Sunday Forum: Redefine Pittsburgh

Talk about the future happened in the Sunday paper, at the Cognitive Dissonance blog, and soon in a report. Links include, so far:

Sunday Forum: Redefine Pittsburgh The Sunday P-G article.

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Cognitive dissonance in Pittsburgh and beyond John Murray, Duquesne University’s un-elected city/county official at large, is getting out ahead of the soon to be released Nordenberg committee’s report, trying to spin what he believes will be in the report and what he believes will undoubtedly be counter-spun for weeks after the report’s release (that’s what I am taking away, anyway).

The Burgh Report: "Deadline: October 19, 2007 In Sunday's PG, Duquesne University Chancelor John E. Murray Jr. called out Luke Ravenstahl on government reform. He makes a number of strong points."

My post in a thread about this from another blog:

The Ds around here are very good at the creation of new taxes -- not new residents, nor new private sector jobs, nor new scholars, nor new company neighbors.

A merger to work needs to be more like a wedding / marriage. Both sides need to bring something to the endeavor. Presently, the city offers little value to those in suburban reaches -- other than a big headache. The little boat of Allegheny County can't be a life-raft for the sinking ship that is the city.

The city needs to get its act together. The city needs to get a grip. The city needs to get its house in order. Then -- AFTER that has been done, real talks of mergers can proceed.

Bailout mergers suck.

As a city and county resident, I don't want my county to take on the burden of the city. And I live in the city. Both will sink then.

So, we've got to fix the city first. And, those in office now can't. They won't because they don't have the capacity to do so. And, more to the point of my campaigns, others in line with D endorsements don't have a foggy idea as to what to do in these areas either. They (Kraus, Lamb, Burgess, Harris, and of course Luke) are not going to lead the city to better outcomes.

Peduto says that there isn't even a reform agenda being talked about by those on Grant Street and in turn, in his party. To him, the Reform Pgh Now hype is to start the reform agenda discussion. Jeepers.

We can't 'reform until AFTER we replace and redirect.' Then reform. Then merge.

Case in point: The Pgh Public School District is too big. It doesn't match well with any of the suburban districts. One could take the ONE School District approach for the entire county -- as they do in the South. But, this might do wonders for Beaver, Butler and Westmorland. I say chop up with horizontal cuts the PPS.

But, we don't have good metrics on the schools -- because (in part) the D controllers and A+ have fumbled.

We are lagging and sagging -- everywhere. Tossing a few of them out of office will do much to perk up the city with real talk of purpose and vision.

Pregnant athlete OK'd to play just before giving birth

Pregnant athlete OK'd to play just before giving birth A pregnant Mercyhurst College student-athlete passed a sports physical and was cleared to play volleyball two days before giving birth, police said today.

The 18-year-old sophomore, whose baby was later found dead in her on-campus apartment, participated in what police called a 'light workout' the day before the Aug. 12 birth -- even though investigators would later determine she was 39 1/2 weeks pregnant at the time.

I know volleyball. I published books on volleyball. Women's college volleyball isn't the place for a women who is six, seven, eight or nine months pregnant. I think that is fair to say.

How can the coaches not see what's up with her?

How can a doctor not see?

I'm glad that the NCAA does not have a policy on barring pregnant athletes. Fine. But this birth seems to be a mystery to everyone involved.

NCAA rules require physicals for first-time college sports participants. In subsequent years, student-athletes can just update their medical information to remain eligible, Ms. Dent said. Okay. Perhaps she was a sophomore. I think that was what was reported. Okay, perhaps she had not had her first practice. Perhaps she skipped. I don't know.

Frankly, I don't care much about the policy investigation as I do about the care of the player / student / woman. And, I care for sanity.

I hope that common sense did not die -- as did the baby.

Software tool promises 1-click colonialism | The Register

This weekend at PodCamp, I gave a bit of a 'holy war' rant against some rather big-boy players in the realm of new media.

One guy talked to me in the hallway after the presentation and said, 'Man, you've got a lot of nerve to trash on both the Creative Commons and producers at THIS event.

"Yep. I felt as if I went behind enemy lines in a holy war today -- to scout around and do some recon."

Here is another pointer to another angle on this global topic of 'rights' and 'payments' and how one can really make a living.

Software tool promises 1-click colonialism | The Register: "The music industry has a long and shameful history of robbing black artists of their rights. Now along comes some new software that will help speed up the job. Think of it as a sort of 1-Click 'non-payment' system. Liblicense is a project that Creative Commons hopes to integrate with MIT Media Lab's OLPC, or One Laptop Per Child initiative. That's the rubbishy sub-notebook designed for developing countries, that developing countries don't seem to want very much. The genius of the move is that instead of needing to hire shifty lawyers to bamboozle artists out of the right to be paid, Creative Commons makes the process not only voluntary, but automated, too. Liblicense will greatly ease the process of assigning a Creative Commons license to creative material straight from the desktop.

Cleaning up Pittsburgh - Pennsyltucky Politics

Cleaning up Pittsburgh - Pennsyltucky Politics: "There's a new reform group in town, or at least in Pittsburgh. Reform Pittsburgh Now will have to change its name if it gets bored and decides to pick on folks in Harrisburg, Philadelphia or Tyrone. We imagine they'll find plenty to keep them busy for a while."

Who is going to open the next new site? It could be called one of the following:

Reform Pittsburgh Later

Reform Pittsburgh Eventually

Reform the Region Whenever

Reform Pittsburgh After Getting Elected

Reform Pittsburgh After Getting Elected to THAT other office

Quixotic Pittsburgh Reform

Quixotic Pittsburgh

Bill Ogden has a fine statement about 'reform.' Often the word 'reform' gets tossed around so much that in the end reform is deformed.

I don't want to 'de-form' Pittsburgh.

An constant buzz in Pittsburgh isn't 'reform' -- rather it is enforcement. We have lax enforcement on many fronts. A site, Pittsburgh Enforcement could be of interest. Then what is lax in one area is brutal in another. Those in city hall are happy to make new enforcements, such as with cat licenses. But they want to give free passes to cronies.

My biggest statement about reform concerns the sequence. I'd rather not reform until after we replace. Those who are in office present the worst possible actors for making future reforms.

We need to:

1. Replace

2. Redirect

3. Reform.

That sequence, with reforming at the end, is important.

Ranked as 10th in the state, other net ponderings

In this week's listing of the top 20 PA Political Bloggers, Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates is 10th.

Search PA Blogs





BlogNetNews.com

Yesterday at PodCamp, it was funny to hear how the contemporary history of Pitsburgh political blogs. My blogs and internet days were reported to have started in the 1970s, so said Bram of the Pittsburgh Comet.

In the early times, there were only two blogs, said Matt. Rauterkus.com and 2PJ. I was nice to get the nods.

The theme of Bram's statement was that the bloggers are now a force that shape the mainstream media coverage. Journalist read the blogs. The blog content is showing up in the coverage. Themes from blogs then run on the evening news and with both the Trib and P-G. Blogs have become a hot source and the bloggers keep more honesty in the coverage. Bloggers that don't get it right are told so.

There is much more 'peer review' with bloggers than with newspapers and tv news. So, when something that isn't 'spot on' gets published, doubts are raised with comments and at other blogs.

Bram gave an interesting take on the value of blogs in these times.

Another way of putting those concepts into action is to say that the bloggers have been providing a wake-up call for the watchdogs. Or, some might say the bloggers are now effective pests to the now-no-longer-slumbering watch dogs.

For years I've been hard on the local media about coverage I've seen that isn't accurate, balanced and as insightful as it could be. People have told me to NOT pick on those who buy ink by the barrel.

Pittsburgh needs, and democracy needs, a viable Fourth Estate. Journalism matters. I'm a J-School (Journalism School) graduate. Pittsburgh's trouble has come, in part, from the poor coverage from the local media.

One guy in the final PodCamp session was all about 'blame' and hitting upon the media. He was funny. Plus, his remarks hit home for me.

There was one person from the P-G at the final session. Who was that? Were there others from the P-G in throughout the event?

The Trib's Sunday paper had a great article on the event.

Pittsburgh conference draws budding bloggers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Pittsburgh conference draws budding bloggers"

OwnTerms, legal document templates for use and remixing

Get a free pass to sidestep a laywer in the establishement of various terms and conditions for web sites, blogs and other entrepreneur efforts.

OwnTerms OwnTerms is designed as a repository for “boilerplate” legal documents: those that every web site, startup, or entrepreneur needs but doesn’t want to draft in a lawyer for. All the documents on OwnTerms are licensed under a Creative Commons license, enabling anyone to take them and edit them for their own use provided certain conditions are met.

This just opened. Perhaps you can upload your t&cs (jargon for terms and conditions) to that site.

Star-Telegram.com | 08/19/2007 | Are words dangerous?

Star-Telegram.com | 08/19/2007 | Are words dangerous? Are words dangerous? Texas prison officials wouldn't let a man on Death Row read Jackie Robinson's words, saying that to do so might lead to 'strikes or riots.' By DAVE ZIRIN

I hate the death row. I hate capital punishment.

The state makes so many mistakes in so many parts of its operations, that I'm sure that it has made some 'fatal mistakes' in the past. The best way to make those mistakes non fatal is to not kill anyone in prison.

That's my observation. Go read David's article if you care about life, sports, literacy and the final ticks on the clock.

Concerns Raised on Wider Spying Under New Law - New York Times

Here is another reason why America needs more Libertarians in elected office.

Concerns Raised on Wider Spying Under New Law - New York Times Broad new surveillance powers approved by Congress this month could allow the Bush administration to conduct spy operations that go well beyond wiretapping to include — without court approval — certain types of physical searches on American soil and the collection of Americans’ business records, Democratic Congressional officials and other experts said.

Plus, support for Libertarians in campaigns, by votes and by buzz, are welcomed too.

Hopes dim for Chinese miners

Hopes dim for Chinese miners - CNN.com More than 180 Chinese coal miners trapped in flooded shafts have slim hopes of survival, but officials said they would press on with frantic rescue efforts after one of the nation's worst mine disasters.

In the eastern province Shandong, 172 miners were pinned down after the rain-swollen Wen River overcame flood defenses and surged down the shaft on Friday. Nine others were trapped in a shaft nearby.

This is one reason why Westinghouse has to go to China to build them the Nukes. They need the electricity. They need to curb the deaths from the coal mines.

China relies on coal for most of its energy needs, pushing coal prices to record levels in the mainland, the world's top producer and consumer of the fuel.

That demand for coal to feed rapid economic growth in the world's fourth-largest economy has led some mine operators to push production beyond safe limits, despite Beijing's efforts to crack down on corruption and lax enforcement of standards.

The miners make about 1,500 yuan ($198) a month and many were farmers working the fields around Tai'an attracted by the relatively higher wages offered by the mines. It is not unusual for fathers and sons to work together in the coal mines.

The scene of weary emergency workers and anxious relatives echoed a mine accident in the United States, which has a much cleaner safety record but where three people have died trying to save six miners trapped in a Utah coal mine.

Mining is risky worldwide, but China's coal industry is deadlier than any other country's, with about 2,163 coal miners killed in 1,320 accidents in the first seven months of the year.

However, what happens when the flood waters come and sweep into the Nukes? What about a work site problem, but with radiation?

Shooting disrupts youth football game in Homewood

Shooting disrupts youth football game in Homewood

Crap.

More dirt.

Youth Football equipment stolen, WPXI story.

YOU be the judge.

Jerks like this have no business staying in important jobs in our public sector. None. But what is worse, the Republican Party, again, has given him its endorsement. Now is the time to think again, if thinking at all was part of the process.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Local News - Early Returns State Superior Court Judge Michael Joyce, who is facing criminal charges for allegedly bilking two insurance companies out of $440,000, plans to continue his bid for retention for another 10-year term in November.

But he won't have an easy time of it.

His bosses, the justices of the state Supreme Court, suspended him with pay yesterday. In a written statement, the court said the suspension was necessary to 'protect and preserve the integrity of the Unified Judicial System and the administration of justice for the citizens of this Commonwealth.'

And the state Bar Association and his own Republican Party say they are reviewing their endorsements of his retention.

This is why people are angry.

This is why people are going to renew the efforts to toss out all the judges.

This is why the old parties (both the Ds and the Rs) have failed the citizens and voters.

Here is a tip: Don't vote for any judge retention.

Specter finds voters just plain angry

Hello. Senator, we're mad. Did you just realize this, or is it something you've come to understand for a while now.

Specter finds voters just plain angry The issues have changed from year to year, but this town hall tour through the state's 67 counties has been the same through the decades. This year, however, the Republican has seen a marked change in the tone and intensity of his questioners.

'The meetings are a lot bigger ... and there's a lot more passion and a lot more anger,' he said as he headed from one meeting to another across the rolling, green hills of Washington County. 'And they're angry at everything. ... They're boiling mad about Iraq. They're almost that mad about immigration.

'They're as mad about Gonzales as they are about immigration. They're mad at the president for taking all the power he has. There are a lot of people talking about habeus corpus. Where in the hell would you expect to have all these people talking about habeus corpus?'

Yes, we are upset about and understand habeus corpus. So now we must turn to Libertarians to reclaim our liberty and freedom.

Seeking integrity in government & how Tim Potts is a PA Hero

Tim Potts outlines his quest to make Pennsylvania best in nation

By Heather Stauffer Carlisle Sentinel, August 3, 2007

On Thursday, Tim Potts led members of Carlisle Rotary on a flight of imagination.

Imagine, he said, a law that represents the worst thing the state government could do to your family, your business.

Then, with barely a pause, Potts moved from the realm of imagination to the realm of reality. That law, he said, could pass overnight.

"Many people think we began as a result of the legislative pay raise in 2005," said Potts, who was addressing the club in his role as a cofounder of Democracy Rising PA. But the truth, he said, is that the organization started a year earlier, in reaction to the July 4th passage of the state's slots gambling bill.

Before continuing with the story, Potts, a Carlisle resident who occupied high positions in the state Department of Education before he moved on to the Pennsylvania School Reform Network and then Democracy Rising PA, reminded the audience of a relevant portion of the Pennsylvania Constitution.

To protect citizens, he said, the constitution requires three things; That legislation be considered for at least three days in each chamber (PA House & PA Senate), that the legislation's original intent not be altered and that the legislation not be about more than one subject.

The slots gambling legislation started simply enough, Potts said, holding up the one-and-a-half page bill that spent more than the requisite time in both the house and the senate. But then, just before it was voted on July 4, those original pages were amended to 146.

"Not one single word of the original bill survived," Potts said, brandishing a bulky copy of the revised bill. Furthermore, he said, unlike the original, the new wording encompassed a medley of themes.

"It was a process that plainly violated the rights of residents of Pennsylvania," Potts said. But, he said, when the bill was challenged, Pennsylvania courts upheld the procedure by which it was enacted - so in 2005, the legislature used the same procedure to pass its now-infamous pay raise.

And it could do it again, on any subject, whenever it likes, he said.

"That's why we call it the dismantling of democracy," Potts said. "The constitution is supposed to prohibit this."

And that's why, he told the intent audience, Pennsylvania needs an organization like Democracy Rising PA. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has one goal, Potts said: To help restore the principles of democracy to Pennsylvania.

Voters can force change

After a quick litany of further bad news - that Pennsylvania's sunshine and lobbying control laws have been ranked among the worst in the nation - Potts turned optimistic again.

"It doesn't have to be this way," he said. All that is necessary, he said, is for citizens to start getting involved and getting democracy-friendly legislators into Harrisburg. Some good things have already happened, he said, pointing to 2005, when Russell Nigro became the first Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice ever to lose a retention vote.

As one of the leaders of the campaign against Nigro, Potts told the audience it doesn't necessarily take a lot of money to make a difference. When he tallied up what that campaign cost him, Potts said, it came to $32.16 - an amount that he said turned into 736,000 "no" votes.

"Incredible," he said.

Then he dished out more numbers. The only thing that stands between 12 and a half million people and the best state government in America is 129 people - the governor and a controlling majority in each chamber, he said.

"We have the forces of evil vastly outnumbered," Potts quipped, to laughter. But, he said, the current crop of public officials will not change their behavior until the citizens change theirs.

That said, Potts urged the audience to let it be known the principles of democracy matter to them and to throw their political support to people who have proved they feel the same way.

"It's up to us," he said in conclusion. "We can do it."

Depending on judgment

Afterward, Rotarian Tom Williams had a comment.

"As long as we voters elect people on what they can do for us, what reason do they have to pay attention to procedural things?" Williams asked. Potts agreed that he had a point, and then Williams raised an objection to the idea that democracy is no longer functioning in the Pennsylvania legislature.

"My representative lives here. He takes what we tell him and takes it to Harrisburg," Williams said. "We depend on these guys to use their independent judgment."

Yes, said Potts, but in cases like the slots bill, when the amendment was made at the last minute, representatives wouldn't even have had time to read the revisions. While he acknowledged Williams' point in theory, Potts said, in practice it often turns out very differently.

"Half of the time they're not voting for you," said Potts. "Half of the time they're voting for their leaders."

Libertarian Party - forum and thread on the MeetUp Board

Libertarian Party? - The Libertarian Party of Pittsburgh Meetup Group (Pittsburgh, PA) - Meetup.com

Nice thread.

Reform Pittsburgh Now has a copyright notice on the bottom of its home page

I asked a question about the license for Bill Peduto's new site. He and the others didn't know. I invited him to the 4 pm talk I delivered on open source tools, data, and content. I think Bill had an appointment for a haircut. Does he really use the same barber as John Edwards?

Reform Pittsburgh Now Paid for by Reform Pittsburgh Now. Copyright (c) 2007 Reform Pittsburgh Now. All rights reserved.

Here is a blurb from the talk I gave at 4 pm.

Woody Guthrie including the following note in a 1930s songbook distributed to listeners who wanted the words to his recordings had the following message: "This song is Copyrighted in U.S., under Seal of Copyright #154085, for a period of 28 years, and anybody caught singin' it without our permission, will be mighty good friends of ours, cause we don't give a dern. Publish it. Write it. Sing it. Swing to it. Yodel it. We wrote it, that's all we wanted to do."

It would be great if the new efforts of REFORM would be FREE.

Here is another example, also presented at the 4 pm talk to Pittsburgh PodCamp:

A journal was published with the following copyright statement: "All texts published in (this journal) may be freely reproduced, translated and edited, even without crediting the original source."

Bill, Justine, Justin, Matt and others. I'd love to have a "Podcast" via TalkShoe.com to talk with you all about the new site's license, copyrights and such. It would be best, in my not so humble opinion, to put the contents into the public domain.

I am not a lawyer (IANAL) and this is not legal advice. Furthermore, the contents of this blog posts are not intended to be legal advice nor should they be relied upon as or represented to be legal advice. CreativeCommons.org cannot and does not give legal advice. You need to assess the suitability of Creative Commons' tools for your particular situation, which may include obtaining appropriate legal advice from a licensed attorney. Yada, yada, yada.

Update:

The Pittsburgh Women's Blogging Society: Bill Peduto's Online PAC: "Today I attended the launch of Bill Peduto's online Political Action Committee at Podcamp. I think there were some mixed signals coming from the audience and the speakers (i.e. Bill & iJustine)."

I would never question anyone's experience. Getting new candidates and new helpers is very important. And, the new voices can be much better than the old. Rookie players are fine with me. My knocks go to other sources, such as Bill's statements.

Plus, the word was all about a lot of 'new faces' involved -- except for the campaign manager, Matt, and of course, Bill. So, the guys in charge are not new. They are veterans.

The saga has the same feel, for some strange reason, as the day Mayor Luke Ravenstahl announced the formation of the Pittsburgh Promise. Many in the room that day seemed to be impressed with the hype. The mainstream media was impressed with Luke's talking skills. My jaw was still on the floor.

Of course I want to be proven wrong. I want all the kids who graduate from Pgh Public Schools to have college tuition paid for -- starting with the seniors in high school today. Of course I want Santa to climb down from our roof and leave us presents on the night of Dec 24th too. But let's be real. The Pittsburgh Promise is nothing but a broken promise. We must stop the lies we deliver to our kids. They know better and they see it. And, when they can -- they leave. They don't want to live with false hopes. We need honesty.

If we need a fix on local issues without personality -- we can always turn to the Allegheny Institute -- and Jake, who should not be confused with Justine.

Live blogging Peduto's site launch

I'm here at Pittsburgh's Podcamp having a fun time. Friends are calling my cell. Justine is live blogging in a seat in front of me. David T is passing out campiagn materials. He is running for the Allegheny County at-large seat. Travis is next to me. We talked about New Zealand and the Ron Morris show this morning.

Bill is late.

Matt and I heart burgh are here among other Peduto heads.

Steve from Duquesne is here too. He was the caller just ahead of me on yesterday's Lynn Cullen show talking about impeachment, constitutional lines of the president and war. Steve attended my last podcamp presentation some months ago. He'll be a blogger soon.

Guru.com's live wire, Jia, was talking with Justine and then figured out he was streaming. He went on to kick himself. Funny. You gotta know what you say could be out on the web, realtime. Eeeks. Here is a note to self -- always be nice.

WDUQ microphone ison the table. Bill sits. A big screen is in the background. The room is full, about 60 people.

Monthly podcast. V-Cast. Bill's Blog. Online libary.

By the end of October. Every minute of a weekend you'd not have enough time.

Raise the bar and based on issues.

Take out the personality issues. But, the talk was about how the people who are going ON TO council RAN (past tense) on reform.

There are a lot of things that Bill didn't do.

Directing the operation is my former campaign manager, Matt Preston. This is a very different team. Fresh approach.

It is not about personality, but Justine sits down and rides the bus with Steve Bland. You'll be able to click on one button and contact all you state legislatures. You'll be able to send email to all the members on city council.

The Gathering Hurd -- Marshall. ??

To talk to politians.

Pokey, the bobble head doll can tell if your street needs to be re-paved.

Events. What about a Gmail calendar for Grant Street.

Camping, trivia, mini-golf, white water rafting. Bottom line, we want to make it fun, so says Bill.

Bottom line isn't reforming Pittsburgh.

Excited to see the comments. First episode is the public transit. The next episode is emerging economy, the New Mon Valley. The 3rd, culture/arts/history to revitalize the city. Going to be all over the city.

Later, community benefits agreements.

Asked Bill about use of the Google Calendar I started some months (or a year) ago.

It's the spending

It's the spending - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The underlying problem isn't taxation -- it's spending. Unless big government and its programs of welfare, warfare, regulation and intrusion are drastically limited to constitutionally authorized functions, then we'll become a little country with a debt problem plaguing generations to come.

New Web site urges reform in Pittsburgh politics

New Web site urges reform in Pittsburgh politics Mr. Kownacki, who has been producing Web video for four years, said 'a lot of folks just do it for their own personal gain, or to have their own voices heard by the masses. What you don't see a lot of is actual pro-active video, or social media in general that tries to rally people to a cause, get them to actually effect change.'

Perhaps Justin does not see a lot of pro-active video nor social media that aims to get people to effect changes for causes. But, it is out there. And, it has been for some time.

Remember Ground Zero and Ground Zero's Art of News?

There have been plenty of social calendar sites in Pittsburgh.

People that have nothing to do with politics as reformers should be interesting. I won't be watching. No, I'll be an uninvited participant.

My first question: Will you need a username and password to view the blog, like the last time Peduto ran a blog?

My next question: Will spoofing be possible. If so, it will be a problem.

My last question now: Can I call for a vote?

The blog is on -- and so is my seminar on Saturday at Podcamp

The blog is on - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'Pittsburgh was kind of at the forefront of blogging, before it became mainstream,' said Mike Woycheck, administrator of the Web site Pittsburgh Bloggers. The site started in 2004, and now has a directory of 600 blogs in greater Pittsburgh. 'We've been very open and embracing of this new medium.' The city's changing political climate fuels a lot of its blogs, said Woycheck, 32, of Ignomar. 'Pittsburghers use blogging to vent ideas and complaints. It's a way to make creative responses to all the issues we're facing. This medium is really on the pulse of people's concerns.' The demographic of bloggers in Pittsburgh runs the gamut, Woycheck said. 'We have 20-somethings to 50-somethings; blogs about every day life and issues. Sometimes it's bitter, sometimes it's humorous, sometimes it's snarky, but it's always lively discussion.'

ESPN Page 2 - Jackson: Looking for heroes

ESPN Page 2 - Jackson: Looking for heroes It's called 'Books 'N Hoops.' Emphasis on books. A camp where both girls and guys play ball in T-shirts with 'The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall' on their backs. Mandela has their backs.

Splendid.