As fit citizens, neighbors and running mates, we are tyranny fighters, water-game professionals, WPIAL and PIAA bound, wiki instigators, sports fans, liberty lovers, world travelers, non-credentialed Olympic photographers, UU netizens, church goers, open source boosters, school advocates, South Siders, retired and not, swim coaches, water polo players, ex-publishers and polar bear swimmers, N@.
Specter's ethnic jokes lay an egg: "Blasted all over the blogosphere, the remarks drew predictable outrage from Polish fraternal groups, among others.
'I find it appalling,'' said Tim Kuzma, president of the Polish Falcons of America, based in Green Tree.
Just yesterday, while walking home from school with Grant, 11, an older guy on the street shared a couple of jokes. One was about the bailout. Then my son told the guy he had a joke or two for him.
Grant told two "blonde" jokes. Grant is with blonde hair.
Note to Senator Specter, perhaps you should only tell dumb senator jokes.
Did you year about the three construction workers on the high rise at lunch time? They all made a pact that if their wife packs them the same lunch tomorrow, (burrito, susi, peanut and butter sandwich) that they'd jump off the building.
At the funeral, the wife of the senator learned of this pledge and said, "But he packs his own lunch."
The joke's punch line isn't as funny with the senator telling it on himself, perhaps, as I can't see him eating P-B-&-Js nor doing it for himself.
Perhaps Senator Specter should shave his head and go to only a comedy routine that is filled with "bald man jokes."
This boils down to "philosophy." That's an age old area of thought. They don't need the same philosophy -- they just need to be aware of thought and process that gives reason of it being grounded in a philosophy.
They act without logic.
Where they are coming from and where they are going is not tied to a greater picture of the landscape of Pittsburgh at this millennial-time.
Dave N is a friend. His brother's movie is now out of DVD too.
PS: Agent Ska, (in here blog post that I point to above) did NOT mean prothonatary, however. The word should be "Controller" (Michael Lamb). Lamb, who is not friendly to the cause as is city council, used to have that job with Allegheny County until it was removed with row-office reform.
Contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@lppa.org Michael Robertson (LPPA Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org Hillary Aisenstein (GPPA Chair) at 1-267-971-3559 / hillarya@pobox.upenn.edu
Harrisburg, PA – The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania and the Green Party of Pennsylvania denounce the recent Commonwealth Court decision against 2004 independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader and his vice presidential candidate Peter Camejo (Mr. Camejo recently passed away after a battle with cancer).
A grand jury report, which led to the indictment of state House Whip Mike Veon and ten former state House Democratic staffers indicated that Veon led a statewide political operation that used commonwealth resources to run a “massive” effort to oust independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader from the 2004 ballot.
According to the report, as many as 50 Pennsylvania House staff members worked on a challenge to Nader's ballot petition, and more than half received state-funded bonuses, in part for their "Nader efforts.”
On the basis of the report and indictment, Mr. Nader challenged a court ruling holding him accountable for nearly $81,000 in costs to remove him from the ballot. Although the original judgment appears to be based on a criminal conspiracy, the court ruled that opening or vacating the judgment was not justified and went further to say that Nader’s efforts to comply with Pennsylvania’s extremely restrictive signature requirements were “the most deceitful and fraudulent exercise ever perpetuated” against the court.
"This decision drives yet another nail into the political coffin of challenger parties", said Ken Krawchuk, a two-time Libertarian candidate for Pennsylvania Governor. "First they force us to collect thirty-three times as many signatures to get on the statewide ballot, then they fine us $80,000-plus for the trying, and now they say it's okay for our elected officials to break the law to crush free elections. It's bad enough being ground into the dust under the heel of criminal oppression, but the saddest part of all is that there is no public outcry, no disgust, no anger. Pennsylvania voters are letting them get away with it! It seems as if no one cares any longer about the rule of law. I fear for our future as a free people."
Hillary Aisenstein, GPPA Chair said "It's absolutely astounding to me that in the face rampant fraud and corruption by the Democratic Party, the Court is still ruling against Nader. If they want to see 'deceitful and fraudulent,' they should take a look in the mirror."
LPPA Chair Michael Robertson added “Not only should Mr. Nader not have been assessed fees at all, but it is a complete travesty of justice that he should be assessed fees as a result of the criminal activity against him. He was victimized by the criminals and then again by the justice system.”
In early December, my wife had an invite to speak to a group of professionals in Southern California. The whole family went. The event and the resort (hardly a hotel) was in Newport Beach.
We arrived on Wednesday and went to the home of our host. He lives in the hills above Hollywood.
On Thursday, Grant's birthday, we started with a swim in the hotel swim pool and workout in the fitness center. Then, according to Grant's wish, we went golfing. Grant got turned onto the game recently. Oh well.
Thursday night, we took the boys to Long Beach and the Belmont Shore Olympic Pool, right on the beach. They joined in with Beach Swim Club for a workout. They did drylands right on the beach and some running. Then the swimming was in a six lane outdoor pool right next to this indoor, 50-meter pool.
Friday, we went to Golden West Swim Club in Huntington Beach at Golden West College. GW is a Jr. College that has a great water polo team. Plus, the coach is a long time favorite inovator, Bob Gillette. Coach Gillette had been in Arizona with his own AZ Sports Ranch, but moved to Southern California a couple of years ago -- to retire. Giggle.
I have some video of Bob from that practice that makes a great lesson on swim meet warm-ups. The team was doing an easy practice as they had a swim meet set-up going on around them for the meet the next morning.
The workout was over the top for Grant, but a great match for Erik. The younger MVN kids were at a swim meet.
Warmup was an 800 and then 12 x 100 kicks.
The main set was 16 x 200s on 4 min each.
3 x 200 fly + 200 IM 3 x 200 back + 200 IM 3 x 200 breast + 200 IM 3 x 200 free + 200 IM
The final set was a swim with paddles, 8 x 100s, working on technique.
Erik, Ad'm and Grant at the end of practice. From family - travels
We hit some golf balls into the net on Saturday afternoon and then headed to play on the water in Newport Bay on some kayaks. Grant did a bit of open water swimming. Then we watched USC beat up on UCLA in football on TV. That game was in the Rose Bowl. We toyed with the idea of going to the game, but it would have been too much.
All the swim folks were wonderful. Each club and situation is different. We were honored to participate in the practice and visit. We also got to visit with Karen, owner, of CAS. She has always been a great source of not only equipment, but skinny on the local swim scene.
On Sunday, we flew back to Pittsburgh, via the Twin Cities on MN, and its 4-degree temp. We arrived in town and went straight to the Pittsburgh Music Academy for the first rehersal of an orchestra that will hold a concert for Pittsburgh's 250 in the spring.
Videos to come later.
By the way, Catherine, as expected, was a hit at the event / professional meeting. She gave a keynote and provided a bit of buzz to the meeting. She talked about how to make a good evaluation of published research so as to help clinicians be more insightful consumers of published research / news thereby helping the patients.
In Southern California they have "SIG ALERTS" when traffic is very bad. We had such a situation on East Carson Street on the South Side last week when a massive truck with 50 wheels got stuck. It was making a delivery to the mill site on the river's edge at 11th Street, Quality Rolls.
This truck carried a section that acted as a swinging hammock between two other sections. There was a back end controller that allowed the wheels to turn.
Two cars, parked legally, needed to be towed. Plus, a no parking sign nearer to the corner needed to be taken down.
Marty Griffin, KDKA Radio, is pounding upon the unfolding story of the shooting death of the FBI agent in the early morning hours of her house.
Gross foolishness. Today, Marty is making Jim Motiznik look like a rocket scientist.
I don't care what you think about drug dealers, snitches, gun rights, home invasion, FBI, police brutality, ACLU, kid's safety, motherhood, whatever --- I'm talking about bad radio and bad conversations. Marty is clicking those that hold other opinions off the air. Marty is being a huge blow-hard. It takes all my will to not flip off the radio from KDKA.
Last week I heard the public comment from Richard King, Ph.D., concerning the recent election. He has seen strange results from a couple of polling places from the November 2008 election. In two places, there were more votes than voters. He only was able to check on ten places, so far.
For instance, in Wilkinsburg, one place he checked, the other is in the east end too, there were 10 extra votes beyond what could have happened. These are not the right numbers, but lets just use this as an example: The vote totals could have been 90 for Obama, 9 for McCain and 1 for Barr. That's 100 total votes. But, only 90 people are reported to have approached the polls to cast a vote. Something is goofy.
To get to the bottom of these numbers that don't add up, the public officials, the county, needs to unlock the machines and work with the citizens in a trustworthy manner to investigate and resolve the problem. There is only so much a volunteer from the outside can do.
Hence, the people need to be aware and turn up the heat -- as so far -- the county folks are not cooperative, as usual.
We apparently have voting machines casting phantom e-ballots in Allegheny County... please read on.
"Phantom e-ballots" were cast by Allegheny County's iVotronic voting machines in this past election. When more ballots were cast on these voting machines than there were voters allowed to approach the machines, its a problem. As many as 10 phantom ballots were cast in one polling place - and an initial review of 12 "problem reported" precincts has found 3 polling places which had cast phantom e-ballots.
In the "10-phantom ballot" precinct the voting machines were reported to be fading out and blinking back on all day and eventually two machines shut down in the afternoon. If a printout of this polling place's ballots finds that 10 ballots were cast without containing any votes, then the situation is reconcilable and not a big deal. However, if all the ballots have some votes on them, then we have a great opportunity federal funding for new voting machines with paper ballots and verifiable voting. Generally, we would also like the county to be transparently reporting on the voting machine problems, such as the prevalence of these phantom e-ballots.
County Council Meets Tuesday, at 5pm
PLEASE SIGN UP TO SPEAK TO COUNTY COUNCIL TO ASK FOR VERIFIABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE ELECTIONS
If this link doesn't work, please email or call JOHN MASCIO, CHIEF CLERK : 412-350-6495 jmascio@alleghenycounty.us
COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS TUESDAY AT 5 PM County Courthouse 436 Grant Street 4th Floor - Gold Room Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Councilman Chuck Martoni has offered to schedule a sense of council motion for Tuesday Dec. 16th's meeting at 5PM:
County Council Resolves that the BOE (Board of Elections) and the Division of Elections should: 1) Print a hardcopy of the ballots stored in iVotronic memory in Wilkinsburg 1-6, under witness by election integrity and party observers as provided by PA law, (see Section 3154 of Purdons, PA Election Code).
2) Provide meaningful routine and standard reporting on election problems and lessons learned each election, to include items addressed in the 15 questions.
3) Make available for review, without resort to records requests or legal assistance all election reporting documents identified in the 15 questions.
4) Make public the report on the November 2007 election.
Election Report Questions for Allegheny County 1 - How many and what precincts have more iVotronic ballots than voters accessing the iVotronics?
2 - How many and what precincts have reports of machine problems by voters?
3 - HMAWPs have reports of machine problems by pollworkers?
4 - HMAWPs have machines which required service calls by rovers during the election?
5 - HMAWPs have lost or found voting machine equipment this election?
6 - HMAWPs still have outstanding lost equipment from previous elections?
7 - Were any irregularities reported at the warehouse regarding the iVotronic sleep overs at precincts?
8 - Were any irregularities reported at the warehouse regarding the security procedures for the iVotronics?
9 -Has any effort been made to talk with other iVotronic counties to correlate experiences?
10 - Is there a comprehensive list documenting the problems encountered in the canvass?
11 - Is there a comprehensive list documenting the problems encountered in the returns board?
12 - Is there a log of phoned in complaints to the county regarding election problems?
13 - Is there a log of "walk in" complaints registered at the Division of Elections Office?
14 - Is there a comprehensive list of percentage undervotes for each race? - By iVotronic voting? - By Absentee voting - By Provisional and Emergency Ballot Voting?
15 - If more ballots were cast than voters present, were the individual ballots printed out? (and were they cast empty or filled)?
I've just made my call to John, the clerk, to put my name on the speaker's list. If I can't make it, so be it. But, I've put my name on the record as a citizen who cares and is watching. I will try to attend. Due to some building troubles, the Allegheny County Office Building is closed today, Monday, Dec. 15. So, you might not get an answer if you call.
There is no hidden message -- as it is impossible to hide. The message is clear and i the open. What some value is what others say is worthless.
The next hidden agenda item begins as soon as Mark Roosevelt hand picks a new committee to look into the abandoned school building formerly known as Schenley.
Jan Cameron believes there’s plenty of exciting talent to carry the mantle in New Zealand Swimming based on performances at the national summer championships that finished in Christchurch tonight.
Ten New Zealand records were established this week with nine swimmers going over the key 900 FINA point mark at the meet, where Swimming New Zealand honoured their three retiring Olympians – Dean Kent, Helen Norfolk and Liz Coster.
Two further records were set on the final night, led by 21-year-old Glenn Snyders, arguably the star not only of the meeting but the most improved swimmer this year. He took nearly four seconds off his previous best in winning the 200m breaststroke in a new record time of 2:06.45, after setting a new mark in the 100m breaststroke last night in the fifth fastest time in the world this year.
Taranaki’s Charlotte Webby established the other record tonight, going under the seven year old mark of Liz Van Welie in the 200m butterfly. Webby, from the Bell Block club, clocked 2:10.51 in winning the final.
Cameron, the new General Manager, Performance and Pathways, said she is encouraged by the performances this week.
“We’ve honoured three fantastic swimmers tonight but we have seen a number of young swimmers really putting their hands up here,” Cameron said.
They include Olympians Snyders, Melissa Ingram, Corney Swanepoel, Daniel Bell and Tash Hind. But importantly there were impressive showings from Penelope Marshall (North Shore), Michael Jack (West Auckland), Natalie Wiegersma (Waverley, Southland) and Cameron Stanley (North Shore).
Snyders was the star of the show.
“It’s been great. My expectations were just to come and do my best out of the heavy work I’ve been doing,” Snyders said.
“My training has been going well and my results this week are a good indication that I am on the right track.
“My time tonight in this sort of training is really pleasing. This year has been great. I couldn’t have asked for a better year.
“I’ve gained a lot and learned a lot. I can’t wait for next year. I try not to look at the big picture but with every major meet I want to do better and better. I have targeted medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2010.”
Bell edged Swanepoel in the final of the 100m butterfly while West Auckland’s Brett Newall scored an excellent win in the 400m individual medley and Dylan Dunlop-Barrett took out the 1500m freestyle.
Marshall scored an important win over club mate and Olympian Ingram in the 200m freestyle, Wiegersma impressed with victory over Hind in the 200m medley and Annabelle Carey (Aquagym) took out the 50m breaststroke.
The visiting Australian club team from Melbourne, led by world record holder Marieke Guehrer won three finals tonight with Guehrer just failing in her attempt to lower her own world mark in the 50m butterfly.
Contact: Mike Ference, The Brand Shop, Inc. 817 Worthington Avenue, Clairton, PA 15025 412-233-5491 Email: thebrandman@thebrandshopinc.com http://www.thebrandshopinc.com
Pennsylvania political activist, The Mon Dawn, is hoping to make the holiday season a little brighter for the less fortunate by offering limited edition, imprinted t-shirts featuring The Mon Dawn-coined term – demobocrats – to the highest bidder. All proceeds will benefit individuals, children and families who face difficult times during these scandalous and fiscally daunting times in our nation’s history.
“If an Illinois demobocrat can sell a U.S. Senate seat for his own benefit, then I can sell my limited editions, imprinted “Be a Snitch” and “Pennsylvania Dirty Dozen Demobocrats” t-shirts to raise money for folks hurting so badly during these tough economic times,” The Mon Dawn said.
While the t-shirts themselves make great holiday gifts for folks with true democratic beliefs and love for their country, the wearables also send a strong message as to what’s really ailing America. “There’s never been a better time to be a snitch, according to The Mon Dawn. “I’m tired of federal and state law enforcement officials devoting their time to rogue politicians responsible for all that is wrong with this once-great country of ours,” he sadly pointed out.
The toughest part of being a snitch may be finding a local law enforcement official who can be trusted to investigate alleged crimes. “I live in the Mon Valley section of Allegheny County in western PA where three former Mon Valley police chiefs were arrested, convicted and forced to trade in their police blues for inmate orange. Toss in former Allegheny County Sheriff Pete DeFazio and his three cronies forced to vacate their positions in disgrace,” The Mon Dawn adds, “and you have to wonder when and where is it all going to stop.”
The Pennsylvania Dirty Dozen Demobocrat t-shirt is the perfect item for anyone on your holiday gift-giving list. Students of all ages can use it as a show-and-tell project in social studies or history class or as a classic example of dysfunctional behavior for a psychology or sociology class in college,” The Mon Dawn proudly stated. “Political pundits on the right side of issues would find this t-shirt a welcome present under their Christmas tree, and a gift to enjoy for many years and for many occasions,” he adds.
The Pennsylvania Dirty Dozen Demobocrats t-shirt was created following the indictment of 12 political scoundrels named in the bonus scandal by PA Attorney General Tom Corbett. The prison time for all 12 scoundrels could conceivably total 1,892 years, if convicted on all counts.
The opportunity to sell approximately 100 limited edition t-shirts with 100 percent of the money going to needy individuals this holiday season will go to the first media outlet that shows an interest in adverting and marketing the t-shirts with an attempt to raise the most money for those in most need of help.
For more information or to receive a PDF file of what the t-shirts look like and an itemized list of sizes available, contact The Brand Shop, Inc. at 412-233-5491, or send an email to thebrandman@thebrandshopinc.com.
The XSO (Extreme Strings Orchestra) will perform between 10-11 AM tomorrow (Saturday) at CAPA High School - next to the Convention Center. The concert is free and open to the public. The group will be playing all new music including an Irish fiddle tune "Kesh Jig", an original fiddle composition "Grand Canyon Jump", a jazz tune by Martin Norgaard "Canta Island", and current Pop/Rock hit "Disturbia".
The group's teacher and organizer is Steven Vance.
Grant will be playing. Erik will be at the Pitt Christmas Meet.
Later, at 5 pm, the kids take another downtown stage for yet another concert. This will be in PPG's Winter Garden with PMA, Pittsburgh Music Academy located in Carnegie. That gig will have lots of Christmas music. Also, free and open to the public.
I'll coach the team for the rest of the season. But, it would be better to hire Paul Seneca. Coach Seneca is a basketball guy and last I knew he was a teacher in the North Allegheny School System.
Then again, I'm clueless as to the assistant coaching situations at Shaler. If Coach Ruppert was a great coach, he'd have worked hard to have assistant coaches who could lead the team should this occur.
All coaches need to have capable assistant coaches -- just in case. It takes a village.
Good luck team. Rest in peace coach. Our prayer and thoughts to the family and friends. It is my hope that all are able to rise to the challenge, cause this is sure to present many challenges.
Yesterday, as Marty Griffin of KDKA Radio, AM 1020, was talking on the air with Pgh Public Schools Superintendent, Mark Roosevelt, I sent in a message that he read on the air with some kind remarks. They were talking about the 50-percent grade policy where no assignment can score ZERO. No matter what, 50% is a guarantee. So, the students are getting half credit for nothing.
On the air, Mr. Roosevelt said that there have been some "unintended consequences" of the policy. Some teachers are upset about the allowance of total slackers in the classroom and throughout the semesters.
So, in response, a new committee is being formed to study the situation. It will be made up of teachers and administrators, so reported Mr. Roosevelt.
My comment was that we need to insist that parents be put onto the committee. The parents were left off of the solution according to Mr. Roosevelt's words. These are our kids. These are our schools. Parents need to have input into the operation of the schools.
Today I take the other side of discussion with Marty. I posted to him as he is cring about the failed bailout vote by the US Senate. Makers of buggy whips and horse-drawn carriages would have been happy to have you (Marty Griffin) pimping for their clutch on the past.
First, they'll still pull off a bailout even without the vote of the Senators. Bailout version 3.0 is sure to come.
Second, new opportunities will spring to life, for sure.
Change is a life fact. Guarantee.
Car dealers will all be gone. So what! Buggy whip dealers are all gone too. Horse stables do not exist in the city any more. There used to be one in our garage on the South Side. No hay sales for feeding the horse drawn carriages while stabled in the city to pull goods around town.
Cars were not part of the landscape in the time of Ben Franklin. But, freedom was. And we want to keep freedom and let the car industry/customers fend for themselves.
What would you have them do? -- asks Griffin.
I'd have the US Senators worry most about freedom and worry less about props to any one industry.
Let's talk about fairness, says Griffin. It isn't fair to have equity -- unless you go to the roots of principles. Don't give to Peter and rob from Paul.
The Big Push 2009 -- Free Software Foundation Appeal - Free Software Foundation Our community has made enormous progress in creating tools that enhance communication and freedom — with profound effect on people's lives. Free software has become a model for how our society can progress collaboratively, and members of our community are at the forefront in expressing these ideals.
I love this community blogging project that began in November 2008 called Neighborhoodwalk. It sprang to life at Pittsburgh Podcamp3. Everyone and anyone can play along. This month's assignment -- "public art."
Pittsburgh's public art is nice. We've got these public dinos littered around town. These A-B-Cs came from the skin on the Alphabetsaurus that was designed by our neighborhood Elementary School, Pittsburgh Phillips K-5.
The slide show that follows has 64 images, each with comments. I am tickled by the functional art. Best best art to me is action and play among people in the streets and neighborhoods. There is plenty of art within a bike that serves as a carrier for parent and kids or else parked to hold flowers. There is art in the sidewalk stones -- and the Pennsylvania hex signs too.
Slideshow:
Do go and drink up the other offerings from the others presenting the Rustbelt Public Art Neighborhood Walk.
Why More And More Politicians Are Rotten To The Core -- Matt Towery -- GOPUSA That the governor of Illinois would attempt to sell a U.S. Senate seat didn't shock me. Across America, there is a growing sense of entitlement among more and more elected officials. Not all, of course, but too many. From city councils to Congress, elected positions have evolved from their intended part-time status to full-time obsessions. And as governments have grown, so have their access to big money. Political leaders now hold life-and-death fiscal power over people and businesses.
The Zombies can be the new sports mascot for sports teams at Pgh Public Schools newest high schools -- Science & Technology and Univ Prep (joint athletic squads).
Zombies would be the greatest sports nickname ever. = 58%.
Zombies is okay given Pittsburgh rich Zombie legacy. = 33%.
Sure. Whatever. = 8%.
The Zombies is just too radical for these botique schools.Be more traditional and get something else. = 0%
To be honest, in person I've talked about this concept with more than 100 people. Only one has ever said that Zombies is not such a good mascot. ONE.
In other news, a guy got run down the other night on the South Side.
Plus, the other died in the stairwell of a joint the other night too -- with knife wounds.
So, does Bruce Kraus, one of the guys who is responsible for the cleaning of guns out of the city with one goofy ordinance, going to come to the rescue with all these other acts too? Is Bruce Kraus going to outlaw knives, hot water and cars?
A guy jumped off the Clemente Bridge the other day. Can they put up signs to not do that and build a 15-foot fence on all bridges to make it harder for bridge jumpers?
Perhaps they can dedicate those red light cameras from homeland security sources and have them installed onto the roof tops of area hospitals -- so as to catch those looking for the stairway to heaven.
If the Penguins really cared about school performance of our kids, don't you think that the Pens would have been certain to NOT pull them from school to attend a practice?
This makes little sense. It goes against the stated principles of the goal.
I love sports. I love scholarship too. Sports should be a part of the school experience -- after the dismissal bell.
Sure, there are exceptions. But, those exceptions should involved the kids being the performer -- not the spectator. Live isn't about being a spectator.
Another way to support the school children would be if the Pens played more games at better hours to allow for the kids to watch. Start some school night games at 6 or 6:30 pm. Hold more weekend afternoon games.
Oregon Government 2.0 bill - PdxWikiWednesday: "In the 2009 legislative session, Oregonians have an opportunity to take a significant ownership stake in their government and the work it produces. This web page will be used as a work space to develop a bill that will place works of state government legally in the public domain, and make them more accessible to the public in a practical sense."
Pittsburgh Public Schools has extended the deadline for magnet registration because of high interest and a new process.
Applications must be postmarked by Dec. 19 for about 30 magnet options. The deadline had been this Friday.
Previously, those interested applied at a particular school. This time, the applications are being handled centrally, with applicants permitted to name three top choices.
The extension applies to all magnet options except for Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12, which had a Nov. 21 deadline.
More information on the choices and procedure are available on the district's Web site, http://www.pghboe.net.
If you miss the deadline, you should go onto the waiting list. If all the slots are not filled, then you have a rolling admission.
If they need to extend the deadline, I'd like to have an extra point or two be awarded to the lottery system to those that do and turn in their homework on time.
Western Standard: "Ron Paul economic adviser Peter Schiff was right about, well, everything
Listening to National Public Radio (NPR) the other day, they did a little piece on Peter Schiff, former Ron Paul economic adviser, president of Euro Pacific Capital, and an advocate of the Austrian school of economics. Schiff is often on various financial and business shows as a talking head. On all of them, over the last three or four years, Schiff has been busy predicting an economic catastrophe."
Hearing loss among kids and young adults is on the rise in the US, sadly.
Five million children have an entirely preventable disability that will stay with them for life.
Once the ringing in the ears begins, without the music playing, it is too late to turn it down or use other protective measures.
Get this, toys can be as loud as 138 decibels yet workplace noise is limited to 85. I'm not for more laws. But, more vigilance. Parents and adults need to step in frequently on the frequency and intensity.
My wife has been a board member of the American Academy of Audiology.
I enjoy this guy's newsletter. This month, he talks of the election and sports -- Georgia style and all.
M.U.S.E. .A.N.D. .W.H.I.R.L.E.D. .R.E.T.O.R.T. By Chris Chandler www.chrischandler.org Vol X issue iii December 1, 2008 Washington, DC
Sorry so late this month. I have been in my home town of Stone Mountain, Georgia. This is the first news letter since the election.
I was in DC on Tuesday, November 4th. Holy Cow!
From 11:02 (the moment the polls closed on the west coast and the media announced the election) till the wee hours of the morning a traffic jam formed on the blocks that surround the white house. People laid down on their horn. All night long George was treated to one continual thousand car horn salute.
People were excited. Excited for the change Barak Obama has professed will come.
Upon his election last month yes, in 2008 -- there are people alive on this earth whose parents, not great grand parents, not grandparents parents were slaves. If you were born in 1863 and sired a child in your 50s, that child is now in their 90s. It has been a short time. It has been an eternity. Change.
In the year of my birth, Martin Luther King said in his I Had a Dream speech, "Let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia." Because he longed for change to come to America.
He mentioned my home town because at the time it was the home of a very powerful Ku Klux Klan reeking terror throughout the south land in which I was born. Because of the Klan, it is also the home of the world's largest carving the Confederate Memorial where the stone images of the three Confederate leaders are indelibly chiseled to the side the mammoth slab of granite that inexplicably protrudes from the Georgia red clay larger than Mount Rushmore itself.
In 1915 the modern Klan was formed on this site in a ceremony that involved burning a cross from the mountain's summit. The inferno was so large it could be seen from the city of Atlanta some 20 miles away. The inferno it represented was much larger. The rebel revelers longed for no change to come to America.
It was in that setting that I came into this world. I saw my town of three thousand grow on rally days to ten thousand hooded heroes march through the town as young girls through flowers at their feet. How could I not long to be among them. I did.
Yes, I grew up a racist, how could I not? You could blame me. I was a kid. You could blame my parents but how could they know any better? Growing up in rural Alabama during the depression, it did not seem like a place that change was going to come to. You could blame my grand parents. My grandmother was sixty at Brown Vs. Board of Education. She did not know there needed to be change in America.
Upon the outcome of Brown Vs Board of Education, the state of Georgia changed her state flag to add the Confederate battle flag as if to say, "Change was never going to come to America."
I am probably the youngest person you will likely meet that went to a segregated school. In 1970 Jimmy Carter defeated Lester Maddox for governor and went about practically desegregating the last of the segregated schools. Change was coming to Georgia. I was in the first grade.
I played football on the first desegregated little league team in my county: The Central De Kalb 85 lb Packers. Before they were the Packers they were known as yes The Crackers. Donning a "University of Georgia G" on our helmets I found myself on the opposite end of the America I had known. I learned to depend on, play with, sacrifice for my black team mates. Team work. When The Packers played teams in counties more isolated than De Kalb I found my team and therefore myself on the receiving end of jeers and threats and even getting into sand lot brew-ha-has defending defending.. well, my team but vicariously desegregation. Change was a foot (ball.)
As I was growing up, Stone Mountain was a white trash trailer court. But this too was changing. Atlanta, the city too busy to care, beat Birmingham in a bid for a major airport and sprouted like the Kudzu on either side of the Hank Aaron Highway. A city with no navigable waterway instead became -- not a port city but -- an airport city. Change was coming to the world. She grew from 300,000 to 4 million. The dirt road I grew up on is now a four lane highway with a traffic light. Co-Cola, CNN, Home Depot and the rest.
The growing city won a bid for the Olympics in 96. The long distance marathon event ran round Stone Mountain itself now an Atlanta suburb -- with the finish line in front of the monument. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis' granite gaze cast down upon a Kenyan runner, black as the population of Stone Mountain, throwing his hands into the air passing the finish line with Georgia's Confederate battle flag blowing in the breeze. Change was coming to America. Georgia changed her flag.
The white flight that inevitably parallels a growing city blew right past Stone Mountain leaving in its wake a suburban black middle class. The words "Stone Mountain" were on the pages of the New York Times for a second time in her history when the town that Martin Luther King singled out elected a black mayor. Change was brewing in America. Only some old timer whites remain. My mother is one of them.
I came to visit her recently. At the corner of Rockbridge Road and Cynthia McKinney Blvd (another African American that ran for president this year) there is a shell station down the street from my mother's house. A young African American man approached me wearing his mall bought Negro League baseball jersey (made in Bangladesh) and blood-diamond bling saying, "You have no idea where you is."
I do. One visible sign that change is at hand is that a black teenager was willing to take a ride with a middle aged oddly clad bald white man. I took him to the old city hall, now a museum. I showed him the bell presented to the town by the King foundation to let Freedom Ring. I took a drink from the colored water fountain I would not have been allowed to drink from as a child. He in turn drank from the "white." Parts of my childhood I am glad to have relegated to the annals of small town museums.
The city of Stone Mountain carried Barak Obama , but not the state of Georgia. But more importantly he carried the nation, and the vote of my mother.
Change has come to America. "Let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia."
Peabody best site for IB program, panel says: "A 30-member site-selection committee has unanimously recommended the Pittsburgh Peabody building as the best permanent home for the International Baccalaureate program for grades 6 through 12 in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.
The Rustbelt Bloggers are slated to unleash a number of discussions on public art on Dec 11. You still have time to join us in this shared project about shared works of art.
I posted in the comments of another blog about the mayor's race, now that Chelsa is really out of the running in 2009.
Needed, a ONE-TWO punch. Otherwise, forget it.
One is a DEM to beat up upon the existing administration in a contested D primary. Gains must be made. Messages must be delivered. Voters and citizens must see and make a choice.
Then, the second stage is the general election with another campaign. Not with a "R" -- as that is hopeless. But, with an "I." That is the 'second punch.'
And, the two waves need to be coordinated with each other, yet be deliberate and distinctive.
DeSantis didn't offer an ounce of coordination.
Finally, the second must be delivered from a base of other supporters in 'down-ticket' races.
In other news.... See my recent twitter about who is departing Pittsburgh for D.C. for a gig with a national nonprofit in her industry. Hope she is having a good time in 21's homeland.
Perhaps Chelsa's letter saying she quit should have just stated, "Uncle!"
This story of the USC and UCLA football game is interesting and speaks volumes on a number of levels.
Looking good is a LA tradition.
Being a good sport with your cross town rival -- making the game fair -- is a great move as well from the Bruins.
Personally, I loved UCLA as a kid. I think of John Wooden -- the W of Westwood. But the strongest feelings I get are swimming - and Tom Jager and his great coach. Those Wikipedia pages are sorta light.
Then UCLA cut its men's swim team.
Go USC Go.
For those that don't know about the football game, 1:30 pm California time on Saturday, USC's coach said he wanted to have USC wear its home jersey. The game is in The Rose Bowl. Both teams should wear home jerseys -- as it is a tradition. And, this year, USC's coach was willing to put his squad in the wrong-colored (as per NCAA rules) uniforms and take a penalty.
At first, he though that the USC team would do without two time outs. The final word on the rule after investigation was that the team would only have to be penalized one of its time outs -- not one per half.
So, the UCLA coach said he'd burn a timeout on the first play of the game, right after the kickoff, to make the game "even."
Well done coaches.
Too bad Pitt and Penn State can't get their act together like we're seeing this year with the USC and UCLA coaches.
Next -- we need to see UCLA field a men's swim team. Perhaps Tom Jager can come back as coach.
Got tickets? We could be convinced to go.
Perhaps we'll check out the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim practice schedule and go there for an early workout on Saturday morning and stay for the game -- and tailgate.
December 2, 2008 412-921-5927 OR 412-969-4991 (mobile)
Long-time Community Advocate Announces Candidacy for Pittsburgh City Council District 2
(PITTSBURGH) – A 20-year community advocate, volunteer and mother, who for the last three years has served as secretary for the 28th Ward Democratic Committee, has announced her candidacy for Pittsburgh City Council District 2.
Theresa Smith, 49, is seeking the seat vacated by Pittsburgh City Councilman Dan Deasy, recently elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Smith, the married mother of three and grandmother of two, serves on several school and community committees. Over the last two decades, her volunteerism has spanned across Allegheny County, and in some cases, statewide, earning her results and recognition.
The Westwood resident is president of the Crafton Heights, Westwood, Ridgemont Community Council; vice president of the Westwood/Oakwood Athletic Association; is active in both the Sheraden and Banksville community organizations and has volunteered on several Mount Washington area projects. In her role as the West End coordinator for the Pittsburgh Campaign for Student Success, she helped to create jobs and formed a team working toward creating a community multipurpose center to serve District 2 residents.
She also is a Weed & Seed committee member; the West End coordinator for the Moms & Cops program and was instrumental in working with elected officials and community leaders to reopen the Zone 6 police station.
Building upon her platform that an engaged, active community is a stable one, Smith intends to continue with the initiatives that have made her a highly reliable community advocate. She plans to advance her efforts to develop programs to unite communities, maintain a strong police presence and reduce neighborhood blight. In fact, Smith formed the South West Enhancing Environment Program (SWEEP) a program to help end blight and bring homes in the region up to Bureau of Building Inspection (BBI) codes and the South West Eco-Evolution Team (SWEET) the first West End environmental program, which is responsible for creating a bike/walking trail out of recycled materials amongst other projects. The Pittsburgh native continues to work with local community leaders to form a new community development corporation and has begun a new position as a supplemental educational coordinator.
City building inspectors slow to respond in some cases, audit finds: "Around one in six complaints submitted to the city of Pittsburgh Bureau of Building Inspection 'languish for an average of over nine months,' according to a City Controller's Office audit released today.
Controller Michael Lamb characterized that as a 'distressing' finding in an audit that otherwise found that the bureau, though understaffed compared to similar cities, is getting permits issued within reasonable times and beginning to modernize."
Michael Lamb is bringing down the house.
Hey Michael, you live is city council district 2. Who are you going to support for the new city council member?
Are you going to do anything in that race -- or do as little as possible?
I expect Michael will not look out for the greater community and rather look out for Michael Lamb -- and not make any endorsement nor pledge of support on the campaign trails.
If he played it neutral and down the middle -- but hosted a series of public meetings where he was the moderator of community debates, then he'd be creative, outgoing, energetic, engaging and fair to the democratic process and each citizen candidate putting it out on the line.
I could host pan-partisan debates -- but I've done that before. And, I'm going to come down on a side among the candidates as well. So, I'm not Mr. Neutral on this race, even if it is outside of my formal city council district.
Another good example of how government is not generally the place to obtain the best answer to the pressing questions of today's society.
SitePoint - Australia’s Net Censorship Sparks Outrage: "Australia’s last try at censorship, the AU$84 million NetAlert program put forth by former PM John Howard, was cracked in a half hour by a 16-year-old Aussie named Tom Wood in August 2007. Upon hearing about Wood’s feat, the government added another layer of filtering to beef up the system — Wood got through the new filter in 10 minutes.
SitePoint � Google’s Operating System Arrives - But Not From Google: "Now, tiny Emeryville, California-based Good OS, has taken the browser-as-OS idea a bit further with the announcement of their latest operating system, dubbed “Cloud.” Good OS is most famous for the gOS, a Linux distribution that debuted last year on the Everex gPC, a $199 computer sold at Wal-Mart. gOS is a slimmed down version of Linux that is made to specifically play nice with web applications and web-centric apps like Google Calendar, Docs, Gmail, Skype, YouTube, and Firefox.
The new Cloud OS product, which was announced today at the Netbook World Summit in Paris, France, is specifically designed for netbooks and nettop computers. Cloud boots “in seconds” into a browser that is specifically designed to make access to cloud based applications, like Google’s suite of web apps, quick and easy via a built-in Mac OS X-like dock that has been added to the browser. Notice that the browser looks a lot like Google Chrome, which is open source. That seems unlikely to be a coincidence."
What is the Value Added at Pittsburgh Public Schools? What is PVAAS anyway?
If you are looking for answers to these questions join us for a PVAAS briefing on Wednesday, December 3, 2008. The meeting will be held from 6PM to 8PM at Pittsburgh University Prep in the Milliones Facility, 3117 Center Avenue in the Hill District.
Jennifer Ross from the PA Department of Education, Dr. Linda Lane, Deputy Superintendent of the Pittsburgh Public Schools, and three PPS Principals, Melissa Friez from Peabody, Derrick Hardy from Vann, and Cindi Muehlbauer from Arlington, will be on hand to lend their perspectives and expertise and answer your questions.
Because we value your time and participation, A+ Schools will provide dinner as well as childcare for children over 1. Please let us know you are coming by calling (412) 258-2660 ext 101. RSVP TODAY!
PVAAS is new information made available in A+ Schools’ 2008 Report to the Community released earlier this month. PVAAS is measure of growth in PSSA achievement produced by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. PVAAS estimates whether or not selected grade levels made progress no matter where their starting point was. If you haven’t already seen the 2008 Report to the Community you can check it out at www.aplusschools.org/cspr08.html. Let us know if you would like a hard copy by emailing us at info@aplusschools.org.
Community View on Good Governance
A+ Schools believes that the Pittsburgh Public Schools are vital to the success of the region. We believe good school board governance is essential to improving our schools. To that end we would like to understand how the community views the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ school board governance. We would appreciate your responses to this brief online survey (the survey will take 5-10 minutes to complete). Your responses will help us identify and communicate the community’s expectations.
A public hearing will be held TOMORROW, DECEMBER 2 at NOON to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Preliminary General Fund Budget for 2009. It will be held at the Pittsburgh Public Schools Administration Building, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Conference Room A in Oakland. Other key dates are as follows:
12/08/08: Regular Public Hearing - 7:00 p.m. - Administration Building, Conference Room A
12/17/08: Legislative Meeting - 2009 Budget Vote
All budget related materials can be accessed online. Public feedback can be provided to the Parent Hotline at (412)622-7920, to the Superintendent via an e-mail to: superintendentoffice@pghboe.net or via mail.
Mrs. Colaizzi was elected tonight (with six votes in favor. Three board members -- Mark Brentley, Sherry Hazuda and Randall Taylor -- abstained.
Mrs. Colaizzi follows Bill Isler, who served as president for five years. Mr. Isler was elected second vice president. Thomas Sumpter was elected first vice president.
In remarks following her election, Mrs. Colaizzi praised Mr. Isler. She also said, 'Tonight, I commit to all of you that I will chair this board with a spirit of optimism and collaboration.'
Mrs. Colaizzi, 48, was an active parent before joining the board seven years ago. She is the mother of two Allderdice High School graduates and the owner of a hair salon, Hair Etc.
Mrs. Colaizzi's term on the board is up this year. She told me she would decide about January if she will run again for another four year term or not. Wonder what this new role does to her plans for eventual retirement.
Mrs. Colaizzi is the board member from my 9th of town, for what it is worth.
She isn't so fond of technology. At least I felt that she was very harsh on past Chief Technology Officers for PPS.
Hope she reads the tech position from India out on my blog earlier today. There is a pointer to a PDF with some keen insights into what could and should be done with learning about computers and communications. That plan applies to some 20-million school children. And, it is now fully about open source technology.
UPMC Sports Performance is now offering Navy SEAL Fitness Classes. Classes will be conducted at both the South and North UPMC Sports Performance locations in Gibsonia and the South Side. Experience the dimension of elite fitness and personal conditioning that is applicable to all athletic pursuits and you.
All classes are taught by a genuine Navy SEAL of 25 years. For all ability levels... men and women alike! This program is guaranteed to vault you to superior level(s) of personal and athletic fitness. A universal conditioning regimen that SEAL's actually employ... which is virtually applicable to any recreational, sport and athletic activity! Ideal training and conditioning for all middle school and high school athletes, future military prospects, law enforcement, fire fighters and more!
Days: Monday and Wednesday mornings... weekly. Time: 6:00 to 7:00 AM Location: UPMC Sports Performance Complex... SOUTH SIDE: 3300 South Water St @ Pittsburgh, PA 15203 Cost: $250.00: Per person... for one 8 week block of training. (You can start training on any Monday AM... that you choose.) *** NOTE: (All UPMC employees receive a $20.00 discount.) *** POC: Dan Toth: USN/SEAL/Retired - ISSA CPAT - UPMC Sports Performance Complex - Director of Performance Camps - (C) (412) 926-5204
NOTICE: "This program is neither affiliated with no obtained programming associated with the University of Pittsburgh's Neuromuscular Research Laboratory research, Office of Naval Research/NSW Award #N00014-07-1190"
Today's "Monday Message" is primarily one for . Though the Bush administration, which has undoubtedly been one of the worst in American history, will be leaving office on Jan. 20, 2009, there is little room for celebration as Obama looks to take over as commander-in-chief.
Obama's attitude towards wealth, the marketplace and economics is reason enough to worry about his administration in this extremely fragile economy. But, there are other areas where Obama must tread with care if he wishes to follow the Constitution and foster an environment of liberty that has been lacking these last eight years.
Therefore, the Libertarian Party wishes Obama the best of luck, and offers him the following suggestions for his presidency in the following areas:
* Civil Liberties:
This is one area where we thought Obama could bring real change to the table following the Bush administration, which held the protection of civil liberties about as high as they regarded things like the flu and traffic jams. However, when Obama's feet were put to the fire, Obama sold out and capitulated to the enemies of freedom during the reauthorization of the Amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
It's not unjustified to be skeptical of Obama when it comes to upholding civil liberties.
If Obama looks to separate himself from the Bush administration, he should—and must—work to undue the legislation of the last eight years that have left Americans incredibly vulnerable to government surveillance and spying. We must have our liberty restored and the despotic surveillance tactics of the "War on Terror" abolished.
Secondly, Obama must not use the Department of Justice as a tool to bend and break the law as he sees fit, as the Bush administration frequently did. The DOJ has much work to do to rebuild its reputation with the American public, and it can start with the Obama administration.
* Economic Freedom:
The necessity to defend and protect the marketplace from regulation and interference by the government is key to the long-term prosperity of the nation. This point cannot be stressed enough.
The Bush administration believed it had a right and duty to get involved in the economy when they thought it wasn't working to their standards. Instead of letting the market work out its problems, Bush got involved and turned a bad situation into a worse one.
Obama should take a hands-off approach to the economy, stepping in only to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. Any attempt to "redistribute" the wealth through regulation or taxation should be avoided at all costs. If this is attempted, it will have dire consequences for the economy.
* Social Freedom:
Usually you don't have to jump on Democrats about protecting social freedom, but as of late, Democrats have increasingly become more heavy-handed when it comes to personal choice in people's lives.
The "global warming" hysteria and push for more regulation of Americans' diets has put Democrats in the same corner as those who seek to institute moral standards through government regulation.
Obama must buck this new trend by Democrats and work to protect individual choice—even if it seems like the government needs to help people make these decisions. Obama can also take this opportunity to reform national laws that make victimless crimes a federal matter.
* The War:
This has to be one of the most obvious areas for improvement, yet one are that Democrats have consistently failed in since regaining control of Congress in 2006.
The power to end the war in Iraq is now in the hands of Obama. He also has a power to finally end what we began in Afghanistan long before we began military action in Iraq. What he must do is avoid moving troops from one theater to the other instead of simply bringing the troops home.
It is time for Obama and Democrats to follow through with earlier promises.
If Obama takes all of these suggestions, we will have one of the best presidencies in American history. If he takes none, then we will surely see times far darker than those under the Bush administration.
In all likelihood, we will see improvements over the Bush administration in some areas, and setbacks in others. This is why it is paramount that the Libertarian Party be a strong, shining beacon of liberty for all Americans looking for true change from the last eight years.
Live free, Andrew Davis, Director of Communications, Libertarian Party
The general election of 2008 is not over, just yet. Georgia, due to strong vote totals for 3rd party candidate(s), has a run-off election. I wonder how that is going?
This Georgia race has implications for the wider balance of power in the Senate. If Chambliss loses and the Democrats win the still TBD Minnesota senate race, Dems would have a filibuster proof majority. For her part, if Palin sways the vote successfully, her ability to rev up the conservative base will be in the spotlight.
Exit polls after the election showed her popularity fade with some, others still see her as the best speaker in the Republican party, and her name continues to be one of most searched on the internet. Gary Tuchman will follow her today in Georgia and report tonight. Are you glad to see her in the spotlight?
The lead story in today's OpenOffice.org email newsletter has this bit of news:
A breakthrough in curriculum change for 201 m students and adoption of Open Source Technologies in schools
...finally had a major breakthrough with NCERT, the body responsible for setting curriculum for 201 m school students in India. In the last 30 years, this is the first time that they have come out with a syllabus that has no reference to Microsoft or Oracle products. This impacts more than 201 m students in India. The details of the syllabus can be found at
Here, in Pittsburgh, and in the US, people are worried that the right flavor of black history, women's history, international history, world creation, etc. is taught in the schools. All are worthy discussions.
However, the one discussion that should be of prime focus now, in Pittsburgh, is that the right flavor of technology is being taught and deployed with our schools. In September of 2009, Pittsburgh Public Schools is to open a new Science and Technology High School and Middle School. That school will span the grades of 6 to 12.
I want to work to insure that our kids in Pittsburgh are being exposed to, in a day-to-day basis, open-source software tools, principles and methods. This is something that INDIA is doing now. And, Pittsburgh should not be left behind in the dust.
CMU is a world leader in many realms with open source technology. CMU generated more lines of code in LISP than anywhere else in the world. All of it is in the open.
We need the Science and Technology School to embrace open source software.
We need to discount the Microsoft Corp. and Oracle Corp license agreements and expenses. They are, after all, all about what the older white guys have to say -- not ethnic and culturally diverse -- if this was put into the same apples and oranges bucket. Yes, Bill Gates = Christopher Columbus. Yes, Bill Gates = Andrew Carnegie too.
Pittsburgh's new public high school and middle school built around science and technology needs to be built with a strict adherence and devotion to open-source software, such as is offered with OpenOffice.org and thousands of other software tools.
Finally, the school's sports team mascot should be The Zombies!
Making minorities feel more at home in school: "Many high school history courses take a survey approach, giving students the highlights about many important events during a particular period.
Kenneth Smith has a different plan for the Pittsburgh Public Schools' new course on African-American history. Mr. Smith, a course developer, said students will study multiple perspectives on black history, gather information from primary sources and write their own interpretations of history.
When the schools want to invite Libertarians to lead a civics class or develop a text book -- let me know. I'm a minority too.
If the Founding Fathers were around today, they'd be in the minority as well. And, to be sure, back then, they didn't have a monopoly.
The entire celebration of Pittsburgh's 250th is a very European-centered educational event. What was going on in Pittsburgh 300 or 400 years ago?
The I.B. education is more of a world view too. But, with a world view, I dare say, you can't just have three text books.
Let's see a report card that lists the 100 steps that were part of the settlement with the PPS and the advocates. List them. Then list the plans. Then list the outcomes in the early years. Then list the present day outcomes. Then have a check off that shows complete satisfaction or not of the progress of that point by all involved (PPS administration, teachers, board, students, parents, taxpayers, advocates, government).
Who is on the district's equity advisory panel. When do they meet? Where are the minutes of their past meetings? Can those meetings be put on cable TV or else capture the audio and turn them into podcasts (such as with TalkShoe.com).
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