Ron Morris on Pitt Football and Steve P, the AD who should be fired

http://recordings.talkshoe.com/rss139.xml

Athletic Reform at Pittsburgh Public Schools

Nice background video.

WordReport 1.0 release and introductory sale

ANN: WordReport 1.0 release and introductory sale

I'm happy to announce the 1.0 release of WordReport. This library lets
your LiveCode stacks crank out MS Word and OpenOffice reports of any
kind: business documents, contractor invoices, real-estate flyers, mail
merge, product catalogs, software data reports, educational worksheets,
band concert posters, customer service letters, or whatever else you
dream up. (In fact, the demo stack includes sample code and templates
for three of those scenarios.)

You create a formatted template with data insertion tags, save it, and
then insert your data from within LiveCode to create reports. WordReport
is self-contained and doesn't need any word processing software to
create reports, but you'll need MS Word or OpenOffice to create the
templates. The demo stack will get you off to a quick start exploring
capabilities, and a friendly User Guide explains everything.

The library handles images as well as text and has other advanced
features such as loops and optional context marking. It handles Unicode
and as a bonus, in addition to the unlimited formatting in your
template, you can include basic styles within your export data for extra
emphasis on the fly. It does headers and footers too. And tables. (And
number formatting with commas if you need it.) Everything you need to
make customers and clients happy with great-looking reports, while
improving your own back office workflow too.

To celebrate this release (finally!) I'm offering WordReport on sale at
a very special introductory price for 10 days. Get it while it's low!
This is a power tool for saving time and producing great documents in
all kinds of practical scenarios.

http://curryk.com/wordreport.html

(A hearty thanks to the beta testers also. And for those interested in
news about WordOut, the export library, a beta has been available for
some time, email me if you wish to try it. I'll be finishing it up as
time allows, and as promised, those who purchase WordLib at full price
before the WordOut release will receive an export library discount.)

Best wishes,

Curry Kenworthy
--
WordLib: Import MS Word and OpenOffice documents
http://curryk.com/wordlib.html

WordReport: Template-driven MS Word and OpenOffice reports,
from invoices and worksheets to catalogs and mail merge
http://curryk.com/wordreport.html

Need custom software development or RunRev help?
http://curryk.com/consulting/

Homewood Woman Shines Light On City Councilman’s Tax Bill « CBS Pittsburgh – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of Pittsburgh

Homewood Woman Shines Light On City Councilman’s Tax Bill « CBS Pittsburgh – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic and the Best of Pittsburgh

Comment from Dan Sullivan is rumored to post in the discussion area:

Burgess also had several property tax liens against him when he was a candidate in 2006. Rich Lord of the Post Gazetted did a story on it.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07006/751778-182.stm

Now he’s calling it a witch-hunt. It’s really called “opposition research,” and it’s routine in election campaigns. If this were the first time, he could say he didn’t realize that. Since it’s the second time, he would have to plead colossal stupidity.

Dave Barry's Year in Review: Why 2010 Made Us Sick

Must read humor from Dave Barry about 2010:

Dave Barry's Year in Review: Why 2010 Made Us Sick: "Dave Barry's Year in Review: Why 2010 Made Us Sick"

Uncle Sam, a looter. Letter to editor from Plum's Mark C.

This LTE in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (1/1/2011) is based on a PG article about inheritances. Point being that the more in debt with obligations government gets, the more desperate too.

http://www.post- gazette.com/ pg/11001/ 1114740-432. stm

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Uncle Sam a looter?

Boomers beware! You're more in line to be looted ("Boomers In Line for Big Pot of Loot," Dec. 19) than to see your full $6 trillion inheritance pot.

Counting Social Security, Medicare and state and municipal debt, total government debt is more than $100 trillion.

Horrendous government spending and debt levels will soon require more than printed paper. The government is desperately looking for large pools and streams of wealth.

Yelling "tax the rich" is just a divide-and-conquer strategy because the rich aren't rich enough. The boomer's $6 trillion inheritance pool will eventually join the $3.6 trillion retirement pool, the annual $2.2 trillion health-care stream and the energy revenue stream in the government's cross hairs.

Even total confiscation won't reduce the problem. That's because they'll only spend it on the next Taj Mahal school building, the next stadium, the next tunnel money pit, the next government pension, the next bailout, the next November bribe or the next undeclared war.

That's why individuals should inherit wealth, not governments.

MARK CROWLEY
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Fw: Donna & Rick Nestler in Friendship January 23

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

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

Friendship House Concerts is proud to present

Donna & Rick Nestler

Sunday, January 23

4:00 pm

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming events of interest:

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

Invite: Paddle to the Polar Bear Plunge

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Mike Cornell <cornells@zoominternet.net>

Sender: kayaking-129-announce@meetup.com

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

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

ReplyTo: kayaking-129@meetup.com

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

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

What: Paddle to the Polar Bear Plunge

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

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

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

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

Cowabunga!

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




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


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

Call to join for freedom's sake.

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

— Lawrence Lessig, founder of Creative Commons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Ethics of Democracy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I hope you will find these writings informative and enlightening.

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

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Jury development

Dan S posted this to a local Libertarian discussion group.

FIJA would be pleased!

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

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

Here are some interesting passages.

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

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

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

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

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

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Steelers look to add seats to Heinz Field

Steelers look to add seats to Heinz Field

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

Printer headaches

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

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

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

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

--- end snip from manual - - -

WTF?

Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson favors marijuana legalization

Merry Christmas Libertarians!

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


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

Triangle buildings could get face-lifts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Liar and thief.

Julian Heicklen, Plaintiff Counsel Pro Se, wrote to the judge:

jph13@psu.edu

December 20, 2010

Richard J. Holwell

1. S. District Judge
2. S. District Court: S. D.N. Y.
3. S. Courthouse

500 Pearl Street

New York, NY 10007

Re: Julian  Heicklen v. U. S. Department of Homeland Security et. al.

      Case #10 CV 2239 (RJH)(JLC)

Dear Judge Holwell:

1. Dismissal of the criminal cases

Rebecca Mermelstein, Assistant U. S. Attorney, has notified Judge Pitman in her letter of November 22, 2010, that the U. S. Attorney has dismissed all criminal charges against me for activities in front of your courthouse.  Perhaps your thugs, i. e. officers of the Department of Homeland Security, will return the property that they stole from me.

In her letter, Ms. Mermelstein also suggests that the court initiate jury tampering charges against me.  I welcome such an opportunity to expose the lying that you judges give in your instructions to jurors.  The opportunity is appealing to explain to the jury that its duty is not to uphold the law, but to see that justice is done.  In the cases against me which Ms. Mermelstein dismissed, she nullified the law.  Perhaps she should be a codefendant in the jury tampering case, because she tampered with the jury by denying it an opportunity to uphold the law.

2. Denial of default judgment against Bellevue Medical Center

In your ORDER of November 2, 2010, you denied default judgment against Bellevue Medical Center and its employees, because the summons was not served correctly through error of the clerk of court.  You requested that I again serve Bellevue and its employees.  What chutzpah!  It would cost me about $300 to serve those Defendants again.  The Court made the error, it should correct it by having the federal marshals do the service.  They will have nothing else to do now that presumably they will not be spending their time arresting me or anyone else who asserts Constitutionally protected rights.

3. Instructions to stop contacting Judge Holwell

In your ORDER, you also instructed me not to contact you again.  This is the second time that you issued such an instruction.  As long as you are the presiding judge in this case, you will receive correspondence from me.  If you want it to stop, recuse yourself from the case, as I have requested previously. 

3. Order to file an amended complaint, to obtain identities of John Does from defense counsels, and contact the Bankruptcy court to lift  stay on St. Vincent

In his ORDER of November 15, 2010, Magistrate Judge James L. Cott, who is assisting you in this case, issued three instructions to me:

1. I was ordered to file an amended complaint with the additional incidents added to the original complaint.  I will be happy to comply after I receive the identities of all the John Doe Defendants, including those from the ambulance crews (including the NY City Fire Department) from the Defendants’ counsels. The amended complaint will include Michael Blumberg, New York City Mayor, to remove any immunity issues suggested by the New York Fire Department.
2. It costs me about $3500.00 to serve all of the Defendants.  If I have to serve before knowing all he names of the John Doe Defendants, I will have to serve again, at another cost of $3500.  This is an unreasonable burden.  Therefore, I will wait until I have received the names of all the John Doe Defendants before the next service of summons.
3. I was informed that if I wish to learn the names of the John Doe Defendants, I must request that information from the Defense Counsels.  I have done that through copy of a letter that I sent to Judge Cott on September 8, 2010.  Mr. Pellegrino, Counsel for the federal Defendants provided the names of the John Doe Defendants.  The other counsels did not provide any information about the John Doe Defendants.  I submitted Motion Papers to Judge Holwell on October 8, 2010, to issue an ORDER to see that it is done.  There has been no response to those papers.  
4. Through copies of this letter, the counsels are requested again to submit the names, positions, dates of participation, and addresses where they can be served.
5. Again I am asking Judge Holwell to respond to my motion papers by ordering the Defense Counsels to provide the identities of the John Doe Defendants.
6. Judge Cott further states that in order to lift the automatic stay.of this case as to defendant St. Vincent’s Hospital, I must make such a request directly to the Bankruptcy Court.  This is a ridiculous request.  St. Vincent’s Hospital does not owe me any money.  I have no standing in the bankruptcy claim.  I am not an attorney nor a litigant.  Probably I would never get a response from the Bankruptcy Court.  If I do get a response, it will deny my request, if for no other reason than I do not have standing.  The bankruptcy Court would be acting properly, and I would expect no other action.  It is Judge Holwell that must lift the stay, not the Bankruptcy Court.

4. False claim of independent actor for the hospitals

Robert Drucker, Counsel for New York Downtown Hospital, has moved that the Court dismiss it as a Defendant, because it is an independent actor.  Mr. Drucker has committed perjury.   

I have distributed literature on 12 occasions in front of the U. S. District Courthouse in Manhattan.  I have been arrested 9 times.  The proper procedure for police is to take the arrestee to a magistrate.  This happened twice.  On 7 occasions, I was taken to hospitals (3 times to NY Downtown Hospital, 3 times to Bellevue Medical Center, and once to Saint Vincent Catholic Hospital).  On one occasion, I was arrested, my literature and sign confiscated, and released.  On one occasion, I was not arrested, just robbed.  On another occasion, I was ignored.  

In addition I was arrested at the U. S. District Courthouses in Springfield, MA, and in Newark, NJ.  In neither instance was I taken to a magistrate.  Instead I was taken to a hospital.

The purpose of the hospital visits is to perform what is euphemistically referred to as extraordinary rendition.  In each incident, the hospitals, ambulance personnel and the police knew that I had no medical problem. The hospitals are in collusion with the police to perform torture. At the hospitals, I have been sodomized, had a plug driven up my left nostril (extremely painful), had my corneas “dusted” with a brush, beaten black and blue on my chest, and forcefully injected with thorazine on two occasions against my expressed wishes.  Two days after one of these hospital visits, I saw my physician, who looked at my chest and exclaimed: “Did the police do that to you?”  I answered: “No, it was not the police.  It was the hospital personnel.”

1. Request for new filing date of December 30, 2010

In his letter of November 29, 2010, Counsel Robert M. Drucker states that the Defense Counsels have agreed that Plaintiff should submit his amended complaint on or before December 30, 2010.  Of course this is impossible.  Until I get the names of the John Doe Defendants, I cannot act.  I am willing to agree to a filing date of 30 days after receiving the names of all the John Doe Defendants, including those from the New York City Fire Department and St. Vincent’s Hospital.

6. Relationship to the Court

In the event that you are considering a contempt of court charge against me, you have misjudged the situation.  My feeling toward this court is not contempt.  It is hatred, intense hatred. You and your colleagues have destroyed my country.  This letter is being released to the public, so that it will be aware of what occurs in our courts of injustice.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  It is the time of year for serious introspection.

Sincerely yours,

Julian Heicklen, Plaintiff

Counsel Pro Se

The Athletic Ledger - Issue 2

THE ATHLETIC LEDGER FOR COACHES Quick hits on the budget-crunched world of scholastic sports
Vol. 1, Issue 2 – Dec. 22, 2010

Happy Holidays! We know coaches like you are stretching team dollars,
not just holiday gift budgets. From the intersection of scholastic
sports and money, here is this week's installment of quick-hits:
_____________________________________________________________________________________

#1. L.A. School District Going Corporate

Changing times coerced the Los Angeles Unified School District Board
to change its mind about accepting corporate sponsorships, which will
create new revenue for cash-strapped athletics, arts and music
programs in the district.

Read more:
http://list.theathleticledger.com/lists/lt.php?id=MBgBAAtXDgkFHgEEGAQDBAED
_____________________________________________________________________________________

#2. Pay to Play: Necessary or Last Option?

After instituting budgetary, departmental, and positional cuts, the
Hudson (Ohio) Board of Education instituted a new pay-to-play fee that
runs $400 for high school students and $200 for middle school students
with a $1,200 cap per family.

Meanwhile, in New Jersey, the Lenape Regional High School District is
charging $200 per student with a $400 cap per family, although schools
like Vineland are doing without pay-to-play for now.

Read more about Ohio:
http://list.theathleticledger.com/lists/lt.php?id=MBgBAAtXAQACHgEEGAQDBAED
and New Jersey:
http://list.theathleticledger.com/lists/lt.php?id=MBgBAAtXAQADHgEEGAQDBAED
_____________________________________________________________________________________

#3. Eureka! CA Fundraiser Nets $170K for School District

Thanks to its annual two-part fundraiser and online auction, the
Eureka Schools Foundation raised $170,000 to use toward offsetting its
continually declining school budget. However, the Foundation still has
one eye on the future, and anticipates needing to raise nearly
$500,000 in 2011.

Read more:
http://list.theathleticledger.com/lists/lt.php?id=MBgBAAtXDgkEHgEEGAQDBAED
_____________________________________________________________________________________

#4. Coming to the Lower 48: Alaskan All-Star Football

Having raised $50,000 to bankroll their trip, a team of 30 football
players representing the Alaska Athletic Alliance will make history on
New Year's Day when they trek to Auburn, Washington for the Tanoa
Bowl. The scheduled game between the Alaskans and a team of
Washington's best marks the first time an all-star football squad
will leave "The Last Frontier" to compete in the Lower 48.

Read more:
http://list.theathleticledger.com/lists/lt.php?id=MBgBAAtXAQANHgEEGAQDBAED
_____________________________________________________________________________________

#5. Foreign Languages: A Reason Not to Say Au Revoir?

Although several colleges and universities are cutting their foreign
language courses and majors - including the State University of New
York at Albany and Stony Brook University (N.Y.) - a recent study
conducted by the Modern Language Association showed a 6.6% spike in
foreign language major enrollment between 2006-2009. However, this
figure lags well behind the 12.9% growth exhibited between 2002-2006.

Read more:
http://list.theathleticledger.com/lists/lt.php?id=MBgBAAtXAQAMHgEEGAQDBAED
_____________________________________________________________________________________

About Us: The Athletic Ledger is produced weekly courtesy of My Sports
Dreams, LLC.

Committed to helping America's coaches and student-athletes achieve
their greatest aspirations, My Sports Dreams has worked with more than
20,000 teams and raised over $45 million for travel, equipment, and
gear. My Sports Dreams is also a proud and significant supporter of
The V Foundation For Cancer Research. Can My Sports Dreams help your
team? Learn more at www.MySportsDreams.com.

Follow The Athletic Ledger on Twitter: @athleticledger


The Athletic Ledger
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Soni Swims

Soni busts out the broom
Rebecca Soni swept the three women's breaststroke events (here, here and here); no surprise there. It's quite remarkable to watch her swim at these big meets because it's like she never loses. The big event to watch entering Dubai was the 100m breaststroke that would pit Soni against 2008 Olympic champ Leisel Jones of Australia. The race was close but Soni clearly ruled.

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave AT&T a gift-wrapped policy this holiday season

Today, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave AT&T a decision that was gift-wrapped for the holiday season. By a 3-to-2 vote, the FCC passed a rule that, in the chairman’s words, “protects Internet freedom.”

If only it were true.

After a year of promises to deliver on Net Neutrality, this chairman has pushed through a rule that favors the very industry his FCC is supposed to regulate, leaving Internet users with few protections.

The chairman chose to ignore your voice — and those of more than 2 million people who have urged Washington to support real Net Neutrality. His rule, for the first time in history, allows discrimination over the mobile Internet, paving the way for widespread industry abuses.

Now, the chairman is trying to spin the media that his toothless decision is a win for Internet users. We’re not going to let him get away with that.

Pledge to keep fighting for real Net Neutrality; and use the Internet to spread the word via Twitter, Facebook and e-mail.

Don’t let the FCC get away with fake Net Neutrality. Spread the truth about this bad rule.

We’d be lying if we didn’t tell you that this vote was a major setback. The new rule doesn't do enough to stop the phone and cable companies from dividing the Internet into fast and slow lanes, and it fails to protect wireless users from discrimination. It lets AT&T block your access to third-party applications and require you to use its own preferred applications.

But this bad rule is not the end of the story. Free Press and our many allies are going to keep fighting to secure your right to an Internet without gatekeepers.

By taking action and spreading the word, you’re telling the FCC that this isn’t good enough.

Thank you,

Misty, Craig, Tim and the Free Press Team

KDKA's goofy question about police, enforcement, guns and Pittsburgh

Three Pittsburgh police officers on that task force that have a focus on gun violence have not been working -- but getting paid -- for a year or so. (Remember Jordan Miles?) That is why you see a percentage dip in effective police work. There are less on the street looking for those troubles.

That task force had less than 30 officers, right?

If you put 20-30% of the force on vacation -- the arrests in that regard are going to dip.

Connect the conversations about BLOATED PENSIONS and municipal finance problems.

The real question, how long do we have to wait to get JUSTICE for the wrongs done by those three officers? How long should they be paid to NOT work?

Last year: 598. To 468 this year.