Rally to Stop the Bus Cuts: We need him to lead us...

We need Santa Claus to lead us in the fight to put religion back into holiday of Christmas.

We need Barry Bonds to lead us in the fight against the use of steroids in major league sports.

We need the Roman Catholic Pope to lead us in the fight for the women's right to choose to reproduce.

We need Dan Onorato to lead us in the fight against the drastic bus service cuts of the Allegheny County's Port Authority Transit.

Let's be careful with what we wish for in terms of our leadership.

PA's Governor, Fast Eddie Rendell, has his driver speed him around Pennsylvania. Today's news buzz spoke of his willingness and eagerness to zoom around at 90+ MPH on PA roads. In my opinion, Ed Rendell should NOT be the one to stand for safe driving, safe highways and responsibility.

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Dan Onorato wants a free ride in his elections. But, Dan Onorato doesn't want to insure that the citizens of Allegheny County have the freedom to travel around the county on public transportation.

New bits on YouTube have been uploaded

Some content has been posted to my site on YouTube.com. Watch -- or better yet -- subscribe -- to my YouTube.com feed. http://www.YouTube.com/Rauterkus

This is one bit. The others are on my page.
Reactions welcomed. Feel free to forward what you wish to others.

Everyone, out of the pool. No swimming again at Carlynton High School

Yesterday, Thurs, April 26, 2007, there was another bomb threat at Carlynton High School. (Carnegie, Crafton, Rosslyn Farms) So, swim practice, swim lessons and even home and away sports events were nixed for then and today.

Sorta sux for the kids and programs.

Candidate forum set in advance of May 14 primary election

Candidate forum set in advance of May 14 primary election On May 10, Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and challenger Rick Swartz will meet at 6 p.m. at Grace Memorial Presbyterian Church, 1000 Bryn Mawr Road., Hill District.

I would love to see this on YouTube from New Zealand. Help!

Group pressures Onorato on cuts by Port Authority - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Wow, 20,000 signatures. Wonder how many don't have 'middle initials' nor are from registered voters with signatures on file that match election department records?

Seriously, I signed. I'll be there. This effort was wonderful.

Group pressures Onorato on cuts by Port Authority - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The Campaign to Stop the Bus Cuts wants Onorato to gain greater access to Port Authority of Allegheny County's financial records and specifics of service cuts that will start June 17.

Hundreds of group members plan to deliver the petition to Onorato's office at noon. The group includes members of several community organizations, including the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, The League of Young Voters, and Save Our Transit."

Imagine that -- Onorato doesn't have a good handle on the financial records. Onorato has been saying that the $25-million that the county pays into the PAT budget is the single largest line item within PAT's budget. But, that amount hasn't changed in years. Furthermore, it shouldn't be the biggest amount. Passenger fares should be greater.

Some are 'stealing' bus service, and I know right where these folks hang out. You'll find them on the bus. Not all, but some.

PAT's ridership needs to better pull its own weight. And, PAT's management hasn't done anything to fix this problem. Folks who get onto the bus in a park-and-ride in Marshall Township and ride into the city, avoiding car expenses and parking costs, are not paying enough.

Students, faculty and staff at Pitt who get on the bus without putting anything into the fare box are getting too much for too little.

Every area that can needs to do more. Onorato and Bland have not looked at the entire picture, yet. Raising fares isn't the first thing I'd have done. But, raising fares should have been done by now, especially for the institutional customers and those that live in the places of sprawl, beyond the central core.

PIIN Banquet -- powerful statement from Dick Gregory

Well done PIIN. The banquet was tonight at Station Square.

Great talker. I saw a video camera. Perhaps they'll put part on the web?

State court blocks McKeesport directors from seeking second seat

There is inside baseball. Then there is inside inside baseball.

State court blocks McKeesport directors from seeking second seat: "The Harrisburg court's ruling April 13 affirmed an order by the county Common Pleas Court that resulted in board members Dave Donato and Lori Spando having their names removed from the election ballot because each member is halfway through a four-year term.

Act 45 of 2006, amending the Pennsylvania Election Code, prohibits candidates from running for an office they already hold if their terms do not expire in that election year. Both Mr. Donato and Ms. Spando, who had successfully run for re-election in 2005, with two years remaining on their terms, said in their appeal that Act 45 was unconstitutional.

I promise, if I ever get elected, I won't ever run for relection for my seat until the term expires.

Ron Morris' - The American Entrepreneur Newsletter publishes my article on accountability

Ron Morris' - The American Entrepreneur FREE Newsletter The new age 'Scarlet letter' by Mark Rauterkus

Frequent TAE contributor Mark Rauterkus puts a new spin on a concept that's centuries old in the name of political accountability. Mark's website is http://rauterkus.blogspot.com .

The talk of reform in Harrisburg is starting to buzz. Two ideas recently presented to lawmakers at a hearing in Pittsburgh have roots in a business mindset.

First, show us the money. Second, if you cheat, we'll never do business with you again.

(Continued at his site, Ron Morris' - The American Entrepreneur FREE Newsletter .)

Take your child to work day -- smashing

One of our guy's buddies has been at work, putting people on the phone on hold.

Another set of girl office workers now has my campaign info and DVD movies -- America: Freedom to Facsism.

A boy was on the roof helpnig his dad -- above my head most of the day. We are getting a new roof.

Was your day filled with little child labor law breakers too?

Some of Erik's middle school kids were very sleepy in the school day -- after working the night shift with either mom or dad. Others were absent from class. More news tomorrow.

I always loved the times I was able to go to work with my dad. He was a school teacher. But, I didn't go often -- just once in a while. And, it was generally for a social, musical or sporting visit.

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.