Hey Buco! What are you doing for Labor Day? It isn't half as cool as what Ken is up to. And, he needs Pittsburgh's help.

Hear recent podcasts, On Your Mark. Click the top segment in the blue TalkShoe box in the left column.

The Sports & Exhibition Authority is doing too little and it is too late.

With Friends Like These ... - Even Ravenstahl's backers may be having doubts - Views - Vox Pop - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh

With Friends Like These ... - Even Ravenstahl's backers may be having doubts - Views - Vox Pop - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh... This town is full of high-minded, well-intentioned wimps.

I'm not a wimp. But, I'm not in the majority either. Jon is right. There are a lot of wimps. And, many wimps are 'smart.'

My question then is, are the wimps wimpy because they are smart. And, because I am NOT a wimp, does that make me not smart?

Perhaps the wimps are smart enough to know that blow back, backlashes, and other repercussions exist. Payback is a bitch, buddy, weenie-wimp.

Jon thinks, perhaps, that the wimp behavior is from a sense of civility and politeness.

Kenneth Foster Lives

He was due for his execution in Texas. The Governor said he can live.

Kenneth Foster, Jr. (born October 22, 1976) is a prisoner formerly on death row in Texas. He was convicted of murdering Michael LaHood in August 1996. His conviction and execution were contested because he was convicted under a law of parties, not for physically committing the crime. He got a reprieve from the Governor of Texas only a couple hours before the execution, which was supposed to take place on August 30, 2007.

Tony for Mayor Blog

Tony Oliva, L, candidate for mayor, has opened a web site and blog.

Tony for Mayor The Time is Now"

The site is a free one hosted at GoDaddy.com.

http://tonyforpittsburgh.com/

Republic Magazine - features Ron Paul. Get bulk copies for $1 each.

This is a good deal.

Republic Magazine - Home On September 10th, the Patriot community will get it's second installment of the REPUBLIC MAGAZINE. This special issue features the cover story on Ron Paul. While Dr. Paul is continually being downplayed and ignored by the mainstream media, patriotic Americans and even Canadians are rallying behind this Texas Congressman.

Learn why you should also listen to what this presidential hopeful has to say and why we feel that he is the only candidate worth voting for in this election. Could he be the savior of this great nation? Find out in the coming issue.

Also featuring: 60 Second Activism, Activist Profile- “Ron Paul MeetUp Austin”, Learn how to live 'Off the Grid' with this feature on Organic Gardening, 9/11 Six Years Later, Constitutional RE-Education and The End of the IRS Pt 2.

Find patriot owned businesses with products and services that could help you live out the dream of our forefathers in our patriot pages.

PRE-ORDER YOUR BULK ACTIVIST COPIES NOW. We have opened the doors for you to pre-order 25, 50, 100 copes or more of this special issue. Republic Magazine is the perfect tool to wake up the American people to the evil acts that are methodically eroding our freedoms. Order now before we sell out!

Camp Wellstone to come to Pittsburgh

Wellstone Action is a non-partisan non-profit based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. Based on the late Senator Paul Wellstone's model, we integrate grassroots organizing, electoral organizing, progressive public policy and ethical leadership.

Video and hype:



Camp Wellstone runs from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, September 14-16 in Pittsburgh.

Many people in power today - regardless of political party or ideology - could do a better job of improving our communities. We need new leaders who understand what it means to send a loved one off to war, teach in a classroom without textbooks, or have to choose between paying for healthcare or buying diapers.

We can't sit around and wait for those leaders. It's up to us to make a change. Join Wellstone Action for a training in Pittsburgh!

Camp Wellstone is a weekend-long training that develops grassroots organizing skills for people interested in making change on issues, electing progressive candidates, or running for office themselves.

Get the skills you need, to make the change you want to see in your communities.

There are skills for everyone’s needs. Check out the different tracks:

* Candidate track. This is for people who have made the decision to run for office.
* Campaign track. This track focuses on how to be an effective staff or volunteer member of a winning progressive campaign.
* Citizen activist track. For people interested in citizen lobbying, issue advocacy, and community organizing, this track provides skills in how to win on issues.

To register.

The cost is $100 or just $50 for students, low-income, or unemployed participants. Camp participants are responsible for their own accommodations. The training location will be announced to registered participants.

If you have questions about Camp Wellstone training, contact Jen Haut at or call 651-645-3939 or www.wellstone.org.

Water Main Break Turns Centre Ave. Into River - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

Water Main Break Turns Centre Ave. Into River - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh PITTSBURGH -- A water main broke Thursday along Centre Avenue and N. Craig Street in Oakland. A witness told Channel 11 that water was up to the wheels of vehicles along Centre Avenue.

Hope that the Steelers were not taking a shower at the time and the water pressure for the team went low.

Perhaps we could train Steely McBeam to fix water main breaks -- like a modern John Henry or Joe Magarac.

The "infrastructure" of the city looks bad -- and is bad -- next to what UPMC is doing with its finances and investments. UPMC's CFO (Chief Financial Officer) was on Grant Street today, in city council chambers, talking to PA Senators, about investments in capital that the "health empire" (so says Jim Ferlo) is and has made in recent years.

Meanwhile, the city of Pittsburgh has had recent years with $0 in its capital budget. ZERO.

Make last splash best of the season - CNN.com

Orange is the new pink, just as Libertarians are the new reformers!

Make last splash best of the season - CNN.com Tutera, host of 'Party Planner with David Tutera' on the Discovery Home Channel, has created Gatsby-esque pool parties in white and patriotic tributes in red, but he says, orange is the shade of the moment.

Handout at today's Act 55 hearing with PA Senate

Statement and Advance Notes to the PA House Finance Committee

Pittsburgh Public Hearing , August 30, 2007

From Mark Rauterkus, Libertarian

candidate for Pgh Controller & Pgh City Council, district 3.

Vice Chair of the Allegheny County Libertarian Party

Mark@Rauterkus.com http://Elect.Rauterkus.com http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com

The full statement will be sent to the committee via email.

1. Welcome to Pittsburgh.

2. I protest the fact that I was NOT able to speak at a PUBLIC HEARING.

   1. Advance notice was given.

   2. Only 4 minutes was requested.

3. I have experience in professional life with nonprofits:

   1. Work settings include: Gov, nonprofit sports/athletics, public schools, private schools, private clubs, public universities, private universities, religious universities

4. As an advocate, I worked to fight against UPMC's expansion on the South Side, 1999

5. Our Libertarian Party, the party of principle, has different perspectives and they need to be told as the solutions of Geo-Libertarians provide common sense.

6. I've called for the Pgh Service Fund (nonprofit co-op) to issue a self-imposed moratorium on land expansion.

7. Problem is not the tax free status, rather the swelling of the nonprofit footprint. The expansion of un-taxed land needs to be reversed. The way to 'tighten the belt' or 'get a grip' is to have the nonprofits inventory of land be understood, documented with strong, clear inventory.

   1. That is the work of the City Controller.

   2. That is an open source process and solution.

8. The nonprofits need to reduce total land holdings by 1% each year for 15 years.

9. Messing with Act 55, without getting to the root of the problem would cause more serious problems.

10. Politicians in Pennsylvania are great at the creation of new taxes, not new wealth nor opportunities.

    1. Tax anything that moves

    2. Tax most things that are not moving that are valued – like parking

11. As taxes increase and conditions change, people vote with their feet and depart the region and state.

12. Many institutions have departed the city:

    1. Shady Side Academy, a prep school, is not in Shadyside. (see comments)
       

    2. North Catholic, Luke's old school, is moving out of Allegheny County.

    3. Alcoa moved its corporate headquarters to NYC.

    4. MN's Mayo Clinic, like UPMC, has branches in Florida, East Coast, etc. OUTSIDE home state.

    5. UPMC can open other non PA sites. UPMC can move. UPMC moved it admin to USX Tower, downtown. Moved Children's Hospital out of Oakland. Purchased hospitals in Braddock, and elsewhere.

13. Nonprofits should build UP – not out. Curtail land expansion. Make urban density.

---

News coverage from the event, as per the Post-Gazette.

State Senate reviews nonprofit law State Senate reviews nonprofit law Thursday, August 30, 2007 By Rich Lord, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette State senators faced off with hospitals today in an early round of what could be a lengthy debate on how much nonprofit organizations pay to local governments. The occasion was a senate fact-finding hearing in Pittsburgh Council Chambers on Act 55, the 1997 law defining nonprofit groups and their payments to governments. 'The act has worked very well,' said Thomas Boyle, a lawyer for Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney who represents hospitals including the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Pitt News covers Tony Oliva and his race for mayor. Front page coverage

Pitt student in race for mayor - News: "Tony Oliva is a straight-shooter - a self-proclaimed non-politician. And he's running for mayor."

The news of the Libertarian was on the front page of The Pitt News today. The article gives some nice insights to Tony Oliva. He has plenty of good connections with Pitt.

The article includes a photo of Tony and a mention of myself.

Who among us have heard of ultimate frisbee?

The rest of the story:

Oliva, a 27-year-old Pitt student, is running on the Libertarian ballot on Nov. 6 against current Democratic mayor, Luke Ravenstahl, Republican candidate Mark DeSantis and Ryan Scott of the Socialist Worker's party. He replaced Libertarian Mark Rauterkus on the ticket.

In 1997, Oliva came to Pitt as a freshman football player. After a devastating car accident during his sophomore year, his injuries forced him to quit football and take time to heal. Now, he is back. He has replaced football with Ultimate Frisbee and is working on his second degree at Pitt.

"[The accident] really taught me the lesson that you can't just go through life thinking everything's going to be great," Oliva said. "You have to be ready to deal with and overcome adversity in any form."

In the wake of his injury, another tragedy struck. Sept. 11 inspired Oliva to join the army and become an airborne paratrooper.

But in 2003, Oliva made his way back to Pitt.

"I'm originally from New York, but something about Pittsburgh latched onto me, and I had no other desire to go anywhere else," he said.

This loyalty to Pittsburgh, coupled with Oliva's fatigue with the current status of the city, made him decide to run for mayor.

"We need some new ideas and new thinking because things are broken," Oliva said.

His Libertarian viewpoint gives tax cuts a significant position in his agenda - but Oliva is very specific about where he thinks Pittsburgh's money should be saved and where it should be spent.

"It's a party that wants to stay out of your pocketbook and out of your social life," said Oliva, who cites his inability to understand why the government keeps "needing money, but not changing anything."

"I like low taxes," he said. "I think that people can use their money in more productive ways than government can oftentimes."

Though an advocate for people controlling their own money, Oliva says he is opposed to cutting social programs - to an extent.

"A person may stumble or trip, and it's always good to have someone there," he said. "I just don't think we should carry someone for their whole life."

If elected mayor, Oliva pledges to make his priorities known. For example, he said that one of the ideas that had been run through Pittsburgh legislatures involved cutting funding for police and firefighting forces.

"Yes, the city could gain money," he said. "But it could also burn to the ground."

As a Pitt student, Oliva says he understands the post-graduation predicament that many face: stay or leave?

"Pittsburgh has become an old town," he said. "A large number of kids are forced to leave because it's not financially viable to stay in Pittsburgh."

His plan? To draw businesses back to Pittsburgh and jumpstart the flow of both jobs and money, thereby appealing to a younger generation. And again, this leads back to lowering taxes.

"We have driven small businesses out with high taxes," he said. "I want to draw them back so people can have opportunities to work in good, well-paying jobs."

And on the other end of the spectrum, Oliva also wants to appeal to the younger demographic by proposing an ordinance to keep bars open until 4 a.m. on weekend nights.

Oliva sees his age and his student status as a way of relating to the voters.

"I want people to see in me what they would always hope to see in their political leaders - not what they do see, what they hope to see," he said.

And if students see something they like in Oliva, he hopes they won't conform to the apathetic stereotype of a college student that "the old parties," as he calls the Democrats and Republicans brand them with.

"This isn't a national election," Oliva said. "Students have the power to change the face of the city, the face of politics. Hope comes with change."

iCommons.org: The iSummits. Next road trip is to Japan

To sustain the conversation I helped to guide at a Pittsburgh PodCamp session on the contrasts of the free and open source movement to the closed world, perhaps we should pack our bags for Japan!

iCommons.org: The iSummits Once a year, about 300 people from over 50 countries come together at the iCommons Summit, to celebrate and strategise around a free Internet for all.Here, leaders of the Creative Commons, free software, open education and access to knowledge communities talk about their vision for the future and discuss strategies for building a free global culture that is rich - both in terms of economic viability and geographic diversity.

In other podcast buzz, seems that some are turning negative to iJustine.

I would never stand up and tell another to 'get a life.' So, I'll just hit the 'publish' button on this blog and send its counter to 6,707 postings here.

Ms. Adventures on the Mon - giggles

Ms. Adventures on the Mon NO COVERAGE WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A NOD TO OUR FAVORITE UNDERDOG, MARK 'SPITZ' RAUTERKUS, ...

Road Trip in April 2008 to DC for techie confab

PodcampDC - April 18-20, 2008 / Registration Podcamp DC - April 18 - 20, 2008

Cost To Repair Pa. Bridges Adds Up To $11 Billion

kdka.com - Cost To Repair Pa. Bridges Adds Up To $11 Billion(KDKA) There is now a price tag for the repairs that need to be completed on the thousands of Pennsylvania's bridges in bad condition. Officials say new figures show the cost to repair our state's bridges is $11 billion.

How about if we repair and rehab what we have BEFORE building new roads, infrastructure and tunnels that all are going to require upkeep as well.

Don't build the tunnel under the river.

Don't build the Mon Valley Toll Road.

Take care of the existing bridges.

Fix McArdle Road and its bridges.

From planning-urban

Troy Hill is on the loose

Go figure. He is from Penn Hills too.

kdka.com - Police Search For Penn Hills Stabbing Suspect Police Search For Penn Hills Stabbing Suspect Police believe Troy Hill, 18, fatally stabbed his brother Tyron Hill, 11, and injured another brother. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Troy Hill is urged to call police immediately.

Penn Hills Reunion -- PHHS Class of 77

Calling all classmates:

The Penn Hills Class of 77, 30th Reunion will be held on November 23, 2007, at the Radisson Hotel at the Monroeville Expo Mart. There will be a buffet dinner and dancing and the chance to catch up with old friends!

Advance tickets are $60/person if received by October 1, 2007. After October 1, tickets are $75. Please make checks payable to PH Class of 77 Reunion and mail to PH Class of 77 Reunion, c/o Gina Calabro, 7 Joshua Valley Road, East Lyme, CT 06333

We have also setup a block of 50 rooms (to begin with) at the Radisson for $89, or $109 (suite). Please call (888) 201-1718 or (412) 373-7300 and request the "Penn Hills Class of 1977 Reunion" rate by November 1, 2007. If the block of 50 rooms goes we will have the opportunity to block more rooms if they are available so act quickly!

If you are planning to attend please mail in your check and information. Advance counts will help us in the planning.

See you at the reunion!
Gina Costa Calabro

Carnegie Library & RAD

Message from Glen Walsh:

The following are excerpts from the grant application, requesting funding from the Allegheny Regional Asset District for The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, for Fiscal Year 2008. I have divided these excerpts into two categories: "Good News" and "Bad News."

BEGINNING OF EXCERPTS

GOOD NEWS

Library Capital Improvements $5,382,000

4. ADA Compliance $850,000

Several older and non-renovated branches have ADA compliance issues specific to entrance access points, restrooms, handrails, door hardware, circulation desks, signage, etc. While there are several more branches with ADA compliance issues, Beechview, Mt. Washington, and West End are targeted here since these facilities are unlikely to be fully renovated through the capital improvements program in the near future.

4. HVAC Upgrades $1,500,000 [Note: whoever wrote this grant proposal made the mistake of using the number 4 twice; henee, there are two "number 4" items.]

Several branches are not air-conditioned and other branches have aged systems. The mechanical and electrical infrastructure supporting these upgrades would also need to be upgraded to accomodate the new systems. Work would include but not be limited to electrical service upgrade, roof support, new/existing duct considerations along with the procurement and installation of the systems. Branches considered for this project [GAW Note: Note they use the word "considered"] are Beechview, Lawrenceville, Mt. Washington, South Side, and West End. This investment is considered at this time since these facilities are unlikely to be fully renovated in the near future.

[GAW Note: Note the Carnegie Library news release of Aug. 8, temporaily closing the four historic branches due to lack of air-conditioning, during the very hot
weather:

http://www.carnegielibrary.org/about/pressroom/2007/CLP_Closing_extremeheat.pdf

5. New windows $135,000

Windows are original in several branches. To ensure energy efficiency once the HVAC upgrades are completed, new windows are a logical investment. Branches considered for this project are Beechview, Lawrenceville, Mt. Washington, South Side, and West
End.

6. New Overhead Lighting $225,000

New energy efficient lighting is needed to replace 50 year old ceiling mount strip fixtures. Electrical service would need to be upgraded also to accomodate lighting. Branches considered for this project are Beechview, Knoxville, Lawrenceville, and South Side.

7. New Roofs $50,000

Roofs at the Knoxville and Lawrenceville branches are in need of replacement as they are at least 40 years old. Roof replacement will eliminate leaks and related damage.

8. Exterior Repair $90,000

The exterior of the Mt. Washington facility has age-related missing mortar joints and repointing issues which result in water seepage into the building. Power washing and repainting of the library's exterior are needed.

9. Interior Painting $85,000

Interior painting of several branches is overdue. Project anticipates patching, prep work and painting of Beechview, Knoxville, Mt. Washington, South Side, and West End.

10. Restore Ceiling $32,000

Remove dropped acoustical ceiling and restore the West End branch's original ceiling, which has historical and aesthetic value.

BAD NEWS

Service Points/Facilities

Initiative 2.1
Conduct rightsizing plan to evaluate number and location of library, administrative, shipping and storage facilities.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will launch a Commission on Libraries in 2008 that will explore the factors that influence the success of libraries in urban regions which will be critical to understanding various future scenarios for CLP in the Pittsburgh region. The outcomes from the Commission will assist the Library in evaluating dedicated funding strategies and best practices for libraries and how they might impact the future structure of our Library system.

Initiative 2.2
Complete neighborhood revitalization program to renovate/relocate all eligible CLP facilities, based on rightsizing plan.

Neighborhood Libraries Revitalization

The next renovation project of CLP's capital improvement program is the Hill District Library. Carnegie Library consolidated the two locations in the Hill District (MLK and Dinwiddie Street) and will build its first new Library since the early 1980s at the corner of Centre and Kirkpatrick Street. The official groundbreaking occurred on April 19, 2007 and is likely to reopen late Spring 2008. Another new library on Pittsburgh's North Side will begin construction in early 2008 to replace the Allegheny Regional branch which was permanently closed due to a lightning strike in 2006. Renovations also will begin in late 2008 to CLP's East Liberty branch. As was done with all recent library renovations, a community process is part of the planning. Several public meetings are held to help determine the elements and configuration of each library. The process in the Hill District is complete. The process for both the North Side and East Liberty is underway.

>>>>>>>END OF EXCERPTS

The Good News seems good for some of the historic branches Carnegie Library still operates. However, the word "considered" in several of the proposals is a definite concern. This means that they may or may not institute the proposed improvement for the specified library branches.

Concerns are further amplified by the beginning of some type of Commission on Libraries process that will result in a rightsizing plan, and improvements may then only be "considered" for "eligible" library branches.

Originally, Carnegie Library had planned on a groundbreaking for a new North Side library building [to replace the very historic Allegheny Regional Branch--first *publicly-funded* Carnegie Library in the country, in the neighborhood where Andrew Carnegie grew-up] this Autumn. Now, they say that construction of a new North Side library will begin next Spring.

From everything I have heard [including the Library Director's public comments before City Council in December and the RAD Board last March], Carnegie Library STILL does not have enough private funds to match the State funds they have, in order to build a new library on the North Side. Carnegie Library received a "cardboard check" from the Governor last year, during his re-election campaign, for $7.5 million for the Library system. However, Carnegie Library has to match every penny of that State grant, dollar-for-dollar, to be able to use the State money. As of July, a Carnegie Library staff person told me that the Library has still not raised enough private money to build the new library building.

In the meantime, I have heard that planning meetings "with the community" are ongoing for this new North Side library. However, it seems that these planning meetings, if they exist, are "invitation-only" possibly coordinated by the North Side Leadership
Conference. The general public is not invited to these meetings as several people [including me] might complain that they should reopen the original Allegheny Regional Branch Library--as I and several others did complain at the one public meeting they did have several months ago.

Athletes not sure how to train for Olympic sized pollution problem - Tuesday August 28, 2007 5:39PM

SI.com - Athletes not sure how to train for Olympic sized pollution problem ...Others are concerned the dirty air might cost them a legitimate shot at a medal.

The dirty air will not cost anyone a medal. All the medals will be given at every event. Some are going to medal. Some -- and most -- won't.

And the air is the same for everyone.

At the start of the race, everyone will (or should) have an even start.

The one's who go the fastest, highest and score more points are going to win.

My $.02, if anyone cares to listen. Don't stay far away when staying away. Get into China. Get close enough so the jump to Beijing is a two hour drive. Visit the city for a day. See the venue. Set up camp. Depart. Train for another week elsewhere. Adjust to the food and heat. Get cozy with the team. Then waltz into Beijing and perform the next day.

So, anyone know of a nice bed and breakfast about 2 hours on the upwind side of Beijing?

If Pittsburgh was Beijing, I'd take the team to Seven Springs. If Chicago was Beijing, go to Rockford. If using L.A. for the example, go to Big Sur.

Pack a lot of peanut butter. Bring a bread maker and flour. Well, the white powder stuff might not work through customs. Nix that. Ship in Ritz crackers.

Frankly, the air won't be nearly as big of a problem and worry as the food.

Food issues with the IOC drug testing are also of high concern.

Bring camel backs so you can easily lug your own water throughout the day and evenings. If you have a camel back and the presence of mind to make good choices, the water is a snap to deal with.

School Days Arrive -- as does new heights for spending. Mostly on buildings. Bad for brains and budgets.

Public schools are important to me and my family. My dad is a retired teacher with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Likewise plenty of others in my family. I come from a teaching family, to say the least.

Everyone is in the back to school swing. Our kids resume school on Thursday. Other districts have already begun.

Where has all the money gone?

Libertarian Party of PA responds to Policy Report on Education

For more information contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) or Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org

Harrisburg, PA – A recent policy report by the Commonwealth Foundation has provided additional support to the Libertarian Party’s spring analysis of government school spending.

In an April media release, the LPPa reported that “According to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Report Card on the Schools, school districts in the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region increased spending per student by an average of 32%, or $3372 from 2003 to 2007. During the same period, average SAT scores dropped 32 points.”

According to the Commonwealth report, over the past two decades, per student spending for public education has increased 72% after adjusting for inflation while student SAT scores have declined. The report attributed some of this increase to an increased percentage of school budgets being diverted from instruction to construction of facilities.

Michael Robertson, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) Chair, commented "While Governor Rendell may believe more money is the answer to solve the problems of the current system of public education, the evidence is clearly to the contrary."

While Pennsylvanians seek tax relief and particularly property tax relief (the primary funding mechanism for our schools), Rendell has just signed a budget that increases education spending by $760 million, over half of the $1.4 billion increase in general fund expenditures.

Concludes Doug Leard, LPPa Media Relations Chair, “government run education is crumbling before our eyes. While costs spiral out of control, quality remains stagnant. The only way to improve quality and reduce costs is to provide parents with more educational options. Government has failed. It’s time to dis-empower politicians and empower parents with responsibility for their children’s education.”