Schools and journalist and school newspapers

The Connecticut Post Online - News School journalism hits safety roadblock

Students' names removed for protection

GREG SHULAS gshulas@ctpost.com

Student journalist Peter Wiley finds it rewarding when he sees his byline atop articles he writes for The Advocate, the award-winning newspaper at Jonathan Law High School in Milford.

So when Wiley, the publication's editor in chief, learned that a school security policy forbids him from using his or any other student's full name on the newspaper's Web site, he was a little discouraged....

This is wrong.

Jonathan Law High School officials won't let student journalists use their full names on the school newspaper's website. J-prof Jerry Dunklee questions the policy, saying that identifying a reporter as simply "John S." could cause readers to make inaccurate assumptions about who has written a story. "This raises a whole series of questions. There should be no objection to a full byline on a story. In every school, there could be more than one John S. or Suzy Q. You don't know who to give credit to or to attribute responsibility."

We have some issues brewing with local school coverage too.

I endorse the concept of a monthly school newspaper, if not on a more regular basis, at every school (beyond the high school) with regular deadlines, budgets and printing contracts.

Too many of our schools don't have newspapers. The kids need to be able to be good writers of the news yet alone great consumers of news from many sources. And, the powers that be may want to see that the newspapers do NOT come out.

The School District's central administration should be able to establish a relationship with printers so as to take the electronic files of the newspapers and have them printed within a day or two, for every student, teacher, staffer, and community member around the school who wants a copy of the newspaper (paid mailing subscription of course, also via the central administration).

I'm on the ballot -- as papers have been turned into various offices

Today, I went to the Department of Elections and City Clerk's office to file the necessary papers to get onto the ballot on March 14, 2006.

Meeting on HIV with a school board member slated

HIV / AIDS is still a major health problem in the United States.

Fact: Minority Youth are one of the groups at highest risk.

Fact: Education is key to prevention.

So, what is the Pittsburgh Public School system doing to educate our minority youth population about HIV / AIDS?

Find out at the February Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh Meeting. Patrick Dowd and Thomas Sumpter, Pittsburgh Public School Board Members will be speaking.

The meeting is Thursday, February 9th at 7:00 p.m. at United Cerebral Palsy Association of Pittsburgh (4925 Centre Avenue).

For more information on the Gertrude Stein Political Club of Greater Pittsburgh visit our Web page at www.gertrudesteinclub.org.

Development taking flight near Pittsburgh International Airport

This is funny in light of my campaign theme song, "Lay the Shovel Down."

Did you get a copy of the CD? Get one. See me. Sponsor 100 and give them out yourself.

Development taking flight near Pittsburgh International Airport A simulated ground-breaking ceremony inside the Findlay Municipal Building -- they hauled in the dirt -- kicked off development of the 240-acre Clinton Commerce Park.

My statement before Pgh City Council @ No TIFs (again) and real help from PNC

My name is Mark Rauterkus. My family and I reside at 108 South 12th Street, South Side of Pittsburgh. I am a candidate for the now open seat for city council, district 3. That special election is slated for March 14, 2006.

Five years ago, I didn't like our great city's propensity of giving away large sums of land and money to corporations and non-profits. Mayor Murphy's economic plans were a sure-fire pathway to a large economic crisis.

Five years ago, I ran for Mayor. I said then, "NO TIFs." TIFs, as you all know, are Tax Incremental Fiance plans, corporate welfare, and tax breaks. The practice of TIFs should be abolished.

I said NO TIFs in 2000. I stand by the same statements today.

Last year, I ran for State Senate and a part of my plan was to change the law in Harrisburg to prohibit TIFs.

I've gone on the record with the county and the school district, speaking against the TIFs at places such as Deer Creek Crossing.

The PNC Plaza TIF should NOT be approved. I don't like TIFs because they do not work. Lazarus and Lord & Tayor are proof enough. We need to stop the bribes to get people to move or expand in the city.

We are on EMPTY. The city does not have the money.

A $30-million grant was aready given to PNC from the state. Harrisburg money is my money as well. Plus, local sources already built PNC Firstside a new T-stop and a new parking authority garage. They are under utilized. PNC knows how to play you like a fiddle.

I sing a different tune. I conduct my campaigns without money from gambling interests, developers who want to make speculations and engineering firms expecting kick-backs.

Presently, our school district is running into serious money troubles. Schenley High School -- a high performing school with a great mix of kids and academics -- is in an old building, laced with asbestos.

I'd rather take the $18 million and re-do Schenley High School -- now -- for our kids that are here. Don't rob from them.

The TIF takes money from some and gives it to others. Have everyone pay their fair share. Furthermore, TIFs hurt competition. Others won't want to move, build nor expand here because the playing field is not level. We need to cater to those who want to compete and perform. We need to be self-reliant.

If PNC wants to help the local landscape -- let's talk about Campaign Finance Reform.

Last week, my campaign issued a statement about campaign finance reform. I am interested in putting my campaign funds into a new type of TRANSPARENT PAC account. The financial institutions, such as PNC, are needed to establish this type of account so that everyone, using the internet, can see where and when public transactions are coming from and going to for races for public offices.

PNC, this is where you are needed.

Think Again! -- and again, and again! Like the song says.

The song says it well, Think Again. Now the research says it happens frequently.

Democrats and Republicans Both Adept at Ignoring Facts, Study Finds - Yahoo! News Democrats and Republicans alike are adept at making decisions without letting the facts get in the way, a new study shows.

And they get quite a rush from ignoring information that's contrary to their point of view.

Researchers asked staunch party members from both sides to evaluate information that threatened their preferred candidate prior to the 2004 Presidential election. The subjects' brains were monitored while they pondered.

The results were announced today.

'We did not see any increased activation of the parts of the brain normally engaged during reasoning,' said Drew Westen, director of clinical psychology at Emory University. 'What we saw instead was a network of emotion circuits lighting up, including circuits hypothesized to be involved in regulating emotion, and circuits known to be involved in resolving conflicts.'

Bias on both sides

The test subjects on both sides of the political aisle reached totally biased conclusions by ignoring information that could not rationally be discounted, Westen and his colleagues say.

Then, with their minds made up, brain activity ceased in the areas that deal with negative emotions such as disgust. But activity spiked in the circuits involved in reward, a response similar to what addicts experience when they get a fix, Westen explained.

The study points to a total lack of reason in political decision-making.

SI.com - NFL - Pa. student humiliated over Broncos jersey - Tuesday January 24, 2006 12:30AM

Let's talk about the Sports Illustrated jinx. We have a rule -- a darn good one too -- that you should not wear any clothing to school that has writting on it. I wish my kids did this always, but they don't. Oh well.

SI.com - NFL - Pa. student humiliated over Broncos jersey - Tuesday January 24, 2006 12:30AM Vannoy was wearing a No. 7 Broncos jersey on Friday, because he is a fan of John Elway, the Broncos' retired Hall of Fame quarterback.

Vannoy said he was so unnerved he left at least 20 questions blank on the 60-question test, and just wants out of Kelly's class because he's afraid the teacher won't treat him fairly now that the story reached the media.

In other news, there is now a push from a few to put a new uniform code into the schools. It calls for one day a week, Fridays, to be a "dress-up day" with good clothes. Not dress down, but dress up.

Democracy For America Training Academy Schedule

Democracy For America In 2004 Democracy For America, in partnership with Latinos For America and 21st Century Democrats, embarked on an ambitious goal to train thousands of grassroots activists for the upcoming elections.

An event is slated for Philly, another for Columbus, Ohio.

Final recap on the St. Clair event of last week

When I took the floor, I spoke after Bruce Krane. A question had just been raised from the audience to the prior speaker about the election specifics, being a Democrat, who could vote for whom and technical details. The answer from Krane included the mentions, "Do or die. One-shot deal. Game over."

I said, "My name is Mark Rauterkus and what was just said was wrong." I went right into the reply from Krane and how it was so at odds with what I stood for and with what the community was about.

This election on March 14, 2006, is to fill the un-expired term. Next year in the spring there will be another primary election where the one who holds the seat might not even get the endorsement of any party and could be a lame duck. Then in the general election that happens in the fall of 2007, that person could be packing.

The election this community faces on March 14, 2006, is for a short period of time. Game over my eye.

Furthermore, that attitude mentioned by Krane is just like the attitude that was often -- if not ALWAYS -- on display from our former Mayor, Tom Murphy. Tom Murphy thought he held all the chips. Murphy kept all the power and to hell with the rest of the people. It was Tom Murphy's boneheaded attitude that drove me to run for office starting in 2000 for the 2001 primary against him. He was bad for the City of Pittsburgh. His attitude was something we didn't need.

My heart fell to the floor when I heard another in the race start to spout the same B.S. -- stuff that I would have expected from Murphy.

I'm here for the long-haul, as are the good people of Pittsburgh who have weathered some serious storms in the past decades. I'm not going to go away -- and neither are they. Sure, one day we'll all be worm feed, but until then -- count me in as a foot soldier in the good fight and struggles for democracy, freedom and the less fortunate.

This city is too small to be so full of oneself to think that the others don't matter. We are a village and the nay-sayers matter. I'm a nay-sayer to what has gone on around here in the past. I'm a reform minded candidate who is unlike those others who have put the city into debt and oversight status.

I went on in the presentation, in just 3 minutes, to say why I ran for office in 2001 and 2005. We need to raise the discussions to talk about assessment buffering, the botched re-assessment process, the unified tax policy put forth by Bob O'Connor that tossed the baby out with the bathwater. Pittsburgh's legacy is about affordable housing, and that legacy is ending. We are not having a housing boom -- except in blight. We are seeing the effects of poor housing policies, poor taxes (like the deed-transfer tax), and poor management of available resources so as to over-spend, over-reach on foolishness.

I spoke about TIFs that night a bit too.

These times call for serious individuals to take a stand of serious duty.

---

Today I got to talk, already, with three of the other candidates in the race. While on Grant Street, I poked my head in to check out the ball and chain that is around the ankle of fellow candidate, public sector guy, Ed Jacob. He and I both worried about the lack of discussion on issues of subsidence. But our agreement ended there.

He is worried about the list of the 50 top wage earners in the city and how they are mostly firefighters and policemen. He has a little list of the names cut from the newspaper. The difference between what those 50 are getting paid contrasted to the amount that they should be getting paid ads up to what, exactly, I put to him.

I'll do a bit of the math for you Ed. If they (50 top wage earners in the city) all make $10,000 more than what they are worth -- that's $500,000 per year.

Frankly, I want a highly paid police force that is less vulnerable to corruption. Perhaps if the prison guards were making more they'd be far less inclinded to put the job on the line to push for tricks or drugs. But that is another matter.

Meanwhile, I'm worried about big issues, but of another category. How does the city pay PNC Plaza with a TIF for $18-million. Plus PNC got $30-million from Gov. Ed Rendell, D. That's our money too. I'm mad about that and none of the other candidates, hint to Ed, is talking about those outlandish give-a-ways.

The $30-million from Harrisburg is still my money. Coupled with the $18-million from city sources, I'll do the math for you, we get $48-million. That's 100-times greater than the pimple of a problem of paying top dollar for firefighters and police.

But Ed said that the $18-million was to be paid out over 30-years, so it isn't much of a big deal. First off, the TIFs are not that long. And, he didn't have a come-back as to the proportion of the momumental crisis that is being ignored by them.

We can't put people into public office now if they can't see the big picture. And, if you sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, plus go to community meetings from start to finish, you still might never see the big picture.

Ed told me that I would "not want to hear his analysis" about being a candidate for the special election in a heavy D area. He thinks only a D can win the council seat. He thinks that the D who wins the seat is going to be the the D who wins party endorsement. I counter and say I hear him fine. But, the race is going to be about tiny issues UNLESS I'm in the fray. The conversation is about envy and neighborhood power and buddy-loyalty in the D camp, and that's about the best the Ds can deliver. We can fix that conversation's tone and topic points, after some of the Ds break ranks and support others from outside the party, should the wrong folks get the party's backing.

So, who wants to talk about 'big-issues?' I had just been to city council to give a 3-minute talk on TIFs and the PNC Plaza. I would not support any TIF while on council. I'll post that testimony soon.

Coverage in the South Pgh Reporter about the event in St. Clair

The next speaker, Mr. Rauterkus, ran for mayor in 2001. While he wasn't elected, he said he learned a lot and fought a lot of good fights.
He opposes any corporate welfare, such as the proposed $18 million in tax increment financing, or TIF, for a PNC Financial Services Group tower in downtown Pittsburgh.
If elected, he would be fiscally prudent, accountable, and beholden to only one special interest group: residents.

The coverage is okay except one point, at the very end.

Bruce Kraus said he'd move the Zone 3 Police station to Mt. Oliver, outside of the city. This was mentioned in the blog the night it was mentioned. The newspaper didn't seem to report that stinker of an idea. OMG, I still can't even fathom that statement, yet alone the character in the race.

Point State Park makeover starts with utilities, irrigation

This makeover of Point State Park leaves a lot to be desired. I don't like it. It is NOT good enough. If fails any "WOW" test too. The mainstage is going away. Gone. They are going to plant trees in its place. So, there will be no place for a temporary stage as they imply.

The one's in power do not want to gather the citizens, unless they have luxery boxes and the citizens are put in stadiums with seat licenses. Even the school district calls off an important meeting at an important time, right before the vote on the Right-Sizing plan. They don't want US to gather. Wasn't there something in the past about the right to assemble and free assocation??? (snicker)

You can't assocate if you have to first erect a temporary stage.

The mainstage in Point State Park is the only location in the region that allows us to gather as a city and fit 100,000 people. The Steeler celebrations should be at The Point -- and not at my front door steps. The ticker-tape parade should be at The Point -- with close contact to the stadiums.

The front end of Point State Park is not an ideal place for a major gathering. The people won't fit. The whole experience of looking to the west at the fountain and the historic view down the Ohio will be diminished.

The mainstage also plays to Mt. Washington.

Point State Park has been a less than ideal opportunity. But, it has stayed a park for the people, the common, the masses. Next they want to make the park into something for the elite who never want to rub shoulders with the masses on the Fourth of July.

Point State Park makeover starts with utilities, irrigation What planners euphemistically refer to as Downtown Pittsburgh's green living room will get a new carpet and utilities this summer, preparing it for the decorators to perform an extreme makeover in future years.

Point State Park, a national historical site, will undergo a $4.5 million upgrade to install new electrical and water lines and permanent utility hookups for vendors to use during major events.

The project also will change the design and use of the four-acre front of the park, nearest Downtown; replace existing asphalt sidewalks with terrazzo and bluestone edges; and eliminate the main stage in the larger part of the park closer to the Point.

I've always had my issues with Point State Park. There isn't even a swing set there. It is nearly impossible to find a swing set anywhere downtown. That is an obvious example of what's missing.

Another age-old sticking point about Point State Park is the bike policy. I can't go there and teach my kid to ride a bike. The park can be empty -- but mount a bike and the police jump on you. They'd rather you toss red dye into the fountain than teach a city kid how to ride a bike inside of Point State Park.

In the end, it boils down to people who don't know what they're really doing in elected office. And, then you have these engineering firms who lead the politicians around by the nose.

Don't worry -- we'll have more 'green space' in Market Square, so said Bob O'Connor. I agree with Patricia L of the P-G. Market Square isn't broken. Many of the smaller, neighborhood parks are totally ignored. Upkeep is absent. So, greening Market Square isn't where I'd put the priorities.

PPS calls off meeting with key communicators -- tonight -- in height of disucussions on Right-Size efforts

The Key Communicators’ Meeting scheduled for tonight-January 24th- has been Cancelled. It will be rescheduled on Tuesday February 21st.

This is very bad news. We need more communications -- not less. We need more interactions in one-to-many settings -- not fewer. We need to be community -- not simply taxpayers.

I've put solid positions before the superintendent and the school board at both the November and December board meeting -- as well as via other channels. I've heard nothing back from them. None of them.

At a meeting last week, the PRINCIPAL of Schenley High School mentioned that one option for saving that high-performing school would be to vacate the present facility for one year -- to South Vo Tech's now empty building. That's a fine plan. We need to look further at these options. We need to meet. We don't need to have meetings nixed.

I am in favor of keeping Schenley at its present location, with a modest building rehab, even if it means a one-year vacation to South Vo Tech.

Places: Market Square ain't broke, so please don't fix it

Right on. I've been pondering how to reply to the sillyness of O'Connor's statements. P.L. of the P-G does a good job in setting the tone for the discussion.

Places: Market Square ain't broke, so please don't fix it Eckstut's observation was a sound one, but his solution was flawed. And for much the same reasons, only part of O'Connor's idea is worth embracing.

Voters' Choice Act in PA gains in recent days

There's much good news for Libertarians and for Pennsylvania's voters regarding the Voter's Choice Act and ballot access reform.

On Wednesday, January 11th, 2006, members of the Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition (PBAC) met with the House State Government Committee in Harrisburg to talk turkey over the contents of a ballot access reform bill. Most of the twenty state representatives who sit on the committee attended the two-hour informal hearings, listening to testimony from Libertarians, Greens, Constitutions, Reforms, Naderites, Socialists, the League of Women Voters, and the public. There were about half a dozen reporters in the audience, and the hearings were subsequently well publicized. Selected articles are included at the end of this report, and photos from the hearing can be found at http://tinyurl.com/cgp3r.

From a historical perspective, the meeting went very well. The last round of hearings regarding ballot access reform were held in 1997, and at that time the committee members were hostile and argumentative. However, this time the atmosphere was cordial and friendly, and the dialogue was open and productive.

Several suggestions and compromises were discussed at the hearing, including:

1. Equalizing the number of signatures across the board for all candidates regardless of party affiliation. That means 1,000 or 2,000 signatures for statewide office, not 67,070. The PBAC accepted this compromise.

2. Equalizing the length of the petitioning window to three weeks for all parties rather than the current four-to-five month period for third parties. The PBAC also accepted this compromise, with the provision that the petitioning window for independents and third parties include primary day.

3. Including third parties in the primary process once their membership reaches 1% of the statewide voter registrations. While the PBAC accepted this compromise, it was noted that the Libertarians do not believe in a taxpayer funded primary.

4. The PBAC's proposed redefinition of a third party per the Delaware Model did not seem to raise any concerns with anyone. This change should make it into the reform bill intact.

In the end, the committee chair stated that the committee would be drafting legislation to achieve these goals. In the meantime, the PBAC will continue to keep up the pressure for the passage of a ballot access reform bill. At this time, the odds of that happening in the next few months appear to be excellent.

Concerned citizens can help the efforts of the PBAC by calling their state representatives and state senators immediately and urging them to push for ballot access reform this month, as outlined in the bill being authored in the House State Government Committee. For more information, refer them to the PBAC's White Paper on ballot access reform which can be found on the web at www.PaBallotAccess.org.

As things stand, the situation is both promising and urgent. There are only a few months left before petitioning for 2006 begins. The more pressure that can be brought to bear on the legislature, the better.

Ken Krawchuk
Chair, Legislative Action Committee
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

c/o PO Box 260
Cheltenham, Penna. 19012
215-881-9696 (voice)
215-Krawchuk (fax)
Ken@KenK.org

LPP HQ:
3915 Union Deposit Road
#223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
1-800-R-Rights (voice/fax)
www.lppa.org

Question of the moment: How crazy will it get on the South Side?

Do the fans act like they are in Detroit or going to Detroit.

My S6.CLOH.Org gives details for the Community Concert on Feb 2

S6 Community Concert on Thursday, February 2, 2006

You must RSVP for this event. Space is limited. Your attendance is required once reservations are accepted. Please call, 412, 298 3432, or 412 904 2976 or email, Mark@Rauterkus.com.

Location: This 'house concert' is being held at our home, office, campiagn headquarters at 108 South 12th Street on the South Side. We are just two short blocks off of East Carson Street to the slopes. You're encouraged to walk to this event as parking is limited. We'll fix that in due time, however.

* Schedule: Media and press event slated for 5 pm. Invited guests and media only. To get included, call Mark.
* Family concert has doors opening at 5:30 pm with the music and program to run from 6 to 7 pm (sharp). This is a concert by a talented musicial artist with original songs and kids are welcome provided they sit, listen and enjoy. This isn't a children's concert. Rather, its is concert where family members can attend. Some food will be provided after the show. Eating while standing is expected.
* Doors open for the set for civic leaders at 7:15 with music and presentation slated for 8 to 9 pm. Mingle before and after. Some food provided.
* If demanded, a third set for the musical-minded could occur from 9:30 to 10:15 pm. Stay tuned and note your interest if so inclined.

Johnsmith, http://www.Johnsmithmusic.com, sings the song, 'Don't Put Me In a Box.' Its message goes against the use of labels for people, myself included. We need to step beyond labels and give respect to each other if we are to thrive in our community and in our political life in Pittsburgh.

Get the campaign CD and hear the song! CDs are available while on the campaign trails in single or bulk orders.

Johnsmith's other CDs of his music are going to be available for sale to those who attend the show. An artist contribution is welcome from those who attend, or those who can't attend.

Campaign contributions, payable to Mark@Rauterkus.com, for the efforts of the host, Mark Rauterkus, candidate for Pittsburgh's City Council, district 3, special election slated for March 14, 2006, are optional. More on the campaign is found at http://Elect.Rauterkus.com.

This is part rally, but more so, our event is a gathering for community that includes the creative, artistic, talented and civic leadership who find value in promoting freedom, the future and fitness of all types.

Thanks for your consideration. Hope to see you at the event, around town, or on the internet soon. Be sure to get a copy of the campaign CD even if you can't attend this community concert.

Monthly Review December 2005 Charles McCollester - Pittsburgh—The Glory and the Gutting

This is just a snip of the larger article.

Monthly Review December 2005 Charles McCollester - Pittsburgh—The Glory and the Gutting In the birthplace of American unionism, the collapse of steel has been followed by the collapse of government.

Cavalier disregard for democratic process and majority rule, the imposition of unelected authorities, and the blocking of popular participation by arrogant elites who define “freedom” as the power to rule in their own interest without restraint or restriction, these are characteristics of our age. Anti-democratic, selected-not-elected models are being developed in the heartland as well as abroad. Little noticed among the impositions of governing authorities in Iraq and Haiti and the assault on popularly elected leadership in Venezuela is the dismantling and usurpation of public authority and accountability in Pittsburgh. The banana republic comes to the rust belt.

The steel rust-belt area from Youngstown, Ohio to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, centered in Pittsburgh and strewn with once mighty but now financially broken towns like Aliquippa, Braddock, Newcastle, Steubenville, Sharon, McKees Rocks, and Duquesne, is sinking into spiritual and financial bankruptcy.

Navel Gazeing Bloggers.....

I got to this event last week, after another candidate forum. I was a bit tardy, but had lots to say with the die-hards who were still standing. J.E. and M.M. were there as were others.

Bits&Bytes:Innovation Works to add a little extra to competitors' coffers In the rare event that you missed last week's business blogging event jointly sponsored by local trade groups TiE Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Technology Council, Pittsburgh Bloggers (www.pghbloggers.org) co-founder Mike Woycheck, who moonlights as an information technology specialist at the tech council, repeated his advice for novice bloggers worried about how to promote their blog in the 'blogosphere.' Bloggers should rely on 'word of mouth,' said Woycheck, and list with directories such as his. Adding a key word or category that can be listed in such blog search engines as 'technorati.com' and 'blogsearch.google.com' also helps. Ultimately, commenting on similar or related blogs -- online Web journals for the uninitiated -- where you think your audience might be reading is an enormous boost. 'You can read blogs, watch them, create your own blog and engage others through comments,' Mr. Woycheck said.

One down, two to go.

Grand jury still investigating Murphy, DeFazio - PittsburghLIVE.com Grand jury still investigating Murphy, DeFazio

Two might be a bit conservative. The left to topple list includes the I.C.A. and Act 47 overlords, the PA House and PA Senate, and a few other power-brokers that are too high on themseves to do the work of the people and the constitution.

Invite to a house concert, Feb 2, South Side, hosted by Mark@Rauterkus.com

Hi Friends, Neighbors and Others in Black & Gold Nation!

You are invited to our home / office for a community concert that features the song, "Don't Put Me In A Box" by singer/songwriter Johnsmith on Thursday, Feb 2.

Doors open at 5:30 for the first set, a family concert and mini-presentation slated from 6 to 7 pm. The second set has doors open at 7:15 for adults and music comes from 8 to 9 pm.

Johnsmith did a concert for us last year -- and he is fantastic. The message, "Don't Put Me In a Box" is positive, respectful and aims to avoid the use of LABELS. Johnsmith has a number of great, original tunes -- Kicking the Stone (good to stress the pedestrian aspects) -- Rooks in the Castle (change is in the air).

This concert, mixer, and rally is to gather and chart our course for the special election now slated for March 14, 2006 --- Pi Day. We can win on Pi Day!

Space is limited. Please RSVP to reserve your space to the concert. We're opening our house to friends, family, students and supporters -- our treat. Artist contrubutions are welcomed. Same too with help with the campaign.

We'll be hosting more than 30 in-house TEAs and will release a complete line-up of events. soon. I hope we can mingle and talk about the city and our region very soon. But first, we want to ramp up with this evening (I know its a school night) of music on Feb 2 at our campaign headquarters, 108 South 12th Street, South Side.

You can hear Johnsmith on our campaign CD. The tune, Don't Put Me In a Box, is the third musical selection. You can get your own copy of the CD at any of the public candidate events. Check Elect.Rauterkus.com for the latest schedule.


HOT Press Releases:

Campaign Finance Reform

Penguins, Recreational Facility


Ta.

Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com
http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com http://Platform.For-Pgh.org
Candidate for Pittsburgh City Council, district 3, special election,
March 14, 2006
412 298 3432 = cell


PS:
Today, Jan 20, is the feast of St. Sebastian, patron of the
athlete. As you get your game face on, put a few prayers in the bank. Take a knee, think wide-right, whatever. You know the drill.

The priest mentioned St. Sebastian as he presided over the MLK day funeral of two-time Olympic medalist, 400 IMer (swimmer), Butler native, Eric Namesnik.

Pittsburgh let's choose to think again and vote for Freedom, Future, Fitness and Flow. I want to go to work on Grant Street and make kids a priority. Pittsburgh's destiny is as a place for families to live and thrive, not just survive.

Pittsburgh's Air Quality is still lagging

PennEnvironment Clean air. Clean water. Open spaces. Of the largest metropolitan areas, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania experienced the most days with spikes in fine particle pollution, recording seven exceedances on seven different days. The Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area in California ranked second among the largest metropolitan areas, recording 14 exceedances on six different days.

Gmail gets a new "DELETE" button

Fantastic. There is a new feature at Gmail -- one I've been begging for for months. The DELETE button. About Gmail Now there's an easy-to-find delete button for those messages you really don�t want.
If only we could hit DELETE to a few, if not all, of the other candidates in the race for city council. :)

Speaking of Google, two weeks ago on the Ron Morris show, I called in to talk with Ron and his guest about radio and the future of media. I expressed the fact that there is an industry trend and it would be in no time at all until we saw Google selling radio ads. This Wednesday's front page article on the Wall Street Journal had such an article. Google acquired a radio ad placement company and Google is going to sell ads for radio, just as is done for bloggs and Gmail.

Diven will not face a challenge from Hillen. E. Wagner passes on a run at Fontana.

There has been some speculation about future opposition from past competitors of mine, Diven, R, and Fontana, D.

Eileen Wagner and I talked recently in the lobby of the City-County Building. She said she was not running against Wayne Fontana for PA Senate.

On the phone with Bob Hillen he said he won't run against Michael Diven in the GOP Primary for State House. Hillen said others had been asking him about this and he had never said anything about that type of challenge. Hillen is with a much tighter focus on city dealings and isn't interested in working in Harrisburg at this time.

So, let's put those rumors to rest.

Party Endorsement Process Is "Undemocratic"

No joke.

Citizens group demands open primaries, calls upon political parties to “let the voters decide.”

ANNVILLE, PA [1.19.06] - Continuing their battle to return government to Pennsylvania’s citizens, the grassroots citizens group PACleanSweep has called upon party leaders throughout the Commonwealth to refrain from endorsing candidates prior to the May 16 primary election.

"2006 will see more contested legislative races than any year in recent history," said PACleanSweep Chair Russ Diamond in an open letter to the Republican and Democratic State Committees. "Voters are demanding real choices. Party leaders who interfere in contested primaries do a disservice to their party, its members, and the spirit of a free electoral process."

PACleanSweep maintains that primary elections should be decided by the voters and not by a handful of power brokers.

"Primary elections exist to allow the party's rank and file to choose the nominee," said PACleanSweep Strategic Director Mike Bergmaier. "The party endorsement process is undemocratic as it disenfranchises the vast majority of voters."

Diamond noted that Pennsylvania's current political climate makes the case for open primaries even more compelling. Public outrage over the legislative payjacking cuts across party lines, and voters increasingly feel that political elites are out of touch with the people they represent.

Sunday's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review underscored the need for open primaries when it reported on the inexcusable conduct of a Mercer County GOP state committee member.

According to the report, Cindy Robbins said she was refusing to support gubernatorial hopeful Bill Scranton, "because Scranton publicly dissed the recent pay grab that the Legislature – including her husband [state Sen. Robert Robbins] – voted in favor of."

Robbins' out-of-touch viewpoint runs in stark contrast to public opinion and underscores the reason voters deserve open primaries where candidates face off on a level playing field.

"The people are waking up and demanding more say. They want choices and are understandably skeptical of backroom politics," said Diamond. "If party leaders meddle in primary contests, expect a backlash from the voting public."

"Pennsylvanians spend millions of dollars on primary elections, and we deserve our money’s worth," concluded Diamond.

Read the open letter...

Do you think the local Dems, given that there are nearly ten in the race for city council, could encourage them all to run as Indies and NOT offer an endorsement. That might be more democratic -- with a small "D."

Allegheny County councilman to challenge Diven for state House seat

Mr. Nerone, you need to resign NOW. You need to be off of the county council before the end of the next council meeting. Tell Fitzgerald to get you a plaque or a batch of flowers and leave. If you finish the next meeting, and you are still on the council, I'll be there to protest. And, the P-G is on my side. And, the people of Allegheny County is on this side too -- as we voted as such twice. You'll be kicking off an uphill campaign otherwise.

Allegheny County councilman to challenge Diven for state House seat Under a provision in the county's home rule charter, he will have to step down from his council seat to run for another office. He is consulting legal experts about when he must formally resign.

Running Mates -- let's think about the sale of the Penguins. We could buy it if we wanted.

Okay, just two days after my press release was hand delivered to Craig Patrick of the Penguins, we see a front page headline that the Penguins are for sale. My one friend at school said I had great vision to issue the press release when I did.

Today I mingled with a lot of bankers and investment types and put this on the table for them to consider. I re-sent them the press release with this new footnote.

Footnote and CALL made at the gathering of the Economic Club of Pittsburgh:

Today's P-G headline say Penguins are for sale. If you are interested in meeting with me to play with the concept of a purchase of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins and reform the team's ownership with a sell-off with public shares of stock similar to the ownership of the NFL's Green Bay Packers, call or email me. The penguin character, Tux, is the mascot for the open-source software LINUX. The same should be proposed for our beloved Penguins.

P-G: Penguins put up for sale: "Penguins put up for sale Lemieux says sales process 'just starting'"

Press release from Elect.Rauterkus.com

Campaign Finance Reform agena released by Mark Rauterkus to those who attended the Economic Club of Pgh event

At the Economic Club of Pittsburgh meeting in January, they do an international, national and regional forcast. The speakers are some of the top economist of our time and of the area. At this event, I released a campaign finance reform agenda and news release.

We are at the Economic Club of Pittsburgh event downtown.

part 2 -- still rolling downhill

Too many people (back to district 3 and the hilltop communities) are stuck in their homes because of the public policies of elected politicians who can only know enough to merely spoon feed ice-cream and sheet cake to seniors at community centers. The depth and scope for serious progress for Pittsburgh is found in more advanced concepts.

Making a slew of bills about absentee landlords that the police are not even going to know about, yet alone enforce, is NOT going to fix the struggles of those on the hillside communities. Enforcement isn't going to fix the over-arching problems. If we hired 20 new building inspectors, we'd only fix a few of the pimples of life for ourselves.

People are afraid to invest in their house. That is a great statement. It came from Bruce Krause last night. He can frame and issue but can't do anything else except pull tires from a hillside. So, what are the others going to do about it? They'll offer to hold hands, morning, noon and night, from start of the meeting to the end of the meeting. Then they'll pick up the shovel and dig some more. They'll work hard.

I'm different in that I want to "Lay The Shovel Down." They need to stop digging in the same hold of depression and debt. They are doing the wrong things. They want to do more of the wrong things. They are missing the big points -- the obvious -- the real fixes.

In my talk last night, I mentioned, in passing, "assessment buffering." Someone from State Senator Wayne Fontana's office was in the audience. I ran in the past against him for State Senate and gave him an earful on significant issues such as PROPERTY TAX REFORM.

Let's talk about the deed transfer tax. Let's nuke that! My brochure mentions "taxing land."

Let's talk about public housing and the number of Section 8 units per neighborhood -- but even after we get a handle on how many are in certain areas of the city, we've still not done a darn thing about the fix. You can't tear them all down because the city is broke.

People won't invest in their homes because of public policy and recent actions on Grant Street that reward people for letting the property fall into the realm of blight and punish those who fix up their homes.

People are stuck in their homes and won't consider a fix-up because Gene Ricciardi and Mayor Tom Murphy raised the deed-transfer tax. They've been going the wrong way. And, those acts are "clueless" when it comes to what is really the best behavior.

If people (from hillside to South Side, throughout District 3 and the rest of the region) want a better neighborhood and life for themselves and their kids, they should tell city council, the school board, and county council -- NO MORE TIFs. End of story.

David Matter and the Urban Development Authority -- if you can't build a building without a TIF, then don't build it.

Then, call me, I'll get you a sign for your front window. I'll get you a button for your coat or hat. Then -- elect me.

As the ninth person on city council, I won't be able to put an end to all TIFs. I've been calling for an end to all TIFs for years. However, we'll send a message. And, I won't, like Bill Peduto, play a game of 30-questions with developers and authorities.

Bill Peduto is going to think about how to vote for the TIF after he gets the answers to the 30 questions he put on the table. The TIF already got preliminary approval from the council. Sigh.

We have to take back our city by going after the real solutions. We have to have the perspectives to see what's really going on.

The big deals items are not going to be talked about by the others on the campaign trail. I'm going to talk about what really matters and people understand this.

Now to run to the swim pool.......

Shit rolls downhill and other comments about the big time stumbles from St. Clair's candidate forum

"Shit rolls downhill!" was stated on a couple of instances from a citizen as many other grumbles were expressed as the 24-year old, Green Party Candidate for city council presented at a candidate forum before a packed house in St. Clair. Jason Phillips even said, "Don't nail me to a cross here."

Jason's campaign went poof. Others to lesser degrees got cooked as well. There were a number of show stoppers to dwell upon.

All in all, it was a great night for me and my campaign as I didn't get beat up at all. People were most respectful of the stances I displayed and were opened to further discussion and exploration. Everyone in the audience was given a CD package for later listening and/or playing on their home PCs.

I'm sure Jason was suprised at the negativitity and blunt force dispair that was slung his way. For him it might have been like one of those nightmares you have when you were an adolescent and dreamed you had to take a big test in high school -- but didn't have anything on execpt a bow-tie.

To bad the writters from the tv show, The Art of News, were not there with the film crew.

But really, Jason deserved it. And, the block watch audience was very civil. They were polite. They just lit him up like a christmas tree by tossing a few switches and gave the appropriate "ohhs, and awwes."

This wasn't a total melt down by Jason, but he is now running on four flat ties in a pick-up truck with Ohio license plates. Since it rolls downhill, I'm sure he was able to drift home after last night's bar-b-q.

Blow-by-blow: First, Jason patted himself on the back for being the media star that he is. (gulp) Then he jumped into the hole he dug by taking all the credit for getting the college kids the option of voting in the booth on March 14. That went over poorly. Second, to add insult to injury, Jason framed the issue about community wide understanding of drug sales in the neighborhood. Jason has some first hand experiences as he lived on a near-by street. Upstairs in another apartment, visitors at all times of the day and night would come and go. Everyone knew they were dealing. So, Jason voted with his feet. He moved to the South Side flats apartment, lower rent. Yeah, right. Hence the name of this post.

Jason removed himself from a bad situation. But this situation is home for the people at the meeting and throughout St. Clair. Jason hit the problem square on the head of the nail -- and then punched the listeners in the gut with his solution.

It does (or did) roll downhill. Jason didn't buck up.

Jason is young. He'll live to fight another day. He might be a Jedi in the future.

The air left the room when Pat Sweeney offered a bit of voter number insights from the back of the room. The students at Pitt turned out in good numbers to cast votes for the Presidential election. But only 34 of them voted when Bob O'Connor was up in November. So, Bob O'Connor got something like 1.5 to 2 percent of the sway that John Kerry delivered over at Pitt's Towers. Jason might have some buddies in Oakland, being the media star that he his, so we hear, but given Patt's technical history of trends, we're left to think that the spring break end run might net 30 votes for Jason.

Interestingly, Pat Sweeney, an attorney with the public defender's office chimed in with the voter numbers in response from an audience question -- on behalf of the case being made with Jason. Pat defends the bad guys. Pat gets them back out on the street. Those points were not lost upon the people in the audience -- and Pat got his share of heat from the crowd too.

Mr. Sweeney is a big boy who makes a few good ethical, legal and spin-mister shots. He wins a lot of cases, I'm sure, so getting these bad guys into jail and off the streets is a whole lot harder given the attitudes and short-handedness of the police, the retired institutional knowledge that hit the force recently, and the shake-up of the zone commanders.

The citizens and the other candidates are beating up on the police because of crime and the little crimes -- like getting beat up. People don't feel safe in their homes yet alone on a walk to the neighborhood business district that isn't really there anymore.

Pat didn't win any votes from his realm as a public defender. Not in my opinion. He might have earned a few leads however. One woman said, "Hey, I might need you one day." She must have been thinking about how she would like to score a revenge on an absent land-lord or a rude renter/pusher/blight-builder. So, Pat, it is good to have you stay put in the public defenders office -- as revenge is sweet. And, with you there, getting off the hook is more probable and affordable.

Then comes the clincher of the night, when it comes to police. Bruce Kraus. Bruce, Bruce, Bruce. Yes, there are two in the race.

Bruce, so we are told, fought vo-sif-er-is-ly to keep the Zone 3 Police Station where it was three years ago. Okay. Now that parking is totally a mess (something he had a big hand in creating too) he thinks that the police station should be moved. So he's doing this flip flop on the police station because of equipment and because he remembers it being built way back in the early 60s. Bear with this as it gets better, beyond the twists in logic. The place he'd move the station to is, (drum roll please....) Mt. Oliver. Yep, we'd annex that building and put the Zone 3 police station behind that big parking lot ex supermarket location. So the city is going to acquire a piece of Mt. Oliver for the police station for Zone 3. Of course, there would be a lot of town hall meetings.

All that 'hands on vision is getting us right where we don't want to be' if you ask me.

I was floored. I stood, made a parting comment and departed. I hadn't packed a boogie board for my campaign manager to surf home upon. There was a tidal wave of deep brown stuff about to swish downhill. I was ready to hop upon my ironing board as a surf-board -- but she would have been awash in that crud of empty promises.

On top of all this, Bruce Krause, as a city council member, you can't control the mayor nor the mayor's decision to relocate a police station, yet alone a zone commander. As proof, Alan Hertzberg was on council in a district when the Zone 4 police station closed. Hertzberg didn't want that station to close. They had legal standing to keep it open as well. But, it didn't matter.

Tom Murphy, mayor, the guy who mentioned Ed Jacob name from the podium at the budget address, closed the police station. City council couldn't do squat. Same too for the story unfolding about the re-shuffling of police captains.

Some citizens groups (Lawrenceville United, Citizens in the Strip) love their captain and don't want a new one. They've made strides in recent years and don't want to turn back the clock with a shake-up and new stick-ups -- like 3 and 4 years ago.

Council folks who don't see the big picture are going to keep digging a hole for the city. We need to lay the shovel down. We need a big-picture person on council now -- as our 9th councilman.

Another question was asked to Kraus, a Ricciardi knock off question: "Will you (keep) bring(ing) ice-cream to the seniors?" Kraus said, "If that's what you want." So far, Kraus has been bringing sheet cakes. He had better get on his game. There were plenty of sweets in the room last night. The politicians were not needed to provide them. The people, themselves, did a fine job of providing for their sweet tooth.

Oh, there was more. I've not even talked about my opening. I followed the other guy with the bow tie and lit into his statement in the first breath. He had just spoken. He was WRONG, so WRONG. And, that reply I made cuts to the big issues here.

I live on the South Side. The South Side gets everything. I'm not happy. I have not been happy. Go figure.

I got to get the kids to school now.

The room was filled with skeptical people, angry at the way things have gone. They feel as if they have gotten the short end of the stick. And, they are right. I agree with their skeptical positions. I agree and stand with them in distain for situations of the present and recent past. We are not better than we were.

Where I part company with others in the field of candidates is HOW we deal with real solutions.

Case in point: The "winner take all" attitude and statement is WRONG. Case in point #2: I was the ONLY one to mention the $18-million TIF to PNC for a downtown office development.

Coverage of event in S. Pgh Reporter

: "Candidates for District 3 Council seat introduced on the Slopes
Margaret Smyka 17.JAN.06
What would you do about our enormous home heating bills? What about the tax-emempt status of non-profits? And what, exactly, has council the power to do?
Those were some of the questions residents asked the nine candidates seeking the unexpired city council seat for District 3 at last week�s �Candidates Night� at the South Sides Slopes Neighborhood Association meeting."

Enhancing Downtown - PittsburghLIVE.com

I know CPR. I think we should be teaching CPR all around the city every week. We need to make our city healthy.

What is really happening here?

Enhancing Downtown - PittsburghLIVE.com In addition to training in services such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation, conflict resolution and problem-solving, the ambassadors will have knowledge in human services so they can address homeless issues.

Perhaps this is a case where the rich are getting richer and the poor getting poorer. However, there needs to be energy put into downtown. But, street lifeguards are much like the sillyness that the Pgh Downtown Partnership did when it hired college kids to sweep streets while telling jokes and singing.

Perhaps seven of the eight on duty could be hired to do chalk art on the sidewalks while the eighth person does clean-up with mop and water. Then we'll harken back to the days of Mary Poppins. "Good luck will rub off when he shakes hands with you." Then comes the jump right into the chalk art of the merry-go-round.

Imagine the thrill of jumping onto a bit of chalk art on the sidewalk of a downtown corner and being teleported to Oakland -- and find yourself on a horse in the new merry-go-round next to Dippy the Dino between the Carnegie Library of Oakland and the Hillman Library.

Will these street lifeguards carry whistles and twirl them on their fingers? Can they be outfitted with white jungle pith hats too? Perhaps we'll get them painted black and gold.

PA Clean Sweeper -- and 80 others gather in Penn Hills

PA Clean Sweep founder, Russ Dianmond, presented at the Penn Hills Senior Center last night to about 80 people from all around western PA. People attended from as far as Beaver.

I got to talk to a gentleman from Mt. Washington and Bridgeville. Also in the gathering was Gary English of VoicePAC.org. He was one of the first to fight against the legislatvie pay raises, but not in July 2005. Rather, he began his fight against the greed in the past decade and with other pay raises prior to this one.

Four others were there who are now going to run for state house as well. And, a few others who had been candidates in past elections were present.

The PA Clean Sweep offices got six new applications from potential candidates in the past day. More and more are gearing up for their run to toss out all the members of the PA house and half of the members of the PA senate. More are needed however.

I've been talking to three potential candidates who are strongly considering a run for PA House as well. One would run against Walko, but is a Republican. Another is a Dem that lives in B.P. So, most of the people I'm talking with would be challengers for the November election.

PA Clean Sweep wants to get ONE candidate to run against each member of the Harrisburg crowd in the PRIMARY.

Mark Rauterkus (left) and Craig Patrick (right) after the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce meeting on January 17, 2006.

(Click image for a larger view. Scroll down for the press release delivered to the Penguins and those in attendance.)

Allegheny County Libertarians meet on Wednesday

The monthly chapter meeting for the Libertarian Party of Allegheny County will be at 7 pm on Wednesday, January 18, at Ritter's Diner on Baum Blvd. All are welcome to attend.

FAQ&Q

Question:

Do the minutes of a past meeting (was it NOVEMBER 2005) reflect the POSITIVE endorsement for me for this position in the special election for city council district 3?

Answer:

Yes, the minutes of the November meeting state that Mark was nominated as our candidate for city council district 3 by unanimous vote of the members present at the meeting. Thus, Mark is our candidate in accordance with paragraph "A" of the Bylaws section posted by Harold.

We hope to pass the paperwork to the Election Department in a matter of days.

Statement about MLK Day and Super Heros

I went to Grant Street today to speak about Martin Luther King day and Super Heros. I think I'll send this out as an email. The re-run is tonight at 7 pm and on Friday too, if you have city cable.

KQV poll on the date of the special election

January 13, 2006

Do you agree with the decision to reschedule the special council election after Spring Break?

Internet Results

Yes: 158....64%
No: 89....36%
Total: 247...100%

Phone Results
Yes: 41....32%
No: 87....68%
Total: 128...100%

Raises repaid to leaders' accounts - PittsburghLIVE.com

The meeting slated for 7:30 Tuesday at the Penn Hills Senior Center near Rodi and Jefferson Road is sure to have plenty to say about this latest move. I'll be there. So to will Russ Diamond of PACleanSweep.org.

Raises repaid to leaders' accounts - PittsburghLIVE.com: "
Stephen Miskin, spokesman for House Republicans, confirmed that repayments of so-called 'unvouchered expenses' go back into leadership accounts. An audit in April showed those accounts -- controlled by top leaders in the House and Senate -- contained about $135 million as of June 30, 2004.

Recap of the O'Connor team, building upon the P-G article

The O'Connor team is getting a lot of 'miles' (pun intended) about its media members.

New mayor assembles varied team to run the city
It's a role she's suited to, said her former boss, WQED President George Miles. Together they turned a 'dysfunctional' public television station into a winner, he said, by opting 'to focus ourselves back on Pittsburgh.'

QED sold QEX. QED does cooking. QED does do-whop. QED does debt even better than the city. QED does history as in what's not here any more and has its eyes trained onto the past and into the rear-view mirror.

The QED magazine, Pittsburgh, isn't mission critical. Its web portal is a yawn. The QED candidate debates, consumer affairs and public interest from that public statation are thin.

In terms of potential, QED's boss is standing on thin ice when he says they turned a dysfunctional station into a winner.

"Zero-based development" (stripping it back to its core mission and building from there) does NOT include more "green space downtown." Rather it means we take care of the parks we already have and let the cobblestones in Market Square stay as they are.

The other one to rest upon his laurels is PEN-DOT's past spokesperson. Yep, there was a time not long ago when the Ft. Pitt Bridge was being re-built (1-way) and the entire South Side could not get to the South Hills (West Liberty Ave) without first driving to downtown and getting onto the Blvd. of the Allies.

So, because one bridge was OUT one way, I had to cross TWO additional bridges rather than NONE. That was his to 'sell.'

With this rant, I sound like QED, looking into the rear-view mirror, just to kick up some recycled electronic dust.

Frankly, I'm glad to see some media types on Grant Street's team. I'm a media type and I'd like to go there to work as well. But jeepers, let's not give Ms. Leber credit for publishing THE BIBLE nor heap upon the credit to Skrinjar for being Moses' press agent during his term when he parted the Red Sea.

Then we have the "new idea person" -- one who did the flip-flop on the stadiums, perhaps. The guy spoke out for the increased taxes and for the building of the stadiums. Then he went to work for Ferlo, on the other side. So, perhaps he didn't flip nor flop, but he was certain to be in LEFT FIELD and far beyond the shaddow of #8.

I've talked about the "New Idea Factory" at the Platform.For-Pgh.org. We don't need new ideas as much as we need to distill old ideas. We need to think again. We don't need to churn and burn. But, this description is just what I am looking for, a person who can "think again." Perhaps he did it with the stadiums, after Ferlo got to him.

BERNIE Lynch! YES!

I saw Bernie Lynch on Bob O'Connor's first day on the job at city hall. She was very sorry she did not call me back. I had called her and left a message weeks prior to ask her if she would be my media coordinator for my campaign. I wanted Bernie to be a part of my campaign and O'Connor hired her with a real job. At the time she said something was cooking, and she didn't mean the polish sausague in the sidewalk of the city-county building tailgate.

I worked with Bernie as she helped to battle Mayor Murphy and his wrongheaded downtown redevelopment plans. We crossed paths again and again including with efforts at Mt. Washington, with the Duquesne Heights Community Center, with my campaign for State Senate and even with a debate on TV by the non-QED station.

I am an idealist. I think Bernie is that as well. I'm not sure I'd call her an alturist, but I'll go look it up and ask her next time we talk.

Finally, in the article, comes new Solicitor Susan Malie. I fear to write anything about her as she's a lawyer and I don't want to get sued. She's on the city's side in terms of "defending" police brutality -- yeah, I shouldn't have typed anything -- but on the winning side for all involved when it is reported that she is to vet city policies to prevent lawsuits. The city's margin of litigation is too low. It would be wonderful if the city had a great lawyer and never used her.

When I go to city council, I'll do my best to make sure she had the most boring job in the world. She'd be so bored, that perhaps we'll give her a second job. Perhaps she'd like to be the city's designated downtown shopper. She could be the one walking around the lone downtown department store in business hours.

Then if anyone on Grant Street wants to sue someone -- we'd have to weigh the consequences of lossing our shopper. We wouldn't want to do that.

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - News - 01/12/2006 - Three small political parties challenging signature threshold

Democracy matters.

Beaver County Times Allegheny Times - News - 01/12/2006 - Three small political parties challenging signature threshold HARRISBURG - Third-party political candidates are complaining that Pennsylvania law is making it nearly impossible for them to get their names on ballots.

It was the Sports Illustrated JINX hitting The Bus

OMG....

Take a knee.

Make a prayer.

Lots to say about green space in downtown

New Mayor O'Connor made some statements that ran in the P-G about green space downtown. I have plenty to pine about on this topic. But I'll save it for another day.

Downtown needs more green, mayor says Downtown needs more green, mayor says
He wants to tear up Market Square, close it off to vehicle traffic

Saturday, January 14, 2006, By Ed Blazina, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

If Downtown Pittsburgh is going to have several thousand new residents, it needs more of the amenities that make residential living pleasant, Mayor Bob O'Connor said yesterday.

Headed to Butler to morn and figure out how to better the situations

Today, we were at a swim meet at Blackhawk. Good meet. Nice swimmers from both squads. We won.

But, a group of swimmers was gathering to remember Eric Namesnik in Michigan.

In Western PA, friends will be received at the Martin Funeral Home, 429 Center Ave., Butler, Monday morning from 9:00 am to 10:30 am. A funeral mass is slated for 11:00 am on Monday (MLK Day) at Saint Paul's Catholic Church, 128 North McKean St., Butler. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, 1004 North Main Street, Butler.

Memorial donations may be made to:

Snik's Kids
The Eric Namesnik Memorial Fund
United Bank and Trust
2723 South State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104

---

I want to see if there is something more to do. The spring Dapper Dan or the scholar athlete YMCA banquet should be engaged. Coach Mike said, "Knock yourself out Mark." So, I've got a green light in that more could and should be done.

Where is the MLK event hosted by Pgh Public Schools

The MLK Day special event that I've attended a number of times in the past -- mostly at Westinghouse High School -- isn't on the agenda this year. Why is there no big event for MLK Day within PPS? Are the folks who were pivotal just gone? (i.e. Westinghouse has a new principal and PPS has a new superintendent). Or, was the event nixed so as to not allow for citizens to gather and compare notes about the "right-sizing" plan. ??

Hummm.....

Job posting at Bloomfield Garfield Corp

An interesting job posting is in the comments.

Eric and Tom --- swimmers ---

An article that is worthy of a read by everyone who loves sports and the race.

Mayor hesitant to pass on health costs - PittsburghLIVE.com

Six of one, half-dozen for the other?

Mayor hesitant to pass on health costs - PittsburghLIVE.com: "His attitude mirrors that of former Mayor Tom Murphy, whose $418 million 2006 budget proposal was shot down twice by the state-appointed board because he refused to saddle those workers with a $130,000 increase in health care costs this year."

When Murphy and O'Connor were and are at the helm -- the same outcomes persist. The men are different. But, in this instance, the policies are the same.

Let's see if this is a trend, or not.

Those on Grant Street need to "Think Again." The oversight board said so. A re-do is needed to please them. Some other solution has to come forth from Grant Street budget brokers.

So, the question boils down to creativity. Is Bob going to have a clever solution that protects the low-paid, hard-working employees from taking that punch in the health-care co-pay? Or, does Bob linger in the same rut, already cut by others, but without enough energy to fix a different course?

We need new perspectives to fix these ills. I can bring those long-range visions to council and to Grant Street. This is a fitness, wellness, health-care issue. This is a time for MORE creativity and prudence in the pocket-book. Think again, and we'll be watching.

Blogger: Post a Comment

The county is not ready to buy these voting machines. This deadline should be ignored. I'd not like to take the matter to court. Rather, just blow off the pork from the Feds.

Blogger: Post a Comment But under some interpretations, counties that don't do so by the May primary could forfeit the federal money.

There should be an on-going effort to look at many of the problems with electronic voting and our existing machines.

Once again, those in charge have funbled their duties. How many weeks or days or even minutes in the past year has our county executive worked on this problem? What about county council? Some, I'm sure. But we are not ready to plunk down the cash for the new machines, untested, unsupervised and under prepared.

Front page Pitt News Coverage: Advocate for inclusion of college students in city elections

We won! Election date was changed away from spring break.

Partial Schenley High renewal costs less

We should SAVE Schenley at its present location.

Partial Schenley High renewal costs less An architectural firm's preliminary report yesterday suggested that the asbestos-plagued Schenley High School building could be kept open for less work and expense than originally thought, giving new hope to school supporters.

Disclaimer: my sons are slated to attend Schenley in the future.

Second Pitt News - Spring break elections alienate student voters

Today is a two-for with The Pitt News. Great!

The Pitt News - Spring break elections alienate student voters Spring break elections alienate student voters

By JESSICA LEAR, Editor in Chief

Well, Pittsburgh, you just never learn, do you?

Here’s a hint: If you want young people to stay in the city, you need to make them feel like they matter, at least a little bit.

In true hometown fashion, City Council has decided to hold the special election to fill the District 3 seat on March 7. District 3 includes central and south Oakland.

Yep, March 7, right in the middle of Pitt’s spring break. That means most students won’t be around to vote for their representative.

I know, I know, most students don’t vote, anyway. And Pitt students have a tendency to leave the city right after graduation.

Something tells me, though, that the way to get them to vote and to hang around after college — which this aging city desperately needs — isn’t excluding them from the election.

Council President Luke Ravenstahl was out of town on business yesterday, and therefore unable to comment. So I don’t know yet why the Council tentatively chose March 7 for the election. There’s a press conference this morning to address the issue and announce a final date.

I’d really like to believe it isn’t some underhanded attempt to disenfranchise students. So, why not change the date?

There has been some pressure to make the election fair. Libertarian candidate Mark Rauterkus has been pushing Ravenstahl to move the election to Feb. 28.

He and others, including Councilman William Peduto of District 8, plan to attend a rally today in front of Hillman Library at 12:30 p.m.

Peduto ran a failed campaign last year against Bob O’Connor for the Democratic nomination in the mayoral election. The refreshing thing about his campaign was his attention to — and almost desperate plea for — the young vote.

What strikes me as odd about the District 3 special election is that Ravenstahl is a young man himself; he’s 25 and finished his undergrad degree at Washington and Jefferson just three years ago.

So maybe there is hope for Pittsburgh. Maybe the decision to hold the election while students will be away really was just an oversight.

In any case, the city’s leaders won’t know we care — we do, don’t we? — unless we tell them. So if you’re not registered to vote, register. If you are registered, vote.

And if you’re pissed off about possibly being excluded from this election, say something. Then, if that still doesn’t get them to change the election date, vote anyway. Don’t forget about absentee ballots.

One of Ravenstahl’s assistants told me yesterday that he expects a lot of phone calls about this, which seems to indicate he’s aware that holding the election during spring break is a bad idea. So let’s not let him down.

The City Council’s Web site is www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/council, and Ravenstahl’s phone number is (412) 255-2135.

E-mail Jess Lear at editor@pittnews.com.

Of big interest was the fact that Luke was "out of town" as some of this shook down. Luke went with the others, I think, to Columbus, Ohio, to check out a HOCKEY ARENA. Columbus, home of OSU.

Luke, Pitt needs a hockey arena too. Let's re-open the closed indoor ice rink on the South Side -- once Pitt's home ice. And, we can put Pitt's women's hockey team into the CIVIC Arena. Mario can build his own new arena, but we want to keep and re-open the other places too so we have a NET GAIN.

The Pitt News - Special election could be held during spring break

Good ink come from The Pitt News about this date with the special election.

The Pitt News - Special election could be held during spring break: "The city Clerk’s Office confirmed yesterday that a special election is currently planned for March 7, when many students will be on vacation.

The special election was called after District 3 representative Gene Ricciardi left his position to become a district judge. District 3 includes parts of Oakland and most of the South Side.

Pitt’s spring break is scheduled for March 5 to March 12.

Luke Ravenstahl, city council president, could not be reached for comment since he was out of town.

But according to a press release from Ravenstahl’s office, he will hold a press conference today at 10 a.m. to announce the final date for the special election.

Mark Rauterkus, a libertarian seeking the now empty seat, wrote in his blog that the city does not pay attention to the needs of students, including health care needs, and that is why many of them leave the city after graduating.

“Too many students have graduated and departed. They vote with their feet later in life because they are not welcomed and because government is not doing a good job at the basics,” Rauterkus wrote.

Rauterkus wants the city to hold the special election on Feb. 28.

Anyone want to help in putting in an application for this open-source event for the future?

It might be fun to get with some other techies and put in an application for this special event.

I've been giving out CDs on the campaign trails and with our family Christmas letter too -- and they all have the OpenOffice.org installer as well. So, when and if you get the CD, it has extra value. But, you all, blog readers, I'm sure are able to download and install your own copy of OpenOffice.org from the site, without the need of the CD.

Dear OpenOffice.org community members,

The first three OpenOffice.org conferences in Hamburg, Berlin
and Koper/Capodistria were a huge success. The highlight so
far was this year's conference which, for the first time, was
organized by a team of volunteer community members. Now we are
wondering if this outstanding event can actually be bettered.
Therefore, we are searching for the perfect location for the
OpenOffice.org Conference in 2006.

We are collecting applications from teams who are willing to
organize OOoCon 2006, just like we did last year. To give you
an idea about what we are looking for, you can take a look at
last year's proposals:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference/ooocon2005/proposal.html

Interested teams should send their applications to the mailing
list conference@marketing.openoffice.org in the following format:

Key Question
============
In 200 words or less, answer this question:

* Why is your location and the date you propose the best for
the OOoCon 2006?

Your application MUST INCLUDE:
==============================

* Location (country, city, conference center/university)
* Proposed Date(s)
* Team Lead (main contact person)
* Team Members (all members should be willing and able to
commit at least 3 hours per day to planning the conference
during the last two weeks before OOoCon 2006)
* Local events that are taking place in parallel (or right
before/after)
* Special visa or entry requirements, e.g. vaccinations

Your application COULD INCLUDE:
===============================

* Large local OpenOffice.org deployments (for user keynotes
and success stories)
* Names of local OpenOffice.org developers (for developer
sessions)
* Names of local OpenOffice.org vendors/partners
(potential sponsors)
* Travel costs (e.g. flight costs from the following cities:
London, Paris, Rome, Beijing, Sydney, New York, Hamburg,
Dublin, San Francisco, Cape Town, Tokyo)
* Accomodation costs (youth hostel, hotel)

According to the OOoCon 2004 attendee survey and some feedback
about last year's conference, proposed locations should meet
the following requirements as much as possible:

* attract the largest number of community contributers
* be near enough to allow a large number of Sun's
OpenOffice.org developers, who are in Hamburg, to attend
* low accomodation costs
* cheap flight and train tickets
* the conference venue is for free
* alignment with large IT event (e.g. CeBIT, Systems, Comdex)
* strong local OpenOffice.org community
* strong sponsor support
* offer a central meeting point where people will easily
run into other people between sessions
* short walking distances between session locations
* provide simple ways to get to the conference location

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 2006. Shortly
after that date we will publish the applications on the
following page and call for votes:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference/

Information about the last three OpenOffice.org Conferences
can be found at:

http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2005/
http://marketing.openoffice.org/ooocon2004/
http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference/OOoCon2003.html

Thank you and best regards,
The OpenOffice.org Conference Team

Eastern Michigan University Athletics - Swimming Assistant Eric Namesnik Passes Away Following Car Accident

Eastern Michigan University Athletics - Swimming Assistant Eric Namesnik Passes Away Following Car Accident Swimming Assistant Eric Namesnik Passes Away Following Car Accident
Information regarding funeral arrangements will be forthcoming

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Eastern Michigan University volunteer assistant swimming coach and two-time Olympic silver medalist Eric Namesnik passed away this morning (Wednesday, Jan. 11) following a traffic accident"

So sad. This guy was an inspiration.

Tonight's date with the Bishop

Tonight: concert by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in celebration of the centenary anniversary of Saint Paul Cathedral. It will feature Haydn’s “The Creation” with Maestro Gilbert Levine, Conductor. We are invited guests of The Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl. We assume this invite came because of our service to the community and the DePaul board.

A mind that is expanded, never returns to its original size

Last night at our second debate (forum) of the day, the question was put to the nine candidate from a citizen voter. She asked about the powers of a city council person. What can be done?

The others told about how Pittsburgh has a strong mayor form of government. Council writes the laws. Council can be an "advocate." They got the basics other than the missing of any mention of the constitution.

They also had the typical mentality that to serve as a good council member you need to be able to count to five. There are nine on the council, so five votes wins the day. A council member gets his or her own vote and would need four others to join to make a majority. So, to get something done, they say, you need to be with the majority.

My answer was different.

Members of council get to be at the table. Council's members get to raise issues, concerns, and put forth various perspectives. My problem with council and our city has been the fact that we'll never get excellent solutions if the best ideas are never put onto the table. The votes are often called so there is only a choice among two bad outcomes. Pittsburgh is in a rut where it seems that they always choose the idea that is just better than the worst.

To thrive again, we'll need to inject elegant solutions. The question of building a five story parking garage for PNC Firstside -- or else a four story parking garage and a T-stop too -- needs to be joined with another option. How about if we don't build one at all. How about if we take care of parking concerns within residential neighborhoods by expanding the side-lot program. Give more people a chance to buy vacant land beyond just the next-door neighbor who can choose to pass on the property.

The point of the discussion is to welcome different perspectives to the table. The old-party democrats have eight seats there already. There might be plenty of 8-1 votes in terms of their efforts to over-spend, again and again. But, we need another voice.

Furthermore, I feel strongly that the minds of council can be adjusted after new, fresh, smarter solutions are there at the table, day-in and day-out.

One's mind isn't like a latex swim cap that can be stretched four feet wide, without ripping, and then snap back to its original size.

We need a wedge on city council so that the thinking can change. We need to "THINK AGAIN." Love the song. Embrace its message.

Furthermore, each member of Pittsburgh's city council is a chair of a certain committee. I want to be the chair of the Citiparks and Youth Policy Committee. There, I will make serious strides and have plenty of victories. I'll be able to be a leader in terms of recreation, like none other on the ballot, like none other in the district, and perhaps, like none other in the city and state.

We need a coach on council to drive the agenda of fitness, fun, family activities, inter-generational experiences, and beyond.

I want to be on council to establish a YOUTH Technology Summit -- and serve the kids, volunteers, staffers, parents, seniors, and all in the neighborhoods with the chairmanship of the committee on YOUTH and Citiparks. I'll promise victories. I'll re-start the Pittsburgh Marathon, and it will be better for the city and different as well. We won't tie-up the entire city with a route that is at odds with church-goers.

And, for the cerebral folks --- I won't rest until I put forth the best possible solutions to our ills -- by going to the roots of problems, not batting at their leaves. In these efforts, I might get out voted. But, we'll have hope for an open and honest discussion that is beholden to civility and performance.

I see little value in getting a ninth member on city council who is just a get-a-long guy that works with a wink and a smile -- or just aims to red up Pittsburgh. I see little value in getting a ninth member of city council who wants to work from 8 am to 5 pm and attend every meeting from start to finish. There is no value in counting paper clips, pushing paper or waiting for the phone to ring. There is no value to a hard-working councilmember who is banking on MURPHY-economics to come and give fruit. The high-priced (so he says) firefighters already put in the long work hours. We don't need a firefighter council member to rush salt into a salt box within two hours notice, and take care of us on the spot.

We need a council that works SMARTER, not harder, not longer -- SMARTER.

The biggest problem around is the hard-working foolishness that dug us this hole that Pittsburgh finds itself within.

We got a great convention center.They worked hard on that building. A guy died as it was being constructed. It is a green LED certified building. Lots of light, blah, blah, blah. But it costs $5-million to $6-million each year to just maintain it. Those are operational expenses. The capital costs are more. The debt is huge. And, the building will NEVER be used to its capaicity. Never. We don't have the hotel space to hold a convetion of the scope and size to match the convention center.

Mayor Murphy worked HARD to get those two stadiums built. But, it was wrongheaded.

We don't need HARDER workers on city hall. We need smarter, different, purdent members of council who think about the long-term and understand technology, liberty, freedom and family life.

Murphy was a genius at crafting TIFs (Tax Incremental Finance) and corporate welfare deals. He was really good at spending taxpayer money. The tricks of the water and sewer line sell off are that of ledgend. But, it wasn't for the little guys benefit. Those moves were not for the long-term health of the region.

We need pick a ninth councilmember to be fit, sharp, bold and quick to think again. We need to have a person with a tough love approach as a coach can deliver -- or as a parent can foster.

I hope I've explained myself as to what council can do and why I need to be there to do it -- given today's challenges.

That Christmas TREE

Remember, a tree that is still standing in your home makes a real good fire trap. Get the tree out of the house already.

The Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC), in partnership with the Union Project, Construction Junction, and the City of Pittsburgh, will be recycling Christmas trees on SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event takes place at Construction Junction, 214 N. Lexington Street in the Point Breeze section of Pittsburgh. A $1 donation is requested for each tree being recycled. Call Ginette at PRC at (412) 488-7490 or visit www.prc.org for more information.

Jason Altmire for Congress - About Jason Altmire

I attended Jason's kick-off to his campaign for Congress. It was a good event hosted by the Steamfitters. Nice to have the event in Pittsburgh, and out of Jason's actual congressional district. Interesting that folks come to our part of town to make big news.

Jason has experiences working at UPMC. He is going to be on top of the health care crisis that is getting worse and worse in America. That is a good start. I am interested in hearing about how he is going to attack the problems and build solutions there.

Jason Altmire for Congress - About Jason Altmire: "Age: 37"

While I was at the event I got to talk to a few people about various issues. DeFazio was there and I asked him to put in a word about the date of the special election and Pitt's spring break.

Jack Wagner's people were there too. I got the insights on his stance about the casino to pay for the hockey arena. His is a big corporate welfare deal through and through.

Under 12 -- Girls Fast Pitch Softball - interested?

BIG League has been approached about the possibility of organizing and administering to a new U-12 Fast Pitch League.

Is there interest in doing this? Let them know.

We will send out a flyer soon to gauge interest, but we are interested in what you think. Give Big League office a call at 412-488-4885.

Dance is a great activity for both girls and boys. However, the girls need to get into some competitive sports settings too. Sports is NOT just for the boys. One reason I love swimming is because it works for boys and girls -- together even. I am a big fan of women's sports and participation in sports by kids (boys and girls) of all ages (even into their 90s).

Council election set

A press release is about to be delivered.

The wrong date was picked. The election should be February 28. Do it early. Get it over.

Council election set: "A special election to replace former city Councilman Gene Ricciardi will be held March 7, council President Luke Ravenstahl said yesterday.

That date drew fire from Councilman William Peduto, because it falls during the University of Pittsburgh's spring break, and many of the affected district's registered voters are Pitt students. He said thousands of young people 'would be denied the opportunity to vote on the 7th' and urged that it be held March 14.

I aspire to get the college vote. Same too with getting the vote from the city residents as well. But, we need people to vote. The college students are a big part of everyone's lives.

Crowd noise --- lots to say

Lot's of talk around these parts about the noise in the dome -- of Indie when the men take the field against the Colt.

There is another type of noise the began in earnest today -- a campaign for city council. There are NINE participants in the race at this point.

Two forums were held today. I've got a lot to say about what was said. More to come.

And, I've been to the Columbus, Ohio arena. While you're there, check out the soccer stadium too. And, might as well go to the new OSU natatorium as well. Ohio State has already broke ground on a new swim pool. It will be one of the best in the world.

There was a tour some years ago to Indy, IN. The deligation from Pittsburgh went to tour their downtown shopping district. I've been to Indy too. That town's handle used to be the AMATURE Sports Capital of the World. The Pan Am Games, Sports Fesivals and many national championships and Olympic Trials events are in Circle City -- plus the Indy 500 of course.

The folks in Pittsburgh didn't see what they really needed to inspect. I asked questions. I read the reports.

Indy did a lot with its sports landscape -- to the benefits of its citizens as well as tourists.

Voter Protection -- Rally in Oakland on Thursday at 3 pm

A long-time, but young, political friend put out this email to me and the others running for city council. He is right on the mark. And, I thank him and the others for their efforts in this quest.

As as candidate you are well aware of the special election coming up in March to fill the District 3 City Council seat. The Univ. of Pittsburgh is in this district and college students make up over 20% of the population of the council district.

Today, (TUESDAY, Jan 10) Council President Ravenstahl began the process of setting a date for the special election and was fine with having it on March 14th. For some reason, there has been talk that the election may be moved up to March 7th, in the middle of spring break. This would disenfranchise thousands of Pitt Students!

On Thursday 1/12/06 @ 3 pm, Place: TBA City Councilman Bill Peduto, the League of Young Voters, The Stonewall Dems, The College Dems and other concerned groups will be holding a press conference and rally to compel the board of elections to hold the election on March 14 so UPitt students will be able to participate in choosing their next council rep.

I am reaching out to you to invite the candidates to the rally, it is important that the candidates for this office show they support student voting rights. (*No candidate speeches.)

I hope you will be able to attend this rally or for more information email pittsburgh@indyvoter.org or call 412/728/2197

More information about this will be made available on Wednesday 1/11/06, STAY TUNED!!!

K

I talked with K.M. on Grant Street asking him to help to organize some meetings in Oakland to talk about the issues. As of now, none have been scheduled.

Pittsburghers for Impeachment -- pointer to Ferlo's efforts

Oh my. Senator Jim Ferlo is entered a game of Red-State vs. Blue-State. Albert sent me an email about the site and efforts. It is done well in terms of calling upon the ghosts of Ben Franklin and Liberty.

Pittsburghers for Impeachment: "FIRST LYING...NOW SPYING!

Our nation and Iraq have been subjected to an unnecessary and illegal war based on lies, deception and cover-ups. The toll taken on life, limb, and precious resources is shocking and shameful. The Bush Administration in Washington has shattered the reputation of the United States of America in its arrogant pursuit of power and domination.

Check it out. Let me know what you think. There is a bit of an urgency to sign the petition so as to get your name into the advertisement that is slated to run in City Paper.

Special Election for a State Rep seat

Folks,

Apparently, State Rep Alan Butkovitz has resigned after something like 15
years as a state legislator. As a result, there is a special election being
held on March 14, 2006 for State Rep district 174 which I believe is in
Philadelphia. I have the paperwork that must be filed by January 23, 2006.

Please let me know if you or someone you know living within that district
would be interested in running for this office.

David Jahn, Chair, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
610-461-7755

Going to speak to the Board of Pittsburgh Public School

Tonight I'll be speaking to the board of Pittsburgh Public Schools, again.

I'll hit upon Schenley High School's move out of Oakland as well as the looming changes to the Gifted Education program.