Reason Magazine - Pittsburgh: Livable or Leavable?

Reason Magazine - Pittsburgh: Livable or Leavable?: "Since 1985, despite bleeding people and slowly converting to a sluggish service economy based on health care and organ transplants, the region has always been ranked among the almanac’s Top 20 most livable cities. That’s mainly because the ranking system favors the area’s many priceless assets, which include an abnormally low crime rate, a populace of regular-guy, smart-ass Michael Keaton-types (Keaton's a native), great old city neighborhoods and big suburban homes so cheap they’d make a Washingtonian weep. Pittsburgh also has top universities like Carnegie-Mellon and Pitt, major league sports teams, and a beautiful green landscape of hills, hollows and wide rivers. Sure, pay scales are low and the populace can be a little bigoted, too Democrat, and too working class. The two unofficial regional religions—unionism and Steelerism—can be annoying. And pop culturally, it's at least 5 years behind L.A. But Pittsburgh is a good city to raise a family in, grow old in and die in."

GOP puts up name to oppose Onorato

Too little. Too late.

GOP puts up name to oppose Onorato 'Not having a candidate in the fall does a disservice to all the people of Allegheny County, because it doesn't give them a chance to hear the issues,' he said.

Pittsburgh City Council candidate brings honest cents to campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh City Council candidate brings honest cents to campaign - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "YANKEE CLIPPED. California University of Pennsylvania has one of the top graduate athletic training education programs in the country, but don't tell that to the New York Yankees.

With a slew of Yankees suffering muscular injuries this spring, General Manager Brian Cashman decided Wednesday to eject the team's new strength and conditioning coach, Marty Miller, 34, CalU class of 2004.

The last straw was 12 days ago when the Yanks' phenom pitcher, Phil Hughes, suffered a left hamstring injury after keeping the Texas Rangers hitless for 6 1/3 innings.

Miller earned a degree in exercise science from the Washington County school and is scheduled to appear at the university for two sports 'performance enhancement' camps in July. Miller had been in the position only a couple of months."

Talking with ... The Riverlife Task Force's Lisa Schroeder

I hope Antirust blogs about this article.

Talking with ... The Riverlife Task Force's Lisa Schroeder She's helping to make her vision of city riverfronts a reality

My quick reply: The international city that best uses its rivers: Vienna. Another good one, Prauge.

I'm thinking and dreaming of a wake-board tow line in a big rectangle between two bridges.

The Citizens Voice - City chooses Wi-Fi provider

The Citizens Voice - City chooses Wi-Fi provider WILKES-BARRE - Telecommunications provider Frontier was selected to build and maintain a wireless Internet service throughout the city.

Surrounded by Frontier employees on Public Square at a press conference Thursday, Mayor Tom Leighton and City Administrator and Wire-Free Wilkes-Barre CEO J.J. Murphy announced the wireless initiative will enhance public saftey.

re-public: re.imagining democracyRe-public : re-imagining democracy - english version � Pete Ashdown - Open source politics

re-public: re.imagining democracyRe-public : re-imagining democracy - english version - Pete Ashdown - Open source politics The Internet is blind to wealth, ability, race, creed, gender, and background. A good idea presented through collaborative technologies will rise to the top and be implemented, regardless of the source. That is good for all including the minority.

I'm not okay with that statement. The internet isn't blind to ability.

San Francisco WiFi agreement said to save internet users $9 to $18 million annually

The Pittsburgh controller, as well as the Pittsburgh wi-fi deal, are poor. I've not been happy with either. Meanwhile, here is what they have cooking in S.F.

San Francisco Sentinel � Blog Archives � San Francisco WiFi agreement said to save internet users $9 to $18 million annually San Francisco internet users stand to save from $9 milliion to $18 million annually if an agreement between the City and EarthLink is adopted, according to a study by San Franicsco Controller Ed Harrington.

The agreement, proposed by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, also would reduce the digitial divide by “helping to incorporate low-income and disadvantaged populations into the economic mainstream,” according to Harrington.

Download YouTube Videos

Download YouTube Videos: "Web based"

Pokora: Tax-exempt UPMC, Pitt 'bleed' city of $23M - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pokora: Tax-exempt UPMC, Pitt 'bleed' city of $23M - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pokora: Tax-exempt UPMC, Pitt 'bleed' city of $23M

Bleeding -- bull.

Well, to use the same expression, then, in my not so humble opinion, Pokora should call for a stop of the bleeding.

The bleeding is expanding. The bleeding needs to be understood. Tony Pokora just wants to tax the bleeding.

A study and inventory of all nonprofit properties and a call to halt to all growth of nonprofits is prudent.

Tony wants to target the largest and most profitable -- an act that is similar to eating one's young.

Tony should pile on upon the city and the property tax breaks that they get. The city's land is not performing, has never performed and is growing as well.

Where is the list of the properties where the tax liens were acquired?

City: Nonprofits pay fraction of tax rate of what their taxes would be

Plenty of other places -- such as Evanston, Illinois, home of Northwestern University, have a larger percentage of its space devoted to nonprofit ownership. Pittsburgh has a bunch of nonprofits, to be sure. However, those nonprofits are nonprofits by design. The benefits of the nonprofits are too great to calculate -- by the likes of Tony Pokora.

City: Nonprofits pay fraction of tax rate of what their taxes would be Large, cash-rich universities and hospitals are paying the city of Pittsburgh small fractions of what they would if they were taxable institutions, acting city Controller Tony Pokora said in releasing an audit yesterday.

Mr. Pokora looked at the property owned by eight institutions of higher learning and 14 health-care concerns, in an effort to find out what they would be paying in taxes if they weren't exempt. Some are members of a group called the Pittsburgh Public Service Fund that channels voluntary contributions to the city, but has not agreed to do so beyond this year.

Tony wants to tax the Cathedral of Learning. Tony is barking up the wrong tree.

When I'm in charge, I'll change the tune.

First, how much space is owned by nonprofits. I want to know the square foot space. Value doesn't matter. Value changes. Let's inventory the nonprofit space and make a list of the parcels and total the size of each.

What is the nonprofit footprint of space in Pittsburgh and in each municipality of Allegheny County.

With this research, we'll also begin to get a handle upon how much space and how many spaces are owned by governmental agencies. The city, the county, the URA, the Parking Authority, the Stadium Authority (they still are paying on Three Rivers Stadium I think) and others have lots and lots of space.

Then the mission would be to greatly reduce the governmental ownership of land throughout the city and the county.

Furthermore, at the same time, a moratorium on nonprofit land expansion must be put into place for the city and the county.

UPMC should be able to grow all it wants -- if the growth is upward on land it or another nonprofit already owns.

Lots of nonprofit space in the city and county are used poorly. That's the big crime. That is what needs to change. The nonprofit sector has been taking more and more space, year to year.

Pokora doesn't get it. He needs to clean up from within -- and look at the city's holdings first and foremost. Then he can look at the bigger trends of nonprofit expansion.

Super 14: Bulls defeat Crusaders 27-12 - International Herald Tribune

Our team is the Crusaders. They lost. The theme has been infringements, rucks and mauls -- on the field and off. The night after their last home game -- a few of the players punched up a few others on the steets of Christchurch -- at a bar (of course) -- because of "cheeky" comments.

Super 14: Bulls defeat Crusaders 27-12 - International Herald Tribune: "The Bulls were then able to take advantage of errors the opposition made in trying to break the stranglehold.

Crusaders captain Richie McCaw was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes at the start of the final quarter for repeated infringements at rucks and mauls, and Hougaard kicked the resulting penalty to stretch the lead to 24-12.

The game was played in South Africa and was on the air at 3:30 am (local time). It was on "sky tv" -- a station that we don't get here at the house. So, we didn't watch the game.

I had offered to the swim coach to open up a swim team party and hold it at the swim pool in a 'lounge' -- where there is a TV. Then we could have had a half-time basketballl game and a morning swim practice. Martin said I was full of many 'wild ideas.' Then he pointed out how he isn't into rugby, much. He likes the world cup. His sport is soccer. And, he is from the UK.

I asked a dozen kids on the team if they were going to get up to watch the game -- and none were psyched about the game and none were going to miss sleep to watch. A few parents or siblings were expected to watch.

Whistleblower fired from campaign job

Whistleblower fired from campaign job 'I'm the only person in this scenario who didn't break the law, but I'm the only one who loses their job,' said Jason Phillips, who on Wednesday showed media evidence of a political phone call made on city time from a city office by a member of Mr. Koch's staff.

Bummer.

The Conversation: A foundering ship

The Conversation: A foundering ship

J.Potts talks about the void in Pittsburgh political circles among those now hired on Grant Street.

Thanks for the mention at the end of the post. Read it on his blog.

Steelers President Demands Casino Traffic Study, Threatens To Sue - Sports News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Steelers President Demands Casino Traffic Study, Threatens To Sue - Sports News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh Sue-i!



Art Rooney II -- you are a renter. You don't own Heinz Field. You don't have standing.

At least the owners of Majestic Star Casino are going to buy the land and build the casino with their own money.

If Art Rooney is worried about the land around the stadium -- he should start by buying the stadium. Take it off of the backs of the taxpayers. Make it his own.

Then, let's talk.

tonight's practice and activites from our day

We'll play a bit of catch-up.

Yesterday the boys had a violin lesson. The teacher came to the house. She was good and teaches for many home schooled children. The boys have a new song to learn -- a tune from the N.Z. tradition.

Today we went to the bike shop and got a new bike for Grant. His was giving some troubles in the shifting of gears and a rattle on the chain often between gears. So, a new (to us) yellow bike is his ride.

On the way, we hit a big rain and wind storm. They said that the rain comes and goes if the wind is with it. Without the wind, it will rain for a long time. We had wind today. Sure enough, the rain stopped about an hour later. With the dark sky and wind and rain -- we used the time to play in the gym at Wharenui. The boys and I played basketball for 90 minutes or so.

After Grant's swim practice he got to go with a swim buddie to the mall and KFC.

I coached the 'development group' and then hung around with the national group too. They had a spring workout.

The group I'm coaching has done a great job with a few of the challenges I've given them so far. Yesterday we devoted some time to dive 25s with fins -- kicking fly underwater in a streamline -- trying to get to the other end of the pool without a breath in as few kicks as possible.

At the start, some of the kids were hitting 15 to 20 kicks. After a few, they were 12 and 10. Then a few more and some were at 5, 6, 7 kicks to get the length of the swim pool.

Today we reviewed a bit. Then the swimmers were asked to go as far as possible after a dive with fins and only TWO kicks. One swimmer was able to get nearly to the flags at the other end. All of the swimmers were past half-way.

In the national group, I helped with some starts. On the last start the swimmers went underwater, streamlined, kicking breastroke, counting the kicks for a length. They were asked to get as few kicks as possible. Some kickers were at 7 and 8. Most were around 10.

The head coach, Martin, is going to swim in the AM practice and I'll lead the session. We train from 7 to 9 am on Saturday mornings. We'll have a combined group with National and Developmental kids in the water.

I got a good bit of video and some photos tonight of the swimmers so as to pull together a technique presentation. But, I'm not going to post that to the web. And, I'm going to avoid speaking about any one swimmer.

We're going to Willowbank tomorrow. I went there with Erik and Grant the other day on bikes. But we'll go in the evening and see a Maori Cultural Show with a Haka, I expect. Then a tour. The kiwi (a bird) is nocturnal. They run around in the day as they have a darkened room. So we saw them the other day -- but it was way to dark for cameras and there were lots of signs about no cameras too.

California Republican debate transcript - The Debates - MSNBC.com

California Republican debate transcript - The Debates - MSNBC.com: "California Republican debate transcript"

So, National City's credit card doesn't work any longer -- and we're in New Zealand

Sux to have a snafu with a credit card while on a trip to New Zealand. Way to go National City. Putting a new credit card in our mail box at home isn't going to help us while we're in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Jeepers.

Councilman puts roadblock on potential Onorato gubernatorial bid - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Councilman puts roadblock on potential Onorato gubernatorial bid - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato could be forced to leave office to seek the governor's mansion if a potential referendum being advocated by County Councilman Matt Drozd gets support at the polls this November.

Drozd said he plans to introduce an ordinance calling for the reform at a County Council committee meeting tonight. The measure, if passed, would require a chief executive to resign if he or she sought any other public office.

'I can't accept these people that are governor and want to be president ... and they're still being paid to be governor,' said Drozd, R-Ross. 'I don't want to be paying (a campaigning politician) on taxpayer dollars.'

Onorato, a Democrat running for reelection this year, has not announced plans to succeed Gov. Ed Rendell, though many speculate he will enter the 2010 gubernatorial race.

Go Mr. Drozd. Great idea. Onorato should run for governor as a private citizen.

Koch's campaign for council faces new questions

Humm...

Koch's campaign for council faces new questions Mr. Phillips said Ms. Conroy 'basically told me she was calling me to ask if the councilman could use my name on a mailer that his campaign was producing. Apparently the campaign is attempting to put together a piece that shows all of the former candidates in the March special election support Jeff.'

My phone number is 64-03-364-2715. You'll need to call New Zealand to speak with me.

I don't think that Jason, as the article said, will put his name on the list.

I don't think Mike Walagorski will put his name on a list for Jeff Koch either.

I won't put my name on a list as well -- but -- I'd be willing to take a phone call at a decent hour to talk about the matter. I'm going to run against either Jeff or Bruce -- depending upon who wins the D party primary. Or, I'll get another to do so under the Libertarian banner.

I do have the strong impression that in 2006, headed into the March 14 special election with nine candidates, that Bruce Kraus was the lone man out. Had any of the other eight had broken with Kraus -- he could have won the race. But, Kraus had been double-talking throughtout the campaign and wasn't getting any love from any of the other candidates.

I was very happy that Jeff Koch beat Bruce Kraus. Kraus is much like Tom Murphy -- a double talker who offered too much to everyone -- and it was always a different offer. And, those offers were only empty promises that would have never been kept.

Kraus has no sense of what government is about and what it should be doing.

Kraus is not worthy to serve in public office in my humble opinion. IMHO, Kraus would be a wedge and source of underhandedness on council.

Even the quote in the P-G from Kraus is a load of crap. Mr. Kraus yesterday said there is "a pattern of behavior" of using city resources for his opponent's campaign. "People under his authority are using city time and resources for his campaign," he said, adding that he thought the involved workers were not at fault and were "caught in the middle here." So, Kraus doesn't want to peg the employees. What's up with that. Kraus is the one who is always caught in the middle.

Meanwhile, I am not impressed with the folks on city council nor with the leadership from the mayor's administration. They are driven by spite and envy. The sense of purpose is absent. Principles are down the drain.

Mode of transportation

 

We've been doing most of our travels on bikes. We wear these bright vests. Erik has leg straps to help keep his pants out of the chain. Grant's vest was purchased at a recent trip so we could get one that wasn't so large (adult sized). Generally I go first. Grant is in the middle. Erik brings up the rear.

People on bikes MUST wear helmets in New Zealand. It is a law.

I packed our bike gloves from home.

My bike has two saddle bags on a rack off the back. That's where the swim bag, camera and spare tire goes.