Got bikes -- but no kids. But, the roads are not safe. We don't have bike lanes. We don't have bike racks. We don't have drivers to share the road.

Number of Kids on Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Doubles

MedlinePlus: Number of Kids on Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Doubles
FRIDAY, April 7 (HealthDay News) -- In a four-year span, the number of U.S. children and teens taking prescription drugs to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes has increased two-fold, according to a new study.

'From 2002 to 2005, we found a doubling of type 2 diabetes medications,' said Emily Cox, the senior director of research at Express Scripts, a benefits management company that conducted the study.

So, this is what happens if you cut the Recreation Centers by more than half. We used to have 32 outdoor swim pools. Most of them, in the city, are vacant lots. Dormont's Pool is not going to open this year, without a miracle.

The city does not have a marathon, like it used to have. The city used to sponsor The Thrift Drug Classic -- bike race. And even the 84 Lumber PGA event is soon only to be a memory.

Participation sports have taken a big hit. We need to get fit and make fitness a part of our fabric again.

And, even in sports in this city, it is a major victory to be .500. The Penguins are the worst team in hockey (we think) and the team won't pledge to say in Pittsburgh, and there is a pep rally for the Pens next week. The Pens walked away from the only indoor ice rink in the city, other than the Civic Arena, which they want to hit with a wrecking ball anyway. The closed indoor ice rink is a dark hole in our city. And, the Pens even put Southpoint, its practice facility in Washington County, in a lurch with ownership.

How many hockey rinks came into the market in the wake of Mario's arrival here? Mt. Lebo, Plum, Bladerunners, Castle Shannon, B.Park, Island Sports, etc. And then ask how many of them are financially stable and viable?

Perhaps the Pens can hold some of the blame for that build out and resulting contractions too? Greed isn't hard to find.

Now, obesity in kids and adults is par for the course.

Interesting Questions on KQV poll in recent days

The Dormont Pool will be closed this summer because extensive renovations are needed to make it safe. Dormont is represented by State Senator Wayne Fontana and Representative Tom Petrone. They are asking Governor Rendell for help in funding the estimated 3-million dollar cost of repairing the pool, a cost they say the community can not afford.

The online voting was 51 to 49 percent. At one time, in the morning, the votes were heavy on the side of NOT funding the pool. Then I expect that the word got out to Dormont residents and they started to rack up the calls and clicks.

The other question of interest was about the payment for the expansion of new seats in the Steelers' venue, Heinz Field. The 700+ seats and new box / lounge area is going to be paid for, in part, by public money. The Steelers are getting an upgrade to what they already have and they don't need to pay the full freight of that upgrade.

That was turned into a KQV poll -- and when I tuned in, the bulk of the callers and clicks were to have the Steelers pay the entire amount.

Wayne Fontana, D., voted to have the public pay for the seat expansion at Heinz Field.

Walking in place in a park with exercise equipment.

Taking a long walk on a short -- err -- expensive pier. Go Lt. Gov Candidate Stilp

Source: Gene Stilp, Lt. Governor Reform Committee

Stilp to Protest Brightbill's Tens of Thousands of Dollars in Per Diems in
26.2-Mile Walk From the Senator's Home to His Capitol Office

Lieutenant Governor Candidate Says Brightbill Should Return Thousands in Wrongfully Pocketed Taxpayer Funds

On Wednesday, April 12 from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate and anti-pay-raise activist Gene Stilp will take a break from the statewide campaign trail to embark on yet another trail. This time, Stilp will walk from Senator David "Chip" Brightbill's home in Mt. Gretna, Lebanon County to Brightbill's Capitol office. The distance: exactly 26.2 miles.

Stilp is staging the walk to demand that Brightbill return tens of thousands of dollars to Pennsylvania taxpayers taken in the form of per diem expenses, even though the Senate Majority Leader lives well within commuting distance of the Capitol.

"While the Pennsylvania House of representatives has a rule that no legislator can receive a per diem if the member lives within 50 miles of the Capitol, the Senate, where Senator Brightbill is the Majority Leader, allows the taking of a per diem no matter how close you live or if you actually use the money on expenses," Stilp explained. The Senate per diem rate is currently $143 per day. "Obviously, the rate was lower in the past, but as Majority Leader, Senator Brightbill makes the rules," Stilp said.

In recent years, Brightbill has collected as much as $8,000 to more than $10,000 per year in extra income from the per diems. "He does not stay in hotels in Harrisburg, he merely pockets the money," Stilp said.

Stilp is also asking Brightbill for a full accounting of his per diems while in office. "No one knows what the real amount is. It may well total more than $100,000 in extra income. Only an audit of Brightbill's per diems will tell," Stilp noted. Senator Brightbill is also holding up passage of Governor Rendell's Minimum Wage Bill in the Senate.

While Stilp is not a resident of Brightbill's district, and the Senator will likely point this out, the anti-pay-raise activist notes that taxpayers across the commonwealth pay for the per diems, not just Brightbill's constituents.

"These tens of thousands of dollars Brightbill owes the taxpayers are in addition to the tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he just returned to gambling interests. Simply put, 'Chip's dip' into the taxpayers' pocketbook for per diems has got to stop," Stilp concluded.

Mr. Stilp is currently running against Catherine Baker Knoll in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor. The election is May 16.

Citywide Wi-Fi to get public airing

Citywide Wi-Fi to get public airing council will hold an April 24 public hearing on the possibility of citywide Wi-Fi.

Saturday - Rogues and Pitt

The Rogues meet at 9 am in Saturday, April 15, 2006, at the Holiday Inn Select across
from South Hills Village, $13.00 per person. This month, all candidates for elective office get to speak on behalf their campaigns and the issues that they see important.

RSVP to Herb Ohliger, herb138 -at- fyi.net.

That afternoon Pitt's football team plays its blue-gold game at Heinz Field. Cost is $5.

Hope you enjoy your weekend.

Blog Fest Prom and Page Six Fiction and Social Interaction

Did you hear about how the one blogger's avatar went to the Duquesne Club and fell in love with the tourist in a tuxedo?

CMU/Pitt Nursebot Project Social interaction: A huge number of elderly people are forced to live alone, deprived of social contacts. The project seeks to explore whether robots can take over certain social functions.

Humm.... A nurse bot that tells you to take your meds, and injects a bit of blogging content into your veins as well.

Taken to the next level, perhaps we can agree that we can use technology to heal and be an interaction force to help people live longer. So, we should build bridges to social events in the tech world too.

I suggest that others in the Pgh Blogging Universe put together a PROM for May or June. I'll attend. But, sadly, I won't be able to organize it.

With a prom, there might be some newsworthy mentions in the local, if not statewide newspapers -- like who wore pink and who came in sneakers. And proms are one of those last chances to have a youthful fling, before hitting the 'real world.'

A bloggers prom event could be a milestone for maturity for the medium and the messengers' confab.

Another suggestion, if folks really wanted to play around like teens (and perhaps strive to re-caputure their youth) -- perhaps the ring-leaders should instigate a no-agenda, fiction filled, fun-only, interactive, project for scribes and creative types that aims to be a HYPE MACHINE --- like Page Six!

Page Six is the gossip page for an out-of-town newspaper. Recent reports of journalists and clebs pimping for PR and profit, (imagine that), adds fuel to the pay-ol-a fire.

Scandal, intrigue, escapades and brushes with the high-rollers (from boardroom to bedroom to nursing homes) could be cooked up -- as in fabricated -- into a 'soap opera' that plays among various sites. And, so as to not slander anyone, the characters could be movie stars and divas of an online origin for this drama.

Any D&D gamers on the scene in the Pgh Blog space? I bet some of the seniors would have a lot of spare time on their hands.

Fantasy games, clues, discovery, investigations, and more could happen -- just for the hell and thrill of it -- online and off. Then buzz and coverage would come -- with elusive behaviors expected.

Seneca Valley sells stadium naming rights

Way to go Mr. Caprara. Well done.

Seneca Valley sells stadium naming rights The Seneca Valley school board last night sold the naming rights of its football stadium to NexTier Bank in what may be the first transaction of its kind in Western Pennsylvania.

Raider Stadium will now be known as NexTier Stadium under a 10-year agreement whereby NexTier will pay the Butler County school district $50,000 over 10 years plus the expense of new signs.

Signage, including a NexTier Stadium name above the stadium entrance, the NexTier logo bar across visitors' side bleachers and NexTier logo flags on light posts, could be in place before the district's June 2 graduation at the stadium.

It is believed that this is the first partnership in Western Pennsylvania in which a high school stadium takes the name of a corporate sponsor, according to Greg Caprara, athletic director for the school district.

So, the Dormont Swim Pool naming rights should be the next on the auction block.

And, I'd love to see a region wide sales effort. This was part of my position paper on parks a few years ago. Sell the naming rights to lots of assets -- but do so in a more ogananized and more profitable way.

Just as the high-end auction houses put together the big players for a bidding event -- the same could be organized for other efforts in a catalog and in person.

Heck, perhaps one of Terry Bradshaw's game-day jerseys would have been featured as a 'down-payment' to create the endowment.

FWIW, Greg Caprara, A.D., hired me as the varsity swim coach at Fox Chapel for the girls and boys teams a couple of years ago. We surfed through a transition season and this year, the (girl) Foxes got 2nd in the WPIALs. Greg is good for sports in the region as he is a 'think outside the box' leader.

Rocky Mountain News: Rocky Ride for Pirates: Tossing Rocks by Keaton

Sports and Journalism.... humm...

Rocky Mountain News: Columnists This is a pretty adept PR job by Major League Baseball, which has managed to make the question, 'If the press didn't know, how were we supposed to know?' Too bad Enron didn't think of that.

In fact, two reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle forced baseball to act, but critics point out these were not sportswriters but news-side guys.

As Mark Jurkowitz of The Phoenix in Boston wrote last week, sports have become a big seller for newspapers and other media, which are looking for sales drivers in a big way.

Nice article on the role of Journalist and Sports Coverage.

Major Leage Baseball lost me. I don't even want my kids to play baseball, sadly. I don't want to take them to PNC Park -- and I think it is way better to go to a high school baseball game. Perhaps my kids will go to PNC Park to watch high school baseball at the end of the year. I'd rather see High School Baseball every day in PNC Park -- and sidestep the Pirates. But, I'm going overboard a tad.

According to Jurkowitz, Buster Olney, formerly of The New York Times and now of ESPN, wrote this in The Times 10 days ago: "I had a role in baseball's institutional failure during what will be forever known as the Steroid Era." In my sport, swimming, we had an era of steroids. One time of serious concern was the 1976 Olympics. Time stamp that! And, we didn't ignore the issue. Baseball did.

And, now, baseball isn't welcome in the Olympic Village. Baseball has been given the boot and won't be a part of the London Olympics in 2012. It is too late to give them the cold-shoulder for 2008.

As for weightlifters and sports reporters -- well -- I've got some history there too. When I published books, we did a good bit of work on putting out some anti-doping materials.

And, I've not been publishing for more than 10 years -- so time stamp that too!

Baseball's reporters -- and the bulk (pun intended) of the mainstream reporters on sports are both naive -- and they do need to share the blame. Same too for the corporations that employ the scribes. The Post Gazette used to own part of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Other media companies (Cubs) have big interests in various teams too.

I don't care much about the 'conflict of interest' -- but I do care that the conflict was not revealed. Disney, ESPN, and the Mighty Ducks can all have stock owners with the same bank accounts. But shine a light on the news for goodness sakes.

Heads up to Lifeguard and EMS friends -- free offer for swap out

A special offer came to our attention concerning a Cervical Immobilization Device (CID). This would apply to swim pools, EMS crews, hospitals, firehouses, and such.

The company, Laerdal Medical, developed a SpeedBlocks Immobilizer. SpeedBlocks are the best device for, not only EMS field use, but for lifeguards and Water Rescue Technicians. SpeedBlocks are the very best head immobilizer system available.

Laerdal Medical is offering a Free Swap-out Program by which you can swap out your current head immobilizer for a Laerdal SpeedBlocks immobilizer. This program is available directly through the manufacturer.

Access the Laerdal Swap-out program at http://www.laerdal.com/3536/speedblocksform.htm.



For additional information on this product and skills, access the SPINAL IMMOBILIZATION SECTION of the Lifesaving Resources’ ONLINE CATALOG.

Cheer for a High School Team -- as the Pirates are, well, Mr. Mom said....

Go Langley Mustangs!

The kid from Montour had a good movie role in the past when he played the star of "Mr. Mom." .... snicker.....

Need another reason, sterioids are not such a factor in high school sports. And, when you go to a local high school baseball game, chances are, one of OUR teams is going to win. And, often, none of the kids are loosers.

HighSchoolSports.Net shows Langley HS schedule

Now that the weather has broken, you can catch a lot of the local high school teams' schedules on the web site, HighSchoolSports.net.

HighSchoolSports.Net - Listings Tuesday 04/18 Home vs. Steel Valley High School at Sheraden Field 3:30 PM

Wednesday, 04/19, Home, vs. Brashear High School, Langley Field 3 pm

Fridaym 04/21, Home vs. Allderdice High School at Langley Field at 3 PM

Monday, 04/24, Home vs. Peabody High School at Langley Field at 3 PM

Wednesday, 04/26, Away at Oliver High School at 3 pm.

Saturday, 04/29, Away vs. Beaver Falls High School at 7 PM

Monday, 05/01, Away at Perry High School at 3 PM

Wednesday, 05/03, Home vs. Sto-Rox High School at Sheraden Field at 3

Monday, 05/08, Away at Westinghouse High School at 3 PM

Thursday, 05/11, Away at Schenley High School at 3 pm.

Friday, 05/12, Away vs. Bishop Canevin HS at 8 PM

Thursday, 05/18, Home Quarter-Finals at Langley Field TBA

Tuesday, 05/23, Away, Semi-Finals, TBA

Sunday, 05/28, Away, Baseball City League Finals, To Be Announced

Statement before City Council, odds and ends and downtown wireless tip-off

My name is Mark Rauterkus.

My family and I reside at 108 South 12th Street on the South Side.
I have a home on the internet at Rauterkus.com.

I am vice chairman of the Allegheny County Libertarian Party.

Recently I was a candidate for City Council and I'm presently circulating petitions for the November election.

My voter registration is now as "independent.'

Democracy is important and at the time of elections, we need to put forth new ideas and new candidates. I feel that the one party system in the city -- and the national 2-party system -- both need drastic overhauls.

One simple, level-headed change I endorse concerns ballot access. The PA ballot access coalition has put forth pending legislation that is common-sense and should be adopted.

The new voting machines we are getting in Allegheny County raises another serious problem. Thankfully the Sequoia option has been scratched from consideration. That's out. It was junk. Frankly, the new option is NOT MUCH better.

Years ago, I called for OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE as the best method for getting our "voting machines' -- and that "feature" is still lacking from the solution -- so I'm not satisfied.

Technology is important to me and our society.

I have a rich tech background. I am a 'geek" that understands many of the implications and impacts of tech policy.

Today, my main message is about the Downtown Wireless plans and proposals.

If I was in your position, I'd NOT take the plan that is before you now.

Downtown Wireless is "downtown." You are a 'city council.'

I would INSIST upon City-Wide Wireless.

This is another example where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

One of your roles, as city council, is to lead with integrity and understand and apply a big concept -- EQUITY.

Would you ever build a POLICE FORCE and have it ONLY serve Downtown?

Would you ever deploy a FIRE Department and say -- you can't leave downtown?

The wireless downtown plan is just for downtown.

It makes no sense to embrace a downtown plan because we should have wireless city-wide -- and great firms like Earthlink can help to throw the switch on the deployment without ANYTHING from the city -- except a key ingredient.... That is "LEADERSHIP."

Furthermore, Downtown wireless for 2-hours is silly.

+ The cost after 2 hours of use per day is UNKNOWN. You should NEVER buy into an agreement until the big facts are on the table. HOW MUCH and WHEN are key questions that MUST BE ANSWERED.

Both 'consumer costs' and 'government costs' are matters that city council should represent as part of its duty.

+ Downtown businesses -- for example, Alcoa or a financial institution, or a law firm, -- are NOT going to use the public wireless infrastructure. Don't fool yourself. The firms mentioned and others with a downtown address are the kind that need security and control as well as accountability with their mission critical networks. This solution will NOT provide, especially at the outset, the necessary components for the downtown business sector. And, these firms already have networks that are beyond what this plan aspires to deliver.

+ Even pending residents of downtown, as featured in in today's newspaper, who are moving from suburban homes to return to city living, (such as Rich Trombetta, 42, a computer project manager for PNC Bank) are NOT going to reply upon 2-hours of free wireless so as to live downtown. He can afford his own line. Like I've got my own line.

City council should not be suckers for rich get richer propositions -- based on downtown neighborhood hype.

+ On the other hand, small business -- say, the South Side's Pickle Barrel and Dee's Cafe, -- could use the wireless in two hour chunks for themselves and their customers. The sector who can really use and thrive with a new wireless capacity is the small, neighborhood business throughout the city that operate beyond downtown.

+ Downtown is easy to make wireless -- without telephone polls. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse -- in PPG's business complex -- does not need a telephone poll to make the jump to wireless.

+ Downtown buildings, for decades, have been serviced with high speed, cable, fiber optics.

+ Our neighborhoods, are a different matter, unlike the landscape of downtown and the needs of those who work and conduct business downtown.

+ The school kids would be PRIME users of free wireless for daily, two-hour periods for doing their homework. That is PERFECT as I don't want my kid on the internet for longer stretches anyway. Our kids needs to be literate with technology. Doing homework at grandmas, or in a rec center before a ballgame, or elsewhere would be a great boom to our quality of life.

+ When city council sanctions sweet-heart, downtown deals, like the downtown wireless plans, it then NULLIFIES all hopes for a city-wide install. City council's act lets them "pick the cherries." Serious city-wide work needs to be done.

+ City-wide wireless isn't a breeze. But, it isn't hard to accomplish.
The entire Philly area, full of its corruption, is going wireless. Philly is going wireless, as a COUNTY. We don't need to take Allegheny County wireless, like they are doing in Philly, but we should enable the entire city to have wireless access.

Perhaps City Council is being hoodwinked.

Perhaps, city council members are ignorant -- or just dis-ingenious to the neighborhoods.

+ The PDP, Pgh Downtown Partnership, should be sent back to the drawing boards.

+ There is no rush to get wireless installed before for the 2006 All-Star Game. Give me a break.

+ Tell the PDP to co-host, a REGION WIDE, youth technology summit. After two or three days at a summit, with everyone under the same roof, we'll be able to tell city council what is our best course of action.

Wireless should be for the entire city, not just downtown. Otherwise, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. And, downtown is easy to make wireless within various buildings and hubs. The city should have been wireless years ago. But, this is the kind of absent minded services you get when you have this type of city council leadership.

Swim programs at the college level

Good news and bad news about some college swimming programs. Iowa State Univ. is going to re-start its men's swim team -- and -- UNH is going to cut its program.

Camp AK-O-Mak The University of New Hampshire is ending its men's swim team program. Let's help our alumni who swam at UNH - by helping them spread our disappointment with this decision. Swimming is a great sport - and means a lot to so many of us. So, too, does equality in sport. Swimming seems to be on the short end of the stick in the UNH case. The school needs to save money - so they're ending a program that is considered 'easy' to cut.

Here is a link to write UNH's president, if you'd like to help save men's swimming:

http://www.unh.edu/president/presemail.htm or email the UNH Athletic Director Mr. Marty Scarano at marty.scarano@unh.edu It's time to speak up for swimmers everywhere!

Thanks "running mates" for the clicks and the short note to the AD and University President.
These kids won't be going to UNH. They won't even dream about it. And, the parents of these kids won't be taking jobs as faculty and staff at UNH either. More than 100 quality students depart a campus when the men's swim team is dropped as college coaches often recruit 25 students to their campus each year. Only 10 may join the team, but more are pulled to the school for their education.

---

My note:
Message: I would say that the decision to cut mens swimming and diving would take away more than 100 quality student athletes from your school. A decent college coach recruits 25 new students to the school each year. Only 10 or so may join the team. But, others show up and become students. And, they'd not go there if swimming wasn't an option.

Pull together a water polo program and you'd get another 100 students -- quality students -- on campus.

Furthermore, my wife, Ph.D., professor at Univ. of Pittsburgh, won't ever go to work at a university such as yours because you don't have swimming programs. She won't swim -- but the benefits would be great for our family and for the greater community. So, you'll need to subtract ten possible new faculity members each year who won't even be interested in jobs at UNH.

Hope you see the big picture.

Signed, MR (contact details)
Dad of two swimmers, coach of two swim teams and a six years as a NCAA Division I swim coach (Ohio Univ., Baylor Univ., Bradley Univ.).

Revised plan would delay West End school closing

Revised plan would delay West End school closing Revised plan would delay West End school closing

This is great news and another example where people were able to "Think Again." I love it.... for many reasons.

The Gifted Center needs to move out of its present location in The Hill District. The plan was to put it over on the North Side at Ridge -- a dumb decision. That building has ONE WINDOW. And, it went up for sale and there were a number of interested parties that was thinking of buying the building. Well, the long and short of it was that The Gifted Center would NEVER fit into where the "right size plan" called for it to move. That isn't going to happen. Such a relief.

The Gifted Center is not slated to move into the West End's Greenway. GREAT. That is a funky school -- but these kids are gifted and they'll be able to fit and have a good place to learn.

Furthermore, the whole shift of the Classical Academy into Langley made no sense to me. The "right sized plan" was ONLY about elementary schools and middle schools. There was little to no thought put into the landscape of our assets and options with those in the high school grades. That is still to come. So, putting more students into a high school building -- without thinking about the overall impact of the high school educational mission and directions was foolish.

Really, in the end of the thinking process -- it might make great sense to move LANGLEY High School into Greenway. Then the gifted center might need to move again. Okay.

Hats off to Mr. Roosevelt for a much, much better decision. Way to go. Thinking again is necessary.

Open Clip Art Library :: openclipart.org :: Drawing Together.

I love community projects and public domain drop offs and pick-up points.

Open Clip Art Library - openclipart.org - Drawing Together.Drawing Together.

This project aims to create an archive of user contributed clip art that can be freely used.

Hartford is nice

Hartford suitor ready to woo Penguins - PittsburghLIVE.com First it was Kansas City, and now it's Hartford, Conn., that wants the team if it can't get a new arena in Pittsburgh.

Hartford is wailing.

What is to say that the Pens would NOT leave even IF we build them a new arena?

The lease helps ground the team in the area -- right?

Well, better than a lease to a building that the Pens would NOT own -- how about if the team has a building of its own and then that building acts as real roots to the area.

Let's not build a new arena and have the arena's ownership be anything other than the Penguins. The Penguins should own the new arena.

School buildings should be owned by the school district. Homes should be owned by homeowners. Commercial buildings should be owned by businesses. Parks should be owned by a park district. New toll roads should not be owned by Australian Investors. But, out of the list, the last one is not such a bad deal as they can't move the highway.

Mayor opens dialogue - PittsburghLIVE.com

Mayor opens dialogue - PittsburghLIVE.com Stephen Opara, 17, a senior at Taylor Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill, told O'Connor that students need more recreation centers and summer job opportunities.

A commission that meets four to six times a year should really be called a 'pep rally.' Others might call it a photo opportunity too.

Of course we need more Rec Center engagement. Of course we need more educational enrichment. Of course we need jobs -- such as lifeguarding -- in the summer months. Those items, ranging from youth technology to dynamic aquatic programs are near and dear to my heart -- and to the soul of the future of this city.

I think probably we should listen to students more often than we do -- and I include myself in the group that should probably do that more often," said Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt, who chatted with O'Connor and students.

Right on. Think again.

But Mr. Roosevelt -- how about if you start by doing a way better job in your communication activities with the school teachers. Send them a blasted email or two -- each week. And, allow them to communicate among themselves as well.

I hate to see the boss of the schools on his knees trying to beg for student to superintendent communications when there is much more to be done among faculty and administration, administration and parents, and administration and tax payers.