Jon tells how to vote in his newsletter and shares some poetry

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jon Robison
Date: Friday, October 19, 2012
Subject: ROBISON POLITICAL NEWSLETTER 2012'mhardie@ura.org'
To: jon@jonrobison.org

Jonathan and Mary Robison

154 N. Bellefield Ave. #66, Pittsburgh, PA  15213

412-683-0237 jon@jonrobison.org  www.jonrob'alan.smith@mail.house.gov?'ison.org

October 14, 2012

 

Robison Political Newsletter

 

Testing…  Testing…

 

            As the Nov. 6 election looms, it might be good to re-read President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.  Consider the beginning of his speech: "... a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.  We are now ... testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure."    '... testing …'

            'Liberty' and 'equality' are not mandates handed down in books or on stone tablets.  President Lincoln called them 'propositions'.  Liberty and equality are being tested by events in Lincoln's era and in ours.  Let us share some specifics.

Our fundamental election processes are being distorted by astronomical amounts of money, facilitated by the Supreme Court's Citizens Union decision.  It seems as if we moving from "One person, one vote" to "One dollar, one vote".

Everyone's equal right to vote is threatened, in Pennsylvania and other stares, by the voter ID legislation, which will hinder the handicapped, the poor, the elderly, and anybody without a PA drivers' license.  We're glad the Pennsylvania courts put enforcement on hold until after the Presidential election.

The lesbian and gay communities want equal rights, such as the freedom to marry.  People are coming out, and testing whether they have the freedom to be themselves.

Reproductive rights as a liberty issue has spiritual as well as political difficulties.  Much has been said on this.  We both have thought about the question.  (Mary is a pro-choice Catholic.)  If you have qualms about a woman's right to decide, please consider the alternatives.  Who should decide?  We also remind people that abortion did not begin when the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade.  The President's policies, especially on health care, probably prevent more abortions than any hostile laws.

The rights of immigrants, people from other lands, are under attack. Remember that this country was built by immigrants, and that until the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed in 1882 most were undocumented.  Only the Native Americans have good cause to complain about being overrun by foreigners imposing an alien culture, and they know it's too late.

Entitlement programs are being attacked.  These programs ensure that everyone has the essentials of life.  That is why they are entitlement programs -  because we are all entitled to live decently.  The programs being cut are foundation stones of equality in our society.

The attack on unions threatens the existence of the middle class.  When the frontier was closed and free land was gone, most folk would have had little wealth and power in our country without unions.  Unions created the middle class in America.  Before the laws passed when Franklin Roosevelt was President, people had no legal protection if they tried to start a union. 

The gap between rich and poor is increasing.  This growing inequality is not only unjust and immoral.  It is a danger to our country's  stability.

            There are other issues, such as environmental protection, consumer protection, prisons, and peace.  But fundamentally, this election is a test of liberty and equality in our country.

"We are taking our country back."  So said New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention on Aug. 28.  Who are 'we'?  'We' is the cohort of white, straight, prosperous, Christian men of European ancestry who historically held the most of the power and control   (Just look at Congress.)   People like Gov. Christie seem to believe that they have the right to run the country, as if they were somehow the majority.  Now they perceive their dominance diminishing.  They fear that this election is their last chance to reassert themselves before demographics redistributes power and control permanently.  This perception may account for the bitterness in the opposition to President Obama.  Our country is more polarized than any industrialized democracy since Germany in the 1920's.   

Have confidence in our country.  This is a rich nation, and it belongs to all of us.  Our wealth is more than gold or iron or coal.  It is the diversity of our people.  As our diversity grows, our wealth increases.  Let us not be frightened into foolish attempts to repress our differences.

Please help preserve our nation, "… conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."   We respectfully request that traditional Republicans and genuine conservatives vote to re-elect President Barack Obama.

Testing …  Testing …

Let us go from philosophy to politics.  Before we discuss specific candidates, we wish to make an explanation and a couple of apologies.

 

First we want to APOLOGIZE to anyone distressed that all the candidates we are supporting are Democrats.  We never before endorsed the straight Democratic ticket.  Our obligation to you is to give you our honest opinion.  (Most Democratic leaders have given up telling us to be 'loyal' to the party.)  We are sorry this issue of our newsletter is so partisan.

            We also apologize if you missed the primary newsletter.  We simply ran out of time to send the regular mail copies.

 

What did you do to deserve this addition to your mailbox or e-mail in box?

This is the Robison political newsletter.  It is sent free in advance of the primary and general elections to about 2,000 people by e-mail and bulk mail. 

            How did we get your name?  Some people have been on our list for years.  Some requested the newsletter.  Jon gets some names of presumably sympathetic people at meetings.  Frankly, in some cases we're not sure.  Of course, if you want off our list, please tell us.  Please also contact us with any corrections.  We try to keep our list corrected.  Please tell us if you prefer that we send this to a different e-mail address.

If you receive this by mail or otherwise, and have an e-mail address we can use, please tell us. This saves us money on postage and printing.  E-mail gets you the newsletter a few days earlier. In addition, our bulk mailing is limited to four pages. We can add additional information to an e-mail.  Recently we have appended to the e-mail some of the poetry which I, Jon, wrote. You might consider this a plus.

We will be happy to add any names to the list, preferably with their e-mail address.  Some people find the newsletter interesting and even useful, especially about races which receive less media coverage.  Some of our friends contribute to help support the newsletter, and we are grateful.  (If you would like to help with the costs, you are invited to send a check to Robison Political Action Committee, 154 N. Bellefield Ave., #66, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.) 

Please forward or give copies of this to any interested friends.  The newsletter also will be up on our website.

            Of course, we welcome any comments, criticism, and questions.

 

Finally we come to the candidates. 

For President of the United States and Vice President, Barack OBAMA and Joe BIDEN.  We could discuss at length economics, jobs, environmental protection, peace, Congressional gridlock, and other issues.  But you have doubtless heard all you want on these problems, and perhaps more.

President Obama and his opponent both want more jobs and a stronger economy.  Obama points to progress, despite obstruction from the Republican dominated House, which would not even extend the Violence Against Women Act after it passed the Senate with bi-partisan support on a  68 –to 31 vote.  Romney says that he will increase employment without public investment in infrastructure such as roads and bridges, public transportation, and education.  He says that he won't cut social security or health care.  He wants to extend Bush's tax cuts for the rich.  He would reduce the debt without cutting the military budget, even though we have enough nuclear weapons to kill every human on earth ten times over.  Either he does not want us to know how he would do all this or he himself doesn't know.

 

            For the U.S. Senate, with some reluctance we support the re-election of Bob Casey.  He is a mainstream Democrat on economic issues and strongly pro-union. He has always been hostile to a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, although he's not as extreme on that as his father, Governor Casey.  His Republican opponent is even more anti-choice and offers Tea Party rhetoric on health care, unions, etc.
           

For Pennsylvania Attorney General former Lackawanna County prosecutor Kathleen Kane is an easy choice, on the web at www.kathleengkane.com.  Kane said the state Attorney General should have stood up against the voter ID law recently mostly suspended by Commonwealth Court until next year.  She also criticized the now-shelved proposal that would have mandated an invasive ultrasound before abortions.

            For state Auditor General, we support Atty. Eugene DePASQUALE, State Representative from York.  He is a solid liberal Democrat and a feminist and a friend of ours, you can click on www.eugene4pa.com.  He was born and raised in Pittsburgh and is the grandson the late Pittsburgh City Council President Eugene 'Jeep' DePasquale, a traditional old-time Oakland Democrat.  We were eventually friendly with 'Jeep' although we had some sharp disagreements on social issues and on party loyalty.
            For State Treasurer, we support the incumbent, Rob McCORD, a successful businessperson.  His website is www.robmccord.com.

 

            For Congress, the 14^th is basically the Pittsburgh District.  Our own Mike DOYLE has almost nominal opposition.   He is a hard worker and a real fighter, especially on economic justice issues.  He is good on the rights of the lgbt communities.  His position is mixed on abortion, although he solidly supports Planned Parenthood.  We think that he is following the path of his predecessor, Bill Coyne, who started out as a typical organization Democrat of Irish heritage, and gracefully evolved into a supporter of every woman's right to decide. We consider him a friend and are happy to support him.  .

            In the 12^th District, to the north and east of Pittsburgh, reapportionment resulted in a primary contest, and Congressman Mark S. Critz defeated another incumbent Democrat, Jason Altmire.  Critz is a strong union supporter, good on economic issues.  We don't care for his positions on social issues, particularly reproductive rights.  We recommend a vote for him because we need a Democratic, progressive majority in the House of Representatives.
            In the 18^th Congressional District, Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi seems to be a strong underdog

--
--
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

Role of the Principal in Schools

A 12 minute video from the National Federation of High School Athletics.



I do not like the "be scared" approach as that often leads to "do nothing" outcomes.

I love the words, commitment, professional and devoted time and energy.

Red Cross Swim Certifications, FWIW

This could be the most boring blog post ever.

But, getting onto the Red Cross site and all the certifications into the right database record has been a challenge. http://www.InstructorsCorner.org.

I still have one more bit of red tape to slay with my associated organizations.

PIIN event. Please Come Thursday

From: Yinzercation <comment-reply@wordpress.com>

YinzerThing posted: "What are you doing Thursday evening? If you care about public education in Pittsburgh, I hope you will bet at the PIIN Public Action Meeting. Over 1,200 people will be there, including a veritable who's who roster of local leaders and politicians, all c" New post on Yinzercation Please Come Thursday by YinzerThing What are you doing Thursday evening? If you care about public education in Pittsburgh, I hope you will bet at the PIIN Public Action Meeting. Over 1,200 people will be there, including a veritable who's who roster of local leaders and politicians, all coming together to commit to action on four issues: education, transit, the clean rivers campaign, and voter turnout. Yinzercation has been asked to help represent the voice of parents and the community on the key issue of public education. PIIN is the Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Action Network, a coalition of Pittsburgh area congregations and community organizations that have been working together in a powerful way for the past twelve years. On the issue of education at the community meeting, PIIN will be "seeking a commitment from Dr. Linda Lane, Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent, and Nina Esposito-Visgitis, President of the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, to continue to work with PIIN and our partners to achieve equity for all of our students." [PIIN Public Action Meeting invite] I have had a number of conversations with PIIN organizers and volunteers over the past few weeks and I've been particularly impressed with the way that they understand the big picture. Just like our grassroots movement, they are focused on the issue of equity – and see the connection to funding cuts as well as state and federal level policies that have colluded in this attack on public education. I particularly appreciate their call to education advocates for this public action meeting, which states that equity "can only be achieved with a partnership of parents, community, administration and teachers." Real community engagement is too often missing in the education world. And PIIN has deep roots in communities – including many of our African-American neighborhoods – where meaningful engagement is absolutely essential. All of us in the Yinzercation family have been asked to sit together towards the front in a special reserved section so that we can stand as a group when asked to support education. Many of us education advocates are already active in Pittsburgh area congregations and community organizations that will be sending delegations to the public meeting: if you wish to sit with Yinzercation to show a strong united front for public education, please leave a note on our Facebook call-to-action post so we know how many folks are coming. This is an excellent way to send a strong message to other community leaders that the grassroots will play a vital role in this battle for our schools. Join us Thursday at Rodef Shalom (4905 Fifth Avenue / 15213). The doors open at 6:15PM, and the program begins promptly at 7PM. It will be an empowering evening. YinzerThing | October 16, 2012 at 9:09 am | Categories: advocacy event: Take Action!, Public Education | URL: http://wp.me/p288Ox-kZ Comment    See all comments

Social

Created by: Open-Site.org.

Fwd: [DW] Harry Potter Alliance hiring for two full time positions! (please circulate!)

Includes mix of online/offline skill needs. I've heard they do some amazing
work. -Steve

From: "Andrew Slack" <andrew@thehpalliance.org>
Date: Oct 14, 2012 10:25 PM
Subject: Harry Potter Alliance hiring for two full time positions! (please
circulate!)

Hi all! The Harry Potter Alliance has just launched a very exciting search
for two new full time positions. Please circulate any where and
everywhere! Here's the link:
http://thehpalliance.org/what-we-do/jobs-at-the-hpa/

About the Harry Potter Alliance
The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) uses parallels from the Harry Potter novels
to inspire close to one million fans to act as heroes in our world. Hailed
by the University of Southern Californias Annenberg School of
Communications as one of the premier models of civic engagement for the
twenty-first century, we have sent five cargo planes to Haiti, built
libraries across the world, and recently raised $100,000 for our innovative
advocacy on equality for LGBTQ, immigration, and education. Almost every
major publication in the US has been very interested in our quirky quest
for social justice, JK Rowling has praised us in Time Magazine and on her
web site, and we are now working with other fan communities having started
with fans of the Hunger Games.

Below are the full job descriptions provided in this link:
http://thehpalliance.org/what-we-do/jobs-at-the-hpa/

Open Positions
CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR
The Campaign Director is responsible for maximizing the efficacy of the the
HPAs campaigns and projects, overseeing the work our volunteers, and
working directly with other members of Senior Staff to direct and guide the
organization. Our Board, Executive Director, and Senior Staff are excited
to work with the person in this new position to help create a job that we
believe will truly transform and expand our reach.

While primarily a structural position focused on campaign strategy and
development, deadlines, follow-up, assessment of our efficacy and impact,
etc., the Campaign Director is also responsible for the creative use of the
tools and resources at the disposal of the HPA to achieve our mission. As
such, the Campaign Director has a primary responsibility for the impact of
the organization overall and must be attentive to: volunteer staff,
communication and messaging, engagement with members, and other measures of
success.

It should be noted that the HPA and our emerging Imagine Better Project
make up a young organization, running on passion, a thirst for new ideas, a
love for young people, social justice, and an understanding that we are
attempting to engender a more creative approach to social change  so a
strong appetite for innovation is key. When you work for the HPA, its not
simply an occupation or job, its more of a vocation or calling  its an
exciting moment at the HPA and we are looking for someone who is excited to
be in this position.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
A knowledge of HPA campaigns and projects and an understanding of fan
culture and fandom
Masters in management, media theory, or a social justice/policy field, or
comparable experience, preferred
1  2 years of experience in campaign development, program management, or
related field (this may be in a volunteer capacity, however previous work
experience is preferred)
Demonstrated ability to outline deliverables and quantify campaign results
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Strong strategic thinker, likes puzzles and a prioritization of efficacy
over efficiency
Open mind and active interest in learning more about the fields of both
social entrepreneurship and cultural entrepreneurship
An understanding of and interest in continuing to build a strong volunteer
culture based in a sense of community
Excellent follow through and comfortable in high-pressure, high-stress
situations and achieving goals through trial-and-error or other creative
and flexible management techniques
Vision and energy to inspire collaboration and engender trust from staff
and key organizational funders, stakeholders, and supporters.
Commitment to a work environment where creativity and diversity are
celebrated.
Experience with social media and social media organizing preferred
THE JOB:
Coordinating all aspects of campaign development, including researching and
selecting social issues, outlining the timeline of the campaign,
communicating with partners, defining and tracking partnerships, etc.
Working directly with the Executive Director to ensure that the Board of
Directors is kept abreast of new campaigns, shifts in goals, and any other
high-level developments
Overseeing the implementation of campaigns by the volunteer staff,
including but not limited to the mobilization of members via social media,
the explanation of campaigns via web copy and resources, and the engagement
of our local area chapters; as well as any necessary wrap-up
Overseeing the monitoring and evaluation of campaigns and ensuring that
campaign tactics are reaching the achievement of the agreed upon basic
campaign goals, are aiding to the overall mission of the organization, and
are increasing overall impact of and investment in the organization
Overseeing the planning of IRL opportunities including the HPA presence at
events run by partners and any potential future HPA hosted events
Participating in low-level press interviews as necessary and acting as the
voice of the organization when describing and detailing campaign objectives
and successes
Primarily responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance
of the volunteer staff (with the purposes of building a staff with the
flexibility for strong high-impact campaigns)
Assisting with all fundraising projects as needed and maintaining any
campaign-related budgets and defining budgetary needs

TO APPLY
Please email  careers@thehpalliance.org with your cover letter, resume, and
response to the below question:

Take a look at our past campaigns. The HPA focuses primarily on the issues
of human rights, literacy, LGBTQ equality, media reform, and
self-empowerment, but have recently expanded to look at immigration reform
and other contemporary social movements.

Please briefly describe a campaign you believe the HPA should run. Your
description should include: (1) Why the cause is important to our audience;
(2) A simple call to action that fits with the HPA or Imagine Betters
brand; (3) Your strategy for motivating our audience to take action, with
sample language or social media asks as appropriate.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
The HPAs Director of Development is an emergent position with the
organization. We are lucky to be an organization on the precipice of
tremendous expansion and thus are seeking a candidate with previous
experience to draw upon who is looking for an exciting new challenge. The
Director of Development will be responsible for spearheading the capacity
building efforts of the organization. This will involve outlining areas for
growth, working with the Executive Director and Board of Directors to
quantify those needs, working with volunteers to accomplish tasks, and
working with other members of Senior Staff to direct and guide the
organization.

Over the years, we have built excellent relationships with our members,
reputable foundations, and potential donors. The Director of Development
will help us foster these relationships toward our growth as well as look
for new avenues that we can work with foundations and donors. Our Board,
Executive Director, and Senior Staff are excited to work with the person in
this new position to help create a job that we believe will truly transform
and expand our reach. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys
tackling ambitious projects, leading a team, and embraces new technologies
and new media. S/he will become familiar with the HPAs mission and
innovative model of social activism and will be responsible for messaging
this mission to donors.

It should be noted that the HPA and our emerging Imagine Better Project
still make up a young organization, running on passion, a thirst for new
ideas, a love for young people, social justice, and an understanding that
we are attempting to engender a more creative approach to social change
so a strong appetite for innovation is key. When you work for the HPA, its
not simply an occupation or job, its more of a vocation or calling  its
an exciting moment at the HPA and we are looking for someone who is excited
to be in this position.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Masters in nonprofit management, media theory, or a social justice/policy
field, or comparable experience, preferred
A strong understanding of and commitment to social justice issues
2  3 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, finance, or a related
field (this may be in a volunteer capacity, however previous work
experience is preferred)
Demonstrated ability to utilize multiple methods of fundraising including:
membership drives, grant writing, and outreach to private donors; and a
dedication to researching new avenues
Excellent written and oral communication skills
Strong strategic thinking with an ability to plan long-term and come up
with creative solutions and utilize resources creatively
Experience managing volunteers, and an understanding of and interest in
continuing to build a strong volunteer culture based in a sense of community
Excellent follow through and comfortable in high-pressure, high-stress
situations and achieving goals through trial-and-error or other creative
and flexible management techniques.
Vision and energy to inspire collaboration and engender trust from staff
and key organizational funders, stakeholders, and supporters
An interest in and ability to work with authors, actors, musicians and
other artistic personalities
Commitment to a work environment where creativity and diversity are
celebrated
Experience with social media driven fundraising drives a plus

THE JOB:

Coordinating all established fundraising projects and working with the
established volunteer Development Department to sharpen goals and tighten
methods.
Overseeing any grant writing, membership drives, stewardship efforts, merch
related concerns and coordinating merchandise for IRL events, and other
current fundraising efforts
Expanding HPA fundraising efforts by conducting research into best
practices in online and offline fundraising, creating a comprehensive
fundraising strategy, and working with the Executive Director to codify the
vision and direction of the organization
Maintaining relationships with key stakeholders and individual donors
within and outside of the fandom and communicating with any other
fundraising contacts and building new relationships
Communicating with, supporting, and supervising our finance team and
playing a pivotal role in all financial decisions made by the organization
Implementing a long-term vision for the staff which is in-line with
efforts in helping the organization build-to-scale; this will include
working with volunteer staff, assisting in the development of an internship
program, as well as assisting in the establishment of best practices for
paid staff and consultants and participating in the hiring process of any
future staff
Working with the Campaign Director to outline ways to build campaign impact
and leverage campaigns for fundraising, build recognition of the
organization, and strengthen the HPAs brand
Travel as needed (this is usually limited to 2 or 3 times a year but may be
more)

TO APPLY
Please email  careers@thehpalliance.org  with your cover letter, resume,
and response to the below question:

Take a look at our  current website and donate pages. Keeping in mind the
goal(s) of the organization, what are three (3) recommendations you have to
make the us more appealing to individual donors via the website. Your
response should take into account and describe any weaknesses of the
current layout, any concerns/weaknesses of current or past campaigns, and
any preconceived ideas people may have regarding the organization which
would limit them from donating and offer specific ways to counter these.

--
Andrew Slack
Harry Potter Alliance, Executive Director, Creator, Co-founder
@thehpalliance
@andrewslack
http://facebook.com/andrewcraigslack

Find out more about the Harry Potter Alliance at www.thehpalliance.org




--
--
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

Google Releases Civic Information API

From: Steven Clift <clift@e-democracy.org>

From: "Dan Diebolt" <dandiebolt@gmail.com>
To: <sunlightlabs@googlegroups.com>

What is the Google Civic Information API?

The Google Civic Information API allows developers to build applications
that display civic information including polling place, early vote
location, candidate data, and election official information to users. The
initial version of the API is geared towards election-related information
for the United States. Future versions of the API may add more types of
civic information and expand to other countries.

US election data is based on the political geography of a voters
registered address. The voters address determines where the voter is
eligible to vote and what offices and ballot measures the voter may vote
on. There are many US elections throughout the year, and the election
information relevant to a voter can shift depending on the election. Google
assigns every election available in the API an election ID, and the
information associated with that ID is intended to be accurate for that
election only. You can use the Google Civic Information API to query all
upcoming elections and then find information for a voter for a specific
election.

https://developers.google.com/civic-information/

Fwd: From the Desk of Gov. Gary Johnson

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Gary Johnson 2012" <Gary_Johnson_2012@mail.vresp.com>
Date: Oct 11, 2012 4:07 PM
Subject: From the Desk of Gov. Gary Johnson
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>

Friends,     Do you feel good about your choices for President of the United States? Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?     If you are like millions of other Americans, you may not be entirely comfortable with those choices.  And if so, you need to know that there is another option.     I am Governor Gary Johnson, and I am running for President.  Thanks to the news media's obsession with the two major party candidates, you may not be very familiar with me.  I would like to change that.     I served as Governor of New Mexico for eight years, elected and reelected as a fiscal conservative and social liberal in a state that is 2-1 Democrat.  While I was Governor, we cut taxes 14 times, balanced the state budget, and created an environment for job growth that led the National Journal to say that my record of job creation was the best of all the governors running for president.      Some called me Governor Veto -- a nickname I accepted with pride.  We need leaders who aren't afraid to say NO to bigger government and excess spending.  I did that, vetoing 750 bills during my eight years in office.  That is probably more vetoes than all other governors combined.     If you are interested in learning more about my record, my philosophy and my plans for restoring opportunity and individual freedom as government's priorities, I hope you will go to GaryJohnson2012.com and check me out.      You might also want to read this from GQ magazine: Is This the Sanest Man Running for President?   As you will see, I'm not just a former governor.  I'm an athlete who loves challenges and achieving goals, and I'm an entrepreneur who grew a one-man business into a successful company that employed more than 1,000 people.     You know as well as I that the way our government works has to change, and if you're like me, you also know that it won't change if we just keep electing the same politicians who thrive on spending too much, involving government in every aspect of our lives, and insist on sending our military into wars we can't afford and don't need to fight.      To see what I mean, take a quick look at this video: Be Libertarian With Me - Just This Once   I'm the only candidate for President who will submit a balanced budget in 2013, get us out of unnecessary wars NOW, support marriage equality for all Americans, end the failed War on Drugs, and repeal laws like the Patriot Act that are robbing us of basic privacy and freedoms.     I hope you'll take a little time to learn more about me and what I want for America. You may find we are on the same page, and that our revolution is a cause you want to join.     Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you.     Governor Gary Johnson       P.S.  If you want to help me spread our message of less government and more freedom, I welcome your support.  Go to http://www.garyjohnson2012.com.         [facebooklike]    [twittertweet]     [googleplusone]      Paid for by Gary Johnson 2012 Contributions or gifts to Gary Johnson 2012 are not deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes.

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Grant and Daniel at North Park Golf Course. 4th and 3rd places for PPS Obama.

Fwd: Fw: PA, VOTE ATTICUS FINCH!

 

 

 

"The right to criticize: the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; the right of independent thought. The exercise of these rights should not cost one single American citizen his reputation or his right to a livelihood... Otherwise none of us could call our souls our own."

Margaret Chase Smith Biography -

United States Senator from Maine 1897-1995

 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Steven Singer 

Shockingly, 52 Pennsylvania architects of the recently halted Voter ID law are running UNOPPOSED in the November election. That means no matter how voters in these districts feel about these representatives, they have no choice but to re-elect them. This is outrageous!

That's why we're asking voters who live in these districts to write-in ATTICUS FINCH, the hero of Harper Lee's Civil Rights masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is a figure who truly stands for the idea that Civil Rights - including the right to vote - come first and that our elections should include EVERYONE - not just those who can jump through hoops to get a state-approved photo ID with an expiration date.

So this November, send a message to the cynical opportunists who tried to take away your right to vote. Tell them "I'm voting for ATTICUS FINCH!"

Please make the pledge to vote against politicians who drafted the voter ID law or write-in ATTICUS FINCH for those politicians running unopposed.
Go to: http://signon.org/sign/pa-vote-atticus-finch?source=s.icn.em.cr&r_by=2420891&mailing_id=6396
 
Please share this link through email, facebook, twitter and anyway you can.

Not sure if your local Voter ID supporter is running unopposed? A complete list, promotional posters and additional information can be found at svteach.wikispaces.com.


We feel ATTICUS FINCH would make a great representative. If he was a real person that is.

Compare ATTICUS FINCH to, let say, State Rep. Daryle Metcalfe - one of these unopposed politicians.

Finch: "If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."

Let's see what happens when Metcalfe tries it. Metcalfe: "[The verdict to halt voter ID] is skewed in favor of the lazy, who refuse to exercise the necessary work ethic to meet the common-sense requirements to obtain an acceptable photo ID." "As Mitt Romney said, 47% of the people... are living off the public dole, living off their neighbors' hard work..."

Finch might note that 25% of African Americans, 16% of Latinos, and 18% of seniors lack photo IDs. Finch: [People like Metcalfe are] "confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption... the evil assumption that all Negroes lie, all Negroes are basically immoral beings...  An assumption that one associates with minds of their caliber, and which is, in itself, gentlemen, a lie, which I do not need to point out to you."

What would Finch say about the court decision to halt implementation of the law? Finch: "Now, gentlemen, in this country, our courts are the great levelers. In our courts, all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts... that's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality!"

How would Finch reply to State Rep. Mike Turzai - another unopposed politician - who famously said, [The voter ID law will] "allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania,"?

Finch: "They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions, but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."

Why would Finch allow his name to be used as a purely symbolic gesture? After all, even if a majority of voters in these districts write in his name, he cannot actually take office since he is a fictional character. Finch: "I wanted you to see what real courage is...  It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do." "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win."

Please make the pledge to vote against politicians who drafted the voter ID law or write-in ATTICUS FINCH for those politicians running unopposed.
Go to: http://signon.org/sign/pa-vote-atticus-finch?source=s.icn.em.cr&r_by=2420891&mailing_id=6396

Please share this link through email, facebook, twitter and anyway you can.

Not sure if your local Voter ID supporter is running unopposed? A complete list, promotional posters and additional information can be found at svteach.wikispaces.com.

Thank you so much for all you do.

Yours,

Steven Singer and Adrian Seltzer
 

--
--
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

Phillips Swim Team back in the groove again

Dear Parents and Guardians of students at Pittsburgh Phillips, K-5:

Phillips Elementary School will once again be participating in the Pittsburgh Public Schools Elementary Swim Championships. The swim meet will be on December 4th at 1:30 pm. The event will be held at Allderdice High School. Tryouts and practices for the Phillips Swim Team will be held at the Oliver Bath House on the South Side. All fourth and fifth graders are encouraged to participate. Third graders are permitted to practice but are not eligible for the meet. Students who wish to make the Phillips Swim Team must meet the following requirements:

1. Permission slip must be filled out and returned by October 26th.
2. Students must meet the age and grade requirements for the meet.
3. Students must not have more than two “needs improvements” on the first quarter report card.
4. Students must be competent swimmers (you must be able to swim in the deep end of the pool).
5. Students must attend three tryouts or practices.

Students will be practicing to swim competitively. Please do no let your child participate if they did not pass a deep end swim test this summer. Parents are responsible for safe and timely transportation to and from the Bath House. More information regarding the actual swim meet will be sent home at a later date. If you have any question please call me at school 412-488-5190.

The first practice will be on October 28th at 6:30pm.

Thank You,
Mrs. Bichler


Practice dates:
Oct 28, 6:30 pm.
Nov 4
Nov 11
Nov 16
Nov 25
Dec 2.

Meet is December 4 at Dice!

Penn Hills '77: Our Classmate Tony Lonero is coming back to visit the Burg!

Please spread the word... 

Many of you already know Tony's story.....he is an inspiration to people all over the world. 
Here is the link for his website if you want to check out his story and latest news. 
http://www.ridetofinish.com/ 

* Tony will be at the premier of his movie next Wednesday....a documentary that tells his whole story. 
It will be held at Linton Middle School, Wednesday October 10th at 7:00 pm. All are invited. 

* On Thursday October 11, Tony gets inducted into the East Boros Sports Hall of Fame. 

* Friday October 12, We are taking Tony to Carnivores (Restaurant & Bar) in Oakmont at 7:00 pm 
Tony is really looking forward to hanging out with all Classmates and friends! Please come! 

Looking forward to seeing everyone at the Movie on Wed and/or at Carnivores on Fri.!! 

Many thanks to Loretta, PD (Doc), Mr. Ford and the rest of the committee that got this together for Tony. 

Please pass this email on to any Classmates! 

Thanks, 

Pat Farabaugh 

Rumble

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P5tIxg4VDg&feature=colikehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P5tIxg4VDg&feature=colike

Race to the Top educational funding is federal bribery and those in Fresno said, "No."

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2012/10/race_to_the_top_frozen_out_in_.html

Interesting article above.

Engaged students without bus passes hurts after school opportunities

From the school newspaper, Obama Eagle

Bus pass cuts provide students with headaches, frustration
Posted: 03 Oct 2012 01:45 PM PDT
“What ever happened to bus passes?”

Many students come across this question daily. “It would make it so much easier to get to school if we had bus passes. If we miss our school buses we have to pay for the PAT buses anyway,” student Maria Vaccarello says. Many students aren’t very pleased about the dismissal of these passes. Sci-Tech student Idee Olugbade explains,” The school district doesn’t realize that those bus passes brought us to our after school sports!”

While many students are enraged Dr. Miles Brown calmly states that along with budget cuts the school just can’t afford PAT bus passes for everyone. The school needed to start prioritizing its budget and giving unnecessary bus passes was the easiest thing to cross off the schools list of financial expenses. “The bus passes aren’t handled by us,” Dr. Brown explains, “The school’s administrative office gets notified of the bus pass distribution just as the students do.” She understands the complaints and thinks it best for every ones’ educational priorities to stick with the yellow buses! She also says that all extra-curricular activities receive buses. She even gave a number to call if you want to discuss concerns with a PPS transportation director, Theodor Vasser, (412-338-8125). Fortunately OAIS students can get to and from school, daily activities, and home without too much of a struggle.

Ready to jump in!

No Kangaroos are killed for sport shoes for water polo players.

Nike: stop using kangaroo leather to make soccer cleats! Sign Robert's Petition Nike: Stop the slaughter of kangaroos to make your soccer shoes! Started by: The Fish Family, Portland, Oregon Please join my family and I in asking Nike to stop using kangaroo leather to make soccer shoes! Did you know that millions of kangaroos are slaughtered in Australia every year to make soccer shoes (or football shoes for the more enlightened of us)? If that isn't sad enough many times baby joeys are found in the dead mothers' pouches after they are killed and then meet the end of their life by being stomped on, beaten with sticks or smashed against vehicles because they serve no use. Being from Portland, Oregon, it's exciting to know that Adidas, which based its US headquarters here, just recently stated that they will cut back on kangaroo leather use by 98% in the next twelve months! Even cooler Puma recently said it's exploring even more non-animal material because of environmental problems like chemicals and waste created in leather tanneries! The question is what about Nike and Umbro (the soccer specialty company which Nike owns)? The interesting thing is that Nike already makes an alternative to kangaroo leather called 'Kanga-Lite.' Now some may wonder if it using a synthetic material impacts performance? As a Manchester City fan it is difficult for me to ever give credit to anything associated with Manchester United, but if a synthetic shoe can work with a world class player like Rooney it is clear that performance is not an issue. Add in Ronaldo and US superstar Landon Donovan amongst those who wear amazing Nike cleats where no kangaroos had to die and it is clear that the alternatives are great. Our whole family loves soccer and we also love animals which is why we find it painful and sad to imagine slaughtering even a single kangaroo for use in a shoe! That's why we want Nike to stop using kangaroo leather and instead use the many wonderful, kangaroo-friendly, highly-functional materials that go into football shoes that don't involve needless cruelty. Some of Nike's best models featuring revolutionary synthetics include models called CTR360, Total90 Laser IV, and Mercurial Vapor VIII, and there are plenty of choices for regular families like ours who play on recreational teams! Remember Nike is a business and if their customers ask them to use less cruel and more environmental friendly materials they will listen! Will you join us by signing our petition to Nike to stop the slaughter of kangaroos to make their shoes? Thank you! Robert, Renate, Ras and Chaitan Fish Click here to sign The Fish Family's petition, "Nike: Stop the slaughter of kangaroos to make your soccer shoes!". You can also check out other popular petitions on Change.org by clicking here.

Presidential Debates with only the Ds and Rs suck

Dear Open Debates Supporters,

We have some exciting news. In direct response to an email and letter-writing campaign from our allies and supporters, three of the ten corporations that sponsor the Commission on Presidential Debates have withdrawn their sponsorship! Over the past week, advertising agency BBH New York, nonprofit women’s group YWCA and tech giant Philips North America have withdrawn their sponsorship of the Commission. YWCA explained its decision: “As a nonpartisan organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all, we have decided to withdraw our sponsorship effective immediately.”

Here is a good article on the events: http://t.co/1kBxVvhT

We want to keep the heat on and persuade the remaining seven sponsors to withdraw their support of their Commission. Please contact the following seven companies and foundations at the listed address and express your desire for them to withdraw sponsorship. Note that Anheuser-Busch remains, by far, the largest sponsor of the Commission on Presidential Debates; these debates are largely brought to you by Bud.

Crowell & Moring LLP
At Crowell – Moring LLC, the Chairman is Kent A. Gardiner and his email is
kgardiner@crowell.com

Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
One Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118
800-342-5283
E-mail Contact Form: http://contactus.anheuser-busch.com/Contactus/email.asp

Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647-1CR

Dallas, Texas 75235
https://www.southwest.com/contact-us/contact-us.html

The Howard G. Buffet Foundation
158 W Prairie Ave, Suite 107
Decatur, IL 62523-1442
Also:
121 S 51st St
Omaha, NE 68132
402-556-6641

Sheldon S. Cohen, Esq.
Farr, Miller & Washington
1020 19th Street, NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
800-390-3277
202-530-5600
202-530-5508 Fax
Email: sscohen@farrmiller.com

International Bottled Water Association
1700 Diagonal Road
Suite 650
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-683-5213
703-683-4074 Fax
Email: ibwainfo@bottledwater.org
800-WATER-11 (Information Hotline)
http://bottledwater.org

The Kovler Fund
aka Marjorie Kovler Research Fellowship
c/o John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Columbia Point
Boston, MA 02125
617-514-1624
617-514-1625 Fax
Email: kennedy.library@nara.gov

Thank you for your support!
- Open Debates Team

Fwd: South Side Cares: Paint-Out 13 October

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "South Side Community Council GRAFFITI WATCH Action Group" <graffitiwatch@gmail.com>
Date: Sep 28, 2012 9:32 AM
Subject: South Side Cares: Paint-Out 13 October
To: "Graffiti Watch" <graffitiwatch@gmail.com>

VOLUNTEER for the GRAFFITI WATCH PAINT-OUT
ON SATURDAY 13 October

ANY ONE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING AND REMOVING GRAFFITI ON THE SOUTH SIDE IS welcome. This work is ongoing and we need new volunteers.  

GRAFFITI WATCH = WE CARE = WE DO = SOUTH SIDE CARES

Date:  SATURDAY 13 October

Time:  9:00 AM

WHERE:  We will meet at 2132 Sarah St.  Entrance behind building on Larkins Way

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

Graffiti Watch
phone: 412-496-2272
Email: graffitiwatch@gmail.com

            South Side Community Council GRAFFITI WATCH

PREVENTING AND REMOVING GRAFFITI ON THE SOUTH SIDE