Fwd: Reminder - You're Invited: EPLC Education Policy Forum - May 17 - Pittsburgh

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Education Policy and Leadership Center <robinson@eplc.org>

Reminder: You are invited to attend the PENNSYLVANIA EDUCATION POLICY FORUM  "Western Pennsylvania Breakfast Series"  Thursday, May 17, 2012  Continental Breakfast - 8:00 a.m.   Program - 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.   Holiday Inn Pittsburgh University Center (100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213)     SUBJECT: College Completion Agenda   If you have already RSVP'd, there's no need to RSVP again.    SPEAKERS:   Gregg Fleisher National AP Training and Incentives Program Director, National Math+Science Initiative      Marcus S. Lingenfelter  Director, State Government Relations, The College Board Dr. Peter H. Garland Executive Vice Chancellor, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  The Lumina Foundation, The College Board, and Complete College America are among just a few of the nation's leading organizations calling for a dramatic increase in the percentage of young adults with a 2-year college degree or more to at least 55%. In the recently released College Completion Agenda 2011 Progress Report, Pennsylvania (43.4%) ranks just above the national average of 41.3%, while it trails far behind neighboring states New York (49.2%), New Jersey (46.2%), and Maryland (46.1%). With educated citizens as the basis for innovative, productive, and healthy economies, Pennsylvania currently stands at a disadvantage.    This session will discuss the degree attainment/completion agenda landscape nationally and locally. It will include discussion of best practice policies and programs being utilized around the country seeking to "fix the leaky P-16 pipeline." Also included are a host of resources, data, and policy initiatives from the College Board's Advocacy and Policy Center (http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/). The College Board's College Completion Agenda Report is available at http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/reports_pdf/Progress_Report_2011.pdf   * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  Please RSVP Today!    Registration is free, but everyone must RSVP at http://www.eplc.org/events-calendar/western-pennsylvania-breakfast-series/.  Please share this invitation with your friends and colleagues. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Thanks to our Sponsors:  AFT Pennsylvania Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties College of Education - The Pennsylvania State University Center for Educational Leadership - University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education Educational Testing Service (ETS) OnHand Schools Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals  Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools Pennsylvania Association of Pupil Services Administrators Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Pennsylvania School Boards Association Pennsylvania State Education Association The College Board

Pittsburgh's 48 Hour Film Project Registration Is Open

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kahmeela Adams <pittsburgh@48hourfilm.com>

Hello Pittsburgh 48HFP Filmmakers and Fans!!

It's time to claim your spot in this year's project.  That's right, registration opened yesterday!!  And signing up is as simple as going to our website and clicking the "Register for Pittsburgh now!" link.  The early bird rate of $140 per team is in effect through June 25, 2012 - after that it jumps up to $160.
Sign up today and save:
www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh
As always, 48HFP will bring a wild weekend of filmmaking fun to our city.  You'll see filmmakers throughout the city rushing to create a 4-7 min film in only 48 hours.  Armed with a genre, character, prop and line of dialogue our fearless filmmakers will make their way through the cinematic jungle and emerge with a creative masterpiece.
Are you up for the challenge?  Show us what you've got by registering your team now!!
www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh
Not ready to put a team together yet, but know you don't want to miss out on the excitement that is the 48HFP?  Put yourself out there via our join-a-team database which is made available to registered teams.  If someone is looking for help, they just may call YOU!
http://www.48hourfilm.com/join/?city=pittsburgh
Mark your calendars.  This year's filmmaking will take place the weekend of July 20 -22 and our screenings will be at The Hollywood Theater in Dormont July 28 & 29.The winner of Best Film will go on to represent Pittsburgh as it vies for Best Film of the World against 115 other city winners.

Top 3 Reasons to Register Early:
3. Access to database of people looking for a team
2. Save $20 on the fee - available until June 25.

1. No fear of getting stuck on the waiting list

Let's show Pittsburgh what 48 hour filmmaking is all about!!
Best wishes,

Kahmeela Adams & Nina Gibbs

Pittsburgh Producers
48 Hour Film Project
www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh

www.facebook.com/pittsburgh48hfp

Twitter: Pittsburgh48HFP

_______________________________________________
Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project
http://www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh

Fwd: FANTASTIC TRAINING FOR ANYONE WORKING WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS - May 23rd

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephen MacIsaac <macisaac2@wireless-neighborhoods.org>
Date: Tue, May 15, 2012 at 11:09 AM

To: Training RSVPs to trainings@neighborhoodlearning.org


Please join us on May 23rd to become part of the movement in the city of Pittsburgh to help every student graduate.  The dropout statistics are startling but the reality is that these are the children that live in our neighborhoods, attend our churches, play on our sports teams, attend our community centers and participate in our afterschool programs.  This training will give us all the knowledge and tools to help every child navigate the path to school success and graduation.  Please join us or forward this flyer along to others who are in a position to help.  Thanks.

To enroll in the training, reply to trainings@neighborhoodlearning.org, visit our "Training and Credentialing" page on our website: http://www.neighborhoodlearning.org/programs/training-and-credentialing, or join our facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/170212439772549/


Stephen MacIsaac, Executive Director, Neighborhood Learning Alliance
United Way Agency Code: 1528678

Fwd: Paul Campaign Convention Strategy

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jesse Benton

Memorandum

To:               Supporters, Interested Parties

From:          Jesse Benton, Chief Strategist

Date:           May 15, 2012

Re:              Paul Campaign Convention Strategy

Every day, I see firsthand how humbled and encouraged Dr. Paul is to have the enthusiastic support of so many who are committed to revitalizing our country.

Let me be very clear.  Dr. Paul is NOT dropping out or suspending his campaign.

As Dr. Paul has previously stated, he is in this race all the way to the Republican National Convention in Tampa this August.

And he is deeply grateful for every resource he has been entrusted with to run an historic campaign that continues to defy all expectations.

Looking ahead, our campaign must honor that trust by maximizing our resources to ensure the greatest possible impact at the National Convention.

So while our campaign is no longer investing in the remaining primary states, we will continue to run strong programs at District and State Conventions to win more delegates and alternate delegates to the National Convention.

To this end, our campaign has several positive and realistic goals:
1)    Having recently WON Maine, we believe we can win several more states.
2)    We will win party leadership positions at both the state and national levels.
3)    We will continue to grow our already substantial total of delegates.
We will head to Tampa with a solid group of delegates.  Several hundred will be bound to Dr. Paul, and several hundred more, although bound to Governor Romney or other candidates, will be Ron Paul supporters.

Unfortunately, barring something very unforeseen, our delegate total will not be strong enough to win the nomination.  Governor Romney is now within 200 delegates of securing the party's nod.  However, our delegates can still make a major impact at the National Convention and beyond.

All delegates will be able to vote on party rules and allow us to shape the process for future liberty candidates.

We are in an excellent position to make sure the Republican Party adds solid liberty issues to the GOP Platform, which our delegates will be directly positioned to approve.  Our campaign is presently working to get several items up for consideration, including monetary policy reform, prohibitions on indefinite detention, and Internet freedom.

Finally, by sending a large, respectful, and professional delegation to Tampa, we will show the party and the country that not only is our movement growing and here to stay, but that the future belongs to us.

Dr. Paul will begin this new phase of the campaign this Friday by speaking and holding several events at the Minnesota State Convention.  He has also recently accepted an invitation to speak at the Texas Convention, and we are busy scheduling appearances around other State Conventions later this month and into June.

As Dr. Paul stated in his message yesterday, this fight is NOT over.  We will continue fighting and expanding, and "we will not stop until we have restored what once made America the greatest country in human history."

But for Dr. Paul's efforts in the remaining State Conventions to be successful, and to ensure we get as many Ron Paul delegates to Tampa as we can, he needs you to continue standing with him.

Along those lines, as you probably already know, the grassroots are holding a Money Bomb on Thursday, May 17.  Any money raised from that Money Bomb will go toward winning delegates and finalizing our plans for Tampa.

As those plans for the National Convention come together, we will make sure all of our delegates, whether bound or unbound, get the information and aid they need.

Your support on May 17 will also help us reach more Americans with the solutions we know can restore our nation.  Each person we add to our cause strengthens our movement for the critical work that awaits us beyond Tampa.

Dr. Paul, John Tate, myself, and the entire campaign staff know what incredible sacrifices have been made by each of our supporters.

Thank you for all of your hard work and your dedication to liberty.  Together, we will champion Ron Paul and his message in Tampa, and we will lay the groundwork for future victories.

North Allegheny Tiger Water Polo Players Bring Home Gold, Silver & Bronze in USA Water Polo National Tournament

PRESS RELEASE

Contacts: Nikola Malezanov, Head Coach, NASH Water Polo, Malezanov@gmail.com, 443-995-2622
Victor Siclari, Media Contact, vsiclari@comcast.net, 412-965-4912

North Allegheny Tiger Water Polo Players Bring Home Gold, Silver &
Bronze in USA Water Polo National Tournament;

Spring League Enjoys Record Turnout;

Upcoming Tournament Will Overflow NA Pool & Chartiers Valley HS;

Next Stop, Junior Olympics

McCandless, May 9, 2012– North Allegheny Water Polo continues to make a splash across the
country with its latest accomplishments by sending more than a dozen players of all ages to
represent the Northeast Zone in the national tournament in Boca Raton and Miami, Florida over
the March 30-April 1 weekend.

After months of training as part of USA Water Polo’s Northeast Zone (NEZ) Olympic
Developmental Program (ODP), sixteen players helped the NEZ teams take first, second and
third places in the competition among six zone teams, ranked by age and gender. The NEZ 12 th
grade and under team was coached by Nikola Malezanov, who is the head coach for the NA
High School varsity water polo boys and girls’ teams and the NA Tiger Water Polo club team.
The team and their parents agree that Nikola has significantly elevated the level of play and
accomplishments of the local water polo players by drawing on his coaching experience with the
varsity program at the US Naval Academy and as an assistant with the US Men’s National team.

NEZ 10th grade & under and 8th grade & under boys’ teams went undefeated. Max Staresinic, a
freshman, was named tournament MVP for the 10th grade & under boys. He and Nick Kohler
(from the 8 & under team) were selected to go to the National Training Camp (NTC) in California
over the Memorial Day weekend. NTC provides an opportunity for the players to continue to
train and hopefully be eligible for selection to play on the USA Water Polo men’s and women’s
national teams. Also contributing to the win for these teams were Ryan Pieton and Gabe Gaspar
(sophomores on the 10& under team), and Grant Rauterkus and Martin Raitt (8 under team).

The 12th grade & under boys’ team narrowly missed an undefeated tournament when they lost
by one shot in the final minute against the Mountain Zone team in a game whose score rocked
back and forth like a ship on a stormy sea. Representing the team were senior Zach Presto, who
will play Division I water polo at Iona College and was also selected for the NTC, and juniors
Domenic Caputo, Rob Clinger, Alex Shaffer and Steven Siclari.

Not to be outdone by the boys, the 10th grade & under girls’ team went undefeated for their
second straight year with sophomore Mia Siclari on the roster. She was also selected for NTC.
The 8th grade & under girls clinched second place with the help of Taylor McClelland and
Esma Dollaku. Esma was this NEZ team’s captain and was selected for NTC as well as the All-
Tournament Team, which recognizes the top players in the competition. Despite contributions
from junior Mary Riley and senior Meghan Mahoney, the 12th grade & under girls suffered some
narrow losses but still placed a respectable third in the tournament. Meghan was selected for the

NTC and 12& under All-Tournament Team, and also will be playing Division I water polo at
Iona in the fall.

According to Nikola, “Having so many players selected for the NTC proves how the hard work
in the practices improves their playing ability. Now the players have been rewarded for their
sacrifices and commitment, and the younger players are also encouraged to work hard because
they can see how it can pay off.”

Spring League Enjoys Record Turnout

For the third year, the Tiger Water Polo Club has run a Spring Instructional League to introduce
a new sport and activity to young athletes of many ages. The purpose of the League is to instruct
players on the fundamentals of water polo, implement the skills in games, and generally have fun
at a sport that is wildly popular on the West coast, and slowly but surely continues to catch on in
the East.

The program is run by the coaches of the Tiger Water Polo Club, and the players get additional
one-on-one assistance from the more experienced members of the Tiger Water Club’s high
school aged athletes. The League meets on Sundays over the course of two months, and has had
a record turnout of players, ranging from ages 7-16.

“The number of players this year shows how water polo has grown in popularity in this area,”
says Nikola. “We have had many players from Shaler High School and its surrounding district
participate in our program. We hope that it results in Shaler establishing its own high school
program in the near future.” Added Jim Staresinic, a key organizer of the league, a coach and
parent of two players, “Of the many things we do to promote the sport of water polo in the
Pittsburgh area, the Spring Instructional League is one that makes us most proud. Each year
more and younger athletes are giving it a try and – in the process – discovering an Olympic sport
that is fun, challenging and very social. It is rewarding to see young athletes find something they
truly enjoy doing.”

Upcoming Water Polo Tournament Is Overflowing with Participants

During the weekend of May 19-20, 2012, the NA Tiger Water Polo Club will be hosting what will
likely prove to be its biggest tournament yet. The Spring Invite will be attended by teams from
Canada, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and due to the overwhelming interest,
the games will be played in two venues: at the NA High School and Chartiers Valley HS in
Bridgeville. Since the Club will also be holding its final Sunday play for the Spring League,
there will be hundreds of players—from beginners to aspiring Olympians—enjoying a sport
that leverages the skills of swimming and combines it with a spattering of the techniques found
in rugby, football, soccer, lacrosse, and hockey. The Spring Invite will be open to the general
public. For more details, please visit the Tiger Water Polo website @ www.tigerwaterpolo.com
and register your inquiry on the “Contact Us” tab.

Next Stop, Junior Olympics

And if the kids are bored once school ends, there will be plenty to keep them busy through the
summer until the High School varsity season training ramps up in August. (Did you not know this sport is year-round? How else can they stay in such great shape?) The Club is gearing
up for the world’s largest annual youth water polo tournament—USA Water Polo’s Junior
Olympics, which is a national competition of teams from all over the country who will gather in
Stanford, CA at multiple venues for about 10 days in July and August to compete for the best of
the best.

The Club’s goal is to field enough members to enter teams for 16 & under girls, 16 & under
boys, and 18 & under boys, as well as seek out players from other Northeast teams to round
out a 14 & under boys’ team. Nikola says, “I am excited to be able to take so many teams to
this competition. We will have the whole summer to hone their skills and leverage our summer
playing schedule. We expect to play a lot of tough games and know that our players will be
challenged, but expect them to step up to the challenge and ultimately return as better players.”

The opportunity to play water polo in outdoor pools in Southern Cal is a dream vacation that
has been experienced by many of the seasoned players over the last four years. The players also
take time to surf the Pacific in between games, and refuel their bodies by hitting every In-N-Out
Burger joint they can (this is a burger chain that began in 1948 as California’s first drive-thru
burger stand and is acclaimed by West Coasters as the best burger place around). Their mouths
are already watering at the thought of biting into the competition, and then the burgers.

Fwd: [Project-Censored-L] Desperate Times Demand Revolutionary Measures

_______________________________________________
Project-Censored-L mailing list
Project-Censored-L@lists.sonoma.edu
https://mailman.sonoma.edu/mailman/listinfo/project-censored-l

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Peter Phillips <peter.phillips@sonoma.edu>

Desperate Times Demand Revolutionary Measures

 

By Peter Phillips

 

"Don't waste any more time or energy on the presidential election than it takes to get to your polling station and pull a lever for a third-party candidate-—just enough to register your obstruction and defiance—and then get back out onto the street. That is where the question of real power is being decided." Chris Hedges, May 2012

 

 

Runway capitalism is moving unrelentingly towards sociopolitical-environmental collapse—cheered on by a two-headed single party machine known as US Congress. Activists, who see the coming disasters as catastrophic, are seeking revolutionary change through non-cooperation, and occupy disruptions. Yet, many are the still delusional hopefuls desperately fumbling with traditional responses; including "Kum ba yah" marches, and the futile support for progressive left-leaning candidates seeking positions of influence inside the Washington beltway.

 

Do we understand that habeas corpus is no longer a legal protection in the US or that the US president can torture and kill American citizens, let along anyone in the world? How can we ignore the inconvenient truths of warrentless wire taps and electronic monitoring for everyone? Why do we tolerate that US-NATO forces killing people in over one hundred countries in the world using special service operatives, private assassins and drones—a million civilians deaths in Iraq alone? How can we be so blind as not to see our corporate media is a propaganda fog machine for the one percent?  These questions, reflecting the reality of America today, are so far from the values of our traditions that accepting any aspect of authority from Washington DC is a sacrilege to our honor. We are in desperate times.

 

In Congress, wealth begets membership, and wealth is the reward for correct action. The members in the House and Senate have a collective net worth of $2.04 billion, up from $1.65 billion, in 2008.  While at the same time, Americans' household net worth has continued to declined and the number of people living in poverty has risen for the fifth year in a row.

 

The American Congress is in reality an artificial organization serving as cheerleader to the transnational corporate class of the world. Congress offers its members little more than a transitional path into the good life of corporate affluence as long as the members remain loyal to party discipline. Our legitimate electoral process has been completely usurped by the Supreme Court ruling that a corporation's free speech rights allow unlimited campaign spending, and congressional lobbying knows no bounds. Any candidate willing to serve in the Democrat or Republican parties in the US congress today, even as a gadfly of resistance, is stepping beyond the pale of constitutional government.

 

Even if a Progressive Democrat of America—Moves On into the congressional circle, the magnitude of compromise demanded makes effective action impossible other than occasional symbolic votes of resistance. Those stepping out of party lines will invariably result in orchestrated opposition during the next selection cycle—Just ask Cynthia McKinney.

 

Reform is not an option. The only action possible is a complete and total return to the social justice values of our US Constitution and the Bill of rights. We cannot allow extrajudicial killings, privacy invasions into our homes, and police state interceptions in the commons. We cannot allow global capitalism to continue to kill and impoverish billions of people and destroy the planet

 

Protecting and even rewriting our Constitution and our Bill of Rights will require revolutionary acts. We must retool our elections and eliminate/ignore the dark clouds of corporate media. A mass movement at this level requires grass roots action by a core of at least ten percent of our population. Getting one out of ten people actively involved is not at all impossible; this is where our traditional values meet human rights. We are a people of hope that only need to overcome our fears and find the voice of our values by using radical democracy for human betterment for all.

 

The right to vote is a long held value. We am often asked, "Why waste your vote on an independent third party candidate, they will never has a chance to win." Can voting for a candidate who reflects your own political values and beliefs be a wasted vote? It seems that voting for your true beliefs is a self-actualizing act, and compromising one's values to pick the lesser of two evils is self-alienating. Therefore, we urge all to continue to vote, but find candidates outside of the two party oligopoly. Maybe someday, self-actualized voting will be fashionable.

 

 

Peter Phillips is a professor of political sociology and social movements at Sonoma State University. He is the president of Media Freedom Foundation/Project Censored, and co-host with Mickey Huff of the weekly Project Censored Show on KPFA. 

Footloose photos

266 photos from Footloose! are available here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/114609332680707969083/FootlooseMay52012? authkey=Gv1sRgCJa256rjr4GwOg

The above link is semi-private, meaning only those who know the link can see the photos (in other words, the photos are not searchable).

Since I don't have that many contacts with Obama teachers, students, and parents, please distribute the link as broad as possible.

Fwd: URGENT PERSONAL APPEAL YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "The Black Political Empowerment Project(B-PEP)" <mstanyalong@gmail.com>
Date: May 11, 2012 4:49 PM
Subject: URGENT PERSONAL APPEAL YOUR HELP IS NEEDED
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

Hello,  It is the eleventh hour before the clock strikes midnight !! Our goal is to get a minimum of 200 people out tomorrow to hear George Curry, Ron Daniels, Neill Franklin, and Nkechi Taifa all of whom are coming from out of town! I'm asking you to do 4 things; 1) talk or call 5 people to come to the Town Hall Meeting, 2) circulate this email to all of your family and friends, 3) invite people through your FaceBook page and finally 4) invite members, clients, customers of your organization to turnout for for this historic movement building event. If if you have already contacted people a day before reminder is urgently needed. You can highlight and delete this message from me, use the subject line below and FORWARD this email-please pass it on widely. Thank you and see you Friday.   Yours in the struggle, Rick Adams Press Release   For Immediate Release                                                                   The Institute of the Black World 21st Century Addresses the War on Drugs is a War on Us   The Institute of the Black World 21ST Century (IBW) will convene a Town Hall Meeting to increase public awareness about the devastating impact of the "War on Drugs" on the Black community. This very significant meeting will be held at Pittsburgh Obama (Formerly Reizenstein School) 129 Denniston Ave (Across from Bakery Square, Penn Ave, next to Mellon Park) , Pittsburgh, PA. 15206, Friday, May 11, 2012, 6:00 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm).   Dr. Ron Daniels, President of the New York based Institute of the Black World 21ST Century (IBW), states President Richard M. Nixon launched the War on Drugs 41 years ago to halt the trafficking of illegal drugs in the U.S.   Dr. Daniels states, "Black communities have been a primary target for selective policing practices that have resulted in the mass incarceration of millions of Black people. Families and communities have been disrupted and devastated by a racially biased policy, specifically, it has had a destructive impact on Black communities across the nation."   Working in conjunction with a local planning committee comprised of criminal justice and drug policy reform advocates, heads of community based organizations and faith leaders; IBW has assembled a stellar panel of speakers to address the disastrous effects of the War on Drugs on Black people.  George Curry, Executive Director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), who writes a weekly syndicated column for the NNPA, a federation of more than 200 African-American newspapers will serve as the Keynote Presenter for the event.  Other speakers and panelists will include:  Deborah Small Esq., Executive Director, Break the Chains: Communities of Color and the War on Drugs; Neill Franklin, Executive Director, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition; Reginald Good V. P. Pittsburgh Association of Black Social Workers , Marcia Sturdivant, Deputy Director Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and Families and Bernadette Turner, Executive Director Addison Behavioral Care.   Also, individuals affected by the War on Drugs will offer testimonials about their experiences.   Additionally, panelists will present alternatives including viewing drugs as a community health challenge rather than a criminal justice issue, and they will discuss whether drugs should be legalized to stop the violence and killing in Black communities.  Attorney Nkechi Taifa, Senior Policy Analyst, Open Society Foundations, will be the Moderator/Facilitator for the conversation which will include comments, questions and answers from the audience. Further, Dr. Daniels indicates that a major goal of the Town Hall Meeting is to encourage policy advocates and concerned citizens to work more closely together to end the War on Drugs and adopt more just and humane alternatives.   Finally, IBW will convene a debriefing and strategy meeting Saturday, May 12th, to explore the formation of a criminal justice /drug policy reform collaborative which would meet periodically to discuss ways of effectively advancing an agenda for positive change. Co-sponsoring the Town Hall Meeting is the National Council for Urban Peace and Justice, Addison Behavioral Care, Bethany House Academy, National Association of Black Social Workers Pittsburgh, Center for Family Excellence The Alleghenians, LTD, INC, and the Western Pennsylvania Black Political Assembly. For further information or to arrange interviews contact: Tuarone Thomas, Events & Project Manager 412-731-2353 x 124

Forward this email This email was sent to mark@rauterkus.com by mstanyalong@gmail.com |   Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. The Black Political Empowerment Project(B-PEP) | C/O The Hill House Center | 1835 Centre Avenue | Pittsburgh | PA | 15219

Ice Cream. We all scream and run for ice cream.

Sit your ass down Pittsburgh

Folly of Bruce Kraus -- on the same day

Yesterday I went to Pittsburgh City Council to stand with nearly 100 other men in advance of the special day, Take a Father to School, on May 18, 2012.

While I was there, I got to see another activist friend, Jennifer E, also a PPS parent. She was there to speak about the pending 'Will of Council.'

I heard some of that conversation and took note how my member of council, Bruce Kraus, was ranting about how this generation is not going to understand home ownership as did the folks in the past. So, he is all in favor of home ownership, it seems. 

But then later the same day, at a South Side meeting, he is silent on the proposed NID. The NID is a Neighborhood Improvement District that authorizes a new tax collected from the residents and business owners on the South Side Flats. We can be paying another $500 or so in taxes a year if this passes. But, it is a tax that does NOT go to the city. It goes to this wonky group of NID folks who are fully outside the reach of GOVERNMENT, but within the reach of FORCE by TAXES. 

To me, it seems CRAZY that Bruce Kraus would be silent on the NID proposal as the NID is going to be a NEW, HUGE hardship against home ownership. Kraus seems willing to bitch at President Obama and rant so that the bankers can go to jail for the home finance ills of the past. But, Kraus is not willing to shut down the new tax on home owners. 

Once again, he is making folly and talking (or not talking) out of both ends at the same time.

PAT LTE in Trib from Nick

As a Port Authority of Allegheny County patron who doesn't own a car and is also a libertarian, I can summarize the situation with the Port Authority as follows: All eyes and hopes are on state government to take money from other people throughout Pennsylvania and give it to the Port Authority so that we won't be forced to pay the true costs of transit in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

It's a balled-up mess for the following reasons:

• The unions have forced the Port Authority to pay its employees salaries that the transit agency does not want to pay and that could not be had in a situation without politicians forcing the agency to accept union demands.

• The Port Authority is expected to serve sparsely populated suburban areas, which cannot be done economically.

• The suburban and rural areas in the state could not survive without state and federal subsidies for their infrastructure and amenities, those subsidies being tax dollars coming from densely populated areas.

The only sustainable solution is stop all subsidies to everyone. All subsidies (taking money from one person and giving it to another) are immoral and must stop in a free society. Then we will see where people live and how they spend their own money. I guarantee that we would see a migration of people from suburbs to cities.

Nick Kyriazi, Deutschtown

International Water Safety Day is May 15

May 15, 2012 is the Inaugural International Water Safety Day (IWSD). Please tell us how many people you will spread the message of water safety to by filling out the "What's you Reach?" portion of the IWSD website. Anthony Ervin, US Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist, former World Record Holder & World Champion has become an official spokesperson for International Water Safety Day (IWSD).

Visit the website

Fwd: Joanie is in Chile!

Joanie's blog while she is in Chile!

 
http://joanieguyerchileplus3.blogspot.com/


--
--
Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com    
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach with Neighborhood Learning Alliance

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Baseball. Brashear at Dice

Economic Liberty in Philly event with Public Banking push

Too long to post to the web here, but interesting economic moves and a movement forms.

Link to a google document.

The start of the document:

Economic Liberty From Philadelphia

By Scott Baker | OpEd News
May 4, 2012

The First Annual Meeting of the Public Banking Institute in Philadelphia provided a chance
for people to examine economic solutions, network, and just maybe, pave the way for a new
paradigm of economic justice and opportunity.

Public Banking Institute 2012 Conference by Public Banking Institute

The first annual Public Banking Institute meeting was held in Philadelphia (http://
www.publicbankinginamerica.org/home.htm) last weekend, April 26-28, 2012.

The pre-meeting get-together of about 22 State coordinators (like me – NY), was a chance to
see how far we’ve come – 17, soon to be 18, States now have some form of public banking
bills in active status, all introduced since 2010. This is testament not only to the depths of the
economic crisis, but also to the broad realization that the old solutions – taxing, borrowing, and
even Keynesian stimulus, simply don’t work anymore. It was clear from both the Coordinators’
meeting and from the larger conference that followed, that:

A. The debt-based money system is fundamentally unsound and unsustainable, and

B. That some form of Public Bank, state-wide, or even nationally, needs to be
established to return money to, as guest speaker and Libertarian presidential candidate
Bill Still put it, “We the People.”

..... it continues

Vote for Your Favorite Grow Your Own Business Challenge Idea

Vote for Your Favorite Grow Your Own Business Challenge Idea
Your friend Mark Rauterkus has voted for a great business idea and wants you to help the best idea win! Meet the 5 finalists and the 3 team finalists: Your friend's message: You all need to rush to this site and vote for Aria, 12, and her quest to win a NATIONAL Biz Contest with her idea, Shine So Bright. Biz idea is a develop a crafter's kit for light up LED elements for clothing N@.
What's Next? Keep track of the Grow Your Own Business Challenge @

Sponsored By

Educational Partner

Secret Millionaires Club Created By

Produced By

| Produced by BKFK | 1177 High Ridge Road | Stamford, CT 06905 | www.bkfk.com |

 

Ride of silence.

Who: Cyclists -- road, recreation, commuter, race, triathlon. All who legally share the road.

What: The Pittsburgh arm of the worldwide Ride Of Silence™ bike rally. See http://rideofsilence.org

Why:

• to honor those cyclists injured or killed on public roadways

• to raise awareness of cyclists on the road

• to demonstrate responsible road sharing

• to show that cyclists are not going away

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2011, 7:00 PM. Gather at 6:45 PM (evening)

RAIN DATE: Monday, May 28, 2011, 6:45 AM (morning).

Check the WPW website (www.wpwbikeclub.org) for clarification if weather seems iffy.

Pittsburgh start location: Southside - 26th & Sidney (behind REI).

Route is 10 miles, roughly http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/34042598/

THE RIDE OF SILENCE WILL NOT BE QUIET

• On the third Wednesday of May around the world, cyclists will take to the roads in a silent protest of the carnage taking place on the streets.

• Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas in

· 2003 after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed by a passing bus mirror on an empty road.

• The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride at a slow pace and remain silent during the ride.

• The ride hopes to raise cycling awareness during bike safety month to motorists, police, traffic engineers, insurance companies, and city officials. The ride is also a chance to mourn, in funeral procession style, those who have already been killed.

• The ride requests black arm bands be worn, red only if you have had a bike/motor vehicle accident. Helmets are required; bright clothing and lights are highly recommended for the ride home. There are no fees charged anyone to participate.

How we will ride in Pittsburgh:

• Double file, side by side, keeping to a single lane, and to the right of the yellow line where it exists. (Most of the roads we will use do not have lanes wide enough to safely share) Stop and wait at all red lights - we're a big group and will undoubtedly be breaking up and regrouping as we go along. If there is slower traffic in the lane, we'll just wait for it.

• Please bring bikes in good repair, as there will be no official mechanical support or transportation.

• Helmets are required. Ipods and the like are frowned upon.

• Children aged 12 and under should be in trailers, trail-a-bikes, tandems or the like, not riding independently.

• This ride takes place on city streets, with potholes, surface hazards, motor vehicles and other cyclists riding in close proximity.

• Participants must use their own judgment and be responsible for their own safety. If at any time, you feel that you can no longer participate safely, please pull off the route and wait until the rest of the ride has passed.

Pittsburgh Ride of Silence Contact for 2012: Jim Logan (jimlogan@verizon.net)

The Pittsburgh Ride of Silence is endorsed by Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen, Bike Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club, and Flock of Cyclists.

The endorsers and organizer are bearing NO responsibility (financial or otherwise) for the ride. By endorsing it, we are simply stating we believe in the stated goals.

Best Attendance

This winter, I've been going to Westinghouse High School on Wednesdays to work with some of the kids who were interested in playing waterpolo. A dozen or so kids swam with me in the summer at PPS Summer Dreamers, and I wanted to keep them in the pool, even if only on a very limited basis.

They also had a chance to practice another three days a week with Coach Hosea for part of the winter. 

One of the swimmers, D.C., came to the pool more than the others. 

Here he is doing a bit of freestyle and breastroke. This summer, he was going across the pool. Now he is looking strong in the water with nice strokes.

Ribbon cutting for a new YMCA in Pittsburgh's Hill District

I am keen on the new YMCA on Centre Ave as I'll be taking our Summer Dreamers there. We'll use the swim pool for our Swim and Water Polo Camp in July and August 2012.

I had the pleasure of meeting Thelma a few time back in the day. She was a person who shared her thoughts at public comments in public meetings, as I've done as well. She is now living in Arizona and looked great at the ribbon cutting for the new facility.

New NCAA Term: Academic Red Shirt

Those who are now sophomores and freshmen, and younger, you need to bump up your studies and performances in high school so you can play NCAA Division I sports in college. Take a good course load. Get good grades. The 2.0 GPA is NOT going to cut it. 

Where is this? Leave a reply in the comments if you know or want to guess.

Fw: Junior Golf Weekend

From: "Marc Field" <tftpittsburgh@clubmailer.memfirst.net>

Dear TFTP Families, Volunteers & Friends,

This is a reminder that Saturday, May 5th is our First Tee Junior Golf Weekend at The Bob O'Connor Golf Course in Schenley Park.  It is an ideal opportunity for you to see our participants in action firsthand or to introduce our program to a friend, family member or potential donor.  The schedule is:

10 AM - Noon    Bob Ford, head pro at Oakmont Country Club will lead a youth clinic with members of the Tri-State PGA.  This is free and open to all kids ages 7 - 18 years old.

Noon - 1 PM     Members of the Greater Pittsburgh Golf Course Superintendents Association will lead a care of the course workshop highlighting our theme of Responsibility.  They will showing our juniors the proper way to RAKE their bunker, REPLACE their divot, and REPAIR their ball mark (YES!  We will have the debut of sand at The Bob!!).

Please forward and share this email with your friends and we hope to see you here on Saturday.

-- 
Marc Field
The First Tee of Pittsburgh
5370 Schenley Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
mfield@thefirstteepittsburgh.org
www.thefirstteepittsburgh.org
412-682-2403
412-682-2405 (fax)

The mission of TFTP is To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

The First Tee of Pittsburgh is a United Way Donor Choice Agency.  You may direct your United Way contribution to #1436656.  Please consider the environment before printing this email. 

Four students from Obama Academy who made the CONA list

Worry time begins again!

Take a Father to School Day is coming

Mark Brently, Senior, Pgh Public Schools Board Member, has earned a
big award for the Take a Father To School event. It is coming soon.

Fwd: No Hulu for You

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Josh Levy, FreePress.net <info@freepress.net>

This is how we watch TV in the 21st century: We fire up our laptops, our Roku boxes or our mobile devices. We open Hulu. We search for Parks and Recreation. Done. But Hulu's owners — Disney, News Corp. and Comcast, which respectively own ABC, Fox and NBC — are trying to ruin this experience.1 If they have their way, you'll need a cable subscription to watch any TV show on the Internet. Tell the Three Top Executives of the Companies Behind Hulu: You Can't Stop the Future of TV Back in the days before cable, people paid nothing to access network TV over the air. But cable programmers introduced a new model: You pay a lot of money to subscribe to a bundle of channels and then you get all the TV shows you want — and many more that you don't want. It turns out people don't want to pay exorbitant fees for hundreds of channels they'll never watch (Bruce Springsteen wrote "57 Channels and Nothin' On" even before the advent of DogTV). Enter Hulu. The Internet TV site makes it easy for you to watch the shows you want to watch, when you want to watch them, for free. If you want to view them on your mobile device or with an Internet-connected TV, you pay a small monthly fee. That fee, along with traditional commercials, generates revenue. Hulu now boasts 31 million subscribers who like it that way. It's how many of us watch TV, and an innovative model for the future of online entertainment. But Hulu's owners, including Brian Roberts, Bob Iger and Rupert Murdoch, are chucking all of that out the window. These gatekeepers at Comcast, Disney and News Corp are moving to an "authentication" system that would allow only cable TV subscribers to access Hulu. Tell Hulu's Owners: Don't Destroy the Future of TV. These guys are trying to put the Internet genie back in the bottle while destroying the concept of free television that dates back to the earliest days of the medium. It's up to us to tell them to stop. Thanks, Josh, Tim, Candace and the rest of the Free Press team  1. "TV in Real Dime," the New York Post, April 30, 2012: http://act2.freepress.net/go/10025?akid=3486.8833392.17z-pO&t=6 P.S. Like our work? The Free Press Action Fund is powered by donations from people like you. We don't take a single cent from business, government or political parties. Please keep us going strong with a gift of $10 — or more — today. Thank you!

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Learn more at www.freepress.net. Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Fwd: You're Invited: EPLC Education Policy Forum - May 17 - Pittsburgh

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Education Policy and Leadership Center

The Education Policy and Leadership Center is pleased to invite you to attend the

PENNSYLVANIA EDUCATION POLICY FORUM
"Western Pennsylvania Breakfast Series"
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Continental Breakfast - 8:00 a.m.
Program - 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.


Holiday Inn Pittsburgh University Center
(100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213)


SUBJECT:
College Completion Agenda


SPEAKERS:


Gregg Fleisher

National AP Training and Incentives Program Director,
National Math+Science Initiative



Marcus S. Lingenfelter
Director, State Government Relations, The College Board

Dr. James Moran
Vice Chancellor for Academic & Student Affairs,
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and
Acting President, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Lumina Foundation, The College Board, and Complete College America are among just a few of the nation's leading organizations calling for a dramatic increase in the percentage of young adults with a 2-year college degree or more to at least 55%. In the recently released College Completion Agenda 2011 Progress Report, Pennsylvania (43.4%) ranks just above the national average of 41.3%, while it trails far behind neighboring states New York (49.2%), New Jersey (46.2%), and Maryland (46.1%). With educated citizens as the basis for innovative, productive, and healthy economies, Pennsylvania currently stands at a disadvantage.

This session will discuss the degree attainment/completion agenda landscape nationally and locally. It will include discussion of best practice policies and programs being utilized around the country seeking to "fix the leaky P-16 pipeline." Also included are a host of resources, data, and policy initiatives from the College Board's Advocacy and Policy Center (http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/).

The College Board's College Completion Agenda Report is available at http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/reports_pdf/Progress_Report_2011.pdf

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Please RSVP Today!

Registration is free, but everyone must RSVP at http://www.eplc.org/events-calendar/western-pennsylvania-breakfast-series/.  Please share this invitation with your friends and colleagues.

Thanks to our Sponsors:
AFT Pennsylvania
Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties
College of Education - The Pennsylvania State University
Center for Educational Leadership - University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
Educational Testing Service (ETS)
OnHand Schools
Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals
Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
Pennsylvania Association of Pupil Services Administrators
Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators
Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials
Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Pennsylvania School Boards Association
Pennsylvania State Education Association
The College Board

Fw: Olympic Football tickets on sale 30 April

Dear Mark, Olympic Football tickets on sale tomorrow Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Football Tournament, will go on sale at 11am tomorrow, Monday 30 April until 11pm on Sunday 6 May 2012. The Tournament will take place at six iconic venues in cities across the UK including Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and London. View or download the full Olympic Football Tournament schedule and prices Full price tickets start at just £20 with special prices for young people aged 16 and under and seniors aged 60 and over. Tickets can be purchased at www.tickets.london2012.com and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Please note: tickets will not be available for all sessions and in all price categories. Purchasing Olympic Football tickets in this phase will not affect your eligibility for future Olympic Games and Paralympic Games ticket sales. Don't be fooled by bogus websites and organisations claiming to sell tickets to the Games. To check whether a website is an official sales channel please use our website checker As a proud sponsor of London 2012, Visa (debit, credit, prepaid) is the only card accepted for online ticket sales. London2012.com     Recommend to a friend     Privacy policy Twitter     Facebook     Youtube This communication originated from The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with its registered office at One Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5LN and registered number 05267819. The official ticketing website of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is www.tickets.london2012.com. Nothing in this message or its attachments entitles you to purchase tickets to London 2012. Remaining tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Game will go on sale in April 2012.

Fw: Pass the word

From: "Ed McManus" ed.mcmanus@pghtfc.org

Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:22:19 -0400

Subject: Pass the word

TLC Supporters,

In my 33 years teaching in the Pittsburgh School District I recall funding problems and anti-public school governors.  Before Governor Corbett we had Tom Ridge before Ridge we had Dick Thornburgh.  I’ve learned to accept criticism from some in the public as part of the job.  What I don’t recall is a time when the Pittsburgh School Board and its administrators have been so emboldened to publicly criticize teachers and openly attacking negotiated rights.

In the last seven years many hard won contractual rights have eroded.  We now have an eleven step salary schedule, merit pay, and a different pay scale for new teachers.  This year an unprecedented number of teachers were rated unsatisfactory and over one hundred teachers were “exited” from the district.   

The district is now projecting over 300 furloughs and is mounting a very public assault on our seniority rights.  The district is advocating the RISE evaluation system, the collaborative program developed by the district and current union leadership and funded with Gates money, to determine teacher furloughs.

A colleague was commenting the other day on whether the district would have had the nerve to even jokingly broach the seniority subject with Al Fondy.  Not a chance.

We need a strong voice representing a strong united union.  I think Mark will be that voice.

Thanks,

Ed McManus

Secretary Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers 

Get the word out

I have again attached a link to an interview Nina gave on KDAK radio and Mark’s e-mail to Mangino after the interview.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/04/27/pittsburgh-schools-cuts-teachers/#respond

Robert,

I just finished listening to the last 30 min of your show tonight and was disappointed that I was unable to call in (Although you did give the number while Nina Esposito-Visgitis was on I did not make note of it). 

I am a teacher in the Pittsburgh public School where I have taught math for the past 22 years.  I wanted to suggest to the inherent flaw in your reasoning about which teachers should be furloughed is the thought that all teachers are equal.  You supported that notion by pointing out that since it is difficult to fairly evaluate teachers then we can conclude that all teachers are doing the same job hence we should get rid of the “expensive” ones i.e. the older more experienced teachers.  I would grant you that if all teachers were equal that there would be some financial sense to your logic.  However all teachers are not equally effective.  Evaluating teachers presents a similar challenge as evaluating police officers, doctors, dentists, and others who work with the public.  We cannot evaluate the effectiveness of our police officers based upon their crime rate.  We cannot evaluate doctors based upon their patient’s survival rate.  If a doctor tells a patient to take their meds, exercise, eat right, quit smoking, etc… and the patient does not do these things and dies is it fair to blame the doctor?

Even with the difficulties of evaluating teachers, there is an undeniable connection between experience and effectiveness in all professions.  Particularly in education where approximately 50% of all new teachers leave the profession with in the first 5 years.  This simple fact underscores the value of experience.  It means that teachers with more experience have adapted to the infinite challenges that students and society present, challenges that a college cannot sufficiently prepare you for.  The more experienced teachers have a wealth of actual interactions with students from which to draw upon when interacting with their current students.  They have had the time to explore various education techniques and determine, from experience, which were best suited to meet the needs of their students.  To down play the value of experience is simply shortsighted.

Returning to your point of getting rid of teachers based solely upon their pay, it is exactly those types of arbitrary actions by management that gave birth to the union movement in this country.  Employees should have rights and be protected from decision by management that are based solely upon the almighty dollar.

As we look at the financial struggles the Pittsburgh Public Schools are experiencing there are many factors that have conspired to create the situation we are currently in.  One is the Governor’s budget and disproportional cuts to the education budgets of all PA schools districts but there are also other factors involved.  The Pittsburgh Public School has had a long history of employing more administrators, proportionally speaking, than the majority of other school districts. 

We spend approximately $21,000 per student.  Compare that to the vast majority of other local school districts who are spending between

$12,000 and $14,000 per student, it makes one wonder where the money is going.  The Pittsburgh teachers do not make as high salaries as many of our suburban counterparts.  I honestly do not know where the money is going but it is something I would like to look into.

All of these challenges combined with a general public who seems to have declared open season on educators have left my profession in a terrible place.  What incentive do college students have for pursuing a career in the education field?

My colleagues and I have dedicated our lives to the betterment of our students.  The fact that about 50% of us quit in the first 5 years proves that those of us who last are committed to our profession and our students in spite of the general backlash we endure from the public.  We all need to be careful of judging someone until we have walked a mile in his or her shoes.

Sincerely,

Mark Sammartino

PFT Presidential Candidate Spring 2012

Pitt graduation