[412] Beijing Bound. Our summer vacation shapes up -- Olympic style

[412] Beijing Bound. Our summer vacation shapes up -- Olympic style


Hi Friends, Neighbors the world over!

We depart (and the house guests arrive) for Beijing in a couple of days. Your gift and postcard requests are due to me ASAP.

Throughout August, my family and I are going on our 4th trip to China -- but this time we'll be within the buzz of the Olympic Games. We're excited.

I'll be blogging from China, as best as can be expected, at this new
site with others.
http://2008gamesbeijing.com/

Check out a service called TWITTER as well. See links on my blog.
http://Twitter.com/Rauterkus/


Recent snip: "her teammates stopped their training session and flashed their middle-fingers at the man behind the camera..." Sign up to follow my twitter feed.

Olympicpedia has concluded. My sons and I -- with the help of a few others -- built a 1,000+ page wiki this summer. study up for our sporting experience. http://AforAthlete.wikia.com There is plenty to do there -- and it will be a lifetime labor of love. Your input is most welcomed.

I've got a lot of hanging questions yet:

- Where can we train in Beijing, as I expect they'll not let us splash within the Water Cube without tickets. Erik, Grant and I want to continue to swim and exercise / lift.

- I need a loaner computer monitor. I'll bring the PC/Mac Mini. We're in an apartment in BJ's Silicon Valley.

- We would like to get 3 bikes for the month. Perhaps the 4th bike could be one with a bench. Then the boys can drive my wife an I around town.

- Tickets and tips are welcomed, especially to gratis events. We have a sample of tickets to many different events, swimming, water polo, basketball, canoe, table tennis, football.

- I'm very light on Biz cards, pins, trade swag, N at . Anyone with a suitcase full of Pitt t-shirts or hot ideas -- call me.

- My blog(s) and wiki(s) are not able to be seen from within China -- at last report. So, we do what we can. Mega uploads are expected in September. A proxie and other technical questions might -- like camera storage needs -- might still materialize.

- Go USA Athletes!

Get to the Zoo

From Come Live Ove...

Danish coach accuses Chinese of spying (cont.) - Grant Wahl - SI.com

Humm....

Danish coach accuses Chinese of spying (cont.) - Grant Wahl - SI.com: "I don't think that's the way that anybody should be treated at a World Cup or an Olympics.'

Interesting story.

Locally, we only have to look as far as the family changing rooms at Soak Zone and some jerk 15 year old employee with his cell phone camera stuck to the end of a stick for cheap views. But, let's leave that one for the Carbolic Smoke Ball and humorist, if there is any humor in that.

In US football, the Patriots were pointing cameras at coaches in the games to catch signals and plays as they were relayed to the players. This came into focus by a US Senator from Pennsylvania who was able to waste lots of time on the matter.

Insert more jokes here about how the Danish team should recruit the senior senator from Pennsylvania to look into the matter -- and we might get WWIII.

Globally, I'd encourage the coach to say that the treatment should not be hinged upon the venue of the World Cup or the Olympics. People should not be treated that way -- period.

Privacy in a public realm is hard to insure. On one hand there is hopes of huddles with the team and no outsiders will be there. Then in the next hour there is hope that there will be 50,000 in the stands and 50-million, if not 500-million, watching on television.

Frankly, I hope that cameras are everywhere in Beijing. I hope that they are in the stands, in the hands of the people, and in the grassroots. In Pittsburgh, I'm wishing we had more cameras that were pointed at our politicians and public funds -- and less at the citizens.

Finally, it come time to make a mention of the overall hope of a 'closed practice.' Wow. That opens a big can of worms.

Pitt holds seminar on youth violence

Pitt holds seminar on youth violenceYouth input key to stemming tide

Community and youth input are important keys to solving youth violence, according to a Pitt seminar.

“A lot of the time, the youth’s voice gets lost,” said Valerie Dixon, the restorative justice coordinator for the Center for Victims of Violence and Crime. “We started having young people come in and they all gave their input on what needs to be done to reduce violent crime.”

Youth input is not THE KEY to ending the violence. It is an important key. But it isn't the key.

I think it is worse. Not only are the youth without a voice. The voice-less spans to the third party candidates, to the bar and tavern owners who want to put a question onto the ballot for voters of Allegheny County, to school teachers who have little to say about closing and improving school performance.

Democracy is all about voices and votes. And, our democracy is frail. Those in power have kept the power for themselves -- and discounted the opposition. Then we all suffer.

Here is one way to deal with the lack of voice for the citizens -- the Bruce Kraus and Darlene Harris way. They choose to start every city council meeting by giving voice to a dog and a cat at the animal shelter. Meanwhile, the people come later. The voice of the residents are not as important as potential pets.

Anther city council example of how they think is to hold a town-hall meeting and have the cable television cameras point at the council members and not at the citizens who are the speakers. They put themselves on stage and train the camera to the back of the citizens.

Sure, "Something needs to be done." But that is no guarantee that the right things are the somethings. They can make matters worse.

When you don't know where you are going, any road can take you there. That's something. But life won't get better.

Putting up cameras isn't going to make things more safe. Cameras have been proven to make a small move of the crime to other areas - just a half-block away. Cameras do not work as well as street lights.

Olivia Jones, executive director of the YMCA Homewood-Brushton Branch, expressed the need for students to be able to connect careers with school in order to keep a focus on education. Jones also delved into the paranoia many children in violent neighborhoods experience.


Careers being connected with schools would be fine. That happened with South Vo Tech High School. It closed. There is nothing else like it in the works, still.

But in this world that crack built -- we need to first connect the kids to the schools before we can connect the careers to the schools. Our kids don't easily connect to schools that don't have sports. And, the city is building new schools that don't have sports. And, the sports that have happened in the schools are being cut. Sports in the city schools are often a joke. Hence, the kids don't connect with their schools. They don't connect with themselves. That's a lesson sports -- great sports -- can teach.

Hence, crack is attractive.

“It is a war zone in our communities only because kids don’t know what’s coming at them,” Jones said.

Well, I don't buy that so much. Sure, it is a war zone. Sure, kids don't know what's coming at them. But the because part is what I have issues with.

Kids don't know what's what within themselves. Kids need challenges and perspectives so as to get a handle on who they are -- what they are capable of doing -- why their efforts of self investment are worthy for growth and long-term health.

We need to prepare kids and for parts of that experience they need to strive without worry of what's coming at them.

When the only focus of the kids is on the external elements -- when all they do is watch what's coming at them -- we're screwed. They're screwed.

We need to combat the violence. To combat the violence, change the focus. Make an internal focus the challenge. Coaches do this better than others.

More at http://www.crsp.pitt.edu

It is all about the population loss. People vote with their feet.

Policy Brief

An electronic publication of

The Allegheny Institute for Public Policy

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August 1, 2008 Volume 8, Number 49

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Aligning City Spending with Its Population

Same story, just a new year: the Census Bureau estimates that the City of Pittsburgh’s population fell once again and now stands at 311,218. That’s a decline of 23,000 people (7%) since 2000. Losing population at the average rate of the past seven years, about 3,300 people annually, the City will be down to around 300,000 people or so in the early part of the next decade.

While population is down, City spending has not adjusted commensurately. Numbers taken from the Controller’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports show that in 2007 the City’s general fund expenditures stood at $442.4 million, which, based on 2007’s population count, translates into a per capita expenditure of $1,423. In 2000, the City spent $356.9 million, and based on a population of 334,563, the per capita expenditure was $1,069. In seven years, per capita spending in the City increased 33 percent.

Consider that in the same time frame the Consumer Price Index for the Pittsburgh area rose 20 percent. If the City’s per capita expenditures had risen at the rate of inflation instead of 33 percent, the 2007 per resident expenditure would have been $1,282. That translates into 2007 spending of $399 million, about $43 million less than actual spending. Clearly $43 million would have come in quite handy for a City desperately needing to fund pensions and debt or eliminate nuisance taxes.

Nothing can change how the City got to where it is. But the spending trajectory for outlying years can be changed. We’ve advocated a rigid City spending cap (see Policy Brief Volume 7, Number 49) to be placed on a referendum as an amendment to the City’s Home Rule Charter. The spending cap would limit the change in per capita expenditures to a 2 percent increase from the previous year.

Based on the population decline in recent years of about 1 percent per year, the City would be held to an increase of 1 percent in total outlays (2 percent max – 1 percent decline in population) yearly.

The table shows how this would affect City spending beginning with the 2008 budget baseline ($423 million) and the forecasted growth contained in the budget now. It is very possible that the budget and the projected growth could be revised upward by the City. Note that the 2007 final budget was $434 million and actually came in at $442 million. As of now, projections show that the City will increase its spending to $470 million in 2012.

Two Courses for Future City Spending

Year	Current Projections (000s)	% change	Under a Spending Cap (000s)	% change	Reduced Expenditures (000s)
2008	$423,755		$423,755
2009	$435,491	3	$427,993	1	$7,498
2010	$442,446	2	$432,272	1	$10,174
2011	$455,905	3	$436,595	1	$19,310
2012	$470,549	3	$440,961	1	$29,588

Contrast that with a spending cap. That same $423.7 million baseline in 2008 would instead top out at $440.9 by 2012. Holding year over year increases to a smaller growth rate would result in cumulative savings of $66.5 million. The difference is clear: assuming the City has 300,000 residents in 2012, the per capita spending levels would be $100 lower under a cap than they would be under the current path of expenditure growth. From 2008-12, the cap controlled growth in per capita spending would be 8 percent compared to 15 percent under current budget projections.

On top of these savings there is the important effect of reducing City employment numbers, which in turn results in fewer future liabilities for pensions and retiree healthcare, two areas that desperately need to be controlled. A stringent cap on spending increases would begin the process of curtailing such liabilities.

The cap offers a productive alternative, especially with the City remaining in Act 47 distressed status following the decision of the Department of Community and Economic Development. The Secretary noted “Pittsburgh needs an amended recovery plan that would provide a blueprint for it to exit Act 47 and address pending legacy costs of debt, pensions, post retirement benefits, workers’ compensation…while maintaining positive operating budgets well into the future”.

How’s that to be done? The City can continue on its current course of seeking out allies across the state to petition the Commonwealth to fold pension obligations into the statewide system or to amend the pension funding formula. That’s been met with barely lukewarm enthusiasm so far. Or it can make a change to limit spending strictly and show the region, the state, and the country that they are serious about turning the City around. That’s never been tried here. It would be hard, but with a much bigger payoff. Maybe the City should forge this path.

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Eric Montarti, Policy Analyst

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Please visit our blog at alleghenyinstitute.org/blog.

If you have enjoyed reading this Policy Brief and would like to send it to a friend, please feel free to forward it to them.

For more information on this and other topics, please visit our website: alleghenyinstitute.org

If you wish to support our efforts please consider becoming a donor to the Allegheny Institute. The Allegheny Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible. Please mail your contribution to:

The Allegheny Institute

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Pittsburgh, PA 15234

People vote with their feet. They move away from oppression. They move away from those that are to lead and show a lack of logic.

People want to be free. Life works better when everyone is free. Freedom calls for respect and restraint.

Pittsburgh's population is in a deep slide. It isn't getting better. People make choices as to where to live, where to invest and where to raise families. The grass is greener where the 'redd up' crews are not necessary. And as the redd up crews bring jack booted thugs to dish-out citations, the downward spiral sustains.

Of course, Pittsburgh's Redd Up Crews have been built on a code of self-determination and generous support -- not code enforcement. The legacy of the helping hands has been fine. But, it hits at the over-reaching, nit-picking, logic less when the focus is to the space on the windshield of a parked car on a city street.

Respect is lacking for those that litter and promote without cleaning up. However, respect of freedoms still are more important.

Bonusgate allegations show desperate need for election law changes

Libertarian Party says Voters Choice Act first step to counter corruption

The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) today called for Harrisburg to open up the ballot to independent and third party candidates so Pennsylvanians can choose representatives who will bring integrity to the state legislature.

According to a grand jury report, top Democrat aids diverted millions of dollars in state resources (tax dollars) for Democratic campaign efforts to stifle their opposition.

Many of those alleged to be targeted were candidates sponsored by PA CleanSweep, a group formed to oust lawmakers who voted for the legislative pay raise.

State resources were also apparently used to keep third party candidates off the ballot. According to grand jury allegations, Democratic operatives directed as many as 30 taxpayer-paid employees to review signatures of third-party candidate Carl Romanelli’s petition in the ballot access challenge that killed his candidacy.

According to David Jahn (Ballot Access Coalition member and LPPa Eastern Vice-Chair), “while the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition was speaking to the Governor’s Election Reform Task force and the State Government Committee regarding inequities in the ballot access laws (which in 2006 required over 67,000 signatures), Harrisburg Democrats were spending tax dollars to assure ‘free and equal’ elections did not occur.”

It is now time for Pennsylvanians to demand real choice on the ballot. Last week, Senator Mike Folmer (R-Lebanon) introduced the Voters’ Choice Act, which removes the Commonwealth’s unfair hurdles that obstruct ballot access for independent and minor party candidates for public office.

LPPa Chair, Michael Robertson commented “The recent allegations of abuse of both public funds and public trust highlight the need for reform of the electoral process in Pennsylvania. It is time to restore the authority of the people over their government, and the Voters Choice Act is a good step in that direction."

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in Pennsylvania and the United States. More than 200,000 people across the country are registered Libertarians, and Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

3915 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.lppa.org

For Immediate Release: August 1, 2008

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

We're going. But we're not into gymanstics like this guy is at end of clip.

If you speed them up, they are acting like the tail on the cow. It is done to bat bugs.

I'm going to PodCamp Pittsburgh. You should too.

Check out the web site.

I.O.U.S.A.

I.O.U.S.A. (Starring Ron Paul!) is coming to a theatre near you this month! -Very Exciting!

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBo2xQIWHiM


It will be released on August 21st. So far it is scheduled to show at AMC Pittsburgh West. Hopefully it will get enough sales to spread out! And we will be stationed right outside the door as people are coming out, passing out fryers with the Campaign for Liberty website.

Another home team to cheer for

They are called the "Wet Blacks."

Unaccredited journalists, a legion in BJ

For the Olympics, the government expects 21,500 accredited foreign journalists and 5,000 to 10,000 unaccredited journalists in addition to resident correspondents.

This has been good news for the Foreign Correspondents Club, which almost
doubled its membership to 365 in the two years up to 2007.

China also has an Olympic promise to live up to. "We will give the media complete freedom to report when they come to China," said Wang Wei, secretary-general of
the Beijing Olympic Games bid committee, in lobbying for the right to host the event.
"We are confident that the Games coming to China not only promotes our economy
but also enhances all social conditions, including education, health, and human
rights."

This is going on outside the Water Cube

Rev. Burgess rants on the North Side do-good groups

City Councilman, Ricky Burgess, ranted in length from written statements about the Salvation Army and the North Side community groups.

I'd love to get a copy of this statement on the blog. Please send it to me via email or post it to the comments below.

The Burgess rant swings for the fences. It is bold. It comes from his heart.

However, the rant has its roots within the religious community.

Folks, this is NOT about a religious issue. It is a property rights issue.

The historic issue is a smoke screen too.

The ugly side of Pittsburgh has come out on this matter. I wish Ricky Burgess would have taken the stance that this building has owners. Rights are not to be compromised.

The June 26, 2008, public meeting minutes have been lost. City council does not have it. That's interesting.

Is it 8-8-08?

Perhaps this will help drive down the price of tickets. If they could only put more of the Olympics onto YouTube before they occur, we'd be able to get more tickets.

We'll be using the internet from a private apartment in BJ

Beijing Olympic Games 2008 Xinhua: Internet speedy and stable - just expensive: "Xinhua: Internet speedy and stable - just expensive"

The cost seems expensive however:

Renting a Broadband IC card or a WLAN from July 25 to August 25 costs 3,500 yuan (500 US dollars), while renting a WLAN plus info 2008 costs 8,450 yuan

Also from Slashdot:

“Working for the Olympics as an IT contractor, I recently moved to the Media Village (where all of the reporters live) and was surprised the there was no free internet. BOCOG (Beijing Organizing Committee of the 2008 Olympic Games) is charging a ridiculous amount of money for ADSL service: for 512/512 it costs 7712.5 RMB (1131.20 USD); for 1M/512 it costs 9156.25 (1342.95 USD); for 2M/512 it costs a whopping 11,700 RMB (1716.05 USD). That is for only one month! For extra features like a fixed IP? That costs an additional 450 RMB (66 USD). I just can’t believe that not only do I have to deal with the Great Firewall of China, but also pay through the nose to use it!”

I suppose China has to get back some of the money for hosting the Olympics. To get internet connected in a private apartment the connection fee is about 300RMB and monthly charge of around 150RMB.

Suckers, those MSMers. Giggle.

We'll be using the internet from a private apartment in BJ

The cost seems expensive however:

Renting a Broadband IC card or a WLAN from July 25 to August 25 costs 3,500 yuan (500 US dollars), while renting a WLAN plus info 2008 costs 8,450 yuan

Also from Slashdot:

“Working for the Olympics as an IT contractor, I recently moved to the Media Village (where all of the reporters live) and was surprised the there was no free internet. BOCOG (Beijing Organizing Committee of the 2008 Olympic Games) is charging a ridiculous amount of money for ADSL service: for 512/512 it costs 7712.5 RMB (1131.20 USD); for 1M/512 it costs 9156.25 (1342.95 USD); for 2M/512 it costs a whopping 11,700 RMB (1716.05 USD). That is for only one month! For extra features like a fixed IP? That costs an additional 450 RMB (66 USD). I just can’t believe that not only do I have to deal with the Great Firewall of China, but also pay through the nose to use it!”

I suppose China has to get back some of the money for hosting the Olympics. To get internet connected in a private apartment the connection fee is about 300RMB and monthly charge of around 150RMB.

Suckers, those MSMers. Giggle.

word of the day

And update from our friend in China in advance of the trip to BJ

Wow. Locals call Beijing, BJ. My wife is now being hip and using that term.

See the comments for details.

The Steel City Sports Fan (Penguins Edition): WISE Suggestion Made by TSCSF Commentor!

The Steel City Sports Fan (Penguins Edition): WISE Suggestion Made by TSCSF Commentor!: "Nice call, Mark!

Thank you.

I've been right before in making some bold and correct calls.

I was right about South Side Hospital. UPMC Sports Performance Center with those dwarf football fields should be behind South Side Hospital in the now closed park.

I was right about the South Side Police Station too.

I was right about the cheats in Harrisburg in elections as well -- and proved it in 2006.

Oh well. Thanks again.

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Another blog gave me a plug today too. See:
http://burgherjon.blogspot.com/2008/07/burghosphere-all-stars-come-to-blog.html

Grand finale set for 'Pittsburgh Celebrates 250' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Grand finale set for 'Pittsburgh Celebrates 250' - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'Pittsburgh Celebrates 250,' set for Oct. 3-4, will climax with a Zambelli fireworks display that will turn Pittsburgh into a colossal birthday cake, with the skyscrapers of the Golden Triangle transformed into giant candles.

I think that the Opening of the 2008 Olympics in Bejing, China, will beat the pants of the Zambelli show. I am not sure. But, that's my hunch. China invented 'fireworks' before the rest of the world figured out how to slice a pizza.

I'll let you know in about 10 days.

I do get some serious joy at the possibilities of being a lead in the parade as a Libertarian in a canoe. Perhaps we (my sons and I) can take the place of the Native American.

An Oct. 4 flotilla that starts at Brunot Island on the Ohio River and includes commercial, private and non-motorized watercraft. It will replicate a similar event in 1908 that celebrated the city's 150th anniversary, when the watercraft were led by a lone American Indian paddling a canoe. It also will mark the final voyage of the Delta Queen, the last of the original paddle-wheel steamboats to ...