Yahoo! Answers Relies on the Kindness -- and Knowledgeability -- of Strangers

Two weeks in Pittsburgh. Is this some kind of joke? Is this because Google set up a new office in town recently? Is this because it is 7-degrees outside as I type this?

Yahoo! Answers Relies on the Kindness?and Knowledgeability?of Strangers The point system (http://answers.yahoo.com/info/scoring_system) rewards both the quality of answers and the frequency of participation. All participants start with 100 points and can build up their scores without ever answering a question just by asking questions and voting on answers. However, achieving ?best answer? ratings can add 10 points, the highest lump sum of points available. Accrual of points leads to seven answer levels?white (0?249), yellow (250?999), blue (1,000?2,499), green (2,500?4,999), purple (5,000?9,9999), brown (10,000?24,999), and black (25,000-plus)?with different ?thank you? status awards attached. The awards range from a simple thank you note, to eligibility as a ?featured user? on a community editorial page or even on the home page masthead, to something so astounding it remains unannounced (?Be the first to find out!?). The higher the level one attains, the more opportunity Yahoo! promises to ask, answer, comment, and rate. (?Second prize is 2 weeks in Pittsburgh.?)

At a number of different junctions in my online life, I played critical roles in leadership. There was the Village Chat Server, the Village Compass Bundle, the USS Swim Boards, the Better-Swim-List, the SC buy-out and the Eureka Squared! discussion with Netscape, to mention a few.

Because of the knock above -- and I can take a joke -- I'll pass on the Yahoo! Answers network.

Lou's List: "He's just a name."

Lou's List: "He's just a name." 'He's just a name.'

People are finally beginning to realize that st. Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr. may not be the ideal candidate to go head to head against U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum in November. Casey continued to unimpress ...

Tom Leturgey's article about City Council in The Front -- at news drops now

The cover has a big photo of Bill Peduto. The inside article is full of interesting insights and great photos of each member of council. It isn't online yet. It is worty reading, for sure.

Well done Tom.

The Front's website is at http://www.TheFrontWeekly.com.

The Front Weekly article on blogging

The Front Weekly Blogging by David DeAngelo

The author of the article writes, in part, "I have to say that I still have no idea what the future looks like." He should have asked, or perhaps that will be part two of the story. I'll be glad to connect the virtual dots if you ask.

Some might say that our brians are one big gray glob of more or less useless informational static, just has he described the blogosphere.

But the possibility of more bloggers searching through source material and analyzing what our elected officials (and un-elected punditry) assert should have those officials and pundits more than a little concerned. Imagine a huge mass of people going about fact-checking on the news.


To me, that isn't scary. It is duty.

The Man Who Would Be Mayor (InPgh news article)

Blast from the past: The Man Who Would Be Mayor (InPgh news article) Wednesday, January 03, 2001

How Google woos the best and brightest

I use Google's G-mail application. It is nice. And, the enhancements have been flowing quickly.

How Google woos the best and brightest Free cafeteria food, annual ski trips to the Sierra and free laundry are just some of the fringe benefits of working at Google. Getting hired is the trick.

Every month, aspiring workers deluge the popular Mountain View search engine with up to 150,000 resumes, equivalent to a stack of paper at least 50 feet high. And the firm claims to read each and every one.

Note that one of the higher job enhancements at Google is child care.

Jake Wheatley, Jr. + Mark Roosevelt + meetings

I got to mingle with a few at Knoxville yesterday at a meeting hosted by Jake Wheatley, Jr. Dem, State Rep, and Mark Roosevelt, Pgh Public Schools Superintendent. Others were there including two school board memebers (Mark B, Jean F) and a few friendly community activist.

Knoxville is slated to close -- as per the plan. The kids there are to go to Arlington. In this case Knoxville is ranked as a "2" -- and so is Arlington. And, the Knoxville School and community is putting up a fuss. The school is in great shape. There is a strong sense of family in the building. There are plenty of positive elements to the overall situation there.

It will be a very, very sad day if Knoxville closes.

I didn't hear the word, "phase" once, sadly. I did hear a bit of hype in the promises. Some Elementary kids, now in 5th grade, have already been to four schools. Unreal.

The trend has been, as I've described before, to jerk the citizens around. They jerk us out of the swim pools in the summer. They jerk students out of the schools, such as South Vo Tech. The property values get jerked around. The budget process is full of tugs and pulls -- often at last minute, frantic, paces.

How about if we phase out a few of these schools!

When they closed South Vo Tech -- I objected that the news came in May. There would be no school to re-open in September. Furthermore, some of the kids who were JUNIORS at South Vo Tech had already been to two other schools. If you are a high school student, going into your senior year, you don't want to be going to your thrid or fourth school for your senior year. That was wrong.

I asked for the follow-up numbers too. I want to know how many Juniors and Sophomores at South Vo Tech dropped out of school and didn't graduate from Pgh Public Schools.

It would have been a little more expensive, but a lot more human, to close South Vo Tech in a phase out so as to not jerk around the students and families.

If the board and superintendent promised to do a much better job of closing schools in a phase out process -- in terms of years -- then they'd get all the support in the world.

Put a big red "X" on the front doors of the school to signal the school's future closure. This school is to close in three years. No new students may enroll. End all bussing for the school for the last year. Drop the staff by 50% each year, at least.

That promise of a gradual school shut down would give a huge boost to families in the city. In the burbs, they don't shut down schools like this. Heck, many suburban districts only have two elementary schools. How could they close one? Most have one middle school and one high school.

They people in the burbs don't deal with this same crisis that city redisents face -- year in and year out.

Finally, for now, don't stand before the citizens and say that this is the last time we're going to 'right size' the school system. That's a joke. This year's 'right sizing' does NOT apply to high schools, so says the 'right size plan.' The kids in middle schools are going to be jerked around again with the eventual, probable shut down and re-organization of the public high schools in Pittsburgh. Don't say we are going to do it once and for all.

Superintendents who succeed generally don't make it past 3 years. Our kids are going to be with the district for 13 years.

In Pittsburgh, do NOT sing the blues until you've paid your dues.

Oh Christmas Tree -- they were sold out! But we scored on 18th Street

Our regular Christmas Tree vendor sold out of all his trees. Yesterday, he said, they moved about 40 trees. Today, the last few were going, going, gone! This location is at Rt. 51 on the south side of the Liberty Tunnel at Boggs Ave and Arlington Ave.

We scored a great tree, and there are more too, just past Mt. Oliver, up 18th Street, just before McDonalds. $30 for a blue spruce. It is getting a drink now. I should join it.

I heard that there are $60 trees in Bethel Park....

Not getting what you want for Christmas, then ...

send your complaints here, to the North Pole.


North Poll -- photo from fall 2005. Elves were busy at work making gifts. Santa was doing the first drafts of his lists.

Meanwhile, we were on a flight from Chicago to Hong Kong.

We've been working very hard around here to bring a fun Christmas to our household. So, the blogging has taken a back seat.

Today I've got to finish our Christmas letter, 2005. And, it is sure to have a supplent with a political message as well.

Suggestions are welcomed. Leave them in the comments area.

I got to peek at some images from A.J. He went on our trip to China this year and has shared his photos. I'll blend them into the collection. A.J. is going to be going to art school next year. He and Uncle Bob visited Pittsburgh yesterday.

Many find you can go home again - PittsburghLIVE.com

I am a boomerang born at the end of the baby boom. And, I own a few boomerangs. We bought em in Australia.

Many find you can go home again - PittsburghLIVE.com ... 'boomerang migrators,' those who leave the area and then return, ...

Last week, I spoke with a light-industrial guy who makes boomerangs in Pittsburgh. We want to do an event -- talking to boomerangs, tossing a few, and pumping up the flow for others to come as well.

But, first things first. The headline says 'can.' Think of the kid in 2nd grade who asks the teacher, 'Can I go to the bathroom?' Then the teacher says -- down his grammer driven nose -- "Yes you can. But, you want to know if you may." So, "May I move back to Pittsburgh."

"Honey, may we move to Pittsburgh?"

For best results, ask this question after you've red up the house and at.

Another first thing first mention -- I don't want to spend too much time dweling upon the folks that are not here yet. Rather, we have a core of folks who have not yet left (either again or at all). Those are the ones who are going to make a difference in the near term.

I lived in Penn Hills. Then Athens, Ohio; Boston; Waco, Texas; Peroria, Illinois; Chicago; Long Beach / L.A., California; Evanston, IL (back to Chicago); South Side.

The best academic job for my wife, as she was about to get her Ph.D. from Northwestern (we met while I was living there) was at the Univ. of Pittsburgh. So, my mothers rosarys were answered!

When we moved back to Pittsburgh, and we had visited together a number of times prior to a move, I insisted that we reside on the South Side. That was 1990.

In 1994 we spend a month in Australia -- and got the boomerangs. I'll try to post a photo soon.

pittsburgh bloggers | Write here in Pittsburgh...

pittsburgh bloggers | Write here in Pittsburgh...: "A Fresh Face! "

I'll say! Looks great.

Letter to Mr. Roosevelt about the Gifted Center from concerned parent, Catherine Palmer (my wife)

108 South 12th Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203

Superintendent Mark Roosevelt
School Board, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Dear Madams and Sirs:

I write to you as a parent of two elementary school children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and a fellow educator. I am an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders. I have an undergraduate degree in elementary education, my PhD is in Audiology, I conduct research, and see patients who have communication problems due to hearing loss. I believe I am sensitive to educational needs, budget constraints, and making decision based on data due to these various roles.

My sons came home from the Gifted Center last Thursday (their favorite day of the school week) and told me that the superintendent was going to close the Gifted Center. In fact, they both produced a handout from the Gifted Center that summarized the news thus far (frequently asked questions: buses cost money, the board is voting 12/21, gifted education is mandated by law, how to be at the hearing, etc.). And then they both asked me how I could let this happen. So, out of my responsibility to my two boys, I decided to compose a letter so at least I won’t have to say that I didn’t even ask the important questions. I have taken several days to think about this because I have admired the process thus far in the Pittsburgh Public Schools to try to make data driven decisions rather than emotional ones. Just because I love my boys going to the Gifted Center and they love going, isn’t actually a reason to keep it open. Yet, what is the reason for closing it? I will try to suggest a data driven way to approach this.

Thus far, the major decisions related to the “right-sizing” of schools in Pittsburgh have been data driven even if the formulas weren’t readily available. And these data were based on educational performance. These are hard to argue with. What is the formula for considering closing the Gifted Center? It can’t be performance based because these children clearly are performing. So, is it solely financially based? The only information that we have received states that this “…is not an educational decision, but a needed financial decision. By closing the building and sending all students back to their home schools the district will save $394,449 the first year and possibly $986,000 thereafter.” But these aren’t adequate data. First, it is disheartening, although honest, to be told decisions related to your school children are not educational. All the “right-sizing” thus far has emphasized that these were educationally based decisions, but now when it comes to some of our most gifted students, decisions are no longer educational? That seems peculiar.

I would respectfully request that no action is taken until data can be collected as it has been for all of the other decisions. These data would include the actual costs of integrating gifted programs into each and every home school for the same grades that currently receive services. In doing this, the administration also needs to be honest in how they will do this and maintain the standard that the Gifted Center has set.

I can save you some time here, because you can’t possibly maintain this standard. Anyone who has studied Gifted Education and seen it implemented in the Pittsburgh Public Schools knows that it is a culture that is created. It is not something that can be recreated in a room set aside at a home school. You cannot replicate the interactions between the students from different parts of the city, the freedom to explore subjects with amazing resources (both things and teachers), the independent learning that is created in this environment, and the forthcoming leadership skills that are born and nourished. This is not likely to be recreated in a room that most likely will be shared with other programs at home schools. And perhaps even more importantly, whatever is created in the home schools will be wildly different between schools and you will see some schools with terrific gifted resources and others with very little. This is not equitable or just for the gifted children of Pittsburgh who come from different neighborhoods. Most likely the best we will be able to hope for is some accelerated work in these home school “gifted programs” and no one should be fooled into thinking that this is adequate gifted education. Regardless, the responsible way of looking at this would be to calculate the true costs of implementing adequate and equal gifted programs in each and every school (materials, rooms, teachers, etc.) including all grades that currently use the gifted center and then comparing it to what is spent now on the Gifted Center and the transportation to the program.

As we interact with our friends and relatives who live in the suburbs with children the same ages as our own, there are two things they always mention and envy about the city schools – the fact that we have language magnets that start language immersion in Kindergarten and the fact that we have the Gifted Center – a place where gifted education truly takes place in an ideal atmosphere. Why would we close the Gifted
Center, why wouldn’t we make it a model for others to follow? Why wouldn’t we use it as a source to approach foundations who might want to encourage the best and the brightest in our city schools? These two programs that are the envy of suburban friends are also part of what keeps people who choose to send their children to the city schools doing just that. Without these outstanding resources, the reasons to be in the city schools may not outnumber some of the costs and we may find ourselves yet again needing to “right size”. As superintendent and the school board, you must look at all of your constituents and part of that constituency consists of individuals who make a conscious choice to have their children in the city schools and have other options available. We want a diverse group of children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools and we want people who have consciously chosen to be here.

I respectfully request that you postpone any decision related to the Gifted Center until you have collected and shared the data that would reasonably compare the current cost of the gifted center and the cost to duplicate this program in each and every home school. This would be a responsible way to make a decision related to gifted education in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Sincerely,


Catherine V. Palmer

Overseer finds error in budget that favors city

Okay gang, here is an idea I floated a while ago. It might be time to revisit it as there are many cries for an accounting of the expenses of the two overloard bodies that are working in Pittsburgh. We don't know how much these oversight groups are costing.

But more to the heart of the matter, not that the money isn't important, comes my suggestion. My point goes to a working pressure point. News:

Overseer finds error in budget that favors city Council must pass a budget by year's end, and is scheduled to take a final vote on Monday. If the state-appointed Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority doesn't approve it, state funds may be withheld and the authority could intercept new tax revenue next year.

The authority and Act 47 team are working together in talks with council.

These overlords might be earning their keep if they find $2-million-plus errors in the budget. That's great.

However, the overlords need to make themselves players. So, they must deny approval of the budget for as long as possible. And, they must create an uncertainty about what the plan is really about. If the overlords are fuzzy with the plan, then the overlords get to have decisions as they come as the wind blows. That puts power into the realm of the overlords and away from the city's elected politicians.

So, here is the plan. While the overloards are in town, everyone's pay is cut in half. Don't pay the mayor nor council members (elected folks) their full salary. Pay them half. And half is generous, IMHO.

Also, don't pay the overloards their full salary.

The unpaid money goes into escrow. Half of the unpaid money gets paid upon the departure of the overlords. The other half of unpaid salary gets paid three or four or five years after the departure of the overlords, provided that the city's finances are still afloat.

This would give an incentive to the overlords for leaving. That is real motivation.

This plan would also give incentive to the overloards and elected people to find a real solution.

We don't have much leverage now. We don't have a 'sunset' of these overlords. They stay and they get paid. And, we don't even know how much.

I want to pay them when the work is done and when the solutions are proven to work.

I will be happy to take this challenge as long as others in the overloard caucus do the same. And, I would be happy to use self-lobby efforts to make these concepts part of state law, for all present and future overlords throughout the state.

Wiki pointer: Global Voices

Main Page - Global VoicesWelcome to the Global Voices Wiki, a place to discuss the shared goals and identity of Global Voices, and to gather links to voices around the world.

Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: All this focus on Math and Science -- does it mean we won't be teaching history -- so asks Tracy L

An older post here, from Nov 2005, is getting heat -- via Nevada, in the comments.

Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events: All this focus on Math and Science -- does it mean we won't be teaching history -- so asks Tracy L All this focus on Math and Science -- does it mean we won't be teaching history -- so asks Tracy L

Feeling the Pull of Thai Massage (washingtonpost.com)

Dana Scarton, freelance writer, had a column in the Pgh Press years ago. She has a nice read about Thai massage. When we went to Thailand, I got a massage. Sadly, I don't have photos. :(

Feeling the Pull of Thai Massage (washingtonpost.com) In Thai massage, the practitioner's table is replaced by a floor mat, no oils or lotions are used, and clients wear clothing suitable for exercise. The practitioner uses his hands, knees and feet to manipulate the client's body into a series of postures and stretches that resemble yoga positions. In fact, some call Thai massage 'lazy man's yoga.'

The grad students with us got a treatment of some type in China while in Chengdu. That flipped me out a bit.

Budget crawls ahead - Perfect Lose-Lose Example

Here is another lose-lose proposition. We can't win, again. This is a classic example of what drives me to be on city council.

Budget crawls ahead - PittsburghLIVE.com If council passes Murphy's budget this year without the oversight board's consent, it could cause the board to withhold new tax revenues from the city to force it to comply.

None of the options are worthy of a great city. None of the options are worthy of a place that I want to be well suited for my children and my childrens' kids.

We need someone to do the heavy lifting so that options, real options, are put onto the table. I want one avenue available, as an escape route if necessary, that will insure that we can soar again.

I want a performance option. I am tierd of only seeing these 'crawl along' solutions and options. They stink. And, they are crafted by those who don't have the capacity to make anything else. Nor do they have the motivation to do anything else.

For them, the status quo is just fine. The status quo doesn't work for me. It doesn't fit. It doesn't wear well.

The status quo, and the crawl along options, explains why people in Pittsburgh have been voting with their feet -- and leaving -- in the past years.

Kansas City woos Penguins - PittsburghLIVE.com

The Pens have not received any government support for the new arena -- but -- how much do they get from the existing arena? Is that to be ignored?

Furthermore, if the Penguins have a shot at getting a slots license -- isn't that a heap of government support? The sltos license revenue is a direct outcome of governmental action. That is government support -- directly.

Kansas City woos Penguins - PittsburghLIVE.com But they have not received any government support for a new arena. That means the Penguins must rely on efforts to obtain a slots license or revenue generated by a license awarded to another candidate.

And, the kickback from the slots could be generated by the Penguins if the team went for the ownership of the license. The team does not need to beg to the slots license holder if the team was the slots license holder. The team can make its own application for the slots license.

Wired: going solo for the rivers on a bike that floats

This guy might be looking for a sponsor. I should send him an Elect.Rauterkus.com t-shirt.

Wired 13.12: POSTS When Simmons planned his 2,180-mile, four-month trip, he was really just searching for an excuse to camp out on his 18-foot hand-built bicycle-powered pontoon, the Libelula. But now he had Cub Scouts, news reporters, and elementary-school kids between here and Louisiana waiting for him to expound on river conservation and watershed awareness.

PAT dictates school schedule

PAT is slated for a holiday schedule on January 2, 2006. So, Pgh Public Schools is going to stay closed on that day. The school schedule called for school to begin on Janary 2, 2006. Now that is going to be a vaction day.

Schools will be closed from Monday, December 26, 2005 through Monday January 2, 2006. School will resume on January 3, 2006.

PAT is going to have more and more of an impact upon the school schedules. That scares me. PAT is always seeking another 'bail out.' And, a strike by transit workers would greatly impact upon the schools too.

Furthermore, one of the ways to "right size" the schools is to eliminate all buses for high school students. Students who go to high schools would not be able to get a school bus. Rather, all bus rides will be on PAT buses, when it comes to high school students.

Trouble is, many buses don't go to the high schools. Buses go downtown -- and then the kids need to take a transfer. So, the net effect will be a lot of high schoolers with dead time downtown. That spells for more trouble too.

Buses do go -- but not frequently -- to Perry and to Brashier High School.

This is also a big impact upon the moving of Schenley High School out of Oakland, central in the city, a transportation hub, etc. to East Liberty.

Of interest, they are saying that the new Schenley is going to be in "Shadyside" -- but this is not Shadyside. Reisenstein Middle School is in East Liberty, isn't it???

If PAT holidays can mean changes to the school schedule, then we better consider PAT service patterns as a viable element in the positioning of our schools about town.