Lights went out last night 3 or 4 times

Water was out yesterday. Lights were out last night.

A telephone pole is fried in the neighborhood.

From RonPaul

[412] This is NOT too much about me -- yet. Do you want to opt into the media list as well?

I sent out an email blast:

[412] This is NOT too much about me -- yet. Do you want to opt into the media list as well?

---

Hi All,

The political campaigns of 2007 and 2008 are starting.

I am on the ballot for the November 6, 2007, election, twice. Voters in the city of Pittsburgh will be able to vote for me for CONTROLLER. Furthermore, voters in Pittsburgh's city council district 3 can vote for me for CITY COUNCIL.

But today's email is more for others:
+ Ron Paul, R;
++ David Adams, Indie;
+++ David Schulenberg, Indie; and
++++ Tony Oliva, Libertarian.


+ Debates for the 2008 election are being held and Pittsburgh-born Doctor Ron Paul, http://www.RonPaul2008, is doing well. He is my favorite by far. This is the time to get to know Ron Paul because the primary election period is going to be here sooner than expected. Study Ron Paul and learn more about LIBERTARIAN solutions.

I worry about local elections slated for 2007 as debates are NOT being scheduled. NONE. Zippo. I'm blogging, of course, http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com. My campaign planks, web sites, CDs, phone calls, press releases, book and podcasts are going to replace the need for debates and media -- if you care to listen and engage. Expect more news from me soon.


++ On Friday (tomorrow), I'll stand with David Adams, candidate for city council, district 9.

Pgh City Paper article on David:
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A34679

Independent Candidate David Adams will formally announce his candidacy for the 9th district City Council seat on Friday September 7, 2007, at the Frick Park Entrance on Homewood Avenue, and Reynolds in the North Point Breeze community. The time of the event will be 12:30 P.M.

Adams will highlight the points of difference between what Ricky Burgess has presented as his plan, and the strategies Adams has envisioned, and is currently developing for the district, which Adams says will "change the way the 9th district does business as a community!"

The event will also include special guests, who are running for various positions in the November 6th election.

This event is open to the district residents, television, press and radio.

Adams sends a special invitation to candidate Ricky Burgess, in order to clarify any stated errors concerning his plan.


+++ David Schuilenberg is another independent candidate running for Pgh city council (district 1). I support him as he is much better than who is in office now.
http://206.130.100.156/wiki/index.php/David_Schuilenburg

A third David, David T, is running for Allegheny County Council's at large seat.


++++ Tony Oliva, Libertarian, is on the ballot for Mayor, City of Pittsburgh. He and I worked together to secure that ballot spot with my 'placeholder efforts.'

http://rauterkus.blogspot.com/search?q=tony+oliva


= = = = Opt In for More News = = = =

News and content about Pittsburgh and our issues is expected to snowball for the next couple of months. I've got a new media helper, Travis. I'm not going to flood this email list, http://Rauterkus.com/mailman/listinfo/412-public-campaign, with too much noise. I'm going to make another list.

If you'd like to get more news and insights about campaigns for public office, please send me an email: Mark@Rauterkus.com.

Thanks for listening and your ongoing comments.


Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://Elect.Rauterkus.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Libertarian Candidate for Pittsburgh Controller &
Libertarian Candidate for Pittsburgh City Council, district 3
Vote November 6, 2007

Water is OFF on our street

No water this afternoon. UPDATE: Water came back about one hour later. All is well, except a hole in the nearby sidewalk.

A neighbor had been hearing the sounds of running water while in her house. But, the water wasn't running in her house -- but outside, under the street or sidewalk.

The crew came by yesterday. Today we've got the hole in the road.

Our city's infrastructure has crumbled. We have plenty to do in these areas. We need to get to work by turning attention to infrastructure. And, we can't do other things as there isn't enough money.

We can't go to war and have money for sewer and water pipes.

We can't go to war and keep our bridges in good shape.

We can't expect gambling windfalls from slots to pay for it all -- yet alone pay for property tax relief and unfunded pensions.

And, I'm not interested in expanding the slots parlor operations to table games until after the discussion about video poker machines. They've got their head in the sand.

Guarding Angels invited to Pgh by KDKA

Kevin Miller, KDKA Radio host, wants the Guarding Angels to come to Pittsburgh.

The Guarding Angles are a very libertarian organization. The concept is to fix it oursevels, with the help of other freelance citizens.

I'm in favor of this effort.

The idea is to bring in some leadership to model the program. Learn from their experiences. But the goal and real effort is to train our own and do it ourselves.

School of Hard Knocks - News - Pittsburgh City Paper

Great article. Ugly story.

School of Hard Knocks - News - News - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh: "'I think the double standard has gotten worse. We live in a different city.' Their frequent calls to police rarely result in citations, she says, and they're often told, 'It's Oakland, it's where the students are, what do you expect?'

University of Pittsburgh officials, while refusing to comment on a specific incident, say that any community member can file a complaint against a student, on or off campus, through the Office of Student Affairs.

'If they just tell us about a situation, we'll address it with a student,' says Kathy Humphrey, vice provost and dean of students at Pitt. Humphrey adds that students are expected to be familiar with Pitt's code of conduct. 'Everybody understands it, we know what our expectations are -- inside and outside our community -- the respect of others is just a value that we have,' she says."

Delano's Den: Campaign 2007 -- Does Anyone Care?

Jon Delano tells the truth.

Delano's Den: Campaign 2007 -- Does Anyone Care? Truth be told, it's not easy to blog every day -- which has only increased my tremendous admiration for those bloggers who manage to find time every single day to write something.

It is sad that he has to do a 'truth alert' when something honest get posted.

Humm. Perhaps that's why the blog was idle from June 30 to September 6. (snark, snark)

But the point of the post -- does anyone care? This question comes from a guy who is in the media and who isn't helping to set the debate stage. And, he'll be behind the microphone. So, he's got skin in the game but only for the paycheck.

KDKA cares about selling soap. That's advertising. The money is important to KDKA -- not the discussion and solutions. They want to make a race so they get advertising dollars. They don't care, sadly, if another 50,000 move out of the city. The KDKA signal goes beyond the city limits. KDKA does not even care much if the people move to Butler, Westmorland and Beaver County locations. KDKA still works there as well.

I care Jon.

Get to work. Host debates. Make em happen. Prove to us that you care a little.

Yes, both Michael Lamb and Bill Peduto supported Bob O'Connor in the fall. They are Ds and they know how to take marching orders -- boosterism, lockstep, don't break ranks.

Jon thinks that both the news media (MSM) and the blogosphere will enjoy reporting of a good old-fashioned slugfest between these two. WRONG. The MSM would enjoy that. But, I won't. I don't think that the bloggers are going to get their jollies by being so shallow. "Old-fashioned slugfest" ... humm... why not post "dog fight?" Is that too Vick-ish?

The race isn't a TWO WAY race for starters. There are FOUR on the ballot. Number five is 'stay-at-home.' Number six option is NONE OF THE ABOVE. What I'm looking to enjoy is a whole view -- introductions included. That's what didn't happen yet on KDKA, should have happened by mid August.

Fumbled opportunities KDKA.

Furthermore, old-fashioned isn't ideal. We are 'knowledge town.' We have old-fashioned water pipes. We have old-fashioned, back-room dealings. I don't want old-fashioned status quo behaviors.

Screw the idea of a slugfest. Rather, I crave a sustained conversation. I give and take. I want understandings to be shared. I don't want people to get beat up and pile on.

I want hopes to soar. I want solutions that work. I want community involvement. I want effective parenting.

What I enjoy and what Jon seems to rant about are not the same, just as I live in the city and he lives in the burbs.

I'll keep my own list of things I enjoy -- and mowing the lawn is not one of them. Old-fashioned slugfests between two are another.

Welcome back.

Debate recap - and who was that rude jagoff who shared the stage?

Thanks to FOX for hosting the debate. We need more debates where every candidate is involved. The bulk of the GOP candidates know how to "stick to their guns." But, they have no clue as to how to 'win' and what 'victory' means. Dr. Ron Paul won the debate and he has the only positions that can win the White House -- and win for humanity and peace.

Here is what others are saying:

FOXNews.com - Who Won the New Hampshire Republican Debate on the FOX News Channel? - FOX Fan 'Ron Paul wins all the time because he is the only one who upholds the United States Constitution 100 percent.' — Gerrit (Ephrata, PA)

I had some pressing questions after watching. They are put forth by others from the Ron Paul site:

Ron Paul FOX 9/5/2007 Footage | Ron Paul 2008 Revolution - Ron Paul for President - Daily Paul: "Dr. Paul did an amazing, excellent job. He keeps getting better and sharper with each debate. This was his best performance to date. Each time he picks up new supporters who cannot believe their ears - they are actually hearing some truth coming out of the TV for once! This time is certainly no exception. The loud cheers for Dr. Paul show clearly that we are not alone.

Obviously FOX is threatened by this and attempted to use every dirty trick in the book to belittle the message. It was nearly half an hour before Dr. Paul got his first question, after other candidates had already answered three.

Furthermore, you can hear snickering every time Dr. Paul is asked a question, or begins to reply. It sounds like Giulianni to me. Why did FOX news encourage and permit that? In spite of this, Ron Paul stole the night! This post from the RonPaulForums.com makes it clear:"

Who was the rude person with groans among the other candidates on the stage? Jagoff. Was is Rudy? And, it wasn't once -- but many times.

Video is 12 minutes. Covers questions and remarks from Ron Paul. Giggles from Rudy remain, sadly.

Convention center audit to include firm with Onorato ties - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

From Convention Ce...

Talk about tail wagging the dog follows:

Convention center audit to include firm with Onorato ties - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review An engineering firm with ties to Allegheny County's top elected official will be among companies scrutinized by county Controller Mark Patrick Flaherty in a forensic audit of the David L. Lawrence Convention Center's construction and collapses.

Flaherty is forming a team of experts to review the center's design and structural failures, spokeswoman Pam Goldsmith said Wednesday. The audit will be completed in nine months, she said.

The audit is taking place as the insurer for the city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority prepares to notify certain companies that they will be blamed for the Feb. 5 collapse of a beam supporting the second-floor loading dock.

This is smoke. This is typical Pittsburgh.

The noise of this audit comes after the news of the past audit that has NOT been released or even completed.

We've got nothing but a house of cards and a massive white elephant.

The Convention Center is not being used to its potential. It can't be used to its capacity. The overall project was stretch that the taxpayers must pay to build and upkeep for decades to come -- if not a century.

However, I had a way to get us out of the quagmire.

The Convention Center should be sold. The Convention Center would be fine place for a slots parlor. Mr. Barden should own it, manage it, upkeep it, and pay taxes on it as well.

The city, county and its authorities need to sell off public ownership of various assets such as the stadiums and the convention center.

RAD tax incomes to these facilities should stop. The RAD tax needs a major overhaul.

As City Controller, I'll do a performance audit on the entire RAD tax legacy and account for our priorities. And, I'd offer solutions.

This audit from the county controller about building specs, subcontractors and donors to politicians is a joke. It is not going to uncover anything of substance.

The fix is to cut our losses and end all public subsidization of these boondoggles.

From Convention Ce...

Update at 10:15 am:
Onorato is on KDKA Radio with Marty G. Onorato said that the article is much about nothing. Dan is right this time. The audit and efforts are nothing much.

"My county manager has a masters degree from CMU. These are the kind of people you want in county government."

The donations are going to everyone, because they are allowed.

Onorato has nearly $2-million in his campaign bank account now.

Onorato said, "When you raise $3-million, no one person dominates your fundraising... No one sticks out. If they get mad and leave, it doesn't stick out. I don't have an appearance problem.

Political influence is given out by Dan Onorato. He is in the process with the governing issues and political issues.

Job posting: Assistant Counsel Pennsylvania Department of Education in Harrisburg

See comments for more.

Was going to live blog the debate -- but my keyboard would have been shattered

The GOP candidates for President gathered on stage tonight. There was so much said that was so ugly that I couldn't blog as it unfolded.

Go Ron Paul. He has to win as the others were too bad to deal with.

Dave Zirin: After a rough summer, let's rediscover joy of�sports - Wednesday September 5, 2007 11:09AM

SI.com - Writers - Dave Zirin: After a rough summer, let's rediscover joy of sports All of us who love sports should drop to our knees and thank the sporting gods for Appalachian State.

I love the entire article. This part is worth repeating.

We also need to channel our disgust onto far greater sporting crimes. It's a crime that the bridge in Minneapolis fell away two days before the groundbreaking on a $500 million dollar stadium. It's a crime that the good people of the Twin Cities were subsidizing the dreams for Twins owner Carl Pohlad, the richest owner in baseball.

Carbolic Smoke Ball ponders the recent Michigan football game

Carbolic Smoke Ball: "ANN ARBOR -- In what is being called college football's 'upset of the century', 5th ranked University of Michigan lost their opening game 34-32 to the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute 'Fighting Chefs' on Saturday. No one would have guessed that a school of culinary education steeped in the history and methods of the esteemed Le Cordon Bleu program could beat a Big 10 football powerhouse.

'You've got to give them credit,' said Wolverine coach Lloyd Carr. 'They were well prepared. And that souffl�they sent over after the game was out of this world!' In the photo above, U-M players are stunned to learn that soy sauce makes a terrific marinade."

Taking another step in the long climb to the White House

From RonPaul

Ron Paul is on with another debate tonight. Watch it.

The advancement of primary elections in places like Michigan and Florida is going to make this into more of a sprint and less of a marathon.

From RonPaul

The Pittsburgh City Paper is running an article on Dr. Ron Paul next week. I just provided them with and interview and some good quotes. For example:

The purpose of government has been blurred greatly around here. The city folks decide to build a tunnel under the river with federal money and say it can't be changed. Federal Housing people decide to buy up houses in certain neighborhoods to warehouse people and city government can't be leveraged so better decisions and outcomes can be found. Those in power are fine with the creation of confusion, doubt and uncertainty. They want to avoid accountability.

I want clear talk with a common sense purpose based upon the actual intent of government at the various levels from municipal to county to state to federal.

News For The Left: Lobbyist Fred to (finally) announce

Let the flood gates open.

News For The Left: Lobbyist Fred to (finally) announce Michael Shear has the info over at the Washington Post's The Trail. Lobbyist Fred has hurriedly put together a 4pm conference call to announce to folks what we've known all along: He's running for President.

Once you get over the shock of the surprising news, you should be aware that this does not make his gross violations of Federal Election Law disappear. As Cenk Uygur of the Young Turks pointed out last week, 'Just because Lindsey Lohan is driving sober today doesn't make her DUI charge go away.'

We should all continue to hold Lobbyist Fred accountable for his intentional disrespect for the rule of law. This man is not Presidential material.

City-council plan reserves cash for Penguins

Look away from the goofy spending. We own what?!?

This is wrong. This is why I want to be controller. I won't let this slide. I won't let this go without notice. I'll be a watchdog for the people against this sillyness with taxpayer funds.

City-council plan reserves cash for Penguins City and Allegheny County redevelopment authorities are working to ensure that cash will be available to the Penguins for any portion of $15 million in credits the team doesn't use in redeveloping the Mellon Arena site.

Under the agreement reached in March to keep the team in Pittsburgh, the Penguins get $15 million in credits that can be used to buy Mellon Arena property for redevelopment. If they do not use all $15 million after 10 years, they are entitled to cash for whatever amount remains.

West End police station to reopen - victory looks like this

I'm jumping for joy.

West End police station to reopen - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Pittsburgh's old Zone 4 police station in the West End, which closed more than four years ago to save money, will reopen Jan. 1, officials said Tuesday. 'We're thrilled about it,' said Elmer Clark, president of the West End/Elliott Citizen's Council, which pressed city officials to reopen the station on South Main Street. 'People here are just jumping for joy.'

This is what victory feels like.

I was a protester when the city closed the police station in Zone 4.

Meanwhile, Bruce Kraus was a part of the protest to keep Zone 3 open. Zone 3 was never going to close. Meanwhile, it would be good to move the Zone 3 police station out of its tiny space without parking.

In the past I advocated a move of the Zone 3 police station to the now vacant, public owned, huge, South Vo Tech High School.

After the police move out, the EMS crew can move back into the Zone 3 station. EMS is now NOT on the South Side. That's what is needed more.

Moon Mold

Oh no. Green Cheese?

Rec Center Proposal Fires Up USC Residents

Ambitious, wishful speaking, costly, medicine balls.

kdka.com - Rec Center Proposal Fires Up USC Residents A proposal for a recreation center in Upper Saint Clair has some residents fired up. Dozens of citizens crammed a commissioners meeting to speak out on the center, which includes swimming pools and a gym.

Concerned residents say they can't afford a tax increase or the proposed membership fees.

Others at the meeting did speak in favor of it.

Letter to Editor from Rick Hays

Running Mate, Rick Hays reports his thoughts, on Sept. 1. I posted this letter for about 10 minutes and then took it down until was placed in ink in the P-G.

To the Editor:

Pittsburgh is truly at a crossroads in this 21st Century with the upcoming Mayoral Race. We have been doing things way too long in a 19th and 20th Century mindset. In these days of the Internet, mobile phones, 24 hour news and information sources plus a global economy, dire change is needed and NOW!!!! Otherwise our city cannot ever hope to utilize its awesome potential.

The best way to describe this is by using the dictionary. "Democrat" is found in your dictionary between DECEASED and DINOSAUR, while "Republican" is located between RENAISSANCE and RESURRECTION. In other words, the difference is between OLD and NEW.

Therefore, to make sure Pittsburgh becomes NEW again, we must not continue being ruled by the OLD. I urge all my fellow Pittsburghers to make everything NEW again by selecting Mark DeSantis as our next Mayor. On November 6, 2007 we can bring Pittsburgh instantly into the 21st Century. Join me at your polling place and vote for Mark DeSantis. You'll be glad you did!!!!!!!

Rick Hays (Richard M. Hays, Jr. aka 'Rick from Mt. Washington')

http://edgewood.freetoasthost.com/ Edgewood Toastmasters web site
http://www.d13tm.com/ District 13 Toastmasters online
http://www.metro-cities.com/ Metro Cities Communications worldwide radio/podcasting

"Doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way will assure you of an extraordinary future." Zig Ziglar

"The purpose of our lives is to add value to the people of this generation and those that follow." Buckminster Fuller

More from Rick.

Thanks for the above event on your blog. However, one thing as a correction.
I'm NOT A MARK DESANTIS associate. My letter recommending Mr. Desantis as
Pittsburgh Mayor was sent after many of your blog articles, plus those of
John McIntyre(http://www.macyapper.blogspot.com/ ), and P-G/Trib Review
Mayoral Race coverage as well. I wrote it as a concerned PRIVATE CITIZEN in
the City of Pittsburgh.

I'll keep you posted about if that letter gets published. You can also check
daily online at http://www.post-gazette.com/ .

---

Letters to the editor Pittsburgh is truly at a crossroads in this 21st century with the upcoming mayoral race.

Promises, promises: The Pittsburgh college tuition plan needs help

I spoke out against the Pittsburgh Promise the day it was announced. I went to the news event at the PFT. I was in shock. Meanwhile, the press was smitten with young Luke.

Promises, promises: The Pittsburgh college tuition plan needs help Promises, promises. Eight months later, at the start of a new school year, the Pittsburgh Promise remains full of potential and empty of achievement. As Post-Gazette reporter Rich Lord reported last week, nothing much has happened. While an initial estimate puts the cost at $3 million in the first year, the only commitment is $10,000 from the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers.