DeSantis must play hardball - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

DeSantis must play hardball - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Mark, you can win. But you must play hardball just to get to first base."

Some coaching from Dimitri to DeSantis fills his Trib column.

The 'schooling' that DeSantis wants from the employees of the city should NOT occur in the first 100 days. Rather, I side a bit with Dimitri. The schooling needs to occur throughout the campaign and throughout the transition period.

After Bob O'Connor won the mayor's office in the early November election, I was puzzled at how long he took to do anything. The schooling and interviews and decisions need to come in the weeks after the November 6 election and before the early January period when the oath of office is taken.

The first 100 days needs to be celebrated with one big block party (I'd still like to throw mine in the Wabash Tunnel, by the way) and ninty-nine days of new leadership with real advances in policy and progress on many political fronts.

Furthermore, the first 100 days after this election need to be counted as 50. The vote in November 2007 is for a two-year term, not a four-year term. The first 100 days makes a nice benchmark for typical four-year terms. In these times, and in this situation, a 50-day review is in order.

Erik got 4th in the Junior Olympics 11-12 boys 50 breast

Erik got to swim in finals tonight in the 50 breast. It was an event he won at the BB Championships. Video of the race may be posted later.

Meanwhile, he and I missed part of the Crafton swim team picnic. Both started at 6 pm.

Erik and Grant both got high-point awards for their respective age groups. Sweet.

Crafton's Pool Filter is Broken - no water polo for Monday

The first day of the three weeks water polo camp to be hosted at Crafton has been called off due to a broken swim pool filter. The filter went down Sunday night with a cracked part or some thing. So, the pool needs to be closed. Hence water polo practice is off.

We'll start as soon as the pool re-opens. I expect it to be a short delay.

Tomorrow would be a great day for heavy storms and showers -- while the pool is closed.

Stay tuned.

SI.com - More Sports - U.S. enjoys Pan Ams medals fest, eyes Olympics - Sunday July 29, 2007 1:29AM

SI.com - More Sports - U.S. enjoys Pan Ams medals fest, eyes Olympics - Sunday July 29, 2007 1:29AM: Americans did their best work in Rio, not surprisingly, in sports where there is true depth: swimming, shooting, gymnastics. And in team sports where the United States has long been a powerhouse: softball, water polo and women's basketball.

Cincinnati - Losing a great coach

The Cincinnati Post - Losing a great coach: The sudden death of former Xavier University basketball coach Skip Prosser at age 56 has shocked Greater Cincinnati.

A Pittsburgh native who adopted Cincinnati as his second home, Prosser spent 15 years at Xavier, first as an assistant to head coach Pete Gillen, then as head coach for seven seasons between 1994 and 2001. Even after he left Xavier for the head coaching job at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., Prosser maintained close ties to Cincinnati - as well as a house in Mount Lookout.

The Power to Destroy.

IRS loses challenge to prove tax liability
Lawyer is acquitted after arguing income levy lacks legal foundation

By Bob Unruh, WorldNetDaily.com

The Internal Revenue Service has lost a lawyer's challenge in front of a jury to prove a constitutional foundation for the nation's income tax, and the victorious attorney now is setting his sights higher.

"I think now people are beginning to realize that this has got to be the largest fraud, backed up by intimidation and extortion and by the sheer force of taking peoples property and hard-earned money without any lawful authorization whatsoever," lawyer Tom Cryer told WND just days after a jury in Louisiana acquitted him of two criminal tax counts.

And before you consign him to the legions of "tin foil hat brigades" who argue against paying taxes, and then want payment to explain how to do that, he addresses the issue up front.

"These snake oil peddlers have conned millions of dollars out of many well-intended patriots and left a trail of broken lives in their wake. These charlatans should be avoided, not only because they will lead you to bankruptcy and prison, but because by association they discredit those who are telling the truth," he said.

The truth, he said, is where he comes in, with the launch of a new Truth Attack website that is intended to build on his victory, and create a coalition of resources to defeat ultimately the income tax in the United States.

Although the legal citations in the case tend to run the length of paragraphs, Cryer told WND the underlying issue is not that complicated. Essentially, he argued that income is not necessarily any money that comes to a person, but rather categories such as profit and interest.

He said the free exchange of labor for compensation has been upheld as a right by the Supreme Court, but that doesn't necessarily make the compensation income.

If ever such an argument were to be presented widely, Cryer said, the income to the federal government would plummet. But not to worry, he said, the expenses could be reduced equally by eliminating programs, departments and agencies that also have no foundation in the Constitution.

"The Founding Fathers intentionally restricted the taxing powers of the new federal government as a measure of restraint on its size. By exceeding that limited taxing authority the federal government has been able to obtain resources beyond its intended reach, and that money has enabled the federal government to exceed its authority," he said.

For example, he said, the Constitution does not empower the federal government to regulate education, or employment, and agriculture, yet it does so.

The jury in U.S. District Court in Louisiana voted 12-0 to find Cryer, of Shreveport, not guilty of failure to file income taxes for two years. He had been indicted in 2006 on charges of failing to pay $73,000 to the IRS in 2000 and 2001. The next step in his personal case will be up to the IRS and prosecutors, if they choose to continue the issue, he said.

But for the rest of the nation, he's working with Save-a-Patriot, the Free Enterprise Society, Live Free Now and his own Lie Free Zone to spread the message of the truth.

"There are three points that are important," he told WND. "There's no law making the average working man liable [for income taxes], there's no law or regulation that allows the IRS to contend that earnings are 100 percent profit received in exchange for nothing, and the right to earn a living through any lawful occupation is a constitutionally protected fundamental right, and it is exempt from taxation."

Spokesman Robert Marvin in Washington's IRS office told WND the Internal Revenue Code provides for taxation on salaries or wages, but when pressed for a specific citation, or constitutional provision, he said, "I can't comment."

Cryer's encounter with tax law began more than a decade ago when a friend told him the income tax was sham. Cryer started researching, hoping to keep his friend out of trouble. But his conclusions, after years of research, were exactly what his friend told him.

He researched not only tax laws, but also the documents pertaining to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution as well as the first income tax.

He said throughout his battle, he's offered at every turn to pay taxes if the IRS could show him the authorization, and that never has happened.

"The Criminal Investigation Division and Department of Justice both responded only with 'your position is frivolous.' I had never stated a position, so how could they know whether it was frivolous?" he said. "Imagine my sending you a bill for $1,000 and when you call me and ask what the bill was for I simply said, 'that position is frivolous, just write the check and send it in.'"

His acquittal, he said, was a precedent because it means "people can see and recognize the truth."

He said multiple Supreme Court opinions have affirmed an individual's ownership of his or her own labor, and "exercising your fundamental rights" is not taxable. "It is definitely a trade. What most people receive in the form of wages, salaries or in my case fees that they personally earned for their labor is not received in exchange for nothing."

He said there might be a profit that should be taxable, but there might not.

"The IRS lets Wal-Mart sell a trillion dollars worth of goods, but they can back out their cost of goods [before being taxed,]" he said. "The IRS considers, in the case of a Wal-Mart wage earner, 100 percent of what he takes in is profit."

"But he's using his life, energy and work lifespan, and depleting it as he goes," Cryer told WND. "[Working] is a God-given fundamental right that is protected under the Constitution and can't be taxed any more than exercising freedom of speech."

While he waits to see what, if anything, the IRS and Justice Department will do next in his case, he's working to coordinate the groups that are battling taxation as unconstitutional.

"I have started a campaign to unify [the work] and we've got a number of organizations that are sponsoring and supporting this campaign," he said. The goal is to get everyone "who is aware of the truth" organized so they can spread the word.

He warned without a restoration of constitutional basics, the nation is lost.

"Read your Constitution and you will see that the federal role does not include ANY authority to regulate or tax any citizen directly and that WE expressly reserved the right to rule and govern ourselves as States, not as mere political subdivisions," his website says.

"The Constitution does not allow the government to run your lives, but the money it is stealing from millions of Americans is the fuel for its over-reaching and kibitzing. Take the money back and we and our states and communities can again be free," he said.

The fight is over "our FREEDOM from rule by a DISTANT RULER, just as we fought to free ourselves of a distant England over 200 years ago," he said.

Man 'calmly' shot to death by masked gunman

What is going on?

Man 'calmly' shot to death by masked gunman Pittsburgh police Lt. Kevin Kraus said at least one shot was fired inside the store before the victim fled and collapsed in the middle of Perrysville Avenue.

The gunman followed the victim out of the store and 'calmly' walked over to the injured man and shot him at point-blank range several more times, the police reported.

Transit service cutbacks canceled

Pennsylvania is famous for this. Pennsylvania does not create new jobs. Rather, Pennsylvania creates new taxes.

Transit service cutbacks canceled The state has granted County Chief Executive Dan Onorato the authority to introduce a tax on alcoholic drinks of up to 10 percent and up to a $2-a-day tax on car rentals. Mr. Onorato would like to shift the burden of subsidizing Port Authority away from property taxes.

The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat may have just been fired

The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat The Mayor has 60 days to fill the positions before the City goes straight to hell.

Interesting post.

Republicans shy away from proposed YouTube debate

These other Rs are chicken to face off in a modern format because they know that the older gentleman, Ron Paul, will crush them. Ron Paul rocks on the internet. Ron Paul has rocked at the last debates too.
Rudy has to play defense now and he is slipping. And, he'll slip farther and farther down in the view of the public.

Republicans shy away from proposed YouTube debate It looks like the Republican candidates for President won't have to answer questions from snowmen anytime soon, as their Democratic counterparts recently did.

Plans for a CNN/YouTube debate for the GOP seemed to be melting Thursday after front-runner Rudy Giuliani said scheduling conflicts would keep him away from the Sept. 17 faceoff. Formal invitations went out Thursday.

University Of Pittsburgh at Bradford - Maps & Directions

University Of Pittsburgh at Bradford - Maps & Directions Maps and Directions

Coach Ed, formerly of the Jewish Community Center of the South Hills swim team, TWIST, Tidal Waves, is about to begin a new coaching job. He is moving to coach Pitt Bradford.

Pitt Bradford is a Division III swim program, men and women. The pool is just 5 years old. The team is small and needs to grow.

Way to go Ed. We'll miss you.

NY Times article -- worthy of full reading. Many quotes of note.

Ron Paul - Presidential Election of 2008 - Elections - Candidates - Republicans - New York Times

The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul

NY Times article on Ron Paul includes: Alone among Republican candidates for the presidency, Paul has always opposed the Iraq war. He blames “a dozen or two neocons who got control of our foreign policy,” chief among them Vice President Dick Cheney and the former Bush advisers Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle, for the debacle.

Other interesting quotes from the article (slight edits). Do read the article.

- Ron Paul is the candidate of many people, on both the right and the left, who hope that something more consequential than a mere change of party will come out of the 2008 elections.

- Ron Paul is particularly popular among the young and the wired.

- Spreading a message has always been just as important as seizing office. Politicians don’t amount to much. But ideas do.

- Power asserted by modern presidents has been usurped from Congress, and that much of the power asserted by Congress has been usurped from the states.

- Ron Paul's vision has won most favor from those convinced the country is going to hell in a handbasket. His message draws on the noblest traditions of American decency and patriotism; it also draws on what the historian Richard Hofstadter called the paranoid style in American politics.

Quote with a minor factual blunder: Paul grew up in the western Pennsylvania town of Green Tree. His father, the son of a German immigrant, ran a small dairy company. Sports were big around there — one of the customers on the milk route Paul worked as a teenager was the retired baseball Hall of Famer Honus Wagner — and Paul was a terrific athlete, winning a state track meet in the 220 and excelling at football and baseball. But knee injuries had ended his sports career by the time he went off to Gettysburg College in 1953.

The fact is, Ron Paul became a swimmer after that knee injury. Swimmers are athletes too, even at Gettysburg College! Later in life, Ron Paul would be a 'swim parent' to his kids. His son become a nationally ranked butterfly swimmer while growing up in Texas.

- Ron Paul was annoyed by the evangelicals’ being so supportive of pre-emptive war, which seems to contradict everything that he was taught as a Christian.” The religion is based on somebody who’s referred to as the Prince of Peace.

- You cannot fake out markets, no matter how surreptitiously you expand the money supply. Spend more than you earn, and you are on the road to inflation and tyranny.

The quote above is a good one to remember when thinking about local politics and the operations of the URA and Grant Street politicians.

- For Ron Paul, everything comes back to money, including Iraq. “No matter how much you love the empire,” he says, “it’s unaffordable.” Wars are expensive, and there has been a tendency throughout history to pay for them by borrowing.

- Ron Paul (in the US House) warned against the rewriting of banking rules that laid the groundwork for the savings-and-loan collapse of the 1980s.

- Ron Paul tended his own Foundation for Rational Economics and Education (FREE) and kept up his contacts with other market-oriented organizations.

- A heavily funded effort by the National Republican Congressional Committee tried to defeat Ron Paul. The National Rifle Association made an independent expenditure against Ron Paul. Former President George H.W. Bush, Gov. George W. Bush and both Republican senators endorsed Paul's opponent. Paul had only two prominent backers: the tax activist Steve Forbes and the pitcher Nolan Ryan. Ron Paul won.

- Republican opposition may not have made Paul distrust the party, but beating its network with his own homemade one revealed that he didn’t necessarily need the party either. Paul looks back on that race and sees something in common with his quixotic bid for the presidency.

- Ron Paul has been elected to the US Congress three times as a nonincumbent.

- Ron Paul is a politician of prodigious gifts.

- Ron Paul votes against pork-barrel spending even for his own district. In a rice-growing, cattle-ranching district, Paul consistently votes against farm subsidies. Ron Paul votes against FEMA and flood aid, and the district is along the Gulf. In a district that is home to many employees of the Johnson Space Center, Ron Paul votes against financing NASA.

- A newspaper in Ron Paul's district generally opposed him for re-election on the grounds that a “lone wolf” cannot get the highway and homeland-security financing the district needs.

- Ron Paul is a very charismatic person. He has charm. He does not alter his position ever. His ideals are high.

- “So many times, people say to us, ‘We don’t like his vote.’ But they trust his heart.”

- Admired for his fidelity to principle and lack of ego. “He is one of the easiest people in Congress to work with, because he bases his positions on the merits of issues.

Just last night on a local blog I ranted a bit about how the folks on city council rely upon back slapping and back stabbing. They don't have much else to go on. The working together of the council members was part of a discussion because of the cat license folly.

If I was on city council, I'd hope to be easy to work with because I'd be one who, like Ron Paul, bases positions on merits -- not political personalities.

- Ron Paul is independent but not ornery. Paul has made a habit of objecting to things that no one else objects to.

Right on! (I know, ... I'm quixotic and ornery.)

- In October 2001, Ron Paul was one of three House Republicans to vote against the USA Patriot Act.

-- In today’s Washington, Ron Paul’s combination of radical libertarianism and conservatism is unusual.

- Ron Paul’s ideological easygoingness is like a black hole that attracts the whole universe of individuals and groups who don’t recognize themselves in the politics they see on TV.

- To hang around with Ron Paul's impressively large crowd of supporters in Manchester, N.H., in June, was to be showered with privately printed newsletters full of exclamation points and capital letters, scribbled-down U.R.L.’s for Web sites about the Free State Project, which aims to turn New Hampshire into a libertarian enclave, and copies of the cult DVD “America: Freedom to Fascism.

Humm.... Are all newsletters 'privately printed?' Are there public printed newsletters? Is the NY Times a private or public newspaper?

Humm.... I've passed out the DVD, "America: Freedom to Fascism." It went to those at Pittsburgh's BootCamp (PodCamp). It isn't a 'cult' flick. It is a documentary.

Humm.... I use exclamation points and capital letters.... !!!! and even HUMMs too!!!!

Only the NY Times would us "U.R.L." with periods between the letters. OMG, tt is a web address. Big deal.

Humm.... the Free State Project is what it is. It is New Hampshire, as is Free Talk Live.

Ron Paul is not a conspiracy theorist. But the elitists at the NY Times is sure to interview a bunch of them to get quotes about Ron Paul for a feature on Ron Paul.

- Ron Paul's campaign is a clearinghouse for voters who feel unrepresented by mainstream Republicans and Democrats.

Great ending. But, the article did not end there. The NY Times article went on to editorialize with smugness. Ron Paul can be the next president of the United States because more people are upset with American politics than not.

Doyle hires O'Connor's son

Doyle hires O'Connor's son They replace Sabrina Saunders and Jason Tagano, both of whom were hired into Mr. Ravenstahl's administration in recent weeks.

Asked whether he was upset that Mr. Ravenstahl hired away two of his staff members, he said that's 'not anything that serves any productive purpose to talk about, anyway. ... If we fight, we fight in private.'

This is a very little "if." Hire O'Connor as his loyalty isn't with Ravenstahl. Hire Patterson as his loyalty isn't with Ravenstahl. Then the staff won't jump as quickly.

Lots of Pittsburgh's politics is about jobs -- and even a mentality of 'taking food off of my plate.'

Teeing Off - Rough questions about the mayor's golfing excursion - Views - Revelations - Pittsburgh City Paper

Pittsburgh - Teeing Off - Rough questions about the mayor's golfing excursion - Views - Revelations - Pittsburgh City Paper: "I just want to know the odds here."

The odds are 100% certain that Luke is clueless about liberty, freedom and salvation for our city. Luke is cut from the same cloth as Onorato and crew. He won't fix the ills of the city. Those are the odds as I see them.

The Darn News: Open Up Your Heart And Let This Fool Rush In

Insightful quote:

The Darn News: Open Up Your Heart And Let This Fool Rush In It sounds like DeSantis will make the city's fiscal ruin his clarion call. Unfortunately, the only thing Pittsburghers find scarier than math is the Republican Party.

Yes, DeSantis is going to make the city's folly in finances his 'clarion call.' Folks can move to Clarion County too. That gives new meaning to 'Clarion Call.'

Pittsburgh mayoral hopeful urges frank talk - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Pittsburgh mayoral hopeful urges frank talk - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review A 'citizen-police council' in which residents of high-crime neighborhoods would work with police officials to decide how to deploy police and other public safety resources.

Sure. This is fine.

How about a policy move to end the war on drugs.

How about efforts to re-build the citizens police academy. We need to get some grass-roots leadership after the grass-roots people are in the know. I don't want dumb decision making because its all we know among the citizens.

Points from DeSantis might include -- more silly benchmarks -- oh no!

Pittsburgh mayoral hopeful urges frank talk - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Performance benchmarks from other U.S. cities would be pitted against specific accomplishments of Pittsburgh's public safety, public works and other departments and released to the public to encourage city managers to improve."

This isn't what is needed.

The same type of thinking was used in the benchmarks of the Pittsburgh Public Schools as well, but at the other end of the silly spectrum.

People in Pittsburgh Public Schools don't often need to compare the performance between one city school and another. Rather, the comparison and contrast needs to be drawn among city schools and suburban schools.

If a family is going to one set of schools, they are not going to move, say from Lawrenceville to Greenfield. No way. They might move from the city to North Hills, West Allegheny, Woodland Hills, etc.

I want benchmarks that mean something.

Likewise, I don't need to see a suite of benchmarks about public safety from Pittsburgh to St. Louis and Kansas City. Families in Pittsburgh don't worry about the time of arrival of EMS vs. the time it would take if they lived in another city in another state.

Will quality of life be better in Butler, in Westmorland County, in Brentwood -- or in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh mayoral hopeful urges frank talk - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Frank talk. Humm. Let's figure that frank talk falls flat when DeSantis predicts that he'll raise $500K. That's smack down talk when you want to burn a half-million and be proud.

Warts and all speak says the race can be won on spending $2 or $3.25 per voter.

Pittsburgh mayoral hopeful urges frank talk - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review I want people to see everything, warts and all."

Photo tag: Republican mayoral candidate Mark DeSantis contends he can raise $500,000 or more for his campaign. Incumbent Luke Ravenstahl has raised at least $713,582.

To raise that money is one thing. To spend it in meaningful ways is another. To burn it is even more of a shame.

The Pittsburgh Promise has $10,000, from one source. How about a pledge to the promise and then the $500,000 could go to better uses.

Creative ways exist. Burning money is status quo stupid. That's what Luke is going to do. I don't want a mayor that acts like Luke and those who have gone before him that have been pushing Pittsburgh to its ruin.

Top Pitt defensive end arrested

Top Pitt defensive end arrested Pitt senior standout defensive end Joe Clermond was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana Saturday night.

Darn it. Here comes more injury due to the senseless war on drugs.

A small amount of marijuana can lead to big troubles. That sucks. Pittsburgh's finest have important jobs to do. Sticking marijuana charges on a car load of young people after a hip-hop concert isn't a high priority.

[412] final call for cheap car, signatures for ballot, meeting Ron Paul and water polo

An email blast message was delivered:

[412] final call for cheap car, signatures for ballot, meeting Ron Paul and water polo [412] final call for cheap car, signatures for ballot, meeting Ron Paul and water polo

Calling our Senior Senator with the message: SaveNetRadio and outfits like Pandora

Get this, Congress is doing too little and it is taking too long.

The pressure created by the amazing outpouring from listeners has forced Congress to sit down with all sides and ask them to negotiate a solution to ensure the long term viability of the Internet radio industry. However, these negotiations are proceeding at a much slower pace than anyone had hoped for, and, therefore, we need your continued help to keep the pressure on.

Senator, Arlen Specter heads an important committee with the power to move this issue forward. We are asking that you contact him immediately to ask for his sponsorship of the Internet Radio Equality Act, S. 1353.

Senator Arlen Specter: (202) 224-4254

Even if you have already called these offices once, please take the time and call again to ensure your voice is heard. If you have friends or family in your state who support Internet radio please ask them to call as well.

Without your support this bill would never have been introduced; your continued support will enable it to get passed into law.

Lake Jackson and Grand kids of Ron Paul -- Making Waves in Cyberspace

MyFox Houston | Ron Paul Making Waves in Cyberspace HOUSTON -- FOX in FOCUS: In this sometimes wacky new world in which everybody seems to be wired, the race for the white house has moved full-force onto the world wide web. Greg Groogan tells us how a dark-horse presidential candidate from Texas is carving out an unexpected degree of success in cyberspace.

Nice video story.

Cat says -- just dodged a bullet. No license headaches today.

From people & vips

Jeff Koch saves the day!

Fred Thompson Shakes Up Campaign Staff -- GOPUSA

Fred Thompson Shakes Up Campaign Staff -- GOPUSA Details of Thompson's fundraising remain unclear, however. As an undeclared candidate, Thompson can raise money to ''test the waters'' without having to file public financial reports until he actually enters the race.

The joke goes, rather than holding the next debate on YouTube.com, it should be held among the candidates on eBay. That way the politicians can more easily be purchased. (Not my joke.)

Words define mayoral actions

Words define mayoral actions - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "(verb) -- To argue or vigorously discuss matters of pressing importance. (Example: 'Dan, you want to go to The Carlton or the Paradiso for lunch today?')"

Follow up question at a debate: "What's for lunch?"

Probing question: "Are there free refills?"

2nd phase of condo project begins on S. Side Slopes

2nd phase of condo project begins on S. Side Slopes The developer, Coldwell Banker New Homes Division, will make tours of the model unit available after the 10:30 a.m. ceremony.

Won't you be my neighbor!

With overlords in town, this is all the mayor is good for -- wearing a sandwich board and hucksterism.

When is the third, fourth and fifth ribbon cutting?

Lane 9 News Archive: Braxton Bilbrey Swims Around Alcatraz

Lane 9 News Archive: Braxton Bilbrey Swims Around Alcatraz A year ago, 8-year-old Braxton Bilbrey became the youngest individual to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco. Monday morning, Bilbrey swam around Alcatraz Island, covering the route in just under two hours. Bilbrey handled the route in one hour, 58 minutes, according to a report in the Arizona Republic.

Bilbrey negotiated 61-degree water and handled a distance of 3.5 miles, more than twice what he covered last year going from the former prison to San Francisco. Bilbrey was accompanied by his coach, Joe Zemaitis, and two other adult swimmers. They were followed by a support boat.

http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/9/9/e/9/event_1779401.jpeg

Crafton, then Scott,, Mt. Lebo, South Fayette and Green Tree

The South Hills Summer Swimming Conference Championship swim meet was tonight at Carlynton High School.

Team scores:

Crafton Crocodiles Swim Team = 1,012.5
Scott Township Swim Team = 773
Mt. Lebanon Piranhas = 725.5
South Fayette Summer Swim Team = 487.5
Green Tree Swim Team = 417.5

For the tenth year in a row, the same coach, Mike Schneiderlochner's team won. Way to go Mike!

This is my second year as an assistant coach with the Crocodiles. Mike has been with Crafton for three years. Prior, we both were at Green Tree. I've only been involved in the league for seven years, not ten.

Erik won three events, setting a new team record in the 50-breast (short-course yards) with a 38.10. He won the 50 fly and 100 IM too. (IM = 15.4 + 22.6 (36.8) + 21.4 + 17.1 (38.6) = 1:15.58)

Grant was in three very close races. He didn't win any but was right within a touch or stroke in all of his races: 25 free, 25 fly and 25 fly.

There were some great races throughout the night in many age groups. Well done swimmers, coaches and teams!

The All-Star meet is on Thursday night at South Fayette.

Ron Paul Update

July 23, 2007

What a great trip to South Carolina! On Saturday, I talked to the Spartanburg County GOP. About 350 people attended from all over the South, and the local party made $5000 out of it. Originally, this had seemed to be unfriendly territory, but everyone couldn’t have been nicer or more welcoming. And we all learned something.

Then I spoke to a rally in Greenville. The local papers were less biased than most, but they still estimated the crowd at 500. We had set the room with 1100 chairs, and almost all of them were taken. In addition, people stood in ranks at the back and sides. In other words, there were more than 1000 people there.

This crowd -- also from all over the South, and thanks to all those who drove hours to be there -- was typically diverse. Lots of young people, but also lots of families with children. And seniors too. I talked about foreign and domestic policy, and noted that those concerned about pollution must support private property. Government property is never well cared for. Just look at the environmental problems left over from the USSR!

I also talked about sound money and the Federal Reserve, about the inflation it is inflicting on us, and about the recessions it causes, and the unjust redistribution of wealth it brings about. A young man who drove up from Auburn, Alabama, said he’d never thought he’d see the day when a call to abolish the central bank would receive a long standing ovation in American politics.

But if there is one thing we know, people are hungry for the truth. And that is especially true of this moment. I found the same concerns at a picnic of local political activists I attended. I even got questions about Austrian economics!

Last Tuesday in Georgia, Dr. Paul Broun defeated state senator John Whitehead in a special election to Congress. John had all the establishment and money on his side. But Paul discussed obedience to the Constitution, limited government, the failure of the national Republican leadership, and a less aggressive foreign policy. And he won. Columnist Robert Novak said this “terrified” all the establishment types in the Republican Party. I had talked to Paul during his campaign, and was thrilled to congratulate him on his victory. There is a new wind blowing.

Our bottom-up campaign -- not top-down in the usual official fashion -- has gotten far bigger and more successful, at a faster rate, than even I dreamed. And the sky is the limit. Don't we owe it to our great forbears, and to our children and grandchildren and great grandchildren down through the generations, not to lose our country? We can win the fight for the ideals of the founders. We can have freedom, peace, and prosperity. We can be blessed by our fellow citizens, and by all those who come after us.

Come, join me in this great endeavor with your most generous contribution. https://www.ronpaul2008.com/donate/

Sincerely,

Ron

Dr. Paul is going to be in Pittsburgh at 7 pm on August 3 at the North Points Sheraton. Be there if you can.

Residents look to preserve the view from Mt. Washington - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Residents look to preserve the view from Mt. Washington - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The session, at the Mt. Washington Senior Center, will allow residents to discuss options for the project and its $3 million estimated cost.

Should the city spend $3-million for sidewalks and fences on the hillside leading to Mt. Washington?

Well, more than $3-million has already been spent by the cost over-runs on the tunnel under the river for the light rail extension to the North Shore.

Pitt seeks trust from community

Pitt seeks trust from community - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review'One of the biggest problems we had was that rumors guided what kind of reactions we got to our projects in the community,' said Wilds, who came to Pitt in 1985 as its director of human resources and serves as associate vice chancellor of community and governmental relations. 'People thought we wanted to purchase Oakland when that was not the case.'

Pitt never wanted to purchase Oakland. Rather, Pitt just wanted to own Oakland.

If you think that local groups are virtually unanimous in praise -- then you can be certain that the local newspapers are still not able to report on all sides of the story.

Channel swim sunk by storms

Ouch.

Channel swim sunk by storms Horrific weather and crashing 5-foot waves combined yesterday to thwart Brent McAuliffe's attempt to become the first Pennsylvanian to swim the English Channel.

Mr. McAuliffe, of Canonsburg, attempted to swim the 21 miles from Dover, England, to Calais, France, to raise funds and awareness for childhood friend Marissa Boyan, of Bethel Park, who has been battling a brain tumor.

It ain't about the geese.

Onorato lied.

The Canadians were gathered in the hush of dawn and killed -- after Onorato said that a slaughter would NOT happen.

Trust from Onorato's camp has migrated.

Still one of the most influential political blogs in Pennyslvania

This week's rankings are posted. This blog is still in the top 20!

Blue ribbon! update from our swimming summer

Erik swam in finals in tonight's BB Championships in 2 events. He won, 1st place, in the 50 breast, time 42.80. He also made a new J.O. cut in that event. Now Erik has two events in the JO meet, 50 free and 50 breast.

Erik also got 6th in the 50 fly.

Grant swam in finals in the 100 back. He improved his time from prelims by .5.

Our summer league championship swim meet is Tuesday night at the indoor Carlynton High School pool. Each boy will be in three events. Throughout the summer meets, they both have had a few tight races, but have only got blue ribbons.

State subsidy revives Downtown convention hotel plans

This is why we will never get ahead, big-ticket boneheaded spending.

State subsidy revives Downtown convention hotel plans Downtown Pittsburgh can finally move ahead with plans for a headquarters hotel, with 400 to 500 rooms, adjacent to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

That's because the state Legislature this week included a $34 million subsidy for the $103 million project when it approved projects paid for from the slots development fund. The fund, based on 5 percent of taxes paid by slots casinos, also is helping to pay for a replacement for Mellon Arena.

City's surveillance system to get $3.4M upgrade - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

If I'm elected, I'll work hard to point the cameras at public officials who should be guarding our money and liberties -- not at citizens. They want to reduce the privacy of our daily lives. I want to reduce the privacy of our public spending, closed room deal making, and corruption opportunities.

Only after all the public officials and public meetings are fully accessible and open and transparent and streamed and archived and searchable and documented and easily navigated should be bother pointing the cameras at people on the streets.

The bigger crimes are happening on the golf courses and bond-refinance meetings among high-spending public servants, not along the streets of a downtown intersection.

Putting better cameras along our streets in the city is just another reason to give people to avoid the city.

City's surveillance system to get $3.4M upgrade - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Pittsburgh's version of Big Brother has poor vision, but he's about to go 20/20.

A $3.4 million police and emergency services surveillance upgrade could begin in October. It would add 83 cameras capable of streaming live video to -- and being controlled by -- any networked city computer, including those in police cruisers equipped with laptops."

So quiet on the digital front. Are you all reading your new Harry Potter books?

Don't mention two words as to what you think of the new book. Neither say nor post anyting beyond the page number you've hit -- and NOTHING else.

I notice very little on the net today. Everyone might be hung over from the midnight Harry Potter parties.

Erik and Grant were in a the BB Championships today. They were reading between events. Erik made finals in 3 events. Grant in none. Our boys are not tapered and not rested. It showed. More events and reading come tomorrow.

Midnight magic in the air - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Midnight magic in the air, front page photo : Staffers at Joseph-Beth Booksellers at the SouthSide Works were expecting a large crowd for the book's midnight release. Marketing manager Jeffrey Inscho said the store had pre-sold 400 books.

Erik, my son, and his friends had their photo on the front page of the Saturday Tribune Review newspaper.

From family - travels

Travel photos with the anticipation party for the new Harry Potter book

From family - travels

We enjoyed the party hosted by the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh in Oakland in advance of the new book's release. Erik and Grant dressed up.

At midnight tonight, the book is available. I'll be in line at Joseph Beths Booksellers at the South Side Works to pick up our copies. Two books: one for us and one for grandma.

Then in the morning, we are up at 6 am for a swim meet, BB Champs. The books might get a little wet.

The meet is a pre-lims and finals meet. The kids won't be shaved, but, I wondered if it would be good to do that for the first time in their lives. Our taper has not really happened, yet. Erik is in J.O.'s (next weekend). Plus, we'll have a meet following that for city championships. And, then we expect to go to the West Virginia state meet to be held this year at Kenyon. So, our fully-rested meet / taper / shave is later in the summer.

Libertarian Party horrified at Pennsylvania spending surge

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania - For Immediate Release - July 20, 2007

For more information contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) or
Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org

Harrisburg - Pennsylvania legislators have approved a budget that will hold the line on taxes but pushes the general budget to $59.1 billion and the general fund to $27.3 billion.

Despite a $650 million surplus, Governor Rendell pushed hard for a wide array of new and increased taxes including an "energy" tax and an increased sales tax. The legislature held firm to the desires of Pennsylvanians and the budget will include no tax increases.

However, the legislature was more accommodating to increased spending. According to the Commonwealth Foundation, spending will increase 4.5% versus an inflation rate of 3.15%. Spending includes an additional $750 million in transportation spending primarily to bail out the already bloated mass transit systems in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. $800 million will go towards funding of a convention center in Philadelphia while over $200 million will be dedicated to help fund a new hockey arena in Pittsburgh.

Michael Robertson, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa) Chair, observed that, "While the budget does not contain a direct tax increase, because of shuffled appropriations there are hidden tax increases associated with the additional spending. As with the transportation funding bill, which reduces the already low share of liquid fuels funds to municipalities, local governments will have to rely on other sources of revenue to maintain current capabilities such as road maintenance. This will likely result in increased local property taxes to cover the increased state expenditures in other areas."

Robertson continued, "Robbing Peter to pay Paul is no way to run a government. Unless the legislature can reduce spending, the climate for free enterprise in Pennsylvania will continue to deteriorate, and our liberty will continue to be eroded."

Doug Leard, LPPa Media Chair, observed that, "Even after the overwhelming rejection of the May ballot referendum to have a revenue-neutral tax shift, they propose more spending. Taxpayers want smaller state government. The legislature and the governor continue to ignore that fact."

"Total squander for 2007-2008 will likely top $60,000,000,000 in taxpayer's earnings that would otherwise be used for productive purposes. Considering the all the ethical problems in the legislature, they shouldn't be trusted with a dime of other people's money." said Libertarian Candidate James Babb. "Last year's surplus should be returned at once to the people that earned it."

The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in both Pennsylvania and the United States. Nationwide there are over 200,000 registered Libertarians with organizations in all 50 states. Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices throughout the nation. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania, 3915 Union Deposit Road #223, Harrisburg, PA 17109 www.lppa.org, 1-800-R-RIGHTS, info@lppa.org

New Arena: Master Plan Process has meetings and tour slated for early August

FocusGpFlier3.pdf (application/pdf Object)

See this PDF.

Make free wi-fi truly free

Make free wi-fi truly free

Pittsburgh has two-hours of free wi-fi. Giggle.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Intel and $100 laptop join forces

Penn State - Careers: Job Opportunities

Penn State - Careers: Job Opportunities

SI.com - More Sports - Cal swim coach gets $3.5M in�gender bias case - Friday July 20, 2007 11:04AM

SI.com - More Sports - Cal swim coach gets $3.5M in�gender bias case - Friday July 20, 2007 11:04AM An Olympic gold medal swimmer who became a coach and administrator will receive more than $3.5 million in the settlement of a gender discrimination lawsuit against the University of California, Berkeley.

Karen Moe Humphreys worked at Berkeley from 1978 until being laid off in 2004. She sued, saying she lost her job in retaliation for complaining about the treatment of women by the university's athletic department.

pnc = pick pocket corporation

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review PNC Financial Services Group says it had a net profit of $423 million for the second quarter of 2007. PNC has net profits of $882 million for the first half of 2007. It had a profit of $2.6 billion for all of 2006. Oh, and PNC also says its multibillion-dollar acquisitions spree continues -- it's buying Sterling Financial Corp. for $565 million. So, any day now we expect Pickpocket National Corp. to reimburse the public for the $48 million in public subsides for its new Downtown skyscraper, right?

Null Space: to borrow a phrase.....

Null Space: to borrow a phrase.....: "to borrow a phrase....."

My reply:

The candidates come and go. However, the city, county, and region is not as it was in the past.

Lots of people have moved out. That is more of a factor than who is on the ballot.

Some too have moved into the city as well.

Lots of debt has been built. That is not measured with these flash backs.

The city is on the brink. This can't be given a discount.

Lynn Swann was running for PA -- where the worst was a pay raise. And, Swann didn't even speak out against the pay raise much.

Roddey has done lots to prevent a R from running in the city as Roddey could not do it.

Roddey did a lot to piss off the city residents -- in both of his races and throughout his public career.

City residents don't give a woop about do-whop at QED. We were pissed at the loss of WQEX 16 and the debt that they created there -- despite having Mr. Rodgers to pimp. Then there is PAT -- and that leadership speaks for itself. Roddey supported the work of Sabre Systems too.

DeSantis has none of that first hand damage and baggage that Roddey has created for himself and our region.

long research

Municipal Bankruptcy: Why Creditors Need Greater

Access to Tax Revenues in Chapter 9 Proceedings.

The Club For Growth hates Edwards plan for schools

The Club For Growth - http://www.clubforgrowth.org Club for Growth Gives Edwards’ School Plan Grade of F

No shock that the Club for Growth hates the plan from a Dem.

Edwards wants urban magnet schools. Those are NOT charter schools. And, Edwards wants to give money to suburban districts that take city kids in their classrooms.

The Club for Growth wants to fund private school options.

These folks are talking past each other, sadly.

Pittsburgh Hoagie gets nod for Propel Pittsburgh update

Pittsburgh Hoagie: All meat no filler: Propel Pittsburgh update

My reactions:

Get on the URA Board, then I'll be impressed.

Propel Pgh is a joke.

I would NUKE that organization. It has no function in city government. It is a way to make government bigger. I want to make government smaller. It is a way to put more layers of b-mumbo-jumbo between our city's leaders and the voters.

It is an accountability cope out too. He can say he'll do nothing but wait for the report from the 'commission' or 'booster group.'

We already have plenty of groups of professional young people in this town. Interact with them in the private sector. Don't duplicate them with taxpayer money.

It is plans like these that cost the city money -- and do little or nothing. And, this is why the Ds made the city bankrupt. It is a perk for you. It is a headache for the future.

Feds try to shut Brazilian airport after deadly crash - CNN.com

I've been sitting on this blog posting for a while. It isn't good news. In the USA, and in Pittsburgh, we are generally clueless about what is going on in the rest of the world. More research and pointers are needed.

The news hits close to home for me and our family. Our next trip abroad is slated for Brazil. Ordering the tickets have been on our 'to do list' in recent days.

A couple of days ago, a big commercial airline crash happened in Brazil -- on the same route that we're expected to take this fall, in October.

Feds try to shut Brazilian airport after deadly crash - CNN.com Feds try to shut Brazilian airport after deadly crash

Stay tuned.

Just a week prior to the fatal crash, the city council made a motion to prevent the large planes from using the airport. That measure was VETOED.

The pilots have been making a fuss about these conditions for some time.

TalkShoe - Talkcast - The American Entrepreneur show today with Mark Rauterkus call

I was an invited caller to Ron's show today as he was a guest host for Uncle Dougie, 3 to 6 pm, 1360 AM. My segment / call was at the very end of the show.

TalkShoe - Talkcast - The American Entrepreneur 07/19/07 03:00 PM EDT 2:56:55 in length

TAE SPECIAL EDITION - Ron Morris fills in for Doug Hoerth

Here is a pointer to the podcast. Listen if you wish.

The American Entrepreneur - Newsletter Articles

Wonderful parenting article from JB Inc.

The American Entrepreneur - Newsletter Articles Before our daughter entered our lives, I couldn’t herd a rabbit to a head of lettuce; because I lacked the patience and foresight needed to manage others.

The Darn News: Ravenstahl Detail: Code Bullshit

Don't you love a good string of insults with a glaring typo.

The Darn News: Ravenstahl Detail: Code Bullshit Your a ribbon-cutting patsy with no gravitas, and little more to your name than the promotion of a few wife-bruising cops and a morally repugnant round of golf. Drop the detail.

Luke might want to drop the detail. But, do insert type, "You're a ..." (not, Your a ...)

Boy, 12, went missing, now found; Last Seen At School - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

Boy was hooked up at the McKeesport Police Station on Thursday morning with his God Parents.

Upsetting news: Help find this kid.

Boy, 12, Missing; Last Seen At School - News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh: "Pittsburgh police are asking for help to find a boy who has been missing since Wednesday.

Eddie Yancey, 12, was last seen at Frick International Studies Academy on Thackeray Street in Oakland, police said.

Yancey's mother, Marcia, said the boy got in trouble because he brought a PlayStation to summer school.

She said she told the principal to send her son home, and the principal gave the child money for a bus ride, but nobody knows what happened after that.

Yancey is described as black, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 130 pounds, with black hair, brown eyes and a light complexion

Anyone who has seen the child is asked to call the missing person unit of Pittsburgh police at 412-323-7800, or contact your local police department.

McKeesport history in focus, Libertarian film producer in town

McKeesport history in focus The film should offer more than just accounts of personal tragedy and triumph; Mr. Wilson said political and economic forces will also be examined.

A self-described libertarian, Mr. Wilson said his experience in McKeesport has made him question his own political views.

'One of the things that concerned me about the town was that the government is stepping in and doing this top-down development and that, to me, seems wrong. I believe the government should be involved in as little as possible.

'But I think there is a point that you get to in a city like McKeesport, where, if that doesn't happen, the city is doomed,'' he said.

'They're kind of doing it the right way,' he added. 'They're building infrastructure here ... but they're also giving business big tax breaks,' he said.

Mr. Wilson said his goal in McKeesport is to create a film that is apolitical ...

Whole Foods CEO turns blog into weapon in battle with FTC

Whole Foods CEO turns blog into weapon in battle with FTC In a blog posting on the Whole Foods Web site, the full force of Mackey's personality was laid bare as he attacked the Federal Trade Commission for trying to stop his company from buying rival Wild Oats Markets Inc.

For openers, Mackey accused the FTC of acting in 'a biased, adversarial and arrogant manner' and of using 'bullying' and 'unethical' tactics.

Got ink: Libertarian leaders eye Pittsburgh for convention

The Tribune Review printed an article about the National Libertarian Meeting that is to take place this weekend at the Hilton and quoted me.

Libertarian leaders eye Pittsburgh for convention - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Mark Rauterkus, of the South Side, who plans a race for City Council in the fall as a Libertarian candidate, said the party 'has a growing base in Western Pennsylvania.' New members include some people 'turned off' by the war in Iraq and others disillusioned with the city's 'Democratic model of giving away things that's failed.'

'We're bankrupt and still losing people,' he said.

---

Here is the full story:

By David M. Brown - TRIBUNE-REVIEW - Thursday, July 19, 2007

Leaders of the Libertarian Party plan to size up Pittsburgh this weekend as a potential site for a future national convention.

While it wouldn't draw the crowds that typically attend the Republican and Democratic national conventions, the organization that bills itself as the nation's third-largest political party could bring as many as 1,000 delegates, family and guests here, Libertarian National Chairman William Redpath said Wednesday.

"We are different from Republicans and Democrats," Redpath said. "Republicans and Democrats try to control people's lives in various ways."

Redpath maintains Libertarians represent "the only party that is consistently in favor of individual freedom and individual responsibility."

The Libertarian National Committee will conduct its quarterly board meeting Saturday and Sunday at the Hilton Pittsburgh, Downtown. Redpath will discuss the possibility of a national convention in 2010 or 2012 during a news conference at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at the hotel.

The party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two major parties, holds national conventions every two years.

Mark Rauterkus, of the South Side, who plans a race for City Council in the fall as a Libertarian candidate, said the party "has a growing base in Western Pennsylvania." New members include some people "turned off" by the war in Iraq and others disillusioned with the city's "Democratic model of giving away things that's failed."

"We're bankrupt and still losing people," he said.

Rauterkus twice ran unsuccessful campaigns as a Libertarian for council and the state Senate. He said he believes the campaigns helped promote important issues, including consolidation of functions in city and county government.

The 3,269 voters registered as Libertarians in Allegheny County rank as the largest third party, but equate to a fraction of 1 percent of the county's 893,606 registered voters. There about 36,000 registered Libertarians statewide. There are 29 Libertarian officeholders in the state, all of them at the local level.

Nationally, the party is in a rebuilding phase, Redpath said. Its membership of active donors -- contributors of $25 or more a year -- has slipped to about 11,000 from a peak of 34,000 in 1999, he said.

More than 200,000 Americans are registered as Libertarians, according to the party's Web site. In 2006, about 13.4 million votes were cast for Libertarian candidates around the nation, according to information on the site.

"In a nutshell, we are advocates for a smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom," it says.

The party has recorded an 18 percent increase in membership since January, said Shane Cory, the party's executive director.

Seventeen national committee members and alternates are expected to participate in the board meeting in Pittsburgh. The group will discuss the party's progress and future goals and assess the city as a convention site.

Suitable hotel accommodations is part of the formula. The group also will get "general impressions of the city," Redpath said. "Is it clean, comfortable and fun, and will it provide a positive experience for our members."

"I've been to Pittsburgh often enough to know that it would," he said.

David M. Brown can be reached at dbrown@tribweb.com or (412) 380-5614.

Edwards lifts poverty as his platform - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Edwards lifts poverty as his platform - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'We've got two public school systems in America. We've got one for those who live in wealthy suburban areas and one for everybody else,' Edwards said at the Hill House Association in the Hill District.

'We have got to build one public school system' to give all students equal opportunity for education, Edwards said to applause from a crowd of about 250.

Donna Vlassich, Assistant Director of Public Engagement is slated to retire

She has been the Assistant Director of Public Engagement for the Pittsburgh Public Schools. We'll miss her.

This is sad news to all the parents who have worked hard in the district in the past years.

Ron Paul is headed to Pittsburgh for August 3 - North Hills

Ron Paul in Pittsburgh!
Ron Paul will be in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Friday August 3rd and will hold a rally for supporters.

Please come and hear Dr. Paul talk about freedom, peace and prosperity in the city that helped shape him in his youth and taught him the importance of family and work ethic.

The event will be held from 7 to 10 pm at the Four Points Sheraton North. The address of the hotel is: 910 Sheraton Drive, Mars, PA 16646. The phone number is 724-776-6900.

The event will be free of charge, contributions are welcome. To RSVP, please click here.

Getting him home

Honesty matters to me. With public issues, like treatment at the parks, honesty's value is double.

Birds of a feather, Luke and Dan.

Federal agents euthanize 272 Canada geese in Allegheny County - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Lies suck. Luke and Dan have not learned that lesson.

Geese mate for life. Likewise, a stigma of telling lies is sure to stick for life as well.

They said that they would NOT kill the Canadian Geese in North Park. They did kill. Onorato not only lied, but he was too chicken to have County workers thin the flock. The feds did the dirty work in the early hours on a weekend, so it is reported. Pass the buck, err, duck, to the feds.

The crap in the park is one thing. Crap behaviors that allows lies from our politicians to fly is something that can't be tolerated.

Animal-rights groups quickly attacked the move, which they called a violation of earlier pledges to avoid euthanasia.

"Extermination was not the answer, and it is not going to be the answer," said Peter McKosky, 26, of the North Side, a wildlife coordinator with Voices for Animals of Western Pennsylvania. "They lied about what they were going to do. And now they're going to have to deal with a lot of ongoing controversy from people who appreciated the geese being there.

Pole vaulter banned for diary. Drug war gone wild.

This is over the top, pun intended.

SI.com - More Sports - Pole vaulter banned for role in doping scandal - Wednesday July 18, 2007 11:15AM Gibilisco is mainly being punished for his association with Santuccione. He's among a growing list of Italian athletes suspended for doping without testing positive.

These officials are over the line. Are they high? (more bad puns)

AVOID ROCK SLIDES - swim to work

Carbolic Smoke Ball: TO AVOID ROCK SLIDES AND ROAD CLOSURES, MORE AND MORE COMMUTERS ARE SWIMMING TO WORK DOWNTOWN Swimmers say they're getting to work faster, despite backups at PennDOT's orange buoys

John Edwards hits the trail at the Hill House to talk about poverty. "We" were there!

The big buzz at our seats in the balcony at The Hill House before the start of the John Edwards event was about the use of the "Royal WE." Well, we were there. Erik and I attended.

Jon Delano says he 'never uses it.' Other bloggers were in the house! We get to clap when we hear something we like. The slaves in the MSM don't.

A number of big points were made on stage that are worthy of blogging.

John Edwards is in favor of "Magnet Schools." We I shook his hand as he was about to depart, I said, "Keep up the strong messages about magnet schools." He said he will. Erik attends a middle school magnet, Pittsburgh Frick. And, our elementary school is also a magnet, Pittsburgh Phillips. Grant goes there and Erik did as well.

John Edwards thinks, as do I, that we need great urban schools. They need to be so good that our suburban parenting peers are willing to send their children to our magnet schools too. Not all of them, of course. But, this is one technique to bridge the concept that we don't live in ONE AMERICA. Rather, we have the wealthy suburban communities and the poverty heavy city schools.

The urban magnets are important stepping stones to more equity throughout our region. John Edwards understands this. For that, I can clap and cheer.

More to come later.

Campaign promise that goes beyond the campaign

Preamble: Why is the DeSantis website without the pledge points? I want to quote the source.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Local News - Early Returns Mr. DeSantis also said he will release a plan to keep the city out of bankruptcy, and asked the mayor to do the same.

I would NEVER agree to that pledge. That is a bogus pledge request among a list of campaign offers. However, the reporting of the request is also in doubt.

This "REQUESTED PROMISE POINT" -- goes out of the realm of a campaign challenge. DeSantis might as well offer to stay sterile for the time that he is in office, and force Luke to do the same. Neither of the guys have children. And, no recent mayor was in office while a baby was delivered. It would be a huge competitive advantage for Luke to become a father while in the mayor's office in a race against DeSantis. Even the news of a baby shower would send Luke's approval ratings through the roof. DeSantis won't want to compete against baby photos N@, even in 2009. Talk about being a vedor for the city will be put on its head after mom and dad depart UPMC McGee.

Point being, pledge challenges about campaigns should focus on behaviors of the campaign. Don't make a framework challenge that talks about city outcomes for years to come. Rather, raise those issues in another set of leadership and policy points.

I think it is important to know that DeSantis is going to do everything in his power to insure that the city NEVER go bankrupt. That is a prime motivation for the DeSantis campaign. Something is in the air with that.

Leading the city to bankrupt status is something that was celebrated by Tom Murphy. He was so happy to get the distressed label. Getting there and pinning blame is a big snowball -- on a hot summer day. But what is harder to figure is the future.

If the city goes bankrupt -- then what?

The city has been on the brink. The city is very heavy with debt. The city might want to go bankrupt. I'm not sure. But, I'm sure I want to keep that open as an option.

The sky is falling. And, the sky will continue to fall for the next generation or two. We need to know how bad it is. How bad it will get given various options. And, how in the world it is going to be put onto a normal status again.

Will my child, now age 9, ever have any hope of living in Pittsburgh when he is an adult? Has the overspending of the past decades been so great that the one's that stay will never be able to catch up?

Opportunities can't come to Pittsburgh when the public debt is such that it crushes the people, the taxpayers, the economy, and many other sectors. So, if Luke or Mark has a child while in office in the next two year term, and either one of them become a dad, like me, will they be able to look the child in the eye and say that Pittsburgh is a place where anything is possible.

Pittsburgh has been driven to ruin. Turning to bankrupt status might not be such a bad option.

---

2PJ has the point in question:

#3: The candidates put forth a plan to prevent the City of Pittsburgh from entering bankruptcy. The plan will be submitted by both candidates on or before October 1, 2007;

That point does NOT wash as a viable point in the document. DeSantis should re-do the contract and take that framework plank out of the campaign behavior agreement.

Of interest to me, the last point calls for 8 (eight) debates to happen AFTER August 1. That's the date of of deadline for putting in as a 3rd party candidate.

Edwards to push plan for 'economic integration' of schools - On Politics - USATODAY.com

Edwards to push plan for 'economic integration' of schools - On Politics - USATODAY.com His campaign staff is saying he'll make news by talking about the need for 'economic integration' of the nation's schools, which he has been saying throughout the campaign are still 'separate and unequal.'

So, John Edwards is worried about the economic integration of the nation's schools.

Well, first of all, we don't have many 'national schools.'

But secondly, I am worried about the economic integration of our local schools and the various situations regionally.

More than a year ago I spoke in public about about the situations with a Pittsburgh neighborhood district in distress, Duquesne schools. Duquesne will not have a high school this year, because it was so bad.

When the Pittsburgh Public Schools issued its "Rightsize" plan, it was 'blind' to Duquesne. I thought that shortcoming was wrong. We needed to plan for Duquesne.

Pittsburgh should have administrators and plans that have the vision to adjust in the future based upon the needs of those here and near.

Schools that are on the side of the city that are closest to Duquesne should not have been closed.

Children that live in Duquesne should not need to be put on a buses to ride 45 minutes to schools, one way, even if that bus is subsidized by federal funds.

In AP-Ipsos Poll, 'none of the above' now leads GOP side; Gallup disagrees - On Politics - USATODAY.com

None of the above is winning the poll because the poll is without the option of Ron Paul. Ron Paul needs to be an option in the poll. He is not. How silly.

In AP-Ipsos Poll, 'none of the above' now leads GOP side; Gallup disagrees - On Politics - USATODAY.comAccording to the latest AP-Ipsos national poll:

• Among Republicans surveyed, 23% 'can't or won't say which candidate they would back,' from their party's contenders, 'a jump from the 14% who took a pass in June.' Rudy Giuliani leads the list of those who are chosen, with 21% support. Fred Thompson is second, at 19%. Sen. John McCain's support stands at 15% and Mitt Romney's is 11%.

Getting into the golf bogies now for the sake of public trust about nonprofits

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Local News - Early Returns 'We're not commenting on anything,' an employee told us. 'It's a private golf event.'

Shame on you. What employee said that?

The public figure attended a private event. The public wins out on disclosure.

The private event is for a nonprofit. The nonprofit has a duty to be open and transparent so it keeps its nonprofit status. It the Mario events aim to be private -- then the organization has squandered its duty as a nonprofit. It has lost the trust of the people. It should depart with the nonprofit status.

A private organizaiton can make a donation to a nonprofit. However, the private organization does NOT get nonprofit status. The money that the nonprofit collects is NOT tax exempt.

With answers like the one's above, Mario's nonprofit, good-will, and charity centered activities and organization is doomed. That is NOT service to the community.

The Mario organization needs to come clean with the press and the public on its affairs. Those matters are PUBLIC affairs. Don't continue to hide information.

Jazzed about open water swimming's re-birth.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — July 16, 2007, Austin, Texas

The Highland Lakes Challenge: An Open Water Stage Race

The American Swimming Association, L.L.C. (ASA) announces the first-ever open water swimming stage race: The Highland Lakes Challenge, to be held Wednesday, October 24 – Sunday, October 28, 2007. The Highland Lakes Challenge will consist of races in 5 consecutive days in 5 lakes: Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls, and Travis, all lakes formed by dams in the Colorado River.

Swimmers will opt to compete in one of four stage races:

1. The Highland Lakes Monster Challenge — a 5-day race of distances ranging between 2.6 and 4.0 miles per day.

2. The Highland Lakes Mini Challenge — a 5-day race of distances of either a half mile or a mile per day

3. The Weekend Warrior Monster Challenge — a 3-day race of distances ranging between 2.6 and 3.5 miles per day

4. The Weekend Warrior Mini Challenge — a 3-day race of distances of either a half-mile or a mile per day

Places in each stage race will be determined by swimmers’ aggregate times.

Swimmers may also participate in single day stages of either Monster Challenge or Mini Challenge distances. Entry information and applications may be accessed at: http://www.AmericanSwimmingAssociation.com

In 2007, The American Swimming Association hosted the first-ever open water swimming high school state championship and what may be the first-ever open water race on New Year’s day in the continental U.S. On November 3, 2007, ASA will host the first-ever open water swimming national collegiate championships.

For more information contact:

Dr. Keith Bell, Race Director, 512-327-2260
Email: info@AmericanSwimmingAssociation.com

Transit vote looming from Chelsa Wagner

An email arrived:

I'm a big advocate of transit, as I know you are. I just heard that Rep. Chelsa Wagner - whose remarks about how to save transit are on You Tube. She is not only going to vote against the transit bill, but is also advocating for other members to oppose it as well.

As you can imagine, an Allegheny County member lobbying against legislation to aid the Port Authority is raising a lot of red flags. Wonder why she's suddenly changed her position?

Beats me about the change of position.

Reason Magazine - The Ron Paul Movement

Reason Magazine - The Ron Paul Movement It's transpartisan.

Paul's fan base stretches all the way from Howard Phillips to Alexander Cockburn. His libertarian message has resonance, as you'd expect, among free-marketeers dismayed by the GOP's love affair with federal spending. It is also attractive, as you'd expect, to lefties who like his opposition to the Iraq war and the post-9/11 incursions on our civil liberties. But the race has no shortage of anti-spending conservatives and antiwar liberals. Paul is especially appealing to people who don't fit the narrow stereotypes of Blue and Red: to decentralist Democrats, anti-imperialist Republicans, and a rainbow of independents.

Google HQ visits with candidate Ron Paul

This video is 65 minutes in length. It is excellent. This is MUST SEE material. If you have never watched Ron Paul -- you gotta watch this.

DeSantis staff and PR

Kerry may have to ketchup - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review DeSANTIS SHORES UP STAFF. Republican Pittsburgh mayoral candidate Mark DeSantis has tapped a former WTAE-TV newscaster to be his press secretary.

DeSantis announced last week that Meghan Jones has joined his campaign.

Jones resigned from WTAE in January 2006 after five years with the station to pursue a full-time legal career. She is an attorney and adjunct professor of media law and regulation at Duquesne University.

DeSantis will take on Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl in November in the special election to fill the remaining two years of the late Bob O'Connor's term.

When I first heard the news, former WTAE person, I thought of Lynn Cullen. Then I wondered, did Johnny Mac work at TAE too?

I hope Megan can blog! We'll find out shortly.

Kerry may have to play ball with the guy with red on his white sox under his red one

Kerry may have to ketchup - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review One possible Republican challenger to Kerry is Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who suggested on a radio show several months ago that he might be interested in running.

Schilling hasn't completely ruled out the idea, but since has said his current plans are to return to baseball in 2008, which obviously would kill any Senate bid.

Play ball.

And one more 'thing' about debates that needs to be aired. This is OUR city.

Good for them.

Coalition to hold forum for mayoral candidates and will not be open to the general public.

Bad for us.

This is a public election with a public process and public candidates and some in Pittsburgh figure that they should hold meetings to talk in very broad ways without the public. Go figure.

I don't think it is wise to hold closed-door debates.

Sure, hold meetings and limit the number of people who can attend. Have a lottery and allow a limited number of people, even if it is a dozen. Or, allow each member of the association be able to bring one or two friends.

I don't want a bunch of folks to go into the HYP Club, the PAA nor the Duquesne Club and have a meeting that excludes others and have a debate.

Even when the P-G has its "endorsement meeting" and the results are put into the newspaper, I like to -- from time to time -- drop in and witness the conversations. The P-G doesn't have room to accept even five extra visitors. But, the P-G does grant access if possible.

So, my advice to the Pgh Civic Design Coalition, a good group, is to make that invite to the architects, planners, civic leaders and a limited number of city voters on a RSVP basis.

Furthermore, it is great that WDUQ is going to air the debate. Well done on that front too.

Another weird thing that occurs from time to time at debates is the exclusion of the candidates who are speaking. I always rant about debates that exclude candidates that are on the ballot as I feel that should never occur. However, some event organizers will have a debate of sorts (more like a forum) and insist that the candidates go into what amounts to a 'sound proof room' while the other candidate(s) speak.

This has happened to me twice -- against my strong objections. PUMP and some others did it ONCE way back in 2001 in an event hosted at the downtown library auditorium. In 2006 the same type of goofy format was used in an event held at Club Cafe hosted by some 'friends of Bill' (i.e., Peduto-heads).

The floor is given to "candidate A" while "candidate B" is not allowed to be present nor listen.

Being mayor and being an elected member of city council is not about being 'secret.' It is a public job and, like most of life, it is an 'open book test.'

Furthermore, if you want honest answers from the candidates, make certain that the opposition candidate is present. It helps if video cameras and audio are recording too.

It was in this closed, private setting that Bruce Kraus opened up his heart and told the progressive audience that he is gay -- so we came to understand. In turn, Bruce got the 'endorsement' from that group. That 'news' leaked beyond the walls of that meeting over the weeks to follow but didn't really hit the spotlight until his next election, a year later.

I'm not interested is events where being hoodwinked is more possible -- yet alone probable. When candidates say one thing to one group and then another thing along an opposite theme to another group -- I worry. That's double talk. It happens with neighborhood groups. Say something to folks on the South Side Flats and say something else to folks in Allentown. Say something to a veterans group and something else to peace protesters. Say something to union workers and something else to business groups.

Of course this happens all the time. But it will happen less and less as meetings with public candidates are open to the public. And, turn on those cameras too.

The final ironic spike in the news of this debate is that the gathering is going to be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center -- a public building of grand scale, costs and debt. The debt is resting on the backs of the public. However, the public isn't able to attend. I think a couple extra rows of seats can be made available for those Jane and John Q. Public.

---

Update on July 18, 2007:

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Get Them While They're Hot: Judith said attendance is by “invitation only” because the coalition wants to make sure they do not exceed room capacity and have adequate refreshments for the crowd, etc. She did add, however, that anyone interested in the issues of civic design can request an invitation by forwarding her their mailing address. Judith can be contacted at:

Judith A. Kelly, Judith Kelly Associates, LLC, Chamber of Commerce Building
jak@judith-kelly.com

Ron Paul songs / video

Heavy Rocker version:


Calmer music:

Put the Ethics Hearing Board meetings on TV

The ethics hearing board has meetings. That's news.

I want those meetings on TV. I'm greedy.

Not commercial TV. Put them onto the city's cable station -- that is to cover government meetings.
If I was on city council or mayor, I'd be certain to have those meetings put on the cable and the internet.

Center For Progressive Leadership - Leadership Programs

Center For Progressive Leadership - Leadership ProgramsHelp us identify and recruit the next generation of progressive leaders by nominating an exciting potential leader for one of CPL's leadership programs.

130 comments later, "No Matter What" -- a campaign for the status quo

I posted on another blog something that needs to be repeated:

---

The best reason was JUST IDENTIFIED by Char. I think it could be deployed by Luke as a campaign message:

Luke Ravenstahl: "No Matter What."

Others want to deploy fear, uncertainty, doubt, taxes, and failed logic --- not me.

Envy is an emotion that occurs when a the city's politicians lack another’s superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it... Look up the wikipedia definition and wear ENVY, if you wish.

The way to straighten a world that is upside-down is to do what I am saying. Stop the spreading of what is upside down. Do not tax UPMC, (nor oil companies). Rather, prevent future net land expansion by all non-profits here. Then as conditions (inventory) are understood, begin to contract the holdings of nonprofit land with a reduction of city-owned property.

The city is in a very bad state because it has NOT been honest with itself. The "no matter what attitudes" have prevailed.

Let's work to end the upside-down folly with logic on our side.

McCain's "Straight Talk Express" Hits the Ditch

Sounds like a local story of a city council aid who calls locals from a city phone.

McCain's "Straight Talk Express" Hits the Ditch ... John McCain, in the Senate Republican cloakroom, making a conference call to 'his top fund-raisers to urge them to keep up the fight.

'The call, however, may only have exacerbated an already tough week for Mr. McCain. Senate ethics rules expressly forbid lawmakers to engage in campaign activities inside Senate facilities. If Mr. McCain solicited campaign contributions on a call from government property, that would be a violation of federal criminal law as well.'

...

We have long regarded Senator McCain as a hypocritical opportunist, lacking both the political integrity and emotional temperament to be President.

This is piling on as another bites the dust.

Free the iPhone : Support wireless freedom!

Free the iPhone : Support wireless freedom! Apple touts the iPhone as the “Internet in your pocket” — but it’s not.

Weed Killers thoughtout town by private contractors

Carl S called me after I put my cell phone number within a blog posting elsewhere to raise concerns about some actions he has witnessed within the community. The 3-1-1 number may work, as it should, for some instances, but calling me (412 298 3432) gets you a blog posting too.

A private contractor working for who-knows who is spraying some wicked weed killer all around town. This goes under billboards, next to roads, along sidewalks, so he says.

The root chemical is much like "agent orange." It is toxic as can be with 98 percent as an inert agent, i.e., kerosene. Look up 'herbicides' on Google, or at Wikipedia.org/Herbicide. Skin rashes and other side effects are unleashed with the spread of these poisons.

Is this just happening in the western parts of the city and county? It occurs in Crafton too.

Furthermore, plenty of folks are up in arms at a recent meeting or two in the west neighborhoods. A bunch of folks clashed against the Housing Authority. If police had not been at the meeting, Carl could have seen someone
getting hung -- literally.

The city got a grant of some sort from HUD and is in the process of buying 30 houses in certain neighborhoods in that part of town. (Sheraden, I think.) These are then going to be 'given' to folks who had been flooded out ofBroadhead Manor a few years ago.

Some lawyer (it seemed) young woman from the Housing Authority started the meeting at the podium and got blasted by follow-up questions from those in the audience. It got nasty from there. Others had to step in to field a long list of concerns.

Carl stresses that this isn't an issue of race at all. Folks in the audience are both black and white.

Stay tuned. There will be a Zone 3 public safety meeting, again, on Wednesday night. I'd love to get his reactions on a podcast in the future.

Raising Money Online and quote: They seem to be the laggards.

Democrats Lead in Raising Money Online - New York Times: "One surprising development has been the online strength of a Republican long shot, Representative Ron Paul of Texas, who has garnered fierce devotion online and been able to sustain his campaign in large part from Internet donations.

Potentially troublesome for Republicans, however, Mr. Giuliani, the current party front-runner in national polls, has done the least of all of the major candidates online, raising an anemic $1.3 million.

“The Giuliani campaign to me is the mystery,” said Michael Cornfield, adjunct professor of political management at George Washington University, who specializes in online political campaigning. “They seem to be the laggards.”

Rudy, pull the plug.

Reverse 9-1-1 makes the news today after being blogged about yesterday

At another blog, in the comments area, we talked a bit about 3-1-1 and REVERSE 9-1-1 yesterday. Today, the Trib has an article about Reverse 9-1-1.


The new blog: and its 3-1-1 post.

The comments.

Trib coverage of Reverse 9-1-1 headed to I.U.P.

Trib and 3-1-1. A quick call to Pittsburgh city hall can solve nagging issues - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Platform.For-Pgh.org and 9-1-1.

passopenrecords.org

passopenrecords.org: "passopenrecords.org"

Build up -- not out. To UPMC and my blogging comments

I've been on the various blogs today spreading some love. You can use the COComment feature of this blog to view some rather long back and forth comments from other blogs. Go to the left of this page and scroll down to the blue box to explore.

Ron Paul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm loving this guy more and more each day. He was a swimmer in college.

Ron Paul - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Paul paid for his first year at Gettysburg College with saved newspaper-delivery and lawn-mowing money. Paul delivered mail and laundry on the side while in Gettysburg; for one year, he managed the college coffee shop. He gave up track after a knee injury, but joined the college swimming team instead after taking it up as therapy. He had been offered a full scholarship to run for the track team but declined it, worried that he wouldn't regain his previous speed. Paul was inducted into Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity,[5] and he served as steward and house manager of the fraternity. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1957.

Give it a read.