Macy's puts Downtown building on the market

Macy's puts Downtown building on the market: "Macy's joins a growing list of buildings for sale Downtown. They include the Gateway Center complex, the Oliver Building, the Regional Enterprise Tower, the EQT Tower, and the American Red Cross building."

Put the Civic Arena on that list too. Also, PA wants to sell the State Office Building, right? The Downtown YMCA's old building went to Point Park recently too. Then there is the sale of the Ft. Pitt Museum.

Fw: DR News: Accountability & Hypocrisy, Part 2 - Today's Budget

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Democracy Rising PA <tim@democracyrisingpa.com>

Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:15:29 -0400 (EDT)

To: <mark.rauterkus@gmail.com>

Subject: DR News: Accountability & Hypocrisy, Part 2 - Today's Budget

Democracy Rising Pennsylvania

UNSUBSCRIBE HERE Accountability & Hypocrisy, Part 2 - Today's Budget Today the legislature is expected to suspend the rules and vote to approve a budget that makes deep cuts into nearly every part of state government except the place that already has a $180 million surplus – the House and Senate. What did you expect? According to a printout of the budget proposal obtained from the House Democratic Caucus: The House takes a cut of just 0.6% ($1,049,000 from a budget of $184,630,000) The Senate takes a cut of just 0.1% ($119,000 from a budget of $92,075,000) Legislative Service Agencies take a cut of just 1% ($93,000 from a budget of $9,268,000) "Legislative Miscellaneous," however, increases by 19.3% ($2,520,000 on top of a $13,053,000 budget for this year). The increase is due almost entirely to $2.4 million in new spending for the Legislative Reapportionment Commission. This commission, consisting of four legislative leaders and a fifth person of their choosing, will re-draw legislative districts in 2011, following this year's census. Ten years ago, this commission gave PA the second-most-gerrymandered legislative districts in America. Since then, lawmakers have rejected every attempt to improve upon this tawdry performance. Missed Opportunity for Savings As the 28th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury revealed, the legislature easily could reduce its budget by at least a$60 million through staff cuts and streamlined operations. Click here  for the May 25 edition of DR News. The Surplus In fact, with such small cuts to their operations, the House and Senate are on track to increase their surplus from $180 million to more than $200 million by this time next year if they enact any significant reforms recommended by the 28th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury (below). That's what they did last year, when they over-budgeted for themselves so that they could restore $67 million of the $87 million they spent during the budget impasse. In other words, rather than spending down their surplus, they added to it. And so it continues this year. Click here  for an edition of DR News about that. The Budget Process No one can be surprised that lawmakers waited until the last possible minute to negotiate the budget and now will suspend the rules to pass it before citizens can object to the most profligate legislature in America feathering their own nests again while others suffer. In part, this is because the budget process doesn't apply to them. Each year after the governor presents a proposed budget, lawmakers hold public hearings where cabinet officers and others must defend their budget requests, line item by line item. But there never is a time in the budget process when lawmakers have to discuss and justify their own budgets to the public. Questions Why do voters allow the legislature continue to hoard at least $180 million while cutting programs that benefit citizens? Why doesn't the budget of the legislature have to undergo the same scrutiny applied to state agencies in the executive branch? What do gubernatorial candidates Tom Corbett and Dan Onorato think of this display of fiscal arrogance and hypocrisy? Will they make budget reform a key part of their campaigns and service in office?   Please support DR's work with a tax-deductible contribution. Click here  to donate online or find our mailing address. Thanks! Democracy Rising Pennsylvania abides by strict NO-SPAM rules. Please read our Privacy Policy for more details. We can be reached at: P.O. Box 618, Carlisle, PA 17013  © Democracy Rising Pennsylvania 2001-2010. All Rights Reserved. Powered by the Action Potential Nonprofit Web Toolkit

PA, you break my heart. Stroke, stroke, stroke.

Regular Session 2009-2010 House Bill 816 P.N. 3316 : "Establishing State funding for the Heart Disease and Stroke Program within the Department of Health."

Starting to figure out the local bike race scene

Erik rode in the Tuesday night bike race at the oval tonight with the Juniors and Women's race. He got 22nd in a field of 31. But, he was only 7 seconds behind the winner. He was wise and didn't sprint at the end. He didn't even shift in the entire race. He was on my bike and at the start line was asking for the seat to be lowered. He left the race with all his skin -- and for that I'm very happy.

There is more. One toe clip was never made tight, blah, blah, blah.

He did great.

In a season, he could own that race.

We have to upgrade our equipment. Only one of our bikes has drop bars and Grant's bike isn't legal with its staight and forward part extension.

I've got to get in shape and ride too.

Cassidy: Linux could ease schools' tech crunch - San Jose Mercury News

I wish PPS would use Linux. I think it is absurd that the Sci Tech School does not use Linux.

Cassidy: Linux could ease schools' tech crunch - San Jose Mercury News... The answer for local schools facing daunting technology challenges lies with the penguins.
You know, penguins — those who worship free and open-source software, including Linux and the operating system's mascot, a penguin named Tux.
I've been hearing from the penguins since I wrote recently that if Silicon Valley CEOs want the state to improve K-12 education, then they should take a bigger role in helping those schools deploy classroom technology from this century.

Furthermore, everyone should be using OpenOffice.org software and tossing out Microsoft Office.
Here we go!

Fw: WAIVE THE JONES ACT -- SAVE THE GULF! Go Dutch!

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: "Tom Schatz, President, CAGW" <cagwpresident@cagw.org>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:17:22
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Reply-To: "Tom Schatz, President, CAGW" <cagwpresident@cagw.org>
Subject: WAIVE THE JONES ACT -- SAVE THE GULF!

Citizens Against Government Waste


Dear Mark,

President Obama is refusing to allow the use
of state-of-the-art equipment that could dramatically help clean up
the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and save the fragile Gulf Coast
marshlands and beaches.

I need your help today to force him to
act. Let me explain.

Within days of the explosion on BP's
Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the Dutch, who have
worked in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina, offered the services of
their high-tech oil skimming ships. The Dutch government has
particular expertise in cleaning up oil spills,and they require
oil rigs off their coast to respond to any leakage within 12 hours.

In addition, the Dutch, who are the most
experienced people on earth in building dikes, offered President Obama
assistance in building sand barriers to protect the pristine Gulf
coastline, sensitive marshlands, and wildlife.

However, in response to both offers,
President Obama said NO!

Why would he say no? Because it would
require him to waive the Jones Act.

The Jones Act is a 1920s-era law that
protects the U.S. domestic merchant marine industry -- and its unions
-- from competition by mandating that all cargo and passengers shipped
between U.S. seaports be carried on U.S.-flag vessels using U.S.
crews. Even without the spill, this protectionist measure costs
our economy an estimated $3.1 billion per year.

If President Obama would waive the Jones Act,
as President Bush did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, millions
of gallons of oil and sludge could be swept from the sea and miles of
beaches and marshlands and their birds and fish could be protected,
ultimately helping preserve commerce and American jobs along the Gulf
Coast.

Yet, back in April when the spill occurred
and again on June 15 when President Obama delivered his Oval Office
address to the nation on the oil spill, he bowed to the wishes of his
union supporters and refused to even consider issuing an Executive
Order to suspend the Jones Act. Instead, the President exploited
the disaster to once again push for his job-killing cap-and-trade
energy tax that would devastate the economy and do NOTHING to solve
the immediate crisis in the Gulf.

In short, President Obama andBig
Labor's union bosses care more about protecting a few union maritime
jobs than the environment or the millions of Americans who are losing
their economic livelihoods due to this environmental disaster.

So the Gulf, its residents, environment, and
wildlife continue to suffer while President Obama cozies up in
Washington with his union boss buddies!

Mark, CAGW is launching a
national effort to shame the President into waiving the Jones Act to
dramatically accelerate the Gulf clean-up efforts, and I need to ask
you to make an Emergency Waive the Jones Act -- Save the Gulf
contribution to support this drive today

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=rTKtknMXY4y8mQkJQduO5w..

.

I believe if hundreds of newspapers and radio
and television stations start running stories about how President
Obama is more concerned with protecting labor unions than he is with
preserving the environment and livelihoods of those living along the
Gulf, the pressure to waive the Jones Act will become
overwhelming.

Your contribution of $25

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=sxTEH8QOwaLz_nwecZOiGA..

, $35,

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=i5mJBNxE6Qn-GXfgJtJmvg..

$50

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=YhjOc1OvX15ISLxJasarIQ..

, or even$100

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=kYvjMXhNblgSAjTGJg80uA..

today will enable us to feed the facts and figures to the media
about how waiving the Jones Act can dramatically help clean up the
Gulf. For example, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has stated
that more than 2,000 skimmers, including foreign-flag vessels,
are currently operating off the coasts of the United States and
could be used in the Gulf, yet Florida officials have reported that
just 32 skimmers are deployed off their coastline.

Further, your financial support will help us
publicize how President Obama is not doing all he can to help the
residents of the Gulf Coast and is putting the interests of his union
supporters first.

Mark, last week, millions of
more gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico after an undersea
robot bumped a venting system and forced BP to remove a cap that had
been containing some of the crude. Still, President Obama never
once mentioned waiving the Jones Act!

Your contribution is vital if we are to
generate media interest and build the overwhelming public outcry
necessary to force the President to buck his union supporters and
waive the Jones Act. So please, make an Emergency Waive the
Jones Act -- Save the Gulf contribution today

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=HvBZlGN_MasUj0thcSUbxw..

. With your help, we can win this all-out battle to save the
Gulf Coast. But the clock is ticking, the oil is flowing, and I
need to hear from you today.

Sincerely,

Thomas A. Schatz
President

P.S. Mark, CAGW is not the only
critic of President Obama's failure to waive the Jones
Act. A number of Gulf Coast lawmakers have publicly called for a
waiver, and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently told FOX
News' Bill O'Reilly: "The Dutch, they are
known, and the Norwegians, they are known for...dikes and for
cleanup water and for dealing with spills. They offered to help
and yet no, they...can't even get a phone call back, that is what
the Norwegians are telling us and the Dutch are telling us." To
generate massive media coverage and rally the millions of Americans it
will take to overcome the powerful unionsand force President
Obama to waive the Jones Act, I urge you to make an Emergency Waive
the Jones Act -- Save the Gulf contribution

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=kBwmgB_9ij_cA07Gln5WzQ..

of $25

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=Blrajc9vLnVZjgBP2cOG_w..

, $35,

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=2QYQjTavUy-4SxZwCyaUxA..

$50

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=uDuoEEkTA2Zwu32Pih9cAA..

, or even$100

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=KxOoL-cCdhA5LVVeJ-nmVA..

today.

***
Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest taxpayer
watchdog group with more than one million members and supporters
nationwide. It is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit
organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and
mismanagement in government. Contributions to CAGW are
tax-deductible as charitable contributions to the extent permitted by
law. For more information about CAGW, visit our website at
www.cagw.org
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=9LOao8Vuf7ivJokv2i8I3Q..

. Makea contribution to help us force President Obama to
waive the Jones Act!

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=gdDvHmQVF9PVpQGma1dCiA..

Please helpus spread the word about how suspending the Jones Act
could help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf and get residents that
depend on the Gulf back to work.Forward this message to a
friend.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=6nhQKeq6wfnksJPdfEhCtw..




Unsubscribe from receiving email, or change your email preferences.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/CO?i=Zqh3AcyO_3LV7J3sK8gOd3gK3Op1D3Ul&cid=0

Bicycle Sizing for Mark Rauterkus

Inseam: 83.8cm 33.0"

Shoe: 10.5

Torso: 154.9 cm, 61.0"

Arm: 60.9cm 24.0"

Category: Mountain Bike Sport

Frame Size: 78.1cm or 30.7"

Top Tube: 58.0cm or 22.8"

Stem: 105.0mm - 130.0mm

Intial seat height: 34.6" - 35.4"

Yes! Barbie is a Libertarian?

Is Barbie a Libertarian?

Where do I sign up? I want to be a member of "The BEST Party."

Inspired political video.

The Saturday Profile - Icelander’s Campaign Is a Joke, Until He’s Elected - Biography - NYTimes.com: "Last month, in the depressed aftermath of the country’s financial collapse, the Best Party emerged as the biggest winner in Reykjavik’s elections, with 34.7 percent of the vote, and Mr. Gnarr — who also promised a classroom of kindergartners he would build a Disneyland at the airport — is now the fourth mayor in four years of a city that is home to more than a third of the island’s 320,000 people."

Do watch the video to the end and read the full article.

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : U.S. Soccer: Technically Czar-Free, and Winning

The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : U.S. Soccer: Technically Czar-Free, and Winning: "Here's something I didn't realize in '06: some countries really do have soccer czars. Not just the Chinas of the world, either, but free and soccer-crazed countries. For instance, while reading this New York Times article about France's World Cup experience devolving into nation-wide racial discord (really), I was surprised to learn that France has a 'Sports Minister' and a 'junior sports minister,' both of whom Sarkozy called on the carpet and ordered 'to rapidly learn the lessons of this disaster' after France's ignominious World Cup exit."

This is very funny to me. Just look back at the success with Team USA in the recent winter Olympics in Canada. The USA leadership has been in storm after storm in the past years. There has been a merry-go-round with USA's top leadership -- and -- the team thrived in terms of medals and overall victories.

We don't need any czars in America. They don't work, generally.

Post-Gazette NOW - Polls - single gender school question

Post-Gazette NOW - Polls

Q: Do you think single gender schools will be good or bad for students?

I voted EXCELLENT, but, and that should be a much bigger but, ... the students must want to attend a single gender school. Then it would be and is and will be 'excellent.' Otherwise, not so much.

And, I'm not very fond of the idea for anything other than high school and college as an option. Not in middle school nor grade school.

Do you think single-gender schools will be good or bad for students?
Category: Education
Voting began on 6/25/2010
Voting ends on 6/27/2010

A.Excellent idea - 122 (37%) B.Maybe a good idea - 70 (21%) C.Neither good nor bad - 15 (4%) D.Definitely a bad idea - 116 (35%) E.I'm not sure - 11 (3%)334 Respondents

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/polls/Default.asp#ixzz0rtkG55aL

Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project is right around the corner!

On Aug. 13, 2010 through Aug. 15, 2010, you can join hundreds of filmmakers and make a movie in 48 hours! That’s right… write, shoot, edit and score a short film in 48 hours. Then see it premiered up on the big screen! Registration will begin at 12:01 am on Tuesday June 29, 2010.

The 48 Hour Film Project is going to eighty cities spanning all six continents this year. Which one of you will make the best short film to represent Pittsburgh against teams from around the world vying for the title of "The Best 48 Hour Film of 2010"?

We hope to see you in the cinema!

Best,

Kahmeela Adams
Nina Gibbs

Pittsburgh@48hourfilm.com
Pittsburgh Producers
48 Hour Film Project
http://www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh

Education Week: NCAA Proposes End to Early Scholarship Offers

Education Week: NCAA Proposes End to Early Scholarship Offers: "Prep players may have to wait a little longer to start accepting scholarship offers.

An NCAA committee announced Thursday that it will back a proposal to prohibit making scholarships offers to recruits before July 1 in the summer between their junior and senior years in high school. If passed, it would apply to all sports.
Coaches also would have to receive high school transcripts documenting at least five semesters or seven quarters worth of academic work for a young recruit before they can offer a scholarship.

It is the first recommendation to come out of the Recruiting and Athletics Personnel Issues Cabinet, which is reviewing recruiting conduct. Committee chair Petrina Long acknowledged it would be a difficult rule for school compliance officers to monitor."

Sounds right. If the NCAA can make more trouble for the student athletes then it will.

I think it makes more sense to have the rules have a stipulation that gives a little peace of mind to the student-athletes and their families as soon as possible. These are the same athletes that are about to be exploited for the next seasons of their lives. A bit of peace in that realm, while they are still in high school, makes perfect sense to me. So, the NCAA nixes that.

Appeals court rejects challenge to city's lost-gun law

Appeals court rejects challenge to city's lost-gun law State Commonwealth Court today affirmed a ruling that dismissed a lawsuit challenging Pittsburgh's lost and stolen gun law, deciding that the National Rifle Association and four individual plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to bring the case.

If a person does not have the legal standing to challenge a law in court, then I guess that that law has no standing to apply to any individual.

You all are invited!

Open Invite: 4th of July and our annual party. Celebrate the passing of the 10,000 milestone in blog postings!

6pm Badminton in the park by our house (12th n Sarah St). There's also room for Ultimate Frisbee. Plus swings, etc. If you don't want to play in the park, plan to show up at the house (108 S. 12th Street) any time after 7pm.

We'll have the usual arts and crafts and some "water" games.
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

How is that REGISTRY for gay couples in the city of Pittsburgh doing, really?

Bruce Kraus was keen to start a registry for gay couples in Pittsburgh a while ago. He had helpers in city hall. It began. How about an update?

I didn't think it made sense to start such a registry for a few reasons. It is an expansion of government. It is not really governement's business. The best benefit was to save a family of 4 some money on city swim pool passes. It would save them $300 over a ten year period.

Nazi Germany used records to hand out yellow, six pointed stars and pink triangles. I'd rather not have those source documents.

I had heard that the registry one year after being formed had six couples listed. But, that's not confirmed, just hear-say. So, I wonder.

Councilman wants audit of fund tapped for parking study

Sherlock!

Councilman wants audit of fund tapped for parking study: "Council found the $250,000 in old capital accounts dating to the 1990s. The ICA and Mr. Burgess want to know why the money was just sitting around, what its proper use would be and whether other pots of unused money exist."

Dude, be sure to look in the laundry basket of Doug Shields too.

Coach talks about the next USA opponent, Ghana

Wandering: "African teams are killing me. I am still convinced they have the talent to compete with any team. Ghana and Ivory Coast showed lots of immaturity in not getting the results they needed in their last matches. I respect having a certain style. I understand pride and holding on to certain values. Every athlete dreams off making certain plays and scoring goals in big moments. But at some point all those things need to be put aside, or at least in the right place, to win a match. Ghana was casual and selfish against Australia, they played like they were gonna win just cause they are better. This happens all the time in all sports, but you don’t do it here when you have three matches to qualify."

On Special Education - Education Week

On Special Education - Education Week: "Schools Could Use Guidance on Physical Education for Disabled Kids"

Then go here:
http://aforathlete.wikia.com/wiki/Time_Out!_I_Didn't_Hear_You

Sustain the embrace

Education Week: Study Finds Success in NYC's 'Small Schools' ... a major study of New York City high schools has found that students are more academically successful in smaller, more personal high schools that they choose for themselves than they are in larger, more traditional schools.

Here is the point I'd love to make, "Different strokes for different folks."

We should have some small schools. We should have some big schools. We should have some flavors of schools that are unlike the flavors of others. Even a girls public high school campus would be welcomed -- if the boys had their own all city public boys school campus too.