Fw: Donna & Rick Nestler in Friendship January 23

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-----Original Message-----
From: Friendship House Concerts <friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010 00:06:59
To: altesj<altesj@yahoo.com>
Subject: Donna & Rick Nestler in Friendship January 23

Friendship House Concerts is proud to present

Donna & Rick Nestler

Sunday, January 23

4:00 pm

Rick's rich baritone voice truly brings the songs of the sailor (both
traditional and contemporary) to life. Rick learned the arts of the
chantyman working aboard large traditionally rigged vessels such as
the sloop Clearwater, the schooner Voyager, and the square rigged ship
HMAV Bounty. A Coast Guard licensed Master, with a 100 ton ticket, he
also is an actor, a singer, song writer, and a multi-instrumentalist.
He learned some of his most effective performance techniques playing
in low waterfront dives and in institutions of higher learning from
St. Thomas to Toronto, California to New York, and everywhere in
between.

Pete Seeger calls him, "the Terror of the River, raffish Rick
Nestler." The New York Times says, "One of the prime troubadours of
Hudson River lore and legend is Rick Nestler." Rich Bala, Joe
Heukerott, and Pete Seeger have all recorded "The River That Flows
Both Ways."

"Rick has a songbag that would have made Alan Lomax green with envy .
. . you will discover a warm and endearing voice, a wry sense of
humor, a great collection of songs, and a style that is sorely needed
on the folk scene." Ron Olesko WFDU-FM

As a rare treat, Donna Nestler, a member of the Dirty Stay-Out
Skifflers Jug Band, will join Rick. A superb instrumentalist, she adds
ukulele, mandolin, banjolele, washboard, kazoo, soaring vocals and
more.

Check them out at http://www.ricknestler.com

Seating is limited. For information and/or an invitation, call or email:
LLouise & Jim Altes
412.361.6051
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com

Suggested donation: $15.00. All proceeds go to the performers.
After the concert, there will be a pot luck dinner. Please bring an
entree, an hors d'oeuvre, a salad, a side dish, or dessert to share.

Upcoming events of interest:

Jan 23, Donna & Rick Nestler http://www.ricknestler.com at Jim and
LLouise's friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Mar 20, Squid Jiggers http://squidjiggers.com at Jim and LLouise's
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Mar 23, Molasses Creek http://molassescreek.com at Rick and Cindy's
cah@lonewolf.com
Mar 26, Val Mindel et al http://www.valandemmy.com at Annie & Curt's
amtrimble@earthlink.net
Apr 3, Brian Peters http://www.harbourtownrecords.com/peters.html at
Rick and Cindy's cah@lonewolf.com
Apr 9, Les Gustafson-Zook http://www.gustafsonzook.com at Rick and
Cindy's cah@lonewolf.com
Apr 10, Friction Farm http://www.frictionfarm.com at Jim and LLouise's
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
May 22, David Glaser http://www.davidglaser.com & Brad Yoder
http://www.bradyoder.com at Jim and LLouise's
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
June 12, Magpie http://www.magpiemusic.com at Jim and LLouise's
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Sept 25, Kim & Reggie Harris http://www.kimandreggie.com at Jim and
LLouise's friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Oct 22, The Honey Dewdrops http://www.thehoneydewdrops.com at Rick and
Cindy's cah@lonewolf.com
Oct 23, Nick Annis http://www.nickannis.com at Jim and LLouise's
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com

Invite: Paddle to the Polar Bear Plunge

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---

From: Mike Cornell <cornells@zoominternet.net>

Sender: kayaking-129-announce@meetup.com

Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2010 23:38:31 -0500

To: <kayaking-129-announce@meetup.com>

ReplyTo: kayaking-129@meetup.com

Subject: [kayaking-129] New Meetup: Paddle to the Polar Bear Plunge

Announcing a new Meetup for Pittsburgh Kayakers (ka-"yack"-ers)!

What: Paddle to the Polar Bear Plunge

When: Saturday, January 1, 2011 8:00 AM

Where: South Side Riverfront Park
Riverfront Park
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Every year in Pittsburgh, a bunch of crazy people come to the Mon Wharf and jump into the icy water at 9:30 AM New Year's Day. Let's be part of the spectacle! Meet me at Riverfront Park on the South Side for an 8:00 AM launch. We'll paddle down the Mon and watch the festivities from our boats, cheering on the crazies and smiling for the TV news crews.

The air temperature will be a balmy 40-degrees, but expect water temperature to be in the mid-30's. Therefore, everyone on the trip MUST wear cold-water gear (wet suit or dry suit) in addition to their PFD's. Bring a marine radio if you have one - River Rescue will be on duty for the event, a quick radio call away. Call me at 412-370-9772 if you have any questions.

Cowabunga!

RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/kayaking-129/calendar/15866080/




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Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list (kayaking-129@meetup.com)
This message was sent by Mike Cornell (cornells@zoominternet.net) from Pittsburgh Kayakers (ka-"yack"-ers).
To learn more about Mike Cornell, visit his/her member profile


Meetup, PO Box 4668 #37895 New York, New York 10163-4668 | support@meetup.com

Call to join for freedom's sake.

"The Free Software Foundation and Richard Stallman's work represents the most important work for freedom that this culture, the American culture, has seen in many many generations because
it takes the ideas of freedom and it removes it from the ivory tower, and it removes it from lawyers, and places it in a community — a technology community—that is one of the most important communities defining the contours of freedom that most people in our culture and increasingly around the world will know."

— Lawrence Lessig, founder of Creative Commons.

* Join us now: <http://www.fsf.org/jfb/>

Fellow DRM elimination crew members: As 2010 rolls to an end, we can take this time to reflect on the growing DRM threat that our society faces and the role DRM plays in attacking all our freedoms.

Most notably this year, Apple's walled garden expanded with their
launch of the iPad, and the announcement of their DRM App Store for Mac OS X. But Apple is not alone: Microsoft, Amazon, Sony,
Intel and Adobe are increasing their efforts too. 2010 was also a year when video game companies continued to impose ever more draconian DRM on game players.

For our work to continue, for more people to become aware of the fight against DRM, we need to grow. To grow, we need your support: both your continued support as part of the DRM elimination crew — supporting our actions and sending in tips and news for new DRM and DRM-free services, but also your financial support.

In these times, it really is important that we build professional and social solidarity around a core set of ideals. It's critical that we hang together, both to advance our positive ideas for a better world and to stop those trying to turn computers against their users.

Defective by Design is a campaign of the Free Software Foundation, and associate members of the Free Software Foundation
form a society — a society supporting the ethical cause of computer users everywhere, whether that is fighting the danger of
DRM, or working to educate and advocate for software freedom.

Join us in a growing society of over 3,000 dedicated members — your friends and peers — in over 45 countries.

* Join us now: <http://www.fsf.org/jfb/>

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Ethics of Democracy

Dan S wrote that he has been in hibernation during this cold snap, putting "The Ethics of Democracy" online in HTML, with a paragraph-by-paragraph "gloss" in the left-hand column for quick reference.

http://www.savingco mmunities. org/docs/ post.louisf/ ethicscontents. html

"The Ethics of Democracy" is probably the most important book by Louis F. Post. Other sites have it in pdf and Kindle formats.

Post was a leader of the progressive movement before it was co-opted by socialists. Like socialists, progressives championed the cause of working people. However, there are important differences, and "Ethics of Democracy" expresses those differences pointedly.

The most important difference is that, while socialism (particularly Marxism) was based on an atheistic utilitarianism, most progressives advocated harmonizing with moral absolutes, which they sometimes labelled "natural law." This distinction is central to "Ethics of Democracy."

I should note that Post did not define atheism as failure to believe in a personal God, but failure to recognize that the universe is governed by moral law: "There are those who thus approach moral questions from fundamental moral principle intuitively perceived, who would disclaim being theists. They are, however, properly enough classified as such, even though they deny a divine personality, for they acknowledge moral truth as absolute. That is the essence of theism, and it distinguishes them from atheists."

The atheist is not best described as one who denies the existence of a personal God. Many a fervent worshipper of God as a personal being, is an atheist nevertheless. Atheism consists essentially in the denial of absolute moral principle - in the assertion that there is no such thing as an axiom of moral right, but that moral questions are to be determined by considerations of expediency ascertained by experiment."

- Part 3, chapter 1, "Honesty the Best Policy"http://www.savingco mmunities. org/docs/ post.louisf/ ethics31. html#essence

Post, like many progressives, saw personal liberty and legal equality as the moral cornerstones of progress, under attack by both amoral plutocratic monopolists on the right and amoral bureaucratic monopolists on the left.

The book gets off to an admittedly slow start, but although it is organized to make a single overall statement, each part and even each chapter within parts stands independently. That is, one can skip or skim sections that are of no particular interest.

Part 1 challenges superficial objections to radical thought that were being made at the time and are still made today. Post tackles four such objections, each with its own chapter. However, as the very similar defects apply to all four objections, reading one chapter invites a "skimming" of other chapters.

Parts 2 and 3 examine the focus on financial success at the expense of others and of one's own personal happiness.

Parts 4 and 5 focus on progressive economic principles. perhaps not as strong on pure economics as Post's mentor, Henry George, had been.

Also, like George, Post seems to have underappreciated the problem of debt-based currency. However, Post is much clearer than George on the difference between the progressive opposition to monopoly and the socialist embracing of monopoly as leading to monopoly socialism.

Part 6, on democratic principles, is quite good. Although Post confounded democracy with majority rule, he has clear statements on the moral limits of government over the individual, an analysis of legal vs. illegal crime, an attack on public debts, an excellent chapter on trial by jury as a protection against abuse, and an essay on why an imperialist nation cannot remain democratic for long.

Post was one of the strongest critics of America's imperialist adventures that resulted from the Spanish American War, and Part 7 contains excellent essays on the patriotic duty to oppose government when it is wrong. It does this from a perspective of profound loyalty to American principles.

I hope you will find these writings informative and enlightening.

Sincerely,Dan Sullivan, director of education Saving Communities 631 Melwood Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412.OUR.LAND
412.687.5263
edudir@savingcommun ities.org

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Jury development

Dan S posted this to a local Libertarian discussion group.

FIJA would be pleased!

Billings Gazette: Missoula District Court: Jury pool in marijuana case stages "mutiny."

It happens that I just posted the book, *Ethics of Democracy* by Louis F. Post, with a chapter called "Trial by Jury."
http://www.savingcommunities. org/docs/post.louisf/ethics65.html

Here are some interesting passages.

"That insult to the jury [a judge berating their decision] was worse than contempt of court. It was worse than a breach of judicial decorum. It was a crime against democratic government. For it was calculated, by intimidating jurors, to undermine the independence of juries and destroy the integrity of the system of jury trial. And the worst of it all is that this instance is only one among many that indicate a disposition on the part of some judges to reduce trial by jury to an empty form with only a curious historical meaning...."Juries are sometimes corrupt and they sometimes make mistakes. But the innocent prisoner has better guarantees of acquittal at the hands of a jury, than at the hands of a judge expert in the work of 'railroading' criminals; and the guilty man has but little better chance of escape. Though juries do make mistakes in deciding questions of fact, it is hardly conceivable that they make as many as it appears from the law reports that judges make in deciding questions of law; and though they be occasionally corrupt, neither are judges always immaculate. There are few lawyers of large experience who will not concede that as a rule, even when juries seem to be mistaken, they get at substantial justice.

"But the judicial function of juries is not the important one. As De Tocqueville says, the jury's function as a judge in particular cases is subordinate to its function as a political institution. In the nature of things in criminal cases, if the jury decides at all, it must decide both fact and law. Legal experts may advise, but the jury must decide. So long, therefore, as the independence of the jury can be preserved, individual liberty cannot be quite destroyed. All other free institutions might go, even the suffrage might be restricted to the very rich or the highly educated, yet, if the penal law were administered by independent juries drawn from the body of the people, the grosser forms of tyranny would still be held in check.

"That explains the tendency to minimize the function of juries. With the jury system out of the way or become a mere form, and experts invested with power to punish infractions of the law, our government would go on developing into a government by experts until it had reached the inevitable climax, government by a single expert born to his place and specially educated to his function - the government of a czar.

"Whoever will stop this tendency will be a benefactor. Some exceptionally courageous juror may yet volunteer for that duty. If, when a judge in some other case berates the jury after the manner of the judge in the kidnapping case, a member of the jury will rebuke him, that juror will have performed a most valuable public service. It should not be done pertly, nor lightly, nor rashly; but in self-respectful manner, seriously, earnestly, decisively, and with confidence in his rights as a juror and consciousness of his imperative duty as a citizen of asserting those rights....

"Unless jurors do assert themselves by insisting upon a due recognition from the bench of their rights and dignity, the process of reducing juries to a place in which they will perfunctorily record the decisions of judges will go on apace; and judges, having usurped the functions of juries, will become the real masters of society.

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Steelers look to add seats to Heinz Field

Steelers look to add seats to Heinz Field

The Stadium Authority board voted unanimously to place a six-month forbearance on an option agreement with the Steelers and Pirates that governs development between the stadiums. Some former board members have argued that the teams did not meet deadlines in the agreement, and wanted to sell the remaining publicly owned parcels to the highest bidder, but those members were removed from the board by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl.

Printer headaches

Our Cannon Printer, http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/consumer/printers_multifunction/pixma_ip_series/pixma_ip6600d
now gives this: Error Code 6A00. It shows on the built-in screen on the printer itself.

- - - Manual says snip starts: - - - -

POWER Lamp and Alarm Lamp Flash Alternately
Possible Cause: An error that requires contacting the Customer Care Center may have occurred

Try This:
Disconnect the printer cable from the printer, and then turn the printer off and unplug the printer from the power supply. Plug the printer back in and turn the printer back on after leaving it for a while.
If the problem remains, contact the Customer Care Center.

--- end snip from manual - - -

WTF?

Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson favors marijuana legalization

Merry Christmas Libertarians!

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/shock-christian-leader-pat-robertson-favors-marijuana-legalization/
Shock: Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson favors marijuana legalization

By Stephen C. Webster
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 -- 3:29 pm

Robertson a welcome addition to drug reform circles, former narc tells Raw Story
Update: Following publication of this story, a spokesman for the religious CBN television station contacted Raw Story to clarify Robertson's comments. His statement is reflected in the text below.
Count this among the 10 things nobody ever expected to see in their lifetimes: 700 Club founder Pat Robertson, one of the cornerstone figures of America's Christian right movement, has come out in favor of legalizing marijuana.


Calling it getting "smart" on crime, Robertson aired a clip on a recent episode of his 700 Club television show that advocated the viewpoint of drug law reformers who run prison outreach ministries.
A narrator even claimed that religious prison outreach has "saved" millions in public funds by helping to reduce the number of prisoners who return shortly after being released.

"It got to be a big deal in campaigns: 'He's tough on crime,' and 'lock 'em up!'" the Christian Coalition founder said. "That's the way these guys ran and, uh, they got elected. But, that wasn't the answer."

His co-host added that the success of religious-run dormitories for drug and alcohol cessation therapy present an "opportunity" for faith-based communities to lead the way on drug law reforms.

"We're locking up people that have taken a couple puffs of marijuana and next thing you know they've got 10 years with mandatory sentences," Robertson continued. "These judges just say, they throw up their hands and say nothing we can do with these mandatory sentences. We've got to take a look at what we're considering crimes and that's one of 'em.

"I'm ... I'm not exactly for the use of drugs, don't get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it's just, it's costing us a fortune and it's ruining young people. Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That's not a good thing."


Robertson has in recent years come under fire for increasingly flamboyant comments, such as calling for the assassinations of foreign leaders and blaming gay people for the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina.
In this instance, even though he clearly expressed support for the reform of US marijuana laws, a spokesman for religious television station CBN walked back Robertson's comments, telling Raw Story on Thursday morning the Christian Coalition founder "did not call for the decriminalization of marijuana."

"He was advocating that our government revisit the severity of the existing laws because mandatory drug sentences do harm to many young people who go to prison and come out as hardened criminals," CBN spokesman Chris Roslan wrote. "He was also pointing out that these mandatory sentences needlessly cost our government millions of dollars when there are better approaches available. Dr. Robertson's comments followed a CBN News story about a group of conservatives who have proven that faith-based rehabilitation for criminals has resulted in lower repeat offenders and saved the government millions of dollars. Dr. Robertson unequivocally stated that he is against the use of illegal drugs."


Conservatives signing up for drug policy reform
The segment, while significant for illustrating a key conservative stalwart's shifting opinion on the drug war, was mainly a plug for a new conservative group called "Right on Crime," which parlays the arguments of groups like the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) into conservative-leaning messages.


"Our marijuana prohibition laws, which send people to prison for merely possessing a plant, are clearly immoral," LEAP executive director Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore narcotics officer, told Raw Story.
"As a Christian, and as a former law enforcer who is now working to undo the damage these laws have done to our families and our communities, I'm glad to see Pat Robertson joining the chorus of faith leaders calling for reform."

Some faith-based groups, like the Council of Churches and Church IMPACT, also helped promote California's failed Prop. 19 ballot initiative, which would have legalized marijuana cultivation, sales and consumption by adults over 21-years-old. It failed to gain a majority in the state's 2010 elections.


President Obama has maintained his opposition to the legalization of marijuana, although his Department of Justice has largely taken a hands-off approach to states where voters have approved the drug's use if prescribed by a doctor.

Pat Robertson was a Republican candidate for the presidency in 1980, but saw his political ambitions dashed in the primaries by Ronald Reagan. Though he later earned Robertson's endorsement, President Reagan went on to significantly escalate the war on America's drug users.


This video is from the 700 Club, broadcast by the CBN Network. (Segment on marijuana law reform is at beginning.)

Triangle buildings could get face-lifts

This is why the URA should go away. NUKE it. End All Authorities. Liquidation would be a positive move for the public at large. Triangle buildings could get face-lifts

The city is looking to brighten up some "dark corners" Downtown.

Aided by a $4 million state redevelopment assistance grant, the Urban Redevelopment Authority hopes to target rundown buildings Downtown and work with property owners to upgrade them.

The project is designed to supplement a larger revitalization in the Golden Triangle that already has included the construction of the Three PNC Plaza office tower and the redevelopment of a former five-and-dime store and a department store into residential, retail and other uses.

With much of that work completed, the URA has decided to go after properties "in need of some reinvestment" -- not to buy but to approach and work with the owners about making improvements.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10360/1113369-28.stm#ixzz19DRKl5xg

OMG. "You go to wait for the valet to bring your car back and there's blight staring you in the face," he said. Is there any question that this is only so that the rich get richer?

Then there is this lie: Nothing has changed (Downtown) in 50 or more years," he said. Ever hear of the tunnel under the river and the re-do of the Gateway Center T-stop? What about Consol Energy Arena? What about the parking garage at the Greyhound Bus Terminal?

Liar and thief.