Friday, November 10, 2017

Fwd: This is Armistice Day



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


It's long past time for us to act to force our government to end the senseless wars of aggression we have been waging since 2003.  It is time to examine our past actions in the light of the harsh reality they present.  And it is time to raise our voices to our politicians demanding that they act in our interests and not those of the military/industrial/intelligence contractors and the corporate whores who support and profit from these futile and destructive wars. 

We have become the 'evil empire' imposing our will (or attempting to) upon the rest of the world.  While we shiver in fear of terrorism, most of which we are directly responsible for, too few of us recognize what it is that we as a nation have become and how most of the rest of the world have come to see us.  This is a form of propaganda induced mental disease from which we must somehow recover before we allow our leaders to resort to nuclear Armageddon in a futile attempt to sustain world dominance.

In the attached article Edith Bell proposes an excellent first start.


John



Wednesday, November 08, 2017

Fwd: Race, Repression and Russiagate

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

It's important to look around every so often and reflect on just how this "system" of ours deals out major parts of society and those it can't directly control with propaganda denigrates as communists, revolutionaries, criminals and otherwise "bad people".  Because this has become the norm and because the most common victims of this treatment are Blacks and other folks of color, it is incumbent on the part of whites to recognize and respond as best we can.  The history of this process is long, disturbing and terribly destructive of the values most of us pretend to hold dear but seldom rise to defend.

John

Tuesday, November 07, 2017

Incline covers today's ballot question

City employees as coaches

source: https://theincline.com/2017/11/03/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-yes-or-no-questions-on-tuesdays-ballot/

Pittsburgh city employees currently cannot coach a sports team for Pittsburgh Public Schools and get paid for it. But the ballot question before city voters asks if that should change. Here’s what you’ll see on the ballot:
Shall Section 707 Multiple Employment Prohibited, of the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter be amended to permit a compensated City employee to hold a compensated position as a part-time athletic coach in a public school system or a compensated part-time educational position at a public institution of higher learning, as more fully described in Pittsburgh Ordinance 36?
City employees can have one paid job with the city. They can’t have a second paid job with other public entities, including schools or public universities. According to the city’s Home Rule Charter, exceptions include:
  • Member of the Pennsylvania National Guard or federal reserve
  • The city controller and deputy controller can have the same roles for Pittsburgh Public Schools.
  • A city treasurer can also be a treasurer for PPS.
  • Member or employee of a sinking fund commission or pension board
  • PPS employee from May to September
If approved, more exceptions would be added to the list — like the ones on Tuesday’s ballot.
Since this is part of the Home Rule Charter, changing it required a ballot question. Legislation authorizing the ballot question was first introduced to city council in May and signed by Mayor Bill Peduto in July. The legislation specifies: “For each exception, the Department of Personnel shall develop a strict multiple employment policy and enforcement procedure to ensure employee integrity and compliance.”
Council Member Corey O’Connor, who sponsored the legislation with Natalia Rudiak and Bruce Kraus, stressed that when it comes to coaches, school employees are always given first preference. But if there’s an opening after that, this change would allow a city employee to apply, he said. City workers could also apply to teach a class at a public university or community college.
Rudiak said she heard from constituents that there was a need for coaches in the public schools, so the legislation started as a way to make city employees eligible for those part-time jobs. City employees can already teach or coach at private schools, Rudiak pointed out.
City employees also showed interest in being able to teach in higher education, she said.
The rule prohibiting multiple employers was likely designed to prevent city employees from collecting full-time paychecks and other benefits from two entities funded with public dollars, O’Connor said. But coaches don’t make much money, he said.
“You’re not getting paid thousands of dollars here,” O’Connor said.

Monday, November 06, 2017

Conservative foil: Sue Kerr of Pgh Lesbian Correspondents


Let's ponder the definition. “Conservative” is holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.

Sue Kerr, a blogger, (I am a blogger too) is playing the role of a conservative and asking people to vote “NO” to the City of Pittsburgh ballot measure that I have championed because:

- She has not found anyone with actual facts, however, she refused to answer my friend request on Facebook and refused to discuss this with me despite my repeated approaches to her. So, her seeking is more like planned avoidance. Come on Sue. Why can't we be friends? One of my central themes as a coach and advocate for better government is “playing well with others.”

- Then she writes, “the narrow exclusion would only benefit a few people.” Really? You really want to put hardships on super-minorities? You think that because only a fraction of the population is (insert letter of your choice) that they don't deserve the rights of others? What about protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity? Hey, that is a “narrow” and those protections only benefit a few people. So, let's let things as they are. So conservative of you.

Pittsburgh passed a law with sexual orientation protection and that benefits few – and I'm proud to have that as part of the fabric of our city's legacy. Helping a few people helps us all be better, be stronger, be more whole. At its roots, the ballot question is about non-discrimination. I don't like discrimination, even for a few, and I'm puzzled why you favor it.

- Vote no, posts Sue, “because some are already coaching and teaching in public universities as adjunct faculty (just Google a few names.)” What? Who? Name names! I know of none. Should we google the entire city payroll? And, what might that uncover? I don't have the names of all the city workers. Sue, why don't you send this posting to Michael Lamb, city controller. Does your partner work for CCAC? I don't know what to think. I lost my decoder ring anyway. And, let's say it is true in that perhaps there are a few workers in the city who are already working another part-time job, against the norm and city charter's stipulations, for CCAC and /or Pittsburgh Public Schools – then what? Do you want to whistleblow? Or, would you just forgive them and not allow others the same opportunities? Then vote YES with me. Or, are you just without any logic and wishing to spread fog and doubt?

- Since, as Sue posted, “enforcement of this ban has certainly not been consistent” then it makes sense to vote YES and be done with this opportunity for meaningless rule-breaking. All should know that I championed this ballot question because last year a newly-hired coach was forced off of the PPS job because of his city employment with the department of public works. Real work actions, to my knowledge, have been fully consistent and ethical. He should not have worked last year – and he didn't. But, he should be able to work as a coach next week if we change the charter. And, I hope he applies, gets hired and takes another coaching job as soon as possible.

- Sue thinks a no vote is wise because of a lack of an informed perspective. Wrong. The matter before the voters in the election is for part-time employment. Part-time employment for public-school coaching and adjunct teaching at CCAC is different. The charter's authors didn't visualize every possible situation under the sun for the future of our city. This is an enhancement. Be progressive.

The quote from Mr. O'Connor of city council speaks against a broader exemption as being problematic, but this ballot question is specific and NOT A PROBLEM.
Ms. Rudiak of city council defends the ballot question too. The change is what it is. It is not an exemptions for all types of government side work. It is a question with focus. Perhaps Sue likes uncertainty and sinister plots within her ballot questions. I don't.

- Sue goes on to slam Natalia Rudiak for leaving office at the end of her term. She didn't seek re-election because she is moving on to other chapters in her life. “Who would champion such a thing?” is a direct question from Sue. Answer: A reasonable person who listens to citizens' concerns and does her job while she is hired to do her job. I'm happy that Natalia has not been a lame duck for an entire year.

Sue attempts to throw stones now at the messenger and not the message, a childish ploy.

Sue then plays the not forthcoming victim yet won't converse with me. Joke is on Sue.

Sue gets it wrong again when she posts that the goal is to create more employment and side income opportunities for City employees. Wrong! That is not the goal. Sue knows what the goal is, as the first line of her blog post reads, “… I think students in Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) deserve good coaches.” That's the goal. We had a good coach knocked off of a part-time coaching job opportunity because of a city-charter provision that worked AGAINST good coaching. Here is the formula from 2016-17 season on the PPS pool deck: 2 coaches, minus one, equals less coaching. That's bad. Help fix it.

- Sue asks a question for another day and another referendum, “Why not allow employees to do holiday temp work with the postal service?” That's not the issue. Your thinking that voters should pick “NO” because this ballot question is not going to help the postal service is crazy talk. I'm happy Sue thinks coaching is important. No amount of her lengthy googling should get in the way of a YES vote on this simple measure.

- Sue asks: Is it reasonable to amend our City constitution to address select employment vacancies in PPS? Isn’t that the responsibility of PPS? NO! The sticking point is the city, not PPS. The problem is with the city's charter, not PPS. When fixing a problem, go to the source of the problem. Victims are not to blame.

We’re talking 3,100 people who would be ineligible out of the whole population of the City. Is that a reason to change the constitution? YES. Vote yes. Problem fixed. Changes made. No blood required. This is not a drastic measure. I hate to write such a drastic blog post too.

The 3,100 people who work for the city account for the second largest block of employed people in the city. If five great coaches come from the ranks of the city's work force, they could impact hundreds of kids a year. Whole schools and neighborhoods could change. Teen violence might reversed itself. I know that I help to teach about 200 kids how to swim and swim better every year. In the course of my career, more than 10,000 kids have called me “coach.” The impact of a few coaches can be tremendous. I think that some of the folks who work in the city should have the same opportunities to contribute to the community in meaningful ways as I have had the good fortune to do as well.

I've been known to recruit coaching help for employment needs anywhere and everywhere. Even at UPMC and at AGH. Last year, an kid of an AGH employee was employed with our Summer Dreamers Swim & Water Polo Camp. Furthermore, it is HARD to find qualified candidates to coach in part-time positions. There is a world-wide shortage of lifeguards. Coaching shortages are, well, just google it yourself, Sue.
Sue says that this proposed change will disproportionately benefit men. Sue, ever hear of Title IX? There are not fewer opportunities for women coaches. And, women and men make the same money in coaching with PPS as it is a union-negotiated amount. Double-wrong.

OMG Sue, here is my answer for your absurd question that follows. Yes. Anyone can sue anyone at any time. Sue's Q: “Does this set up the possibility for excluded employees to sue the City because they are not able to pursue a sorting gig with the USPS over the holidays?” No one answered that question – except me.

Only a conservative crank would use the lack of a robust research process on the charter provision’s history – paralysis by analysis – as an excuse for a no vote.

Coaching is a privilege. I am privileged. I coach boys and girls. Title IX insures that the boys and girls get equal treatment.

I do not want to see our police union in Harrisburg at the PA Supreme Court in litigation seeking rights to move their homes and their kids into school districts that are out of the city. Rather, I'd be more willing to permit employees of the city, such as those on the police force, to be permitted to coach their sons and daughters and their classmates in the city's schools programs of sports, music, chess, drama, debate – with part-time jobs. For some, being engaged in the lives of their children is important. And, it is important enough that if my city prohibited that from happening, moving out of the city makes great sense. Let's keep those people here.

And you'd rather have a volunteer coach from the ranks of city employees – for further hardships on families. A volunteer coach isn't accountable. A volunteer coach has no standing with the district and can be flicked aside by the PFT in a heart-beat. Clueless odds are high. I do not want evenly applied coaching employment. I want talented, inspiring coaches. You seem to want to keep employees of the city within financial distress.

Your commending of the city employees who put forth this suggestion is misplaced too. A city resident and a PPS coach, acting on my own, seeing the reality of situations, put forth the ballot measure. The city and the district have been reserved. Let's all applaud people who act with integrity and let's all fix flaws, together. Both big and small flaws count. Don't get in the way of progress because it has always been done in another flawed way. This is fair. This is complete for what it is. If you want utopia, put it on the ballot yourself.

A good reason for you to block this YES vote is because a women helped get it in front of the voters and she is quitting. We are losing women in elected roles so we should not pass measures that they help to advance. Come on.

You, Sue, can write the post-office ballot measure for 2018. Go for it.

By the way, off of society's needs can't be put into one YES or NO ballot measure. By voting YES, the citizens of Pittsburgh get to side-step and fix a WORST-PRACTICE clause in the city's charter. It isn't about “best-practices” – but rather about making improvements.

Saturday, November 04, 2017

Fwd: What killed the Democratic Party?

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

I am sending this article along because William Greider is anything by a radicle lift-winger.  If anything he is an traditional mainstream Democrat.  Yet, in this article, he clearly endorses a report by the Sanders wing of the Party entitled Autopsy: The Democratic Party in Crisis in which the real reasons for the Democratic Party's loss are diagnosed.  You may also want to listen to the Real News Network interview of Bill Curry, a former aide to President Clinton, on this issue.  In fact, you really should do both.



John

Link:

Friday, November 03, 2017

Fwd: Today, UPMC Builds

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "UPMC" <UPMCLifeChanging@notify.upmc.com>
Date: Nov 3, 2017 6:17 PM
Subject: Today, UPMC Builds
To: <MARK@rauterkus.com>
Cc:

Learn About the Future of UPMC
UPMC HealthBeat
UPMC
UPMC Innovates
 
At UPMC, we know the ideas created within our walls grow beyond them — what drives Pittsburgh will someday drive the world.

Today we build.

We're investing $2 billion over the next five years to advance our patient care, our hospitals, and our science. We're creating new specialty hospitals that will offer next-generation treatments in patient-focused, technology-enhanced settings unique to health care.

The all-new UPMC Hillman Cancer Hospital, UPMC Heart and Transplant Hospital, and the UPMC Vision and Rehabilitation Hospital will complement the already advanced specialty care at our Magee-Womens Hospital, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. In doing this, we're raising the bar.

Learn more about UPMC's vision  
 
 
 
UPMC Life Changing Medicine
 
         
 
 
Find a Doctor | MyUPMC | UPMC Locations
UPMC HealthBeat Blog | Download the HealthBeat App
 
 
 
 
UPMC  |  200 Lothrop Street  |  Pittsburgh, PA 15213
 
 
 

Change your profile or the emails you receive from us.

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Monday, October 30, 2017

Fwd: Lessons we should learn and grow from

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

Attached are two rather insightful articles.  The first, contrasting Canadians and Americans, is quite interesting particularly given the oft demonstrated ignorance of many Americans about history, American government, the world and world events, etc., is quite interesting to me having just returned from a visit to Canada.  The difference is night and day.  The second discusses why there is a high likelihood of a Republican victory in the next presidential election that has nothing to do with the gerrymandering of districts – though that is also a major problem.

John

 Links:


Fwd: Neoliberalism explained

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


This article is for those of you who are interested in economics as a force and neoliberalism as an ideology; or, as some would say, 'a religion'.  It is well researched and (relatively) brief.

John

Link:

Fwd: Pitch Decks From Top Startups 🤑




Creating a pitch deck is not an easy task. If you've never done it before it can be incredibly daunting, and good examples are hard to come by. While most decks start as private documents and remain confidential, some do end up on the internet, and can be learned from. Startup Pitch Decks is a col
Pitch_Decks_From_Top_Startups.png

Creating a pitch deck is not an easy task. If you've never done it before it can be incredibly daunting, and good examples are hard to come by. While most decks start as private documents and remain confidential, some do end up on the internet, and can be learned from.

Startup Pitch Decks is a collection of real fundraising decks from top startups, like Airbnb, Tinder, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. Another excellent resource is Pitch Decks From Top Startups. Check them out to see how some of the most iconic tech companies presented themselves in the early days, and how their story has changed over time.

Related: Draftsend unveiled a new tool this week that rethinks what's possible with presentations. Greylock's Josh Elman says: "This is a really cool product for sharing decks. I love seeing decks this way."


🚀 Launch of the Week

After 3 years in stealth, Coda launched their "Excel killer" to the world. The company just raised $60M (!!!) from top investors like Greylock and Khosla Ventures, with Reid Hoffman joining the Board. Coda is hiring.


🏆 Top Products of the Week

• Uber launched a credit card 💳
• Moon created the world's first levitating camera 🌖
• Amazon wants to let strangers into your home 👀
• Slack now lets your team take over your screen 🖥
• Stripe Atlas Guide was the most popular launch of the week 🌐

Building a product? Let us help you with your launch.

Ship by Product Hunt is the easiest way to build a landing page, collect email subscribers, and communicate with your users.

You can skip the waitlist and get 15% off Pro and Super Pro plans by signing up here before November 1st.


🔥 Hot Startups (that are hiring)


Flexport raised $110M earlier this month to bring freight logistics to the Internet age. Browse through 50+ open positions.

Opendoor is now buying and selling more than $100M of homes per month. The company is growing fast and hiring engineers in SF.

Color is transforming how genetic testing is done. The company raised an $80M Series C back in August and are hiring in engineering & design.

Where is the best place to start your career? 🤔

We asked Hunter Walk, a seed VC at Homebrew and early YouTube employee, what advice he had for new grads starting out. He said: Midstage Startups Are Your Best First Job in Tech.

Here's why:
1. Your work will matter – the company is post product market fit.
2. Growth creates opportunity to lead as new people are joining.
3. The early team + founders will be your tribe for years.
4. Your options are much more likely to be worth something.
5. The reputation effect of being pre IPO/acquisition is real.

Check out the 17 Midstage Startups to Join for New Grads. 🎓

Interested in Machine Learning? Work at One of These 13 Companies.

You're receiving this email because you signed up for AngelList
814 Montgomery Street · San Francisco, CA 94133

Saturday, October 28, 2017

Fwd: This Week in News for Senator Rand Paul - October 27, 2017


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "U.S. Senator Rand Paul"
Subject: This Week in News for Senator Rand Paul - October 27, 

 



Dear Friend,

You would think a $20 trillion national debt would be enough to give politicians pause, but Congress keeps trying to spend your money like it really does grow on trees!

This week, I spoke out in the Senate against this unsustainable status quo and called for government to use taxpayer funds responsibly.  

I also had opportunities to make the case for being bold on tax reform and to stand up for the Fourth Amendment!

You can read about my work on these issues and more in my latest update below.

Dr. Rand Paul: Both Parties are Guilty of Spending Taxpayer Money "Like There's No Tomorrow"

In a speech on the U.S. Senate floor on Tuesday, I condemned the bipartisan consensus to "fund everything" regardless of available funds or existing restraints, which has led to runaway, reckless spending and a $20 trillion debt that greatly threatens our national security. 

(Dr. Paul Speaks on the Senate Floor - Oct. 24, 2017)

I stood ready to offer an amendment, which the Senate blocked from consideration, that would have offset $36.5 billion in emergency relief by rescinding the same amount in funds government-wide that have not yet been spent, giving government the flexibility to pay for needed relief by cutting waste and properly prioritizing the American people's money.
 
"[Y]ou'll find often that it's easy to be compassionate with someone else's money," I said during my speech.  "But it's not only that.  It's not only compassion with someone else's money.  It's compassion with money that doesn't even exist, money that's borrowed."
 
In addition, I raised a point of order that would have required the budget spending caps to apply to the $36.5 billion spending bill, which forced the Senate to vote to ignore them.  Eighteen other senators joined me in voting to stick to the caps.
 
You can watch my speech HERE.

Dr. Rand Paul and Bipartisan Coalition Introduce Legislation to Protect Civil Liberties

Congress must not continue to allow our constitutional standard of "innocent until proven guilty" to be twisted into "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."  

The American people deserve better from their own government than to have their Internet activity swept up in warrantless, unlimited searches that ignore the Fourth Amendment. 

So on Tuesday, Senator Ron Wyden and I, along with a bipartisan coalition of 12 of our fellow senators, introduced the USA RIGHTS Act, which reforms a sweeping, secretive government spying program to protect the constitutional rights of Americans, while giving intelligence agencies authority to target foreign terrorists, criminals, and other overseas intelligence targets.  A bipartisan group also introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill reforms Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to end warrantless backdoor searches of Americans' calls, emails, texts, and other communications that are routinely swept up under a program designed to spy on foreign targets.  The sweeping authority has been clouded in secrecy, in part because the government refuses to answer essential questions about how it impacts Americans, including who can be targeted and how many American communications the government collects. 

Our bill institutes major reforms that prove we can still protect our country while respecting our Constitution and upholding fundamental civil liberties.   

You can learn more about the USA RIGHTS Act HERE, and you can read the entire bill HERE

Dr. Rand Paul Applauds President Trump's Choice to Head the Office of Surface Mining

Yesterday, President Trump announced that he has nominated Kentuckian Steve Gardner to be the next Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).  Mr. Gardner currently serves as president and CEO of ECSI, LLC, which is headquartered in Lexington.

Having Steve Gardner lead the Office of Surface Mining will be a welcome relief to Kentucky and the nation.  The last administration's OSM ignored science and economics when it worked to put an end to Kentucky coal mining with an overreaching rule on waterways near coal mines. 

With Mr. Gardner's background in mining, I am confident this administration's OSM will ease up eight years of executive overreach and finally allow Kentucky coal to compete again in our nation's all-of-the-above energy policy.

Dr. Rand Paul: "Let's Pass Big and Bold Tax Cuts Now!"

In my latest op-ed for The Hill on Thursday, I reiterated my support for the "biggest, boldest tax cut that Congress can pass" to give taxpayers back more of their own money and create greater opportunity for American businesses to thrive here at home. 

I also discussed my efforts to ensure the plan does not raise taxes on the middle class.

"I have been and will continue to be a loud voice for across-the-board tax cuts for everyone –- rich, poor, and middle class," I stated.

When it comes to our job creators, I later noted that we "want a giant 'OPEN FOR BUSINESS' sign on American soil," and I believe we can institute reforms to make this happen!

You can read the rest of the op-ed HERE.

Dr. Rand Paul Meets with Hotel Owners from Across Kentucky

On Wednesday, I met with Kentuckians representing the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) to discuss topics including drive-by lawsuits and reforming our labor and tax laws.

(Dr. Paul Visits with Kentuckians from the Asian American Hotel Owners Association - Oct. 25, 2017)

Media Wrap-Up

On Wednesday, I joined Fox News' Fox & Friends to talk about tax reform and other pressing issues.  I also spoke on the radio this week with Leland Conway and Tom Roten, and I held a conference call with national reporters regarding the USA RIGHTS Act and Section 702 reform.

Have an Issue or Concern?

If you are a Kentucky resident and need assistance with a federal agency, please feel free to contact my Bowling Green office at 270-782-8303.  One of my staff members will be more than happy to assist you.

Stay in Touch with Dr. Paul on Social Media

You can stay up to date on my latest news and activities by visiting my Senate website, www.paul.senate.gov, or my official Facebook and Twitter pages.  You can watch my Senate floor speeches and press interviews at my YouTube channel HERE.

Warm Regards,

Bowling Green
1029 State Street
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: 270-782-8303
Washington, DC
167 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
Phone: 202-224-4343
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