Fw: Help Stop a Tax Increase in Pennsylvania!

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: "Tom Schatz, President" <ccagwpresident@ccagw.org>
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:55:06
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Subject: Help Stop a Tax Increase in Pennsylvania!

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste - Action Alert


Dear Mark,

The Pennsylvania General Assembly has returned from the Memorial Day
recess and is once again considering a host of new taxes to make up
for a massive budget shortfall.

I urge you, if you haven't already, to tell Governor Ed Rendell and
your state senator and representative to cut wasteful and unnecessary
spending FIRST before enacting any new taxes.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=ip9Zy2KkdBft4W3iKl1jug..

In order to eliminate a projected shortfall of at least $500 million
in the General Fund, Governor Rendell has proposed a $29 billion
budget for 2010-11 that increases business taxes, imposes new taxes on
natural gas and tobacco products, and expands the sales tax to include
many goods and services currently exempt.

With Pennsylvania, like the rest of the country, still facing one of
the toughest economies in decades, your state politicians should be
working to relieve the financial burden on cash-strapped families and
pursuing policies that encourage, rather than discourage, economic
activity and investment!

Pennsylvania already has the highest Corporate Net Income Tax rate in
the world, at 41.5 percent (when both federal and state taxes are
counted). As a result, the state ranks 45th in the nation in job
growth since 1990. The governor's proposal for combined
reporting of taxable income by corporations and their subsidiaries,
regardless of whether they have operations in Pennsylvania, will only
further burden businesses, discouraging local investment and driving
employers and jobs to other states.

One area of growth for the state economy has been the natural gas
industry, which had created an estimated 29,000 jobs by 2008 and is
projected to generate another 98,000 jobs in 2010. However, the
governor's proposed severance tax on natural gas companies
--which already pay Pennsylvania's Corporate Net Income Tax,
Capital Stock and Franchise Tax, leasing fees, and royalty payments --
would discourage further investment in this boom industry, reducing
in-state drilling activity by at least 30 percent, according to one
estimate.

While Governor Rendell's budget proposes reducing the Sales and
Use Tax rate from 6 to 4 percent, it would expand the tax to cover a
whole host of new goods and services, including advertising, truck
transportation, and business services, with the net effect that
Pennsylvanians would pay an estimated $531 million more in sales taxes
next fiscal year.

What's more, the governor's proposed taxes on smokeless
tobacco and cigars will not only hurt Pennsylvania's small
tobacco farmers, another growth industry, these taxes are also
unlikely to hit projected revenue targets. Of the 57 excise tax
increases that states implemented between 2003 and 2007, only 16 met
or exceeded revenue targets. As just one example, when New
Jersey increased its cigarette excise tax in 2006, instead of gaining
a projected $30 million in revenue, the state lost more than $22
million, as smokers moved to purchasecigarettes across state
lines, or through untaxed or lower-tax venues, such as Native American
territories and the Internet.

In addition, tobacco taxes are regressive, disproportionately
impacting the poor and those living on fixed incomes. With many
Pennsylvanians struggling to make ends meet, no taxpayer --
particularly not those most disadvantaged -- should be forced to hand
over more of his or her hard-earned money to the government!

Mark, Governor
Rendell has proposed massive spending increases in each of his
budgets, usually requiring new or higher taxes, while state lawmakers
have consistently splurged in "good" years, making them
unprepared for economic downturns.

Citizens Against Government Waste's and The Commonwealth
Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives' 2006 Pennsylvania
Piglet Book identified $8 billion in potential savings over two years
from the elimination of inefficient, duplicative, and extravagant
spending -- more than enough to balance the budget. The
Pennsylvania Senate's newly approved bipartisan spending cuts
commission should adopt the Piglet Book's recommendations, and
Governor Rendell and your state legislators should follow the example
of households across the country in these tough economic times by
eliminating such wasteful and non-essential spending.

Tell Governor Rendell and your state senator and representative today
to forego raising any taxes and instead cut spending!
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=UZEVHn8Qt6OBYBJkgbRJhQ..

Sincerely,

Thomas A. Schatz
President

***

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) is the
lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation's
largest taxpayer watchdog organization with more than one million
members and supporters nationwide. CCAGW is a 501(c)(4)
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that lobbies for legislation to
eliminate waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.
Contributions to CCAGW are not tax-deductible for federal income tax
purposes. For more information about CCAGW, visit
www.ccagw.org.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=SBSkpyS_2vyoP2wTv2j_ng..

Make a contribution today to help CCAGW wage and win this battle
against higher taxes

http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=0WUBVJ24q2-HAdevuvDEWA..

.

Please help us by forwarding this message to your friends and
neighbors.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=cuGXRGWUErgQGVhrhE4Y7A..



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An Agenda for Excellence: A Great K-12 Education for Every Pennsylvania Child | Tom Corbett for Governor

I need to do my homework on this plan.

An Agenda for Excellence: A Great K-12 Education for Every Pennsylvania Child | Tom Corbett for Governor: "An Agenda for Excellence: A Great K-12 Education for Every Pennsylvania Child"

CAPA Enrollment Policy from Pgh Public Schools - Board news from January 2003

Another blast from the past:

January 29, 2003 - PPS Press Release

At its legislative meeting, the PPS Board of Education approved an enrollment policy for the Creative and Performing Arts High School (CAPA) that will permit students from around the county to apply and audition for admission to the program. Now housed at the BaxterBuilding in Homewood, the CAPA program will move to a new building at Ninth and Fort Duquesne streets at the start of the next school year.

Under the new policy, preference will be given to resident students who qualify for admission; however, up to one third of the school's enrollment could be comprised of non-resident students who pass the audition or portfolio review.

The policy stiupulates that the Pittsburgh School District will not cover any portion of a non-resident's tuition.

If legislation is adopted at the State level to allow for the transfer of student fees fromstudents' home districts to Pittsburgh, the difference between the payment and the actual per pupil cost will become the reponsibility of the students' parents. This may come from personal sources or scholarship funds, if available.

If such legislation is not adopted by the State, the students' parents or guardians will be responsible for full payment of the CAPA tuition.

Under the policy students applying for Grade 10 and above shall be subject to a special consideration panel that will assess each applicant's artistic and academic achievement, citizenship and attendance, and admit them on a space-available basis. Resident students applying for upper grades will have preference over non-residents.

In other action, the board approved the school calendar ...

The Board also approved the purchase of assessments to measure student performance in reading, writing, mathematics and science for a cost of $1.1 million. Additional mathematics assessments will be determined at a later date.

In personnel action the Board promoted Andrew King from his current position of Director of Student Services to the position of Chief Academic Officer. He will assume responsibility for overall school operations and curriculum development and instruction, among other duties.

Sigh.

Rally about Jordan Miles case is June 12, 2010

One page brochure to rally in PDF.

Text of brochure:


Jordan Miles, in a photo released by his mother
after Pittsburgh police brutally assaulted him.

On January 12th, plain-clothes police officers
Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David
Sisak brutally beat Jordan Miles, a CAPA
honors student and viola player. On March
19th, Ewing, Saldutte and Sisak were
awarded commendations by the Pittsburgh
Police Bureau.
The officers involved claim that Jordan was
carrying something heavy and resisted arrest.
Considering that the three officers were not
wearing uniforms and were driving an unmarked
vehicle, his desire to escape was
more than justified. Jordan Miles’ only crime
was being a black teenager in Homewood.

Join us to demand:
Prosecute Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David Sisak!
End racial profiling and police brutality!
Community control of the police force!

Issued by the Alliance for Police Accountability
For more information: bsfish27@aol.com or 412-628-5849

While Jordan is one of the most recent victims, any one of us could be next. People
across communities need to stand up and demand an end to police brutality. On June
12th, let’s make it clear that racist attacks on Pittsburgh’s youth by those who are paid
to protect us will not go unanswered in a system that demands equality for all!

The Libya Hill Report: The Blame Game

The Libya Hill Report: The Blame Game

Digital Neighborhoods N@

The Pew Internet and American Life Project just
released their "Neighbors Online" report.

Join dozens of "neighbors online" hosts in a Q and A with the report's
lead author Aaron Smith on the Locals Online community of practice:

http://e-democracy.org/locals

The report is available directly here:

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Neighbors-Online.aspx

Here is a blog summary I wrote up with a particular focus on what the
report challenges us to do in terms of making this powerful and
cherished form of online community building accessible to _all_:

http://blog.e-democracy.org/posts/858

The text from that page:

According to the just released Neighbors Online report from Pew
Internet and American Life, 27% of American adult Internet users (or
20% of adults overall) use “digital tools to talk to their neighbors
and keep informed about community issues.”

This is an amazing number and a great starting point.

Today, we finally have baseline for the growing neighbors online
movement. The other week we hosted a webinar on how to use technology
for community building. This week we have some real numbers to help us
develop strategies to broadly serve and connect as many people as
possible not just those who easily show up – because if we don’t we
will soon be talking about how we red-lined neighborhoods out of the
community and democracy building opportunity of a generation.

In summary, to reach the 27% of Internet users engaging locally online:

* 14% read a blog dealing with community issues at least once in
the last year (while the frequency of visits wasn’t measured in this
survey, 1/3 of general blog readers check blogs each day)

* 13% exchanged emails with neighbors about community issues
(think informal “to:” “cc:”)

* 7% say they belong to a community e-mail list (this intensive
and typically daily experience is the cornerstone of E-Democracy.org
Neighbors Issues Forums experience) – this equates to about 10 million
American adults connected most days with their neighbors online in
community life!

* 6% communicated with neighbors by text messaging on cell phones

* 5% joined a social network site group connected to community
issues (like Ning and Facebook)

* 3% followed neighbors using Twitter (note the embryonic trend of
geo “hashtags” like #nempls – we feed it too)

Aaron Smith, the report author, in a private exchange noted to me that
2/3 of respondents only did one of these items. This bolsters my view
that the “there there” very local spaces online is almost a natural
monopoly – so making a unified online space available via multiple
technologies is essential (we use e-mail, web, web feed, Facebook, and
Twitter in an interconnected way for example) to reach more people.
The Inclusion Challenge

It has been our experience that the vast majority of “organic” local
online places started by passionate volunteers (some placeblogs are
quasi-commercial, but outside of such blogs, this is not an adjunct of
journalism) serve middle and upper income communities – urban
homeowners. The people who know about neighbors forums – LOVE THEM –
based on the feedback we’ve received on our forums (including the one
I host) and the all the new volunteers emerging to serve the 10+ new
communities (often jealous of what they see just next door to them).

First some good news focusing mostly on 7% on neighborhood e-mail
lists (although we do see local social networks, blogs, etc. all
blending together at some point anyway):

* Whites and Blacks participate equally at 8% of Internet users

* Urban participation is 10% and suburban isn’t far behind at 7%

* Women participate strongly at 9% in fact, we could say we need
more men who are only 5% (this is not the case with political
interaction online where white men dominate)

* With the community blog numbers, both young adults (16%) and
African-Americans (18%) Internet users have read a blog with community
issues at least once in the last year compared to 14% overall.

We launched our Inclusive Social Media effort with Ford Foundation and
St. Paul Foundation support to develop inclusive Neighbors Issues
Forums in lower income, high immigrant neighborhoods – or what we felt
are areas that are completely missing out from the community building
power of local online engagement. We see the Internet as the most
cost-effective “ice breaker” opportunity out there that can create new
bridges and sustained bonds. With intervention and resources for real
outreach and inclusion, neighbors online will do far more than just
reflect existing social capital.

So now we have numbers on the digital participation divide we must
close – among Internet users (not just the general population, so we
are talking connected people):

* Only 2% of those with household incomes under $30,000 are on a
neighborhood e-mail list, still only 3% up to $49,000 while between
$50-75,000 it is 7% and over $75,000 it is a whopping 15%

* Only 3% of Hispanics (both English and Spanish Speaking) are on
a neighborhood e-mail list – while they don’t measure Asians or
immigrants specifically, our guess is that the percent would be even
lower – our efforts target the highly East African Cedar Riverside
neighborhood and the plurality ~40% Southeast Asian (Hmong) with
African-American (20%) and White (20%) Frogtown neighborhood)

* Only 2% of rural residents belong to a neighborhood e-mail list
(while terminology may have been a factor here, we’ve learned a lot
from our Rural Voices effort to launch 4 community forums in rural
communities and would like the opportunity to invest more in this area
– in fact we’ve recently submitted small grant proposals to bring the
majority Native American and also lower income Cass Lake Leech Lake
forum into our Inclusive Social Media effort which will put a simple
one hour a day Community Outreach and Information Leader on the
ground)

Next Steps?

Here are some rough thoughts that we add to over time:

1. Inclusion Matters – As an organization, E-Democracy.org needs to
focus on bring these powerful online community building opportunities
to all – especially the people and communities being left behind. We
need more partners and funders to make this happen in the next phase
of our Inclusive Social Media effort in 2011 and beyond. Interested in
helping? Contact us. In the near term, we need to find resources to
work with the vibrant Powderhorn Park Neighbors Forum to build on
their expressed interest in recruiting more Latino participation. They
have had some bi-lingual postings, but the community in looking for
ways to build more connections as they confront in part a summer of
youth/gang related violence.

2. We Need a Good Directory Look-up – Most people don’t know about
online community spaces (I think). If they did far more would join. We
need to create a technology/format agnostic directory with geographic
and map based look-ups for these two-way local online communities. We
need to build on the work of Placeblogger and the UK-based
GroupsNearYou site which isn’t actively being developed.

3. Neighbors Online Week – With a good directory, we can then
promote such sites nationally/globally. I want the President of the
United States to be able to say (like the White House did with the
launch of Serve.Gov), go to X site, connect with your neighbors –
ACROSS the political spectrum – and build your community.

4. Move the Field – OK, so while we’d love to have many more people
start a forum with us, most of you will do your own thing. It is human
nature. As part of our inclusion-oriented Participation 3.0 initiative
we’ve convened dozens of local “hosts” for peer to peer exchange on
Locals Online. Let’s make it hundreds, share effective practices and
lessons, and inspire thousands of new “hosts” to start or effective
grow local online spaces that work. Based on the Pew numbers, we
estimate that there could be 30,000 neighborhood e-mails list hosts
for example. They are almost all working in isolation. Time to
connect!

Closing Remarks

If the Internet was first about going to the world, then connecting
privately with friends and family via social networking, the
revolution is finally coming home to everyday public and community
life. We don’t want the Internet to replace a face-to-face
conversation over the back fence, we want it to make those real
connections among neighbors possible for everyone in a busy modern era
where getting to know your neighbors is extremely difficult. We don’t
want the hyped location-based mobile technology to be viewed as the
way to connect with your existing friends because you are surrounded
by uninteresting strangers. We’d rather use technology to have fewer
strangers starting from where you live everyday. In short, meeting
your neighbors online might just be the best opportunity to connect a
nation in public life and counter those intent on pulling us a apart
with online partisanship and political diatribe masked as online
interaction.

Twitter has been "over capacity" all day.

Blast from past, but never seen here before.

Mark Rauterkus (left), coach and dad, with Erik Rauterkus (bald), freshmen, Schenley High School swimmer, with the city championship trophy in March 2010.

Hazelwood man to be charged with growing marijuana

Hazelwood man to be charged with growing marijuana

Harmless crime without a victim.

Fw: I am home again

------Original Message------
From: Julian Heicklen

Hi:

I was released from prison on June 8 at about 6: 00 pm. The case against me has been dropped in the interest of justice.

My cell phone was confiscated, so I cannot access nor return any phone calls calls. Do not call me.

I have not read any e-mail lately, so I have not responded. It may take several days to read it all.

I am swamped with some personal items which must be attended. Once I get caught up, I will send progress reports and scheduled of events again.

Yours in freedom—Julian.



Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

About Journalism That Matters: Create or Die in Detroit, June 3-6, 2010 | Journalism That Matters

About Journalism That Matters: Create or Die in Detroit, June 3-6, 2010 | Journalism That Matters: "About Journalism That Matters: Create or Die in Detroit, June 3-6, 2010"

Think again gets lots of fuel here.

Blinders

BLAST from the past when dealing with PIIN (Pgh Interfaith Impact Network).

Most institutions and major media outlets and others look at brokenness. Bright blinders overlook the beautiful voices from many of the girls but dwell on how many are pregnant. They are interested in problems, not potential.

PIIN's Recreation and Youth Policy committee is different. Come and leap our Interfaith Network from connections to engagements of potential.

Why Not Crowdsource Oil Disaster Cleanup Ideas? | techPresident

Why Not Crowdsource Oil Disaster Cleanup Ideas? | techPresident: "Since the start of the response to BP's oil disaster, the company and government have solicited suggestions from the public for ideas to stop the gusher, cleanup oil, or otherwise improve the current cleanup operations."

Not in another place!

Happiness, knowledge, not in another place -- not for another hour, but this hour.

From Walt Whitman

Fw: Thank You via Russ Diamond

From: Russ Diamond <russ.diamond@comcast.net

Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2010 15:33:21 -0400 (EDT)

To: <mark@rauterkus.com>

Subject: Thank You!

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

You're receiving this email because of your interest in Russ Diamond's run for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. Please confirm your continued interest in receiving email from us.

 

You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.

THANK YOU! June 8, 2010   Dear Mark, I wanted to write to thank you for your support over the last six months and to give you an overview of the election from my perspective. According to the Department of State, 36,004 Pennsylvania Republicans made me their choice for Lieutenant Governor. Not too bad for running on a shoestring budget. I'm certain the vote total would have been bolstered if I could have been listed as Russ "PACleanSweep" Diamond on the ballot, but Pennsylvania law doesn't allow that. 5,771 Lebanon County Republicans voted for me on May 18. To have won my home county by ten percentage points over the runner-up is an honor. My candidacy carried me more than 22,000 miles to countless towns in every corner of the Commonwealth during the last six months. I witnessed increased interest in political matters from the general public far beyond what I saw while traveling the state after the pay raise in 2005-06. The increased numbers are both staggering and encouraging. But meaningful change is a marathon, not a sprint, so I hope all involved now have the patience to stay involved. My neighbors here in Annville West made me the precinct's top vote getter for Republican committeeman. I look forward to pursuing this duty by fighting for the principles of limited government and integrity, by seeking out like-minded candidates for public office, and by being available to hear my neighbors' concerns. Last night I was nominated for Vice Chairman of the Lebanon County Republican Committee. I lost by only the slimmest of margins, 79-78, to a House Republican Caucus employee who is the son of a state Representative. This result was actually pleasantly surprising considering the makeup of our local committee. Regardless, I look forward to working with fellow Republicans here in my community. Despite not winning the LG race statewide, I made significant headway on my top priority: A limited citizens' constitutional convention, where We the People, not politicians and special interests, can gather and propose reforms to the institutions of government while protecting individual rights. Thanks to your support, I was able to expose more Pennsylvanians to the idea, turn some opponents into supporters and help raise the issue to the statewide level. I note that all four executive-branch nominees have publicly supported constitutional change, with at least three amenable to an actual convention. This was not the case when I entered the race. A convention will likely be discussed with increasing frequency in coming months, considering a recent grand-jury report echoing my call, further corruption trials ahead and what promises to be a tumultuous budget season in Harrisburg. I will continue to promote such discussion and propose legislation to enable a convention. I have some great ideas on how to move forward, but first I need to wrap up some loose ends regarding the LG campaign before I can embark on a new mission dedicated to advocating for a convention. If you could help by making a contribution today, I would certainly appreciate it. A contribution will indicate that you want me to continue down this path.  Today's political atmosphere makes this an exciting time to be involved. I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve my community and the Commonwealth. Thank you so much for your support in this effort. Together, we can build a better Pennsylvania. www.russdiamond.org campaign@russdiamond.org 717.867.5617

Forward email This email was sent to mark@rauterkus.com by russ.diamond@comcast.net. Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Email Marketing by Paid for by Russ Diamond for Lieutenant Governor | 109 West Main Street | Annville | PA | 17003

Good for Rev Burgess

Pittsburgh Council approves parking study: "Pittsburgh City Council this morning gave final approval of a $250,000 study of the city's parking assets, so it can make an informed decision about whether to lease them to shore up the pension fund.
The vote was 8-1, with Ricky Burgess calling the study a 'waste of taxpayer money.'"

Lane 9 News Archive: Clemson Swimming and Diving Looking for Help from Board of Trustees

Lane 9 News Archive: Clemson Swimming and Diving Looking for Help from Board of Trustees: While, initially, the Board of Trustees meeting likely looked to be a rubber stamp for the phase-out, information provided to Swimming World has indicated that the Board of Trustees might be interested in looking into the issue deeper. The decision to phase-out the program was made completely due to not having a 50-meter pool. It was not made due to Title IX issue (Title IX actually likely saved the women's diving program in the cuts). With this in mind, and the fact that the Clemson swimmers and signed recruits did not seem to have a problem with training and competing in a 25-yard pool, the Board of Trustees might be able to reverse the decision.

For more information on what you can do to help save the Clemson program, please visit the SaveClemsonSwimming web site at http://www.saveclemsonswimming.org/ .

Students must be ready to learn

Nice article.

Students must be ready to learn: "Bingo! Increased student and parent engagement through a multidisciplinary approach? An educational system that better serves the needs of the individual student? Sign me up!
Yes, such reforms would be expensive, but let's examine their cost-effectiveness. In fact, money would be saved by the consolidation of services and increased efficiency.
In November 2004, the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation reported results of the longitudinal study of the Perry Preschool Program, located in Ypsilanti, Mich. The study documented 'a return to society of more than $17 for every dollar invested (italics added) in the early care and education program, primarily because of the large continuing effect on the reduction of male crime.'"

Wait. Such reforms would be expensive or not? They could be cost-effective, perhaps. The reforms will have a heavy price in terms of change, perhaps. But, I'm not too sure what the cost in dollars would be.

Don't Tread On Me: Unifying a Movement

A new film is unifying Americans everywhere, the message is simple, "Don't Tread On Me!"

by: Angie Ress - Staff Writer - RestoreTheRepublic.com

In the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, thirteen separate and sovereign colonies joined forces to overthrow the oppressive taxation, monetary policy and police state of the distant and detached British kingdom.

"Join or Die" was the famous slogan seen in Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette in 1754. The image featured a snake cut into eight sections to represent the English colonies. Originally intended to unite the colonies during the French Indian War, the image was later adapted to unite the colonies against the British. Once unified against a common enemy, another familiar image appeared, the image of a coiled snake ready to strike and the words "Don't Tread on Me".

In the same spirit, and for the same reasons as the founders of old, 192 cities in 42 states are erecting the "Don't Tread on Me" banner and gearing up for the next revolution, not by firing bullets but by hosting screenings of the latest film from producers Gary Franchi and William Lewis, "Don't Tread On Me: Rise of the Republic".

Almost every organization that can be considered a member of the Freedom Movement has registered to host one of the 97 screenings for the general public on or around this June 26th.

"We're unified," says writer/producer Franchi, "not since the theatrical release of 'America: Freedom to Fascism' have I seen such cohesion and force to spread a common message."

Franchi is referencing the film created by late Hollywood producer Aaron Russo that Congressman Ron Paul credits with spurring massive grassroots support for his 2008 Presidential run. Franchi worked alongside Russo before Russo lost his battle with cancer in 2007. Russo managed Bette Midler and produced several films, including the classic "Trading Places" starring Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd.

The list of Freedom Movement organizations unifying around the new film includes the Tea Parties, Campaign for Liberty, Restore the Republic, the Libertarian Party, the Constitution Party, We Are Change, Infowarriors, Concerned Citizens of America, Freedoms Phoenix, the John Birch Society, Oath Keepers, the NRA, 9/11, 9/12, Young Americans for Liberty, Fully Informed Jury Association, main steam political campaigns, and more.

"While this movement may be made up of different organizations with differing agendas and leaders it is clearly the message of this film that is unifying us all" states Franchi.

When asked about the message of "Don't Tread On Me: Rise of the Republic," writer/director Lewis took a break from production on the teams next project, "Enemy of the State: Camp FEMA 2" to explain, "Our vision was simple. Show the American People the boundaries the Federal Government cannot cross, using the Constitution of the United States as our guide. We wanted to provide a path to remind the Sovereign States and the People of their power. We hand selected our interviews to provide the best, brightest and most concise education on the issues that plague us today, with solutions that can be applied by State Legislators and the People themselves."

All one needs to do is take a look at the miserable defeats going on in political races across the country to see the people have had enough and are stepping up to take charge. They are ridding themselves of the useless representation they have had in the past. They are definitely breathing in the Spirit of '76 by drawing their line in the sand and declaring, "Don't Tread On Me!"

More information, maps of screening locations, and trailers
for the new film can be found at: http://donttreadonmemovie.com/

Blast from the past: District 3 Special Election Guide

Gearing up to the 10,000 post on this blog, and in advance of our open house on July 4, 2010 -- all are welcome -- comes another blast from the past.

From The Pitt News, March 13, 2006

District 3 Special Election Guide By Pitt News Staff
published: Mon, 13 March, 2006

Neal Andrus (R)

Neal Andrus wants to shake things up for Pittsburgh.

"I'd like to be a voice for change on City Council," said Andrus, who is currently running on the Republican ticket for Tuesday's election.

Andrus has made a goal of "restoring fiscal sanity to city government," something that he believes should be voters' top priority when they head to the polls.

Hoping that District 3 residents will cast their votes "with an idea in their heads that they're tired of the same old thing and that they want something new," Andrus has promised to seek creative ideas in tackling the city's financial woes.

A 30-year-old who obtained degrees in political science and economics from Pitt in December 2004, Andrus has lived in the district for eight years. He said he does not seek to become a politician.

"I don't think anyone down there has any idea what needs to be done," he said of the current council.

He wants to bring up new ideas and "do something different." Shunning the idea that City Council's mission should include creating new jobs or "bribing" companies to come to Pittsburgh, Andrus believes in drawing commercial industry by working with the county and state governments to create a more attractive business environment.

He also suggested seeking unconventional moneymakers, like New York City's $166-million deal with Snapple to make the company the official city vendor of iced tea, water and chocolate milk.

-Senior Staff Writer J. Elizabeth Strohm

Bruce Krane (I)

Bruce Krane's slogan is "Building a better Pittsburgh," and he wants students involved in the process.

"I want to engage them and work with them," he said.

Krane, an independent candidate, said his administration would recognize the need for a student liaison. He said that if elected, he would hire a student to work with him part-time.

"I think we need the refreshing creativity of university students to pose some alternative ideas and hopefully solutions," he said. "Because we aren't seeing a lot of that on Grant Street right now."

Krane, who has lived in Pittsburgh for 16 years and currently resides in the South Side, is the vice president for the South Side Community Council.

"I would describe myself as a community advocate," he said.

Krane volunteers with Pittsburgh's Community Access Television Channel, where he hosts and produces programs. He credited the station with helping him make the decision to run in the special election because of his experience interviewing office holders on his programs.

Krane said he is in favor of term limits and referendums, or "putting issues on the ballot." He said he could use the pulpit and media exposure of being a councilman to go directly to the people through this process.

But according to Krane, there is no key issue that will determine which candidate people vote for.

"There's no 900-pound gorilla," he said. "It's going to be who can get their supporters out to vote."

-Staff Writer Angela Hayes

Jason Phillips (G)

Jason Phillips wants to bring a student voice to City Council.

"For the last 16 years, we've basically had zero representatives on City Council," Phillips said, adding that this election marks a "very opportune time" for students to claim their voice.

Phillips declined to single out a specific goal for his time on council, explaining that he hopes to tackle many issues. He mentioned that the city is in financial "dire straits," and that he hopes to improve Pittsburgh's transportation system, nightlife and other things that matter to students.

"This is a time when we need to elect people with college educations, people with government experience," Phillips said, noting that he is such a person.

Phillips, a 24-year-old Pitt student who plans to complete his studies of political science next year, said he has worked in the lieutenant governor's office and served as a consultant on a number of candidates' campaigns within Pennsylvania. A resident of the South Side Flats and graduate of Pittsburgh's Art Institute, he has lived in District 3 for more than two years.

"I'm the only candidate who, if elected, could walk right into the office and not need to take time to learn the ropes," Phillips said.

Emphasizing the importance of students' votes, Phillips said it is "immature" of students to not bother to show up on election day.

-Senior Staff Writer J. Elizabeth Strohm

Matthew Bartus (I)

Perhaps the city needs a new coat of paint.

Matthew Bartus, a painter for Pittsburgh's General Services department, is a candidate for the vacant District 3 seat that will be filled in Tuesday's special election. He could not be reached for comment.

He said to the Pittsburgh City Paper that he has a chance to beat Democratic candidate Jeff Koch because there are so many other candidates running in the election.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Bartus plans on relocating the South Side police station to the Neville Ice Arena. The current location is 1725 Mary St., near 18th Street.

He also said to the Post-Gazette that he wants to reduce the size of city council from nine members to five and have non-profit organizations give more to the city.

The University counts itself among Pittsburgh's non-profit organizations.

Bartus, 50, currently lives in Carrick, a neighborhood south of Downtown that is near the neighborhoods of Brookline and Mt. Oliver.

-Assistant News Editor Andy Medici

Mark Rauterkus (L)

Mark Rauterkus grew up in Penn Hills, moved out of state for a few years, and then moved back to Pittsburgh in 1990.

The South Side resident said that part of his motivation for running for council is that the city is in a big crisis, and he believes children have been ignored.

Rauterkus, who has two children, said that if elected to council, he would like to chair the Committee on Youth Policy and the Citiparks Committee.

One of the things that Rauterkus would like to accomplish is to restart the Pittsburgh Marathon.

He would also like to integrate additional programs into the city's neighborhood parks.

"There's a lot to be done there," Rauterkus said.

Rauterkus is a swim coach for the Carlynton Swim Club.

He said he would like to acquire funding to open more of the city's pools, which have been closed at times because of budget cuts.

Rauterkus added that he is dedicated to his campaign "for the long haul."

If he does not win this election, he plans to build a network of volunteers and issues.

"Whoever does win might only be there for a year and half," Rauterkus said. "They're going to have me to contend with next week."

-Senior Staff Writer Laura Jerpi

Jeffrey Koch (D)

Jeffrey Koch wants to clean up Oakland.

Koch - the Democratic candidate for City Council representing District 3, which includes Oakland - said that if elected, he would work with the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation to pick up trash in South Oakland.

One program he supports, called Adopt-a-Block, involves approximately 50 students cleaning up around South Oakland to make the area more appealing.

Koch also hopes the college vote will make a difference.

"I hope the students show," he said. "They could make a big difference in this election."

He said he would not implement immediate changes or policies but would welcome the chance to sit down with students and talk about issues concerning Oakland and Pitt.

Koch is a landscaping contractor and Department of Public Works employee. He has lived in Arlington, a section of District 3, his entire life. His parents also lived in District 3 their entire lives.

He is endorsed by Mayor Bob O'Connor, the Pittsburgh Firefighters Union and the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers.

-Staff Writer Jared Trent Stonesifer

Bruce Kraus (I)

Bruce Kraus wants to make Pittsburgh neighborhoods safe, clean and green.

The South Side resident is the chair of Pittsburgh's Graffiti Task Force, which "[assists] city officials and neighborhood groups in their efforts to combat graffiti vandalism," according to http://Bruce4council.com.

Kraus, 51, could not be reached for comment, but his Web site outlines three main tactics for bettering the city: outreach, education and enforcement.

According to Kraus's Web site, he will "work toward curtailing the criminal nuisance activities that his constituents do not want," while maintaining "the green setting" they do want.

Kraus also outlines several plans for paying for his initiatives, which include "an expansion of the tax base with increase property values" and "attention from the state and the county for special grants for beautification."

In response to a questionnaire from the League of Young Voters, Kraus wrote that he wants students to be "engaged in the process of stewarding [their] futures."

"I will advocate for your 'place at the table,'" Kraus said in the questionnaire, "to ensure that you are provided with all the opportunities to work on the solutions to the problems you are facing with regards to job creation, education, creative housing, transportation, recreation, and an active social network including nightlife and the arts."

-News Editor Adam Felming

Michael Waligorski (I)

Independent candidate Michael Waligorski must be a busy man, because he's hard to find.

Waligorski "runs a painting business, sells real estate and has been a perennial candidate," according to a March 6 editorial in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

He's known - among local journalists, at least - for being difficult to contact, despite his frequent campaigns in local politics.

"Waligorski, a frequent candidate for public office, did not return phone calls," reported the Pittsburgh City Paper on March 2.

The 56-year-old handyman, Army Reservist and South Side Flats resident is running on what he calls the Disclosure Party ticket and "wants to see more openness in government," according to the Post-Gazette.

Waligorski's phone number is unlisted, and he did not return phone calls when The Pitt News obtained his number from City Paper.

A Jan. 31 Post-Gazette article noted, "Independent candidate Michael Waligorski of the Flats could not be reached for comment."

Waligorski did not respond to a Sierra Club questionnaire regarding Tuesday's election and environmental issues, reported local activist organization Progress Pittsburgh on Feb. 23.

-Editor in Chief Jessica Lear

Photos - Pittsburgh Kayakers (ka-"yack"-ers) (Pittsburgh, PA) - Meetup.com

Photos - Pittsburgh Kayakers (ka-"yack"-ers) (Pittsburgh, PA) - Meetup.com: "Paddle at the Point"

The Moonlight Scribbler wants to save the Civic Arena too. Yes!

The Moonlight Scribbler: "My personal opinion is that the Arena should be saved and repurposed for a new function. I believe that the unique and iconic design of the arena is too important to lose and to re-use it shows that in this age of disposability, there is a place for the older classic structures given a new lease on life. It's easy to tear something down. But wouldn't it be nice to see the leadership of the city of Pittsburgh show some 'out of the box' thinking for once, and find a use for this structure instead of just tearing it down and replacing it with yet another look-alike grid complex of chain stores and entertainment outlets and acres of boring nondescript parking lots. I'm not against those uses, but can't we find a way to integrate the two ideas together? With the brainpower produced by the universities in this town, we can't find enough smart people who can make this happen instead of taking the easy way out and swinging the wrecking ball?"

Fast pace hinders Beethoven's 9th

My wife and boys, and a guest, are at Heinz Hall tonight to take in this show.

Fast pace hinders Beethoven's 9th: "Last night at Heinz Hall, the music director and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra returned after a successful European Tour to perform the 'Choral' Symphony, moved to this weekend because of another international event, the G-20. It was yet another personal mark on a masterpiece by the Austrian conductor. I imagine that some will love it and others won't -- the kind of healthy collection of responses a music director should engender.

Blast from the past: Winter of 2006 press release as a candidate

Press Release: Immediate
From Daniel Repovz, Media Coordinator, Elect.Rauterkus.com Media@Rauterkus.com, 412-904-2976

Mark Rauterkus, candidate for Pittsburgh's City Council, district 3, special election slated now for March 14, 2006, released a four point plan to those in attendance at the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce meeting today after the Craig Patrick of the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins presentation.

The Rauterkus campaign stresses freedom, future, fitness and flow to benefit our entire region. Rauterkus said, "The plan is simple and as we think again on these opportunities, everyone I talk to is in agreement with me. 1) Own what you build. 2) Return what you lease. 3) Grow where you can flourish and contribute to flow. 4) Fix what you broke."

1. Should the Penguins get a new arena from the windfall of the gambling casino, then others must keep it. The city should not own the new building. Mario could own, operate, insure and program the new building. Do not build a new building and expect to hand its ownership over to the city nor an authority.

2. Should the Penguins move out of the historic Civic Arena, then they should not be the ones to tear it down. The Mellon Arena can return as a civic arena and stay as a place for other events such as Disney on Ice, Circus, Carrick High School Graduations, and scholastic basketball tournaments, such as the WPIAL and PIAA championships. Those events don't require luxury-corporate boxes with leather seats and catering services.

3. The Penguins and other civic and regional leaders should build the new hockey arena at the old airport or some other area in suburban Pittsburgh. The arena does NOT need to be built in downtown.

4. We should re-open the now closed, indoor ice rink on the South Side located behind UPMC's South Side Hospital. Rebuilding that venue and grounds should provides quality recreational opportunities to the city residents and the region. The Penguins had a big hand in getting that rink covered. Private operators had the contract to operate the facility at no cost to the city. Much more can be done to build there for many benefits of fitness and the future.

For further information or quotes, call Mark Rauterkus, 412-298-3432 or Mark@Rauterkus.com

Stuck in the middle of the road

Letter to editor:

http://www.pittsbur ghlive.com/ x/pittsburghtrib /opinion/ letters/s_ 681961.html

States should experiment

Thursday, May 20, 2010

We have red states and we have blue states. We have people who want to decrease the size of government and we have people who want to increase the size of government.

We have battles in Congress that result in compromise legislation giving neither side what it wants. Those who want more government controls and safety nets claim that the free market has created our current problems. Those who want less government claim that we have not had a free market for many years and that perverse government incentives created the problems.

The United States of America was created as an experiment in freedom, but the middle path we are now on prevents either side from getting its way and actually seeing who is right.

Why not let each state go its own way and see which states succeed and which fail?

We can remain the "United" States but reduce the things we do in common to a minimum. That way, we can be free to experiment on a state-by-state basis in such things as welfare, health care, immigration, free trade, taxation, regulation, drug laws and other areas of current government involvement.

Nick Kyriazi
Deutschtown
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Tiger Water Polo - Summer 2010 V2

                     2010 Summer Season

  Water Polo

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

·       2010 Summer Season (June, July, and August)

o       Membership Fees - $200 for all Members – due by June 15, 2010

o       Practices – All Sessions at North Park Swimming Pool starting on June 14th

·       All teams are off the week of June 6^th

·       All High School Boys and Girls at North Park starting June 14^th

o       M, T, W, Th, F from 7:30am to 10:00am

·       14 and Under “A” at North Park starting June 14^th

o       M, T, W, Th, F from 7:30am to 10:00am

·       14 and Under “B”/Novice at North Park starting June 14th

o       Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9am to 10:00am

·       Coach Rob will assign athletes to groups prior to June 14, 2010

·       Coach Rob and Coach Patrick will align on water polo and swimming balance for the athletes

·       Rain days to be held at NASH from 10am to 12pm

o       Rain days for High School only

o       14U will be cancelled

o       Notification via e-mail and twitter

 

 

o       Additional Summer Season Notes

·       We’ll continue to work toward finding quality playing opportunities for the kids

·       Special focus on opportunities/alternatives for the HS girls to offset the loss of the Coronado trip

·       Tournament at Navy in June and July should provide strong competition and great bonding/fun for boys and girls teams. Trips should also be very wallet-friendly as we’ll likely be able to stay on-campus at the Academy for these trips. 

·       We plan to have more coaches on deck than at any time before. Plan is to have dedicated coaches for each skill group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·       Summer Highlights

o       High School

§       June

·        Week of June 6^th – Off week for all teams! Get a good rest

·        June 13 – Boys and Girls at Cumberland Valley

·        June 18, 19, and 20 – Boys and Girls @ Navy Classic – Annapolis

·        June 23^rd – Possible games with Erie teams

§       July

·        July 9, 10, and 11 – Boys and Girls @ Navy Summer Championship - Annapolis

·        July 16, 17 and 18 – Pgh Tournament- TBD

·        July 22 to 26 – Boys @ National State Challenge – Coronado

§        Last week of July – Girls at Kingfish - TBD

o        August

§        Week of August 8^th – Off week for all teams!

§        August 16 – Start of Boys and Girls Varsity Team Training

§        August 20, 21 – “Sneak Peek” Tourney – North Park

§        Late August – Boys and Girls Tournament in Reading, PA

 

 

 

 

 

o       14 and Under/Middle School

§       June

·        Week of June 6^th – Off week for all teams!

·        June 13 – Middle School Players at Cumberland Valley

·        June 18, 19, and 20 –@ Navy Classic – Annapolis

§       July

·        July 9, 10, and 11 –@ Navy Summer Championship - Annapolis

·        Last week of July – Start of Youth Summer League (just like Spring League)

§        August

·        August 7 – Tentative Summer League game day

·        August 14 – Tentative Summer League game day

·        August 21 – Tentative Summer League game day

·        August 20, 21 – “Sneek Peek” Middle School Tourney – North Park

 

Democracy ideas in Letter to Editor

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10154/1062736-110.stm

Voting changes would help

Who should have the right to vote in governmental elections? Is it ethical for people who are on welfare or who work for companies that have government grants to vote for politicians who promise to keep the money flowing to them? Is it ethical for people who work for government to vote for politicians who promise to continue their jobs? I say that anyone who benefits monetarily from government programs should be disqualified from voting.

In addition, in order to solve the problem of the "wasted vote" for third-party candidates, why not implement a system of "approval voting" in which people vote for all the candidates of whom they approve? The winner still takes all but, if you are afraid of an opposing candidate winning by voting for a third-party candidate, you can vote for the best candidate as well as one who may only be the better of two evils.

These two changes in our voting system would, I predict, result in substantial changes in the direction our country is now headed.

NICK KYRIAZI
North Side

Comcast's Next Purchase: Gov. Rendell

From: Josh Stearns, FreePress.net

Cable and Internet giant Comcast has been trying to boost its bid for NBC Universal by shopping for political allies. And it looks like Gov. Ed Rendell’s support was for sale.

Since 2002, Comcast’s PAC, its employees, and the spouses of its top executives have donated $634,350 to the governor, who also reportedly earned $20,000 a year as a commentator for a Comcast sports program. In exchange, Rendell joined the governors of New York and California on a letter praising Comcast’s plans to merge with NBC.

In the letter to the FCC, Rendell called Comcast a "great American" company. This comes just weeks after Comcast was named the worst company in America in a consumer poll.

Tell the FCC: Gov. Rendell Doesn’t Speak for Me.

Comcast's takeover of NBC will mean higher prices and fewer choices for consumers across Pennsylvania and the country. It will likely lead to layoffs at local media outlets and will stifle competition in cable and online services. Even worse, it would trigger a new wave of media consolidation as other companies try to build their own media empires.
This would be one of the biggest media mergers in a generation, giving Comcast the NBC broadcast network, hundreds of channels, tons of websites, exclusive programming rights and a movie studio -- as well as control over distribution of all that content. Gov. Rendell has made it clear whose interests he represents. … and they’re not yours.
We need you to speak out against this merger today. The FCC has the power to stop the merger, and has asked for public comments on the proposed deal, but their review of these comments ends soon.

Tell the FCC: No More Media Consolidation!
Stop the Madness. Stop the Merger.

Your views should be more important than those of these sellout politicians. Take one minute to send your comments to the FCC.

The FCC must hear the real voice of Pennsylvania. Forward this e-mail to a friend and share it on Twitter.

Thank You,

Josh Stearns
Associate Program Director
Free Press Action Fund
FreePress.net

Fw: The Prop 14 Disaster: The End of Free Speech, Independence, Choice and Dissent

From: wayne@rootforamerica.com

Subject: The Prop 14 Disaster: The End of Free Speech,Independence, Choice and Dissent
Is Schwarzenegger A Fool or a Traitor to Tea Parties and Limited Government/Fiscally Conservative Causes?
This coming Tuesday June 8th, California voters will be voting on Proposition 14, aka "Top Two." It is a disaster for anyone interested in free speech, choice and dissent. As often happens in politics, Prop 14 is the exact opposite of what it appears to be. The proponents of Prop 14 claim it will eliminate the current party primary system in favor of an "open primary." So instead of Republicans, Democrats and independents (third parties) each freely choosing their own candidates in a primary, then meeting on the November ballot to determine who will be elected to represent the people, with "Top Two" every candidate runs in a non-partisan free-for-all (aka "open primary") and only the top two vote-getters appear on the November ballot.

Prop 14 supporters claim this new "Top Two" system would take away power from the 2 big parties because of the non-partisan "open primary" nature of the system. In reality Prop 14 eliminates choice on the ballot in November. Independent candidates and third parties (with less money to spend to reach voters) will literally cease to exist. Independent candidates (Libertarian, Conservative, Tea Party, Green, etc) could not survive the open primary system, thereby guaranteeing only candidates from the 2 major parties on the ballot each November. Do you want your free speech and choice violated or eliminated? If so, you'll love Prop 14. But is this the American way?

National polls prove that more voters now call themselves "Independent" than at any time in modern political history. More voters call themselves "Independent" than either Republican or Democrat. More voters respect "the Tea Party" than either the Republican or Democrat parties. More voters desire a third party Presidential choice than at any time in modern history. Do all these poll results indicate that now is the time to eliminate choice?

To eliminate dissent?

You would think that now would be the time to expand choice and dissent. But that's not what the backers of Prop 14 think. According to the backers of Prop 14, what you want is meaningless.

But the problem with Prop 14 actually goes much deeper. If you want to see smaller government, lower spending, and lower taxes, you're plum out of luck with Prop 14. This deal was cut in the smoky backrooms of Sacramento to insure that the 2 major parties can operate in the future without dissent, opposition, or pesky "citizen politician" gadflies pointing out their corruption, waste, and fraud. Who is behind it? Prop 14 guarantees that the same corruption and cozy relationship between big unions, big corporations and big government will go on forever- but this time without even the hint of dissent, or the remote chance of an upset. Even "remote" isn't good enough for these groups...they want zero chance that any independent candidate can ever upset their stranglehold on government and unchecked power over the people.

Want proof? Look no further than the 2 states that have already used Prop 14 political systems- Louisiana and Washington. Third parties have been silenced- they no longer have a reason to exist. Corruption runs wild- Louisiana has been the worst governed state for 35 years and counting. Incumbents literally NEVER lose in these states. If you want to guarantee career politicians can last a lifetime in office screwing the voters and taxpayers, then Prop 14 is for you.

But my final plea is to fiscal conservatives and Tea Party activists in California. You, my friends, are being targeted for extinction by big government proponents. Your Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has sold you down the river. He is either a fool or a traitor. Common sense tells anyone that Republicans will be badly damaged by Prop 14 in a deep blue liberal state like California. The non-biased and scholarly Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles now predicts that Democrats will most certainly gain the most from Prop 14. They predict that up to one third of Congressional and legislative districts in California will be reduced to 2 Democrats in the November elections by "Top Two." The dissent being silenced forever will be Conservative and Tea Party dissent in a liberal big government state like California.

If you are a California Republican, your own Governor Schwarzenegger has signed your death warrant. It isn't just independents, but rather Republicans, conservatives, and Tea Parties who are the victims of Prop 14. Or did you think big unions, big corporations and big government proponents are friends of fiscal conservatives? This deal stinks to high heaven. Your only choice is to strongly and LOUDLY vote "NO on Prop 14.

Good Bye Wizard.

One of my heros passed, John Wooden, the Wizard of Westwood.

Sorta sad.

He had a book that was the best seller at an all sports bookstore in Long Beach, Adventures Unlimited. I was connected into those efforts in a few different dealings. Coach would go there often for book events and was always himself, -- a gentleman, clever, insightful.

DePaul School -- a Pittsburgh Treasure

In case you missed it last night, here’s a link to the feature story about DePaul School and the cochlear implant that aired on WTAE-TV (Ch 4) here in Pittsburgh.

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/video/23786901/index.html

Preservationists want more time to study reuse of Mellon Arena

Go Rob Go. No, wait. It should NOT be a go-go-go cheer. Rather a "hold that line" cheer. How about, "Push em back, push em back, wayyyy back!

Preservationists want more time to study reuse of Mellon Arena The SEA is in the middle of a process to consider alternatives to demolishing the arena but could be prepared to recommend a course of action to its board by October or November. Reuse the Igloo officials say they need at least 60 days to complete the $15,000 study, which is being funded in part by actor David Conrad, who attended the press conference.
Mr. Pfaffmann said arenas have been reused successfully in Portland and Montreal.

Blast from past: Elections - Two-Fisted Voting Action

From Pittsburgh City Paper, March 22, 2006

The March 14, 2006, special election of a new city councilor from District 3 didn't lack for passion: Two candidates nearly got into a fistfight on Election Day.

But voters apparently felt less strongly about the contest to replace former council member Gene Ricciardi, whose district includes the South Side, adjoining hilltop communities, and portions of Oakland. According to unofficial returns, 3,349 votes were cast -- a turnout of under 14 percent. There were few surprises. The endorsed Democrat, Arlington resident and public-works employee Jeffrey Kock, trumped the eight-man field with 1,449 votes. That edged out South Side businessman, Bruce Kraus, who polled 1,271 votes.

"I was surprised by how close Kraus got," says Koch. "But I just knew more people."

And as Kraus backers had feared, Bruce Krane, another South Side businessman, drew critical votes away. Krane won 215 votes, roughly three dozen more than Kraus would have needed to win.

An altercation between Krane and Kraus was, in fact, narrowly averted on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Witnesses say the dispute, in which the candidates argued over last-minute efforts to appeal to voters, nearly came to blows.

Krane confirms a confrontation took place, and acknowledges warning Kraus to leave "before your teeth end up on the ground." Kraus declined comment on the fracas.

"Votes got split," says Khari Mosley, the local head of the League of Young Voters. All along, grassroots progressives worried that Koch was too close to the Democratic old guard. But they didn't rally behind Kraus until a Feb 12 candidates' forum held by Progress Pittsburgh and other groups. By then, "The race had gotten personal," Mosley says. "By the time people started talking about narrowing the field, it was too late."

Krane says that Kraus supporters claimed "I was put in the race by (Mayor Bob) O'Connor. ... No one who knows me has ever questioned my independence." But, he adds, "Call me a spoiler if you like; it's OK with me."

Kraus declines to do so. "Krane took some votes," he says, "but we had everything working against us. We lost the (Democratic) endorsement; we were the last name on the ballot. God knows there were enough other candidates on the ballot. ... But as a first-time candidate, we did well.

There had been hopes that Pitt students, who live on the district's Oakland outskirts, might play a decisive role. But despite a get-out-the-vote effort Mosley's organization targeted at students, only 93 votere were cast at Pitt's Posvar Hall polling place.

The League of Young Voters sought to register 1,000 students for the election; Mosely hoped 300 would vote. "It was an ambitious goal," Mosley says. But I'm disappointed we didn't reach it."

Still, Mosley observes, "Many districts had fewer votes than Pitt did." And even that, organizers contend, is a step forward.

"Students showed up in suprising numbers, given the extent to which they were ignored," says Andrea Boykowicz, an Oakland resident and member of Progress Pittsburgh. The candidates focused on issues such as litter and graffiti, which she says didn't resonate with students.

Koch will hold office only for 18 months, to fill out the rest of Ricciardi's term. His top legislative priority? "The same thing I said all along: trying to get Warrington Avenue repaved." As for the majority of voters who picked someone else, "I need to convince them that they made the wrong choice."

Neither Krane nor Kraus will say whether they plan to run again. But Boykowicz will be watching.

"Kraus made a respectable showing," she says. "He could run again, and I'll be intereted to see if he makes his platform more meaningful. If not, there are other people we can run."

-- by Chris Potter

Go get OpenOffice, recently upgraded to 3.2.1

The OpenOffice.org Community today announces the availability of OpenOffice.org 3.2.1, the newest version of the world's major free and open productivity suite.

OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 is a so-called micro release that comes with bugfixes and improvements, with no new features being introduced. This release also fixes security issues, so we recommend everyone to upgrade to the new version as soon as possible.

This version is also the first one to be released with the project's new main sponsor, Oracle, and comes with a refreshed logo and splash screen.

"The OpenOffice.org Community is in the year of its 10th anniversary. We look forward to working together with joint efforts of a worldwide community, on one of the world's largest open source projects, delivering free software based on true open standards", says Florian Effenberger, Marketing Project Lead of OpenOffice.org. He adds: "With the start of the Branding Initiative [2], the ongoing Project Renaissance [3] and with the recently-announced Summer Internship Programme [4], the OpenOffice.org community invites everyone to contribute to our efforts of improving the digital future."

According to OpenOffice.org's usual release cycle, the next feature release of OpenOffice.org will be version 3.3, and is expected for autumn 2010.

The Community celebrates its 10th anniversary this year at the annual OOoCon [5], to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 31 to September 3. The Community invites all to join us in this lovely and dynamic capital city, which was chosen by the popular vote among many global contenders.

OpenOffice.org 3.2.1 is available in many languages for all major platforms at http://download.openoffice.org/

The BP Blues

Thanks to FB friend, Maryellen Hayden for the pointer.

Fw: Nomination Papers

From: lpchair <chair@lppa.org>
CALL FOR LIBERTARIAN VOLUNTEERS!

We need your help to get Libertarian candidates' names on the ballot in November!

If you have not already done so, please volunteer to gather signatures on nomination papers for Libertarian Party candidates.  In Pennsylvania, these nomination papers are used to put our nominees on the November ballot.  Papers will be compiled for submittal beginning in mid July.

To volunteer to circulate nomination papers, please email election@lppa.org and we will send you nomination forms and instructions.

If Libertarian candidates do not get their names on the ballot this November, the Libertarian Party may lose its legal status as a "Minor Political Party" in Pennsylvania.

 - If that happens, new voters will have a choice between Democrat, Republican and "Other" on their voter registration forms.  The Libertarian Party will not be listed as a political party.

 - If that happens, Pennsylvanians may have no third-party candidates to select when Republican and Democratic elected officials continue to increase taxation.
You can look at the basic guide here:
http://www.lppa.org/documents/election/2010/nomination_paper_guide_2010.pdf
Please mail any notarized papers by July 15, 2010 to:

LPPA Chairman Michael Robertson
614 Canoe Ripple Road
Sligo, PA 16255

Thank you for your support!
Michael J. "Mik" Robertson, Chair, Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania
and Susan Haythornthwaite, Chair, Election Committee
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

Call from Detroit

From Larry:

My son Ducky called me from that detroit game last nite after witnessing that blown call! .....he was steamin and I told him I'd get back after consulting with some of my fellow officiato wizards...like you guys.

I assured Duck that the umpire has to feel like dogcrap - the pressure obviously got to him and he probably made the classic mistake of envisioning the outcome because the play was unfolding too slow (the double pump from the firstbaseman probably threw him off). The Ump jumped to the conclusion that he thought would happen rather than what he saw...lesson one for all umpires - never think - thinking allows you to confuse your imagination with your information - it is not your job to even know the score much less care about the outcome.

Unfortunately we probably won't ever get umpire judgment calls reviewable via instant replay mainly because there is no whistle to end that kind of play like in football. What if that Tiger pitcher had tossed the ball up in the air thinking he had the out and the runner sped home in the confusion? Although, as a former youth leagues umpire, I will argue that a pitcher should be able to go to the rubber, step off and appeal just like they do when a runner leaves a base too soon on a tag-up. The other umpire/s should also have a chance to pipe in - esp the plate ump or umpire-crew-chief...and review footage and GET IT RIGHT!

Maybe there should be a third call an umpire could make in this kind of situation...instead of only the "safe" or "out" - how about just a shoulder shrug meaning "don't know?" That should wreak some interesting havoc...

A parting tale: I was once umpiring a championship game in the steel community of Sparrows Point in balto full of roudy, tailgating fans (this was way back in the day when drinking at kids games was not at all taboo) and the last play of the day was my worst nightmare - a winning run collision at home where a runner dove horizontally over a lunging catcher with the ball. Being a former catcher myself, I figured no way that runner's prone body never was at least grazed by that catchers outstretched mit's rawhide strings, so I righteously throw my thumb up in the air...but then to my horror, no-one noticed my call from all the noise and the judas catcher bounced up and tried to tag the runner as both kicked up a dust storm scrambling to the plate. The runner won that race and everybody was celebrating and then all eyes were suddenly on me and my premature thumb still stuck up in the air instead of where the sun don't shine....A cop had to escort me (on my motorcycle getting pelted) outta town...kinda like that ump last nite...

what say you brilliant and murky minds?

I think the guy who was called safe on first base should just walk to the dugout. Take himself off the field and out of the game.

City schools, teachers union reach tentative contract

City schools, teachers union reach tentative contract The contract, which members of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers will vote to ratify in the next two weeks, would create new positions with the opportunity for higher pay and maintain the same health care coverage for current employees and retirees.

Much of what is wrong with sports in Pittsburgh Public Schools spews from that former contract. Time will tell if this got fixed -- or not.

I have no faith in changes with the union contract for the good of sports.

Study: Anti-violence group has no effect

No effect for our citycouncilman -- and our anti-violence group too.

Study: Anti-violence group has no effect: "One of Allegheny County's foremost anti-violence groups has had no impact on homicide rates and, in fact, gun crimes and aggravated assaults increased in neighborhoods where the group focused its efforts, according to a report released Wednesday.
The nonprofit RAND Corp. found that the efforts of the group, One Vision One Life, might also shift crime and violence from neighborhoods where the group operates to those where it does not.
Researchers focused on the program's impact on the crime-plagued North Side, South Side and Hill District. Starting in 2006, they studied a decade's worth of crime statistics and spent hundreds of hours observing the organization's outreach workers in the field."

I've been at odds with the philosophy of weed and seed. We can't just weed and seed and weed and seed. When do we harvest? When do we flourish? When do we soar to new heights?

However, if they are making heroic efforts in the lives of people -- then what.

The researchers partly blame "the lack of a systematic, coordinated strategy" between police and One Vision, whose work includes behind-the-scenes intervention in brewing street conflicts, programs for at-risk youth and more visible "rapid response" rallies, during which workers take to the streets in the wake of shootings to voice their message of nonviolence.

So, where does blame get pinned? Should it be on the nonprofit that is making a heroic effort or else the police who are missing the systematic and coordinated strategy.