Showing posts with label flow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flow. Show all posts

Monday, October 29, 2018

Fwd: 2018 Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen Bicycle Ride

---- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dirty Dozen

Dear riders and friends of Danny Chew:

Another year has gone by and this year's edition of the Dirty Dozen is fast approaching. You are invited to participate in the 36th annual running of the event, which will be held on Saturday, November 24th. Proceeds will benefit Danny, who is overall director of this challenging ride he co-founded. If you register by November 3rd you will receive an additional discount on your entry fee.

Here are some of the changes in this year's ride:

• New starting location. The ride now begins at the Rhododendron Shelter on Lake Drive in Highland Park. By straight-line distance this is less than half a mile to the north and west of the Bud Harris Cycling Track, and can be reached by traveling north on Stanton Avenue.

• Official-finisher ribbons will be mailed out after the event to ensure that all riders who certify their official-finisher status will receive one. Instructions for certifying official-finisher status will be included in your registration packet.

• Separate women's event. Women wanting to compete can choose to ride in either the first group, competing directly against the men in an open event, or in the second group, which is reserved for women only.

Here are the links for this year's ride:

Main 2018 event page: http://www.dannychew.com/ddinfo.html
BikeReg registration page: https://www.bikereg.com/dirty-dozen-2018
The main DD page is here: http://www.dannychew.com/dd.html
Starting location: http://maps.google.com/?daddr=40.4789109,-79.9104809

We hope you will be able to ride this year and conquer all of the hills.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Pratt

2018 Dirty Dozen

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.

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 

Sunday, March 05, 2017

Fwd: Two for the road: Keynesianism and Scab Economy / Anti-Union Movement

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


A couple more articles dealing with what got us into the current fix.  Understanding history is 80% of making meaningful change.


John

Links to articles

Friday, January 27, 2017

Fwd: No effort will be spared . . .

---------- Forwarded message
From: John Hemington

It is now clear with the Trump administration and efforts in other states, particularly New York, that no effort will be spared to insure that any criticism of Israel or support for Palestinian rights will be permitted – up to and including the rights of free speech and association granted by the constitution.  It is true that Fordham University is not a public university and therefore not subject to same Constitutional requirements that would limit government actions, but certainly New York City and New York State are.  It is clear that the State of Israel has a protected status in the United States that no other nation or even U.S. citizens have.  And so it goes . . .


John


Saturday, September 03, 2016

Told Ya..... Now we morn.

"We watched Dennis Flanagan's death play out in slow motion. For 5 years the
community has voiced its need for a safe W. Carson St. Corridor for all.
These needs were thrown by the wayside, and 9 days after the project's
completion, a person biking the corridor was killed. 
 
Traffic deaths are avoidable tragedies. They happen because decision makers
create designs that prioritize automobile "speed" and "congestion" over
human life. This is the same tragic story that played out on West Carson
Street. 
 
We will meet one week from Dennis Flanagan's death. Tuesday, 9/6/16, 7pm at
27th St & Tunnel Blvd Healthy Ride Station (Southside Works). We will be
riding from 27th St. to McKees Rocks and back.
 
Join us Tuesday night to change the narrative to include the safety of all
people - young, old, abled, disabled, on foot, bike, transit, car:
everyone."
 
From: Jim Logan

Thursday, April 07, 2016

For the ages! The water does not know how old you are.

Swimming, What a Wonderful Sport to Learn - SwimEasy Ltd. UK

Tosd@s, tod@s amamos nadar... Discover more here: www.swimeasy.co.uk

Posted by Natación on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016

This is the type of support some in PPS give to PPS Summer Dreamers

In spring 2016, I put in a pool permit to get ready for Summer Dreamers so that our summer staff can work with the existing kids at Obama at the pool -- and work with a renewal of swim skills with the kids I coached in past years as part of PPS Summer Dreamers. 

The permit was denied. The denial says, "NO SUMMER DREAMER STUFF."

I wanted to have ONE practice on Wednesdays from April to June. 

Go figure.

Futhermore, in future years this permit would be considered a blessing -- because there is an ANSWER. MOST of the time, interactions with PPS administrators have no replies. Silence. 


Monday, March 14, 2016

EXTENDED Red Light at Duquesne Univ after the Armstong Tunnel is bad and has to go away

A few months ago, someone made a decision to have an extended red light. Rather, a walk sign should have been used.

Often cars back up on the downtown side of the Armstrong Tunnel. Often only 3 or 4 cars get past the green light. Then it turn red. And, often, there are no pedestrians around.

Let's get this fixed.


Sunday, January 31, 2016

Starting our day at the crack of dawn. I.B. kids can handle the tough "why questions."

Enjoy this little film:



Share it and let me know what you think.

Show Up: The AM Swim Video

Highly competitive swimming helps with school attendance. Don't punish nor eliminate the positive aspects of sports. Rather, promote, facilitate and replicate.

Our swim team t-shirt slogan: “Winning Formula: Show up + Score more points.” Showing up matters. This United Way funded PR blitz with PPS stresses school attendance. Swimmers understand that message and live it.

On many mornings in the past years, 25+ students arrived at the school for 6 AM swim practices. In recent years, the Obama Swim Team has held 6 AM practices every school day (if no 2-hour delay). The 6 am practices often span into the fall and spring too.

At 7:15 am, as swim practice ends, swimmers are at the school. They are present, clean and ready to fuel their bodies and brains. Kids attending AM practice are not tardy for school.

Kids in quality, competitive programs understand that 6 am practices are essential. Champions understand the sacrifices and hard work are worthy. AM swim practices don't happen every where, as not all the teams are doing all they can.

One school day distinction between swimmers and other athletes are AM practices. Many college teams in other sports hold AM practices for their athletes. It would be great to have open gym and weight lifting times at 6 am for students, before school, more often at PPS. Perhaps with the Olympic Sports Division and efforts of PPS H2O, the early bird practices can be with more students, not only swimmers.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Hooking Pittsburgh into some swimming and water polo this week, month and season

Hi Friends,

Join us for some swimming and water polo this summer with some expanding opportunities.

See the Google Calendar link at http://CLOH.org.


10:30 am Mondays, West Penn Rec Center outdoor pool, Polish Hill.
The Garfield Gators (boys & girls) are there too!

6-7:30 pm Mondays, Northside's Sue Murray Swim Pool

11 am to noon, Tuesdays, Citiparks Sheridan's outdoor swim pool with some Learn & Earn youth workers. This is a short walk from Langley HS.

6-7:30 pm Tuesdays, adult masters players gather for water polo in the deep end at Mt. Washington's Ream outdoor pool. Kid's play in the shallow end.

10:30 am Wednesdays, West Penn Rec Center, again.

6-7:30 pm Wednesdays, Northside's Sue Murray again.

11 am to noon Thursdays, Sheridan, again.

6-7:30 pm Thursdays, Mt. Washington's Ream pool.

Friday 5-8 pm at Hill District's Thelma Lovette YMCA indoor pool.

All outdoor sessions are weather permitting. These are casual, drop-in sessions where rookies and volunteers are most welcome.

We hope to sustain these practices throughout August and then transfer them to the Obama Academy pool as we're starting a varsity water polo team for the high school boys and girls. Plus, many other city and area high school principals have gotten letters that invite them to join a sport-team coop so that their students can participate on our scholastic water polo squad(s). The first to opt-in, Seaton LaSalle High School. Welcome.

Sadly, the pledge for the Pittsburgh Promise shrunk by $10,000 for city kids this week. In my humble opinion, we need to get our city kids better sports and fitness opportunities so many more can be RECRUITED into colleges. The sports background is attractive in college applications as it teaches discipline, goal-setting and teamwork. At Summer Dreamers we're working on backstroke, plus gaining respect for ourselves, our mates, our surroundings and playing well with others.

Stay cool at the pool and hope you and yours are safe throughout the summer!


--
Ta.


Mark Rauterkus Mark@Rauterkus.com
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim & Water Polo Camp Executive Coach
Varsity Boys Swim Coach, Pittsburgh Obama Academy
Recent Head Water Polo Coach, Carnegie Mellon University Women's Club Team
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

http://CLOH.org

412 298 3432 = cell

Friday, December 27, 2013

Pittsburgh, Community, Water Polo begins in January, for free, for adults on Friday evenings.

Friday evenings:

Adult Water Polo Clinics for Rookies!

No experience necessary. Shallow and deep water positions.Check it out.

First time in Pittsburgh at the brand new Thelma Lovette YMCA, Centre Avenue, just 5 blocks from the Consol Energy Center.

Co-ed, community water polo is geared to any want-a-be athletes, young adults, triathletes, master swimmers and even non-swimmers, as we'll need shallow end goalies and have liberal play off the bottom in a mostly shallow, friendly pool. Come out for a new winter-time, high energy game. We'll learn new skills, drills and play modified scrimmages and games. Bring your friends and make this a new challenge for the next weeks to come.

The 6:30 pm Friday night open practices are free as an introduction to the sport as we build up for a potential, in-house, water polo league slated for the fall of 2014.

Sign up now with Seth Pfannenschmidt, Aquatics Coordinator, Thelma Lovette YMCA, 412-315-0989.

Lead instructor, Mark Rauterkus, head varsity swim coach and founder of Summer Dreamers Swim & Water Polo Camps. Assistants, captains and volunteers welcomed. Contact: Mark@Rauterkus.com, 412-298-3432 to lend a hand.

Friday, September 06, 2013

Parable of the river bottom creatures

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river. Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resistng the current what each had learned from birth. 

But one creature said at last, "I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom."

The other creatures laughed and said, "Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed across the rocks, and you will die quicker than boredom!"

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks. Yet, in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the Messiah, come to save us all!" 

And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more Messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure."

But they cried the more, "Saviour!" all the while clinging to the rocks making legends of a Savior.

(Source unknown.) 

This story was told a few times by myself in 2000 when I was a R candidate for mayor.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

In education: It is one thing to cut budgets. It is another to cut opportunities.

The good news about this 2014 PA budget that is nearing passage is that the cutting of funding for education and education-related items has stopped. Lawmakers are getting the message that Pennsylvania voters are very dissatisfied with the way state lawmakers have treated education funding in recent years. But actions by the Governor and state legislators to date do not begin to restore the massive cuts made during the past several years, and the subsequent harm to learning opportunities for students of all ages in the Commonwealth.
School cuts are a top concern for Pennsylvania voters, especially women voters. The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center (PBPC) and Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) released on June 24 the results of a poll of Pennsylvania voters conducted mid-June. Of those polled, 28 percent ranked education funding for public schools as their top priority for the Governor and Legislature to take action on. Economic development and jobs ranked second with 27 percent, and other issues such as healthcare, taxes, and roads and bridges were identified as priorities by 15 percent or less of voters. There are more voters who favor restoring funding to public education than voters who favor maintaining no tax increase. Fifty-five percent of voters would support a proposal that would include a small sales tax increase of .25 percent and delay a planned corporate tax cut; voters are more supportive of increasing their own taxes to restore public school funding when corporations share in the investment.
To see the PBPC and PCCY's joint press release, click here.
 
What worries me is that we can still swim, even with the tiny bit of funding that remains, or without funding in some areas, but we are not allowed to swim because administrators don't get it done.

In Pittsburgh it is way too hard to get the signed pool permit for a facility that is already built, already functional, already staffed, already filled with water, already with its pumps running and filtration in progress. The costs are next to nothing. The upside is amazing.

We need to do more with less. When we do, we want everyone locally to be pulling for the kids. We want wellness to win. We want action for the sake of our kids. We want them to have fun and thrive on learning. We want hands on activities. In the summer, we want to go swimming as the weather permits. Red tape that gets in the way of those that want to dream big needs to be evaluated.

Most of all, I knew it. I told folks months ago and weeks ago that their system had some flaws. This is why we built http:Guard.CLOH.org.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Guard.CLOH.org is updated

http://Guard.CLOH.org

Code named, Guard_Input, this service helps Lifeguards, swim coaches, camp coordinators and others involved with the Swim & Water Polo activities to communicate about health insights of students in our programs.

This process puts information to the coaches within the programs and not in a file box deep within the school's office behind the nurse's desk.

This is not a secure process, but rather a practical one. Communicate only the information that you feel is important to the coaches and lifeguards, not pharmacy specifics, please.

Links: