Onorato thanked the king

Letter to the editor in Beaver Times from Oren M. Spiegler, Upper Saint Clair:

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - Moving toward '1984' The latest indication that George Orwell's '1984' has come to fruition occurred at the recent Downtown rally for the Pittsburgh Penguins at which Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato thanked 'King' Mario Lemieux for working to keep the team in Pittsburgh.

What a guy, that Mario. He was 'gracious' enough to be willing to take the $450 million in public money that was showered upon him to support his violence-based sport, the 'regional asset' that trumps arts and culture.

We are not able to get the General Assembly to come together for a plan to provide long-promised property tax reform/relief after decades of exhaustive study and debate, but let a professional sports team's presence in this state become endangered, and state, county and local governments will mobilize to ask the team owner how high they (and we, those who pay the freight) need to jump.

I join Onorato in saying, 'Thank you and bless you, King Mario, for gracing southwestern Pennsylvania with your presence for at least another 30 years and for taking our money.' What would we do without you?

With his presence, let's see. What would we do. Live with more freedom. Live with more propserity. Live with more people. Live with better neighborhoods. Live with minor league hockey.

Patriots Day -- Rest Fast, Run Swift, Recover Fully

To Running Mates everywhere, now checkout out for a long night of pasta and slumber in advance of the 2007 Boston Marathon -- rest fast, run swiftly and may you recover fully.

The Boston Marathon happens tomorrow. I've got a few friends in the race. Hope everyone does well.

Pittsburgh should have a marathon in the future. I've got strong ideas on how that can occur in a prudent way. Let's make it happen in 2009.

Toastmaters Invite

From Rick H:

Speaking of feedback, I also invite you and your blog folks to http://edgewood.freetoasthost.com/ or any upcoming Edgewood Toastmasters. Heck, I'd like to have a FORMER WHISKEY REBELLION TOASTMASTERS reunion at the Edgewood Club. It meets not too far from where WHISKEY REBELLION did. Log on, check out the web page and let me know your thoughts too. Talk to and email you soon.

From Mark Rauterkus

Tax Day letter to editor from Mark C

Mark C wrote:

I had a "tax day" LTE in the Trib today (4/13/2007). I emailed it early Thursday morning and they printed it on Friday. It was based on some information in the 2006 1040 Instruction Forms. It's bizarre what you find in these stupid forms and what it actually means if you just think about it.

Mark

PS -- LP member Tom Gillooly here in Pittsburgh suggested a military comparison at the end and that seemed much better than what I had originally.

www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/letters/send/s_502433.html

Taxing stuff Friday, April 13, 2007

Consider two obscure claims in the 1040 instructions for filing the 2006 federal income tax:

** Almost 200 million taxpayers file a return ("Message from the Commissioner," Page 2).

** The 2006 estimated average total time burden to file for an individual is 24.2 hours ("Estimated Average Taxpayer Burden for Individuals by Activity," Page 81).

How many people working 2,000 hours per year would it take to file these 2006 tax returns? (Assume, for laughs, that each corporate and organizational filer in that 200 million needs only 24.2 hours, too.) About 2.42 million people.

Consider also that the number of 2006 active-duty U.S. military personnel was 1.38 million.

Unbelievably, it takes about 1 million more people just to file 2006 federal taxes than to serve as America's 2006 active duty defenders.

Conscription and insanity are alive and well, thanks to Congress and its IRS.

Mark Crowley, Plum

Flux was fun

Braddock, wow.

I got a private tour and was able to get a peek at the old swimming pool within the Carnegie Library of Braddock. The pool seemed to be 23 yards long?? And, best of all, it was 4-feet deep in the shallow end. The pool at the Carnegie Library of Homestead is only 2.5 feet deep in the shallow end.

Chatter with, to and about Bill Peduto

Hi Bill,

Remember the open letter I sent you about campaign finance reform's yet unfinished work?

Other issues.

It would be good to talk to you.

What about the closed Neville Ice Rink? Care to help?

There are dozens of issues we should have a conversation about.

Please call.

I will mark - please give me time to first meet with my supporters - I owe it... (... snip ... blog cut... )

Bill did write back to me, again. That's good. My reply:

You're decompressing. But, I'm gearing up. However, on April 28, my family and I head to New Zealand until June 9. Then I'm into summer swimming season at Crafton.

Plus, none of your supporters are running for County Executive & Mayor.

And, my slate of candidates is now up to 12! I think (... snip ... blog cut... ). He is a great candidate, and we'll see how Twanda does -- if she emerges.

This week: On Tuesday, 7 pm at Phillips School on the South Side, Sarah Street, I'm hosting a meeting among any interested community members to talk about the city's RFP about Neville Ice Rink. Can you send some supporters over there? Any hockey friends?

Furthermore, another meeting is slated for TalkShoe.com on Thursday night at 9 pm on the same topic. Sign up with TalkShoe.com to get a PIN.

Second Open Web / Phone Conference: 9 pm on Thursday, April 19 at http://www.TalkShoe.com.

To join the live phone call conference, call: (724) 444-7444 - Talkcast ID: 3177

Surf to http://www.TalkShoe.com and "sign up" for a TalkShoe "PIN" (personal identification number) before the session. It is easy and free. Then you can join the conversation with only a telephone call.

Questions, insights and tips about getting onto the agenda, please call or email Mark Rauterkus, Mark@Rauterkus.com, 412 298 3432 = cell.

Finally, my $.02 tip for tonight. I think you should gear to a switch to Indie on Jan 1, 2009. But, you've got to have a pit bull in the race in the D primary in 2009.

---

I've been put off before. I'm patient. But, I really don't like it when those on Grant Street don't return phone calls. And, I'm sorta relentless.

There has been a bit of chatter at some of the other blogs about Peduto, again, about the final decision for the 2007 general election. All in all, there is now a wedge problem. In a nutshell, some need to get wedgies.

My neighbor's pet name for one of my kids is 'Wedge.' He calls the other 'Spike.' Simple tools. Effective. Efficient. Other simple tools: ballots, votes, word-of-mouth.

Official: No Slots Money For Schools In 2007-08

No slots for tots, yet. We are still holding our breath. We are turning blue.

kdka.com - Official: No Slots Money For Schools In 2007-08 Slot-machine gambling in Pennsylvania will not provide enough revenue to allow school districts to cut property taxes for the 2007-08 school year, Gov. Ed Rendell's top budget official said Friday.

The state budget secretary, Mike Masch, made the legally required certification in a letter to Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak, disappointing some state gambling regulators who had hoped that the reductions would be possible in the coming school year.

Masch also used the opportunity to press the case for an increase in the state sales tax, as Rendell proposed in February as a way to offset further cuts in rapidly rising school taxes.

What about money for the budget for the City of Pgh? Wasn't there money expected in 2007? Didn't the OVERLORDS insist that money be put into the mix? Will some of the windfall come just for the sale of the license, even though the slots parlor isn't earning a nickle yet.

Other sites are making money. Other sites have paid for their license too. I'm not even sure if Barden's $50-million was given to the state yet since there are legal challenges.

Creating Passionate Users: How to host a product/feature design party

Creating Passionate Users: How to host a product/feature design party

Process.

Rivers Club - Saturday, April 21

Ron Morris is doing his radio show next Saturday morning at the Rivers Club. It is by invite only. Call 412-249-8662 to leave a message or speak with Angela Sceziorka.

From Logos

From chatter on TalkShoe.com today while Ron's show was in progress.

Maori Relics. Are there any in the Carnegie in Pittsburgh?

My family and I are starting the long process of packing for our pending trip to New Zealand. So, you start with the big stuff.

Are there any artifacts, relics or historical tribal trinkets that are on loan (or stolen) from the Maori people of New Zealand in Pittsburgh that should be returned?

I'm willing to take them with us, but I'll need to know soon, before we too far along in our packing.

Candidate: Patrick Dowd at forum last night

His opponent didn't show. Even Twanda showed up that night.

Dowd didn't stay.

Told ya: Peduto won't run as independent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Told ya.

Peduto won't run as independent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh City Councilman Bill Peduto announced today that he won't run in the November general election against Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

Next, the editors and reporters of the Trib are going to run a LONG LIST of other people who won't and can't run for mayor in 2007.

I'm very thankful to Bill for talking about the November 2007 election. General elections do occur in Pittsburgh. They are a part of the process.

CollegeSwimming.com::Slippery Rock Settles Title IX Suit -

The trend here is to NOT make 2nd class citizens. Meanwhile, don't end up with 3rd class citizens either.

The other trend is to do the option that is one step better than the worst possible option. I hate those types of decisions. I really hate them when it comes to education. Education needs to be about being right on. Education should be about excellence.

CollegeSwimming.com::Slippery Rock Settles Title IX Suit - In Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock University, agreed to set aside $300,000 to enhance women's sports and be monitored for three years to ensure compliance with Title IX. The suit followed a July ruling by the U.S. District Judge Donetta Ambrose that the school must reinstate women's water polo and swimming.

The Women's Law Project's Susan Frietsche explained, 'The school has agreed not to treat their women athletes as second-class citizens and they deserve credit for this settlement as well.

'A banner day for college swimming!' proclaimed CSCAA Executive Director Phillip Whitten, who also added, “Presumably Ms Fietsche was not comparing them to the male swimmers who, if the women swimmers were second-class citizens, surely must be reckoned as third-class citizens.'

Mayors are bird-brains!

edmontonsun.com - Hockey - Mayors are bird-brains! OTTAWA -- Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien took his friendly NHL playoff rivalry with the mayor of Pittsburgh to a new level yesterday when he declared the nation's capital a penguin-free zone. As part of the shenanigans, O'Brien had arranged for a person in a penguin costume to interrupt the meeting and accost him.

After a brief struggle, two police officers arrested and handcuffed the over sized bird.

Word soon reached the office of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. After receiving photos of the penguin's arrest, Ravenstahl's office forwarded the pictures to a zoologist at the Pittsburgh Zoo - one of the most respected zoos in the U.S.

'In the zoologist's professional opinion, this was not a penguin,' said Dick Skrinjar, Ravenstahl's director of communications. 'It's a kiwi. So your mayor has made a mistake.'

I'm not going to pick on the Kiwi in this blog. That would be bad form as we're headed to New Zealand in two weeks.

But, let's review. Here is a Penguin. He lives on the North Side.

From Logos

Here is a Penguin mascot taken from a fan's blog. They crap on the neighborhoods called The Hill District.

Here is a photo of a building that the Penguins had covered and then abandoned. It has since gone bust. This is in the South Side.



Here are some kwel Kiwi designs. There they play a team game, rugby, and have a world famous squad called the All Blacks.

Finally, talking about handcuffs at sports venues is a subject that our mayor might blush about.

Flux returns this weekend on Saturday night

Should be great. I used to help with some of these events, way back. I hope to attend on Saturday.

She's a big donor to politicians, but it's news to her

You win some and you lose some with politics and media coverage. This is a win. And, the photos of the politicians are respectable.

She's a big donor to politicians, but it's news to her She's a big donor to politicians, but it's news to her
Allegheny County's biggest contributions come from 90-year-old widow

The headline, however, doesn't say anything about the ploy being from the Republicans.

She is a big donor to GOP politicians, and it is news to her.

This is another great reason to talk about campaign finance reform.

All politicians steal -- ouch. Except those who have no money. Being poor is a virtue. That's the way I want to be. I'm not interested in being a good theft. I'm not interested in being good at money laundering.

Politicians advance themselves by taking government money. Or, they take government services and put their names and photos on the public image elements. Or, they take now, it seems, from seniors who are wealthy and not at the top of their mental game.

---

Update: Politicians to return woman's trust fund donations

Shame on the P-G for these photos of Pat and Len

Is this funny or sad?

From people & vips

We heard from Twanda last night. Dowd gave an opening. David Adams won the night.

I was there. I've got some video too.

Last night's candidate debate among candidates for city council's seat in district 9 and 7 and city controller Democrats included a mention of my presence. It was nice to be recognized from the podium after the controller candidates gave their answers to the various rounds of questions.

I would have loved to have been a part of the presentations and would have done much like Patrick Dowd did. He gave his opening statement of 3-minutes. Then he departed.

Patrick could have stayed. He might have had another appointment. But, he should have ranted all night about the no-show opponent, Len Bodack, Jr.

There are five folks that are running for the Dem primary in the city controller race. Only one will emerge from the May 15 primary and advance to the general election. Then another election occurs. The winner of the general election in November gets to be sworn into office in January 2008.

KDKA Radio Host, Marty Griffin, is playing a bit from Twanda from last night's presentation. She talked a lot about 'accountability.' Nobody called her on the charges or the spending issues from her office. Well, there are a lot of reasons that perk into this story. It is fair to say that Marty Griffin has no grip on any of various issues.

It was amazing that Twanda showed up. I didn't expect the issue of her charges to come to a head there. Nothing was said, other than the words from Twanda that called for accountability, because there are far more important dragons to slay. The issue didn't hang like a lead balloon among those in that venue last night because the people there are smarter than the media that hosts radio talk shows.

The people there know Twanda. Last night wasn't about Twanda. People understand that the debate is more about a decision on May 15, 2007, and less about checks and spending from a member on city council.

Politics is about the future. The meeting hosted by B-PEP was about the future.

The corruption parts of the discussions for the D.A., investigators, and fact finders -- and they'll be all about the past.

A few callers to the show told Marty that the issues didn't correlate with Imus and Twanda.

In the community -- or should I type, "hood," the stand-off among the "authorities" and the "people" of color can't be ignored. When a gun of a police officer is pointed into the face of a young (less than 10-years old) girl of color in the back seat of a car, it isn't much of a stretch to think again about charges against a council women from others in power.

Bad things are happening on the streets. Really bad things. Kids are being shot. From time to time, the police are doing the shooting. School performance is bad. Economic hope is bad. This is ugly. Drugs, you name it. When things are so bad, a few pass-through checks is like a pimple on a donkey.

The corruption can't be excused. It is wrong. But, it is what it is. And, I have a thought that the people in District 9 won't vote for Tawanda unless they have a personal relationship with her.

Most of the people at the forum last night were looking past Twanda. Some were there to support Twanda. And those friends and family might allow her to win the Dem primary.

A large field of candidates makes it more difficult to unseat an incumbent. Twanda can win the primary. But, that won't guarantee another term. The general election is, thankfully, still a part of the political process.

My prediction: If Twanda wins the Dem Primary, David Adams will beat her in the general election. David Adams will end Twanda's career.

Interesting side note. At the end of the meeting last night, a benadiction was offered. The prayer asked for a DAVID to arrive, as in the Biblical David who took down the giant. David Adams was standing at his seat, next to the microphone and speaker. The spirit found in the message of that prayer was a serious endorsement for David Adams. It was just an interesting blogger's reflection.

My aggravation with the coverage from the likes of Marty Griffin goes to the show's content. He must have mentioned Twanda's name 100 times in the last hour. Meanwhile, he didn't mention the name of any others in the race. Zippo.

To take down those in power takes a one-two punch. One is the take down of those in power and their silly ways. The second act needs to be a build-up of the challengers. The limelight needs to go to others with alternative ways.

When the only tool you have is a hammer -- everything looks like a nail. The media and D.A. swing hammers -- but they don't do anything for a build up.

Paradise and another in studio guest were asked, "Are you disappointed in Twanda?" Neither were. I was not disappointed in Twanda as she showed up. I was disappointed that she didn't show up to the last debate at the library. I was HAPPY that she had the courage to show up.

The second fine remark from the guest said you let the charges run its course. You be patient.

All politicians steal. Twanda just joins the ranks of others. So, in a twisted way, Twanda's thefts, alleged, are not "show stoppers" to a candidate debate. Twanda has been beat upon in the media. Among neighbors, there was no need or desire to to see more bare-knuckle smack downs.

Footnotes:

Missing from the line-up of city council candidates: Ora Lee Carroll and Randall Taylor. Where where they?

In the controller's race, I talked to one guy who thought Mike Dawida won. His 2nd was a tie between Doug Shilds and Tony Pokora. I didn't see it the way he did. But, I don't generally agree with the political understandings of this friend.

The journalist in the audience were not the ones who were asking the questions. The TV 11 crew seemed to be getting interviews from spectators, not even talking to the candidates. So, it is no wonder that a hard-hitting question wasn't put up to Twanda. The MSM was not good for its watchdog role nor for the education of the other candidates.

Finally, when I ran for city council in a nine-person race, I didn't let any weirdness occur without a reply. When another candidate says something goofy, and I'm in the race, I went out of my way to challenge the double-speak and falsehoods. That helps to sustain a positive conversation. But those types of re-directed remarks take candidates off message. Plus, the put-down to the silliness of statements by others isn't the best way to earn votes for the speaker. Being brutally honest is valued in the conversation but it is discounted at ballot box.

If I had been a candidate in the city council district 9 race and on that panel last night, I would have repeated, word-for-word, a few of the statements Twanda just made, moments before.

Perhaps my script would have included: "I just heard something of keen insight. A speaker here displayed a tight grasp on the issues at hand. These words can't be ignored. I think it is worth my time at the microphone to repeat the words here in my notes. ... (blah, blah, blah) ... Right On Sister! Right On.

When I get the video opened, I'll fill in the blah, blah, blah part. The accountability line is on the radio.

Ron Morris' - The American Entrepreneur FREE Newsletter

Ron Morris' - The American Entrepreneur FREE Newsletter YING AND YANG IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS Mark RauterKus

Frequent TAE contributor Mark Rauterkus takes a look at what citizens can do to make an impact on the political scene beyond casting a vote on Election Day. Mark's website is http://rauterkus.blogspot.com .

Feel invited. Feel welcomed. Feel Free. Show up!

My political presentation includes another, a from the League of Young Voters:

http://www.BootCampPgh.org