Competitive Bid raises its head -- again -- but winks, blinks and nods prevail

Pittsburgh's water authority ups debt - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: After meeting with PNC and authority representatives, council members questioned why the financial work was not competitively bid.

'I don't think that it's been the policy to bid these out,' said State Rep. Don Walko, the authority chairman. 'I think you just try to find the best team.'

Walko said PNC and JP Morgan assembled the authority's separate $25 million bond refinancing in 2007 and that using the firms again would save money.

City Council had them right where they wanted them. City Council folded.

Well, there is always next time. But next time in this instance is in 2042, give or take a decade.

City council blew it. None even asked a question on the day of the final vote. It was a slam dunk to get more debt.

The 'consent decree' to fix the storm water run off calls for certain measures to be made. Little has happened. Why?

Stewardships. Management. Accountability. Solvency.

The PWSA came about when Tom Murphy hatched an idea for a one-time fix of cash. All the Dems when along with it then. All the Dems sustain it now. Meanwhile, the water main breaks around town are everywhere.

Will this be the last musical at Schenley?

Will this be the last musical at Schenley?: "The future of Pittsburgh Schenley High School is up in the air, so this week may (or may not) be the last chance to see the famed Schenley musical on the Schenley stage in Oakland."

Yes. This is the last chance to get to see a real Schenley Musical.

But the P-G ariticle fails to say a peep as to the greatness of this year's show talent. There wasn't a sour note the entire night. The show is a "MUST SEE."

IzeaFest in Orlando in Sept. 08

IzeaFest: "How to become a well-rounded blogger."

[412] This weekend -- you gotta make time to see the Schenley High School Musical -- historic and fantastic!

[412] This weekend -- you gotta make time to see the Schenley High School Musical -- historic and fantastic!:

Find time this weekend, at 8 pm on May 1, 2 or 3 (Thurs, Fri or Sat) to go see the Schenley High School musical, "All Shook Up." It is fantastic.

My son saw "Hairspray" when the professional production was in town this winter and he thinks the local high school kids presented a better show.

Furthermore, Schenley High School, as we know it, is GONE after this school year. This gives residents from around the region to see a top flight program in a classic, city setting. Suburban friends need to see this show too. I don't want to dwell on the politics of the school closure and how wrong that decision is because the message is all about the kids, the music, the teamwork and the fun you'll have watching them perform.

If you like Elvis music, live theater, poking fun at the mayor, wonderful singing, and a splendid community time -- go. Take your kids. Take a date. Go alone. We didn't need to reserve our seats, just show up at the door and plunk down seven bills.

See other blog postings and comments.

Lee Jenkins: Kosuke Fukudome Tastes Good - MLB - SI.com

Love it.

Lee Jenkins: Kosuke Fukudome Tastes Good - MLB - SI.com The notoriously rowdy fans in the Wrigley bleachers not only hang signs of tribute to him in Japanese, but they also chant in the rightfielder's native tongue. Their efforts are flattering, if occasionally puzzling, to Fukudome. Placards with the Cubs' slogan IT'S GONNA HAPPEN in Japanese have been read by Fukudome to say IT'S AN ACCIDENT. And one well-meaning bleacher bum keeps yelling a phrase that translates as, 'It tastes good!'

This comes at a perfect time with my next venture.

Also, Baseball and Softball are in a fight to get back into the Olympic Games come 2012.

Dr. Dan -- asking for a raise.

University of Pittsburgh: News From Pitt: "When I came to Pitt as a freshman, I had two goals. One was to be the starting quarterback. The other, I made a promise to my mother that I would graduate just like all of you today. I accomplished both goals. I was very proud of that, and all of you should be very proud to be Pitt graduates.

But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine receiving a doctorate in broadcast journalism. Now that I have one, I’ll be sure to let my colleagues at the CBS NFL Today show—Shannon, Boomer, James Brown, and Coach Cowher—know that I will demand that they now call me “Dr. Dan.”

Chancellor, thank you for the honor. I think I’m going to ask CBS for a raise!"

Where are the petitions?

Vox populi: Opponents of the 10 percent tax on all poured alcoholic drinks in Allegheny County are ready to put their efforts where their wrath has been. Friends Against Counterproductive Taxation, or FACT, say it's seeking a November referendum that would repeal the very unpopular levy. They'll begin gathering petition signatures in June. At least 25,000 are needed; FACT says it will seek 50,000 signatures just to be safe. Ah, democracy in action.

Ron Paul Hits it out of the Park on CNN American Morning�-�RestoreTheRepublic.com

Ron Paul Hits it out of the Park on CNN American Morning - RestoreTheRepublic.com: "Ron Paul Hits it out of the Park on CNN American Morning"

The are agents of change, but are not specific.

Republacrats.

Free market medicine.

Federal Reserve system creates the bubbles.

We pretend to police the world and are going bankrupt.

They are about $400 haircuts.

Without fail, I'm a member of the Republican party, said Dr. Paul. (Take that John K.)

Get the book. It is a great read.

Men’s Volleyball: #4 Buckeyes Face #1 Penn State in the NCAA Semifinals Thursday at UC Irvine - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - Ohio

Men’s Volleyball: #4 Buckeyes Face #1 Penn State in the NCAA Semifinals Thursday at UC Irvine - The Ohio State Buckeyes Official Athletics Site - OhioStateBuckeyes.com: The seventh-ranked Ohio State (20-7) men’s volleyball team will face top-ranked Penn State (28-1) Thursday in the NCAA Championship semifinals at UC Irvine. The Buckeyes, seeded fourth in the championship, received the MIVA (Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) automatic bid by winning the MIVA Tournament with a 3-0 (30-19, 30-24-30-21) victory over Ball State (21-10). The Nittany Lions, seeded first in the championship, received the EIVA (Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) automatic bid by winning the EIVA Tournament with a 3-0 (30-24, 33-31, 30-23) win over George Mason (20-8). The second semifinal has third-seed Long Beach State (23-7) facing second-seed Pepperdine (16-10). The 49ers received the at-large bid to the championship while Pepperdine won the MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) automatic bid by defeating Brigham Young (25-5), 3-2 (28-30, 28-30, 32-30, 30-27, 15-8) in the championship match of the MPSF Tournament. The semifinal winners play Saturday for the NCAA Championship

Paul has a novel idea for his campaign leftovers | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Paul has a novel idea for his campaign leftovers | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle: "Ron Paul failed to translate an impressive fundraising operation into widespread support for his 2008 bid for the presidency, but the Lake Jackson Republican still may end up hitting pay dirt."

Slots Parlor: Felix asked a great question in another thread, at the Burgh Report blog

Worthy read, in full. Pointer: http://burghreport.blogspot.com/2008/04/development-la-ravenstahl-means-sweetn.html

... Is anyone else disturbed by the fact that $150 million in funding for Don Barden's casino comes from the two troubled public pension funds of the City of Detroit?

Last week S&P rated Barden's Pittsburgh casino project at B- with a negative outlook -- that's quite bad, and his other Majestic Star operations (in Gary, Indiana; Tunica, Mississippi; and Colorado) were rated a nearly-insolvent CCC+. What on earth are two drastically underfunded pension funds doing investing in a project like that? Isn't it an obvious use of political favors by Barden in his home town of Detroit?

Am I crazy in raising these questions, which have garnered no coverage in the Detroit media from what I've seen, and bare-bones coverage here? Shouldn't someone be investigating and reporting on the deeper stories -- if any -- behind these pension boards' decisions? Did money or favors change hands, and if so, where?

This is not chump change, folks, it is $150 million in savings that are supposed to benefit long-serving city workers in a distressed Rust Belt city. It may not be our own city, but the guy who benefits from it is building a casino in our city with that money. Is there anyone out there with the time and inclination to look into this further?

Felix Dzerzhinsky

Challenge, call: Pittsburgh area film creators

CALLING ALL PITTSBURGH AREA FILMMAKERS!

The 48 Hour Film Project is coming to Pittsburgh In a wild, sleepless weekend, you and a team will make a movie--write, shoot, edit and score it. From scratch. In 48 hours.

On Friday, June 6th you'lhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifl get a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre, all to include in your movie. By Sunday, June 8th the movie must be complete. It will show at Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall at a screening on June 17th or 18th. The best 12 Films will screen again at the awards ceremony on June 20th.

There are many ways to be involved:

1. Come out to a MEET AND GREET scheduled for Wednesday May 14th at 7:00. We will be holding a meet and greet session at Cefalo's Restaraunt in Bridgeville. Any person who wishes to be involved in one way or another may come out and introduce yourself to the many Producers, Actors and DP's who are wishing to be part of this MANTRA!

2. FORM A TEAM. If you can rustle up enough folks to make a movie, great! The project is open to pros and amateurs alike. Just put together a team and register on-line at http://www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh …and then meet us on Friday, June 6th, ready to go. There are only a limited number of slots, so apply soon...

3. JOIN A TEAM. If you're interested in participating, but can't form a team, you can still definitely be involved! There will be happy hours where folks can meet team leaders and join their teams. Get your information to team leaders at:

http://www.48hourfilm.com/join

http://www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh

...and get your ear to the ground by signing up for the Pittsburgh 48HFP
yahoo group at: http://www.pittsburgh48@yahoogroups.com

…or the Pittsburgh myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/pitt48hourfilm.

4. WATCH THE MOVIES. Come on by to the see the movies! They will be showing at the Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall on on June 17th or 18th. . (Each night is a totally different set of movies.) The best 12 Films will screen again at the awards ceremony on June 20th.

Meet other filmmakers, spend 48 hours in intense movie making, and have your film screened at the Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall ! And compete to represent Pittsburgh at the 48HFP national screening!

The winning Pittsburgh team will compete against other films to represent Pittsburgh at the 48 Hour Film Project's national screening (2008 films screened at South by Southwest film festival), and will compete for additional prizes. Entry instructions can be found at
http://www.48hourfilm.com.

So come on out and make a movie!

Are you game?

Help Kick Childhood Obesity: Join Sneakers for FIT Kids Photo Petition!

Tomorrow is You’re the Cure on the Hill- the American Heart Association’s federal lobby day, and hundreds of You’re the Cure advocates will be on Capitol Hill to urge Congress to pass legislation to help counter the childhood obesity epidemic we presently face.

With the event now only hours away, I wanted to remind you to take part in our Sneakers for FIT Kids Photo Petition, so we can demonstrate the widespread support for the Fitness Integrated with Teaching Kids Act (FIT Kids Act).

Remember, the FIT Kids Act would amend No Child Left Behind to ensure the quality and quantity of physical education begin provided in our public schools is prioritized. Tomorrow is an important step in our efforts to see that this important bill is passed, and your participation today can have an invaluable impact on the outcome.

There is still time for you to take part in the Sneakers for FIT Kids Photo Petition. All it requires is that you take these three easy steps:

1) Take A Picture Of Your Well-Used, Stinky Sneakers – Whether they are high tops, tennis shoes or cross trainers, just snap a photo of your sneakers or of you being active in your sneakers. And get creative- create a sign expressing your support to include in the shot!

2) Send Your Picture To Snakers4FITKids@yahoo.com – Take a look at the hundreds of sneaker pictures we have already received. We would like to add your photo too so we can demonstrate to Congress that ensuring the health of our kids is an important priority.

3) Wear Your Sneakers April 29th – Even if you cannot join us at You’re the Cure on the Hill in person, be sure to wear your sneakers tomorrow to raise awareness of the issue and show your solidarity with our cause.

In closing, I would like to thank you on behalf of the American Heart Association – and the millions of kids whose lives you can make healthier – for supporting our campaign.


Clarissa García
American Heart Association

Heart Disease and Stroke. You’re the Cure.

P.S - Exciting news! You’re the Cure on the Hill will be featured on C-SPAN tomorrow. An interview with AHA President Daniel Jones, M.D. will take place on “Washington Journal” on Tuesday, April 29, 8–8:30 a.m. EST, and include the topics of the FIT Kids Act and federal funding for research and prevention programs. “Washington Journal” has a call-in format, so we encourage you to dial in to participate and support our legislative priorities.

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Luke's Legacy

A trend, perhaps.

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Luke's Legacy: "Luke's Legacy"

One calls it unaware. The other calls it 'brain dead.'

Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community

B-B-Q is slated for Saturday, May 3, from 3-8 p.m.

Worship is scheduled for 11 am on Sunday, May 4.

All of this happens at the new space: 2700 Jane St. in the South Side.

Heads are rolling at WVU

Woops.

Players bash sloppy ice in Pittsburgh

globesports.com: Players bash sloppy ice in Pittsburgh Players bash sloppy ice in Pittsburgh

Global warming.

What if they just finished the hockey season by the end of April.

Perhaps Pittsburgh fans can push to make the first game of the next series, rather than a 'white out,' be 'topless.' A beach party might be good enough for the dropping of the puck. Then as the game continues, fans go shirtless.

Sturla finance records subpoenaed - Topix

Someone feels that this short news story has big ramifications.

Sturla finance records subpoenaed - Topix Sturla finance records subpoenaed

State Rep. Mike Sturla's campaign finance records have been subpoenaed as part of a grand jury investigation into a Scranton millionaire casino owner's alleged mob connections.

If we had "Transparent PAC Accounts" -- this type of stuff would NOT need to be the subject of a subpoena. The records to the PAC would be visible for all to see at any time, as they unfold.

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents :: Bruce Kraus: Excerpts from his testimony

Another "over-languaged" example of folly from Bruce Kraus.

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents :: Bruce Kraus: Excerpts from his testimony: "In the year 2008, would you dare to legislate to deny marriage or civil union based on race, creed, age or ethnicity?

Look at the blog, there, for my reactions to his HYPE.

Bruce, get an editor. And, if you have one editor now, get 10 additional ones if they should be of the same quality.

Meet Chuck Baldwin, candidate for President of the United States

Constitution Party chooses talk-show host over Keyes for presidential nomination

By STEVE KRASKE The Kansas City Star

Meeting in Kansas City on Saturday, the Constitution Party tapped talk show host Chuck Baldwin over former ambassador Alan Keyes as its 2008 presidential nominee.

The pick was seen as something of an upset, given Keyes’ higher national profile. Known for his fiery stemwinders, Keyes is a two-time GOP presidential candidate who abandoned the Republican Party this month to join the Constitution Party, which stands for limited government and is committed to ending abortion and bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq.

But Baldwin’s roots in the Constitution Party run deeper. He was the party’s 2004 vice-presidential candidate, and party members said his stands were more in line with party thinking.

Still, the two waged a fierce battle in the days leading up to the vote, described as the most contentious in the party’s 16-year history. Baldwin wound up winning easily, 384-126. The Missouri and Kansas delegations basically split their votes between the two.

“They just rejected the most qualified man to be president,” said Tom Hoefling of Lohrville, Iowa, who is Keyes’ national political director. “Chuck Baldwin will have no impact on this election whatsoever.”

But Baldwin backers said the party was committed to remaining true to its values and growing itself from the inside. That approach will better sustain the party over the long run, said delegate Thom Holmes of Chandler, Okla., even though Keyes might have drawn more votes.

In his acceptance speech, Baldwin said his presidency would be committed to halting abortion and illegal immigration, the streamlining of the federal government, the tapping of oil reserves in Alaska that would lead to a return of $1.50-a-gallon gas prices and withdrawal from Iraq.

Baldwin pledged not only to pull out of the U.N., but also to push the international organization out of the country.

He said he would phase out the Internal Revenue Service and end the paying of personal income taxes. He said the country should return to the gold standard.