Carey Harris gets a promotion to lead A+ Schools

Way to go Carrey.

Hillary -- hands off -- until November 2007

I don't need help picking my campaign theme song. But, my only wish is that she not use the song(s) that I have picked -- until after the November 6, 2007, general election. But, that would be okay if she did pick the same song, musician and singers. What the hell, thse folks I choose are my friends and I'd love for them to strike it big again.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is seeking advice on "one of the most important issues" of her presidential campaign: picking a campaign theme song.

So far, more than 100,000 Americans have responded to her lighthearted call for help. Some have been inspired to compose original tunes. It's not exactly "American Idol," but the reaction is another example of the Internet's growing role in politics.

You'll need to get a copy of my latest CD, or dozens of them, to hear the tunes yourself. They are not out yet -- but wait a few more weeks.

Letter home

We've been away more than a month. Home in two weeks.

We fly today from Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world, to Christchurch, our home away from home, this afternoon. 4 pm flight. Only 30-minutes in the air. One runway airport here.

Then we leave for Auckland tomorrow. Spend a day or two there.

Catherine's talk was well received.

We really hit the tour bookings just right. So much to do -- but we did it perfectly.

Today Erik, Grant and Catherine went on a horseback trip. Erik's horse was in the Lord of the Rings movies! So cool. Crossed six or so rivers on horseback -- Catherine getting her feet wet -- while on the horse. Very wild and beautiful mountains and landscape.

I'm at an internet cafe -- but the only sign of a 'cafe' is the coke filled refrigerator behind the desk. Cost is $3 per hour to surf.

M got the right answer to a quiz about the swim pool, lane 9

New blog noticed. I'll need to read and study it later.

Pittsburgh Transit = http://pittsburgh-transit.blogspot.com/

Its author, Mathew, got a quiz question 'spot on.' (scroll down)

Quiz: When is the one day that you are SURE that you don't want to go "wire less" ???

We've been enjoying some magical times. Photos and movies to come. Presently I'm in a cyber cafe.

Early signs of winter have arrived where we are. Snow is covering many of the near peaks.

I ask this question, not for myself, but for the grad students in our party.

When is the one time that you are sure you do NOT want to 'go wireless?'

We'll have a first-hand report shortly.

Tonight we are going for an easy night -- to see the new Pirates of the C movie. In the AM, my wife and boys are going to ride horses.

Today it was a LOR tour. That can be the second quiz question. It was wonderful.

Yesterday -- stay tuned.

Ron Paul was right on Iraq - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Ron Paul was right on Iraq - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Hearing Rep. Ron Paul recite the reasons for Arab and Islamic resentment of the United States, including 10 years of bombing and sanctions that brought death to thousands of Iraqis after the Gulf War, Rudy Giuliani broke format and exploded:

'That's really an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of 9/11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I have ever heard that before, and I have heard some pretty absurd explanations for Sept. 11.'

Meanwhile, what is this I hear about the USA and its small band of war hungry Rs in the White House doing with Iran? They (with CIA help) are going to mess with their currency. Say what!

Vicious Cycle - Recent incidents involving bicyclists are, sadly, nothing new - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper

Pittsburgh - Vicious Cycle - Recent incidents involving bicyclists are, sadly, nothing new - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper Although bicyclists say they are no strangers to passersby who taunt them or motorists forcing them off the streets, some cycling advocates are particularly disturbed by the latest string of incidents, which include at least two beatings, as posted on the electronic bulletin board of Bike Pittsburgh, a local advocacy group.

Bike Pittsburgh's membership and project director Erok Boerer says he was alarmed by the bikers' beatings, as well as two other accidents -- a hit-and-run and another car-bike accident -- that all took place within the last three weeks.

Lots of comments on this posting / article.

Antarctic Centre: Been there, done that

The Little Blue Penguins (also know as 'fairy penguins' in Australia) are the sweetest things. They are delightful says Catherine. The Antarctic Centre has 21 of them. They are all rescued animals. One is blind.

The ferret is not their friend.

http://www.iceberg.co.nz

There even was a ride in a Hagglund."

Before 1920, all exploration in Antarctic was done on foot. Later, helicopters and tractors were used. In 1985 the Hagglund all-terrain vehicle came onto the scent to improve the transporting of staff and materials on the ice. It is amphibious and does donuts on an outdoor adventure course. The retired guys who are the drivers have a kick out of leading the tours. It has caterpillar tracks but is designed to exert only half the ground pressure of a human footprint so as to leave almost no impression on the ground or snow, so it's very environmentally friendly.

Quiz: What is the one place in the world where an American can travel to without a passport?

Busy, busy, busy

There is a bunch of things to see and do in the days ahead. Three trips within the trip are brewing. So, the blogging is going to be a wee-bit behind.

Running mates -- come alive.

Speaking of running, Christchurch is home to a marathon. Pittsburgh doesn't have a marathon, but we'll be able to experience on in June, just before our departure. There is a 10K, half-marathon and fun run for the kids too.

If you'd like to come over to run the marathon, or just soak up some of New Zealand's winter days with us, feel free to drop in. We've got plenty of room, including an empty two car garage.

Home Page Sunday June 3 - 2007

Mayor Wants Crime-Watch Cameras On Street Corners - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Mayor Wants Crime-Watch Cameras On Street Corners - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh 'Have one centralized system that private business owners or businesses that have cameras, the city of Pittsburgh that has cameras, the Port of Pittsburgh that has cameras, all are integrated into one system,' said Ravenstahl.

No thanks.

We need cameras -- and the cameras I dream about are going to be pointed to the government officials. I want all the authority board meetings to be on camera, on the internet, on cable tv, as podcasts, with real minutes and agendas that have details.

We need an overhaul of communications within the halls of government so that they can be watched. They (government officials) are robbing us most of all.

I want figurative cameras in the form of TRANSPARENT PAC ACCOUNTS. As deposits are made, they should be visible to anyone, anywhere. Same too for spending of PAC funds.

Once we have our eyes on those that control our money in the form of public treasury -- then we can begin to turn our attention elsewhere, perhaps.

Donation to Ravenstahl's campaign sparks self-exam by panel - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Penny for your thoughts.

Donation to Ravenstahl's campaign sparks self-exam by panel - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The husband of city Ethics Hearing Board member Penny Zacharias gave $1,200 to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl's election campaign before the mayor nominated her for the post.

The donation doesn't violate Pittsburgh's ethical code of conduct, but it has prompted members of the newly seated board to examine prohibiting such gifts to protect their credibility.

As I campaign, I don't want $1,200 donations. I don't want $1,200 headaches showing up on my door, unless the donor is Ben Franklin or Tom Paine or someone of similar values and principles.

Rather than have Luke give back the $1,200, I have another suggestion. One can level the playing field and be "fair" a few different ways. One way is to use subtraction. So, Luke could give the money back. Or, another way to level the playing field -- and one I prefer -- is to use addition, not subtraction.

Why not ask the firm and Penny's pals for an extra $2,400 so as to make an investment into both the Republican and Libertarian opposition. Level the playing field by by addition.

This way the $1,200 that went to Luke's campaign will be 'de-valued' because the same amount goes to the opposition.

Sure, if the Greens and Socialists Parties get their act together and get into the mayor's race, they can seek $1,200 each as well.

Or, another way to make matters 'fair' is for Luke to give back the money but not to Penny and her lawyer buddies. Luke could take the $1,200 and send $500 to the city Republicans, $500 to the Libertarians, and $100 each to the Greens and Socialists.

To be 'fair' it is worthy to note that the city's Republicans had been hammering on the re-creation of the ethics hearing board for many months. They got Bob O'Connor to think again about its operation. For years, and even since I was in that party to lend more opposition to Tom Murphy's ways, Bob Hillen has been talking about the ethics hearing board. It isn't hard to be reminded of it as it is part of the city's charter.

The Foreign Policy of Ron Paul by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.

The Foreign Policy of Ron Paul by Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr. It doesn't take a game-theory genius to predict how this conflict works itself out in the long run. The left and the right agree to disagree on intellectual grounds but otherwise engage in a dangerous quid pro quo. They turn a blind eye to the government they don't like so long as they get the government they do like.

PPS and Kaplan talk about next year's learning

Pittsburgh Public Schools with Kaplan K12 Learning Services present. . .
A Sneak Preview of New Curriculum Beginning the Fall of 2007 for Parents of Students Grades 6-12.

What will be taught next year in:
* Middle School Science – Grades 6, 7, 8
* High School Science – Biology, Chemistry and Physics
* High School English – English 3 & English 4
* High School Math – Algebra II (including revisions to the current Algebra I and Geometry curriculum)
* High School History – African American, Civics, U. S. History, World History

Two opportunities to hear this information:

Thursday, June 7, 2007 OR Monday, June 11, 2007 at Reizenstein Professional Development Center from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. For more information, contact Dr. Richard Gutkind at 412-622-3955.

kdka.com - Audit Reveals Flaw In Allegheny County 911 System

kdka.com - Audit Reveals Flaw In Allegheny County 911 System.

Humm....

So there was a meltdown of 911 telephone service in October, 2007. An audit is due in at the end of May 2007. This, in turn will set the wheels of motion moving forward for the County Executive, Dan Onorato. So, he'll take it as positive and do something.

The quote goes as far as to say that Onorato will implement them as quickly as possible.

Humm...

We could put a note in a bottle and toss it off of the pier in New Brighton, Christchurch, New Zealand -- and have it wash up onto the North Shore of Pittsburgh faster.

From NZ dump

Quiz: In New Zealand you don't dial 911 in case of emergency. Who knows what number is to be dialed?

Hint, it isn't 3-1-1 either.

I don't think it would take anyone in the world (other than Pittsburgh's political leaders) eight months to issue a report to say 're-boot the system' when 9-1-1 phones stop ringing for an extended period of time.

The A.D. Bureaucrat has leaked a tank tip

One who knows you can only rent beer made us giggle on this posting at his blog.

The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat Pittsburgh, PA (Reuters) - Fresh on the heels of an agreement with ALCOSAN, the US Environmental Protection Agency has reached a historic accord with Pittsburgh City Council to stem the flow of human excrement coming out of 414 Grant Street. The agreement will result in the largest containment of fecal material in a incorporated municipality in the history of the Country.

Allegheny Institute and PA Turnpike -- asking Gov to be open

Blogger: Allegheny Institute Blog - Post a Comment... It is time for the Governor to share with the Legislature the letters of interest (concerning the PA Turnpike) he received last December (2006). There is no need for secrecy about this. That only breeds distrust and animosity toward moving forward with the lease plan.

Being open and honest is the way to be in government.

Up in smoke!

Allegheny Institute Blog This is no way to run a government. Passing ordinances that violate state law in hopes they can win in court does no credit to the Council.

Amen!

The Conversation and school funding

The Conversation An inconvenient truth

The Trib addresses what Ross Perot might call Pennsylvania's crazy aunt in the basement: an inequitable system for funding public schools. This is the reason why cutting property taxes is so difficult. Without reforming the school funding system--which puts the onus for funding schools on local districts, and thus local property owners--not only will you be unable to offer significant local property tax cuts, but you will continue to have vast inequalities among school districts.

Consent decree 'best deal' possible, Alcosan says

Consent decree 'best deal' possible, Alcosan says: The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority will pay a civil fine of $1.2 million for decades of illegal sewage discharges into Pittsburgh area rivers and creeks. That's much less than the $275 million fine it was threatened with in 1997.

The best deal possible would have been to fix these meag problems years ago. They didn't choose to engage and do the heavy lifting that was necessary. Lazy jerks would rather piss in the rivers for decades. And, then they'd rather run around and help to finance crack-pot development deals.

Lots and lots of sewer money has been piped into new development deals -- far beyond the cost of infrastructure. They've been off mission critical tasks. They've been passing on the hard jobs. They've been too quick to run to the courts and do nothing else.

Infrastructure isn't sexy. Infrasturcture doesn't get voters and politicians who are motivated by the handouts excited.

We went to the beach the other day.

From family - travels

We went to the beach yesterday. New Brighton, Christchurch, New Zealand. More photos, less leg, will be posted later.

It is 'off season' and the only ones in the water were us -- silly Americans. After a dip in the Pacific, we headed to an indoor swim pool with hydro slides. That was fun too.

From NZ - QEII