Pittsburgh PTO Workshop

FAIR-WORKSHOP

Meet Fundraising Companies
Mingle with other PTA/PTO’S

HAVE FUN – START THE YEAR OFF RIGHT
BRING THE FAMILY
Monday, September 27, 2010
6:00 to 8:00 PM

PTA/PTO member or just thinking about it
Come and learn about:
Running a successful PTA/PTO
Roles and Responsibilities of Officers
Best Practices

Administration Building (Oakland)
Conference Room A
341 S. Bellefield Ave.RSVP to Wanda Spencer
412-622-3617
Wspencer1@pghboe.net

t r u t h o u t | C'mon, Time to Rebrand Your Life!

t r u t h o u t | C'mon, Time to Rebrand Your Life!: "In India, a similar rebranding is under way for next month's Commonwealth Games. In the country that has most of the world's malnourished children, the capital Delhi has been rebranded a 'world class city' at a cost of $2.5 billion. A school for 180 slum children has been bulldozed so that a vast estate of luxury apartments can be built for visiting athletes. 'They told us we were a security threat so we had to go,' said the head teacher. 'All my children were crying.' It is one of many demolitions; over 100,000 families have been evicted to make way for 'security zones' around the games and facilities that will mostly benefit India's small, but powerful, managerial and technocratic class who, besotted with all things corporate, prefer not to be reminded that 77 percent of their compatriots are dirt poor."

Why You Can't Have a Moneybomb App | techPresident

Why You Can't Have a Moneybomb App | techPresident: "An Apple spokesperson follows up on this question of why you'll find yourself rejected from the iTunes store if you attempt to build an iPhone or iPad app that takes political donations or charitable contributions.
Apple's '70/30' revenue-sharing model is, it seems, the primary condition holding you back. Under that model, developers retain the bulk of the money that comes their way through the iTunes store, but Apple still retains nearly a third of the cash."

Let's do a quck fact check: Florida football to Pittsburgh? Not this team, politician

Bamb! Where sports and politics collide.

South Africa Olympic body: Cape Town's missed bid not our fault - More Sports - SI.com

SAfrica Olympic body: Cape Town's missed bid not our fault - More Sports - SI.com: "South Africa's Olympic committee says it was not responsible for Cape Town missing a deadline to submit a bid to host the 2020 Olympics.
South Africa's Olympic body, SASCOC, said Tuesday the city's claim that it was never advised of the July 31 deadline was untrue and an attempt by officials 'to hide their own inefficiency.'
SASCOC announced Durban as the country's only candidate for the 2020 Games this month, saying Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town failed to show interest.
But Cape Town spokesman Pieter Cronje said his city was never made aware of any deadline and insists SASCOC did not outline the process.
The disagreement threatens to undermine South Africa's attempt to bring the Olympics to Africa for the first time."

Fan movement wants Igloo tribute etched on Penguins' new arena - Puck Daddy - NHL - Yahoo! Sports#comments

Fan movement wants Igloo tribute etched on Penguins' new arena - Puck Daddy - NHL - Yahoo! Sports#comments: "During a public open house at the new Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh Penguins fan Matt Filip entered through a Verizon-sponsored gate and gazed at an image greeting fans through large window panes: Mellon Arena, a.k.a. the Igloo, which had been the team's home since 1967.
Filip savored the view, turned to his brother and said, 'Dude, they should just etch this right here.' And a movement was born."

Trouble before the Commonwealth Games in India

NEW DELHI (AP) -- A footbridge being built near the main stadium for the Commonwealth Games collapsed Tuesday, injuring 23 construction workers and putting the event in further jeopardy less than two weeks before the opening ceremony.
Read the full story at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/more/09/21/commonwealth.games.in.doubt.ap/index.html  

Port Authority hopes to bring rapid bus transit to East End

Rapid Bus could be supported only if it is a non-exclusive route in that bikes are also permitted and encouraged to ride along all the bus ways.

Port Authority hopes to bring rapid bus transit to East End: "Panelists at the forum cited obstacles, including narrow rights of way and the need to preserve on-street parking for retail businesses, that could restrict the development of bus-only lanes."

We need to begin not with Rapid Bus. But with PAT's full support of bikes along existing bus routes. We should allow bikes along the bus lane through Oakland. We should allow bikes to travel through the Wabash Tunnel, the Light Rail Tunnel to the South Hills and along the East Busway.

Then, once bikes have been managed to co-exist with the buses, then we can talk about Rapid Bus support.

A bike can get out of the way of the bus. A toot of the horn and pull over.

We can set up special classes and a special culture for bike travel along the bus routes. No headphones perhaps. Certain speeds perhaps. We can make it work.

A sham process to destroy the Civic Arena

A sham process to destroy the Civic Arena: "The board's vote came despite a Sept. 3 letter from the National Trust for Historic Preservation 'strongly' urging the SEA 'not to take any action leading to the demolition' and warning that 'anticipatory demolition' -- one undertaken before a required federal review process has even been initiated -- 'would severely jeopardize future federal funding for any element of the proposed redevelopment plan.'"

Saving Communities Fundraiser vs the Allegheny County Drink

Sunday, September 26, 2010 7:00 PM

Where: Molly Brannigans (Mt. Lebanon)
660 Washington Rd
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
412 341-7827

Saving Communities Presents Drink against the Drink Tax!

Featuring Live Music, including:
Irish balladeer Terry Griffith, Composer of “The Drink Tax Song.”
Celebrity Bar Tenders who will donate their tips to the cause.
“Easy Lou,” Pittsburgh’s premier DJ.

“Chinese Raffle” (Choose which prizes you want to try to win.)

$5 Door Charge is donated to fighting the drink tax.
RSVP in advance and get a flyer from Molly’s worth 15% off your food charges at the event. Also, if you use that flyer, an additional 15% of the revenues from your meal purchase will be donated to our fight against the drink tax

For more info and to RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-1834/calendar/14827855/  

South Side Meeting on Monday the 27th from 6 to 8 pm about Armstrong Park

From Aaron Sukenik Business Development Manager
Amstrong Park/Esser Plaza Public Meeting - Monday, September 27 @ 6-8 PM

South Side Community Leaders,

I would really appreciate any circulating and forwarding of this Public Meeting Announcement that you are willing to give.

Armstrong Park and Esser Plaza (between 12th & 13th Streets, and Sarah & E. Carson Streets) are great assets to our neighborhood. However….. Do you think that these open spaces are being put to the best and highest uses?

Are there certain elements of these open spaces that you particularly enjoy or dislike?

Would you prefer other uses and amenities at this site?

Please join us for the first community meeting on Monday, September 27 @ 6 PM, at the South Side Market House (1200 Bingham St., at Bedford Square) to discuss Armstrong Park and Esser Plaza as it is, and what it can be. This will be the first community meeting that will seek to guide designs and plans for future capital improvements to the site. The meeting will include discussion of:

Overall Project Purpose
General Neighborhood Demographics
Armstrong Park
Esser Plaza and E. Carson St. Alley Existing Conditions
Initial Opportunities and Challenges
Vision (Playground versus Park versus Commons)
Park Amenity
Brain Storming Session.

What could be in the Park.

What should not be in the Park

This is your public space – Your input will help craft the roadmap that will seek to guide future investments in Armstrong Park and Esser Plaza.

Hi,

We live at 12th Street and use this park on most days. The Park is way better without the dogs there. The dogs had gotten out of hand in the past years, but in recent months, this has changed for the better.

Pigeons. We want pigeon feeding more than dogs. Like kids, they fly away in time. (I'm joking.)

The new dog park, at a hefty price, is being built at river Park. That will be a great use of space there. That will be a fantastic opportunity for the dog owners. That uses some space that was nearly a Hoover-ville just last year.

Perhaps we'll see you at the meeting.

LIBERTARIAN Len Young enter PA 45TH SENATORIAL RACE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Len Young
652 Cooper Rd
Monroeville, PA 15146
412-372-5215
Young4pasenate@verizon.net
http://www.young4pasenate.com/


Special Election gets 3rd party candidate

9/20/10 Monroeville, PA-

Len Young is ready to challenge the status quo. “It is time for government to again
be accountable to the people,” said Len Young, Libertarian backed candidate for the 45th District Senatorial special election. “The voters deserve a representative who is not tied to special interest or partisan politics”.

Young, a long time Monroeville resident, will expose waste and redundancy in Harrisburg, battling to balance the budget with a common sense approach. This will be only the first step to tackle the growing tax burden on hard working citizens and small business.

Young is the owner/operator of Len’s Landscaping, and has had 12 successful years as a small business owner. “To be a success in business, you must balance costs, the customers wants and his budget”, says Young, “This simple principal has been forgotten by the politicians in Harrisburg”.

Young will drive to reduce government interference with the free market. By simplifying and correcting onerous regulations consumers will benefit from lower prices and jobs created by expanding businesses.

Young also serves on the Monroeville Board of Parks and Recreation. He will take this experience with him to work on balancing the needs of business and protecting the environment.

Young is no stranger to fighting for personal liberties and rights. As a member of ABATE and the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, he has spent many days in Harrisburg and Washington. His meeting with representatives led to freedom of choice for all riders. Young has served as President of his ABATE chapter and now is treasurer.


It’s time for common sense and accountability in the 45th District. It’s Time for Len Young.

Fw: [DW] Fwd: [COG] $1 Million earmark for CrimeReports.com = less real public data access

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Clift <clift@e-democracy.org>
Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:54:30
To: newswire<newswire@groups.dowire.org>
Reply-To: clift@publicus.net
Cc: <open-government@lists.okfn.org>; citycamp<citycamp@forums.e-democracy.org>; <munigov@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [DW] Fwd: [COG] $1 Million earmark for CrimeReports.com = less real public data access

This is BAD news for opening up broad access to crime data - the
number one everyday citizen demanded government information based my
direct experience with online community forums. Note some useful
links: http://pages.e-democracy.org/Minneapolis_and_St._Paul_crime_data

"CrimeReports is contending in a current federal case that public crime
data becomes CrimeReports' own proprietary product in the form
provided on CrimeReports.com."

The bill should be amended to fund an effort modeled on the
standardization of transit scheduling/routing data -
http://www.gtfs-data-exchange.com - so that all police departments can
put out real-time feeds of various crime data (heck, Seattle even does
911 calls now - http://schrier.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/citywatch/ )
for broad reuse.

Like weather data provided by the federal government, it gets to the
people through many, often competing providers.

Read on below.

Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
  Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.Org
  Follow me - http://twitter.com/democracy
  New Tel: +1.612.234.7072


From: Dan Knauss <dan@newlocalmedia.com>
Date: Fri, Sep 17, 2010 at 3:35 PM
Subject: [COG] $1 Million earmark for CrimeReports.com = less real
public data access
To: Citizens For OpenGov <citizens-for-opengov@googlegroups.com>


In the FY 2011 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
Appropriations Requests, there is a $1 Million request for the Major
Cities Chiefs of Police Association which would be used to purchase
services from CrimeReports.com.
http://bennett.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=CommerceRequests

CrimeReports.com is a private company that makes contracts with
municipal police forces to provide their crime data to the public on
the CrimeReports.com website--but according to the PDs' specifiations.
In the process, the public information that the source crime data is
may seem to become more accessible, but this is not the case.

CrimeReports is contending in a current federal case that public crime
data becomes CrimeReports' own proprietary product in the form
provided on CrimeReports.com. (See links below and The Citizen Media
Law Project's article, "Public Engines to World: Look, But Don't Touch
the Crime Data"
http://www.citmedialaw.org/blog/2010/public-engines-world-look-dont-touch-crime-data)

In this view it would be technically illegal for someone to duplicate
or republish material from CrimeReports.com by other means, which many
PDs may use as their sole or primary means of providing public access
to crime data. (It is not access to data, it is access to a limited
representation of some data.) This is not only bad for public and
media oversight, it is bad for technologists who wish to tap public
data for research and applications.

From the appropriations document:

Project: The National Crime Map Expansion
Amount: $1,000,000
Purpose: The National Crime Map currently includes more than 800 law
enforcement agencies across the country; its aim to make incident
level crime data available to the general public at the neighborhood
level within 24 hours of occurrence.
Location: Draper, Utah
Recipient of Funds: Major Cities Chiefs of Police Association
Explanation/Justification: Very few members of the public have ready
access to street level crime information on a timely basis. This
funding will allow any law enforcement agency in the United States to
connect to the existing National Crime Map, CrimeReports.com.
Currently, more than 800 agencies have already joined at an average
total cost of $110 per month. Through this funding, CrimeReports.com
will be able to expand the map and drop the cost of integrating and
deploying the system to roughly $20/month per agency, regardless of
size, population served, or members of the community served. In
contrast, cities that build their own portals spend $50,000 - $100,000
per agency to implement local crime maps.


Further reading:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100614/0208019805.shtml
http://www.citmedialaw.org/threats/public-engines-inc-v-reportsee-inc

-----------------------------------------
Group home for Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire:
http://groups.dowire.org/groups/newswire

Replies go to members of Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire with all posts on this topic here:
http://groups.dowire.org/r/topic/78LSbyxxnHIBFG4HUJtLrF

For digest version or to leave Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire,
email newswire@groups.dowire.org
with "digest on" or "unsubscribe" in the *subject*.

Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire is hosted by Democracies Online - http://dowire.org.

Event with a CD for Just Harvest anf music

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Pittsburgh Live Music <dont-reply@grou.ps>

Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 11:34:39 -0500

To: <Mark@Rauterkus.com>

Subject: New Event

RadioFreeTunes has added a new event, details are below:

Come out for an evening of Americana Folk Music on Saturday Oct 2 and get free copy of the Americana Dreams CD
 
"Americana Dreams" CD Release Party
 with
Mike Stout and the NewLanders
October 2, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Youth Preservationists
110 East 8th Avenue
Homestead, Pa. 15210

Tickets are $20 and include a Free copy of the CD.
Call Mike at 412-461-5650 or email him at mikestout619@comcast.net for Tickets

Proceeds will benefit Just Harvest   www.justharvest.org

Enjoy an evening of delicious Americana Folk music with sound of the fiddle, dulcimer, mandolin, guitar and warm harmonies in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger

Enjoy an evening of delicious Americana Folk music with sound of the fiddle, dulcimer, mandolin, guitar and warm harmonies in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger

Just Harvest is a membership organization that mobilizes the citizens of our community to work for the elimination of hunger and poverty. In partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare Just Harvest helps its low-income clients obtain food stamps. Each applicant is assisted in overcoming common hurdles in the application process.  Just Harvest is boosting the paychecks of low-income workers by providing free tax preparation assistance. In 2010, Just Harvest's tax assistance volunteers helped over 2,200 people file their taxes, getting them almost $4.5 million in refunds. Working with local officials, farmers, and neighborhood groups Just Harvest has expanded the reach of farmers' markets into low-income neighborhoods and worked to allow produce to be purchased through government benefits such as WIC. Just Harvest advocates for better more compassionate administration of welfare programs and legislative action to aid the poor.

Mike Stout  http://www.mikestoutmusic.com
Mike Stout is a socially conscious singer song-writer and community leader. He leads crusades against local and global economic injustice, rallying people with his music to take action. His sound and lyrics are influenced by his musical heroes Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Jackson Browne and Bruce Cockburn.  John Hayes of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette wrote of Mike "In the Woody Guthrie tradition, his songs reflect contemporary issues without resorting to journalism. They're more like partisan op-ed columns that grab political opponents by the throat and don't let go." Mike tells his stories from the heart about people who are affected by unemployment, social injustice, environmental hazard, or war.
 
The NewLanders   http://www.newlanders.com
The NewLanders have researched and rediscovered songs that capture the American experience.  By interweaving traditional instruments, including the Appalachian lap dulcimer, fiddle, and mandolin, with richly layered harmonies and electric guitar and bass, the NewLanders have created a contemporary sound, while honoring and preserving the inspiring stories of the past.  A NewLanders' performance includes engaging narrations and real-life accounts from the mills, mines, rivers, and fields of their home region, western Pennsylvania, as well as haunting songs and poignant stories that celebrate the enduring spirit that built our nation. "Your songs provide powerful images of our nation's heritage and raise the spirit of Pennsylvania's rich past." Mr. John M. Perzel, The Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Starts: 10/02/2010/19:30
Finishes: 10/02/2010/23:00

» To RSVP or discuss, go to http://grou.ps/pghlivemusic/calendar/event/303571

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Podcamp Pittsburgh today

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Penn State gets $88 million gift, will build ice arena

The Civic Arena is going to go to Happy Valley! Get a few of the cargo blimps and air-freight the dome there.

Penn State gets $88 million gift, will build ice arena: "Penn State today received the largest private gift in its history -- $88 million.
Penn State alumnus Terry Pegula and his wife Kim donated the funds to build a new multi-purpose hockey arena near the Bryce Jordan Center and to help establish Division I men's and women's hockey programs."

Olympic legacy company getting interest in stadium - SI.com - More Sports

Olympic
legacy company getting interest in stadium - SI.com - More Sports:
"'We're very hopeful that we're going to have a good use for the stadium,' said
Altman, a leading American urban planner and former deputy mayor of
Philadelphia."

Motocross champion is an inspiration to deaf people

Motocross champion is an inspiration to deaf people: "Motocross champion is an inspiration to deaf people"

Cheers!

A friend takes her last breath. Others cry out in vain

Morners lower their heads.

The Civic Arena is headed for demolition.
The city-Allegheny County Sports & Exhibition Authority voted unanimously this morning to proceed with steps necessary to raze the 49-year-old landmark to make way for a Penguins-led redevelopment.

The decision came despite last-ditch pleas by preservationists, led by the group Reuse the Igloo, to save the old building.

The vote occurred without any discussion from board members, prompting shouts of "Gestapo" from one member of the audience.

Mary Conturo, SEA executive director, said the agency now will start removing asbestos from the building and prepare bids for demolition, which could be ready by February.

Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10259/1088024-100.stm#ixzz0zhlul9WW

Wayne Fontana gets a new nick-name, Gestapo.

Perhaps he thought that it was time for lunch and instead of saying, "It's soup" -- they meant to say, "Gazpacho soup." That's why they were in such a rush to vote and get out of the meeting.

Of a side interest, putting a quote in the paper without attribution is hardly what I'd call good journalism. By the way, I wasn't there.

One Day on Earth -- 10-10-10 = Erik's Birthday

One Day On Earth
If you haven't heard of the One Day on Earth project, it's time you did. On October 10th (10.10.10), people in every nation of the world will be documenting a topic that matters most to them over a 1 day period to contribute to a unique film and archive. Participants that contribute 1 minute or more will receive the film for free and access to the non-commercial downloadable archive. If you're game for a cool, easy and history-making project to participate in, this is the one for you.
Join the United Nations, over 40 non-profits and many award winning cinematographers. Subscribe to the Vimeo channel and sign up to participate.

GOP may win big despite itself

By Bob Barr

Two months before the November 1994 off-year elections, I and several dozen other Republican candidates were scrambling to raise funds necessary to have a chance of unseating our Democratic incumbent opponents. Although we hoped to prevail, few if any of us really grasped what was about to happen. The gathering tsunami that would sweep the GOP to a majority in the House of Representatives for the first time in four decades on November 8th of that year, was a secret known only by then-Minority Leader Newt Gingrich and a tight-knit fraternity of associates and consultants.

President Clinton’s unpopularity in the fall of 1994 was palpable; but few prognosticators or media pundits understood the depth of the disdain with which large segments of the voting population viewed the chief executive. The economy was in far better shape than now, and although Clinton’s embrace of gun control that year, and of a large tax increase the year before, clearly had sapped his popularity, neither he nor most analysts expected he would wake up on November 9th facing a hostile House and Senate.

It was, more than anything, a tribute to the hard work and vision of Newt Gingrich that caused a seismic shift in American politics 16 years ago. It was not simply that he worked his fingers to the bone in the months leading to the election; but his untiring efforts over the decade before, that provided the horsepower that undercut 40 years of Democratic control.

In 1994, the Republican Party nationally had vision, an articulated agenda, and well-known leadership. The Democratic Party had control of a Congress that was a mile wide and an inch deep; led by a president blinded by his own hubris. It turned out to be a toxic recipe for the incumbent party.

Here we are, eight election cycles later, and the respected Cook Political Report is predicting another major political shift similar to that of ‘94. In his latest crystal ball gaze, Charlie Cook foresees a 40-seat shift in the House (enough for a GOP majority) and a possible nine-seat dislocation in the Senate (which would change the majority there, too). Yet, few politically-knowledgeable Americans could articulate anything resembling a Republican agenda, vision or leadership; they couldn’t, because there simply is no national GOP vision, agenda or leadership.

This time, it is the party in power that is doing it all on its own; the master of its own looming demise. Fair or not, the Democratic Party nationally is being tarred with the broad brush that is the continuing bad economy. The sour mood infecting the electorate is made bitterer still by the health care legislation championed by a hubris-infected president pushing against a citizenry clearly not on the same page.

And while the Tea Party movement has failed thus far to realize the potential attributed to it a year ago, it clearly reflects very broad-based voter dissatisfaction. Already, several Republican candidates who would not likely on their own be poised to win against Democratic incumbents, have successfully tapped into that sense of general unease to boost their poll numbers. Just ask Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Unlike 1994, when the Democrats were caught napping, this time they see it coming already. Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly is strong-arming her colleagues in safe districts to dig deep into their war chests to help more vulnerable members. Attack ads are appearing early and often. In another obvious effort to stanch the growing hemorrhage, the weakest and most vulnerable Democratic incumbents already are being cut loose.

Whether all this will enable Pelosi and Reid to cling to small majorities in their respective bodies remains an open question; there are, after all, eight weeks remaining before Election Day. But right now, despite themselves, the Republicans may reap what the Democrats have sown; and with very little effort.

South Side Pops to meet tonight

I don't have the lawn mower, nor the attraction to splash parks, nor the office cubical, nor.....

Thanks Mike for sending this pointer:

Yes, it's been one year since our first gathering in September of 2009 at The Intermission Lounge. Hope to see all of you there to kick off our second year, tonight, Wed, Sept 15. Welcome to all the new dads -- hope that you'll join us.

Civic Arena's future could be known by Thursday

Civic Arena's future could be known by Thursday: "Civic Arena's future"

Bike Polo.

RenewPittsburgh - Support Youth Football in Homewood!

RenewPittsburgh is sponsoring an on-line fundraiser during September to support the Homewood Community Sports Youth Football program!  You may have heard that there was a tragic triple shooting outside of the team's home opener last month. 

Please consider sponsoring a player for $25 each, and 100% of the proceeds of the fundraiser will help take care of the equipment needs, purchase gift cards for players, and support additional security at future games. Please consider helping us reach our goal of raising $2,500 for the team, and we would greatly appreciate your support.

You can donate to support the team by clicking on the donation button below.

We also have featured a donation thermometer on the RenewPittsburgh homepage, to track the progress toward our goal.  

We think it is critical that we show these kids and coaches that there is City-wide support for what they are trying to accomplish. Many of us have witnessed firsthand the great work that these players and coaches are doing in the Homewood community. For many of these kids, the football team provides a unique outlet for learning the virtues of teamwork and discipline.

Thanks very much for your invaluable support and for believing in Pittsburgh.  Please see below for additional upcoming volunteer opportunities in September and October in a local neighborhood. 
 
Best regards,

Kevin Acklin
Executive Director

Duquesne president outlines university's commitments

Duquesne president outlines university's commitments: "He talked about striving for programmatic excellence. He made reference to his decision to discontinue men's swimming, golf, wrestling and baseball programs.
'Sometimes when excellence is genuinely impossible, ending a program is the honest answer,' he said. 'We faced this directly last year in athletics.'"

I would love to hear a tape of this interview, in full. Anyone got that? Can it be made into a P-G blog posting (full transcript) or else even a P-G podcast?

Amen to this: Complaints spur change in Brookline bus route

Wow. Real listening and adjustments. Imagine that. Amen!

Complaints spur change in Brookline bus route: "Complaints spur change in Brookline bus route"

Now on to those other bottlenecks.

Penguins open training camp to public

This article was from years ago. The Pens wanted a practice ice and it was NOT yet built. But, we already have the Civic Arena. And, we used to have the indoor rink on the South Side that crashed due to lack of proper management.

Penguins open training camp to public: "The Penguins are opening their first two days of training camp practices, Sept. 18 and 19, to the public as the team skates together at Consol Energy Center for the first time.
There will be open seating and no charge for admission. Vendors and features will be available at the new arena.
The three main gates will open at 8:45 each morning, with practice beginning at 9 and running until 1:30 p.m. There will be a scrimmage each day at 10 a.m."

Statement by Apple on App Store Review Guidelines

Statement by Apple on App Store Review Guidelines: "In particular, we are relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps, as long as the resulting apps do not download any code. This should give developers the flexibility they want, while preserving the security we need."

Huge move.

Rolling, keep on rolling.

Principal rides bike for 18 hours to honor students: "His motivations were simple: to show his appreciation 'for all of the hard work that Woodland Hills students have done in the past year' and to 'raise awareness' for the Tour du District fundraiser, a bike ride scheduled for Oct. 2 and sponsored by the Woodland Hills Foundation."

Fw: [DW] Civic Commons - Sharing Technology for the Public Good

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Clift <clift@e-democracy.org>
Date: Thu, 9 Sep 2010 08:04:25
To: newswire<newswire@groups.dowire.org>; <munigov@googlegroups.com>; <locallabs@forums.e-democracy.org>; sunlightlabs<sunlightlabs@googlegroups.com>
Reply-To: clift@publicus.net
Subject: [DW] Civic Commons - Sharing Technology for the Public Good

This is a really big deal - for years I've talked about how it is
impossible for one local government to justify subsidizing the
technology needs of other governments. Bundling up, sharing, and
supporting code just can't be paid solely by one jurisdiction's
taxpayers. The Civic Commons has the potential to grease the wheel and
allow some real sharing. Key is to find resources and partners to
bolster the support for sharing and to recognize that "civic code"
used by a government in one place, might be used by a non-profit in
another, etc. I think "e-democracy/e-participation" tools for example
could benefit strongly from these efforts.

One thing we are contributing to this "space," working with OpenPlans
on (a lead Civic Commons partner) is a simple online group for locally
minded technologists - those in government, citizen geeks, etc. - if
you code, design, etc. join up: http://e-democracy.org/locallabs

Steven Clift
E-Democracy.org

P.S. In Europe they have - http://www.osor.eu - "The Open Source
Observatory and Repository for European public administrations (OSOR)
is a platform for exchanging information, experiences and FLOSS-based
code for use in public administrations." Hey, time to meet.


See:
http://civiccommons.com/about/

About

In the face of budget crises, government entities at every level must
cut costs and find efficiencies. An enormous opportunity lies in their
IT infrastructure — the technology they require to provide their
citizens essential services. For the most part, each city, county,
state, agency and office builds or buys their technology solutions
independently, creating huge redundancies in civic software and
wasting millions of tax-payer dollars. They should be able to work
together. An independent non-profit organization, Civic Commons will
help these institutions share code and best practices, reform
procurement practices, and learn to function not only as a provider of
services but as a platform to which an ecosystem of industry can add
value for government and its citizens.

Civic Commons is a collaboration between many organizations, including:

Code for America, OpenPlans

[E-Democracy.org is signing on as a supporter as well - Steve]

What We Do
Civic Commons is just starting as an organization, however, we are
committed to the following:

* Facilitating the sharing of code among government entities, with
an eye towards developing an "Open Civic Stack"
* Connecting governments throughout all phases of technology
procurement, and building systems for more transparent & informed
technology choices
* Developing and supporting Open Data and Open Standards as
foundations of an "Open Civic API"
* Spreading government technology best practices
* Building a community of "civic hackers" and give them clear
opportunities to assist in the development of government technology

Values & Principles

The following principles guide the development of Civic Commons' activities:

* Be Agile. While being inclusive and open, retain the ability to
move quickly and prove ideas through actions
* Be a Connector
* Never get in the way. For efforts that are already successfully
under way, Civic Commons' role is to be an information exchange, to
provide discoverability, and to provide advice where needed; not to
set up barriers or process requirements


More:
http://codeforamerica.org/2010/09/08/announcing-civic-commons/

Sep 8th, 2010
Announcing Civic Commons
by Jennifer Pahlka
Jennifer Pahlka

Today we are here at the Gov 2.0 Summit in Washington DC for the
exciting announcement of the Code for America project for DC. The
project is called Civic Commons, and it's a way to help governments
share software they have developed, and thereby reduce IT costs,
foster collaboration, and spur innovation.

...

Finally Bryan got a gleam in his eye and said, "You know, DC doesn't
need another cool software project. What we need is a way to share
what we have with other cities, and for them to be able to share what
they build with us." When Tim suggested that the Code for America
Fellows assigned to DC could focus on solving this bigger problem,
Bryan jumped at the chance.

....



Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
  Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.Org
  Follow me - http://twitter.com/democracy
  New Tel: +1.612.234.7072

-----------------------------------------
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Replies go to members of Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire with all posts on this topic here:
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For digest version or to leave Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire,
email newswire@groups.dowire.org
with "digest on" or "unsubscribe" in the *subject*.

Newswire - Steven Clift's Democracies Online Newswire is hosted by Democracies Online - http://dowire.org.

Fw: Reminder: Danielle Miraglia in Friendship September 19

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Friendship House Concerts <friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2010 22:20:26
To: altesj<altesj@yahoo.com>
Subject: Reminder: Danielle Miraglia in Friendship September 19

Check out this Virtual Flyer Danielle made for our concert

http://www.trespassmusic.org/miragliapittsburgh

Friendship House Concerts is proud to present

Danielle Miraglia

Sunday, September 19

4:00 PM

A strong steady thumb on an old Gibson guitar is the driving force
behind Danielle Miraglia's delta blues influenced guitar style. Add a
raw, powerful, whiskey tinged voice and one might be tempted to label
her a blues artist. But while Miraglia's style pays homage to these
blues traditions, her classic rock verve, catchy melodies and eclectic
array of song subjects that range from deeply personal to socially
relevant give it an original twist that is all her own. A fresh sound
along with a sharp wit and a captivating stage presence is gaining her
fans all over the map. "A heart-on-sleeve storyteller with an innate
sense for melody, her voice bends and sinks and floats in all the
right places, with a raspy, whiskey bottle scrape most reminiscent of
Lucinda Williams." - Dissolver Magazine

Her songs range from heartfelt as in "Moment by Moment" a gospel-like
promise to live in the present, to thought-provoking as in "You Don't
Know Nothin'" which Jon Sobel of Blogcritics.com describes as "One of
the best new folk songs I've heard in years. Its depiction and
dissection of human misunderstanding is both sharp and tender. All you
need to know about what drives people apart and what draws them
together can be witnessed in a few hours spent in a bar. Many of us
feel something along those lines, but Danielle Miraglia is that rare
songwriter who can put it into words."

The continually growing fan-base and attention she has received in a
short time is a clear testament to her talent and growth as a writer
and performer. With poignant themes that get under the listener's
skin, she leaves music fans and critics alike yearning for more.

Check out Danielle & her music at: http://www.daniellem.com

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

Suggested donation: $10.00. All proceeds go to the performer.
After the concert, there will be a pot luck dinner. Please bring an
entree, an hors d'oeuvre, a salad, a side dish, or dessert to share.

Upcoming events of interest:

Sept 19, Danielle Miraglia http://www.daniellem.com/ at Jim and
LLouise's friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Sept 22, Ronny Cox http://www.ronnycox.com at Cefalo's in Carnegie
tombreiding@verizon.net
Sept 25, Joe Crookston www.joecrookston at Song Space at First
Unitarian Church songspace.firstuu@yahoo.com
Sept 26, Craig Bickhardt http://www.craigbickhardt.com at Cindy and
Rick's cah329a@gmail.com
Sept 29, Bill Staines http://www.acousticmusic.com/staines at Bill &
Judy Locke's lockewn@comcast.net
Oct 3, Matt Brown http://www.brownsdream.us at Curt & Annie's
Oct 24, Zoe Mulford http://www.zoemulford.com/ at Jim and LLouise's
friendshiphouseconcerts@gmail.com
Oct 24, Phil Cooper & Susan Urban (February Sky)
http://www.februarysky.com at Curt and Annie's
Nov 15, Bryan Bowers at Cindy & Rick's
Dec 4, Dwight Diller @ Rick & Cindy's

Los Angeles school named after Al Gore - latimes.com

Los
Angeles school named after Al Gore - latimes.com: "The
$75.5-million Carson-Gore Academy of Environmental Sciences will open Sept. 13
for about 675 students."

Mini Polo

This summer, with 2010 Summer Dreamers, we did much of the same thing as mini polo movie above. But, we didn't have the goal set-up as we should have. We used simple cones.

I'm working on our audio visual show still.

Christchurch Quake Map

Holly shit.

Christchurch Quake Map: "Christchurch Quake Map"

That's not an earthquake. It is a series of serious shakes and quakes.

Blogger on the Earthquake in New Zealand. Interesting read.

Public Address | Southerly: "Refugee Status | Sep 08, 2010 22:28
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake, as we discovered on Saturday morning, sounds rather like a thousand empty wheelie bins being trundled over cobble-stones.
We'd had difficulty getting our three-year-old son to sleep the night before. Several books (one novel-length) had been read aloud by my wife; soporific ukulele music had been played until my fingers had cramp; there'd been sobbing and tears of frustration (mostly from me). Eventually, around midnight, our household slipped into a fitful slumber.
I suspect, therefore, that we were more traumatized than most to be awoken at 4.35 am. The heaving and plunging of the floor reminded me of being in a storm at sea. It's a sensation that I don't much enjoy in a boat; I absolutely loathe it on dry land.
The movement was so violent that my wife had some difficultly picking up our son. We huddled in the doorway in total darkness as pictures fell from our walls and crockery smashed in the kitchen. A series of aftershocks kept us in the doorway for an hour."

DePaul grads move into classes with hearing children

DePaul grads move into classes with hearing children: "Madison Miller of Grove City was born with moderate to severe hearing loss, but wore hearing aids from the age of 6 months, so she had some hearing ability.
But then her hearing worsened when she was about 3 1/2 or 4, with no definite cause identified, and her otolaryngologist, David Chi, recommended she get cochlear implants. She got her right ear done at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC at age 5 and then waited, while still wearing a hearing aid in the left ear, to get the other cochlear implant a year later."

DePaul rocks!

PaWater Polo

PaWater Polo: "PaWater Polo: Welcome"

Open data, democracy and public sector reform

Open data, democracy and public sector reform: "This is an online report based on an MSc Dissertation at the Oxford Internet Institute by Tim Davies submitted to the University of Oxford, July 2010. It is shared using the Digress.it platform which allows for paragraph level commenting and hyperlinking to elements of the document.
A downloadable PDF copy of the report is available here.
The original research, underlying data, and further work has been blogged in detail on the Open Data Impacts blog."

M2Z's Free, Wireless Nationwide Broadband Plan Killed: Thank the FCC | Fast Company

Free wireless with a coast to coast coverage sacked for USA thanks to some paper pushers.

M2Z's Free, Wireless Nationwide Broadband Plan Killed: Thank the FCC | Fast Company: "Despite a seemingly stout business plan, and all the financial, social, and educational benefits it would bring, the FCC's just turned down M2Z's application for a coast-to-coast free wireless broadband system.
The FCC did not elaborate on why it turned down a plan from a new company called M2Z which would've created a U.S.-wide, free wireless broadband network. M2Z's trick was going to be to use a spare bit of the radio spectrum, the 2GHz 'AWS-3' band, and earn itself cash by embedding ads in its free Net service as well as licensing out part of the spectrum it would then be controlling for other commercial uses. The entire nationwide system could've been up and running inside 10 years, and 5% of M2Z's revenues would've gone straight to the Treasury."

New Song: My Country...

http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8630731

The song is a bit PG-13-ish. But it has a beat and some strong messages.

Lyrics
Now tell me again how this country is the land of the free and the home of the brave
You can't really believe that what you see now is the reason so many brave men gave
Teacher used to say we had the Bill of Rights
I think they took our rights and sent us the bill
Well I don't know about you my friend but I think I've had my fill
They been walking on me for my whole life I think it's finally time to draw the line
You can tell old John Cougar Mellencamp he can stick his song where the sun don't shine
My country my ass- This is not the land I learned about in class
My country my ass- That freedom justice stuff is all in the past
Got a checkpoint up the road ahead better pull out your ID
And your taxes just went up again gotta cough up some more money
Be careful what you're saying when you're on the phone you never know who might be listening in
They got cameras watching everywhere you go so they know just where you been
You know you better think about the books you read or your name might go on a list
Don't take too many pictures now, or they'll think you're a terrorist
They're watching you every time you turn around and they don't like what they see
You gotta be f*** ing kidding me if you think this country's free
My country my ass- This is not the land I learned about in class
My country my ass- That freedom justice stuff is all in the past
Well the banks messed up so they took money from us and gave a zillion dollar bonus
And they didn't give a damn what we had to say I swear to God they think they own us
But when they say "bend over" and you say "yes sir" and then you vote for them again
If you're the kind of people who fought our wars tell me how'd we ever win?
They been walking on us for far too long and don't you think it's time to draw the line?
Why don't you tell those jerks in Washington to stick their laws where the sun don't shine
My country my ass- This is not the land I learned about in class
My country my ass- That freedom justice stuff is all in the past
They say America love it or leave it
Well I loved it, and it left me

Hampton may hire teachers to cover unexpected student increase

More people departing the city?

Hampton may hire teachers to cover unexpected student increase

Hampton is seeing growth at the middle school grades -- about when the families that can depart the city do so.

Playing "dodgeball" in the heavens.

We're not even talking about last night's electrical storm that blew into Pittsburgh. This is different.

Asteroid Double Whammy Near Earth Wednesday Wired Science Wired.com: "Two small asteroids will come within moon distance of Earth Wednesday.
The first, asteroid 2010 RX30, will come within 154,100 miles of Earth — about 60 percent of the Earth-moon distance — at 5:51 a.m. EDT (1251 UT). This asteroid is estimated to be about 42 feet across.
The second, 2010 RF12, will come almost 12 hours later, at 5:12 p.m. EDT (0012 UT Thursday). It will swing by Earth at just 20 percent the Earth-moon distance, or 47,845 miles. 2010 RF12 is even smaller, only about 23 feet across."

The fact that they’re scheduled to arrive so close to each other is purely a cosmic coincidence.

Random Thoughts on Why a student would Play Water Polo

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=18456&uid=128799118436#!/topic.php?uid=128799118436&topic=18456

Students play and engage in water polo for many reasons.

Water Polo is a great activity for you because:

Water polo is an international sport. Schools with an international focus should sponsor, support and excel at sports played on an international stage.

Water polo is the oldest team sport in the Olympics. Water polo has a rich history that spans the globe. In some parts of the world, water polo is more popular than the NBA is in the USA.

Water polo players are welcomed to join with locals when traveling abroad.

Water polo is an emerging sport in the region and in the city. Be special.

Water polo is not PIAA nor WPIAL sponsored, so its operation is directed by the coaches association. Coaches everywhere work with a cooperative spirit to help the players and teams have great experiences.

Water polo is a sport for developing aquatic fitness that can lead to lifeguarding jobs and later lifeguard competitions as even help in open water swimming.

Water polo is often a co-ed sport with joint practices that accommodate both boys and girls.

Water polo is team sport and balances well next to swimming, more of an individual sport.

Water polo is a splendid conditioning activity for all sorts of activities.

Water polo is a perfect fitness builder for competitive swimming.

Playing water polo helps swimmers build stamina and get into pool earlier for a more successful scholastic swim season from last November to early March.

Water polo games are filled with player substitutions so newer and less conditioned players can easily wave themselves out of the game when desired. Taking a break on the bench feels good. Jumping back into the action, refreshed, is rewarding.

Water polo is played at many colleges and universities. Playing water polo in younger years gives students an edge at college with an additional group of 50 or so friends. Playing water polo as a teen would allow you to instantly contribute to a collegiate water polo team squad.

Water polo is a lifelong game. College aged athletes can play with those in high school and middle school. Those who graduated from college decades ago can even jump in to play with younger athletes. Both examples were true in the summer of 2010 as Max, a college player in Connecticut practiced with our squad to stay in shape and sharpen his skills. Meanwhile, at the team’s game at IUP in August, Jay, a '92 high school grad played with our community squad.

As we grow community water polo in Pittsburgh, we’ll be able to get adults into the action at different times. So one day, when in your 20s or 30s, you’ll be able to join a water polo league for fun, fitness and another set of friends.

With water polo, you’ll be able to stay connected to your friends in the years to come, playing an alumni game against the younger students.

Play water polo now so you can coach or officiate water polo wherever you go in the future, helping other kids learn sports in a safe environment – perhaps coaching your own son or daughter’s team and practices. Gain the skills and experiences that will allow you to join an adult recreational league for water polo, or a masters swim league, or an underwater hockey league.

Water polo and swim training often includes circuit workouts, a mix of sweat and social time.

Warm-ups and cool-downs can be completed without waiting around for others to catch up.

In swimming and water polo practice, everyone participates, not just the starters. Same too for the meets and games, mostly.

Coaches' assessments are clear and easily understood.

Whatever your sport or event - whether you're a jumper, cyclist, runner, ball player, skater, swimmer, or a participant in racket sports, you'll improve your strength, mobility and stamina through water polo and its training plan. As a result, you will move much more powerfully in your sport and between classes in the hallways.

The full training plan for water polo is just coming along. Join now before the squad gets really strong.

Water polo is not expensive here. Meanwhile, players at North Allegheny have an $800 per season charge to be a part of their water polo team. Go figure.

Water polo helps to improve your ability to tolerate increasing levels of muscular fatigue.

Get more hang out time with assistant coaches, Mr. Pitch and Ms. Borza.

Enhance your overall body strength, including the strength and resiliency of muscles, tendons, and ligaments, the integrity of your joints, and the strength and density of your supporting bone structures (strength improvement). Chlorine helps makes your teeth white.

Improve your movement skill and body awareness. You'll perform exercises that utilize body weight as the primary form of resistance.

Water polo is played the length of the pool, so there is a shallow end too.

Athletes in a number of sports have been able to drop into water polo practices and games to boost fitness and give bodies a break from the constant stress of gravity.

Heighten body awareness, upgrade coordination, reduce body-fat levels, improve self esteem, sleep better at night.

Water polo experiences and play can help you to improved performances during competition of other sports.

For swimmers an polo players, the ideal time to initiate a resistance training program is always today and seldom tomorrow.

Water polo makes for an excellent way to simultaneously build strength and stamina.

Free weights and instructions on how to make various exercises and lifts in safe and effective ways are part of the overall focus for the coach and team -- especially for beginners.

We train the core because we use it -- and all the other parts of our bodies.

With water polo, we develop strength and mobility in the knee and hip joints, important for high-speed movement on land and kicking in water, plus walking when you are 80-years old.

Water polo develops stability and strength in the upper trunk, abdominal, and pelvic regions. This strength that is necessary to control torso movements during the running stride and when you strike a ball or puck in other sports.

Water polo and swimming increases upper-body strength. Control hip, trunk, and shoulder movements as you move quickly. Water polo promotes balance between the upper and lower body.

People in sports and education from around the city, region, state and world care about the advancement of the water polo program at our school, and they are watching the progress.

The rivals for the water polo team include a prep school in New Jersey, schools in central and eastern PA, and other top schools in the county. With water polo and swimming, we are eager to compete with the best.

Many of the best students in the school are swimmers and enjoy water polo too.

Going to high school state tournament in water polo in a year or two is a strong possibility given the talent of some of our key and experienced players.

Water polo’s future travel with the community team is sure to include a trip to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Become strong in the water when young and healthy as swim pools are used in other programs for rehab and jump training. Big time college basketball, volleyball and track programs hold jump training practices in swim pools -- and the one’s that can’t swim well wear life-jackets.

The whole-body involvement of water polo increases your cardio -- even when game-times are as short as 12-minute halfs. Short games are plenty long enough. Short games feel long and they give time for more games plus other things in life.

With aquatics, swimming, water polo, the training has a cumulative effect over an extended period of time. After weeks, months and years, you’ll notice appreciable gains. Best of all, you'll always be stimulated with new challenges and experiences that will grow to match your competitive efforts.

Getting a glowing job or scholarship reference from your former water polo coach is impressive. It is a snap to use the internet to find Coach Mark.

Anyone can join the Facebook group. Search for Pittsburgh Schenley Water Polo.

The video library for water polo and swimming is extensive. With these sports you can improve and learn while at your computer keyboard.

With water polo, you are under no obligation to continue as the activity relies upon drop-in participation.

Swimming in the summer is great when it is hot.

The fall water polo season of games is super short.

Feel free to call Coach Mark Rauterkus, 412 98 3432. Mark@Rauterkus.com

A dog day afternoon at Dormont Pool

Here we go again. More coverage and buzz about how we treat our animals than how we treat our own kids.

A dog day afternoon at Dormont Pool: "A dog day afternoon at Dormont Pool"

Fish and sharks at the Pgh Zoo and Aquarium has a much nicer pool to swim in than the swimmers. I frown that they build a multi-million dollar facility for them to swim in -- and we still have a broken down capital campaign for aquatic facilities for humans.

Sure, they are going to put in an 8 lane pool at Bethal Park H.S. Mt. Lebo gets a remake of its outdoor pool. The leaks and threat of being closed has passed for Dormont itself. Some gains have been made. Pine Richland might get something grand to make waves about?

Meanwhile, the Downtown YMCA pool, now owned by Point Park is going to be a food court. The swim pool at South Vo Tech is filled with cement. The Schenley High School pool is with mothballs.

The new spray parks being built by Citiparks are also fine for dogs and pets -- but hardly for teaching swimming for kids. So, they do not show up as any gain in my book.

Sandcastle was nice yesterday.

Fw: SSSNA E-Blast 9/6 - South Side Park Trail Building - Sept 18th

From: South Side Slopes Neighborhood Association <sssnapgh@gmail.com>

 

9/18 - Trail building in South Side Park

We have been offered technical assistance to rebuild/refurbish a trail in south side park in advance of StepTrek and need your help.

Time: From 9AM -1 PM  Come whenever you can for as long as you can... Its not necessary to stay the whole time.

Place : Meet and Bandi Schaum field off of Mission Street.

Stay posted for more details, but keep this date as we need as many volunteers as possible.  Email info@southsideslopes.org with any questions.

10/10 - StepTrek 2010

Join us on Sunday, October 10th for our 10th annual StepTrek.  Registration is now open. 

More details and a link to registration are on http://www.southsideslopes.org/

Anyone Interested in volunteering for StepTrek, contact Brian Oswald at  brian.oswald@southsideslopes.org

Help with the wiki to give pointers to congressional races

Josh Shpayher launched a wiki that tracks governmental use of social media - http://www.govsm.com/

He is seeking volunteers to help collect data with links to congressional campaign facebook pages, twitter pages, etc. The page for the US House campaigns has more than 800 entries. http://www.govsm.com/w/House_Campaigns

Never enough hours in the class day

Never enough hours in the class day: "What are schools doing to make the best use of the time they have now?"

I am all in favor of a longer school day if it begins at 6 am with a dip into the swimming pool. And, I want to see the students after the final bell rings for another swim in the pool, say from 4 pm to 5:30 pm.

Make use of the Saturday time too.

So, in my book, schools are NOT making the best use of time from my vantage point. And, I'm not happy about it and I'm trying to get this fixed as soon as possible.

Police investigate Brookline stabbing

Police investigate Brookline stabbing: "An emergency dispatch supervisor said a man was stabbed at about 3 a.m. somewhere in Brookline then the victim was driven for unknown reasons to the South Side."

The work of the tooth fairy brings people to the South Side.

Tiger Water Polo invites its players to the NA water polo tournament

This coming weekend, Friday and Saturday, North Allegheny will be hosting the Tiger Classic. This is a high school water polo tournament featuring our NA boys and girls teams and a host of other high school teams from across the state of Pennsylvania. I spoke to the kids about it at practice yesterday. If your schedule permits, it would be great for you and your young athletes to come see water polo played at a very fast and high level. It’s a nice way too for the kids to picture themselves several years down the road, perhaps playing high school water polo. We tend to get good attendance from the Tiger Water Polo kids and they often group together to watch the games. It’s a lot of fun. In addition, seeing water polo at this level is a great learning experience for the kids.

There will be more details to come this week. Hope you can make it. I’ll send out the schedule of NA’s games when I get it this week.

Municipal Open Gov Framework - Work in Progress

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Municipal Open Gov Framework - Work in Progress

View more presentations from Jury Konga.

EXCELSIOR SPORTS: Coordinative Specificity: Triangulating On The Target III

EXCELSIOR SPORTS: Coordinative Specificity: Triangulating On The Target III: "“Power is nothing without control.”
— Pirelli Tyre"

Pittsburgh Public School Football -- week 1 action

So, Langley won, and the others from the city that played, lost. Langley won, 8-0 over Carlynton Cougars, former home to Bill Cowher.

Allderdice lost to Central Valley High School with a score of 35 to nil.

Brasher lost to Knock, at Cupples, 56-7.

Carrick, lost 40-0 to Catholic school, Seton-LaSalle.

Oliver, City League's defending runner-ups, lost to Shady Side Academy, 35-0.

Perry went to its savage neighbors, North Hills, and lost 28-7. (Indian joke)

Schenley, City League's defending champions, went to the beautiful suburb of Butler, Herman, Pa, home of Summit Academy, a 'reform school of sorts,' and lost 34-8. Summit Academy is at the site of a former school of mine, St. Fidelis. This game was played on Saturday afternoon.

Peabody did not play a game but had practice today on the field next to the school. Westinghouse didn't play a game this weekend either. Both Peabody and Westinghouse are closing after this year. Well, Westinghouse might have a team next year but it will be grade 6 to 12, single gender academy Westinghouse.

Go Mustangs! (Hint: The Mustangs are from Langley.)

Two of the games (Allderdice and Perry) were part of the recent Fedko football coverage. Both highlight clips had big plays with the city teams fumbling.

You do the math.

Bridge looks like an optical illusion.. #earthquake on Twitpic

Bridge looks like an optical illusion.. #earthquake on Twitpic: "Bridge looks like an optical illusion"

Johnny Howard ousted from Frogtown Football - Page 1 - News - Minneapolis - City Pages

Johnny Howard ousted from Frogtown Football - Page 1 - News - Minneapolis - City Pages: "Twenty years ago, the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul was a very different place than it is today. Thinly disguised brothels and crack dens brought down the value of entire blocks. Gangs patrolled the streets, charging kids a toll to walk on sidewalks they claimed as their turf, remembers Tony Schmitz, former editor of the Frogtown Times Newspaper.
'That was kind of the height of the crack epidemic around here,' says Schmitz. 'Your kid's school bus would show up and there'd be kids selling crack on the corner.'
Howard was among the loudest voices for change. He organized the Thomas-Dale Block Club, an aggressive version of a neighborhood watch program. Hundreds of community members protested the known brothels and crack houses until the city could no longer ignore them.
'That was really a critical time for how this neighborhood was going to go,' says Schmitz, an original member of the block club. 'It finally got to the point where we could go to the cops and say we need more policing there, and they would listen.'
It was Howard's idea to create a place for kids to go after school. He merged two dwindling community football teams into one program, which he called the Frogtown Football program. He poured thousands of dollars of his own money into equipment and jerseys.
The program was an immediate draw to kids around the neighborhood. Within the first few years, more than 150 kids played for Frogtown Football. For many who joined, playing football with Howard after school was an alternative to the streets, says District 7 Planning Council executive director Tait Danielson-Castillo.

Soccer Fields and Community Pressure

A case story from another community about soccer fields.

By Boa Lee,



Community Outreach and Information Leader, Greater Frogtown Neighbors Forum


A post appeared on the Minneapolis citywide issues forum in mid-March 2009. The poster, Jay Clark, the director of the Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing and a well-known community organizer in the North Minneapolis and Hmong communities, told forum members about a recent Minneapolis Park Board meeting. At that meeting, Clark wrote, Latino kids and their parents were separated from the wider audience – and eventually removed from the premises – without having been given a fair opportunity to air their concerns. The Latino community members had attended the meeting to advocate for soccer fields at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis; the meeting was taking place in another part of the city. Even before attending the park board meeting, the Latinos who were extracted from the meeting – with Clark’s help – had began a large awareness campaign to put pressure on the park board and city leaders to create soccer fields for the Latino kids already playing soccer in Powderhorn. The group had also been distributing hundreds of postcards to residents, asking the residents to send the notice of support to decision-makers like the mayor of Minneapolis.






Soccer at Powderhorn - Photo by Gayla Ellis for Powderhorn 365Meeting organizers saw Clark’s post and one park commissioner responded the next day, explaining that park commissioners were aware of the group’s campaign to get the soccer fields. Neighbors responded to the topic.


My mid-April 2009, the topic had moved to the Powderhorn Neighbors Forum, where dozens more posts from residents both in support of and against the soccer fields shared their thoughts. One Latino teen who played soccer at Powderhorn logged on to the forum using Clark’s name (but signing his own at the end of post). The teen invited neighbors to come watch a game. By this time, the issue was also receiving wide media attention and several neighborhood newspapers picked up the story and/or published Letters to the Editor written by the Latino teens asking for the soccer fields.


The best success indicator of the community’s campaign to get the soccer fields was not necessarily that the soccer fields actually came to be or even that a public official responded to Clark’s original post; rather, it was the ability to reach many more people – neighbors – through the forum and garnering a wider and more diverse base of supporters that Clark would later note in an interview with me as the most positive part of the project. Clark said he has used the forum to help highlight other campaigns – for example a campaign spearheaded by Hmong teens to get more Hmong-speaking officers to work the day shift in North Minneapolis – and intends to continue using the E-Democracy forums as another tool in his community organizer’s toolbox.


While community organizing is not E-Democracy’s direct mission, the organization’s desire to increase civic engagement by providing an online space for neighbors to meet and discuss issues lends well to also aiding in, or perhaps inciting, organizing work. Giving neighbors and organizers a venue in which to share information can complement traditional community organizing. At the same time, this raises the question of how E-Democracy might enhance community organizing and social change in the 21st century.


Lessons Applied in Frogtown


In June 2010, I seeded a topic asking the Greater Frogtown Neighbors Forum members where they got their hyper-local (neighborhood) news. No one responded to that thread. But one person did start a new related thread that same day in response, stating that Frogtown was at a disadvantage by not having a dedicated newspaper and asking for creative ideas to get community news distributed to neighbors. The following day and just eight posts later (the thread ballooned to 19 posts), Tony Schmitz – a Frogtown resident and the former owner of the now defunct Frogtown Times newspaper – offered to take the online discussion offline. Schmitz offered to host a brainstorming session at his house.


Seven days after the thread started, Tony and two other residents (one of whom was Tony’s wife), Mary Turck from the Twin Cities Daily Planet (an online news site) and I discussed the idea of starting a Frogtown neighborhood newspaper. By the time the meeting ended, those in attendance had each volunteered to do more research or outreach about the idea. The neighbors become their own community organizers.


The two stories shared above represent the convergence of new technologies with old organizing models. What we know of traditional community organizing is that results are met when a group of people can come together to push for a common benefit. To build a foundation of support requires outreach, strategic planning and, oftentimes, good timing. Organizers will need to determine whether and when E-Democracy is the proper venue in which to share information and receive input. As community organizing takes greater advantage of social media and the Internet, adding a new tool like posting on the E-Democracy online forums can become part of the strategic outreach method that capitalizes on changing technology and a growing and attentive audience.


Editor’s Note: The soccer field story is ongoing with some Powderhorn Park changes and a permanent artificial turf field being built in next door in the Phillips neighborhood (after making this post, I received a telephone call from an elected official crediting in large part the campaign described above even if the permanent field will be in a nearby park).

Fw: Hey Southside dads (and moms too!), I need your help please

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Ted Williams <twilliams@dymun.com>

Date: Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:54:59 -0400

To: <kautzabc@upmc.edu>; <donnenbergad@upmc.edu>; <patrickfilip@gmail.com>; <steve@gototheworks.com>; <choffman@da.allegheny.pa.us>; <nikiivanov@hotmail.com>; <drewhine@hotmail.com>; <argentursa@hotmail.com>; <Dan@cwpress.com>; <pete@coachstobl.com>; <cdinunzio@medline.com>; <john@winnets.com>; <randy.tracht@gmail.com>; <peter@margittai.com>; <gquinlan@citytheatrecompany.org>; <jeff@hotmetalbridge.com>; <douglas@city-net.com>; <richard@richardkelly.com>; <bill.murphy@princeton1.com>; <alang@oxforddevelopment.com>; <mikehealey@city-net.com>; <mark@rauterkus.com>; <carmon@carmon.net>; <rnecciai1@pghboe.net>; <chawk07@gmail.com>; <jigims1@pghboe.net>; <underiner@verizon.net>; <weavej1@comcast.net>; <dpilarski1@pghboe.net>; <mvarlotta1@pghboe.net>; <kylel@xactix.com>; <sanpitt@msn.com>

Cc: <lawforkids@aol.com>; Griffin, Deborah<griffindl@upmc.edu>

Subject: Hey Southside dads (and moms too!), I need your help please

The Ad Agency where I work, Dymun + Co, is the agency for the Pittsburgh Promise.
We have a meeting coming up next Thurs (sept 9th) and we are looking to get some
Input from PPS students about the Promise.

This is the question we would like as many Pittsburgh Public School students as possible to answer:
 
IF EVERY PITTSBURGH KID HAD THE CHANCE TO LIVE UP TO THEIR POTENTIAL, WHAT WOULD PITTSBURGH BE LIKE?

If you would please pass along their response and their First Name, Age, Grade and School.
If I could have your responses by tues or wd of next week, that would be AWESOME and a huge
Help to the Pittsburgh Promise.

Also please pass along the above request to any other parents that might able to help and have
Their kids contribute.

Thank you in advance for your help.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thanks so much!

---ted williams




--------------------------------------

Ted Williams
Art Director


The Waterfront Building
200 First Avenue
Pittsburgh PA  15222
p: 412-281-2345
f: 412-281-3493
c: 412-277-6708
e: twilliams@dymun.com
w: dymun.com

Brand Development l Strategic Counsel l Advertising l Public Relations l Design

News from New Zealand, posted on a public list, about a campaign with closed debates

Rik Tindall may have posted:

Kia ora taatou,

Everyone should try running for Mayor at least once in their life. There
are lessons to be learned from this process as nowhere else.

First and foremost of the available insights is the specific nature of
the predetermination (interested bias) that tends to control New Zealand
politics, down to local level.

A version of the following statement was elicited and published in an
article by the Christchurch Star - thank you Star reporters:

"Candidates cry foul over debate snub" 20 August 2010
http://issuu.com/the.star/docs/110232cs?mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fsoftlight%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=dddddd&showFlipBtn=true&proShowSidebar=false&logo=http://starnews.co.nz/images/MagicBox4.gif&logoOffsetX=0&logoOffsetY=0

However the letter on which my quoted statement was based did not make
it past The Press letters editor:

Dear Sir,

Duncan Cotterill Law's closed mayoral forum brought shame upon all participants [19Aug2010]. It insulted both rate-payers and democracy.

All business ideas should be welcome at the table, for resolving economic slump. But this tired cabal, encircled by their wagon-train, shows only fear of the unknown course that society is on and their lack of preparedness for it.

Until they demonstrate commitment to democratic principle and transparency, candidates Anderton and Parker cannot be trusted with the city key.

Rik Tindall, mayoral candidate


To conclude then:

Q: what is the next worse thing to a one-party state?

A: A two-party state, it seems (under Anglo-American tutelage).

Winners are picked ahead of time, and substantive issues intentionally avoided, by a watered-down 'combative' / adversarial 'personality contest' / 'presidential race' set up by not just the media moguls.

But the big question is, can this historic shared imperial Anglo-American 'soft fascism' actually survive, or is it now in terminal decline?

What have Australian voters just said, and need now to translate, other than 'there is no real choice in parliamentary politics' as the offerings are so very much the same?

Is there a third choice that is even available under Capital+Labour monopoly? (Duopoly; the interests of capital are variously titled "Liberal", "Conservative", "Tory", "National" etc.)

On the topic of political choice, The Press certainly is forming a view:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/4054218/Aust-poll-bad-for-two-party-system

- Open up the debate, the unlimited battle of ideas, and an inclusive future can start to unfold. Otherwise, we are drifting back in time.

Another oil rig explosion in the Gulf

Ron Paul on Obama’s Iraq Speech: Mission Not Accomplished

LAKE JACKSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Congressman Ron Paul today released the following statement on President Obama’s speech from the Oval Office last night:

“The President’s announcement that all U.S. combat troops have left Iraq is no more believable than the 'Mission Accomplished' declaration was in 2003.”

.“The President’s announcement that all U.S. combat troops have left Iraq is no more believable than the 'Mission Accomplished' declaration was in 2003.

“Once again, we are being told the mission has been accomplished and our brave men and women are coming back home. Though the people are hopeful they remain skeptical, and rightfully so.

“The biggest problem is that success in Iraq is undefinable since the mission was never defined. The reasons given for the invasion were based on misinformation. Now, the war has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars and this has contributed significantly to our economic woes.

“Forty-four hundred Americans are dead, thirty thousand severely wounded, and more than a hundred thousand are suffering from serious health problems related to Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. This alone should tell us that it was not worth the investment and the needless sacrifice of our young people and the taxpayers.

“It is deceitful to imply we will avoid hostilities with this new policy. We still have to contend with:

•the 50,000 troops carrying weapons remain in Iraq
•the 100,000 contractors that remain with more expected to go to Iraq
•the 9,000 special ops personnel trained in assassinations that remain in Iraq
•a huge embassy, bigger than the Vatican, that will remain
•Dozens of military bases that will stay
•Al Qaeda organizations that did not exist before the war
•Muqtada al Sadr, a strong nationalist who has gained much political power
•The fact that Iran benefits tremendously with the Shiites now in power in Iraq and is a close ally of al Sadr

“Osama bin Laden wins by 'proving' that America has an agenda of occupation in the Middle East. And, we continue to walk into his trap and hand him up his best recruitment tool in his efforts to incite hatred and terrorism against the United States.

“What’s worse, President Obama made it clear last night that the troops and resources leaving Iraq will not come home to defend our country or ease our economic woes. They will instead be diverted to Afghanistan, perhaps also Pakistan and, I fear, even Iran.

“From my viewpoint we are the losers in this fool’s errand of endless war. Tragically, this new policy is not one of peace but merely a charade that will severely undermine our national security and continue us down the path to bankruptcy—a threat that we best not long ignore.”

Typhoon Kompasu hits South Korea

Typhoon Kompasu hits South Korea: "Typhoon Kompasu made landfall in northern South Korea early Thursday, leaving two dead and causing the worst disruption to power and transport networks in the capital for a decade, a report said.


Winds of over 100 km per hour knocked down trees and utility poles and blew out windows across Seoul, as the centre of the storm passed 80 km to the north of the capital after making landfall at 6.35 a.m. (2135 GMT Wednesday) on the west coast."

Wanted: A Libertarian Candidate for a Special Election for PA Senate

A special election for PA's 45th Senatorial District (a seat in the PA Senate) is slated for November 2, 2010, along with the general election.
The district is within both Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties. The deadline to file a nomination certificate is September 13, 2010. Allegheny County will do the nomination, with the LPPA executive committee acting at the request of any members from Westmoreland County.

The nominee must reside in the district, but can be registered to vote in any manner.

Dist. 45 ALLEGHENY and WESTMORELAND Counties includes:

Part of ALLEGHENY County consisting of the CITIES of Clairton, Duquesne and McKeesport and the TOWNSHIPS of East Deer, Elizabeth, Harmar, North Versailles, South Versailles and Springdale and the BOROUGHS of Brackenridge, Braddock, Cheswick, Dravosburg, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, Monroeville, North Braddock, Pitcairn, Plum, Port Vue, Rankin, Springdale, Tarentum, Trafford (Allegheny County Portion), Turtle Creek, Versailles, Wall, White Oak and Wilmerding and Part of WESTMORELAND County consisting of the CITIES of Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington and the TOWNSHIPS of Upper Burrell and Washington and the BOROUGH of Trafford (Westmoreland County Portion).

Call me if you are intersted of know of anyone who would be a great candidate and interested.

Mark Rauterkus: 412 298 3423.

By the way, I live in PA Senate District 42, not 45.

Time for Fall! Or, perhaps we should just call it autumn.

Fall is here.



Let's be safe out there. Fall doesn't need to be full of flops.

Perhaps we should just call it autumn.

The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat has been AWOL since August 17

We've got a situation brewing in Pittsburgh's Blogger Land.

http://angrydrunkbureaucrat.blogspot.com/

August 17 was a long time ago and we're not getting any smarter.

Help! Go there and say something wise.

Getting To Pgh Obama High School

Some PAT Bus Route Links:

The 75 Bus Route, Ellsworth, goes to and from Pgh Obama and the South Side Works via the Birmingham Bridge.

http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/apps/pdfs/tdp/75.pdf

The 74 goes to Squirrel Hill and Homewood.

http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/apps/pdfs/tdp/74.pdf


The 81B also goes downtown after serving Bakery Square

The 77B (soon to be 77), 86 and 88 also are PAT buses in the area.
The rerouted 71C will visit Pgh Obama too: http://www.portauthority.org/paac/apps/maps/tdp/71C.pdf

The Moonlight Scribbler: 2010 City League Preview Week 1

The Moonlight Scribbler: 2010 City League Preview Week 1: "Monday, August 30, 2010
2010 City League Preview Week 1"

Phys Ed: Playing Music During Exercise - NYTimes.com

Phys Ed: Playing Music During Exercise - NYTimes.com: "Phys Ed: Does Music Make You Exercise Harder?"