention, much of the focus was on the abuses of special legislation, disturbing and fraudulent election practices, and the structure of the state’s court system.

The convention lasted just over a year, where these and other issues were hotly debated by statesmen of the day. Although there were court challenges to the proceedings and fractional political groups voicing strong opposition, the press covered the convention faithfully and produced largely favorable editorials.

When Pennsylvanians confronted the new Constitution at a special election, they adopted it by a two to one margin. This was the last time citizens fully participated in such a broad review of government at a convention. Since then, constitutional change has been carried out in piecemeal fashion by the hands of others.

Between 1901 and 1959, 86 constitutional amendments emanated from the legislature. 59 were adopted by the voters. All were minor sectional changes to the document, and as the mood of voters changed from year to year, so did their embrace of amendments.

Running parallel to this incremental and unpredictable path of change were periodic pushes for general revision instigated by various Governors: The Sproul Commission in 1921, a separate pre-depression effort by Gifford Pinchot, the 1935 Earle Advisory Committee and the Woodside Commission in 1959. These efforts all failed to produce any constitutional change whatsoever.

In 1961, an alternative plan was conceived. William Schnader, who led the Earle Committee and was serving as president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, urged the group to get involved. By 1963, 14 committees of the Bar Association produced a comprehensive plan - dubbed Project Constitution - to amend the Constitution in article-sized chunks rather than the small sectional bites taken since 1874.

Governor William Scranton took office in 1962 with constitutional change as a high priority. In 1963 the legislature proposed a convention to the electorate. The Bar Association was prepared to submit its plan to the convention, but the voters refused to authorize one.

Scranton then prompted legislative introduction of several of the Bar Association’s “article by article” amendments. Scranton was term-limited out of office in 1966, but he and successor Raymond Shafer successfully shepherded nine amendments through the legislative and voter adoption processes by mid-1967. At the same time, voters approved a convention to consider the remaining articles and the issue of apportionment.

By the time delegates gathered in Harrisburg, the convention’s preparatory committee, consisting entirely of the Lt. Governor and legislative leaders, had already set the agenda. 69 of the 163 delegates to the convention - including 9 of the 13 preparatory committee members - were lawyers.

The delegates carried out their duties and adjourned just 79 minutes before a mandated deadline. When the convention’s recommendations were approved by the electorate eight weeks later, the citizens’ Constitution of 1874 became history, replaced by something rewritten and rearranged on a wholesale scale by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.

While the 1967 convention was indeed of the “limited” variety, it was only because most of the job had already been completed through the Bar Association’s article-by-article amendment process.

To be sure, constitutional change in Pennsylvania since 1874 hasn’t been all bad, but it has only occurred with the sovereign people sitting in the grandstands, relegated to merely ratifying the notions of others rather than molding government in their own hands.

Whenever a crisis in public confidence occurs, any correction or reform must be aimed squarely at the underlying causes. The crisis of the 1870’s was wholly internal, directly caused by actions and abuses within the institutions of government. During the 1960’s, the causes were largely seen as external to government: stunted population growth, the loss of employable young people, and dismal economic conditions.

Clearly, Pennsylvania’s current crisis of confidence more closely resembles the former than the latter. After 133 years, the General Assembly should approve an enabling act for a true citizens’ constitutional convention.

It must be a convention with a deliberate emphasis on the common interest, rather than self-interest. The process must look forward as well as backward, and it must be focused on the structure and integrity of government rather than partisan issues.

At such a convention, Pennsylvanians would shape a government prepared to take on the challenges of the future, restore the virtues of self-governance and blaze a trail for the rest of the nation to follow. Anything less would simply be unacceptable.
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce, publish and/or distribute this article in its entirety.

About PACleanSweep

PACleanSweep is a non-partisan effort dedicated to returning honor, dignity and integrity to government in Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit www.PACleanSweep.com.

Russ Diamond, Chair, chair@pacleansweep.com, 717.383.3025

AntiRust: This Arena Deal Sucks

One of my favorite blogs. My reactions on the Pens deal comes shortly.

AntiRust: This Arena Deal Sucks This Arena Deal Sucks

I am eating some sour grapes these days. Sour grapes that have been marinating in gasoline and splintered glass.

Statements at City Hall

Pi Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pi Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Pi Day and Pi Approximation Day are two unofficial holidays held to celebrate the mathematical constant π (Pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14.

Live blogging: House fire on 12th Street. Smoke.

About seven trucks and plenty of firefighters rushed to the scene of a housefire on 12th Street after 5 AM as blocks on the South Side Flats filled with smoke. A three floor house was puffing with smoke from the walls and roof edge. One older gentleman, was taken out of the building on a stretcher. Conditions unknown. Property damage is sure to occur. Two houses saw a good deal of damage. Red Cross and Fire investigators came to the scene too.

After firefighters put a five-foot hole into the roof with a chainsaw and opened the windows, flames were visible from the street.

The action is about a dozen buildings from ours and on the other side of the street.

Meanwhile, Erik is headed to Harrisburg today to play violin in the Capital with the Frick Middle School's strings. He reported that water pressure for his shower was just fine, despite the fire hoses stringing the neighborhood.

Erik, with instrument, headed to school. Meanwhile, South 12th Street, between Bradish and Freyburg, was dripping wet from the fire trucks.

Another neighbor, dressed in a sweater and flip-flops and sporting the scent familiar to those after spending a night around a campfire said, "Hope everyone is okay."

Another resident, a gifted scholar hoping to remain nameless said, "This isn't a good start to Pi Day. But we'll get on the right track by 8:30, we expect."

Ben Howland Thinks CBS Manipulates the Brackets | NCAA Football Blog - The FanHouse

Ben Howland Thinks CBS Manipulates the Brackets | NCAA Football Blog - The FanHouse: UCLA coach Ben Howland implied yesterday that he thinks the network does, indeed, manipulate the brackets, and that's why his team's first three games could include the storylines of Howland coaching against his alma mater (Weber State), then against the school where he got his first coaching job (Gonzaga), then against the school he coached before UCLA (Pittsburgh).

Ben, the air is thin when you are at the top of the world. I hope the UCLA players don't have to take a charge, tip-toe near the out of bounds line, or otherwise play a competitive game throughout the tournament.

I'm worried about George Washington vs. Georgetown vs. Washington whatever. Plus, I hated to see the Catholic schools (Notre Dame vs. Georgetown) against one another in the Big East semis. And why didn't our former Bishop get interviewed by the local Mainstream Media?

Ballot Challenges are IN. Let the torture begin in earnest

From texture - misc.

I went down to Michael Lamb's neck of the city-county building today to peek around. But, I didn't stay to 5 pm. A poster at the admiral's blog had a mention too. (GD #s are General Docket Numbers, to aid in looking up the cases. When no comment is provided it is because I didn't see the paperwork. It might come live in a day or so.)

County Council #13 Vernon Boozer by Matt Arena (GD-07-005123)
County Council #13 Brenda Frazier by Matt Arena (GD-07-005120)

City Council #9 Rachel Cooper by 12th and 13th Ward Committee people
(GD-07-005171) The objection is from Kirkland, not committee people. Kirland is in the race and stands to gain the most, perhaps.

City Council #7 Tom Fallon by Michelle Bielen et al
(GD-07-005122) and (GD-07-005152) Tom said on his ethics form he was "unemployed," but had worked in the past year in the office of PA Senator Jim Ferlo, so goes the document.

City Council #7 Patrick Dowd by Anthon Liscowsky
(GD-07-005056) Mr. Dowd filed his statement but put 'see attached' and didn't seem to attach anything with the City Clerk, so the charges read. And, he signed 2006, not 2007.

Play one in the playbook from the Ds is toss the opponent off the ballot. There is not much worse than an un-democratic democrat.

Ugh.

Should Patrick, Tom, Rachel or others want to still run for office, call me. Perhaps it would make sense to enter the November general election race as a Libertarian. I'll help you get onto the ballot.

Early Returns - sloppy again

I'm here to make history, not be a slave of it.

Early Returns - A Post-Gazette Journal Campaign contribution

Kevin Acklin could wind up with a county salary of $9,000 next year. The Point Breeze lawyer is running against Charles McCullough of Upper St. Clair for the GOP nomination for an at-large seat on county council next year. Under the county charter, the two at-large seats can't both be held by the same party. Unless some robust independent candidate emerges in the fall, therefore, the Democratic and Republican primaries determine those seats.

Count on a robust independent candidate in the fall. And, I've emerged already.

Furthermore, the last time I checked, there were three GOPers running for the post, not two. Humm...

Early Returns: Doctor Ron Paul is a member of the US House of Reps

The P-G's early returns is covering Ron Paul. That is "DOCTOR" Paul. He is a M.D.

Furthermore, the guy from Green Tree, now in Texas in the Houston area, is a member of the US House, and has been for some time. The blog mention does not even mention that he is in the US CONGRESS.

Furthermore, he isn't the favorte son II. He's been #1 in my book from the get-go.

Early Returns - A Post-Gazette Journal Favorite son II

Pittsburghers still mourning the loss of native son Tom Vilsack's presidential candidacy have a new home town boy to pin their hopes on, presuming their political preferences are dictated more by geography than ideology.

Rep. Ron Paul, a Texas Republican who, like the former Iowa governor, is a Steel City native, announced this weekend that he is forming an exploratory committee in anticipation of his candidacy for the GOP nomination for president. In 1988, Mr. Paul ran for president as a Libertarian earning little notice and few votes. Mr. Paul is one of only six Republican who voted against authorizing the war in Iraq. In addition to opposing the war, he is an immigration hawk and strong critic of President Bush's immigration proposals. You can catch an interview on his web site.

Candidate get lots of mention in the newspaper before they file official papers to get onto the ballot. There is a lot of talk now about 2008. That's fine. But, it would be nice if folks get a peek at ALL THE CANDIDATES locally in 2007 too.

Libertarian Party says Governor’s budget more of same

Rendell’s budget: higher taxes, more spending, bigger bureaucracies

Harrisburg, PA – The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Research Committee today released its review of Governor Rendell’s proposed 2007 budget.

The review is highly critical of Rendell’s plans to increase spending, raise a number of taxes and extend Harrisburg’s meddling even further into the marketplace and into individual lives.

Ron Satz, Ph.D., the research chair of the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, remarked that, “The governor’s budget proposal accelerates us in the wrong direction. While history shows that small government, low taxes and free enterprise are necessary for prosperity, this budget only gives us higher taxes and more spending on new and expanded Harrisburg government programs.”

Rendell’s budget would increase total state general-fund spending by 3.6% to $27.3 billion. Rendell’s increased spending will be funded by:

* A higher PA sales tax
* A new electricity consumption tax
* A new tax on oil producers and suppliers
* Higher cigarette taxes and new taxes on other forms of tobacco
* A new payroll tax on employers who do not provide employee health care benefits
* Increased municipal solid-waste disposal fees
* Higher taxpayer debt obligations via more state bonds.

Rendell plans to use this money to expand the state government’s involvement in pre-K and primary education as well as health care. Parents, students and health care consumers will pay more yet lose control of these most personal aspects of their private lives.

"This is a bad budget for Pennsylvanians," concluded Satz. "Governor Rendell continues to adopt the failed big-government approach of trying to 'run' Pennsylvania from the top down. The key to reviving Pennsylvania is for Harrisburg to stand aside to let individuals keep more of their money, and let Pennsylvanians’ personal situations and choices target real needs."

The report, which consists of a summary of 18 critical concerns regarding the proposed budget, along with the LPPa's comments and alternatives, is available at the end of this release.

Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in both Pennsylvania and the United States. Nationwide there are over 200,000 registered Libertarians with organizations in all 50 states. Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices throughout the nation. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.

Pennsylvania Libertarian Party Review of Governor Rendell's Budget Proposals

1. Governor: Increase total state general-fund spending by 3.6% to $27.3 billion.

LPPa: Begin reducing total state general funding spending to ultimately provide for the police, courts, part-time legislature, and one executive department to protect life, liberty, and property. Nothing else.

2. Governor: Increase the state sales tax from 6% to 7% to help provide property tax cuts, along with gambling revenues, of $900 million next year.

LPPa: Eliminate all income taxes and begin reducing the sales tax. Property taxes should be based on the actual cost of protecting buildings and land, not for raising money for schools. Schools should be paid for and controlled at the local level by their users.

3. Governor: Impose a new electricity consumption tax to pay off $850 million in borrowing for alternative power development and energy conservation.

LPPa: Eliminate or reduce regulations on power companies so that they will make private investments to improve energy efficiency based on engineering calculations and not Harrisburg's political calculations.

4. Governor: Increase municipal solid-waste disposal fees by $2.75 per ton for hazardous-waste cleanup.

LPPa: Privatize solid-waste disposal operations and let strict
enforcement of property rights laws address any environmental concerns.

5. Governor: Impose a new tax on oil companies' gross profits and exempt those companies from the state's corporate net income tax.

LPPa: Eliminate all income taxes to promote development. Don't single out an industry, or a single corporation within an industry, with special favors or with special penalties.

6. Governor: Increase the cigarette tax from $1.35 to $1.45 per pack, levy a new tax on other forms of tobacco and impose a new 3% payroll tax on employers who do not provide employee health care benefits.

LPPa: Stop levying special taxes on products the government doesn't like. As all state taxes are reduced on all business and individual, let the free market address health care needs.

7. Governor: Boost overall education spending by 6%.

LPPa: Reduce state-level spending on education and give local school districts more financial and educational control of the schooling of their children including the elimination of financial penalties against private education providers.

8. Governor: Expand accountability block grants for pre-K and kindergarten by $100 million.

LPPa: Let parents decide on pre-K and kindergarten programs for their children instead of mandating a "one-size fits all children" state-government program.

9. Governor: Expand programs for special education students, improve elementary science education, make academic programs in 30 high schools more rigorous and provide laptops.

LPPa: See 7 and 8. Remove barriers to having future job providers get involved with educational providers in the education of young people at no charge to taxpayers.

10. Governor: Ban smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and bars.

LPPa: Let private workplaces, restaurants, and bars decide for
themselves whether to have smoke-free areas or not.

11. Governor: Expand by more than 18% an early intervention program for 76,000 children age 5 and younger.

LPPa: No evidence exists for the benefits of such a program. Stop
wasting taxpayer money for the sake of expanding state government!

12. Governor: Increase Corrections Department spending by 13% to handle growth in the state prison population by adding beds and to reduce recidivism by treating substance abuse and better monitoring inmates after they are released.

LPPa: The governor has the constitutional authority to release
through pardon non-violent drug offenders. This eliminates the need for additional spending and replaces expensive incarceration with lower-cost outpatient medical treatment.

13. Governor: Make possession of a stolen gun a felony, require police notification whenever a gun is lost or stolen, let local communities restrict the distribution and use of handguns, and limit gun purchases to one per month.

LPPa: "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of
themselves and the State shall not be questioned." Article I, Section 21, PA Constitution.

14. Governor: Establish the "Energy Independence Fund" to pay for such items as conservation initiatives, solar energy, research, research, support for emerging clean-energy products and companies, and purchase of low-power appliances.

LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Don't let politicians play scientist or engineer.

15. Governor: Seek legislative and voter approval for $850 million in bonds to encourage alternative energy development and energy conservation.

LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Dont let politicians play scientist or engineer.

16. Governor: Create a $500 million Jonas Salk Legacy Fund to foster biomedical research funded by tobacco settlement revenue.

LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Don't let politicians play doctor or medical researcher. Tobacco settlement money should only go to those affected by tobacco company fraud, if any. Otherwise the money should be distributed to the all taxpaying citizens of Pennsylvania as hard tax reductions.

17. Governor: Lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to a private company to raise $965 million for roads and bridges.

LPPa: Sell the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the highest bidder; let them handle the maintenance.

18. Governor: Tax oil companies' gross profits to raise $750 million for mass transit.

LPPa: See 3 and 5 above. Privatize mass transit and don't subsidize it with tax revenues from private industries, especially industries who would be subsidizing their own competition.

Doing back flips for the YouTube campaigns. Give us a break.

Bob Mayo of WTAE and others are make a big deal about the YouTube campaigns. Anyone up for a food fight? Shall I set the table?

From hex

From signs

From signs

From signs

These numbers of page views are not going to set the world on fire. They might be a spark. Time will tell. The important element in these videos is trust. To see, watch, hear and catalog the perspectives can't be denied. That is where the power resides. Meanwhile video ads from faceless, nameless, image trashing sources amount to pimples on the digital landscape and our shared political spaces.

Finally, the coverage from the MSM to the trite and the fumbles to the matters of substance is fuel for the fire -- even the sparks. Seems that the MSM would like to give props to empty shoes. That's just another example of Pittsburgh needs oversight.

The links to my video sites, and the photo catalogs at Picassa, are to the left of this blog. I have toyed with this medium and various messages. There isn't any one 'masterpiece.' The best offering of mine has been the CDs that are given in person to those who attend candidate functions.

Recent highly viewed video: Rauterkus.Blip.TV video called, "Democracy is Important to Me" from city council presentation.