DeSantis delivers on micro-loan pledge - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

This story was the buzz at some polling places today.

DeSantis delivers on micro-loan pledge - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Even though he wasn't elected, DeSantis is making good on a campaign promise to develop a micro-loan program.

The Blog of Burgher Jon gives me some mention in the quest for open gov on TV -- Lebo style

I got some ink at another blog.

Jon, I'm always glad to help and offer up solutions. I'm glad you noticed too.

The Blog of Burgher Jon Until local governments get a clue we're going to have to keep waiting for good old Rauterkus to video tape his TV. What do you suppose it cost him to put that video together? about $28,000?

My price tag won't be as high as theirs.

:)

RIP: Buck Dawson, 87, Promoter of Swimming, Is Dead - New York Times

From canada-ak-o-mak

Buck Dawson, 87, Promoter of Swimming, Is Dead - New York Times: "Buck Dawson, 87, Promoter of Swimming, Is Dead

Buck was a great, great man. He will be missed by thousands around the world, including our family.

I was very honored and happy to introduce my sons, both swimmers, to Buck in the summer of 2006 while in Canada at Camp Chikopi and visiting the friends from the other side of the lake at Ak-o-mak.

Rest of story:

Buck Dawson, the first executive director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and a leading promoter of the sport, died on April 4 in Fort Lauderdale, where he lived. He was 87.

The cause was heart failure and complications of Parkinson’s disease, the Hall of Fame said.

From 1964 to 1987, Dawson helped build the Hall of Fame into an attraction that now enshrines such celebrated inductees as Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, Mark Spitz, Gertrude Ederle, Eleanor Holm and Esther Williams. Spitz is now the hall’s chairman. By his own admission, Dawson himself was a poor and infrequent swimmer.

“Buck did more for swimming than any nonswimmer in the world,” the Hall of Fame said in announcing his death, adding: “He made the Hall grow from an idea to a shoebox collection and ultimately a million-dollar operation as the showcase and archives of swimming.”

Dawson was credited with bringing to Fort Lauderdale national championship events in swimming, diving, synchronized swimming and water polo, and he persuaded college teams to train there during their spring break. He traveled throughout the year promoting the sport.

For years, in Ontario, he and his wife, RoseMary, a swimming coach, ran the first known competitive-swimming camps, Camp Ak-o-Mak for girls and Chikopi for boys. He wrote or was a co-author of 18 books on various subjects, including swimming, volcanoes, the Civil War and World War II.

William Forrest Dawson was born Oct. 31, 1920, in Orange, N.J. His father, Cecil, was president of the Dixie Cup Company. Buck Dawson attended the University of Michigan, where he was a top sprinter on the track team. He left college during World War II and served as an officer commanding glider troops in the 82nd Airborne Division; he was later a public information officer. He wrote the official history of the 82nd Airborne.

After the war, he returned to college and graduated in 1948. Returning to the Army during the Korean War, he damaged one eye in an automobile collision and wore a black eye patch afterward.

His wife died in 2003. Their daughter, Marci Williams, died in 1999. Dawson is survived by a stepson, Bruce Corson, of Ann Arbor, Mich.; two stepdaughters, Connie Corson of Colorado Springs and Marilyn Whitney of Savannah, Ga.; two step-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.

Buck is also survived by hundreds, if not thousands of once young swimmers.

From Grant

That's Buck in the middle of the big hug. Grant, my youngest, is the guy off to the left of the photo. I took the photo from a canoe before the start of 3-mile swim race.

View Album

Get your own

Buck isn't in this slide show, but it gives a peek at 'camp'.

Cheruiyot, Tune win Boston Marathon - More Sports - SI.com

Great day for a marathon.

Cheruiyot, Tune win Boston Marathon - More Sports - SI.com Among those in the event's second-largest field: seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who finished 488th in 2:50:58.

Nice run Lance.

A runner from the USA got into the top ten -- 10th.

Election Protection's final push to ready for vote tomorrow

The Freedom Unlimited Building is at 2201 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 -- and the training is slated for tonight from 6 to 7:30 pm.

PRESS CONTACT: Celeste Taylor, 412-670-0937
Stacey Gates, 240-274-5400/sgates@pfaw.org

Election Protection Coalition Operates Statewide Hotline for Pennsylvania Voters in Primary

Poll watchers to be deployed in Allegheny County

Election Protection Volunteer Training, Monday, April 21, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

On April 22, the nonpartisan Election Protection (EP) coalition will operate its national hotline, 1-866-OUR VOTE (1-866-687-8683), to provide live assistance to voters in Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. The EP coalition is working with allies across the state to dispatch poll monitors in key precincts, and PFAWF is coordinating these efforts for the coalition in Pittsburgh to help solve problems that may arise on Election Day.

We invite you to cover the Election Protection coalition's volunteer training:

When: Monday, April 21, 2008, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Where: Freedom Unlimited Building, 2201 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 (next door to the NAACP Building in the Historic Hill District.)

The toll-free voter assistance hotline will provide voters with live, free legal and general assistance to help them vote. Volunteers trained in election law will assist voters with questions such as:

- where and when to vote

- what kind of ID may be required

- whether to vote on a provisional ballot or emergency ballot

- what to do if their names have been removed from the voting lists

- what to do if they have since been directed to the wrong polling place

- what to do if they are challenged at the polls

The hotline will be available to all Pennsylvania voters on April 22, and will collect reports about voting problems that arise. The data will inform efforts to improve the election system before the general election in November, and the information will be made available to the news media and the public. In addition, on-the-ground poll monitors and roving attorneys will be deployed in Allegheny County as a pilot project for the November election.

PFAWF has been engaged in on-the-ground poll monitoring and voter education in Pennsylvania since 2004. Allegheny County has continued to experience problems that have the potential to disenfranchise thousands of vulnerable voters including poll worker recruitment and training; the availability of voting machines and polling place resources; improper use of provisional ballots and emergency ballots; the statewide voter registration database and voter registration problems; and voter education and voter outreach.

The EP coalition includes People For the American Way Foundation, NAACP National Voter Fund, B-PEP - The Black Political Empowerment Project, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, PA League of Young Voters Education Fund, Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Young Professionals, PA Common Cause, PA Disability Voter Coalition, VotePA, VoteAllegheny, Voter Action, PA Voice, League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, Freedom Unlimited, Spiritual Progressives, and Everybody VOTE.

EP works year-round to safeguard the right to vote of historically disenfranchised voters, including Hispanic, African-American, youth, disabled and low-income voters. For more information about Election Protection, visit www.EP365.org or call Celeste Taylor at 412-670-0937 or Stacey Gates at 202-467-4999.

Vote for these people for R deligates to Convention

Suggested Delegates to the Republican Convention:

Robert Tamburo (3rd on the ballot)
Andrew Maul (5th on the ballot)
Crystal M. Jones (7th on the ballot)

Mainstream Media gives this guy the willies

YouTube - GillettePhenom's Channel

YouTube - GillettePhenom's Channel: "Create a video of 90 seconds or less showcasing your skill in a ball sport. Your video may include the biggies—basketball, baseball, soccer, football, golf, tennis—the lesser obvious ones— volleyball, water polo, cricket, rugby, croquet—and even the fooseballs and Super Balls of the world.

You can kick it, throw it, shoot it, catch it, juggle it, dribble it, heck do a dance with it if you like. If you're phenomenal enough, you could win."

Tiger is there.

OLYMPUS: Event, WED at 3:30 pm at CMU

OLYMPUS: Events Olympus Show and Tell 5 (Poster, 322 KB)
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 • 3:30pm - 5:00pm
Collaborative Innovation Center
Carnegie Mellon
Reception Following @ Apple

Wi-Fi gets one city $3-M windfall

A few years ago, I went on many rants about Wi-Fi efforts in the city. Well, if I had had my way, the city would be richer and with a new system. Instead, the suckers in city hall did an insider deal with the PDP (Pgh Downtown Partnership).

No money will change hands in the reacquisition of the network and the city estimates that it has netted $3.19 million on the deal.

Corpus Christi, Texas, got paid more than $3-million from EarthLink. Now EarthLink is getting out of the municipal, consumer Wi-Fi business, by design and by its own choice. So, that city gets the services and the cash.

Pittsburgh gets nothing, yet again.

Great clean-up, redd up, etc.

County Events Page: "Scheduled Events for Allegheny County"

Fix Up Parade

Good news:

New signs of the times: Hit the riverfront trail.

From playground - usa

Thanks for the new nets on the basketball courts.

From playground - usa

Thanks for the attention to the ground cover in the parks too.

Bad News

Going to the paint has different meanings when the pavement is cracked to such conditions.



Fast break has different meanings:



The court in our park has a regular 3-point line -- and a NBA 3 point line as outlined by the cracked pavement.

From playground - usa

The fences in the parks need minor touch ups so this does NOT happen.

From playground - usa

As the fence gets destroyed, the cost for replacement is much greater.

From playground - usa

From playground - usa

Use the Primary Election Day to get signatures for general election ballot

Primary Day in Pennsylvania is fast approaching. With your help, it can be a day when we take a major step forward as a party – not so much because of who is on the primary ballot, but because of who we can put on the ballot in November.

We need as many Pennsylvania residents as possible to go to the polls this Tuesday, April 22, to petition for our candidates to get on the general election ballot. Please take as much time as you can on Tuesday to grab a clipboard and some pens and ask these voters to help us give them a Libertarian choice in Pennsylvania in November!

You can download the nomination papers and find all the information you need to fill them out at http://www.lppa.org/2008_Nomination_Papers.html. (“Nomination papers” is the official state term for petitions in Pennsylvania). That petition will not only place our Presidential ticket on the ballot, it also includes your Libertarian candidates for Attorney General, Auditor General and State Treasurer.

There’s no better place to find registered voters who are in the mood to sign your petition than a polling place on Election Day! Every signature you can collect as a volunteer accomplishes much more than simply helping Libertarian candidates get on the general election ballot. We need to collect 24,666 valid signatures from Pennsylvania registered voters to succeed. That’s a tall-order that requires the help of professional petitioners who have to be paid. Every signature you get as a volunteer saves the party up to $2 each, which can be used to finish the petitioning efforts in Pennsylvania and all across the country.

Please go to http://www.lppa.org/2008_Nomination_Papers.html today and follow the instructions to download and print the petition. Feel free to contact me directly by email at sean.haugh@lp.org, or by phone at 202-288-9853, if you have any questions. I’m also happy to help you find a notary and someone with the Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania to whom you can turn in the signatures you collect.

There will be many more opportunities for you to circulate the nomination papers up until we have to complete the drive in late July. But there’s no better chance to get valid signatures than at the polls on Tuesday. Every single signature helps! With your efforts, we’ll be able to get back on the ballot in Pennsylvania and give everyone a Libertarian alternative in November. Thanks!

Yours in liberty,

Sean Haugh
sean.haugh@lp.org
Political Director
Libertarian Party

Fix me

A couple of months ago, we were blessed with a miracle.

The miracle had nothing to do with the Pope's visit. Rather, it was of a visit of another type.

On our side street, Bradish Street, just off of 12th Street, we were blessed with five large potholes. Those potholes from the past were bigger than the new one shown in the photo above, taken today, but in the same stretch of road.

On trash night as I pulled our garbage to the curb, I placed two large pizza boxes into the open holes in the road. I put one pizza box into each pothole. They fit easily.

A couple of hours later, two additional pizza boxes had appeared in the other, nearby potholes. A neighbor had done the same, feeding pizza boxes into the road's opening.

By morning light, we noticed that the pizza boxes were gone and the street had pavement where the potholes had been. It was a street fixing miracle!

Now, with the new navigational bump-in-the-road on Bradish Street, I'm not sure what to do. I could call 3-1-1 and report it to the operator. Or, I could order a mid-sized pizza this weekend and use the box for filler, again. Or, I could get on my knees and pray to the patron saint of Pittsburgh potholes, Jeff Koch. Or, I might just blog about it and hope for the best.

Frick Middle School election

The middle school kids at Frick were part of a vote in school and Barack Obama got 92%.

The principal got an talking to from Erik, my son, 7th grader, about the ballot and the lack of "R" candidates. The kids couldn't vote for Ron Paul even if they wanted to.

So, Erik will be in charge of the school-wide vote in November.

Perhaps we should expand this into a district wide vote?

Bob Barr, Member of Congress (1995-2003), gearing up to run for US President

Dear Fellow Conservative,

I'm writing you today with the most important news I could ever share with you.

After years of frustration watching the Republican Party rack up a $10 Trillion national debt while doing nothing to cut spending it is obvious that the Republican Party is simply no longer serious about representing the conservative-libertarian economic philosophy of my former boss, President Ronald Reagan.

I am deeply disappointed to see President Bush put forward a $3.1 Trillion budget, while vetoing hardly any spending bills during nearly eight years in office.

For those of us who had hoped for a true conservative to win the GOP nomination, I'm afraid that hasn't happened either; as Senator John McCain has locked up that Party's nomination.

As a consequence, many dedicated conservatives and advocates of limited, constitutional government have lost all remaining hope in restoring true conservatism to the Republican Party.

That's why after many weeks of careful consideration, intense thought and prayer, I have formed an official exploratory committee for President of the United States under the banner of the Libertarian Party.

My fellow conservative, before you put this letter down and say that you cannot support a battle-tested, down-the-line conservative like me who is trying to send a message to the Party Bosses in Washington, D.C., please read the following quote from my former mentor, and boss, President Ronald Reagan...

"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism."

- Reason Magazine, July 1975 Interview with Ronald Reagan

And, from the same interview...

"...[T]he basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is."

A truly great communicator, President Reagan went on to win a majority of the voting electorate by standing on the bedrock principle of limited government and maximum individual liberty.

In fact, as President Reagan succinctly pointed out, conservative-libertarians like us do not believe that we need government to protect us from ourselves!

Sadly, in 2008 where the Democratic Party brazenly advocates a philosophy of government practiced in Europe known as socialism, the Republican Party has become nothing short of a "Democrat-lite" version of the other side.

Just look at the policies advocated by Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain.

-- Do any of them talk about abolishing the Department of Education and other excessive federal government programs, as President Reagan did? NO.

-- Do they support abolishing the federal government's socialistic farm subsidies? NO.

-- Do they support protecting civil liberties for Americans by preventing the military, the NSA, and the FBI from spying on Americans without probable cause and without court-ordered warrants? NO.

-- Do they have any real intention of securing our border to stem the flow of millions of illegal aliens into this nation? NO.

-- Have any one of these presidential candidates sponsored legislation to flat-out abolish the failed and costly policies of the federal nanny state? NO.

When President Reagan appointed me as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, it was an honor and responsibility I will never forget.

The rule of law was a term that applied to the government as well as to its citizenry.

Today, after generations of Supreme Court decisions the proper role and function of government has been completely distorted from the original intent of the Founding Fathers.

With roughly 50% of Americans' hard-earned wages going to some form of government entity (federal, state and local) is there really any reason to believe that a John McCain presidency would be substantially different from that of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama? Not really.

My friend, for the last five years I've worked virtually around the clock to raise money for true conservatives running for office.

I've been personally involved in raising millions of dollars to help elect proven conservative leaders to both the House and Senate.

Today, I'm writing you because it's time for conservatives and conservative-libertarians like us to send a message to the GOP.

If you believe that John McCain, Hillary Clinton, or Barack Obama will actually restore America to its constitutional and limited federal government role, then I understand why you may not be supportive of my exploratory committee.

But if you believe as I do, and as the Washington Times newspaper has recently published, that a viable third party sends a powerful message to the two main parties, then I'm asking you to lend me a hand.

I've always been economically conservative, pro-Second Amendment, and pro-states' rights as a Member of Congress.

And I proudly remain so today.

I never had the pleasure of serving with Senator Barry Goldwater, but I want to remind you of the book he wrote many years ago that received rave reviews from economic conservatives-libertarians, titled "Conscience of a Conservative."

President Reagan first gained his political public fame in large part thanks to his speech in behalf of Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign.

Today, as the conservative-libertarian philosophy of the Republican Party is nearly dead with the nomination of party-insider John McCain, it's time we send a message once again.

That's why I'm asking you to join me today.

I'm only in the exploratory stages of this campaign but I really need the counsel and support of fellow conservatives like you.

If you will stand with me by contributing to the Bob Barr Exploratory Committee, I would deeply appreciate it.

Your gift would be a real boost to my efforts.

I realize that I'm asking for a lot by soliciting a gift. But it's because I deeply believe in freedom and limited government that I'm reaching out to you today.

Believe me, the Party Bosses of both major parties don't want a true, credible conservative like me on the ballot in November, and your gift will give conservatives and libertarians a choice they deserve in November.

I hope you'll support my exploratory committee today as I work to maximize your freedom and start shrinking the size and cost of the federal government.

Sincerely,

signature

Hon. Bob Barr

Member of Congress (1995-2003)

P.S. I have worked tirelessly for conservative values and economic libertarian policies like Ronald Reagan proudly advocated.

My friend, I'm honest enough to tell you how frustrated I am with the GOP. And I'm begging you to do something about it by standing with me -- and sending a powerful message to the Party Bosses and Washington insiders who are to blame for this spending fiasco and $9.2 Trillion national debt!

P.P.S. Your gift will help me send a message that out-of-control spending and blatantly unconstitutional, costly, and ineffective federal government programs must end to save America from an impending financial disaster. Time is ticking.

Please respond with your most generous gift today. I thank you!

My interest in tickets to a sporting events

Pens tickets for games 1 and 2 of the second round of the NHL Playoffs are about to go on sale. Last time single game tickets went on the market, they were gone in 10-minutes.

I'm not interested in Pens playoff tickets. Instead, I am much more interested in Olympic tickets.

From Grant

But this week, Grant, my 2nd son, and I went to the Pirate game on Sunday. Two 'free tickets' came to us that morning at swim practice when a fellow basketball playing friend said he wanted to give away his tickets because his wife wasn't feeling up for the game. She was 'under the weather' -- and it did rain.

The start of the game was delayed, for about 15 minutes. Rain came off and on for parts of the game and we were happy to have our ponchos.

Grant and I had a great time. It worked well in our schedules too.

Kayakers find woman's body in Ohio River

Kayakers find woman's body in Ohio River: Kayakers find woman's body in Ohio River

Grim.

Going out on the river to get some exercise has its downside. But, as an upside for the community, this person is found.

Moreover, the kayakers did a good deed in terms of the health of the river water and water quality. The body decomposition isn't something that should linger in the river's water -- as that water is used by others downstream.

Kayakers didn't save the day -- in that the woman was already dead. But, they did save the day in other terms for days yet to come if that body is left to float, stink, pollute and contaminate.

This is an Earth Day story -- and a story to say it is time for many clean-up efforts around town and beyond.

Furthermore, outdoor recreational people, such as kayakers, need to have some understandings on what to do when they come upon these situations.

CALL FOR VIDEO COLLABORATION!

Hello dear members of Open Source Cinema! This is Brett Gaylor, the director of the project. I'm writing to you because the film, Basement Tapes, is almost done. It's been a four year process of filming, interviewing, and remixing, and it's almost done. The film is about 90 minutes long, and has a lot of great remix work from both opensourcecinema.org and from the ether of YouTube. It's going to be good, but it still needs more contributions!

There are 4 things I'm looking for, and I'm hoping you can help!

1. Work you've already made that remixes pop culture. Videos and Songs that really highlight digital transformation, humour, insight, and mayhem. I'd like to open this film by showing some creative examples of remix culture, so if you have them, please send them!

2. Videoblogs on the subject of copyright, filesharing, the Internet. At several points in the film, we hear from videobloggers and youtubers. If you haven't recorded any, this would be a good chance. If you need some inspiration, consider Jammie Thomas - the single mother who was ordered to pay $222,000 for downloading 24 songs. Some reaction videos would be great - we've already used a few. Rant and rave or get creative!

3. Copyright criminal photos. Take a picture of yourself with a criminal mugshot - current copyright laws make us all criminals. We're going to compile these and make an animation for the film. Download the mughsot template here! note

4. Finally, and most importantly, we've got some specific remixing we're after for the final section of the film - the last speech by Creative Commons founder Lawrence Lessig on copyright, and Girl Talk's guerilla remix dance party at the Montreal Jazz Festival. MIx it all together on your computer and then re-upload it on the site - the last section of the film really needs collaborative power! The call for remixing.

Thanks to those of you who have submitted material and helped shape the film - stay tuned as we near completion! Editing is scheduled to finish in June 2008.

Keep remixing,
Brett Gaylor
http://www.opensourcecinema.org

Hospitality PAC works to defeat drink-tax backers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Hospitality PAC works to defeat drink-tax backers - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review A new political action committee opposed to Allegheny County's 10 percent drink tax is targeting officials who supported it.

I heard Brenda Frazier, my former county council representative, on a KDKA radio interview today. She said that people in her campaign were calling the political action committee from the hospitality industry was 'illegal.' Furthermore, an ethics complaint was being filed.

This is the second time the media is reporting upon complaints that are being filed to the PA Ethics Commission.

Fraziers folks seek to make a statement about the PAC.

And, Luke Ravenstahl asked for an ethics review about the gifts to Pat Ford and his wife, also the mayor's former press secretary.

Folks, complaints to the Ethics Commission are to be kept CONFIDENTIAL. It is un-ethical to blab about the filing of a complaint to the ethics commission. It is part of the process. Part of the form. CONFIDENTIAL.

To be under a cloak of confidentiality means you should NOT talk to the reporters.

I have problems with these confidentiality clauses. I filed an ethics complaint to the Pittsburgh Ethics Hearing Board against the Pgh Ethics Hearing Board concerning its bogus rule that required confidentiality. The principle of the matter was what I was fighting.

So, in a small way, I'm glad to have helped in making the confidentiality clause requirement to go up in smoke. The confidentiality clause is not being enforced and it is now made meaningless.

If I was put onto the Pgh Ethics Hearing Board -- I'd undertake a major re-write of all the rules of that body. And, I'd work to strike down the state-wide requirements of confidentiality too.

Told ya.