Our address in New Zealand

We don't expect many visitors, but you are welcome to drop by. Many have been invited in the past year.

93 Clyde Road,
Ilam, Christchurch 8041
New Zealand

(Ilam is pronounced as "ai-lem").

You'll find the NZ very strange and hard to understand but you will get used to it by the end of your stay. You never know you might subconsciously pick up some kiwi words and use them regularly in a few weeks. It took me almost 3 months to get used to it (actually found it very annoying) although I have lived in Australia for 10 years. I am perfectly okay with it now.

If you are bringing any food items into NZ, I would advise you to pack them all in one bag to avoid food and biosecurity NZ opening up all of your bags for inspection. It is perfectly okay to bring food (dry food especially) but you MUST declare at the airport, When you declare, you will go through a different line (but this doesn't really slow you down a great deal so don't worry) . The upside of this is that the food doesn't get gamma-radiated if it gets personally inspected.

Golden Age of Pittsburgh Bloggers has just left the building

Pittsburgh's Golden Age of Blogging was fun while it lasted. It is behind us now. Perhaps I'll be proven wrong. I'd gladly be forced to eat these words -- along with the Booblehead Pierogie candidate for Mayor from Pgh's City Paper.

This period of calm could be the eye of the storm -- a rather big storm. But I doubt it.

Generally, I get to stand up and say -- "I'm not going anywhere." But, today -- I'm packing. I'm going somewhere. We're headed to New Zealand.

I've put out a call to some running mates to ask them to lace up their sneakers and carry the ball while I'm elsewhere. So, guys -- check in. Sound off. Others interested in running mate status on this blog, email me.

It was fun.

Let's hope things heat up again in September or October when my book hits the shelves. There is always the hope that Jim Motznik might re-start his blog.

Project Run Away and Young People

Hat tip to Antirust.

Project Run Away | The New York Observer: “I am completely and utterly against the idea of helping young people,” I told the gobsmacked crowd. I then ranted on about how I was sick of hearing about young people’s hopes, aspirations and career goals—how come nobody wants to help old people?—and that I had been driven so insane by the current generation of Eve Harrington–esque overachieving fashionistas (Mr. Baldwin would probably call them “ungrateful little pigs”) that I had reached the point where, instead of helping them fulfill their dreams, all I wanted to do was crush them. Just call me “the Dream-Crusher.”

Goofy Old Party: Local Republicans need to get their act together

Goofy Old Party: Local Republicans need to get their act together As a more common person than Lord Acton said, you got to be in it to win it. Republicans are too often not in it. The local party is pathetic. How pathetic? A liberal-leaning editorial board has to call for a conservative revival for the benefit of the local democratic system.

The P-G hits hard against the local GOPers. However, they fail to make the distinction between the city GOP leadership and the county GOP leadership.

Why is it so bad to not have a mayor's race candidate and ignore the need for a candidate for the county-wide office for county executive?

The one that has really messed up so far and the one office that is more winnable is the Allegheny County Chief Executive post. Dan Onorato has not done anything good and has done many things poorly. Dan Onorato went into office with promises that didn't happen since. And, he followed a person who seems to have been a Republican, Jim Roddey.

The biggest problem for the Republicans is Bob Glancey and others like him, including Jim Roddey. Roddey has gone around for years saying that there isn't any chance of electing a Republican in the city because he figured out he could not be elected as the city's mayor.

The Republican in-fighting is that of legend. And, it has been undocumented.

This move to float a candidate for write-in who can't even swim (i.e., just hope for shallow water after you toss him overboard) is just another bone-headed move by Bob Glancy and the RCAC (Republican Committee of Allegheny County).

At least this ploy makes sense for one reason. The RCAC folks need some new scandal so as to cover up the outright stealing of major amounts of money from an older, wealthy, woman from Upper Saint Clair by a candidate. That poison gives the Republicans in Allegheny County a scorched earth policy that will linger for four or five election cycles.

The Republicans are zombies. They've got neo-cons in the White House. They've got poison in the pipeline of the county machine in many different flavors. A whole flock of leaders need to resign.

The only thing worse than the status of the Republicans is that of the MSM editorial boards.

Reading newspapers in China happens in the park, and other places where citizens gather. In Pittsburgh, the newspapers are not worthy of attention in any setting of note and nature. From planning-urban

Power is not an equal-opportunity despoiler when one comes from the perspective of liberty. Libertarians and Constitution lovers would cut me off at the knees after they cut my head off as soon as my perscription for civic leadership hinted at the same-old approach from the same-old problem parties.

Here is the example I like to explain. Consider Poland in 1937 and 1938 -- just before World War II. To the east was Stalin, to the west was Hitler. The people of Poland were stuck in the middle. They couldn't run east nor west. There wasn't a winning exit and winning action. They had to hunker down.

The people of Pittsburgh have been much like the people of Poland in those pre WWII months. They have no place to run and no place to hide. Many have left, of course. Many have died. Few remain with the capacity to fight.

But, there is an underground, with little ammo and little "wood behind the arrow." But, the voice of the "nay sayers" has been kept alive.

Part of our underground is nameless. We have bloggers who are out there that have online identities but not a matching voter record. We have friends in the D party that would clearly help in smuggling efforts. But, most of the others in this community is walking on egg shells.

The backlashes are not to be taken lightly. This is why I have said that I am standing for five offices. I can be a place holder for a few others who don't need to expose themselves for the pleasure of trying to get onto the ballot. People should not need to have their lives subject to anguish for the pleasure of marching onto the ballot. This is the inverse of the old adage of killing two birds with one stone. Not one, but five, and not killing -- but setting free.

With me running for five offices and with me running with other running mates, we're in the process of flight training for a flock of birds with one coop.

Our flight includes feathers to the left and to the right and tail. Our flight includes smart approaches where freedom and liberty matter greatly.

Goofy Old Party: Local Republicans need to get their act together

Goofy Old Party: Local Republicans need to get their act together As a more common person than Lord Acton said, you got to be in it to win it. Republicans are too often not in it. The local party is pathetic. How pathetic? A liberal-leaning editorial board has to call for a conservative revival for the benefit of the local democratic system.

The P-G hits hard against the local GOPers. However, they fail to make the distinction between the city GOP leadership and the county GOP leadership.

Why is it so bad to not have a mayor's race candidate and ignore the need for a candidate for the county-wide office for county executive?

The one that has really messed up so far and the one office that is more winnable is the Allegheny County Chief Executive post. Dan Onorato has not done anything good and has done many things poorly. Dan Onorato went into office with promises that didn't happen since. And, he followed a person who seems to have been a Republican, Jim Roddey.

The biggest problem for the Republicans is Bob Glancey and others like him, including Jim Roddey. Roddey has gone around for years saying that there isn't any chance of electing a Republican in the city because he figured out he could not be elected as the city's mayor.

The Republican in-fighting is that of legend. And, it has been undocumented.

This move to float a candidate for write-in who can't even swim (i.e., just hope for shallow water after you toss him overboard) is just another bone-headed move by Bob Glancy and the RCAC (Republican Committee of Allegheny County).

At least this ploy makes sense for one reason. The RCAC folks need some new scandal so as to cover up the outright stealing of major amounts of money from an older, wealthy, woman from Upper Saint Clair by a candidate. That poison gives the Republicans in Allegheny County a scorched earth policy that will linger for four or five election cycles.

The Republicans are zombies. They've got neo-cons in the White House. They've got poison in the pipeline of the county machine in many different flavors. A whole flock of leaders need to resign.

The only thing worse than the status of the Republicans is that of the MSM editorial boards.

Power is not an equal-opportunity despoiler when one comes from the perspective of liberty. Libertarians and Constitution lovers would cut me off at the knees after they cut my head off as soon as my perscription for civic leadership hinted at the same-old approach from the same-old problem parties.

Here is the example I like to explain. Consider Poland in 1937 and 1938 -- just before World War II. To the east was Stalin, to the west was Hitler. The people of Poland were stuck in the middle. They couldn't run east nor west. There wasn't a winning exit and winning action. They had to hunker down.

The people of Pittsburgh have been much like the people of Poland in those pre WWII months. They have no place to run and no place to hide. Many have left, of course. Many have died. Few remain with the capacity to fight.

But, there is an underground, with little ammo and little "wood behind the arrow." But, the voice of the "nay sayers" has been kept alive.

Part of our underground is nameless. We have bloggers who are out there that have online identities but not a matching voter record. We have friends in the D party that would clearly help in smuggling efforts. But, most of the others in this community is walking on egg shells.

The backlashes are not to be taken lightly. This is why I have said that I am standing for five offices. I can be a place holder for a few others who don't need to expose themselves for the pleasure of trying to get onto the ballot. People should not need to have their lives subject to anguish for the pleasure of marching onto the ballot. This is the inverse of the old adage of killing two birds with one stone. Not one, but five, and not killing -- but setting free.

With me running for five offices and with me running with other running mates, we're in the process of flight training for a flock of birds with one coop.

Our flight includes feathers to the left and to the right and tail. Our flight includes smart approaches where freedom and liberty matter greatly.

Carnegie Mellon: New Swimming & Diving Coach Hired

New coach moves to town! Welcome to Pittsburgh!

Carnegie Mellon: Swimming & Diving Matthew Kinney Named Head Swimming Coach

Apr. 25 - (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Carnegie Mellon University’s Director of Athletics, Susan Bassett, has named Matthew Kinney the new head men’s and women’s swimming coach. Kinney joins the Tartans staff after serving twelve years as head men’s and women’s swimming coach at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Newsmaker: Audrey N. Glickman - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Another women after my own heart. She is more than a running mate -- as she thinks too!

Newsmaker: Audrey N. Glickman - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'Statewide we have major issues of ballot access. No one candidate should ever have to obtain 67,000 signatures just to get his name on the ballot. And no candidate should have to watch while half of the obtained signatures are thrown out just because the signatory wrote 'Punxy' instead of 'Punxsutawney.' As for this election, we'll be monitoring it as we have the last two elections with a diverse group of monitors.'

U.S. Steel to help Great Allegheny Passage - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Great news.

U.S. Steel to help Great Allegheny Passage - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review U.S. Steel is donating a 1.89-mile stretch located near Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, said company spokesman John Armstrong.

Thanks John.

4 Allegheny Common Pleas seats sought by 10 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

4 Allegheny Common Pleas seats sought by 10 - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The candidates are: Wrenna Watson, 53, of the Hill District; Shirley Novak, 49, of McCandless; Cathleen Bubash, 47, of the North Side; Joseph Williams, 55, of Penn Hills; Joe Weinroth, 48, of Squirrel Hill; Jack McVay, 50, of the North Side; Kelly Eileen Bigley, 42, of Upper St. Clair; Michael E. McCarthy, 57, of Ross; Arnie Klein, 45, of Upper St. Clair; and Kathleen Miskovich, 50, of Richland.

Common Pleas judges are elected to 10-year terms and paid $152,115 a year.

Is city of Pittsburgh running out of cash for vehicle repairs?

Is city of Pittsburgh running out of cash for vehicle repairs? Mr. Ravenstahl said his public works, law and budget aides are studying whether to continue the privatization effort, or reverse it.

'I voiced my concerns with the privatization from the very beginning,' he said, but there could be costs associated with bringing the work back in-house.

Sue!

Hearing about Tony's Trailblazer isn't really that motivational. Just a hunch. Such a downer, that tailight.

He's the truly independent

So, the P-G wants flamboyant and bombastic candidates who are NOT from the D party, perhaps.

Return Dawida: He's the truly independent choice for controller 'I'm not flamboyant and bombastic,' he said. 'I work under the radar.' Perhaps not what a city with one-party government needs.

Furthermore, Dwadia isn't independent. He's a democrat. True.

We don't need a controller to take the job further. It needs to be what it should be and not anything more. We don't have what we need now.

I don't want Dawadia to take the job further like he did with the stadium building when he was a part of county government. That's old-school, top-down, corporate welfare, big spending, low returns, cronie assistance.

Dawida is over reaching as he says he'll improve police, cut workers' comp, reform schools, elminate traffic jams, and get Doug Shields to talk less.

The P-G STRONGLY ENDORSES Mike Dawida. Go figure.

Pop City - Pittsburgh ranked as a "City of the Future"

Happy Hype:

Pop City - Pittsburgh ranked as a "City of the Future" In addition, it ranked as one of the five most “cost effective” cities for business and landed among the top five cities with the best infrastructure.

“The Cities of the Future is not your average list by your average publication,” notes Michael Langley, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development. “This recognition indicates the growing prominence of southwestern Pennsylvania as a key area for global investment.”

Our city infrastructure has landed alright. It landed in the toilet that doesn't flush and flows along a hillside that slides.

Our growing prominence comes as a shrinking city. What's worse -- our growing cluelessness from those who are in prominent offices.

Write-in candidate on fence as GOP hatches campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Write-in candidate on fence as GOP hatches campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review But in an e-mail message yesterday, DeSantis wrote, 'I love this city and am flattered that some of my fellow citizens think me worthy (of) being mayor of this great city. However, I have no formal plans at this time.'

I'm torn about this.

First of all, the guy doesn't want to run. Don't write him in.

Second, the effort is coming from the Allegheny County GOPers, not the city committee. Heck, the county guys could not find anyone for the County Executive Race, County Controller Race, County D.A. Race, County Treasurer Race, and a host of other offices where they have not fielded a candidate.

Perhaps the Republicans should focus on races where they have real candidates who want to enter the race and want to win. Put that phone calling efforts into the Sheriff's race. Put it into the county council at-large race. Heck, start calling all the old folks with money and see if they need new attorneys to manage their trust funds.

Seriously, there are some real school board races with real republicans, in the city and beyond. Help them get votes. They need the help.

The County GOPers should work on, rather than with a bogus race for mayor, getting Lynn Swann a phone that works and email that works so he can run against Jason Altmire in 2008. Or, talk with any of the other dozen candidates who want to go to congress in that district, from the GOP ranks.

But, on the other hand, a Republican in the mayor's race might help me in the mayor's race. The Republican and I could demand debates. The Republican and I could raise some issues. The Republican and I could hold our own debate. The Repubican and I could stress different themes. For example, he could call Luke a liar while I just call for a shift to honesty.

But most of all, a Republican in the Mayor's race could mean that I won't finish in last place.

The Republicans in the city could write in Les Ludwig. Or, they could write in Mark DeSantis, 47, who doesn't want the votes. Or, they could write in me, Mark Rauterkus, also 47. I'm actually out in the community and on the internet raising a voice of opposition to the status quo they've been offering on Grant Street.

I've been a candidate for mayor in 2001 -- as a Republican -- because I hated the leadership from Grant Street then. It hasn't changed much in the past six years, sadly. Some, but the city is still on the brink.

Mark DeSantis isn't serious. He hasn't returned my calls. Nor is the RCAC serious. They too don't return my phone calls.

There is a fourth and fifth option for Republicans in the May 2007 primary: Don't vote. And, write in the City Paper's Pierogie.

That fence sitting is a bad place to be.

Might as well just sign my petition and help me get onto the ballot and support a Libertarian.

May 10 school board forum

See the Google Calendar for details.

Honz Man hosted Rick Swartz from 2-3 pm. Where is the web archive?

I hope the producers at KDKA radio will post the one-hour interview and phone call from the 2-3 pm hour when Rick Swartz was with Fred, the Honz Man. Swartz is a candidate for Allegheny County Chief Executive in the D primary.


Presently, the KDKA Radio site, kdkaradio.com, has two major stories devoted to the 2008 election, not the 2007 elections.

Mystery of Downtown Job Growth and Total via A.I. concerning PDP hype

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP) acts as the administrative agency for the Downtown Improvement District and as a booster of the Downtown area and it’s attributes to workers, visitors, and residents. By all accounts, it is doing a good job in both roles.

But things might have become a bit overzealous in the booster department. The PDP recently released a study showing that the number of people working in Downtown Pittsburgh (considered as the Golden Triangle, the North Shore, South Shore, Strip District, and Uptown) has increased 23 percent between 1996 and 2006 to stand at 136,928. The study also notes that this number is a substantial portion of the region’s overall workforce and that much of the growth came from the sectors of finance (up 10,000 jobs) and services (up 5,000 jobs).

The study used a mixture of 2000 Census data and surveys conducted by private firms to build a model that estimates the counts in years before (1996) and after (2006) the latest Census information. It is interesting to note that for all of the fanfare and coverage surrounding the report, the job count is different from the number listed on the PDP’s website which places Downtown employment at 140,000. That number has been around for several years.

Nevertheless, there is a troubling aspect of the growth reported by the study: how are we to believe that there has been a 23 percent increase in Downtown employment when almost every economic indicator connected to Downtown as well as the County and region is moving in the opposite direction or holding flat?

For instance, let’s look at vacancy rates, transit trips, tax collections, regional job growth and population changes in the City and County.

* Downtown Vacancy rate—Our 2005 report showed that the vacancy rate for office space in the Golden Triangle (where there is 20 million square feet of office space, about 50 percent of the region’s total) was around 18 to 20 percent for Class A office space. The overall vacancy rate had increased 37 percent from the third quarter of 2001 through the third quarter of 2004. Recently released numbers show that the vacancy rate has risen to 20.7 percent at the end of March, 2007. Obviously, the rising office vacancy rate does not support the notion that jobs are growing let alone at a pace of over two percent per year.

* Public Transit Ridership—As measured by the National Transit Database indicator “average weekday unlinked trips”, it is hard to see how there could be such a significant uptick in Downtown employment. Since the majority of trips carried by the Port Authority are commuters (the study mentions that 4 in 10 Downtown workers use PAT), how do we reconcile the reported Downtown job growth with an 8 percent drop in trips during the ten-year period? The Database shows there were 253,000 weekday-unlinked trips in 1996. By 2006, daily trips had fallen to 233,000. Note that the peak year was 2001 when there were 258,000 daily trips, a modest rise from the 1996 level. Are substantially more people driving and parking in the City? Possibly. But it would seem highly unlikely given the big jump in gasoline prices since 2004 and the very high cost of parking Downtown.

* Tax Collections—A fairly good indicator of the number of people working in the City as a whole is to look at the collections of the $52 Emergency and Municipal Services Tax, which falls on every worker regardless of their place of residence. Collections from the tax and its predecessor, the occupation privilege tax ($52 now, $10 from 1996 through 2004), indicate that about 316,000 people are working in the City. That’s up 9 percent from the 1996 total of 289,000, but down since the peak year reading of 324,000 in 2000. In fact, 1996 and 1997 were the two lowest years of collections in the past thirteen years. It certainly does not seem reasonable to argue that Downtown employment would far outstrip the rate of job growth Citywide as measured by the revenues from this tax.

* Regional Growth Levels—The PDP study states that the 23 percent growth came in large part from just two sectors: finance, up by 10,890 (34%) jobs over the ten years, and services, up by 4,734 (12%). Compare these growth figures to the official data for the seven-county metropolitan area as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: A 7 percent growth rate in financial activities (4,700 jobs) and an 11 percent increase (33,000) in service jobs. In short, the study is essentially arguing that the increase in Downtown financial jobs has exceeded gains in the region as a whole. If true, that would mean that the region outside Downtown Pittsburgh has lost 6,000 financial jobs. Meanwhile, the study’s services job increase is fairly close to the regional gain and credible. Finally, bear in mind that there has been no net gain in private sector jobs in the Pittsburgh Metro area between February 2000 and February 2007.

* City and County Population Changes—Over the past 12 years or so Allegheny County has seen its labor force and number of jobholders shrink by 30,000. Meanwhile, the City of Pittsburgh’s population has shrunk by more than 30,000 since 1996 and its labor force has undoubtedly fallen, although proportionately less than the population. Since Allegheny County residents make up an overwhelming majority of jobholders in the City, it is hard to imagine that with the amount of County shrinkage we have seen that Downtown payrolls would have jumped 23 percent.

It could be that since the PDP study is only concerned with five Census tract neighborhoods at two points in time that a major portion of the Downtown job growth is the result of jobs moving from other parts of the City or region into Downtown. But there has been little in the way of news of such moves until the recent UPMC announcement. And those jobs were obviously not in Downtown in 2006.

The real problem is that we cannot be totally sure what the actual current job number is. We can, however, reasonably argue that in light of all the factors described above, there has not been a 23 percent gain in Downtown jobs since 1996. There was some growth between 1996 and 2001 from the 1996 low point. On the other hand, all signs point to a lower job total since 2001.

Source: April 24, 2007 Volume 7, Number 22 from Allegheny Institute.

[412] Your Autograph is desired. Collecting signatures from everyone in Allegheny County

[412] Your Autograph is desired. Collecting signatures from everyone in Allegheny County

---

Dear Eligible Voters of Allegheny County,

Your autograph and the autograph of your immediate family, friends, neighbors and co-workers is wanted on the attached form to insure that the democratic process lives for the November 2007 general election.

A concentration of power along with a lack of opposition is increasing our downward decline of both our population base and opportunities for other voices.

Your actions with this email and these forms will go a long way to insure voter choice and integrity in local elections in 2007 -- at a time when we need it most.

I've pulled together a slate of people to stand for office with me. Alternatives are needed as I don't want to give the ones in office now a "Free Pass" and further ignore accountability.

When you sign the petition, you agree we should be on the ballot and nothing more. You don't have to vote for me.

Money is not necessary. Just print the form (front and back) and just pay return postage -- or drop off to -- Mark Rauterkus, 108 South 12th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203.

The "official" election form is legal sized. Sadly, it only prints on paper that is 14-inches tall. Ouch. If you don't have paper like that loaded in your computer's printer, email me and I'll mail or drop of a form to your home or workplace. Provide your address. Furthermore, the form must be printed on front and back. Ouch again.

Directions: Sign the first box, P R I N T, the second box, so letters are apart. Include middle initials and Jr./Sr./etc. as registered on election department records. Otherwise, you are deemed less than human and your signature won't count. Ouch. Your street number and address plus boro and municipality is needed (i.e., Castle Shannon, NOT Pgh). Finally, the date.

One omission and the un-democratic lawyers will attack. Dragging me into court -- again is something I want to avoid. I hate that scene. The goal is to get 10,000 valid signatures to have a buffer against a legal challenge. More is better. Deadlines are in July.

Next hurdle (ouch) is to match signatures to the proper form. People in different voting areas need to sign different forms to make this more difficult.

I've limited this email to two choices:
+ voters in CITY OF PITTSBURGH (or) (petition-city.pdf)
+ voters in ALLEGHENY COUNTY. (petition-county.pdf)

If you can't print the form but would like to sign, send me an email with your address.

Return signed forms to:

Mark Rauterkus
108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Thaks for your help.

Full County Smoking Ban Kicks In Next Week - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Full County Smoking Ban Kicks In Next Week - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh Until July 1, first-time offenders will get off with a warning.

Get out of jail free cards are available by ...

MSM insights. Bill Moyers on the selling of the war

Must see TV, it seems.

Best Practices in eDebates from MN - and Plans for 2008

Steven Clift, fellow netizen and hero of mine, has a wonderful web movie that covers some best-practices for online education for voters from various ventures he's helped to organize throughout the years. These efforts center upon web debates. I've loved being engaged in some of these past efforts as a citizen and consumer of the process.

His recent blog post.

Now Yahoo! et al are talking about holding Presidential online debates. How nice.

The press release from Yahoo! makes an important announcement. However, there have been plenty of online candidate debates. It is a bad practice to say that you are the 'first' in anything.

Web White & Blue hosted a debate in 2000. Check out this web movie,
http://www.e-democracy.org/movies/presidentialedebate.html


"Slugging it out" is the wrong theme. Internet formats should be designed to allow more in-depth answers and a substantive exchange and not to promote a flame fest. Cable television new political punditry can hurl insults there. Don't bring that shock and awe to the internet.