PodCamp Pittsburgh -- humm.....

We purchased MP3 players for Erik and Grant when in China, two years ago.

Pod Camp wasn't really just about iPods and MP3 players. The pod experience is a much bigger world.

I have an iPod, now. But a couple of years ago, when we were in China. We purchased MP3 players for Erik and Grant. We got them there, then, because China is way ahead of where we are in the US in terms of use of these tech tools.

I was 'blown away' by Chengdu's computer row. It was an amazing place where there were shops after shops of high tech gadgets. We must have walked past a thousand places where one can but a MP3 player. Apple's iPods were there too, but not nearly as popular.

Erik and Grant came along with me to Pittsburgh's Pod Camp yesterday. We all had a good time. PodCamp was great. You can go and have a lot to experience even if you don't own a MP3 player or an iPod.

In the photo above, the MP3s are being sold for 339 RMB. That's about $40. We could bargain for lower prices and we got two MP3s, including rechargable batteries. And, the young women who are working the sales counter didn't speak English. But, that was okay. We worked everything out just fine. And, one of the players didn't work properly, so we took it back for an exchage the next day. A challenge, but do-able with our blond hair and good attitudes.

Even the smallest news stands have dozens and dozens of newspapers. Some papers might only be 8 or 16 pages. But, in Pittsburgh, if there is a news stand, it might only sell one paper. How could you get a news stand to sell a dozen different newspapers?

Newspapers and the web and some very bad advice

San Francisco Chronicle has an article that breaks the scoop on scoop seekers: Papers should withhold content from the web for 24 hours

Lawyer and journalist Peter Scheer says newspapers and wire services should agree to embargo their news content from the Internet for a brief period -- maybe, 24 hours -- after it's made available to paying customers. "A temporary embargo, by depriving the Internet of free, trustworthy news in real-time, would, I believe, quickly establish the true value of that information," he says. "Imagine the major web portals -- Yahoo, Google, AOL and MSN -- with nothing to offer in the category of news except out of date articles from 'mainstream' media and blogosphere musings on yesterday's news.

Well, the core suggestion is what it is. But the fact of the matter is that the news blackout for journalist online would make the mainstream media sites three days late in many instances.

Yesterday I talked about the rub with the BOE meeting. Today I can update what went on. I was there. It is fresh -- as in hours. "What the heck does the Election Department have to hide?"

That rub might make it into the newspaper on Tuesday. It was part of a KQV and DUQ report, as well as one TV station today.

Then the story might get onto the web site of a newspaper on WEDNESDAY, that that adice is followed.

That is a story that was breaking on this site last night, Sunday night. His wisdom say the story would sit and then appear online elsewhere two-and-a-half days later. That's silly. That's bad business advice.

The news outlets should do more to address their content's value beyond the days of it running on the web and in the paper. I have serious suggestions as to how that can occur. If anyone, either in the industry or not, wants to call me and set up an appointment, I'll be happy to explain what could be done.

Along the same lines, Pittsburgh City Paper, does just want this guy suggest. The City Paper hits the news boxes around town on WEDNESDAY's. The City Paper's web site gets updated on Thursdays -- if there wasn't too many all-nighters in the early part of the week.

Did Chris Potter give an interview for that article? He can go out on a consulting tour offering insights in how to delay the release of online news. They've been doing it for years. In terms of letters to the editor, the delay is much longer.

BTW, Albert wrote a great LTE last week that I couldn't find on the City Paper site at all. I'll need to look for it again.
Newspapers are posted in public spaces and in parks in Chengdu, China. The reading is free. The cost of a green leaf hat -- priceless.
Another stand for the press. What type of advertising money could be made from these displays?

We won't see how they recovered from the shooting. Go Dukes

The Duquesne University men's basketball squad tips off its season tonight. Fall 2006 was a brutal time for the team and the university given the fact that five of the boys got shot while on campus a couple of months ago.

Tonight's game is not, I expect, a time nor place to judge how they are all doing. A KDKA Radio newscaster said, "We'll see how they have recovered from the shooting tonight."

I'm a bit skeptical to expect that display to be part of the proceedings.

The game and the opening of the competitive season presents a giant milestone, no doubt. Hope they have fun. Hope they win their share. Hope the program 'rebounds' and becomes a source of inspiration for us all.

Go Dukes.

And, how is the women's squad?
Walkons.

Board of Elections Meeting on Monday morning, 10 am

As the vice-chair of the Allegheny County Libertarian Party, I'm going to go to the Allegheny County Board of Elections meeting slated for Monday at 10 am.

An invalidation of our letter seeking a represenatative for the vote tabulation happened. What's up with that?

To the Various Dignitaries of Various Political Parties

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Allegheny County Board of Elections meets Monday, November 13th, at 10:00 a.m. We members of VoteAllegheny will be presenting various reports (mostly in draft form pending incorporation of further information) to the BoE at that time. (We do not know whether we will be granted time for comment on the agenda.)

It seems to us that as a practical matter it would be efficacious for each political party to have some representation at this meeting, and at the subsequent Board of Elections meeting scheduled for November 27th at 10:00 a.m.

As there may be issues contained in our reports which may concern the various parties, we shall deliver copies to each of you by email. If someone other than or in addition to you should receive a copy, please let me know.

Thank you.

Audrey N. Glickman, Secretary/Treasurer, VoteAllegheny

The Board of Elections meets in conference room A of the County Court House which is on the 1st floor (up one level from ground) next to the county manager's office.

Dave's questions: What should be the game plan then? Anybody have specific questions/issues? Any chance anybody (Rich King?) can get me references to the relevant law(s)? I'd like to have them in my hand. Any specific legal priciples/issues/vocabulary I should be familiar with?


Allow transparency and access into the election process. Transparency has radidly disappeared with the arrival of electronic voting. The administration has denied access, avoided, deferred and delayed communication, erected barriers, misrepresented and played dumb to avoid transparency and access in the process of choosing our system of elections and in the accountable running of our elections.

Department of State Directive (PDF)

What constitutes a "session of board" includes the "logic and accuracy testing"... where no member of the Board of Elections was ever expected to be present prior to the election. The County Solicitor maintained, off the cuff that sessions of board did not include the central tabulation as the DOS directive specifically refers to. Also, they said that the portion of law referred to by the state was not the relevant portion of law.

Bottom line: the judge agreed with the county solicitor. That is what they tend to do. The Board (and the Dept. of State) must get the county to agree to the DOS directive.

Any viable party has the right to have three observers at sessions of the board (including all preparation, testing, tabulation, and computations before, during and after the election.)

Memo from Monday, November 7th, 2006

To: Mr. Mark Wolosik, Manager, Divison of Elections, Allegheny County

Dear Mr. Mark Wolosik:

In accordance with PA State Law Section 25 P.S. 2650 which states:

(a) Any party or political body or body of citizens which now is, or hereafter may be, entitled to have watchers at any registration, primary or election, shall also be entitled to appoint watcher who are qualified electors of the county or attorneys to represent such part or political body or body of citizens at any public session or sessions of the county board of elections, and at any computations and canvassing of returns of any primary or election and recount of ballots or recanvass of voting machines under the provisions of this act. Such watchers or attorneys may exercise the same rights as watchers at registration and polling places, but the number who may be present at any one time may be limited by the county board to not more than three for each party, political body or body of citizens.

As Chair of the Libertarian Party of Allegheny County I duly authorize Richard King and Chad Dougherty to be qualified watchers on our behalf for all election procedures including tabulation of the vote, sessions of the county board. This authorization intends to allow them access to all preparation, testing, and tabulation relevant to the election in Allegheny County on November 7th, 2006, and with specific reference to and including parallel testing. I encourage all parties concerned to review the attached directive of the Department of State regarding Watchers

Sincerely and Respectfully,
Dave Powell, Chair Allegheny County Libertarian Party.

Notes: Reference is made in the DOS Directive: "Regarding the Rights of Watchers, Candidates and Attorneys" link

Long list of Pittsburgh mayoral hopefuls already lining up

Long list of Pittsburgh mayoral hopefuls already lining up the mayor's race is on.

Meanwhile, ... Rauterkus speaks at Pod Camp.

There are a number of people on the P-G's list, a lame-list indeed, that need to be discounted. And, the list itself is but a joke and a way to eliminate viable contenders and set the agenda to sustain the status quo.

The race itself will only topple the region's gravity of 'status quo politics' once the newspapers do something other than run status quo newsmaker's bios.

Eight white men had their photos in the paper. All are men. Not a single woman. All white so as to eliminate all others. minority. All are Democrats -- without the hope of any others from another party.

All have held office except one and the lone exception had his father die while serving as mayor. So the only way to get into the club that the P-G plays gatekeeper for is to have held elected office or have it blessed upon you by your father.

Even Michael Lamb's dad was a State Senator.

This year's budget isn't going to have much 'raw meat' in terms of a window into Ravenstahl's administration and tenure. The budget for 2007 is really Bob O'Connor's work, coupled with that of the overlords.

If I had been mayor, I would have released the budget to city council before I gave it to the overlords. Then we'd have something to 'chew upon.'

The presentation of the budget to council can't be considered raw as it already had some time to simmer with the ICA Board (overlords). The budget isn't raw. To use the food lingo -- the budget goes to council as seconds.

If anyone on council wanted to pitch a fit about the 2007 budget, the opportunity was a month or two ago when the content was 'raw' as it headed to the overlords. That is when the interception and big stink about unhealthy rawness should have happened. And, it would have taken an "insider" to make that case. We only heard about the lack of 20 or so Crossing Guards.

Furthermore, the noise about the Crossing Guards came from Doug Shields who is bucking to run for city controller, not mayor. Bill Peduto was too busy running around to events and schmoozing to raise many objections about the budget.

Seems to me that fixing the city should take a priority.

A modest objection came about the budget process and the steps of mayor to overlords and finally to the public and city council. But those meek reminders run counter to what those on city council already did. Peduto wants the overlords. Peduto voted for the overlords to come to Pittsburgh. Peduto offers bigger government kinda support and he needs to support the status quo on these fronts and not talk of much change. It is what it is -- except when he's in charge.

Peduto should and could have issued a citizens budget or a Peduto budget from a zero- or needs-based perspective. This year's budget is going to be set upon history's legacy. Peduto talked about starting every year's budget with ZERO and working from priorities and a vision -- not a legacy.

Where is that talk been this year?

Photos of Readshaw, Frankel, and Fitzgerald make for good excuses for those guys to raise some PAC money -- and send out a letter to their "supporters." That money can then be leveraged in other races for their existing jobs or to buy influence in other races with other candidates as they see fit. But, they won't be able to raise the cash to run a traditional race for mayor from a traditional power-base.

None of those guys are going to be blogging anytime soon. Those guys can't break the mold -- because -- they are built from the mold.

There is news in the article. Scratch Jim Ferlo and scratch Jack Wagner. I wish I saw direct quotes however. Perhaps the P-G can release the recording of those two conversations or perhaps each can make a press release saying that they are NOT in the hunt for the mayor's race.

Take a deep breath. Dive in. Psyching up for an address to a camp audience. Swim Camp to PodCamp.

I'm speaking at Pod Camp tomorrow. I'm a bit nervous. I might ask everyone there to go topless, so as to 'break the ice' and calm my fears. The last audience I spoke to at a camp was topless -- and is shown in the photo.

(Click photo for larger view. Or, go to Rauterkus.blip.tv to see the latest upload about 'drag' in open water swimming from Coach Bower. That segment was from the same morning the photo above was taken.)

In other news, my wife heads to Chicago Sunday morning to chair a meeting with 400 people. Safe travels to her and all others.

We'll be swimming at the Oliver Bath House from 6:30 to 7:30 on Sunday -- as the Steelers play.

Our meet today was a success. It was the first dual meet of the season. We beat Riverside.

PodCamp Pittsburgh

Today, after our swim meet, I got to hit a bit of the afternoon at PodCamp at Pgh Filmmakers. Looks like a great event. Lots of fellow Pgh Bloggers are there. Lots of others from around the nation as well.

I'm on stage on Sunday afternoon.

Time will tell what comes out in my presentation. I've got a few ideas.

kdka.com - Pittsburgh Marathon Could Make A Comeback

kdka.com - Pittsburgh Marathon Could Make A Comeback (KDKA) PITTSBURGH After a three year absence, it looks like the Pittsburgh Marathon will be back again.

Pittsburgh should host a 10-mile spring road race, not a marathon.

Should the marathon return, it should be in the fall. Furthermore, the marathon should NOT be run in the loop fashion like it was done in the past. Rather, more prudent routes, perhaps of an out-and-back nature, on the busway for part, should be part of the events staging.

The marathon was killed because the overtime from the police killed it. The costs were too great. The sponsors too poor. The local support was nice, but not anything to take to the bank.

A more purdent course structure would be welcomed in terms of cutting the race overhead by 80 percent.

A 10-mile race in the spring would generate a 500% increase in local support as well. Perhaps the Kenyons won't arrive, but frankly, I don't give a Volla Budd if they do.

Should a marathon take root, it should be coupled with an Iron Man as well. I'd love to see a three day staged race with a Friday swim in the rivers. A Saturday 110 mile bike race. Then a Sunday marathon.

The Politics of Play | Metropolis Magazine

The Politics of Play | Metropolis Magazine There is a movement afoot to create recreational spaces that better serve our cities and our children.

Nice try... We need less urban design and more coaching. We need a simple solution, as in teamwork, sport, teaching, friendship making, discipline and effort.

The Politics of Play | Metropolis Magazine “We wanted to invert the typical layout, where caretakers are on the outside,” Nash says.

Who says caretakers are on the outside? Come on. We've got layers of issues here. Parents and caretakers are not to be on the outside in a vibrant setting. But, there are lots of ways and times when parents are put on the outside by various institutional designs.

I fully agree that some need to "think again" and "rethink the relationship among children, playground design, and public space. Creating more inclusive spaces for children and families, so the logic goes, is one step toward making the entire city a safer and more welcoming place for kids."

Bingo!

The City of Pittsburgh has a long, long, long way to go before it is more welcoming place for kids -- and for safety.

Pittsburgh should not be trying to build subsidized downtown lofts for rich folks without kids.

Pittsburgh should not be short on Crossing Guards and long on downtown safety ambassadors, hired by the Pgh Downtown Partnership with its own BID (Business Improvement District) tax.

Pittsburgh's improvements to its parks landscape is a joke. The short-term goal of a bike path from Etna to McKeesport isn't something that is going to be of value to kids. But kids would really like to be able to ride a bike to school and secure it without getting killed on the way or have the bike stolen.

By the way, the Merry-Go-Round in Schenley Park is a sure way to put the caretakers on the outside, perhaps at the Coffee Bar or with a Danish. No insult intended for the Danes or Danish landscape architect Helle Nebelong. Perhaps I should say spectators with a mega sized muffin, not Danish.

And the merry-go-round that has been taken out of parks in the USA isn't like the one at Kennywood. I think they are talking about the spinning platform that you push, run and jump on before falling off dizzy as a drunk at 2 AM on East Carson Street merry-go-round.

A party man once more. Georgia guy, Bill Ferguson

I love the opening graph in his column:
This election season passed through us like a kidney stone - a very painful experience that we're all glad to have behind us.
The rest of the article works for me too.

KRT Wire | 11/09/2006 | A party man once more presents my viewpoint particularly well, and during the campaign season the mud-slinging completely turns me off to both sides. So there I am - a political free agent looking for a friendly port in the political storm.

And I've found that port, at least for the time being, with the Libertarian Party. I don't agree with every plank in their platform, but in general I think the spirit of small government and respect for individual liberty that first attracted me to the party of Reagan in the 1980s has found new life with the feisty Libertarians.

So this year I voted for the Libertarian in every race where that option was available. If any Republican or Democrat in those races had convinced me that they deserved my vote it was there to be had, but none of them came close to doing so.

Go ahead - tell me I threw my vote away. Tell me I wasted my time with a lost cause. I'll answer back that I voted my conscience. I'll answer back that although I am disgusted with the two party system, I still believe in this country. I still believe in our potential.

Do you think this bloke is going to Pod Camp?

What's going on here? Take a guess. Hint, the next quote helps. And, this is in a park area.

County, city parks aim toward joint work

Here is the steeple. Open the door and there are no people.

Isn't it wonderful that the Riverview Chapel now has running water in the kitchen. Splendid advancement for our Citipark.

Isn't it great that we can ride a merry-go-round year round in another key park. Plus, we can get a bit to eat too -- from a corporate vendor, not a pushcart nor a food truck. Yuck to that.

Does it send chills up your spine when you look at the garden and gateway in Highland Park and rest assured that the shrubs and landscaped flowers are going to return to the way it was in the 1920s. How inspirational is that to turn back the clock?

County, city parks aim toward joint work After helping to lift a steeple in one park and build a temporary bridge in another, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said yesterday that he is investing in the city's play areas and continuing talks with Allegheny County to establish more cooperation on parks.

While accompanying the mayor at the raising of a wooden steeple at the reconstructed Riverview Chapel Shelter in Perry North, county Chief Executive Dan Onorato said they are 'weeks' away from announcing a plan to collaborate on their parks.

Well, I've been barking about parks cooperation for many years. I was named by one on County Council to a task force for one of the parks. But, they only had two meetings and never had minutes of those meetings. Then it died an unspoken death.

There are NO county parks in our part of the county, by the way.

The city and county want to work together on capital costs because there is NO capital budget for parks in the city. There hasn't been a capital budget for parks since the kids who are 18 or so now were born.

Onorato, while on city council, helped to damage the parks. The decline then was advanced.

The band-aids are old.

Maintenance has been postponed for decades.

The last big thing to happen from any elected offical at a park in the city and county was when Jim Roddey was in charge and he took the bull by the horns and ordered "jersey barriers" along stretches of South Park's roadways after a senior driver hit pedestrians. That sums it up, besides the new steeple and running water in the kitchen.

When a real park discussion begins, I'll be there.

Quote: The problem with elections is ...

The problem with elections is that no matter who wins, you're only
flushing half of the toilet.

Toilet -- a good one -- in China.

Toilet to go! It is on the back of a bike.

Google Calendar - Community Charter School Forum

Google Calendar Charter School Forum Tue Nov 14 5:30pm - Tue Nov 14 8pm

20061114T173000/20061114T200000

Bidwell Training Center, 1815 Metropolitan Street Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Not sure if you can see my Google Calendar. But you can link to it from the sidebar of the blog or at Rauterkus.com. I'd love to share calendars with others around Pittsburgh.

Bloggers, podcasters meet in Pittsburgh

Join us.

Bloggers, podcasters meet in Pittsburgh: "Scores of Internet technology professionals and enthusiasts are expected to gather over the weekend at PodCamp Pittsburgh, an informal meeting to trade tips on creating blogs, Web sites and podcasts, an organizer said Thursday.

The free event is among several being planned in cities from San Francisco to Berlin to pair established Internet media producers with newcomers 'to improve the quality of our creations together,' said Justin Kownacki, a Web video producer.

'It's a completely grass roots effort,' he said. The meeting's unconventional format allows participants to help shape the agenda and 'blow past all the formalities of a conference and get the brain trust in the room,' Kownacki said."

Parents risking jail / Truancy cases continued for 90 days in charter school dispute

News comes that Pgh Public Schools are way below the projected numbers with the student enrollment. Now this comes.

Parents risking jail / Truancy cases continued for 90 days in charter school dispute Parents risking jail / Truancy cases continued for 90 days in charter school dispute

Thursday, November 09, 2006
By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Shaye Carter and Janie Lewis each risked a $300 fine yesterday because they had refused to withdraw their children from Career Connections Charter Middle School and enroll them in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

You attract more with honey than with a $300 fine.

City school budget released

City school budget releaseddip into the reserve fund

$21.9 M deficit

6-percent spending cut, across-the-board.

Humm.... When does across-the-board really come to be understood as cutting what should be cut and keeping what should be retained, if not improved upon.

Dick's buys naming rights to Colo. sports complex

Seems like a nice investment and complex. Too bad it is in a different time zone.

Dick's buys naming rights to Colo. sports complex Dick's Sporting Goods has signed a 20-year naming rights deal to put its name on a Colorado property being touted as the largest soccer sports complex in the world.

The new Dick's Sporting Goods Park, scheduled to open in April, will be home of the Major League Soccer team Colorado Rapids and will include an 18,000-seat outdoor stadium and 24 outdoor fields, according to the announcement from site owner Kroenke Sports Enterprises.

The sports complex will anchor a 917-acre public-private project in Commerce City, Colo., that will also include a new municipal hall, retail stores and a visitors' center for the nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ryun's run ends in DC

PittsburghTrib.com Ryun, a Kansas Republican and once the world-record holder in the mile, lost in his bid for a sixth term in the House.

'I am really, really grateful for all that you have done,' Ryun said in conceding. 'There are so many rich stories and rich memories. I cherish those.'

Congressman Ryun was pushed out in the blistering given to the Rs yesterday. He is a friend to 'audiology' and was helping in a specific healthcare effort.

Jason, you'll be hearing about this shortly.

Ryun is hearing impaired and wears hearing aids. Years ago he helped with our book about hearing and athletics called, "Time Out! I Didn't Hear You." http://rauterkus.com/PDF/SPORTS/TIMEOUT.PDF

Best of luck at the Ryun Running Camp in 2007, http://www.ryunrunning.com/ryun/.

City questions URA's blight designation request

Breaks on Blight!

City questions URA's blight designation request The city planning commission yesterday questioned the city Urban Redevelopment Authority's application for blight certification as part of its plan to aid development of the old Nabisco plant site in East Liberty.

The URA is seeking blight certification as part of pursuing tax-increment financing, or TIF.

Think again! Pittsburgh needs to end TIFs. Plus, Pittsburgh needs to end the expansion of the designation of blight. Blight is everywhere, because they designate blight throughout the city.

The former NABISCO plant does NOT sit in an area of blight. Nor should the former plant get a TIF.

Election Day +1

Quote from the P-G coverage:

Mr. Swann dodged interviews and spoke in vagaries, ...

Bingo!

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania won't elect a person to stand with the people when the candidate hides from the people and attempts at honest, direct, communications on issues.

An elite glow came from the Team 88 efforts in the early stages. At the end of the campaign, candidate Lynn Swann was doing line dances with seniors in Homestead. And that interaction is a new verse of the same message -- don't engage in issue discussions.

Lynn Swann and Bob Casey both used the same playbook in terms of being a good guy in a suit that says little. Meanwhile, Rendell and Santorum are both bold. Swann's sticking point was being unknown beyond the celebrity status and football legacy.

Good guys with little to say, or I could say, GREAT GUYS who are new to the scene and choose to play defense in terms of political discussions won't win.

Casey is unlike Swann because Casey has run for public office in the past. Casey ran and won and ran and lost. But Casey has run.

Swann should be gearing up for County Council, perhaps as the at-large candidate. Or, for County Executive. Or, for State Rep in 2008. I think it is too late to have Swann move into the city and run for mayor in 2007.

Swann needs to stand on his issues and ideals all by himself. I'd love to see Swann dance in political circles in isolation. Win or loose, it won't matter. But, Swann needs to gain confidence and trust with the people in the realm of being a political governor.

Surprises, close finishes highlight races for state House seats

Spin the truth.

Surprises, close finishes highlight races for state House seats Petrone wins big in 27th
Rep. Tom Petrone, D-Crafton Heights, easily won a 14th term over GOP challenger William Ogden, 45, a Crafton councilman.

Mr. Petrone, 69, said his re-election showed that constituents in the district are satisfied with his representation and service.

'People who came to the polls they were not dissuaded by any negative comments made about me,' Mr. Petrone said..

The negative comments made about Petrone came from citizens in the district, and not the other candidate. The other candidate, Bill Ogden, spoke in a negative way about Petrone being in office for 13 terms and in favor of term limits. Petrone had been in Harrisburg for 26 years. That isn't a negative -- by falsehood.

Another biggie that was talked about by Ogden was the pay raise. Petrone voted for the pay raise. Petrone took the pay raise. Petrone said he gave the pay raise to chairty -- but only proved that he gave $100 of it away to a widow of a veteran. The rest remains unaccounted.

The only other point that was made as far as a negative about Petrone is the fact that Petrone is on the urban affairs committee in the PA House. Nuff said.

Citizens including Carl Sutter of the district have been spreading the negative messages.

Hacking Democracy -- HBO special, now online

Check it out.

HBO's special, Hacking Democracy. Finding out how America counts its votes.

SI.com - Olympics - Olympic-spirited Beijing considers car-free days for 2008 - Monday November 6, 2006 11:23AM

SI.com - Olympics - Olympic-spirited Beijing considers car-free days for 2008 - Monday November 6, 2006 11:23AM: "Beijing ponders car-free days for '08

BEIJING (Reuters) -- Beijing may expand a campaign to urge people take public transport to work and could introduce totally car-free days ahead of the 2008 Olympics, an official said on Monday. A voluntary effort over the China-Africa summit at the weekend to encourage people not to drive was successful, cutting down on traffic and clearing away pollution, said Du Shaozhong, deputy head of Beijing's Environmental Protection Bureau.

'We believe that cutting down on driving is helpful to the general Olympic spirit,' Du told a press conference in increasingly rich Beijing where some 1,000 new cars hit the streets each day."

Citizen Driven -- my *ss!

Last week I got tossed out of a Grant Street meeting, of sorts. I'm still pissed.

Just don't tell me that a project is going to be "citizen driven" when it has taken five years, and the next stages in the process include work with the legal department, operations from the Planning Department, a RFP, then a community engagement meeting at the tail end of the efforts.

That's not something I'm going to buy into, in the slightest.

If something is 'citizen driven' -- then the citizen meetings happen at the outset.

Furthermore, don't expect me to think for a moment that the South Side Local Development Committee, (SSLDC), speaks for us -- the citizens.

I don't speak for citizens. But I do know what citizen driven looks and feels like. And, that those on Grant Street can't hoodwink me without an objection.

We have a dark spot in our South Side Community -- behind the South Side Hospital. Another year comes and kids throughout the city are getting into vans on school nights to play hockey at a facility near the airport. We only have one indoor ice rink in the city -- and it is the Civic Arena. It is a little hard to get ice time there. And, they want to tear it down too.

This year I talked about the closed indoor ice rink about 30 times at community meetings as I campaigned. Dozens of ideas have been floated. But, the city has been putting everything on ice -- go figure.

I get calls every other month from developers of sports facilities that would like to use the area for coaching, for kids, for community, for everyone's benefit. But nothing happens.

The former operator of that facility failed. But the biggest failure then was the lack of oversight. That is how leases are to work. When the lease holder fails to hold up his end of the deal -- you come in and change the locks.

This isn't a mayor's issue yet. But it will be in 2007. It was in 2006. And I'm still frustrated by those on Grant Street.

Fairy Tail

A young person asks, "Do all fairy tails begin with, 'Once upon a time, ...?'

An elder answers, "Another series begins with the words, "When I'm elected..."

Look out.

kdka.com - Murphy Staffer Who Appeared On KDKA Told To Leave

Another segment on another day.

kdka.com - Murphy Staffer Who Appeared On KDKA Told To Leave Murphy Staffer Who Appeared On KDKA Told To Leave

Andy Sheehan Reporting

(KDKA) PITTSBURGH There are new developments in the story KDKA Investigator Andy Sheehan broke Thursday night about Congressman Tim Murphy.

Evidence obtained by KDKA reportedly shows members of his staff are working his reelection campaign which is a direct violation of congressional ethics rules.

Now, Sheehan has learned a Murphy staffer who appeared in his story showed up for work Friday morning but was told to leave.

Jayne O'Shaughnessy doesn't call herself a whistle blower but she says she felt compelled to speak about goings on inside the Murphy office.

And she believes that may have cost her the job.

'The taxpayer are picking up the tab and don't know about it or didn't know about,' said O'Shaughnessy.

O'Shaughnessy is on vacation today.

Ethics board lies dormant despite charges - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Ethics board lies dormant despite charges - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Ethics board lies dormant despite charges

By Jeremy Boren

Members of Pittsburgh's 3-month-old Ethics Hearing Board still haven't met despite several charges against city employees of ethical wrongdoing.

Duhh... Come on folks.

The trend is to make excuses for doing nothing or little. These excuses won't fly smoothly in the future.

Action! We want action!

Bill Ogden on Property Tax

Mini profile on TV.

My space.com page for Emmas Revolution fans

www.myspace.com/emmasrevolutionfans: "EMMA'S REVOLUTION Folk / Folk Rock 'truth, hope and a dash of irreverance'

Why can't they count our votes! Good song.

Now has 78 plays. Send it higher.


Here are the gals playing in a Pittsburgh House Concert.

You Tube has video story of KDKA's TV story that hits hard against Congressman Tim Murphy

Folks, you can't use the state or federal office to help in a campaign. Duhh!

This is a great investigative report from KDKA TV. Getting the staffer on camera my prove to be fatal for Murphy's hope to finish his next term, or get elected.

Sadly, I don't think that the Dem has the juice to get out the message in a weird district that spans three counties. I don't want to make excuses, but it would make for a great topping for a hard waged campaign.

Next questions: Where is the DA, Attorney Gerneral, FBI corruption folks and others from the the same party as Murphy? This story should have legs.
Hat-tip and more at 2 Political Juniies blog.

Freedom to fascism . com

New movie, not yet in Pittsburgh.

Commonwealth of PA - Campaign Finance Reporting

Commonwealth of PA - Campaign Finance Reporting: "Campaign Finance Reporting Home"

For K-5, K-8 and ALAs about reading

Letter about reading.

The changes to the grading in the reading programs have been a bit of a hurdle for some of the students and families, yet alone teachers, in the district. A letter is headed to all. Here it is, cut and pasted below.

Superintendent of Schools

SUBJECT: NEW READING PROGRAM FOR K-5 STUDENTS

Dear Parents/Guardians:

The Pittsburgh Public Schools Excellence for All reform agenda recognizes literacy as the primary building block for all learning. One of the objectives of Excellence for All is to increase the percentage of students proficient in reading on the PSSA by the end of 3rd grade from 49% (2004-2005) to 80% by the end of the 2008-2009 school year.

Providing a rigorous curriculum aligned to state standards is critical to achieving the goal of improved academic performance for children at all levels. Among the steps the District has taken toward meeting that goal is the adoption of Treasures, a new reading/language arts program published by Macmillan McGraw/Hill. Treasures is currently being implemented in Kindergarten through Grade 5.

As the District moves from the previous reading program to Treasures, you may notice an initial change in your child’s grades for two specific reasons:

The difference in the way students are tested in the new Treasures Reading Series

The new standardized district-wide grading guidelines

CHANGES IN TESTING:

In the previous program, students read and discussed one selection per week. The weekly tests were then based on comprehension of that story as well as the skills taught. This year, students read three selections a week focusing on the same vocabulary and skills. Then on the weekly test, they read a different text that focuses on the same vocabulary and skills. This is known as a “cold read”.

The advantage of a “cold read” is that the test better measures how well children have learned the skills that were taught as well as strategies they apply as they encounter other “cold reads” such as books, newspapers, magazines, etc.

CHANGES IN GRADING PROCEDURES:

A standardized procedure for grading has been established and implemented throughout the District. This means student achievement in reading will be measured in the same way in each classroom across the District in grades 1-5. The grades are based on weekly assessments, unit assessments and classroom assignments. To measure what your child has learned, a nine-week grade will be based primarily on work that was graded according to these procedures.

Treasures reflects the most recent reading research and represents the first new reading program developed since the release of the National Reading Panel’s findings. Treasures supports Pennsylvania State Standards and the requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).

Further information on Treasures can be provided by speaking to the Principal or Curriculum Coach at your child’s school or by calling the Parent Hot Line at 412-622-7920.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara Rudiak

Project Manager, Macmillan

This got coverage in the P-G, after it was blogged about yesterday.

Tougher reading program means low city grades Tougher reading program means low city grades

Friday, November 03, 2006
By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Parents of some Pittsburgh elementary school students will find an unwelcome surprise -- unusually low marks in reading -- when their children bring home report cards Nov. 17.

Newspaper stops giving endorsement and publishes full text of candidate interviews instead

� Grand Forks Herald � The election is nine days away - and the Herald's editorial columns should be filled up with endorsements.

Not this year, however.

Earlier in the year, Editorial Page Editor Tom Dennis convinced me and other members of the editorial board that we should try something different. Instead of endorsements, the board would offer interviews of candidates. These would be posted on the Herald's Web site, www.GrandForksHerald.com for anyone interested to read.

Interviews of most candidates have been posted. A few are yet to be transcribed. They should be on the Web site by the end of the week.

This is a great idea.

I would be all in favor of the editorial board endorsement coming along with the full text of the interviews of those meetings. Better still, release the full text of the meetings along with a podcast of each of the meetings as well.

By the way, a full text of the interviews I've been a part of at the Pgh Tribune Review, including audio and video, have been posted to a blog in Never-never Land dot com because I've NEVER been invited to an interview with that newspaper.

So, while the rest of the country is moving these endorsement interviews into the modern age, it is impossible to get candidate interviews with some newspapers in this town.

It is no wonder why there are hundreds of newspapers throughout the nation that are in deep financial troubles. The industry is dying because of a lack of motivation and creativity.

Catherine's quotes hit Woman's Day Magazine - Checkup: Hearing Loss

Woman's Day Magazine - Checkup: Hearing Loss “We live in a noisy world. But our ears don’t split open and start bleeding when we damage them. So you can have quite a bit of hearing loss before you know it.
Catherine Palmer, Ph.D., head of the Center for Audiology and Hearing Aid Services, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Catherine Palmer, Ph.D., is at UPMC's Eye and Ear, and with Pitt's School of Health & Rehab Sciences, -- and she's my sweetheart.

This is on news-stands now.

Inmates 'fish' for contraband with broomsticks - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Inmates 'fish' for contraband with broomsticks - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Inmates 'fish' for contraband with broomsticks

Don't build a fence around the jail.

For Mom & Dad and their 50th

Faith, hope, love.
These three I offer you this season.
Faith that living affirms.
Hope that caring illumines.
Love that more matters than anything.
(Richard S. Gilbert)

Growing up, our home was filled to the brim with faith, hope and love. We were blessed with great models, you two. The families and generations notice and renew. Feeling you spread faith, hope and love to our kids is wonderful. Fifty years of marriage is a testimony to faith, hope and love. You have offered these to us through all the seasons.

Mark, Catherine, Erik & Grant

Trick or Treat Stats --- Last night we had 80 visit our house

The rain came. So did 80 trick or treaters.

Grant and I made the rounds in the neighborhood for an hour or so. Erik and my wife worked the front door.

We bounced into a Steeler in our rounds as well. He said Big Ben will be fine -- thanks to my son's probing questions.

If I was mayor, or on city council, -- I'd be working hard to host Open Office.org's conference in 2007

Check out this call for proposals for holding an open source conference. This is for the OpenOffice.org community.

When I campaign, I give out CDs and those CDs include an installer for OpenOffice.Org. It is a free and open source software package that can take the place of Microsoft Office. It costs $0. And, it includes a database, drawing program, word processor, presentation program and more.

I'm going to three meetings in the next few weeks where I'll raise this question. The blogfest, the PodCamp and a meeting on Grant Street about the still closed, lone, indoor ice rink on the South Side.

If your interested in putting together a bid for this event, let me know. I'd be very willing to help and be a co-organizer.

Dear OpenOffice.org Community members,

The annual OpenOffice.org Conference continues to go from strength to strength, with this year's glittering event in Lyon, France attracting more than 600 registrations and enjoying a civic reception laid on by the Mayor of Lyon in the historic town hall.

Can your team do even better next year?

We are collecting applications from teams who are willing to organize OOoConf 2007. 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/ooocon2006/proposal.html##PROPOSALLYON

Interested teams should send their applications to the mailing list mailto:conference@marketing.openoffice.org following the guidelines below.

Key Question

In 400 words or less, answer this question:

* Why is your location and the date you propose the best for OOoConf 2007?

Your proposal 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 OOoConf 2007)
* Local events that are taking place in parallel (or right
before/after)
* Special visa or entry requirements, e.g. vaccinations

Your proposal 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)

Supplementary Information

User feedback from previous conferences suggest that the ideal location will:

* have a strong local OpenOffice.org community
* attract strong sponsor support
* have a low-cost/free conference centre with conference venues close together
* have facilities where people can pass the time, socialise, and mingle with other conference delegates close to the conference building(s)
* have a range of low-cost accomodation with easy/cheap transport to the conference location
* attract the largest number of community contributers
* facilitate the attendance of a large number of Sun's OpenOffice.org developers (who are in Hamburg, Germany)
* be accessible by cheap flight and train tickets
* be aligned with a large IT event (e.g. CeBIT, Systems, Comdex)
* provide low-cost broadband Internet access (e.g. wireless LAN in the rooms)
* allow for video and audio streaming (e.g. via the support of a company)

Submitting a Proposal

Proposals should be sent to the mailing list
mailto:conference@marketing.openoffice.org.

The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2006. Shortly after that date we will publish the applications and call for votes from community members.

Information about previous OpenOffice.org Conferences can be found at:
http://marketing.openoffice.org/conference

Thank you and good luck with your proposals!

The OpenOffice.org Conference Team

Questions: Where are the biggest OpenOffice.org installs, other than with the CDs I've passed around town?

Too bad we also have a closed hostel too -- in Allentown.

Perhaps we can make the event the key for the re-opening of South Vo Tech High School -- and South Hills High School -- and Knoxville Middle School -- and Gladstone Middle School. We could make them all Hostels for this event. Then we'll hold the opening and closing ceremonies at the Neville Ice Rink!

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Delivers 40 New Police Officers to Pittsburgh Force: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

I had a conversation with the FOP's union boss today on Grant Street. He was before city council to complain because the crossing guards got new rain coats and now the police officers can't get their belts repaired.

No joke.

And, the guys in the mayor's office didn't know about it. The budget was dry and a transfer of funds was needed to keep the folks in their gear. Else, I guess, the fashion police would be called. Or, the police might be wearing their pants low, like some of the kids that they might need to chase on neighborhood streets.

Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Delivers 40 New Police Officers to Pittsburgh Force: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance Pennsylvania Governor Rendell Delivers 40 New Police Officers to Pittsburgh Force

Second grant will reduce the backlog of drug samples at county lab

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell today joined Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Police Chief Nate Harper to announce two grants totaling $2.12 million. One enables the city to hire 40 new officers to battle the rising gun violence and the other will fund a high-tech microscope to reduce the backlog of drug cases at the county's forensic laboratory.

Meanwhile, the union boss for the police told me he is dead set against anyone doing police work, other than police. So, he doesn't like the fact that crossing guards can write a ticket. I don't think he knew that they had those powers already.

Furthermore, he was un-aware that the Safety Ambassadors hired by a tax impossed from the Downtown BID (Business Improvement District) are really beat cops, or try to take the place of beat cops. However, some of those PDP (Pgh Downtown Partnership) safety ambassadors were dealing drugs while on the job in the past.

That program is nuts.

Why should it be a priority to have CROSSING GUARDS like people help corporate types downtown when we don't have the real crossing guards employed by the right agency and with the right equipment, as in radios and cell phones.

The meter maids who write parking tickets have radios. The same should be provided for Crossing Guards.

The PDP should be hiring CROSSING GUARDS and not its own secuirity force for downtown.

Stay safe and smile -- and Happy Halloween to all

Stay safe out there with trick-or-treaters.

Smile.

China comes through

China's Foreign Ministry says North Korea has agreed to rejoin six-nation nuclear disarmament talks, wire services report.

Energy drinks wire teens, worry me

I'm worried about these energy drink. This topic needs to be a new wellness issue talked about in schools and with coaches and teams.

Pittsburgh's market has had a long-standing energy drink for some years. It is called, "Ice Tea." Folks around here gulp the boxed iced tea by the half-gallon.

That stuff is strong in terms of its stimulant.

The State | 10/30/2006 | Energy drinks wire teens, worry others Energy drinks wire teens, worry others
By CARLA K. JOHNSON The Associated Press

CHICAGO — More than 500 new energy drinks launched worldwide this year, and coffee fans are probably too old to understand why.

Energy drinks aren’t merely popular with young people. They attract fan mail on their own MySpace pages. They spawn urban legends. They get reviewed by bloggers. And they taste like carbonated cough syrup.

Vying for the dollars of teenagers with promises of weight loss, increased endurance and legal highs, the new products join top-sellers Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar to make up a $3.4 billion-a-year industry that grew by 80 percent last year.

Thirty-one percent of U.S. teenagers say they drink energy drinks, according to Simmons Research. That represents 7.6 million teens, a jump of almost 3 million in three years.

Nutritionists warn that the drinks, laden with caffeine and sugar, can hook kids on an unhealthy jolt-and-crash cycle. The caffeine comes from multiple sources, making it hard to tell how much the drinks contain. Some have B vitamins, which when taken in megadoses can cause rapid heartbeat, and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.

Fast Break for Fathers and Families at UPMC SportsWorks, Sunday

Bring your kids. Fast Break for Fathers and Families is this weekend at UPMC SportsWorks on the North Side. Doors open for the event at 5 pm. Nancy Crago from Penn State has arranged for the Dairy Association to give away free yogurt-type snacks on site. She also has stickers and water bottles.

Charity Leonette from the Library will have literacy-type items and interesting crafts for the children. Read 365 donated bookmarks and a Great Dads Books list. The Three Rivers Adoption Council has graciously donated Caught Being Good stickers - 8 per child, Because Every Child Needs a Family heart magnet and Great African Americans of the 21st Century activities book. We have white paper bags to place all of the items donated by them, as well. Unfortunately, the Pirate Parrot and Pierogi will not be there, but they are interested in making appearances next year.

More than 150 people attended. A good time was had by all.

Volunteers who are not coaches, part of Penn State or the Library can help to stuff bags after the initial registration is completed.

Salon Interview: Camille Paglia | Salon.com

Salon Interview: Camille Paglia | Salon.com But I was still amazed at all those servile TV reviewers who raved about the recent four-hour PBS documentary about Andy Warhol. What a tedious, pretentious program -- with its funereal music and preening, jargon-spouting talking heads. Shows like that do incalculable damage to the reputation of the fine arts in the U.S. And this was about one of the most populist artists ever! Warhol, who came from working-class Pittsburgh, spoke directly to the mass audience with his Campbell's soup cans and Brillo boxes. And where was the protest about [director Ric] Burns' censoring out of Warhol's pioneering drag queens? It was outrageous, but the cowed reviewers didn't utter a single peep.

Urban planning forum set for Wednesday - Pittsburgh Business Times:

Urban planning forum set for Wednesday - Pittsburgh Business Times:: "Urban planning forum set for Wednesday
Pittsburgh Business Times - 4:08 PM EDT Friday
by Dan Reynolds

An urban planning forum inspired by Pittsburgh's late Mayor Bob O'Connor's idea to 'Redd Up' the city is scheduled to kick off on the North Side on Wednesday.

What's being dubbed the Pittsburgh Green Forum on Vacant Land Revitalization will be held at the Pittsburgh Project offices on Charles Street on the North Side next week.

Architects, environmental engineers and other businesses interested in supporting green growth in Pittsburgh are urged to attend and give their ideas on the topic of creating a plan for green spaces and networks using abandoned land in the city.

The forum hopes to find ways to make better use of the city's approximately 23,000 vacant lots.

The way to make better use of the vacant land is to tax it. Don't tax the buildings that go on the land. Rather, put a heavy burden on the land itself.

The Land Value Tax is the key to this problem.

Bob O'Connor did a lot to change tax policy and make it easy for downtown buildings to go vacant. And, his policy of a unified tax plan rewards those that tear down homes, let property decline. His policy needs to be reversed.

Now in all fairness to the late O'Connor. Bob had to do it to get over the hurt caused by the botched Sabre Systems re-assessments. But, the fix should have been for one year and the fix should have been such so as to allow for time to get the land value records for each property into a corrected condition. That long-term solution wasn't forthcoming from O'Connor.

Pa. Senate corrects lobbying, slots bills

Corruption proof, so says Ed Rendell. Yeah, right.

Pa. Senate corrects lobbying, slots bills Mr. Rendell praised this change, saying it 'sends a strong message to would-be criminals and will help make Pennsylvania's gaming industry corruption-proof. We will not tolerate any nefarious players in our gaming industry.'

The one gambling reform measure that I wanted, and have called for, is a sunset of the casino licenses. These bone-headed state lawmakers sold gambling licenses (or are in the process of selling them) that do not expire. The casino licenses they sold, for a one-time fee, go forever.

PA's Casino licenses go forever, like a palace of royalty that lives as it is god's will.

Only royalty and a corrupt official would ever belive, yet alone say in a newspaper, that any institution was 'corruption proof.'

Free Food and Pat Toomey - BLOGGER is BROKEN! I can't update this site, sadly.

Pat Toomey ran against PA's Senior US Senator in a hard primary battle two years ago. He had been in the US Congress and had put a term limit on himself and kept to his promise and didn't run for that next term. Since getting out of Congress, he has been with the an the Club For Growth.

Yummy.

Pat spoke at an event I attended about a month ago hosted by the Allegheny Institute, a local issues think tank. Pat gave a nice presentation on various matters.

I asked him specific questions about the lack of support for candidates in viable positions in elections who are not from the D nor R party. His answer was less than desired, to say the least. The Club For Growth has given money and attention that then draws donors for D candidates as well as mostly R candidates. But, great free market candidates who are not D nor R need not apply, sadly.

But, that's not stopping anyone from getting a free meal with the Rs picking up the tab in the following events.

I won't be attending.

There were a few questions about Pat's ambition. He might be a great governor candidate in four more years. Or, he might run for another office. Perhaps A.Specter won't run for another term next time? Perhaps Pat might make a grab to run for the PA Treasurer's job should Bob Casey, Jr. get elected?

Please Join Keynote Speaker Former Congressman Pat Toomey (R-PA) for a Republican National Committee Conservative Outreach Complimentary Event in Pennsylvania on November 1st or 2nd.

Respect for Life. Traditional Values.

Pat Toomey will speak. He is a pro-life and pro-family champion. He will address why he is also a Republican. He will be discussing why conservatives should strongly support Pennsylvania Republican candidates this November 7th.

SUBURBAN PITTSBURGH, Wednesday, November 1, 2006, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, Four Points Sheraton, 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars, PA 16046 Complimentary Dinner Will Be Served.

BUCKS COUNTY/ALLENTOWN AREA, Thursday, November 2, 2006, 7:30 AM to 8:45 AM, Revivals Restaurant, 4 South Ridge Road, Perkasie, PA 18944-0322, Complimentary Breakfast Will Be Served.

SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE AREA, Thursday, November 2, 2006, 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM, Wilkes-Barre Republican Victory Center, 41 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701, Complimentary Lunch Will Be Served.

SUBURBAN PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, November 2, 2006, 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM, Blue Bell Republican Victory Center, 1257 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, Complimentary Dinner Will Be Served.

Please RSVP for this event by emailing Martin Gillespie at mgillespie@rnchq.org or by phone at (202) 863-8605.

Please be certain to specify which event you will be attending - and feel free to bring friends and family!

If you do attend, please don't start a food fight on my behalf.

Hungry? Watch the Video

Ms. Adventures on the Mon: BIG BEN UNABLE TO PERFORM "BERNADETTE'S WEIRD ARM THING," FORCED TO SIT OUT SUNDAY'S GAME AGAINST RAIDERS

Ms. Adventures on the Mon: BIG BEN UNABLE TO PERFORM "BERNADETTE'S WEIRD ARM THING," FORCED TO SIT OUT SUNDAY'S GAME AGAINST RAIDERS The highly calibrated test, which among other things, checks for range-of-motion ability and hand/eye coordination, was instituted as standard medical practice in 1986, and is considered to be the neuroscientific breakthrough equivalent of the Rorschach Test, which is used to evaluate a person's psychological condition.

I've been waiting for the opportunity to publish these masks from Opera in China.

Looks like he had his bell rung.

M. Hodge, perhaps?

Another reason why I coach swimming.

We've got our own tests in swimming. The basic one is what I call "opposites." It is a range of motion flexibility exercise. One arm swings around forward while the other swings around backwards. Then part tow of the ballistic excercise is called "opposite opposities."

Furthermore, I train the swimmers that I coach to be able to swim reverse. Even for great swimmers, this skill is difficult. Swimmers start in the lane with the hands in the gutter and the feet into the direction they'll swim. Then they swim feet first. And, we move the arms in all the styles of swimming an I.M. (fly, back, breast, free). Think of those old Super 8 movies playing in reverse.

Chief of operations loses his office - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Chief of operations loses his office - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'There's no reason for the car,' said James Broussard, chairman of the Central Pennsylvania-based Citizens Against Higher Taxes. 'The car is available because it's part of the job, but he's not on the job.'

Does this story have wheels or not?

Luke said on the radio today, Thursday, at 11 am or so, that Dennis does NOT have use of his car any longer.

So, we've got conflicting stories. ???

Dennis might be a good one for hire by Jeff Koch. Jeff is going to need to have some muscle to win his re-election to Council in the spring.

Who needs a bowling league to make friends when there's the Web? - USATODAY.com

Fess up. Who is the singer in Pittsburgh?

Who needs a bowling league to make friends when there's the Web? - USATODAY.com At SpliceMusic.com, they call this 'rich media networking.' Splice offers online music recording and mixing. A singer in Pittsburgh, a guitarist in Saskatoon and a drummer in Swaziland could work together on Splice to record a song. To facilitate that, Splice built in ways for like-minded people to find each other and build relationships around creating music.

'We see that as a sticky and addictive form of interaction,' says Splice's Thomas Hutcheson.

Stickey, no less.

PodCamp UnConferences / PodCampPittsburghSessions

I'm going to present at PodCamp Pittsburgh, on Sunday afternoon. Try to attend.

PodCamp UnConferences / PodCampPittsburghSessions 1:45 Mark Rauterkus: Thinking again with community interactions, plus vision and political jazz. Mark has been there with public domain art, open-source ideals, tech tools, house concerts and hybrid CD campaign handouts.

911-plank - PittsburghPlatform - concerning the NEW 3-1-1 phone do-hickey from Pgh, PA

Hop over

The 3-1-1 phone system is now working. This is a success. And, I'll take the credit for hatching the idea in public.

911-plank - PittsburghPlatform 911-plank
(Revision as of 20:26, 1 Mar 2006)

* The city should start a 311 system, like 911, but for less urgent calls.

Back in March, 2006, this page was on the Platform.For-Pgh.org.

Leap

At the Post-Gazette editorial board meeting with all the candidates in the city council race in 2006's special election, I raised the 3-1-1 system as something that I'd be sure to start. And, the P-G editors wrote about it, giving credit that I've raised plenty of good ideas.

Another feature that should also be considered, if anyone is listening, is Reverse 9-1-1. In the time of an emergency, we should have the technology tools to make phone calls out to various citizens and give warnings and updates.

Don't crash

The benefits of a Reverse 9-1-1 system are clear when you think about the events that unfolded on Friday in New Brighton. A freight train went off the tracks and a fireball was created. Some of the train's cars went into the river. Residents were evacuated.

With a Reverse 9-1-1 system, the authorities would have been able to call everyone within a mile of the accident telling them of the dangers, how to exit the area and where to turn for more insights.

Trip

Another big concern with the 3-1-1 system and today's announcement from Grant Street is the second point in the platform, also published formally in the Platform.For-Pgh.org months and months ago. I would NOT and we SHOULD NOT use the services as a way to self-promote. The 3-1-1 line should not be known as the Ravenstahl Response Line. That's wrong Luke.

I hated how the "Mayor's Complaint Center" was branded by Tom Murphy. I hated how it operated. I hated how it was closed as well.

Flop

Those that are on Grant Street should not be sending out postcards and putting up billboards for self-promotion on these technical matters of city life.

Otherwise, we'll need to counter with their names on things that are also failures and not around here any longer.

Should we name the soon to close Wabash Tunnel the Alan Hertzberg Tunnel?

Skip

Should we name the City's Charter Amendments after Jim Ferlo, in that we can't tell when to hold an election after the passing of Bob O'Connor due to its conflicting text?

Float

Should we name the city's lone, closed indoor ice rink after Gene Ricciardi, a long-time councilmember and past head of the Committee that directed Citiparks.

Navigate

Should we name the absent Halloween Parade after Tom Murphy. The South Side used to have a wonderful parade down East Carson Street with nearly ten marching bands. The dancers and musicians were often dressed up in costume too. Then the kids of the region were able to march and compete for prizes and even cash. But, the Haloween Parade on the South Side is just a memory now -- thanks to Tom Murphy. So, let's name it after HIM -- a Ghost Parade in 2006.

Glide

Then the Market House Youth Soccer League can be named after Jeff Koch, D, City Councilmember. There was a league there last year but it is GONE now. More than 90 kids used to play in three different levels three night s a week -- until Jeff came into office. See some photos -- as you can't find it in the real world now.

Clear

Those that want to slap their name onto things for self-promotion with public money need to watch out. The folly of that move can backfire.

Jump

Luke, you'd be wise to NOT call the 3-1-1 system the Ravenstahl Response Line.

Remember, I thought of 3-1-1 for Pittsburgh, published the idea, blabbed about it, was quoted in the newspaper about it too -- before Luke took the 3-1-1 concept over from Bob O'Connor. Bob O'Connor took a page from my playbook, again, and I'm happy he did.

I'm going to be happy to use the 3-1-1 line and services as necessary in the months to come. I'm not going to be happy to see self promotion on any city property from any politician.

In Australia, they use two words that are of interest to this conversation. One is "nick." The other "flog." To nick someone's idea or work is to take it, use it, re-deploy it and keep a low-key approach to the lifting. But to "flog" is to steal the idea and be overboard with boasting and of a grand attitude of the idea.

I don't want to see Luke "flog" just as I hated to see Tom Murphy put his name on garbage cans on sidewalks and grafitti trucks.

Furthermore, there are hundreds of additional ideas, great ideas, that can flow from my domain. Use them all you want. Put them into the system so we can fix the city. The ideas are not 'mine' really -- as I often harvest them from elsewhere anyway.

Nick freely and repeatedly.

Buck

Footnote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_slang

Easy.
Hold up and horse around, not over. Not easily.

West End Event proceeds without the co-star

Missing from debate, Tom Petrone, D, payjacker.

Last night was the only time when Bill Ogden, challenger, was set to square off at a community forum with long-time State Representative, Tom Petrone. Petrone didn't attend.

Sure, Petrone has an excuse. He was in Harrisburg and a few last minute things are getting some attention, such as gambling reform and lobby disclosure efforts. Neither of these are Petrone's domain however.

All in all, from what I gather, the event was a success for Bill Ogden.

Public Calendar with Google

Feel free to click and subscribe to the calendar and catch the events I post there.

Baseball in the Ashes - Detroit insights

Baseball in the Ashes Baseball in the Ashes by Dave Zirin

The Detroit Tigers are in the World Series and a historical look comes from a great sports journalist, Dave Zirin. He talks about race and hitory. Plus, about a time past when the Tigers played in the fall classic.

Visiting with Australia's Olympic Motivational Coach

Coaches: (L-to-R) Rauterkus, Bower, & Laurie Lawrence of Australia.

Check out the video below and witness a bit of the pep talk and poem he delivered to the guys at camp this summer.



Watch the Video

Links:

http://www.laurielawrence.com.au/


ISHOF - Laurie Lawrence (AUS) - 1996 Honor Coach From being around the Townsville Pool his father ran, and sparked into swimming by the legendary Hall of Famer Jon Henricks, Laurie Lawrence has become a swimming legend and a maker of champions, capable of lifting the spirits of those around him to soaring heights. He is many other things too - extrovert, patriot, poet, humorist, singer and now the most sought after motivational speaker in Australia. His swimmers have set over seventeen world records, and he has coached Aussie Teams to three Commonwealth Games and three Olympic teams. He possesses the qualities with which he works to instill in every competitor: be proud, persist, work hard, stand tall, don't quit, don't bend, don't break, don't fall.


http://www.laurielawrenceswimschool.com.au/

Tricks or Treats?

Are you getting ready? Got your costume? Got your treats?

Candidate Forum for PA House Race: Ogden challenges Petrone, a 16 term D pay-jacker

The square off is slated for 7 pm on Monday, October 23, 2006 at Thaddeus Stevens School, of the Pgh Public Schools in the Elliott / Westend area of the city.

The forum has three parts: Intro, Bio and Vision, plus questions from audience. Plus, candidates ask each other questions.

Bill Ogden says he is NOT the type to debate "Party Lines" at this forum nor anywhere. He has the belief that the people should vote for the Person and Not the Party. He asks that people attend with an objective and open mind, and without party mantras.

Blog's pop quiz

Trick or Treat Quiz:

Where am I?

Hint, floor 1 is at the top in the elevator and at the top of the building.

Put your answer in the comments. Winner gets 12 Trick or Treat Goodies that we'll be passing out at our place on the 31st.

Give Them Back.com -- HEAVY

Give Them Back.com Story of Gun Confiscation In America

Brashear, a man with excellent vision, given his telescopes and ability to share

Investor's Business Daily, the national business newspaper published in Los Angeles, printed a biography of prominent 19th century astronomer and lens-maker John A. Brashear, near the top of page A3 of their Wednesday edition, by their Technology Reporter, Donna Howell.

Affectionately known as "Uncle John" to residents of Pittsburgh, Mr. Brashear, with little money and limited education, became the premiere producer of telescopes and precise scientific instruments in the latter part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, and the confidant of major industrialists of the time including Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick.

There is one mistake in the article, when it is said that John Brashear became Chancellor of a school that became the University of Pennsylvania. He actually became Chancellor of the Western University of Pennsylvania, which became the University of Pittsburgh.

Friends of the Zeiss Project Director Glenn A. Walsh and Allegheny Observatory Director George Gatewood were interviewed and quoted for this article, read here or http://www.investors.com/editorial/IBDArticles.asp?artsec=21&issue=20061017.

"Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated" - from Dave Zirin and Pat Tillman's brother, Kevin Tillman

Pat Tillman's Brother Breaks his Silence

By Dave Zirin

When Pat Tillman, former NFL player and Army Ranger, died in Afghanistan in 2004, it unleashed a drama that moved from tragedy to obscenity to mystery.

First there was Pat's death. Because Tillman wasn't the kind of anonymous fallen soldier the Bush administration could blithely ignore, we all bore witness to the tears of his family - including his brother, best friend, and fellow Army Ranger, Kevin. Pat's death - like every last death that’s resulted from this horrific Middle Eastern escapade - was tragedy. Then came obscenity: it came out after Pat's funeral, that he had died at the hands of his own troops in a case of "friendly fire". This bit of information was suppressed from everyone outside the Pentagon and Oval Office even from Pat's family. It was even kept from Kevin, serving in Pat's battalion. Eulogists like John McCain - knowingly or unknowingly - told lies over Pat Tillman's body about death in combat. Bush gave a speech about Tillman over the jumbotron at football stadiums. He was given the Silver Star - a merit for combat, not friendly fire.

From the perspective of this administration, Pat died for the noble cause of PR.

Finally from obscenity sprung mystery. For Pat's parents Mary and Pat, Sr. there were unanswered questions. Why were they fed lies? Why were Pat's clothes and equipment burned at the scene? Why wasn’t Kevin told the truth at the scene? What happened to
Pat's journal, that he had kept with him for years? To pressure army investigators, Mary and Pat, Sr. went public about Pat's true feelings about the war in Iraq (he thought it was illegal) and his growing questioning about the Bush "war on terror." Now Pat's brother Kevin has broken his silence as well. Kevin has written a brilliant piece that should be distributed in front of every army recruitment center and sent to every person who wears the uniform. I don't agree with every word, but that's hardly the point: Kevin, like Pat, represents a growing surge in this country against the machinery death and the lies that grease its wheels. We have paid dearly for those lies. It's time to bring the troops home now.

You can email me back at dave@edgeofsports.com

After Pat's Birthday
By Kevin Tillman

It is Pat's birthday on November 6, and elections are the day after. It gets me thinking about a conversation I had with Pat before we joined the military. He spoke about the risks with signing the papers. How once we committed, we were at the mercy
of the American leadership and the American people. How we could be thrown in a direction not of our volition. How fighting as a soldier would leave us without a voice... until we get out.

Much has happened since we handed over our voice:

Somehow we were sent to invade a nation because it was a direct threat to the American people, or to the world, or harbored terrorists, or was involved in the September 11 attacks, or received weapons-grade uranium from Niger, or had mobile weapons labs, or WMD, or had a need to be liberated, or we needed to establish a democracy, or stop an insurgency, or stop a civil war we created that can't be called a civil war even though it is. Something like that.

Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.

Somehow our elected leaders were subverting international law and humanity by setting up secret prisons around the world, secretly kidnapping people, secretly holding them indefinitely, secretly not charging them with anything, secretly torturing them. Somehow that overt policy of torture became the fault of a few "bad apples" in the military.

Somehow back at home, support for the soldiers meant having a five-year-old kindergartener scribble a picture with crayons and send it overseas, or slapping stickers on cars, or lobbying Congress for an extra pad in a helmet. It's interesting that a soldier on his third or fourth tour should care about a drawing
from a five-year-old; or a faded sticker on a car as his friends die around him; or an extra pad in a helmet, as if it will protect him when an IED throws his vehicle 50 feet into the air as his body comes apart and his skin melts to the seat.

Somehow the more soldiers that die, the more legitimate the illegal invasion becomes.

Somehow American leadership, whose only credit is lying to its people and illegally invading a nation, has been allowed to steal the courage, virtue and honor of its soldiers on the ground.

Somehow those afraid to fight an illegal invasion decades ago are allowed to send soldiers to die for an illegal invasion they started.

Somehow faking character, virtue and strength is tolerated.

Somehow profiting from tragedy and horror is tolerated.

Somehow the death of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people is tolerated.

Somehow subversion of the Bill of Rights and The Constitution is tolerated.

Somehow suspension of Habeas Corpus is supposed to keep this country safe.

Somehow torture is tolerated.

Somehow lying is tolerated.

Somehow reason is being discarded for faith, dogma, and nonsense.

Somehow American leadership managed to create a more dangerous world.

Somehow a narrative is more important than reality.

Somehow America has become a country that projects everything that it is not and condemns everything that it is.

Somehow the most reasonable, trusted and respected country in the world has become one of the most irrational, belligerent, feared, and distrusted countries in the world.

Somehow being politically informed, diligent, and skeptical has been replaced by apathy through active ignorance.

Somehow the same incompetent, narcissistic, virtueless, vacuous, malicious criminals are still in charge of this country.

Somehow this is tolerated.

Somehow nobody is accountable for this.

In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don't be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity. Most likely, they will come to know that "somehow" was
nurtured by fear, insecurity and indifference, leaving the country vulnerable to unchecked, unchallenged parasites.

Luckily this country is still a democracy. People still have a voice. People still can take action. It can start after Pat's birthday.

Brother and Friend of Pat Tillman,

Kevin Tillman

Official Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS STATEMENT ON THE RECENT LETTER FROM THE PITTSBURGH GAMING TASK FORCE

Official Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS STATEMENT ON THE RECENT LETTER FROM THE PITTSBURGH GAMING TASK FORCE: "PITTSBURGH PENGUINS STATEMENT ON THE RECENT LETTER FROM THE PITTSBURGH GAMING TASK FORCE

10/20/2006

“We have said all along that the Isle of Capri plan is by far the best plan for the city and the region, and we are very encouraged that the Pittsburgh Gaming Task Force has reached the same conclusion. Over 50 elected officials, including Mayor Ravenstahl, and a number of major news outlets already have come out in support of the Isle of Capri. The local gaming task force has just added its voice to this growing chorus of support. It’s going to be hard for the state gaming commission to ignore the collective voice of the City of Pittsburgh.”"

It was hard to be the worst team in the NHL.

It was very hard to walk out and not play hockey for the second part of a year in a recent season.

It will be super hard to tear down the Civic Arena, a building that is owned by the public, and not the Penguins, for a new building that the public doesn't want nor need. If the new arena is being built with the windfall from gambling, it would be EASY for the Penguins to own and operate that building and NOT make it a public liability.

The Civic Arena suits us just fine for Disney On Ice, graduation day for Carrick High School, and the circus, when there isn't any demand for luxery box seats.

It will be super-duper hard to put any faith in a task force formed by Tom Murphy that is falling apart at the seams now and had spoke in June that it would NOT endorse any plan. That Task Force is filled with weenies and has had closed meetings throughout. There isn't an ice chip of democracy in their voice.

Want to talk about 'hard' -- let's talk. This is the team that built a roof over an indoor ice rink on the South Side years ago and then left the facility. It is hard to have a city without any indoor hockey facility, other than the Civic Arena. It is hard to have city hockey teams play all their games and practices in suburban rinks, even Pitt! And, it is hard to see that facility stay dark for so many years now.

It is hard to turn your backs on the local kids and leave them high and dry -- for a facility in your own sport. Hockey In the Hood knows about 'road trips' -- to the airport ice facility, from the city, for practices.

Great TV quote from Tom Martin, a candidate in the other part of PA

"We don't need new legislation to protect immoral legislators, we need new legislators who will follow existing laws."

Details about the debate event.

Centre Daily Times | 10/20/2006 | Candidates square off on the defense: "The political confrontations at the League of Women Voters of Centre County Candidates' Night took place before a packed house at the State College Borough Building and a live C-Net TV audience.

Corman, R-Benner Township, is a two-term state senator defending his 34th District seat against challenges from State College Democrat Jon Eich, Huston Township Libertarian Tom Martin and Perry County lawyer Bob Cash.

There, they've got four candidates on the ballot to choose among. Here, in PA's 42nd district, we only have one, an undemocratic democrat who isn't worth anyone's vote.

Libertarian is center stage as Cantwell and McGavick joust

Big victory for a Libertarian on the west coast when he was put onto the debate stage for a US Senate race.

Libertarian is center stage as Cantwell and McGavick joust Libertarian is center stage as Cantwell and McGavick joust

By NEIL MODIE, P-I REPORTER

Democratic U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and Republican challenger Mike McGavick exchanged mostly familiar verbal blows Tuesday in an hour-long debate, a sedate event except for a barbed zinger by Cantwell about her opponent's tenure as Safeco's chief.

But if anyone 'won' the televised exchange -- Cantwell's and McGavick's second and final formal debate -- it was a third candidate, Libertarian Bruce Guthrie, just by being there.

McGavick accused the senator of being 'the biggest spender' in Congress in 2003 and 2004, of opposing what she terms tax cuts for the wealthy, and talking about 'peripheral issues,' not 'the issues that keep us up at night.' The front-running incumbent ignored or brushed off most of his charges.

The two major candidates disagreed, as they have before, about abortion rights, immigration, border security, oil drilling in the Arctic, how to keep Social Security solvent and how to decide whether and when to start pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq.

But they had to share the podium at the KING/5 studio in Seattle with Guthrie. It gave the polite, well-spoken Libertarian a forum for an earnest presentation of his sometimes out-of-the-mainstream views, a gift of TV exposure and equal footing with two major-party contenders that a third-party hopeful rarely gets.

The article also talks about a Green candidate and Green supporters who were arrested after being blocked from the debate stage.