Pittsburgh leaders set for China trip - Last Call

Last call: If you want to blog with me while Dan Onorato and others are in China -- let me know. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to blog on a DAILY basis about the trip, Pittsburgh's connection to China, all of our Chinese Restaurants, what it means to really REDD Up, and more.

Pittsburgh leaders set for China trip - Pittsburgh Business Times: Pittsburgh community leaders and company representatives are traveling to China on Friday for an eight-day mission aimed at building business relationships with the country, they announced at a news conference Tuesday.

Among those making the trip are Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and Allegheny Conference on Community Development CEO Mike Langley.

We've got a blog dedicated to this activity, Allegheny.blogspot.com, so you don't need to feel as if you got hooked into blogging at this Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates Blog. There, we can talk like Emperors, with or without clothing.

Public statement from today to city council - 4-11-07

White House seeks "czar" to oversee wars: report - Yahoo! News

White House seeks "czar" to oversee wars: report - Yahoo! News: 'The very fundamental issue is, they don't know where the hell they're going,' Sheehan told the Post.

Sheehan said he believes that Vice President
Dick Cheney and his hawkish allies remain more powerful within the administration than pragmatists looking for a way out of Iraq, the Post reported.

'So rather than go over there, develop an ulcer and eventually leave, I said, 'No, thanks,' ' Sheehan told the paper.

Retired Army Gen. Jack Keane and retired Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston were also approached and said they were not interested in the position, the newspaper said, citing sources.

Ralston declined to comment while Keane confirmed he turned down the job, the Post said.

Education Week: A Digital Decade

Education Week: A Digital Decade “Billions of dollars are being spent each year in an effort to prepare schools and students for tomorrow’s technological demands and challenges,” we wrote. “And the fast-changing landscape of educational technology only complicates the task for policymakers and administrators who seek to make ‘smart’ decisions about how to proceed.”

That was the news from 10 years ago. Today is is worse.

Twanda and two others, staffers, are in hot water

Humm.

If the Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board was functional, perhaps some of this could have been avoided sooner.

Regardless, Twanda is toast. She is sunk politically, I expect. So, let's not spend too much time wondering about her when we need to spend more time looking ahead. Who is the best qualified to be on council to take her place? Who has the best statements and vision for council district 9? Who is going to win the D primary? Who is going to enter the general election? Who can beat David Adams? And, isn't he, David Adams, the best for the job?

I'm name dropping here as he isn't in the D party primary. And, he wants to be on council. And, I know that the winner of the general election is the won to take the oath of office come January 2008.

Seminar for those interested inthe Pgh Gifted Center

Wed. April 18, from 3:30 to 7 pm, a seminar is being hosted by the Pgh Gifted Center.

Details here and on the Google Calendar for that date and time.

Excel 9-12. Slides, news release and video from Pgh Public Schools

In case you missed it:

Excel 9-12: "Education Committee Presentation

April 10, 2007

Florida and Puerto Rican manatees may be removed from 'endangered species list' - Wikinews

Great news.

Florida and Puerto Rican manatees may be removed from 'endangered species list' - Wikinews The Unites States Fish and Wildlife Service or USFWS has announced that the Florida and Puerto Rican manatee will most likely be removed from the Endangered Species List and have their status upgraded to 'threatened.'

Handling the panhandlers. Anyone home?

Return phone calls to the media and to citizens.

Handling the panhandlers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Councilman Jeff Koch, who represents Central Oakland including the main drag leading to the University of Pittsburgh, did not return phone messages.

Dick Skrinjar, spokesman for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, referred questions to police and said those who are complaining should call the city's 311 help line -- 412-255-2621.

California authorizes $250M for L.A. Olympics - Tuesday April 10, 2007 4:12PM

SI.com - More Sports - California�authorizes $250M for L.A. Olympics - Tuesday April 10, 2007 4:12PM Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation Tuesday that authorizes $250 million in state money to underwrite the 2016 summer Olympics if Los Angeles is picked as the host city.

Just $250 Million. Heck PA could pay for that with slots income and still have money left over for property tax relief.

Widespread Panic -- has hearing protection

Ever hear of Widespread Panic? They are playing in Pgh.

Pointers and reviews are welcome.

Gordie Howe Statue

Gloveside Zen Photo - Gordie Howe Statue Just in time for the playoffs. This guy, even without a helmet, can absorb a hard body check.

Pennsylvania health care leadership committee action conference #6

April 13, 2007 – 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Kearns Spirituality Center, La Roche University, Pittsburgh

co-sponsored by: Health Education & Legislative Action Fund of Pa (HELP), Just HealthCare - PUSH, and the sisters of divine providence

Hundreds of leaders of the health care reform movement from all corners of the Commonwealth have attended these action meetings. This is the first time the meeting will be held in western Pennsylvania and you are invited.

10 AM to Noon Open Strategy Session

noon – lunch available $7.50 (please RSVP*)

1 PM to 3:00 PM – “The Great Health Care Debate”

Proponents of the Governor’s private insurance based “Prescription for Pennsylvania” (HB 700) will debate supporters the public health trust single payer based “Family & Business Health Care Security Act” (SB 300).

All agree that something bold must be done. Both proposals are pending in the General Assembly – which of these two competing plans deserves your support?

Two weeks before the first round of voting and FRANCE has 12 candidates

Did you see the photo in the PG that showed pedestrians 12 posters in a row of frames that featured the dozen candidates for President of France.

With nearly two years to go, the US has that many candidates. But, how many will be around with 2-weeks before the election?

Consider local races and the depth of candidates.

I don't dream of ballot clutter. However, I think we should have "NONE OF THE ABOVE" in all races where there is only one candidate. I'd love to see "ALL THE ABOVE" as a built in option in all elections.

Hot scoop, exclusive insights on High School Reform Report

From planning-urban

You heard it here first. The long awaited report on high school reform for Pgh Public Schools is about to be released. A group of hand-picked weenies were locked away for months and months. They slaved at the request of Superintendent Mark Roosevelt. They didn't allow for any leaks -- until now.

They will report to the Pgh Public School Board within hours.

They want the students to learn more. They think it would help if the students were nicer to each other and had an environment where discipline isn't just a four-letter word. Plus, they'd like 'rigor' to become the new drinking word in all academic settings.

From people & vips

Hill hopes: The new arena can revive a community

Hill hopes: The new arena can revive a community The Hill District, potentially one of the most dynamic areas of growth and investment in the city, is fortunate to have committed activists speaking on its behalf on a variety of issues.

The Hill District can be and should be a dynamic place. Its modern-day potential is not realized. There is a long way to go.

However, I feel certain that The Hill District will always be in a state of flux, bad flux at that, when the NHL uses that neighborhood as a venue for the Pgh Penguins.

In my not so humble opinion, the Hill District will flourish and thrive once the Penguins play somewhere else.

Putting 18,000 people into your neighborhood for three periods makes for a lot of checking, a lot of slashing, a lot of bone crushing hits on quality of life issues.

The way to flourish is to buffer the special events by using the existing Mellon Arena as a civic arena. Drop the top decks. Hold more modest events. Squeeze 5,000 into seats there for non NHL events.

Put the Penguins into another area of Allegheny County.

That's the key to turning the Hill District one of America's greatest neighborhoods.

Onorato2007.com has opened AND it ain't all good.

Meanwhile, this blog, http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com, got a score of 65% good. So take that! Blow the trumpets!

Anyone want to blog with me about the 'redd up tour' as Onorato goes to China?

From china - sculp...

Dan Onorato is headed to China. I'm looking for some bloggers and others to help stitch together some content while he travels and nat.

Interested?

I've got a space reserved: http://Allegheny.blogspot.com.

Campaign 2007/City Council: District 3 race presents voters with varied styles

Campaign 2007/City Council: District 3 race presents voters with varied styles: Mr. Koch is counting on his just-get-it-done attitude to win a full four-year term, even if some of his efforts haven't yet come to fruition. Last month, for instance, he got the city to ask for proposals from groups that would reopen the Neville Ice Arena, which has sat empty for five years. But proposals aren't due until after the May 15 primary.

Jeff Koch speaks of the ice rink. Yes.

I don't vote in the D primary. But, if I did, I'd rather vote for a ZERO than a minus eight, according to my score. My range goes from plus 10 to minus 10. Sure, Koch is a zero. But, a zero is about eight points higher than Bruce A. Kraus.

Since Koch got the RFP out of city hall, after taking a year's time to do so, his stock is climbing. He might score a .25 soon.

Do Democrats Own the Internet?

No. Especially not in this town, with your help.

Patrick Ruffini :: Do Democrats Own the Internet? Following the Q1 money reports, bloggers and the pundits are all atwitter about Democrat online fundraising numbers. My friend Robert Bluey pens a column rounding up the story in Townhall. Other places with good thoughts on this debate are Kung Fu Quip (authored by ex-RNC Internet director Mike Turk), David All and the Bivings Report.

I have my own perspective on this issue, having led the RNC’s Internet operations in 2006 and now serving as an outside advisor to one of the GOP campaigns (Rudy Giuliani). And as someone who monitors trends on this daily (in my post last Sunday, I actually expected Obama’s Internet number to be higher), I think much of the commentary on this is missing the point.

Dems around her do NOT embrace open systems. I do.

But the article's author and I agree about the merit of comments being only a few short strokes away from a windfall of cash donations.

In their world, at this time, most of the talk is driven by money. Money, money, money.

In Pittsburgh, the talk and buzz does NOT need to be driven by money. Issues, trust, knowledge, solutions, relationships and deeds can count for 70-percent of the buzz. Money, machine, and media account for the rest.

The value of an open system approach on the internet is to build 'value' that won't show on the fiscal balance sheet.

Another article, same message.

Survey Gives Good Reviews to Online Product Reviews: "marketers should take away from the survey is that the brands that exploit the two-way communication potential of Web 2.0 will gain an edge over competitors. 'You want to find a way to engage with the community in a dialogue,' said Murray."