Sunday, October 01, 2017

Code talks

Long read, but worth the effort:

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2017/09/saving-the-world-from-code/540393/

Plis, Mark Wieder wrote, link to Bret Victor's talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxWM4t68cR4

His first three demos are very close to LCB (as LCB is
close to javascript with the handlers he used).
So most of what he does with the sliders in the text
editor can we already have with "live-updates" from the property inspector of LiveCode.

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Fwd: Welcome to ESSC2017!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Jill Greenleaf" <jgreenle@skidmore.edu>
Date: Sep 28, 2017 2:22 PM
Subject: Welcome to ESSC2017!
To:
Cc:

Dear Coaches,

We're excited to welcome you to the Eastern States Swim Clinic this weekend at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, NJ. Following the optional courses offered by USA Swimming and ASCA on Thursday and Friday, the first event of the weekend is Technology Corner on Friday night starting at 6:30 p.m.

This session allows companies to present the newest in swimming technology to you and for you to have the opportunity to ask questions about their applications.  International Sports Timing will sponsor pizza during the session. TeamUnify will raffle off a GoPro – the first 50 people to Tech Corner will be eligible to enter!  You must be present to win!

This year, we're excited to announce the following lineup for Technology Corner

MP: New technique paddle
FINIS: Iso and Evo
TYR: New drag chutes
Commit Swimming: Be Dazzled with Simplicity
SwimmersBest: New products
Dolfin: Light Strike suit
TeamUnify: Your Team's Own Social Network
International Sports Timing: Bluetoooth Clock App that does more!
Also remember at 8 p.m. on Friday night, we will have an informal social so you can meet all the vendors and participate in a free Speedo and Dolfin raffle!

A FINAL REMINDER: Our swimmers and coaches sessions are not yet full for the clinic. Please feel free to pass on clinic information to your coaching friends. Register online now or at the door. Complete clinic details are available on our website: http://swimclinic.com/eastern-states-swim-clinic-2/

Thanks - looking forward to the weekend! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Jill Greenleaf 

Assistant Director
Eastern & Central States Swim Clinics, LLC

Head Swimming Coach

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Fwd: Exciting News - Livestream Will Join the Vimeo Family


---------- Forwarded message -

Hi Mark,

I have very exciting news to share. Yesterday, we announced that Vimeo will be acquiring Livestream, and that we'll soon be joining forces.

For the past decade, our mission has been to enable organizations to share experiences through live video, unlocking a world where every event is available live online. We're thrilled to be joining the Vimeo team. Together, we will continue to innovate in the world of video and live storytelling.

What does this mean for those considering Livestream for their business or live video content? We'll continue to bring the same great service and affordable prices to our customers through this transition, and down the road we expect to integrate the best of Livestream's capabilities directly within Vimeo to offer the world's best end-to-end live video solution. This means more features and accessibility for our customers at greater speed and scale. You can learn more on our blog, but don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Best,

Mark Kornfilt
Cofounder & CEO, Livestream


Divorce of a sports coop among U-Prep, Sci-Tech and Obama gets chatter at PPS public comment

Parent of two PPS students, and one attends Sci-Tech presently




A student's voice




Blogger and Coach reactions:

First, I have called for the renewal of the PPS Athletic Reform Task Force. I'll even volunteer to chair such a group as well. We had one back in the day, established by then superintendent Mark Roosevelt. I was put on that task force. We got some good work accomplished and had plenty of additional tasks ahead.

When Lind Lane took over the reigns of the district, the task force died. She was not fond of sports, in my humble opinion.

It is time to renew the task force, hold serious discussions among a wide-reaching audience and plan, plan, plan.

I also spoke at the meeting, and I didn't video tape my own talk. I'm looking for the audio and can't find it, just yet.

If there is a divorce of the coop among U-Prep, Sci-Tech and Obama, the outcomes may not be as described in the public comment so far. Sci-Tech could choose to field some of its own sports teams. It would be great if Sci-Tech had varsity swimming teams for boys and girls. It would be fine if Sci-Tech had varsity soccer team too, but that is more of a stretch. Perhaps Sci-Tech and U-Prep can form their own co-op.

Sports co-ops can be made on a sport-by-sport basis. It does not need to be the same marriage with every sport.

Likewise, in soccer, Obama might choose to still be in a co-op with Sci-Tech and U-Prep, but get out of the co-op for basketball. Then U-Prep can have its own team for basketball. Same too for Sci-Tech basketball.

There are plenty of moving pieces, and a few principals can't be trusted in crafting the best outcomes -- and everyone else just sitting in the back seat in reaction mode. Let's be proactive.

Splitting the co-op makes sense in some settings, but might be worse in others. 

South Side Pops hits The Mon River for an evening of water skiing

Some athletic highlights from Scott and Randy.

Scott

Part 1, only 14 seconds


Part 2

Randy

Part 3

Part 4 


Extra photos

Friday, September 22, 2017

Fwd: Please welcome PIIN's new Executive Director, Jamaal Craig!


---------- Forwarded message

 Moving People of Faith to Action

Dear Mark,

PLEASE WELCOME JAMAAL CRAIG AS THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PIIN!

Jamaal Craig will begin serving as the new Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network on Monday, October 2.

Mr. Craig has an extensive labor organizing background, including positions with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) – United Healthcare Workers West in Sacramento, California; the AFL – CIO in both Cincinnati and Chicago; and the United Steelworkers International here in Pittsburgh. Mr. Craig has also worked on two Presidential campaigns as a political organizer on the state level in Michigan and Iowa. His educational background includes formal study in Criminal Justice, Ethnic and Diversity Studies, Political Science, and Public Policy. Currently he is a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy and Administration, and he teaches courses in Political Science and Ethnic and Diversity Studies at the Community College of Allegheny County.

A native of South Carolina, Mr. Craig resides with his family in Carnegie, Pennsylvania. He serves as President of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, co-chair of the Pittsburgh NAACP Labor and Industry Committee, and Board member of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute. He is a member of the A. Phillip Randolph Institute, the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and the Fetzer Advisory Council on Labor, Trades, and Crafts. Mr. Craig and his family are members of Wesley Center AME Zion Church.

We are blessed that our Executive Director Search Committee has conducted a very thorough and successful search process over the last five months.  Members of our Search Committee include Suzanne Broughton, Rev. Buena Dudley, Rev. Vincent Kolb (convener), Rev. Eric McIntosh, Lauren Enty Rumbaugh, Rev. Jesse Spencer (chair), and Ronnie Cook Zuhlke.  Thank you, Jesse, for your exceptional leadership; thank you, Vincent, for pulling together such an amazing team; and thank you to all the members of the Search Committee for your diligent work on behalf of PIIN!  We are also very fortunate that Ana Garcia-Ashley, Executive Director of the Gamaliel Network, worked closely with our Executive Director Search Committee throughout the process.

I would also like to thank Fred White for serving with distinction as Acting Executive Director over the last two months. Fred and our other PIIN staff members – Bill Bartlett, Susan Lithgow, and Sue Thorn – have admirably sustained PIIN's momentum during this transition period, and they deserve our heartfelt gratitude.

Please watch for opportunities to become acquainted with Jamaal over the next few weeks. I am sure that he will be eager to meet everyone who is part of PIIN. Together, we can all move forward with our work of moving people of faith into action to eliminate structural racism and economic inequity.

Sincerely,

Rev. David Herndon, President, PIIN


Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network

564 Forbes Avenue, Suite 808, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

office@piin.org

empowered by Salsa

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Are sports worth it?

Hat tip to Jay Chambers who wrote.

I can't take credit for this; it is a copy and paste job. Anyway, read it and it may help keep everything in perspective. 

You see athletes large, small and in between. Some are gifted and know it, so they coast. Others are not and know it, so they work like crazy. A select few are gifted and work like crazy. 
There is a place for all of them in youth, junior high and high school sports. 
There also is a place for their parents. So many places. You find them behind the wheel, in dugouts, on benches, in lawn chairs, at concession stands, in hotel lobbies. 

They work ahead or work split shifts or work into the wee hours, all in an attempt to be there when the boy or girl they welcomed into the world digs in with the bases loaded or drives to the basket. 
Occasionally, they look in the mirror or at the bank statement and wonder, "Is it worth it? Is all of this really worth it?"
 
Here's the good news:

Yes. 

It is absolutely worth it.
 
The wins and losses fade. Trophies collect dust in an attic. Stat sheets wind up in a recycle bin. 

None of them matter. 

You realize it years later. Like the day you wake up and your youngest is graduating from college. 

At our house, it is Friday. 

You hear her talk about a semester-long project that involved building a city - designing the water system, infrastructure, etc. - and the mind drifts to softball diamonds here and in other cities, other states. 

It was a group project requiring strategy, planning, execution and, more than anything, teamwork. Sports introduced her to all of it. 

They taught her that life isn't always fair. Line drives get caught. Bloopers fall in. Umpires miss calls. Players drop balls. 
Deal with it. Learn from it. Move on. 
Sports strengthened their resolve, toughened their skin. So when an irate boss openly voices his/her displeasure, they can tell a concerned co-worker: "It's OK. I've had coaches yell at me." 
Doesn't mean they like it, doesn't make it right. But they can handle it.
 
Sports prepare them to manage success and disappointment, deal with adversity. Remember that the next time you drive six hours to a sweltering summer tournament, or shiver under a blanket at a spring doubleheader. 

It's worth it. 

Just be sure to occasionally take a breath, take a step back and take a second to enjoy the moment. It doesn't last much beyond that. 

Games turn to seasons and seasons to years, faster than you can say, "Do you have everything in your bat bag?"
 
Squeeze what you can from the long rides, the overnight stays. You never get those back. Be a shame to waste them listening to an iPod or dwelling on a loss. 

Encourage them to succeed but allow them to fail. They learn from both. 
Be there either way. It's all they will remember. 

Experience the journey with them, not through them. You had your time. This is theirs, no matter how many hours you contribute. 

Keep in mind, the key is not whether they make or miss the winning shot, but accept responsibility for taking it. If they can do that, they won't shy away from much at work, in school, in life. 

Hold them accountable beyond the court/field. Remind them playing sports is like any privilege. It can be taken away. 

Finally, continue to give them love and support, win or lose. Stay in the game. 
It's worth it.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Fwd: Twofer

---------- Forwarded message
From: John H


Attached are two articles, one serious and one seriously accurate.  The first deals with the endless atrocity of American corporate greed imposed by military force on Afghanistan.  This is not a war.  And, like Iraq and others we have precipitated, it does not exist in search of victory.  Rather, it exists to enrich contractors and their sponsors and to ensure that Americans continue to live in fear of terrorism which we endlessly recreate.  This is, in short, a horrific criminal enterprise with no redeeming value whatsoever.  But don't take my word for it, check out the Ann Jones article.


John

Links



Fwd: FW: McResistance | https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/silence-from-theresistance-as-senate-votes-to-maintain-trumps-war-powers-d71de2a7b73a

Fwd: WordCamp Pittsburgh Wrap-up


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: WordCamp Pittsburgh, PA

WordPress

WordCamp Pittsburgh, PA 2017

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Can you believe it's been a little over a week since the fabulous WordCamp Pittsburgh?

Our team had a great time planning the event and we hope you had a great experience.

Some updates and additional info for you....

PHOTOS!

Thanks to our fabulous Volunteer Photographers, Miranda Knee and Marta Greca, we have some great photos from throughout the day. You can check them out at:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fz2Wuld4YSSrPPoe2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4UBCcnXxcCcTC5AI3

SLIDES!

We're still collecting slides from some of the speakers, but the ones we have collected are available on the session page. (Look for the Slides link under each session description.)

MEETUP!

If you're not a member of our WordPress meetup group, join now! https://www.meetup.com/preview/Pittsburgh-WordPress-Developers-Designers. Our next meetups will be in early October, so check it out soon.

SPONSORS!

Another heart-felt thank you to our sponsors - BoldGrid, WooCommerce, JetPack, Bluehost, Pair Networks, A2 Hosting, GoDaddy Pro, Pantheon, Libsyn, SiteLock, WPML, DreamHost, SiteGround, GiveWP, and Sticker Giant. WordCamp Pittsburgh would not be possible without you.

VOLUNTEERS!

To all of the volunteers that helped to make the day run smoothly - thank you for your time, your skill, your patience, and mostly for being you! You were all amazing!

Thank you all - attendees, volunteers, sponsors - for making WordCamp Pittsburgh 2017 a very special event!

Cheers!
The WordCamp Pittsburgh Team



Manchester neighborhood, Come Live Over Here

The City of Pittsburgh, via the City Planning Department and after receiving feedback from the Manchester Citizens Corporation and residents in Manchester, hired OHM Advisors as the consultant group to lead efforts to draft a Manchester/Chateau neighborhood plan. A Steering Committee, comprised of members from the Manchester/Chateau community, representatives from the City of Pittsburgh, and representatives from Manchester community organization, will assist by providing guidance on the direction of the plan.
The first meeting of the Steering Committee was held in the last week of August. It was an opportunity for members to meet the consultant team and provide them with initial thoughts on the goals the plan should aim for and the issues in the community that need to be addressed. Based on these discussions, it became clear that stakeholders want to reconnect Manchester to Chateau, spur economic development, reduce blight, and ensure the provision of affordable housing.

Public meetings to update and receive feedback from the community on the development of the plan will be held in October and November of this year. The goal is to have a neighborhood plan drafted by the first quarter of 2018. Regular updates will also be posted on the website: www.manchesterchateauplan.com


Friday, September 15, 2017

Come Live Over Here -- via a container ship



Ten minutes

If you don't have 10 minutes to watch the whole thing, JeffHK made a handy little viewer's guide for you, complete wth timestamps:
0:32 Milky Way 
0:53 Sirius Star (I think) Correction: Jupiter the planet according to some viewers 
1:17 Approaching Port of Colombo 
1:45 Cargo Operation 
2:08 Departure Colombo with Rainstorm 
2:29 Beautiful Sunrise 
3:13 Lightning Storm at Malacca Strait and Singapore Strait 
3:29 Clear night sky Milky Way with lightning storm 
4:01 Camera getting soaked 
5:09 Arrival Singapore 
5:56 Departure Singapore 
6:20 Moon-lit night sky 
6:48 Another Sunrise 
8:30 Headed due north and you can see Ursa Major rotating neatly around Polaris. 
8:36 Squid Boats 
8:54 Chaotic Traffic 
9:15 Arrival Hong Kong 

Monday, September 11, 2017

Fwd: 10 Timeless Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Darius Foroux

Read this article on DariusForoux.com

Do you want to start a new business or grow your existing business? Being an entrepreneur is a lonely job.

But fortunately, you can always rely on books. Forget about going to networking events, meetups, or browsing the internet for useful advice.

To me, reading business books is the best use of my time. And in this article, you'll find a list of books that have helped me with 6 skills I think every entrepreneur can benefit from:

  1. Adopting the mindset of an entrepreneur. It might sound easy, but it's not. Succeeding as an entrepreneurship largely depends on your mindset, not your talents or resources.
  2. Productivity. I look at productivity as the vehicle to your goals and desires. Without a productivity system, you'll often end up working on unimportant things that will not bring you closer to your goals.
  3. Business writing. Even though media is getting more visual by the day, we communicate more with words than ever. Being an effective writer helps you to get people to act with your words.
  4. Persuasion. An entrepreneur is nothing more than a salesperson who sells their own products. So you better be good at persuading others.
  5. Public Speaking. You can quickly stand out from the crowd by adding public speaking to your arsenal of skills. And it's not only a skill that you can use for giving talks or presentations. Want to make better videos for YouTube or social media? Get better at public speaking.
  6. Marketing. How do you position, package, and develop products that people actually need? That's marketing. And that's a skill you need to be an effective entrepreneur.

You don't have to be an entrepreneur to benefit from these skills. Every person who works for a business can use these skills to advance their career.

Below, I mention at least one book for every skill I've listed above. I've spent a long time thinking about which books to mention here.

And I decided to focus on books I think will be relevant for decades to come. The last thing you want is to read a book that's useless next year. Let's get started.

1. The Magic of Thinking Big Paperback by David J. Schwartz

This timeless book, published in 1959, inspires you to think positively about your life and career. Schwartz has a very practical approach and shares ideas that work. Thinking big has nothing to do with having big dreams. It's about acting big.

2. The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone

Cardone is one of the biggest names in sales training. And rightfully so. His mindset and results are exceptional. He's not one those many fake idiots you often see bragging about their cars. Sure, Grant brags a lot. But he's also genuine. The book comes down to this: Want to reach 100K people with your products? Focus on 1.000.000 instead. Btw, get the audiobook, which is read by Grant himself. You'll laugh and learn.

3. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

As an entrepreneur, you need a growth mindset to survive. Life is about solving problems and finding solutions. If you always look at the risks and consequences of everything, you might play it safe, but you'll also never grow. Carol Dweck's book is one of my favorite books about developing the mindset you need to succeed in life.

4. Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Productivity is about doing the right things. And this book helps you to focus better on what matters to you, personally. Once you know what you're after, it's easier to get there.

5. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert

Gary Halbert was a successful copywriter. And today, he's still a legend in the marketing world. But this collection of letters goes beyond marketing. Halbert uses his copywriting skills to teach his son about direct response marketing, life, health, and being successful. He wrote these letters while he was serving time in a federal prison.

6. Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

The all-time classic book on persuasion is Influence by Robert Cialdini. I highly recommend reading that book. However, that book is very theoretic and broad. If you specifically want to read more about how you can persuade others of your ideas, Made to Stick is great. Telling persuasive stories is one of your key responsibilities as an entrepreneur.

7. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking by Dale Carnegie

A book list without Dale Carnegie is never complete. I've read a bunch of books about public speaking. New and old. But this book is still the best book I've read on the topic. It really is a quick and easy way to effective speaking so that you can start spreading your ideas better than ever.

8. Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday

I recently interviewed Ryan about this book on my podcast. In the book, he gives you a framework for creating a product/service that sells for decades. To me, that's the essence of marketing. In Perennial Seller, Ryan describes key marketing lessons he learned from successful authors and entrepreneurs. Also, he talks from experience. Ryan has written five best-selling books and helped market a bunch of other best sellers for other writers.

9. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne

I have to confess that I've been familiar with the concept of 'blue oceans' and 'red oceans' in the marketing world for a few years. However, I haven't been applying it as much as I should. Too often, we try to compete with other businesses in red oceans. Why do we do it? Why do we always try to be better and not different? Blue Ocean Strategy provides valuable answers that help you create unique products that serve new markets.

10. Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

Almost all entrepreneurs I know are lazy. I'm the biggest example of that. Why do you think I'm so big on productivity? I don't want to waste my time on unnecessary things. Even though reading is one of the most necessary things to me as an entrepreneur, I understand that you might not have time to read all these books. Maybe you have a 9–5 job, run multiple businesses, or have a house full of kids. These are all legitimate reasons for lack of time.

In that case, I recommend reading Anything You Want, which is one of my favorite books from one of my favorite people. Derek Sivers built CD Baby and sold it later $22 million. And in this book, Derek shares "the biggest mistakes, keys to its success, and the philosophies behind the big decisions." You can read it in an hour (and if you don't even have an hour of free time, you want to rethink your life).

There you go. These books have taught me more about business than my master's degree. And the best thing? The books will cost you less than 150 bucks. What's the cost of a master's degree? Actually, don't get me started.

Just start reading. That's more than enough. In fact, if you read these books, you'll know more than 99% of all other entrepreneurs.

Now, you and I only need to act on the ideas we've learned.

 

 

Like books but don't have time to read them all?

Why not listen to some of these books instead?

Click here to get a FREE trial for Audible.

You'll even get 2 books for free to get started! It's the perfect way to learn while you're on the go. And you can immediately start listening today.

Have a great week!

- Darius



Sunday, September 10, 2017

Fwd: How the Pentagon sucks up your money . . . in search of global hegemony


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John H
Subject: How the Pentagon sucks 

Ever wonder just how the Pentagon and its friends the military contractors spend the money which should be providing for your health care?  Well, wonder no more.  Alfred W. McCoy explains much of it in the attached article, but even this is just a drop in the proverbial bucket when the intelligence budget is added in.  Apparently losing successive military engagements (some would say faux wars) is no impediment to extravagance in the search for global dominance.

John

Saturday, September 09, 2017

Call to action from City Charter High Post High School Planning Team (PHSP Team)

To whom it may concern,

We recently received a grant through Partners for Work for 10 City Charter High School students will complete the Patient Care Technician training program at CCAC.

We are establishing a professional Roundtable of businesses and organizations to provide career resources and guidance to prepare our students for work as a Certified Nursing Assistant. We cordially invite you to be a part of this group and share best practices, professional workplace expectations and other pertinent information.

The goal of the Patient Care Roundtable is to engage local businesses in discussions of student preparation for careers, City High curriculum and business needs for a pipeline to employment.

The Patient Care Roundtable will take place on Friday, October 6th from 10:00 am - 11:30 am, at City Charter High School located at 201 Stanwix Street Suite 100, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. A wrap-up session will also be held on Friday, March 16th (same time and location).

If you are interested in participating, please reply to this email NO LATER THAN September 11, 2017 with the following information:
Organization Name
Attendee Names and emails
Organization Industry

We thank you in advance for your consideration.


*If this email should be forwarded to another person in your organization, please feel free to send it to them or reply to this email with their contact information.

Sincerely,
City Charter High Post High School Planning Team (PHSP Team)

Antonietta Riley
Transition Manager & Alumni Coordinator
City Charter High School
201 Stanwix Street
Pittsburgh PA 15222

Phone: 412-690-2489
Fax: 412-690-2420

Friday, September 08, 2017

Wanted: Running Mates and places to run to!

Time to hit the road to share insights about this ballot question for city voters in the 2017 general election.
Who wants to help spread the word?

Where and when are the meetings being held? 

Who can we talk to about getting an invite to speak to the audiences -- for only a couple of minutes.