Maori and Auckland photos

From NZ auckland-1

Went to Auckland Museum and have uploaded a bunch of photos from there and some other places in the biggest city in New Zealand.

Look around and you'll even find some videos. One is a haka. Enjoy.

Quiz: Lake in New Zealand

Today's quiz question: It is said that nobody drowns in this lake. It is in New Zealand. Photo from our visit to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world.

Why would it be so that nobody ever drowns in this lake?

(Click image for larger view of the lake.)

Put your answer (or guess) into the comment of this blog post.

Pittsburgh violence rate outpaces U.S.

Pittsburgh violence rate outpaces U.S. Pittsburgh violence rate outpaces U.S.
2.6 percent increase here last year; that's double the rate of nation

Ouch.

How about if violent crime were to decrease, not just stay on pace with the rest of the nation.

Superintendent Moffatt concurred that crime prevention begins with civilians.

"We're constantly on the lookout to have better development in our relationship with the communities, and we're going to have to do more of that," he said. "Communities have to step forward -- there has to be more collaboration between the police officers and the communities we serve."

Right on.

Ron Paul on The Daily Show

Well, Congressman Ron Paul was on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" tonight. He did well. He didn't appear, or sound like a very old man. John McCain, who is a year younger, sounds older.

His appearance was pretty straight forward. I went in with an open mind, perhaps even wanting to like him. He earned a good "B." He was a classic politician, not "funny" like Al Gore can be. Or Rudy Guiliani.

It is a major coup for a second-tier candidate to be on the Daily Show. I hope that he's on again. I'm just glad that Stewart would welcome any Republican. The comedian was a very vocal champion of John Kerry's, and all but endorsed him. I'm sure he's had other Republicans on, but he's still very much in the Liberal's corner.

Ron Paul continues to do "all the right things."

It's still Rudy Guliani's race to lose...and Fred Thompson might just be the spoiler. It won't be Ron Paul, even though I like him a lot more now than before.

Been away for a while. What have I been missing?

I've been on the other side of the world -- and doing my best to stay in the loop with Pittsburgh's political and cultural happenings. It is time to put my ear to the ground and figure out what I've been missing?

Nationally, I think the political news it Ron Paul's momentum.



I'm open to other suggestions and ideas as to what I've missed. It is time for us to re-enter the American mindset of being a Pittsburgher again.

In our extended family, I've yet to miss the arrival of our newest baby. Our boys will be getting a new cousin. The birth is any moment now. We were just talking about new baby names and Catherine suggested "Jade."

Another new development -- a new roof and deck re-make.

But, there has got to be more beyond the primary election. We'll be getting three new members to city council, of course, but -- that only means that three that are there now won't be returning. The new members are not yet elected as that happens with the general election.

Magical beach side tour

From NZ-yellow-eye...

While the boys and I were at the Neptune Swim Meet, Catherine, my photo impaired wife, enjoyed a magical tour of splendid nature around Dunedin, New Zealand. She set out at 1 pm on Saturday with the digital camera. Her images are posted in the web album above.

For the first part of the day, she thought she had broken Erik's digital camera. But, no. It was set to the 'download mode' and not the photo taking mode. That was fixed with an easy flip of the switch.

Catherine was keen to see the giant albatross, yellow-eyed penguins, blue penguins and more. See got a treat. They were all there and in volume.

Seems that the wind needs to be right for the giant albatross to come back into their nests. Their wings are so long that if the wind is weak or if the wind direction is such they can't land. They need a bit of a runway to land and head into the wind to slow. The conditions were perfect and they were flocking in to feed their chicks.

The albatross nests around Dunedin are the only place in New Zealand where they are to be found. All the others are in sub-artic islands, except for this colony.

These are huge birds -- with 3-meter wing spans. We saw some of the junior-types on other trips, but were not with these. Their flight is so impressive. They move, swoop and seemingly float just above the rolling waves of the ocean. Feathers at the tips of the wings right to the water's surface among swells and waves.

Then the yellow-eyed penguins -- such a hoot. The eyes are yellow as are the areas around the eyes. They surf in the waves to the beach then plop -- stand upright and waddle to the hillsides to their nests. These guys spend the day in the ocean and the nights at their land-based nests. Swimming, they look a bit like ducks. Then when they go vertical on land, Catherine said it was a riot to see.

The blue penguins are smaller and more to themselves and less in a clan. They nest in these small boxes that had been built for them by the local farmer.

The penguins avoided the sea lions. But, the sheep and penguins got along fine. The sheep help to keep down the height of the grass giving the penguins better footing to get to their nests. If the grass was tall, they'd be finished.

The bad guys are nasty, ugly, blood-thirsty critters that are hated. We're talking about the ferrits and the stoaks. Neither are native to this island. Now that they are here -- they've gone and made a real eco mess.

These stoaks kill tons of birds and there are traps for them all over the place. They kill for the thrill -- not even for the food. So, if one gets into a hillside, it will knock out a handfull of nests in one swoop. Three nests were hit recently until it ended in a trap.

The local farmer lways has a rifle with him as he walks and if he spots a stoak or ferret -- he'll shoot it. Drivers too aim for them if they are on the roads.

When we were driving in Queenstown, I saw one in the headlights running across the road into the bush. The traps are marked with pink triangles so the rangers know where they've been placed.

The Price of Delaying the Inevitable in Iraq

Wait and see turn around of roles is predicted.

The Price of Delaying the Inevitable in Iraq This wait and see attitude in Washington, and the promised reassessment of events in Iraq later on, strongly motivates the insurgents to accelerate the killing of Americans in order to influence the decision coming in three months. In contrast, a clear decision to leave would prompt a wait and see attitude in Iraq, a de facto cease fire, in anticipation of our leaving, the perfect time for the Iraqi factions to hold their fire on each other and on our troops and just possibly begin talking with each other.

Ron Paul updates

June 4, 2007: Congressman Ron Paul will be a guest on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" tonight at 11:00 pm ET.

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml

The third GOP presidential debate will be held tomorrow night, June 5, at 7:00 pm ET in New Hampshire. CNN will broadcast the debate with Wolf Blitzer as the moderator.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/

Sunday Forum: In praise of property taxes

Right on.

Sunday Forum: In praise of property taxes property tax remains the best way to fund schools.

The Pgh Comment had a post about this too.

Your Coaching Resource - Team Travel

ASCAOnline - Your Coaching Resource One of the “truisms” of swimming that coaches intuitively understand, even when they can’t verbalize it, is that Team Travel will “break swimmers loose” from their previous performance levels and allow them to “move up” when ten more meets in the home environment might not achieve that. How does this work?

South Carolina swim coach, Gibb Steps Down at South Carolina

CollegeSwimming.com::Gibb Steps Down at South Carolina Gibb described a commitment he and wife Gena had made to be good parents, but when pressed against the similarly-demanding rigors of Division I coaching, said “really, only one of us has done a great job [of parenting].” Coaching in the SEC he explained, “is a 24 x 7 job and if you don’t work hard at it, you’re going to get passed by.”

Free from the constant pressure to recruit, he plans spend time with his wife and four children, while also getting back to the basics of “why I got involved in coaching to begin with – to teach kids to appreciate and love swimming.”

Good choices.

Syracuse: Athletic Director Explains Decision to cut swimming

CollegeSwimming.com::Syracuse: Athletic Director Explains Decision The problem, Gross explained, came down to money. “We don’t have the resources to compete the right way in swimming.” Chief among those needs was a facility that he pegged in the $35-40 million range. “If we were gong to have a swimming program here then its very important that we have the resources to do it the right way and that would mean a new facility.”

Not that a hockey facility wouldn’t necessitate its own costs. “Obviously we’re looking at some other facility changes that will impact eighteen teams. To do it for just two is tougher. If we’re going to fundraise we need to help as many teams as we can help.”

Ouch, again.

Residents of Hill get a say in plans for new arena

Residents of Hill get a say in plans for new arena Ms. Ismail said city planners sent out about 14,000 fliers to residents in the Hill and Uptown areas to inform them of this evening's meeting and the other opportunities to participate.

'We don't want people to come back and say we were not informed of the process,' she said. 'To be heard is to be there. It is not our plan. It is their plan.'

Can residents show up to the meeting with a video camera? Or, will the meeting occur without the "PERMISSION" to video the events????

What about those who do NOT show up to the meeting?

Those who attend also will have a chance to sign up for one of six focus groups

Why only limit people to ONE of the SIX focus groups?

Divide and conquer works that way.

I'm not there at the meeting in the Civic Arena. However, I'd like to know what is going on. And, I'd like to sign up for all six focus groups.

Hazelwood's new houses come from URA after six or seven years

Hazelwood welcomes new houses The $1.5 million project featuring four townhouses and two single-family homes is being developed under the auspices of the Urban Redevelopment Authority. It has been planned for six or seven years, said Jerome Dettore, executive director of the URA.

City officials are there to break ground -- as in BEGIN -- a project for new housing that took six or seven years to hatch.

The land had been vacant for years prior to the planning process began.

This place is six minutes away from Oakland but more than ten years away from the creation of a new bedroom where one could reside. And, these public officials are now going to celebrate.

Doug Shields described this a 'connected to everywhere.' With connections like these, what good has it done? These are more often connections to to nothingness that the URA gets to administer. This is a connection to a $300,000 gap -- for someone else to pocket.

The best thing to do is to cut those connections with government money. They are costly connections that don't perform well. And, because they exist, the marketplace energy goes elsewhere.

It is dumb to build a new home next to one being built by the URA. The URA has a $300,000 gap it can close. So, it is better to invest in another area in the region -- or the world.

In turn, nothing gets done for ten years. And, when something does get done, it is a joke.

This is nothing but a long-winded success story of fleeting glory yet to be delivered -- that makes Democrats gald where cronies get $300,000 richer.

Carrick wins City League baseball title - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Carrick wins City League baseball title - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Carrick answered with six runs in the second inning, and Fricke tossed a two-hitter, as the Raiders rolled to a 13-0 victory in five innings Wednesday at Herb Field in Ross.

This is sad. Why in the world is the Pittsburgh Public Schools Championship Baseball game being played in Ross Township?

That game should be at PNC Park. Period.

I don't care too much if the WPIAL games are played in Washington County. Fine. But, the PPS Championship game is different.

Canterbury Rugby League (CRFL)

Canterbury Rugby League (CRFL) Canterbury has called up a clutch of current and former Bulls Bartercard Cup players for today's centenary season representative match against Auckland at Rugby League Park.

Cheered for the home, winning team, today.

One Veteran Reporter Talks Candidate Coverage

There is a misconception that the media, of all shades and colors--print, broadcast, whatever--is responsible to cover all candidates, regardless of the local race.

I was the editor of a community-based newspaper for four years and I gave coverage to those candidates in my readership area to a degree far beyond anything else in Pittsburgh.

Over the years I've also been in other newsrooms, from radio to newspaper (my experience in these matters really started in Portage, Pennsylvania, in 1982). The fact of the matter is, the "big guys" from newspapers, TV to radio in town don't cover "niche" candidates because they don't sell newspapers, don't generate "must listen" radio.

For the most part, "niche" candidates are in it for the vanity. This is not the case for our dear friend Mark Rauterkus, who operates this very blog. The fact of that matter is, Mark is more dedicated to many ideas that just don't ring all that vital with editors of our newspapers, television or radio stations. And when it comes to radio interviews, he cannot speak in the soundbites and use the buzz words that make for a good broadcast (sorry, Mark).

Remember when Richard Caliguiri used to run for Congress every two years? He bankrolled a back page, full-page advertisement in the City Paper (or maybe it was the other entertainment weekly I can't remember that has since shuddered)? Caliguiri, who claimed to be a distant relative to the former Mayor of Pittsburgh (but their names with spelled with inverted "i's" and "u's") was the last great Independent candidate in the city.

He created a firestorm with that picture, naked and in the "Thinker's" pose. Who knows whatever happened to Mr. Caliguiri? I ran stories on him, and when he announced his candidacy two years after that first race, Congressman Mike Doyle told the electronic media that I broke the story. (I was also in my 20's and was eager to make a name for myself. Those opportunities just don't exist in 2007, especially when most people do it via blogs like this one.)

Caliguiri spent his own money for the picture and the advertisement. Before and after that race, he would only be referred to as the kooky guy who always runs, using the former Mayor's name. I have an audio tape from election day 1988 when my friend Padre George Saletrik and I were analyzing returns at our California University of Pennsylvania college radio station. Rev. Saletrik, then 20 or 21, knew of Caliguiri only because he was the "kooky guy who always runs."

The real thing is money. The media is in no way, shape or form, responsible to cover these candidates. To think otherwise is absolute, fundamental delirium. In fact, Mark and I have talked about this over and over again. He knew that I was "the guy" who covered the "fringe" candidates back in the day, but I also know why no one ever does it anymore.

Money. Period. End of Discussion...okay, maybe a little more.

Ross Perot was the standard bearer for off-beat, non-traditional candidates because he was a billionaire throwing a tantrum with his own billions.

If an Independent or Republican--especially in the city--is to ever be taken seriously, they will have to establish themselves as major fundraisers (or wealthy enough to make a name for themselves...and apparently that "grass-roots" candidate does not exist). Otherwise, they are considered vanity seekers or kooks. Guys like Mark have good ideas...but they won't fly without serious support from the taxpaying public: fundraising.

In the city, Republicans have almost exclusively run candidates who never spent a moment seriously raising money. Bob Hillen and Joe Weinroth have asked for money in the recent past, but few others have ever broached the subject.

Republicans who run for office in the city also almost always disappear into the ether after losing one race. Even the talented ones. It's just that disheartening when you work against a Democratic party that rules with an iron fist.

I am one of those guys who have been asked to run several times. I have even considered it, but alas, I would be in the race to win, and there's no chance that I could win over the fact that I'm a Republican living in the city. And I don't have my own money to flaunt, and have no interest in making countless telephone calls to potential donors. That's the only way to be taken seriously. Background folks should run the websites, post the video blogs, etc.

On a national level, Libertarians had their moment in the sun about a decade ago (Western Pennsylvania over the past 17 years or so have only had idealists running as Libs). Since then, they have completely fallen off the political landscape. Long thought of as only champions of legalized marijuana, the local Libertarian party is filled with highly-intelligent people who should be behind the scenes of someone else's campaign.

Again, I have covered the kooks, vanity seekers, and dreamers (thank God for guys like our friend Mark...his passion is unmatched), and would do it again if I was in charge of the editorial content of some sort of newspaper.

But I'm not and, perhaps unfortunately, there's no reason for anyone else to cover the "unconventional," unless, like Richard Caliguiri, they put their money where there ass is.

She wants more women to run for political office

She wants more women to run for political office Ms. Lawless, 32, co-author of the book, 'It Takes a Candidate: Why Women Don't Run For Office,' said the three most common reasons that women cite for not running for office are family responsibilities, doubts about their qualifications and that they haven't been specifically asked to run.

Well, I'm not so sure I agree.

People don't run for office -- people of both genders -- because they have better things to do with their time, money, efforts and emotions.

People don't run for office because it is a 'sink.' And, the sink (think sink hole) is massive.

The ROI (return on investment) for a campaign is fleeting. It isn't nill. But, the return is but a fraction of what is invested into the endeavor.

As to being asked to run, I think it is more telling when there are those who ask you NOT to run. I've been asked to NOT run for office many times. And, around western PA, the really interesting conversations happen when folks are bumped from campaigns, elbowed out, discounted as being "nutso", and are given perks to bail out.

Furthermore, there are plenty of times when I've seen people beg others to run -- only to be upset later. I've asked others to run for office. I've done that a lot. I've recruited candidates. But, I've not gone to great lengths to get them to run. I won't be a beggar to get a candidate into the public limelight. And, what does that say when there are others who are asked to run by having their arm twisted -- rather than being self appointed.

You need to know what you're getting into by being a candidate. Think it through. Think it through with others. Ask questions. I'll visit with you. But make your own decisions. And, make your own decisions to not run as well.

You can run to a problem. You can run from a problem. Or, you can stand and face the problem. Or, stand and face other directions. Life isn't generally an "ON" vs. "OFF" decision as there is a third option of "NEITHER."

I've got better things to do in life as well. But sure, I can stand from office, but at the same time I can do part of it from New Zealand.

Another huge problem as to why people don't run for office -- men and women -- is the media. In Pittsburgh, the media is a big, big problem. The is little trust there.

I feel that more people would get interested in running for office if there was more trust in the fourth estate. I'm talking about the local newspapers, radio shows, TV shows and bloggers (all new media) could be counted upon and trusted.

In other cities, with better media trust, the coverage is such that opportunities are presented to candidates to get their messages out to the people. With the universal understanding of better media dealings comes the associated opportunities of getting better candidates to enter the process.

We have people winning Pittsburgh elections who do NOT have web sites, could NOT build a web site, and can't get media coverage. They are flying under the radar, by design. They rely upon a few key alliances. They run under a party banner and can thrive when there are little hopes of being exposed. This angle of attack for candidates and campaigns is alive and well in Pittsburgh, sadly. They don't have a story to tell. They don't have solutions to deliver. And, they don't have the skills and tools to bring to the job at hand.

Our political landscape in Pittsburgh isn't healthy in terms of its coverage of candidates and campaigns. Hence, we have what we have -- too often. This is the same concept that frustrated Bill Peduto. He pulled out -- because of this very reason.

Furthermore, DeSantis can run, because of this very reason.

This needs to be fixed, and our best hope is to fix it ourselves with a 'surge' in online communications. Bloggers have done a great deal to help in these areas in recent times. But, there is still a lot to do.

Of interest in the article is the mention of children. Humm. Only three men mentioned "it" -- in surveys of thousands of men and women running for office. That is a telling fact that doesn't fit with my situation. I'm a man but I'm talking about children, kids, the youth and the future -- all the time. I don't ONLY talk about my kids and our kids -- but it is a pressing theme for justification of my acts and what I'm about.

A big part of the reasoning for my decisions to stand for office is children. I want our world and our city to thrive so our kids can enjoy opportunities here and be free to make their own lives for themselves without departing the region.

The comes the end of the story. The "punch line."

"Any man will run for office, but women hold themselves up to an unrealistic bar," she said. "When women run, women win."

B.S. Talk about holding up to an unrealistic bar is followed with an unrealistic statement.

How about this instead. "We all win when women run." Or better, "We all win when good people become candidates more often." Or better said for Pittsburgh, "We all lose when nobody runs because nobody gets coverage."

Trib gets it wrong by printing Onorato is running unopposed in November

GOP mayoral candidate DeSantis unfazed by obstacles - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Party pride didn't deter another Democrat, county Chief Executive Dan Onorato, from pursuing Republican voters. Onorato, who will run unopposed in November, used an automated phone bank to woo Republicans. They rewarded him with 1,844 write-in votes, nearly triple the 623 netted by Matthew Drozd Jr., the son of County Councilman Matt Drozd.

Onorato has locked up the D party nomination and the R party nomination. Sure. But, Onorato, come November, will have opposition.

The media might like to say that Onorato will run unopposed, but that statement is at odds with the truth.

Ron Paul Odds Slashed Dramatically: 15 to 1 from 200 to 1

Ron Paul Odds Slashed Dramatically: 15 to 1 from 200 to 1: "Ron Paul Odds Slashed Dramatically: 15 to 1 from 200 to 1

It was only two weeks ago that 2008 Presidential candidate Ron Paul was listed at Sportsbook.com with odds of 200 to 1. In fact, early in the month he was not even offered on the political betting menu. My how things have changed in the past month."

I too, like Dr. Ron Paul, would NEVER propose nor would tolerate any TAX being placed on the internet. Not for gambling. Not for anything. The internet needs to remain free from taxes.

Furthermore, I've said all along that the internet is going to be the death of casinos. The slots parlor due for Pittsburgh might have a bit of hope as a small-fry operation, but little else.

However, the speculation in the article about the political moves that are pending by Dr. Paul are groundless. Ron Paul will NOT switch to a third party. He will stay in the primary process all the way until the end -- when voters of each state get to make their votes for the nomination to the White House. So, there won't be any party switching in 2007 nor 2008 for Ron Paul.

It is too early to tell if Ron Paul will win his party nomination. To say anthing else is foolish. Is is WAY TOO EARLY. However, I think he'll stay in to the end. Others will fold over time. He won't. He'll grow and stick to the tasks at hand. For Ron Paul, unlike many of the others, running for office isn't about stepping stones and career advancement. Rather, he is there to prove points that make sense about this nation and how it should operate.