Report: City's liabilities shrinking, tax revenues growing - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

So, let's do the math.

Report: City's liabilities shrinking, tax revenues growing - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The $16,000 report was paid for by a grant from the Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority, one of two state-picked boards overseeing the city's finances since 2004."

A 14 page report costs $16,000. That's more than $1,000 per page.

And, the report was not paid for nor done by the elected City Controller. Rather the OVERLORDS were kind enough to pay for the report. Jeepers. We've still got two sets of OVERLORDS. The state government granted the OVERLORDS the authority in Pittsburgh to watch the money -- but they that OVERLORD groups grants money to others to do the work.

Enough already.

Fire the OVERLORDS. Have the CONTROLLER do reports and audits himself.

A Badge of Dishonor: Ravenstahl's Solution to Pension Crisis - The Point

A Badge of Dishonor: Ravenstahl's Solution to Pension Crisis - The Point: "Even more absurd is that as a scare-tactic, Ravenstahl suggested that he might need to lay off four hundred police officers if we do not meet this deficit. Why are the police always seemingly the first to go? Those we need the most are apparently the most dispensable. Since apparently neither the citizens nor the police rank high on Pittsburgh’s lists of priorities, I ask again, how did this happen?"

The Police are not always the first to go. There was a time when the swim pools and rec centers got to be first and worst. Then there have been crossing guards, rodent control, bus routes, Great Race, Civic Arena, Brownfield redevelopment, traffic engineers, pedestrian walkways and stairs, capital budgets, ice rinks, G-20 protestors, a fire station even was rumored to be on the first or next list. To continue, schools, airport terminals, ...

Julian's report

See the comments.

52 take a swim in tepid Allegheny

This is fun on a number of levels.

Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10193/1072155-51.stm?cmpid=newspanel1#ixzz0tWYIoMvS

Despite a dead river rat and fish, some leaves and branches, and too-warm water, conditions were nearly ideal for U.S. Master Swimming's "Search for Monongy" event -- even if few knew what the event name meant.

About midday Sunday, 52 swimmers swam a 1.2-mile loop in the Allegheny River -- some doing it twice -- from the Heinz Field boat ramp against the current to a turn-around under the Clemente Bridge. During the first-ever 1.2 and 2.4-mile open water swim, one swimmer had to be fished from the river with cramps and another couldn't complete the loop.

But the rest praised the "flawless" and "well-organized" event as one great, wet adventure.

52 take a swim in tepid Allegheny: "Jimmy Goldman, 73, of Squirrel Hill, and his son, Carl, 46, of Greenfield, rode bikes seven miles to the river before the elder Mr. Goldman swam 1.2 miles -- 1.3 miles counting a wayward detour -- and won his 70-to-75 age division. The younger Mr. Goldman finished the 2.4-mile competition at 54:14, second only to Robert Clark of Pittsburgh, who finished in 53:02."


Then the tireless Goldmans pedaled home.

"The important thing is getting fed," the elder Mr. Goldman said afterward, eating a doughnut then a sandwich. "There were leaves, one bottle and something dead, but the river was really clear and clean, and a hair on the warm side."

Actually it was a tepid 84 degrees Fahrenheit with a gentle 0.1 mph current.

Most swimmers have high-school and college swimming experience and now are members of swimming clubs, including the event sponsor, Allegheny Mountain Masters, the local chapter of U.S. Masters Swimming, an organization of amateur adult swimmers.

The U.S. Coast Guard closed the 0.6-mile segment of the river to boat traffic, with River Rescue and volunteer kayakers available to help swimmers in distress.

Two people entered the "white-knuckles" division that allows fins and floating devices, but the other 52 swimmers were buoyed only by confidence.

"There are no lines on the bottom, and it's hard to swim straight," said Matt Meade, 45, of Mt. Lebanon, after completing the 1.2-mile race. "It was inspiring going under the big [Fort Duquesne] bridge and looking side to side to see the big city. It was pretty special."

Brian Day, 50, of Canonsburg, finished second overall in the 1.2-mile race with a time of 30:01, despite going 400 yards beyond the turn-around buoy under the Clemente Bridge. Janet McDonough, 51, of Cranberry, posted the winning 1.2-mile time of 29:08.

"Once you are in, you are committed," Mr. Day said. "You can't grab the wall and rest."

Overall winners and runners-up received Dick's Sporting Goods gift certificates, while age-group winners won blue and red ribbons.

Event organizer Katherine Longwell, of Sewickley, and chairwoman of Allegheny Mountain Masters, said the "Search for Monongy" -- local river lore about a man-eating catfish named Monongy -- was so successful the so-called search will be repeated next year.

And, for sure, cheers erupted when Dave Watterson, 52, of Brentwood, was the last to emerge from the river, uneaten by Monongy, after the 2.4-mile swim. An organizer even proclaimed with sounds of surprise, "We didn't lose anybody." Drying off, Mr. Watterson said he was more than anxious to repeat the river hunt for Monongy.

"They should hold another one in January," he said.

Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10193/1072155-51.stm?cmpid=newspanel1#ixzz0tWYQC1qD

Erik and I rode our bikes to the North Shore to soak in the event yesterday and check it out. So, we were there as the reporter was doing the interviews, talking to our friends, the Goldmans and Dave -- both quoted above.

Carl is in great shape these days. He is fast. He beat Erik in the open water race at Moraine State Park a few weeks ago.

This day Erik was swimming in the pool -- as there was a USA Swimming meet, a "senior curcuit meet" at Pitt's pool. It is a 'senior meet' but not a 'masters meet.' The open water swim was for 'masters.' Erik swam the 100 meter free and again did the 100 meter in the relay, otherwise I had hopes of putting in the canoe and going out on the water to help guide the swimmers. But, we just rolled there on our bikes and watched from the 'shore.'

Dave Watterson was the last out of the water -- but -- he gave everyone a 20-minute head start. There was something a tad goofy about his registration and he did choose to swim the longer distance. And, he did the first loop in time to beat the cut off, so he keep his motor on and went around the loop again. When we got to see him swimming, I told Erik, that guy looks long and strong. I wondered why he was so far 'behind.' Well, that made sense.

Last year Dave did a swim on New York's Long Island Sound that was more than 4 miles. I remember as he drove away to that meet from antoher swim meet. He coaches in the south hills at Baldwin Aqua (a club) and Brentwood HS. Plus he is a swim official too. And, most of all, he is a dad of a kid about to enter 10th grade, like me. But his daughter isn't into the swims with the natural conditions -- just yet. But Dave joked about the January swim as he is also a fellow polar bear swimmer. We were together on the morning of January 1, jumping into the Mon! Oh the memories.

I was very happy to see the event unfold yesterday in the river without any problems.

Nice kisser

"Congratulations Paula Creamer"

[CLOH-News & waterpolo] Final Day & First Days -- invites to water polo at Pgh Peabody starting Monday

[CLOH-News & waterpolo] Final Day & First Days -- invites to water polo at Pgh Peabody starting Monday: "[CLOH-News & waterpolo] Final Day & First Days -- invites to water polo at Pgh Peabody starting Monday"

---

Hi All,

Best of luck for TODAY and TOMORROW in terms of sporting happenings.

Today is the last day of the US Women's Open in golf at Oakmont as
well as the final for the FIFA 2010 in football (soccer) in South
Africa. Plus, another event happens on Sunday in Pittsburgh in the
river -- with a first time masters open water swim. Best of luck to
all as those events conclude.

Tomorrow brings a fresh start to another event. Water polo. You are
invited to participate and play some water polo with us this summer.
If nothing else, help to get the word out to others so we have a
program full of players in the city.

Starting at 10:30 am on Monday, July 12, 2010, we're re-starting our
community water polo practices with play at Pittsburgh's Peabody High
School. We'll practice every week day, Monday through Friday, from
10:30 to noon from July 12 to at least August 13, 2010.

Pittsburgh Peabody High School is located on the corner of Highland
Ave and East Liberty Blvd, It has an indoor, 6 lane pool, so we'll
play rain or shine -- and even if it gets super hot again. After you
enter the school's front door, turn to the right in the first hallway
and walk past the gym to the swim pool doors.

This water polo invite is for a drop-in program that can fit within a
busy summer-time schedule. So, just come to practices when you can
make it. There is no need nor expectation to attend every day for the
next five weeks. A RSVP email to me, Mark at Rauterkus.com, is nice, but
not needed.

We played water polo last summer at a Citiparks pool in The Hill and
had 50 kids joining us on our peek day of practice attendance. Some of
the kids got to play a bit of water polo within the school year with a
team at Pgh Schenley and even the middle school kids at Pgh Obama
participated. But this is open to anyone, boys and girls, city
residents or not. Rookies should not be intimidated.

We've found that the die-hard swimmers are generally working out with
their swim teams, so those with modest swimming abilities should
attend. So don't fear these practices as there is both deep and
shallow water.

Water polo gives a great opportunity for summer fitness for all sorts
of athletes. Baseball players, soccer players and those seeking
conditioning for other fall and winter sports can jump in and get a
nice workout, make new friends and pick up skills in a fun, team
sport.

Getting some help at the clinics from some adults is welcomed as well,
either in the pool or managing subs and the score table.

Those in the Pgh Public Schools Summer Dreamers Camps, (grades 6, 7
and 8) and others with daily conflicts who won't be able to play in
the clinics at these times are encouraged to send me an email so I can
contact you again with updates to expand practice times in evenings,
weekends and later summer sessions.



--
Ta.


Mark Rauterkus Mark.Rauterkus at gmail.com
Swimming and Water Polo Coach, Schenley High School, Pittsburgh, PA
412 298 3432 = cell


PS:

Thanks to Wireless Neighborhoods for help in hosting the water polo activities!

World Cup Travel Blog from a Pittsburgh soccer coach in South Africa:
http://www.wanderingfeffer.blogspot.com/

Volunteers at US Open mentioned Grant in a P-G article:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10189/1071293-136.stm

Pittsburgh offers plenty of refreshing water havens during the summer months

Pittsburgh offers plenty of refreshing water havens during the summer months: "Pittsburgh offers plenty of refreshing water havens during the summer months"

I'd much rather see a functional swim pool. Perhaps with a bottom that moves up and down so it can be 3 foot deep or else ZERO inches deep. Then the bottom can be made to move up and then there would be no hope of anyone going swimming when the pool is closed. These could be places to teach our kids and others with special needs to swim. How nice would it be to have a swim pool that was geared to the Special Olympics. Or else, how about a swim pool to go to with your grandparents or else a venue where everyone in the city the age of seven can go and get free swim lessons.

Fw: Call your legislators NOW about transit funding

FWIW:

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: jon@jonrobison.org

Date: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:22:36 -0700

To: <amandel@msworld.org>; <alanpgh@aol.com>; <alanpgh@gmail.com>; <crawfordmcdonaldgreene.com@jonrobison.org>; <dstewart@gmail.com>; <khuwe@trcil.org>; <mosqueavenger@aol.com>; <amodeirm@stvinc.com>; <bmasona@gmail.com>; <JBauer103w@aol.com>; <pghdazzler@aol.com>; <Schneider@psc.edu>; <jjCA5933@aol.com>; <druppen@ucppittsburgh.org>; <dskillings@portauthority.org>; <mrainey@otma-pgh.org>; <jennahrebecca@yahoo.com>; <gavaler@pitt.edu>; <pshell@cs.cmu.edu>; <sherrygoldman@alumni.duq.edu>; <jenniferzami@juno.com>; <meemers@surfbest.net>; <kingmary@aol.com>; <donnadonna123@yahoo.com>; <smlt16@aol.com>; <emilystricker@hotmail.com>; <kproblem2003@yahoo.com>; <mark@Rauterkus.com>; <info@indypgh.org>; <patrick.altdorfer@verizon.net>; <rayrosenblum@hotmail.com>

Subject: Call your legislators NOW

Jonathan and Mary Robison 154 N. Bellefield Av.#66, Pittsburgh 15213  jon@jonrobison.org                                                                                            

Dear Friend,

          No, this is not our usual pre-election political newsletter.  It's an emergency appeal for action.

          As you may know, public transportation has a grave funding crisis.  The Port Authority of Allegheny County needs about $50 million to avoid another fare increase and major service cuts.  The Pennsylvania Legislature had planned to fund transit with a toll on Interstate 80, but the federal government disapproved.  As a result, the state is short about a half billion dollars to fix bridges and roads as well as for the state's 36 public transit systems, including PAT.  If we don't get about $50 million in new state money very soon,  PAT will be forced to eliminate about 30% of our transit service.  Neighborhoods will suffer.  Pittsburgh will suffer.  People will suffer.  The environment will suffer.

          Please join us in telling legislators why YOU and your neighbors need the bus or T.  Contact legislators at the Capitol Building, Harrisburg, PA  17120.  For local office addresses and e-mails go to www.legis.state.pa.us or to the blue pages of your phone book.  Anyone who wants more details or wants to help can contact us.

          Why now?  The governor is calling a special session of the State Legislature for late July on transportation funding, now that we have a state budget.  That doesn't mean that he knows the solution or that they know the solution.  Over a dozen solutions have been suggested.  What is needed is for the legislative leadership to get together on a solution or a package, and enact it – this summer.

          Why can't PAT just trim costs?  PAT has already done that.

          Why your legislators?  Yes, they probably already support public transportation.  But a few calls will make them more assertive on this vital issue.

 

Please TELL LEGISLATORS WHY YOU NEED PUBLIC TRANSIT.

Please call YOUR State Senator and State Representative.

Please also call

   Joseph Markosek, Majority Chairman, House Transportation Committee  412-856-8284

   John Pippy, member, Senate Transportation Committee                            412-262-2260

Tell them why you and your neighbors need public transit

Please forward this message to all your friends – to your e-mail list.  We need to pass the word, especially outside Allegheny County.  Please contact us for any more information.  I, Jon, am president of the Allegheny County Transit Council, an all-volunteer organization representing PAT riders.

I urge you: please call your legislators.

Love and Peace,

Jonathan and Mary Robison

How to improve your golf game after watching the US Open at Oakmont

With the US Women's Open at Oakmont, near Pittsburgh, my boys (12 and 15) have been watching the play and working at the course selling programs a bit.

Erik's observation: He is now convinced that he'll make solid improvements to his game once he changes his golf wardrobe to include a sports bra and skirt.

If I was at Oakmont, I'd tail the women from Norway, Suzann Pettersen. I know how to swear in her native language as I've coached nearly ten swimmers from Norway. Then if she has a bad time of things, I'd know what she was saying.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzann_Pettersen

Fw: Pennsylvania state budget disappoints again

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Media-Relations@lppa.org

Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 15:33:40 -0500

To: <mark.rauterkus@gmail.com>

Subject: Pennsylvania state budget disappoints again

Pennsylvania state budget disappoints again
 
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania calls budget "failure" and "fantasy"
 
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
3915 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.lppa.org
 
For Immediate Release: July 9, 2010
 
Contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@lppa.org or
Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org
 
Harrisburg, PA - The state legislature keeps finding new ways to disappoint Pennsylvanians at budget time.  While our last budget was unconscionably late, this one is a mix of failure and fantasy.
 
This budget fails to cut spending at a time when our fiscal position is precarious.  General fund spending increased from $27.8 to over $28 billion while the state’s total operating budget jumps from $65.9 to $66.4 billion.  The budget ignores the past two years of revenue collection decreases that led to a general fund $1.2 billion gap last year and a $3 billion gap the year before.
 
The budget fails to cut pork and reintroduces "Walking Around Money" (WAM) reported by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to be between $65 and $100 million.  In addition, it provides millions for the construction of the John P. Murtha Center for Public Policy and the Arlen Specter Library Project Center. It irresponsibly ignores both the coming public pension crisis that will require a $5 billion increase in annual payments in 2010 and the coming loss of federal stimulus funds in 2011-2012 fiscal year.
 
In June, The Commonwealth Foundation released “A Taxpayer's Budget 2010: Responsible Spending for Pennsylvania” which identified opportunities to cut over $4 billion in wasteful state spending in Gov. Rendell's proposed FY 2010-2011 budget.  Their report also offered a series of recommendations for resolving the current revenue shortfall and reducing the size and burden of government on Pennsylvanians.  The budget failed to take advantage of these opportunities.
 
Instead, our state legislature fantasizes in their budget calculations that Pennsylvania will see a 3.2 percent increase in revenue collections at a time when unemployment is growing and business is receeding.  An even greater fantasy is that the budget calculation assumes $850 million in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funds that have yet to pass Congress. According to Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, "No one, including the governor, thinks we'll receive $850 million."
 
Commented Brian Bergman, State House Candidate in the 119th district, “Yet again, Pennsylvania's government has failed to pass either a balanced budget or an on-time budget.  Where are the incentives to do either?  There is nothing currently in the PA Constitution or statutes that puts any penalty on the representatives in Harrisburg if they fail in their duties.  It's time to hold them accountable - vote them all out and elect new people that will truly work FOR the citizens of Pennsylvania and will enact consequences when the Legislature fails so completely in their duties.”

Mark Crowley, LPPa Media Relations, summarized “It's no surprise that this budget was created behind closed doors.  They suspended the rule requiring a public comment period.  The disappointing result certainly shows this lack of transparency.”
 
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.
 

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Steelers host youth football camp

Steelers host youth football camp: "The Pittsburgh Steelers will host a second youth football camps in the Pittsburgh area in July. The Pittsburgh Steelers Youth Football Camp will feature instruction from some of the best high school and youth coaches in the area, as well as current and former Steelers players.

The camp is $175 and is open for children between the ages of 6-14. They will participate in non-contact drills and skills sessions to win awards and prizes including autographed items. All campers will receive two tickets to a Steelers’ preseason game, a camp T-shirt, a one-year Steelers Kids Club membership, DVD highlights from the camp and other giveaway items.

The camp will be held at West Allegheny’s DeMichela Stadium on July 19-20. The camp can hold up to 200 players, and will run from 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. each day."

Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan acknowledges possibility of group not owning club - ESPN Dallas

Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan acknowledges possibility of group not owning club - ESPN Dallas: "Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan acknowledged Thursday that his group, which includes Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg, might not end up owning the team. He added that he wasn't sure what he might do after this season should Houston businessman Jim Crane, who is trying to get back in the bidding, ends up owning the team."

Pittsburgh Public Schools

Good News section of Pittsburgh Public Schools has a pointer to the article in the Post-Gazette that mentioned Grant and Erik as volunteers for the US Women's Open at Oakmont.

Pittsburgh Public Schools: "District students amoung 2,900 volunteers at U.S. Women’s Open (Jul 8, 2010)

2,900 volunteers join in to help U.S. Women's Open run smoothly

Grant gets some ink in the P-G today.

2,900 volunteers join in to help U.S. Women's Open run smoothly: "Grant Rauterkus, 12, of the South Side, and his brother, Erik, 15, volunteered through The First Tee of Pittsburgh, an organization operating out of Schenley Park Golf Course.
'I'm going to be doing program sales on Friday,' said Grant, a seventh-grader at Obama Academy in East Liberty. 'I'm doing it because I really enjoy golf and I love the atmosphere.'"

Brookline man dies from injuries suffered in beating

Friends like this?

Brookline man dies from injuries suffered in beating: "Wily G. Ruiz, a friend of both men, told Pittsburgh homicide detectives that they had been together drinking, playing cards and listening to music inside an apartment, but the two had argued off and on all morning, according to a criminal complaint."

Do you think the drinking had anything to do with this as well?

Oppose REAL ID in PA

Mark C of Plum had a LTE in the Trib (7/6/2010) regarding Pennsylvania's REAL ID Nonparticipation Act. Contact your state House rep and House Transportation Committee.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/letters/s_688754.html

On June 15, 2010, the state Senate passed Senate Bill 621, the REAL ID
Nonparticipation Act, by a 50-0 vote. This legislation, introduced by Sen.
Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon County, would prohibit Pennsylvania from
participating in the federally mandated REAL ID Act.

REAL ID would turn each driver's license into a national ID card. It would
put us face-to-face with real-time federal monitoring, a devious form of
control.

While Pennsylvania struggles with budget deficits, we don't need another
underfunded mandate. PennDOT should fix roads and bridges, not herd us into a costly "Big Brother" system with a biometric database.

Many thanks to our state Senate, but we must now look to our state House.
The bill is in the House Transportation Committee, chaired by Rep. Joseph
Markosek, D-Monroeville. He needs to hear that this legislation should move from his committee to the full House and then to the governor's desk.

The federal government grows relentlessly in size and arrogance. Our best
hope to reverse this is the states; that 50-0 vote is a great start. Contact your state representative and urge rejection of REAL ID by supporting SB 621.

Mark Crowley, Plum

12 person, 24 hour race

Sam Infurchia, the assistant race director for Ragnar Relay, DC has information about a new and unique running event. It's a 12 person 24 hr relay race that starts in Cumberland, MD and ends in Washington, DC. Check out the website at http://www.facebook.com/l/e4673ORRuVVcA4lXW2m0XziwVjQ;www.ragnarrelay.com  and join our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=177416847098&index=1  .

I'm not dead yet!

Okay... So French, German and Spanish are options for language study. But, the reason to not offer them is not because they are dead. Heck, LATIN is being taught. Where in the world can you go to study LATIN other than some Roman Catholic HISTORY Catacombs?

Au revoir for study of French, German?... signs of decline are there, locally and nationally: Some of Pennsylvania's state-owned universities are seriously debating whether to offer French and German majors after current students graduate. Enrollment in French classes is shrinking in Pittsburgh's public schools, and one high school is considering phasing out its longtime German program. Shady Side Academy, a private school with campuses in Fox Chapel and the East End of Pittsburgh, is eliminating French and German from its middle school curriculum to focus on Spanish, Mandarin and Latin.

Another thing that bugs me about the article is that Spanish is winning by a mile. Really? Not three miles? Not just by 300-meters?

What is central to the American sensibility is not the language but rather the study.

If you really want to master another language that goes to the heart of sensibilities, then teach JAVA or C++ or PERL or even LISP as viable languages for study in schools.

Different strokes for different folks. Thank goodness we're speaking english and can travel to places like New Zealand and understand most of what goes on except the Haka.

Long Island man blows arm off with fireworks

Not good.

Long Island man blows arm off with fireworks | World | News | Toronto Sun As one of the explosives shot out of the launcher, it hit Smith 'in the left arm, completely severing it from his shoulder.'

I don't even like sparklers.

Old Papers - Blog Post # 10,086 at Mark Rauterkus and Running Mates

I've got a lot of old papers and records in our house and throughout the office spaces. Too many.

Today I spent some hours weeding a box in storage that has been gathering dust and a tad of mold from the year 2000. Sure, its contents graced my desk about 10 years ago, but it also marked a key time in my political life. That is when I went out on a limb. That year I gathered steam and ran for mayor of the City of Pittsburgh. The election was in the spring of 2001, but I was a candidate in August 2000.

I was so mad at what Tom Murphy and the others in City Hall were doing -- I said, "I'll run. I can do better. Our city needs to do better."

Much of what is in this box did not get into this blog. Sure, a good deal got onto the internet then -- as I was blogging before the word and utilities call blogs came into our shared awareness. But, those archives are not easy to find as web sites have come and gone.

So, it is time to re-type and re-position.

The fight against Fifth and Forbes with the URA has interesting twists with me then as I mentioned the saving of the Civic Arena in some emails and postings. Here we are 10 years later, not 2000 but 2010, and the fate of the Civic Arena is unsure.

Back then I talked about and networked with others about Hazelwood too. Nothing much has changed there, except a few fires and some other homes have been made level.

Then there was Pitt Stadium and UPMC's expansion into the South Side with the proposed building of the UPMC Sports Performace Center. Back then I said that we should have some community access to those facilities. Never really came. The Brashear Association failed us all greatly then -- and still do in this regard. And, I pushed UPMC to build the football practice fields behind UPMC South Side Hospital, not along the river in a place better devoted to flex office space and new job creation. I worred then that UPMC Hospital needed to be supported by the sports medicine and football facilities so as to not close in the years to come.

UPMC South Side Hospital is shutting down now. Told ya.

There are other gems here too. Remember Tom Murphy wanted to spend capital funds from the city's budget to tear down steps that run along the slopes of the South Side and around the city in other neighborhoods. Rather than fix the steps, he wanted to spend more to rid the city of those hazards.

Meanwhile, Bruce Kraus talked this week in council to the blue/green folks seeking new legislation about clean air and clean water. He is about being safe, clean and green. The most important thing to you -- to everyone -- so said his heart and soul in a story from another -- is the air you need to breath.

Without the breath, we die. He is thinking about the legacy he'll leave once he is gone. It all hit him 11 years ago.

Well, there are others who crave the air. But, people will die for more. People will fight to their death for their freedom. People will jump the Berlin Wall and run for their life -- and be shot of course -- for freedom. They had plenty of air where they were. The air wasn't different. But, the oppression was.

Yesterday would have been the 72nd birthday of a young man who was killed as he ran from East Germany by a sniper. He was hit and fell as he tried to dash to freedom. Nearly an hour later, after much blood had flowed from his body, he died.

Clean air and clean water are great.

Happy Independence Day!

This is blog post, so reports blogger on the dashboard, 10,086. Thanks for reading. Thanks for the history.