Signature requirements for 3rd party candidates for Allegheny County Council

County Council District # + Number of Signatures Required

District 2 = 362

District 5 = 356

District 6 = 266

District 7 = 261

District 9 = 250

District 10 = 273

District 11 = 341

District 12 = 250

District 13 * (District of Mark Rauterkus) = 270

Today the kids in Beechview don't swim like they used to.

Yesterday, Pgh's City Council hosted a post-agenda about swimming pools. A post-agenda is a meeting where onlyl invited guests can speak and the public can't. And, it is a meeting where no votes are taken. They huddle without a care about any specific legislation.

The meeting was on TV, and that might have been the reason why they met at all. The meeting started 30-minutes late and went 30-minutes too long. Most of the other members of council had already left before some of the long-winded folks even came up for air.

A few bits of information was interesting and worth repeating.

A candid observation was made by Jim Motzink. He said that the kids in Beechview don't swim like they used to. They can't because they don't have a swim pool to go to any more.

The city has about 20 swim pools that are empty. There isn't any hope of putting them back in use. These are vacant properties on vital points in our neighborhoods. They are generally in prime locations. They have become maintance headaches where the grass needs to be cut, fences need to be mended and so on.

Nobody knows the conditions of these empty pools. It might take $40,000 to re-open some and $500,000 to re-open others. Right now little is known. Nothing seems to be documented. Assets are not detailed. No plan is being presented.

I'll be talking about this lack of plan today in city council chambers when I have three minutes to offer public comment.

Audio of Important Blast From the Past from 2001

Slashdot | Daylight Savings Time Puts Kid in Jail for 12 Days

Slashdot | Daylight Savings Time Puts Kid in Jail for 12 Days 'Cody Webb was jailed for calling in a bomb threat to his Hempstead Area high school (near Pittsburgh). He spent 12 days in lockup until the authorities realized that their caller-id log was off an hour because of the new Daylight Savings Time rules and that Cody had only called one hour prior to the actual bomb threat. Perhaps it took so long because of the principal's Catch-22 attitude about Cody's guilt — she said, 'Well, why should we believe you? You're a criminal. Criminals lie all the time.''

Say what? Where's Hempstead Area? What jail?

In tragedy, digital media came into its own

In tragedy, digital media came into its own In what media blogger Jeff Jarvis calls the 'new architecture of news' in the wake of the Virginia Tech tragedy, there is this question: Who gets to own the story? The professional journalist from a traditional media organization, or the 'citizen journalist' posting on YouTube.com and elsewhere?

Mr. Steele adamantly believes the answer is the former, not the latter.

'CNN used [the cell phone video] as part of its story, but to call [Mr. Albarghouti] a citizen journalist is a misnomer and a mistake,' he said, noting that journalists have used witness accounts in their stories for decades, even centuries.

Interesting article. But, I beg to differ as to ownership. Nobody owns the story. Nobody should care about ownership. Things unfold in public and the public owns it. We all have a stake in the story, the dealings, the lives.

Of course there is a place for journalists. But, the journalist that want to own stuff will own nothing of value.

Workshop on APRIL 27 & 28: Understanding White Privilege

You are cordially invited to join members of the First Unitarian Church’s Anti-Racism Working Group to explore the issue of white privilege in our everyday lives and our society.

Join us for a respectful, probing examination of white privilege and its consequences for all of us—black, white, brown, yellow, red or in-between.

Led by Wilburn Hayden, Jr., PA's Social Worker of the year for 2006, PhD, ACSW, CMSW and SCWM, an accomplished facilitator workshop leader, this session will take place

FRIDAY, April 27 6 to 8 p.m.—Panel: Up Close and Personal—Shared experiences

SATURDAY, April 28 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. — Sessions covering: History, Definition of white privilege, discussion of racial, social and economic injustice and the often invisible role of white privilege, dismantling white privilege—taking action as a community

First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, corner of Ellsworth and Morewood in Shadyside, Friday 4/27 6 p.m. (light supper included), Saturday 4/28 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (breakfast and lunch included). Fees: $10 to cover food and materials ($5 for students)

ALL WELCOME! Please RSVP for planning materials and meals. EMAIL: jjwmlr@earthlink.net or call 412-441-3586

Wilburn is a great and will do a wonderful job in this role.

Mark Rauterkus and Wilburn Hayden, Ph.D. from people & vips.

The Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh announces its endorsement of Richard Swartz for County Executive.

The Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh announces its endorsement of Richard Swartz for County Executive. A longtime neighborhood activist, the members were very impressed with both his knowledge of and commitment to our issues.

At the Club’s endorsement meeting of April 12, 2007, the member considered questionnaires from 26 candidates. For County Council we endorsed two good friends of the G / L / B / T community, incumbents Rich Fitzgerald and Brenda Frazier. Brenda Frazier, a primary supported of the County needle exchange program, is opposed by a party endorsed candidate. Losing either of these County Council members would be a real loss for our community. For Sheriff we endorsed Damon Brown.

For County Court Cathleen Bubash, Mike McCarthy, Jack McVay and Wrenna Watson were endorsed for the four open seats. We endorsed Ms. Watson two years ago. We were also very impressed with the questionnaires of Kelly Bigley, Arnold Klein and Joe Williams.

In the City of Pittsburgh the Club endorsed Michael Lamb for City Controller. He was our candidate for Mayor two years ago. Our second choice for City Controller would be Douglas Shields, who we did endorse for City Council. We were also very impressed with DaMon Macklin. For City Council, in addition to Mr. Shields the club endorsed Patrick Dowd and Bruce Kraus. All three candidates were endorsed by the Club last time they ran, Mr. Shields and Mr. Kraus for City Council and Mr. Dowd for School Board. Mr. Dowd’s opponent Leonard Bodack is a strong supporter of L / G / B / T rights. Club members wish he was a stronger supporter of a woman’s right to choose and civil marriage. For School Board we endorsed Sherry Hazuda and Heather Arnet. In the Downtown Pittsburgh Area the club endorsed Justin Lewis for District Justice.

In Wilkinsburg, we endorsed Paige Trice, Vanessa McCarthy-Johnson and Michael Lefebvre for Borough Council.

For Pennsylvania Supreme Court the members endorsed Debra Todd and Seamus McCaffery, both currently Superior Court Judges. The Club has supported Justice Todd before, but this is the first time we endorsed Justice McCaffery.

It is the policy of the club not to endorse candidate who will not commit themselves to support our issues in writing through the questionnaire. For Superior Court we endorsed Anne Lazarus and Christine Donohue for two seats. In addition we will also endorse Ronald Folino if we receive an acceptable questionnaire from him. The Club has endorsed him in the past.

Everyone was very pleased not only with the number of responses the club received, but also to the extent the candidates understand our issues. We urge you to vote on May 15th. For more information contact: Richard Meritzer – Chair, 412-404-7609, rmeritzer@yahoo.com

Invite: Scarlet Letter at Open Stage

Hawthorne’s classic tale in a heralded new adaptation by Phyllis Nagy is directed by David M. Maslow.

What determines right from wrong? Who and what determine morality?

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story of lust, adultery, hypocrisy and personal transformation comes excitingly to life in this highly acclaimed new adaptation daringly re-focused through the eyes of Hester Prynne’s bastard daughter, Pearl. While carefully preserving the familiar story of Hester, Roger Chillingworth, Arthur Dimmesdale, and the Puritan times in which they live, this decidedly contemporary deconstruction of the novel will surely be eye-opening and thought-provoking for all.

Performs Fri. April 27 through Sun. May 13 at Open Stage Theatre in the Strip District in the round.

Fridays & Saturdays at 8PM; Sundays at 2PM

Info at (412) 281-9700
Get Tkts via ProARTS at (412) 394-3353

A 'running mate' is in the show. It looks great. Makes you want to 'think again.'

KidsVoice presents Kites for Kids, April 21 at Station Square, To recognize National Child Abuse Prevention Month

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: King Communications, 412-661-5411

Pittsburgh, PA (April 2007) – KidsVoice, a local non-profit organization that advocates for the best interests of abused and neglected children in court and beyond, is presenting Kites for Kids at Station Square on April 21, 2007 as part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Many organizations work hard to prevent and treat child abuse. What makes KidsVoice different is its mission and unique model of advocacy. KidsVoice advocates in court and in the community to ensure a safe and permanent home for abused, neglected and at-risk children through collaborative teams including attorneys and other child experts.

A startling number of children are abused in our community. Each year, KidsVoice represents 5,000 children who come from every zip code in Allegheny County. KidsVoice vigilantly guides each child through the court process and coordinates every agency involved to meet the full range of the child’s needs, ensuring that the most appropriate services are in place to protect children from future harm, with the ultimate goal of providing a safe and permanent home for every child.

KidsVoice teams attorneys with in-house experts trained in such areas as mental health, education, child development, case management, and substance abuse. These professionals can recognize the signs of abuse and neglect among children and coordinate assistance to the family.

According to Scott Hollander, Executive Director of KidsVoice “Kites for Kids is an opportunity for KidsVoice to communicate a message of hope and advocacy and familiarize people with our role in protecting our most precious resource, our children. The kites symbolize hope, a happy childhood, and a chance to soar, which unfortunately many local children do not experience. We hope that thousands of people will join us and help send the message to our clients that the community supports and believes in them.

Kites for Kids will be held at Station Square as part of its Spring Fling on April 21, 2007 from Noon – 4pm. The event, which will feature demonstrations, crafts, games, kites and much more, is free and open to the public.

For more information on KidsVoice.

About KidsVoice
Founded in 1908 as the Legal Aid Society of Pittsburgh, KidsVoice is team of diverse professionals committed to creating possibilities for abused, neglected and at-risk children to achieve their fullest potential. KidsVoice advocates for the rights and well being of children in the courtroom, classroom or wherever their voices must be heard.

KidsVoice is a leader among child advocacy organizations, providing a voice of hope, a voice for rights and a voice of experience for children who otherwise who cannot speak for themselves.

[412] Saturday's tech event at the Art Institute of Pgh is open and worthy for all

[412] Saturday's tech event at the Art Institute of Pgh is open and worthy for all:


Hi All,

You are invited to a few comunity events this week.

1. The PDF attachment covers the schedule of a grass-roots technology
event hosted at the Art Institute of Pgh all day on Saturday. Anyone that
surfs the net will be interested. More than 100 are signed up. We'll be
talking podcasting, video, photos and a little politics. Political
discussions are being shaped online now. After you attend a few of
these seminars, you'll be able to host your own blog and more.

I'm presenting about media and politics at 3 pm with a spokesperson
from the League of Young Voters. At 2 pm I'm talking about 'building
your brand.'

http://www.BootCampPgh.org

2. We're meeting tonight at 7 pm at Phillips Elem School to talk about
the RFP (request for proposals) from the city of Pgh about the closed
indoor ice rink on the South Side. Additionally, we'll meet on
Thursday night at 9 pm via http://TalkShoe.com to cover the same
topic.

3. I have running mates and more are welcome. A slate of citizen
candidates running under the "Libertarian" banner is now collecting
signatures from any voter in Allegheny County. Your assistance is
requested. My aim is to get 10,000 signatures just to insure we can
get on the ballot. If you can lend me your autograph on the nomination
papers (form) -- please reply to me at Mark at Rauterkus.com, or call.

4. Visit my blog and various sites for more insights and to see some new videos.


Ta.

Mark Rauterkus Mark at Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Attached PDF of News Release

Penn Hills Class of 77 Classmates

Classmates - My Announcements: Tonight there will be an online meeting that Mark Rauterkus is hosting on Talk Cast.

There is a talkcast meeting tonight if you can make it at 11PM EST. I know it's late but this is to accomodate people not on the east coast.

Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Talkcast ID: 3177

Your PIN needs to be obtained by going to TalkShoe. com. You'll need your PIN to enter the discussions for speaking and listening. Get that in advance of the meeting. It might take a few minutes.

Mark Rauterkus will play host and helper. The show is simply called, 'On your mark.' We've got to get started.

Jumpcut - Get $1K for winning a concest with a 2-minute video

Jumpcut - Group: If you had just two minutes to show someone what to see, feel and imagine about the future of our world and its resources, what would you do?

Get your message out by participating in the GreenWorld Contest and get discovered as a powerful new talent. Go to www.sffs.org for inspiration provided by leading green activists and organizations on burning issues.

The GRAND PRIZE is $1,000; your work featured at our May 9 GreenWorld Celebration during the 50th San Francisco Int'l Film Festival

2007 Endorsements from the 14th ward dem club

2007_Endorsements: "City of Pittsburgh Mayor = No Endorsement"

Bruce Kraus and Jeff Koch at a community meeting, South Side Slopes

View Video from my Picasa site.

Last week I went to a community meeting of the South Side Slopes Neighborhood Assn. It was a candidate night for the Democrats in the May primary.

I've got some uncut video to share. I'm not with a bunch of time to make it more, just yet. But, I want to share it before it is not able to sway any votes.

This bit starts when I arrived. I had swim practice that night, as usual. So, Bruce Kraus is giving a rant about St. Pats Day on South Side. The first question comes from the audience and deals with an issue near and dear to me, the closed indoor ice rink. By the way, the meeting I called to talk about that facility is slated for tomorrow, Tuesday, at 7 pm at Phillips Elem School on Sarah Street. Plus, we'll have a TalkCast (web and phone) meeting on Thursday at 9 pm via http://TalkShoe.com.

http://picasaweb.google.com/mark.rauterkus/Debates/photo#5054069263876508642


To share the video with your friends, use the mail-to button on the top of the page.

In November, for the city council district 3 race, I expect to be a candidate -- or have another serve in that role from the Libertarian ticket. So, if your guy does NOT win, there will be a way to work together for the general election.

A guy on the street told me that he sees 2-1 signs in favor of Kraus over Koch. But, signs don't mean much. To me, the signs are nothing but a waste. I'm glad most of the signs here are window sings. They, at least, don't look like litter on a stick, as Jim Ferlo used to say.

As always, reactions welcome.

The Busman's Holiday: Mayor's Ethics Nominee

The Busman's Holiday: Mayor's Ethics Nominee Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has picked his nominee to fill the vacancy on Pittsburgh's Ethics Hearing Board.

She's attorney Penny E. Zacharias, an associate at Buchanan Ingersol and Rooney.

This is how a revolution in local politics happens

Blast from the past:


Watch the Video. We want technology.

In the video, presenting with Kelly Ware and David Dunn at a public event hosted by the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network. David was in Boston today, running the marathon. I hope he survived.

PA Amber Alert: Alexis Roadside, a 4 year old white female child, approximately 3 feet tall and thirty five pounds

AMBER ALERT 04-16-07, SUSPECT: WHT FEM 41 YRS, BLNDE HAIR, 5 FT 100 LBS; CHILD: WHT FEM 4 YRS, SHORT DYED BLACK HAIR, VEHICLE: WHITE 1993 BUICK SDN PA TAG GKK-4359, IF SEEN CALL 911.

The Pennsylvania State Police has issued an Amber Child Abduction Alert for the Pennsylvania State Police, Embreeville Station, Chester County.

The Pennsylvania State Police is searching for Alexis Roadside, a 4 year old white female child, approximately 3 feet tall and thirty five pounds. Her hair was recently cropped and dyed black. She was reported abducted by Veronica Roadside, a 41 year old white female with blonde hair, approximately five feet tall and 100 lbs. The vehicle used in the abduction is described as a 1993 white Buick sedan bearing Pennsylvania Registration GKK-4359.

Anyone with information about the abduction should immediately contact the police by calling 911.

This has been an Amber Child Abduction Alert for the Pennsylvania State Police, Embreeville Station, Chester County.


Affected Counties: Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Berks, Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton

New Crime Prevention Program To Be Announced - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

This sounds like "Reverse 9-1-1." Yes?

Have you ever see the page in the Platform.For-Pgh.org/wiki that is dedicated to this topic? http://69.36.175.17/wiki/index.php/911-plank Last edit 24 October 2006. Began 13 November 2005.

New Crime Prevention Program To Be Announced - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Police Chief Nate Harper will unveil a new crime prevention program Monday.

Citizens can sign up to get alerts about crime in their area.

The program was already tested on the North Side.

Now it is being expanded throughout the city.

The introductory meeting is from 6 to 9 p.m Monday at the Greek Orthodox Church on West North Avenue.

On the South Side, we've had good progress in the past years with NAN, (Neighborhood Awareness Network).

Often, the measure of success isn't counted in dollars and cents.

Blacksburg, Va Tech, -- on our minds

Bill Gupton, wearing the t-shirt. He wrote the note posted below. From people & vips

The photo above was taken in a dorm at Va Tech in Blacksburg. Our family, for the past six or seven years, has gone to a 'church camp' on the Virginia Tech campus.

---

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Board and the entire SUUSI community, I want to express my profound sorrow, sadness, and sympathy for the terrible tragedy that has unfolded this morning at the campus we all love, Virginia Tech. For many of you, this email will be the first you hear of what has been a shooting spree there, which has left more than a dozen dead, and an entire community in shock. As an extended part of that Virginia Tech community, we, too, feel the pain and loss they are suffering.

I have already reached out to our official contacts at Tech, expressing our solidarity with them in this day of mourning, and beyond. Our SUUSI Board meets this coming weekend, and we will be discussing possible ways in which the SUUSI community, can reach out as well -- perhaps through a collection earmarked to a memorial fund, perhaps something else. We will keep you posted and please, if you have any suggestions, send them along.

May this SUUSI Friends List serve as a community sounding board where we can grieve, console, and support one another, just as our full SUUSI community does (in person, one week a year; in spirit, 51 other weeks a year).

In sorrow and in hope -- Namaste
Rev. Bill Gupton, SUUSI Board President

Cutting Men's Swimming Hurts WOMEN too

The Post Online: "The move was made in order to ensure the school’s compliance with Title IX and to help the school’s mounting athletic debt, but it may have also made it harder for Ohio’s women’s program to succeed.

Racism-plank-Paul - PittsburghPlatform

Racism-plank-Paul - PittsburghPlatform It's disconcerting to see third parties become involved and presume to speak collectively for minority groups. It is precisely this collectivist mindset that is at the heart of racism.

Humm.

The women basketball players on the court don't have a radio show. They don't have the juice, such as that of Don Imus. They are college kids. They can try, but would not be successful in speaking out on their own.

We saw a bunch of people rally around the kids. The players need to battle Univ. of Tenn. They need to play ball, study, and be well-rounded student athletes.

I didn't like Imus picking on the players because they are kids. A pro player in the NBA would have the juice to duke it out with Imus.

Still, I agree that government doesn't need to get involved. But, people do. People did. Advertisers spoke too. That's great. That's part of the success of this saga.