Teachers do, a nice story in the P-G.

P-G article with a nice story

But it is built on a falsehood that the school yards empty now that school has begun.

My $.02 posted via FB:

Great story and article. Many in my family have been teachers and I get those questions on a regular basis about my dad, uncle, cousins, grandparents. Fun and rewarding.

One quibble, the start of school does not and should not mean and end to school yard times. School sports and recreation at school facilities after and before the bells ring are IMPORTANT. We as parents and community must coach our kids below their heads. Fitness, metalwork, and the heart are too often discounted in non academic times, and we all are less because of that evil practice.

Now that school has started, get fit, let's use the schoolyards, let's coach play and sporting opportunities.

Obama Golf Team after our first match.

Fwd: Swimming to remember

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Simon Griffiths" <editor@h2openmagazine.com>
Date: Sep 19, 2012 9:11 AM
Subject: Swimming to remember
To: "Mark Rauterkus" <mark@rauterkus.com>

>> Take a fresh look at swimming H2Open Newsletter no.24 In 1947, members of Farleigh & District swimming club built a set of diving boards on the banks of the River Frome and dedicated them to 12 of their colleagues who had lost their lives during the Second World War. Farleigh & District is one of the few remaining river swimming clubs in the UK. Once a competitive club with a strong water polo team, it has now evolved into a family friendly leisure swimming club, with an idyllic setting to while-away a sunny afternoon. The 1947 diving boards sadly fell into disrepair and modern health and safety regulations determined they couldn't be replaced due to insufficient water depth. Back then, after sending millions of young men to their deaths in war, the risk of injury from leaping into a river probably seemed immaterial. Alongside the diving boards the club put up a memorial plaque listing the names of 12 club members killed in fighting. At some point, date unknown, the plaque vanished and was assumed lost, until around five years ago when a diver found a blackened piece of metal in the river. It scrubbed up nicely, but with the diving boards now out of commission the question of where to put the Club War Memorial arose. Rob Fryer, chair of Farleigh & District club, eventually found a spot in an alcove at Stowford Manor Farm, which owns the land where the club now meets. Fryer also felt the memorial, and the memory of the men who'd died, deserved a ceremony so he organised a re-dedication service last weekend (16 September 2012), which included hymns, a reading and a roll-call of the 12 by current club members, including a nephew of one of the soldiers. As well as swimmers (some of which had just taken a dip in the 13 degree river), a number of ex- and current service men and women attended, along with the Mayor of Trowbridge. Standing on the banks of the Frome today in the peaceful Wiltshire countryside it's easy to imagine the young men leaping, carefree, from the boards, a brief moment of flight before plunging into the cool green water. It's much harder to imagine those men as fighter pilots going down in flames, as sailors lost at sea or infantry men under enemy fire, but that's how they died. Their sacrifice means we're still free to enjoy the simple pleasure of swimming outside, and share the same feelings of exhilaration when leaping in, the same tingle as the water chills our skin and the same glow as the body rewarms in the sun. Next time you swim, spare these men a thought. Happy Swimming Simon Griffiths Editor, H2Open Magazine p.s. if you know any other swimmers that would enjoy H2Open Magazine please share this newsletter with them. Free app Download Visit our iPad app sponsors Swim for Good  Join one of their 2013 Channel Swim relay teams. Offers Need some new kit? We've got discount codes from Swim Supplies and Fit4Swimming. See our offers page for details. Partners Check out Zogg's range of open water specific goggles. *Please note, this is an affiliate marketing link A wetsuit for £99 It's not too late to take advantage of Zone 3's wetsuit for £99 offer. Click here for details Picture of the week Mark Bayliss on his way to breaking the Arch to Arc record on 8 September 2012, swimming through the night. Mark is also the first person to complete the challenge (running from London to Dover, swimming the English Channel and then cycling to Paris) without using a wetsuit. Photo (C) Ryan Bowd. On our website Dave Cornthwaite is undertaking a 1000 mile swim down the Missouri River because his mother bought him a pair of swimming goggles! Martin Strel swims from the Statue of Liberty to Freedom Tower Swim in Ireland's only Fjord   New record for the oldest relay team to swim the English Channel Crossing the Firth of Forth Coming up in our October issue We're working hard on the October issue of H2Open Magazine at the moment. If you're not already a subscriber, sign up now to ensure delivery. Look out for: Avoiding event day mishaps Cassie Patten's analysis of the Olympic marathon swim Eva Risztov, women's 10k winner Trent Grimsey on breaking the English Channel record Open water swimming in New Zealand and Greece Surf Lifesaving Make your own energy bars For a faster, more enjoyable open water swim Subscribe to H2Open Magazine - Seven issues each year from just £22.95, delivered to your door. Buy a single issue of the magazine from Mailsports (£3.99 with next day delivery in the UK) Download our app for iPad or Android devices. The app is FREE and comes with a free sample issue. Digital copies of the magazine cost just £2.99. Take a fresh look at swimming is a regular newsletter from H2Open, the world's only dedicated open water swimming magazine. H2Open is published 7 times a year in the UK and is available on subscription world wide. H2Open is for all open water swimmers, whether you're a wild swimmer, competitor or long-distance challenger. To find out more see www.h2openmagazine.com. ZG Publishing Ltd, 20 Burnell Avenue, Ham, Richmond, United Kingdom TW10 7YE, UNITED KINGDOM

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TMwMnIxMjLSszMysTJwsjLRGtIys7KycLMzs

Fwd: Public Hearing on Zoning Change for Strip District on Sept. 25th at 1 pm

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Melissa McSwigan
Date: Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Subject: Public Hearing on Zoning Change for Strip District on Sept. 25th at 1 pm
To: Melissa McSwigan <melissamiller28@yahoo.com>

Public Hearing on Zoning Change for Strip District as it Relates to City and Buncher Company Development: Tuesday, September 25 at 1 P.M. in City Council Chambers

 

Councilman Daniel Lavelle has proposed legislation to introduce a new Specially Planned (SP) District at the site to be identified as "SP-8/Riverfront Landing" (Bill No. 2012-0606). The legislation will be discussed by City Council at a Post Agenda Meeting on Monday, September 24 at 1:00 P.M in Council Chambers.  The public is welcome to attend, but cannot speak at this meeting.  The next day there will be a public hearing on Tuesday, September 25 at 1:00 P.M in Council Chambers (5^th floor of City-County building). Councilman Patrick Dowd will be continuing to hold the TIFF legislation until after the SP District is sorted out.

 

The City and Buncher's plans for the Strip District have been in the news a lot over the summer. Many different groups, individuals, and members of City Council have taken issue with various aspects of the development (environmental, economic, historic preservation, how it will affect existing business owners and the spirit of the Strip District).  Preservation Pittsburgh has been following the project especially as it relates to the historic Produce Terminal Building and new building design. We have met with representatives from Buncher and the project architects and have expressed our concerns. We are hoping for a good turn out on the 25^th – please attend if you can!  Council may take a vote on this zoning change as soon as the day after the public hearing. This hearing may be the only chance to help shape the project or voice any concerns. It may also set a precedent for future development.

 

Note: If you would like to speak at the public hearing on Tuesday, September 25^th, please call the City Clerk at 412.255.2138. You will be provided three minutes to speak. If you don't register in advance and decide that you want to speak while at the meeting, you are only allowed one minute to speak.

For a succinct opinion piece from the Post-Gazette:

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/editorials/public-interest-bunchers-strip-district-plan-rates-special-attention-645591/

 

--
--
Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com    
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

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

National policies that twist free speech with the Internet cords.

Fwd: Preservation Pittsburgh's Annual Meeting on October 25 - save the date!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Melissa McSwigan" <melissamiller28@yahoo.com>
Date: Sep 14, 2012 4:47 PM
Subject: Preservation Pittsburgh's Annual Meeting on October 25 - save the date!
To: "Melissa McSwigan" <melissamiller28@yahoo.com>

Please save the date!

Preservation Pittsburgh's Annual Meeting will take place the evening of Thursday, October 25 at Google's Pittsburgh office in Bakery Square.   Project architects Thomas Price and John Martine of Strada will speak about the office design.  Refreshments will be provided.

Preservation Pittsburgh's Annual Meeting takes place in changing locations each year and provides access to our region's historical and cultural gems.  It also provides a chance to learn more about Preservation Pittsburgh and to socialize with others who are interested in architecture, historic preservation, and our quality of life!

For a tour and some press on Google's office:

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-pittsburgh-office-2011-2?op=1

http://m.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/#/premium/view/page_4221711

Fwd: President Chopp and Centennial Conference Presidents Council Respond to The Chronicle of Higher Education - Division III Athletics Aren't Part of the Commercial-Athletics Enterprise

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Swarthmore Athletics" <manskis1@swarthmore.edu>
Date: Sep 14, 2012 3:25 PM
Subject: President Chopp and Centennial Conference Presidents Council Respond to The Chronicle of Higher Education - Division III Athletics Aren't Part of the Commercial-Athletics Enterprise
To: "mark@rauterkus.com" <mark@rauterkus.com>

September 14, 2012   President Rebecca Chopp, chair of the the Centennial Conference Presidents Council, responded to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education "Who's In Charge of Sports? Maybe Not the President." Her response, on behalf of the Council, is that the member institutions of the Centennial Conference have been true to their mission statement, which says: "The supervision and oversight of the athletics programs is vested in the president of each institution. Intercollegiate athletic programs are an integral part of the life of the member institutions and complement their educational objectives." Read President Chopp's complete statement below: ---------------------------------------------------------- To the Editor: For 20 years, the member institutions of the Centennial Conference—Bryn Mawr, Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Haverford, McDaniel, Muhlenberg, Swarthmore, Ursinus, and Washington Colleges, along with the Johns Hopkins University—have been true to their mission statement, which says: "The supervision and oversight of the athletics programs is vested in the president of each institution. Intercollegiate athletic programs are an integral part of the life of the member institutions and complement their educational objectives." We may not oversee one of the 25 biggest athletic departments in the country ("Who's in Charge of Sports? Maybe Not the President," The Chronicle, September 3), but we do offer well-rounded offerings for a large proportion of our students. In fact, the percentage of students involved in intercollegiate athletics is larger in the Centennial Conference than the Big Ten or Southeastern Conference. According to Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act data available online, Big Ten schools in 2010 had 7,368 students on team rosters out of a combined enrollment of 308,346—2.39 percent of the undergraduate population. The SEC had 5,633 participants in a combined enrollment of 224,533—2.51 percent. Compare that with the Centennial Conference. For the 2010 reporting year, 5,572 out of 22,535 students participated in intercollegiate athletics, or 24.73 percent—nearly a quarter of the conference's undergraduate population. The Centennial Presidents Council meets annually to set major policies, act upon recommendations of policy matters from athletics directors, approve the conference budget, and approve personnel recommendations. Individually, the presidents also have the ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the intercollegiate athletics programs at their own institutions. Together, we have championed NCAA legislation eliminating redshirting and controlling the length and scope of the nontraditional or off-season. We take our oversight role very seriously. We are disheartened when the public confuses Division III athletics with the Division I commercial-athletics enterprise. In Division III we do not offer athletics scholarships. Our athletes are students first. And we are proud of the fact that all Centennial Conference members have four-year graduation rates of over 67 percent and nine of 11 members have rates above 75 percent. We take great pride in our involvement with our intercollegiate athletics programs, and we cheer for and have great respect for our students who participate in sports. We recognize that our students learn much on the playing field. However, our students understand that our highest priority is to provide them with an excellent academic experience. Rebecca Chopp Chair Centennial Conference Presidents Council   The Chronicle of Higher Education Letter to the Editor

To unsubscribe from this email, click here

I am Obama's new Golf Coach

Here we are on the first day of our season, at a clinic at Scally's. Eight players and gentlemen.

This should be a fun movie,

http://www.facebook.com/boom

Fwd: Back to School Quiz: How Long Does It Take to Teach PA's Kids CPR?

From: Melissa Brown, American Heart Association <paadv@heart.org>
Date: Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 10:34 AM
Subject: Back to School Quiz: How Long Does It Take to Teach PA's Kids CPR?
To: mark@rauterkus.com

In Just One Class Period, We Can Teach PA's Students to Be the Next Generation of Life Savers!  It's back to school time and that means…Pop Quiz! True or False: Sudden cardiac arrest usually occurs in a hospital setting. Answer: False. Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death and, unfortunately, about 88% of sudden cardiac arrests occur at home. This makes it likely that a loved one who has been trained in CPR will mean the difference between life and death. Learn more! Question: For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, chances of survival decrease by ____ percent. Answer: Chances of survival decrease by 7-10%. That's why it's important that we all learn how easy---and critical---it is to take action. As our kids settle into the new school year, let's ensure they also learn the skills necessary to become the next generation of life savers--in just one class period! Your homework assignment? Take a moment now to let our decision makers know you support CPR training for Pennsylvania's students! Thank you!  Jennifer Ebersole, PA Government Relations Director American Heart Association Melissa Brown, Grassroots Director American Heart Association  P.S. Want to do even more to ensure our students are equipped to administer lifesaving CPR in an emergency? Take action and then forward to your contact list and urge them to take action as well!

Head over heals for red, white and blue so as to make a splash N@!

Missing summer. But, we have a toad trip to Ohio this weekend for an outdoor water polo tournament..

Fwd: [New post] Dear Mr. Rodriguez … Education Reform and not a dime's difference in the Ds and Rs.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Yinzercation
Date: Thursday, September 6, 2012
Subject: [New post] Dear Mr. Rodriguez …
To: mark@rauterkus.com

YinzerThing posted: "An Open Letter to Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy Dear Mr. Rodriguez: As you will no doubt recall, last week when I was invited to the White House as one of 40 education leaders from Pennsylvania I stood be" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Yinzercation Dear Mr. Rodriguez … by YinzerThing An Open Letter to Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy Dear Mr. Rodriguez: As you will no doubt recall, last week when I was invited to the White House as one of 40 education leaders from Pennsylvania I stood before you and pleaded for an end to the national narrative of "failing public schools." I am writing to let you know about the national conversation that that meeting has sparked – and the overwhelming sense of disappointment, despair and frustration it has evoked. You asked for a dialogue and feedback, so please allow me to tell you what people are saying. First, many people want to know how it is that the White House, the Department of Education, Democratic leaders, and many on the political left have bought hook, line and sinker into this rhetoric about public education – once a pillar of our democracy – overlooking the actual experience of education professionals and despite mountains of educational research. (This is exactly what "At the Chalkface," a national talk radio program, spoke with me about this past weekend.) The toxic failing-public-schools narrative is not only based on a false notion that American students are falling farther and farther behind our international peers, but it blames supposedly overpaid, uncaring teachers and bureaucratic school administrators for the very real problems that do exist in our country. Yet we know that middle class students from well-funded schools perform at the top on international tests. We know that student achievement has actually gone up, not down over the past thirty-five years. And we know that the trenchant problem of racial disparity in our schools has far more to do with poverty and inequitable funding at the local and state level than with bad teaching or unions. People want to know why, then, this administration seems blind to the consequences of adopting President Bush's signature No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy, which set schools up to fail, stigmatized them, and then undermined public confidence in public education. They ask why our national leaders ignore the clear evidence that NCLB has wrecked havoc on our schools, creating a culture of high-stakes testing, teaching to the test, cheating scandals, drastically narrowed focus to just reading and math, all the while preventing desperately needed debate about real issues such as meaningful curriculum reform. The piece I wrote about our conversation last week, "The Elephant at the White House," was picked up and re-published nationally by AlterNet.org, the Horace Mann League, and Diane Ravitch, among others. Ravitch wrote a response piece, "About that Meeting at the White House," in which she asked pointedly, "will they do anything differently? What signal, if any, will the White House give to show that they understand that Race to the Top is an extension of NCLB? It is NCLB on steroids." Here are some comments from people across the country: "Empty chair for PRESIDENT! Because no other choice measures up" "…the Dems [are] hellbent on pushing [Race to the Top] during Obama's re-election. From a purely political perspective, it has got to be the worst strategy the Dems have ever had. The race is very close and it is possible Obama will lose. I wonder why he has abandoned teachers and parents." "I guess [the election] wouldn't be so close right now if he hadn't forgotten all of us. I am disgusted, completely and totally disgusted with Obama, Duncan and the whole lot of them. Obama should spend a morning at Sidwell Friends and then follow up with an unannounced visit to a test prep charter. Then he should hang his head in shame." "…[throw] the profiteers and consultants out of the meeting; [abandon] Race to the Top; [say] that Mr. Duncan would not be part of the next administration; [promise] to phase out testing and to remove test scores from teachers evaluations. When they do the above, I will trust them." "USDoE spokespeople seemed to be brave in this meeting — and then what? And now how is the Obama administration going to respond to the brave teacher/parent/community alliance in Chicago, where teachers are being forced to strike…to defend and protect their students and schools?" "Alas, the [NCLB] waiver is not a waiver, just a commitment to do other harmful things!" "…of the 40+ educators who attended, only 2 were teachers. Teachers have professional expertise that needs to be acknowledged, cultivated, and sustained." "Race to the Top is more of the same un-researched, unreliable, and feckless education policy that further demeans the profession and those of us who are steeped in the research of effective practice." Last week we talked about the new Hollywood movie, "Won't Back Down," which blames coldhearted teachers, unions, and school districts and was made by the same people who released "Waiting for Superman" two years ago. I practically begged you not to use the movie as a promotion for market-based corporate "reformers" and their agenda of school privatization. This piece of fiction claims to be "inspired by real events" and is set right here in Pittsburgh, though there is absolutely no evidence that anything like it ever happened here. What is clear, however, is that the film was bankrolled by the ultra-right and attempts to introduce the notion of parent-trigger laws, another policy darling of those supposed reformers. I was appalled to learn that the Democratic National Convention chose to show the movie this week (following in the footsteps of the Republicans who showed it at their convention last week). I've been invited by President Obama's campaign here in Pittsburgh to speak tonight at a party celebrating his acceptance speech. I've been asked to speak about my trip to the White House. What am I supposed to tell them? On this issue, Mr. Rodriguez – your issue of education – President Obama is no different from his opposition. To say we are disappointed is an understatement. I hope you and all of the President's advisors will give serious attention to Diane Ravitch's most excellent advice in, "How President Obama Could Win the Election." She has proposed an amazing, short speech that could win back educators, parents, and public school advocates. I plead with you once again from here on the ground in the grassroots of a key state in this election: let's talk equity, let's talk about poverty, let's talk about real education reform, and let's talk about public education as a public good. Respectfully yours, Jessie Ramey ------------------ Jessie B. Ramey, Ph.D. ACLS New Faculty Fellow, Women's Studies and History University of Pittsburgh Yinzer Nation + Education = Yinzercation YinzerThing | September 6, 2012 at 6:15 pm | Categories: corporate reformers, high stakes testing, Koch brothers, privatization, Public Education, public good, rhetoric of failure, White House | URL: http://wp.me/p288Ox-io Comment    See all comments Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:  http://yinzercation.wordpress.com/2012/09/06/dear-mr-rodriguez/

Informika 6.0 School is released

State Institute of Information Technologies and Telecommunications
(Informika) and JSC ALT Linux have developed and released a
set of distributions Informika 6.0 School that includes:

* Informika 6.0 School Server
* Informika 6.0 School Teacher
* Informika 6.0 School Junior
* Informika 6.0 School Master

Features:
* Zero-cost end-user license fee;
* Сentralized administration of pupil computers;
* Deep customization;
* Сentralized authentication via directory service;
* Network boot of diskless nodes that store personal data on server;
* High security and virus protection;
* Graphical interface on server (disabled by default).
* Special School Server images are ready to install to Hyper-V

Distribution images are available at:
* http://torrent.altlinux.org
* http://ftp.altlinux.org/pub/distributions/ALTLinux/p6/iso/school/

Happy using!

Fedena 2.3 released

On Wednesday, September 5, 2012, Unni Koroth wrote:

Dear All,

Today is the Teachers day in India and the latest version of Fedena - the opensource school management system is now available to public for free download.

Official Blog post - http://projectfedena.org/blog/17-fedena-2-3-released

Github - https://github.com/projectfedena/fedena

Download instructions - http://projectfedena.org/download

Fedena is a free and opensource school management software that has more features than a student information system. Thousands of institutions around the globe use fedena to efficiently manage students, teachers, employees, courses & all the system & process related to their institution. 

Fedena now powers more than 40,000 institutions around the world. It includes the most notable implementation in 15,000 Schools of Kerala - India, which is now a case study for successful implementation of big data e-gov projects across the world. http://projectfedena.org/pages/sampoorna .  The same project is acclaimed by ruby on rails community and David Heinemeier Hansson - creator of Ruby on Rails.

Highlighted Features of Fedena 2.3

Support for CCE(CBSE), CWA & GPA grading standards

Supports 4 new languages - Japanese, Portuguese, German & Marathi. (Already supports Spanish, Arabic, Hindi & English)

Enhanced report centre for examination

Seperate dashboard for Parent (Previously parent & student view were same)

Enhanced timetable & attendance

Introduction of plugin marketplace

Now any company can develop plugins for fedena using the documentation and support available in projectfedena website. The developers can list their plugins in the marketplace for free or for a price. This is the first step towards building an ecosystem around Fedena. http://www.projectfedena.org/plugins 

Big Blue Button Integration is now free

The Big Blue Button plugin of Fedena is available for free download from plugin marketplace. BigBlueButton is an open source web conferencing system for distance education. The goal of the project is to enable universities, colleges, and K12 to delivery a high-quality learning experience to remote students. BigBlueButton supports real-time sharing of slides (including whiteboard), audio, video, chat, and desktops. It also record lectures for later playback. More info: http://www.bigbluebutton.org/

Interesting articles about Fedena

1. A Tunisian professor writes how fedena is helping them reorganize and innovate after the Arab Spring revolution - http://opensource.com/education/12/6/learning-fedena
2. Foradian CEO interviewed in opensource.com, sharing the importance of opensource in education - http://opensource.com/education/12/8/foradian-ceo-explains-benefits-open-source-school-management-software
3. What problem does Fedena solve? http://www.quora.com/What-Problem-Does-X-Solve/What-problem-does-Fedena-solve

Ride of Silence - Update

1) We are riding in the morning rain or shine.

2) Sunrise is at 6:48 AM. So everyone is street legal when we
start at 7 AM. Front and back lights are always sensible, especially
if it is overcast.

3) Fyi, after consultation with the national Ride of Silence
organizers, what we are doing tomorrow is a "Ride of Silence style
Tribute Ride for c James Price, Anthony Green, (and other bicyclists
killed or injured). They want to reserve the name "Ride of Silence"
for the world-wide coordinated May event. We will get the title right
next time.

4) Remember, we are aiming to ride legal and sensible tomorrow.
All, please help marshal to that effect.

5) As to speed, let's consider the ride from Oakland to Penn
Avenue as a "transit" at a controlled but comfortable speed. When we
turn onto Penn Avenue, we'll follow Ride of Silence rules there and
back (slow, quiet, and respectful). Once we pass Penn Circle, let's
go in to controlled "transit mode" again to get people back.

6) I'll be looking for 4-8 riders to help control the front.
We'll also need some to sweep, and guide middle groups too.

7) I don't have a camera right now. Several people, please take
some pictures or videos to share.

8) Crossing the Bloomfield Bridge to return to Oakland, we can
stay in the right lane to turn left.



Jim Logan

SPIRE in Cleveland will NOT be hosting Division II Swimming & Diving Championships this year

The NCAA touts that it is an organization led and run by its membership. Today it proved that it does indeed listen to membership by announcing a change of venue for the 2013 NCAA Division II Championships.

Originally slated for the Spire Institute in Ohio, the 2013 Championships will now take place in Birmingham, Alabama with swimming taking place at the CrossPlex aquatic center. The original site was attacked for its inaccessibility of nearby lodging. The change is a win for swimmers and teams which were facing upwards of three hours of travel time with prelims and finals.

Fwd: Forum on the National Debt

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Suzanne Broughton <sbroughton@macconnect.com>


Friends,

I am sending this message to tell you about a forum for which I have
been very involved in the planning. I believe this is an important
topic for all of us: The National Debt. The League of Women Voters of
Greater Pittsburgh has been very fortunate to engage two experts to
help us understand this topic. I hope that you will considering
attending: September 20, 5:30 p.m., Rivers Club.

The forum is free. There is an optional dinner with the speakers
afterward at a cost of $75. Registration for the forum and/or the
dinner is necessary. The attached flyer contains a link to register.

Most Pittsburghers are familiar with Paul O'Neill's accomplishments.
Besides Alice Rivlin's positions listed on the flyer, she served on
the Simpson-Bowles Commission on the federal budget. She also
co-chaired, with former Senator Pete Domenici, the Bipartisan Policy
Center's Debt Reduction Task Force.

Even though the forum is free, it is the League's main fund-raiser,
through sponsorships and ads in the program book. It replaces our
Good Government Award dinner program, which had been our fund-raiser
for the last 15 years. If you know of a business or institution that
would like to be a sponsor of the forum or place an ad, please let me
know immediately so I can send the proper information. Time is short;
we need sponsors and ads by September 7 to print the program. Short
notice, I know.

Please feel free to forward this flyer as widely as you can.

I'm looking forward to this forum and hope to see you there.

Sue

Watch for bikers on the road

The cars always win.

Ride of silence on Monday

When: Monday, September 3, 7:00 AM. Gather at 6:45 AM morning)

· Ride rain or shine – if it's important, let's do it.

· Check the WPW website (www.wpwbikeclub.org) for any last minute messages

Start location: Oakland - Schenley Plaza (next to Carnegie Library)

CONTROVERSY IN TAMPA

You should also be aware that major controversy has developed at the convention over proposed rule changes which would take control over much of the nomination process away from the state and local parties and put it in the hands of the national leadership.  These changes are a direct assault on the traditions of the party and would silence the voice of the grassroots in much of the decision making process. Many grassroots activist groups and prominent leaders have come on board opposing the changes.  The Republican Liberty Caucus was one of the first, but we've been joined by Eagle Forum, FreedomWorks and many Tea Party Groups.  These are goups we're often at odds with ideologically, but we all agree that the integrity of he party and standing by republican principles is of the highest importance.Here are some resources to help bring you up to speed:Proposed Rule Changes from CommitteeMinority Rules Committee ReportRLC of Maine Statement on Rules ControversyMorton Blackwell (Virginia Delegate) Letter to DelegatesRLC Chairman's Letter to Delegates and ActivistsEagle Forum Statement on RulesFreedomWorkds Press ReleaseThis issue will be voted on again in committee Tuesday afternoon and go to the floor of the convention sometime later Tuesday.  We urge you to contact your state delegates today if you can and encourage them to support the Minority Report against the report of the Rules Committee. 

Let the games begin

Hear my commercial on talk radio! Bok, Atlas Snubbed

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ken Krawchuk via LinkedIn
Date: Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Subject: Hear my commercial on talk radio!

LinkedIn Ken Krawchuk has sent you a message. Date: 8/22/2012 Subject: Hear my commercial on talk radio! Folks: Yep, I'm running radio ads for my novel, Atlas Snubbed. They're running on Philly's new talk station, WWIQ, 106.9 FM. The station carries your typical roster of rightist pundits (Rush, Hannity, Beck, and the like) whose listeners are one of my prime target audiences (i.e., people who have read/are familiar with Atlas Shrugged), so you may notice how the spot is "somewhat" biased toward a far right audience. Yeah, well. Despite my Toastmaster background, it was a big challenge to put the thing together. Not only did it have to employ all the tools of the trade (attention-grabbing opening, call-to-action ending, strong structure, vocal variety, tight timing, smooth flow, proper word choice, lots of emotional content, and other general speechwriting tricks), it also had to be recited by a non-Toastmaster who could put into its delivery everything I would have. So as the announcer I chose long-time broadcaster Tom Doyle (host of "The Vinyl Revolution", 8-11 PM Tuesdays on www.z889.org), and I coached him through dozens of takes. You tell me if you think I succeeded, but to quote my daughter Carissa, "You made him sound like you!" Too cool. It just started running this morning, and sales are already coming in. Woo hoo! It'll be running all this week, a half dozen times a day. The schedule is below, and you can listen live at www.iq1069.com. And if it pays off, I'm likely to keep on running the thing until sales begin to taper off. If you can't wait to hear it, I threw an mp3 out on the book's website at www.AtlasSnubbed.com/CommercialTalkRadio.mp3 (case sensitive). An interesting task; something else to add to the list of unusual things I'd never done before. - Ken 08/21/2012 6:44:00AM 08/21/2012 10:48:00AM 08/21/2012 1:04:00PM 08/21/2012 5:03:45PM 08/21/2012 8:30:00PM 08/22/2012 6:13:45AM 08/22/2012 7:56:50AM 08/22/2012 9:58:50AM 08/22/2012 7:16:00PM 08/22/2012 9:55:00PM 08/23/2012 6:28:15AM 08/23/2012 7:43:00AM 08/23/2012 3:58:40PM 08/23/2012 6:45:00PM 08/23/2012 8:46:00PM 08/23/2012 9:45:00PM 08/24/2012 7:26:45AM 08/24/2012 5:53:00PM 08/24/2012 7:16:00PM 08/24/2012 8:16:00PM 08/24/2012 9:45:00PM 08/25/2012 10:44:00AM 08/25/2012 6:30:00PM 08/26/2012 9:32:00AM 08/26/2012 2:18:00PM -------------------------------------------- Ken V. Krawchuk Author, Atlas Snubbed: An Unsanctioned Pastiche Parody AtlasSnubbed.com Ken@AtlasSnubbed.com (215) Krawchuk (but never before noon on weekends) PO Box 260 Cheltenham, Penna. 19012 View/reply to this message Don't want to receive e-mail notifications? Adjust your message settings. This email was intended for Mark Rauterkus (Head Boys Swim Coach for Pgh Obama High School at Pittsburgh Public Schools). Learn why we included this. © 2012, LinkedIn Corporation. 2029 Stierlin Ct. Mountain View, CA 94043, USA

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Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com    
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach
Pittsburgh Combined Water Polo Team

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

Be Libertarian with me for one election, he asks

Interesting ad. Lots of faces from the actor at the outset.

Greg's documentary is on its last day at Kickstarter

True story. Greg dove in Pittsburgh in August 1982 at Settlers Cabin when the USA Diving Nationals came to town. I was a journalist at that event on assignment for Swimming World magazine.

Greg won both the 3-meter and 10-meter events, of course. He was excellent.

A Pittsburgh Press sports reporter was at the press interview and asked Greg, "What is the difference between the 10-meter platform and the 3-meter springboard."

It was a serious question and I almost died myself -- embarrassed for that guy. Say what???

Greg said, "Well, the platform is 10-meters high and very hard. The springboard is with a bounce and just 3-meters high."

Next question.

My opinion of Pittsburgh's sports journalists has never been lower. And, I had just graduated from J-School at Ohio University some months prior.

I hope the film comes out and is a smashing success. I am sure it will be.

Winds of change email

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward
this email to a minimum of twenty people on their
address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United
States of America will have the message.
This is one idea that really should be
passed around.


_*Congressional Reform Act of 2012*_


1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office.


2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.


All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into
the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.


3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.


4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.


5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.


6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.


7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/31/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.


Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in
Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their
term(s), then go home and back to work.


If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive
the message. Don't you think it's time?


THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!


If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete.
You are one of my 20+ - Please keep it going, and thanks.

Voter ID in PA hits national TV shows

After the race, some got Jordan's autograph

How is this for a running mate photo?



That is Jordan McNamara, sub 4-minute miler, after the Liberty Mile with a few of our PPS Summer Dreamers we had in the race.

Press event on Monday to push back on Voter ID

B-PEP, Alleghenians, NAACP Pgh Chapter and the Western Pennsylvania Black Political Assembly

Joint News Conference

Monday, August 20th, 2012

6:00 p.m.

St. James A.M.E. Church

Sumpter Hall

444 Lincoln Avenue

Pittsburgh, Pa 15206

Response to the recent Commonwealth Court decision to up hold the new Voter ID Law. 

Specify plans of action to counter act the Voter ID Law will be announced.

Permission Slip - not blog worthy, but FYI

Permission Slip for: ________________________________________ (students full name)

for ALTERNATIVE DISMISSAL on the last day of Summer Dreamers, Friday, August 17, 2012, for Swim and Water Polo's participation in the PIZZA PICNIC, BUS, and LIBERTY MILE running race is either:

Part 1:

APPROVED ___ <---- circle and initial

…. or ….

NOT ALLOWED ___ <----- circle and initial

Part 2:

After the race, getting home is:

with pickup expected ___ <---- circle

…. or ….

on team's bus <----- circle

says the parent / guardian:

NAME: (please print) ____________________________________

SIGNATURE: _________________________________ Date: ________________

Cell PHONE: ______________________________ Home PHONE: _______________________

(optional) WORK Phone: ______________________________

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (Camp and School Use) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Coaches INITIAL: _____________ (& date) ________

School / Summer Dreamers INITIAL: _______________ (& date) ________

Permission Note and Details for Last Day of Summer Dreamers

The final day of PPS Summer Dreamers is Friday, August 17, 2012. This letter is for parents and guardians for swimmers and water polo players. Your urgent reply is desired so we can do a special events with your student that day – if you all agree and choose to participate.

SUMMARY:

Please fill out the permission slip and return it to the school or coaches.

This is NOT a mandatory activity. This is optional. Those that can not or wish not to participate can have a regular day at Summer Dreamers and go home on the regular school bus at 4 pm. Either circle and initial APPROVED or NOT ALLOWED so we know what to do with your child on Friday and to curtail any confusion.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend these functions. Join the students at the school at 1 pm for the camp assembly. Or, join the students at the afternoon swim starting about 3:30 pm at Ammon on Bedford Avenue and Memory Lane. Or, join the students at 4:45 for the pizza picnic at Ammon. Or, join the students at the race site on Liberty Avenue downtown, near the Convention Center, as the squad arrives at 6:15 pm. Or, come to the race on Liberty Avenue and cheer, but be there by the start at 7 pm sharp. Tip: Aim for Liberty Avenue near the Convention Center as it is in the middle of the 1-mile course. Or, join us as we cheer for the other runners at 8 pm. Finally, come to pick up your child and sign him out with the coach at the team bus along the course before 8:15 pm.

We expect to have nearly every student get home after the race with a pick-up by his or her parents or guardians after the race which will end for our students around 7:15 pm. So, a pick-up and sign-out between 7:15 pm and 8:15 pm is ideal. Those that need a ride home on the bus can get a ride HOME on the bus starting at 8:30 pm. However, we would much rather have your presence at the events and race so you can then travel home together.

Friday schedule:

• regular arrival to Uprep.
• Bring swim suits. Bring running gear. (shorts, socks, hat?, snack)
• Students with MORNING swim and water polo have a regular swim and water polo practice. Time is 9am to noon for students who have finished grades 5 and 7.
• Regular lunch from 12:30 to 1pm.
• Students in AFTERNOON swim and water polo go to the U-PREP auditorium at 1 pm for camp assembly with a “show and tell.”
• Students in MORNING swim and water polo go to auditorium at 1 pm for same camp assembly and “show and tell.”
• At 2pm, after the camp assembly:
  • Afternoon swimmers who are going to the special event "pizza picnic" and the Liberty Mile running race jog to Ammon swim pool. Put on your shirts. Put on your shoes. These students depart U-PREP and will not return to the school. (PERMISSION SLIP NEEDED to be completed earlier.)
  • Afternoon swimmers who are NOT going to participate in the special event stay at U-PREP and watch a sports movie about Olympics and go home regular ways at 4 pm as camp ends.
  • MORNING swimmers go back to academic classes as time permits.

At 3:30 pm, after the school day ends, the MORNING SWIMMERS:

• MORNING swimmers who NOT going to the special event stay at U-PREP go home regular ways by 4 pm as camp ends.
• MORNING swimmers who are going to participate in the special event "pizza picnic" and the Liberty Mile running race meet in the swimmers classroom space with Coach Mark at dismissal. Put on your shirts. Put on your shoes. These students get on a BUS (special team bus provided) and travel to Ammon swim pool at 4 pm. These students depart U-PREP and will not return to the school.
  
  
• Students attending the Pizza PICNIC and LIBERTY MILE running race:
  • 4 pm gathering and swimming at AMMON Swim Pool. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to attend.)
  • 5 pm, GatorAid and Pizza meal. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to attend.)
  • 5:45 pm, end swimming and head to the team bus at Ammon and go to the Liberty Mile Running Race. Swimmers will not return to the swim pool or the bus. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to attend.)
  • 6:00 pm, arrival at Liberty Avenue, near Convention Center. Students can keep their gear on the team bus for the duration of the race events.
  • Students and coaches walk around the running course and check into event. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to attend.)
  • Runners get race numbers and “race provided timing chip” for their shoe laces.
  • 6:30 pm, students put their gear into “team spot” for safe keeping for the race. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to attend.)
  • 6:40 pm, runners head to the starting line. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to attend.)
  • 7 pm. The race begins for our students. Race ends in 5 to 15 minutes. (Parents and Guardians are welcome to cheer.)
  • Students return race timing chip off of shoe sneakers to race officials at finish line.
  • Check outs with coach for parents/guardians can begin after the race ends about 7:20 at the “team spot” near the team's bus.
  • 8 pm. The race begins for the professional runners. We watch and cheer.
  • 8:15 pm. Gathering at the “team spot” by the team bus. Final remarks and recap. Pick up all gear. Check out with coach.
  • Go home with parents / guardians desired after checking out between 7:15 and 8:15 pm.
  • Award presentation and results may happen for some???
  • Lone bus departs for transportation home for students without a pick-up, 8:30 pm, expected.
    
    

Do encourage your students to perform with their best behaviors and represent themselves proudly. This is a team and athletic event. Coaches always have the right to bench players.

This optional opportunity for swim and water polo campers is available due to sponsorships obtained by the camp coaches from the race officials (Liberty Mile / Pittsburgh Marathon) who provided gratis entry, goodie bags, the bus transportation, and the pizza picnic plus their supporters, Elite Runners and Walkers, provided the running shoes.

Mark Rauterkus Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach

412 298 3432 = cell 

Today's Water Polo Game

Free Ademo

Check it out, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/adam-ademo-mueller-journa_n_1748057.html?utm_hp_ref=education#comments

Civil Rights and Swimming

The start of the modern Civil Rights Movement can be traced to the demand by Black veterans for equal access to beaches and swimming pools after World War II. A photo of a motel manager pouring muriatic acid on the heads of swimmers made front page news across the country and is widely credited with influencing the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 the very next day. With few exceptions, virtually every attempt to integrate swimming pools and beaches resulted in violence, even after the Supreme Court overruled segregation. Most municipal pools chose to close rather than to integrate. Today most public swimming pools are as segregated as they were in 1964, including Minneapolis.

And,

The link between academic success and exercise, specifically cardio-vascular exercise, is clearly demonstrated. The more physically fit a child is, the better they perform academically. Swimming has the added benefits of teaching strategies to overcome fear and build self-confidence. Swimmers have the highest GPAs and graduation rates.

New film of a past event

A snip from yesterday's water polo game with middle school girls