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Where is the Mark DeSantis Micro Credit?

In 2007, Mark DeSantis ran for mayor after getting on the ballot as a write in candidate in a R party primary that was void of a candidate.

In his run, he promised he'd start a "Micro Credit" in the next year -- win or not. Well, it is now time to wonder what became of the candidate promise as 2008 is about to close.

In other news, the Trib is begging Mark DeSantis to run for mayor again.

And, Bram is going to be on the PRR radio show on Monday. Perhaps Bram can take the question to DeSantis -- or else he might be able to fill me in on this blog comments.

He might have started a Micro Credit -- and I just didn't notice. Or, he might have talked about it on one of the past radio shows. Let me know where to investigate those archives, as in the date. I'll listen to the MP3 via TalkShoe.com.

The last thing Pittsburgh needs is more political hot air and promise makers on its campaign trails. Pittsburgh needs less in terms of 'idea factory' and more in terms of 'idea distillery.'



Photo shows Mark DeSantis, far left, Tony Oliva, Luke Ravenstahl and Ryan of the S party, at a Mayor Candidates Forum hosted by the Post Gazette. With all the cuts at the P-G, I wonder if such events will be hosted in 2009? This was a most welcomed, yet very rare event anyway.

Burgh Report political blog goes dark

The Post-Gazette sounds off about how another bites the dust.

Burgh Report political blog goes dark: "Burgh Report political blog goes dark

So, this article leads to the question:

What am I? Chopped Liver?

You're all luck it is Christmas and I've got some cute pagent video to upload. We had a real baby play the lead role / superhero in today's play. The baby was wearing Steelers' footsies too!

By the way, after the BurghReport went dark, Bram and I talked and made a podcast. Scroll down to hear our conversation or check out my TalkShoe.com site(s).

Pull up a seat and let's watch the guys splash around the pool

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise...Dems Pick Another "Community Actitivist"

According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette website: Theresa Smith of Westwood is the Democratic Party's official candidate in the Feb. 3 special election in Pittsburgh City Council District 2.

Why a guy like Rob Frank continues to let the Democratic Committee stomp all over him is anyone's guess.

I'm not sure if I ever heard of her before. PG: Ms. Smith crushed the competition in a vote by the district's Democratic committee members, taking 56 of the 75 votes cast. The 49-year-old community activist said she drew from her longtime volunteer experience in the city's western neighborhoods to make her case for the party's nod and plans to do the same with voters district-wide.
She has been president of the Crafton Heights Westwood Ridgemont Community Council and coordinator of the Parent Educational Resource Center for the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Rob Frank, originally from Mt. Lebanon, has been a long-time Democratic stalwart. At one time a Brookline community newspaper publisher, Frank has been championing the city's Democratic machine for about 20 years. Yet each and every time he tries to garner the back-room mafioso's support, they toss him aside faster than a proposed tax cut.

Frank has worked for area politicians including Gene Ricciardi and former Mayor Tom Murphy. He helped on Bill Peduto's last Mayoral campaign...perhaps the last time I'll ever switch parties to vote for a candidate...and many others. He's run for state Committee posts and everything else imaginable. Yet again, the establishment ignores the most "active" of the community activities.

Count this as reason number 11,873 why the city's Democratic committee cannot be trusted. I know, I know, the number is waaaaaayyyy too low.

Rob Frank, 40, will not be the city's next great leader. That's not a "slam," because the chance that Pittsburgh will ever elect an even remotely "good" leader is infinitesimal. There isn't a promising "Democrat" leader anywhere on the planet, let alone Pittsburgh. Rob Frank will probably take the job seriously and not look to serve the public for a heartbeat before finding another position to aspire.

This is only the Committee vote. Something like 85 people were eligible to cast their votes. The "real" election is in February. Vote for Rob Frank just for the fact that he'd be a devout community servant.

But seriously, Rob, if the Democrats snub you again, change your voter registration to Republican. Although you're probably not conservative, you'd get a lot more respect than you get from the oil cretins in the Democrat's back room.

We're in the fast lane to Bailoutistan | tax, make, new, kennedy, land - Opinion - OCRegister.com

Giggle.

We're in the fast lane to Bailoutistan | tax, make, new, kennedy, land - Opinion - OCRegister.com General Motors now has a market valuation about a third of Bed, Bath & Beyond, and no one says your Swash 700 Elongated Biscuit Toilet Seat Bidet is too big to fail.

America’s political Chucky.

America’s political Chucky. Congress shall have the power to coin money and regulate the value thereof and of any foreign coins. But that is not the case. The United States government has no power to issue money, control the flow of money, or to even distribute it - that belongs to a private corporation registered in the State of Delaware - the Federal Reserve Bank.

Birds of a feather and new twitter friend posted this.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to court they go.

Bitter pill. Some blowback is expected.

Zoning nixes controversial Grant Street billboard The electronic billboard that shocked city of Pittsburgh politics this year isn't allowed, according to a split decision from the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and likely will lead to a court fight between the city and Louisiana-based sign giant Lamar Advertising.

There could be a court battle. Or, there could be worse. Or, the push back could be aimed like a lazer right at the over-reaching members on city council. Or, the corporation might have got the message and might aim to try to clean up its act of rushing and bully-styled insider dealings. Or, now that Pat Ford is gone, it could all be blamed on him.

I wonder if Pat Ford is happy that the BurghReport is dead -- and -- nuked of all its archives. Perhaps they were pulling strings from Florida to see that occur?

Blogs That Aren't Here Any More - Blogs - Slag Heap - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh

Blogs That Aren't Here Any More - Blogs - Slag Heap - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh: "You have to choose your enemies wisely because they will come to define you."

Really?
I'm searching for a grass-hopper moment. There is a teaching opportunity for someone to explain this to me.

Rather, I often say that it is your friends (or so called friends) who can inflict the worst hurt on you -- not your enemies. But, that 'deepest cut' theory might be a different lesson if not from a different course.

City passes on Army-Navy football game

Told ya.

City passes on Army-Navy football game: "Pittsburgh yesterday withdrew its proposal to host one of college football's biggest events -- the Army-Navy game.

The Steelers and the Pitt Panthers, primary tenants at Heinz Field, were worried about scheduling conflicts, said Craig Davis, a vice president of VisitPittsburgh, the promotional agency of Allegheny County.

If Pitt Stadium was still around, with its turf, then we'd be able to host high school football games there. And, we'd be able to host Pitt's minor games on campus as well.

This sucks that Pittsburgh won't be able to host the Army-Navy game.

I was talking to Mr. B at a school event last night. We talked about the Olympics and I gave him some of our first person insights from our trip to Beijing in August. He said, "I wonder if Pittsburgh would ever be able to host the Olympics."

I told him Pittsburgh isn't able to host the Keystone State Games.

He thought fondly of the time that Duquesne hosted a bit of the NCAA Tournament. I remembered Boston U being here. He Coppin State.

We've got the Arena, Polumpbo, Peterson. Would be nice to see some good multi-site tournaments.

Police: City controller's auditor rigged auto auctions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Police: City controller's auditor rigged auto auctions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review This is the second time police have charged a City Controller employee with theft in the past year.

Kim D. Platt, a clerk in the Controller's Office, pleaded guilty to stealing 18 city checks worth $5,100.91 and depositing them into his girlfriend's bank account from Sept. 7, 2007, to Dec. 3, 2007. Platt resigned Dec. 18, 2007; he has worked in the office since 1984.

Platt was sentenced in April to two years' probation and to repay the money he stole.

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA - The Market Ticker

LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA - The Market Ticker: "LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

That's the sound of someone with their fingers in their ears making noise so they don't have to listen to the person talking in front of them.

The list includes:

London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable

London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable Anyone sitting on a pile of cash now is unlikely to want to either (a) place it in a bank, or (b) invest it in the stock market. As a result, the implosion of the financial and real economy must continue no matter how big the central bank’s aspirations for its balance sheet or the treasury’s aspirations for its deficit.

If US, EU and UK had substantial domestic savings to fund their banks (as in Japan in 1990), then perhaps the consequences would not be so imminently disastrous. Lacking sufficient domestic savings, however, their actions will likely make foreign creditors in Japan, China, the Gulf and elsewhere question whether it is worthwhile to keep pumping scarce savings into such flawed and reckless economies.

London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable

This is how money works -- and -- this is how you say goodbye to your blog.

London Banker: Deflation has become inevitable I have accepted a full time executive position which will take all of my time and passion going forward in 2009, so the blogging has to be suspended at year end. The job will enable me to put into practice the principles I’ve illuminated here, hopefully mitigating some of the impacts of financial instability. I’ll still lurk, and maybe comment on Professor Roubini’s thread from time to time.

How to kill time in Wal-Mart got my boys ROTFL

The other 14 are making the rounds in email chain letter.

Go into a fitting room and shut the door and wait a while; and, then, yell, very loudly, 'There is no toilet paper in here!'

Conversation about blogs in Pittsburgh with BurghBlog's sudden shut down.

Bram and I talk. We laugh, we cry.

The conversation has ended. You can listen to what we talked about.

9-1-1 Conversation on the closing of the BurghBlog -- due to start about... now!

We are going to -- and perhaps already -- talking about another blog closing.

Call: (724) 444-7444

Call ID: 3181

Six arrested in tow pound scheme

Six arrested in tow pound scheme: "Mr. Livingstone, of Mount Washington, was responsible for recording the winning bid prices on the slips, the complaint says. He is a 12-year city employee and earns $39,951 annually.

Controller Michael Lamb would not discuss the arrest.

'There's an issue, and we've been talking to the police about it, and they've asked us to hold off on saying anything,' he said.

'They're in the middle of making some other arrests,' he said, but they will not occur in his office. 'We've been cooperative from the time that we knew about it, but this has been an ongoing police investigation.'

In January, longtime Controller's Office employee Kim D. Platt was arrested for theft of checks and eventually pleaded guilty to forgery and was sentenced to two years' probation plus $5,101 in restitution."

In China, heads would roll. From time to time, in certain instances, I miss China.

A friend on the South Side wants to build a guillotine. He like to dream of the French, not too long ago.

Punishment is one issue to watch. Getting the pension is another.

CBS, Turner may make bid for Olympic TV rights - More Sports - SI.com

CBS, Turner may make bid for Olympic TV rights - More Sports - SI.com CBS Corp. and Time Warner Inc. executives have discussed joining forces to bid on rights to televise the Olympics in 2014 and 2016, turning that competition into an even greater clash of media titans.

TV empires headed by incumbent NBC, Fox and ABC-ESPN have all said they expect to bid on the U.S. rights to the games. Because of the economy, the International Olympics Committee has said it is prepared to postpone its bid selection until after the host city is named next October for the 2016 Summer Games.

I'm for an open source Olympics. That way, anyone can broadcast the games.

Mixed Report - Views - Potter's Field - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh

Yep. The citizens have been getting screwed for a long time.

Mixed Report - Views - Potter's Field - Pittsburgh City Paper - Pittsburgh By law, Allegheny County should already have been posting this information for the past two years. Which means that city employees, and taxpayers, are going to be shouldering a burden the county is supposed to carry itself. So much for consolidation of services!

However, Michael Lamb's efforts are not nearly as good, cheap nor effective as what I've proposed -- Transparent PAC Accounts.

The banks could easily -- or one bank could easily -- make an elegant solution.